Yes, we know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. But honestly holiday lights help spread cheer and joy, even to the Scrooge’s who don’t want to admit it. Plus the kids love them and every year it seems like there are less and less homes decorated and light up for the holidays.
We have started hanging lights the beginning of November for the past several years. If you don’t have the time, equipment or even just don’t want the headache give us a call. We will come back and take them down after the New Year.
2 J’s checks to make sure all the bulbs are working properly and can set them up on a timer if you prefer. We can hang your personal lights (we wrap them back up neatly in January), purchase lights for you so you don’t have to go shopping for them, or you may rent some that we already have on hand.
No contracts. Plus great customer service if a bulb goes out or timer gets changed.
Let’s all make Holiday Spirits a Little Brighter this season.
Local Stone open faced drainage ditch. This large ditch has saved the customers foundation and prevented a lot of erosion. The open face also makes it easy to clean out all of the leaves and debris.This drain goes from the gutter and under the parking area to help with erosion.Before the drain cap
This customers old metal edging was beginning to rust out in some places. This was causing some of the gravel yard to slip as well as affecting the growth of the grass in other areas. Cut stone border and some flagstone added more height and depth for the gravel to keep grass area of the yard separate.
Changing the old tree rings to cut stone helped bring everything together and consistent.
A section of flagstone was added for more definition while allowing a mower in without gravel in the wheels. It could also eventually be extended into a walkway.
The stone will never need to be replaced, unless the customer wants to redo the yard entirely at some point. At which time the cut stone can always be re-purposed into a fire pit, walkway or other project. We love using rock edging, it is a little more expensive than metal. However the curb appeal and longevity certainly make up for the price. We will be replacing the neighbors old metal edging with stone this winter, keep an eye on our Instagram for those pictures.
We hope everyone stays safe and bundles up tonight if they are going out, it’s going to be a cold one. Chimney sweeps and gas unit cleaning /light ups are on the top of our priority list at the moment. If you haven’t had your unit taken care of yet give us a call instead of being cold. Jeff has been staying out late to make sure customers are warm.
Leaf season is officially in full swing. If you haven’t been scheduled yet please call soon. Being on a routine maintenance schedule is cheaper than a one time clean up, as it takes less man hours.
Next week we start Holiday Lighting installation. The entire first week and a half of November are already booked. New customers who call and schedule during November ask for a discount. Existing lighting customers who refer us ask Jeff as well, we appreciate it immensely.
Cleaning the vent on our clothes dryer is often the furthest thing from our minds. After all we clean the lint trap after nearly every load of laundry, so how dirty could the actual line to the exterior house vent really be?
What Causes Vent Clogs
Several factors can play into build up in the dryer vent duct.
line length
line elevation
temperature and condensation
frequency of cleaning the lint trap
how well the exterior vent cover is working
size of laundry loads
freshly cleaned dryer vent, and 5 gallon bucket of debris from inside the line.
Why Dryer Vent Cleaning is Important
Nearly 3,000 home fires are caused each year from clothes dryers. The U.S. Fire Administration predicts that about 34% are caused from lack regular vent maintenance. Scheduling an annual cleaning, along with cleaning the lint trap regularly would help reduce this number significantly.
Machine Longevity
Regular cleaning will also help keep the machine in good working order and prevent damage to parts. The thermal fuse is one of the most frequent parts to fail due to a clogged vent line. Thermal fuses are generally rather cheap to replace but can be rather a headache to change out and find a replacement.
Dryers are not cheap, and for most of us our daily routines depend on them. New parts are often hard to find. In addition to the down time while they are being ordered and shipped.
Fall is the perfect time to schedule a dryer vent cleaning in Northwest Arkansas. The service can be preformed at the same time a chimney sweep or other heating units are being cleaned and serviced.
Camp fire and s’more weather is coming. Here are a few of our favorite fire pits from over the years. We can install wood or gas, they both give your an added home equity boost. If you are a renter ask us about a prefab kit that you could move with you.
Walkway lead to firepitHassle free propane fire pit and custom native stone sitting areaNative stone patio and propane fire pit
The rain has been pretty constant this summer. Flooding has been a major issue in a lot places. Homes, lawns and driveways are suffering while the grass looks gorgeous.
Keeping the gutters clean and free of debris can help protect your home and in many cases lawn as well. Impacted down spots can be expensive to replace. As well as doing damage to your home and causing erosion in your lawn.
We often forget about our guttering until it is raining, and no one wants to be out on a ladder cleaning them then. Even if they are overflowing and causing damage or just being a nuisance.
Unfortunately gutters don’t just funnel water way from doorways and windows they also transport dirt, leaves and other debris that accumulate on our roofs. This can damage the gutter downspouts if they are not cleaned regularly. Along with siding and facia. In some cases the gutters can even be torn from the house due to excess weight.
For the month of September in 2019 2 J’s & Sons is offering all new customers 20% of their first gutter cleaning service. Don’t forget to ask about power washing siding, sidewalks and outdoor sitting areas as well.
Cooler weather should be just around the corner. It makes a perfect time take care of the lawn. I don’t just mean cutting the grass. Over seeding a lawn with bare spots, aerating and top dress to promote fertilization are all great things to do during cooler weather.
Top dressing is when a thin layer of very high quality dirt is added to the top of a lawn. It is raked in to fill odd holes and divets in the lawn. The dirt is generaly composed of compost, manure and worm castings to help fertilize and replace the nutrients that have been absorbed by the grass root system over time. Every living thing appreciated a diet routine change. Here is a little more information on soil amendment Natural Tricks for Better Soil
Top dress and over seed to fix bare spots.
Over seeding is simply adding new grass seed to the lawn to help fill in bare or thin spots. After topdressing is a great time to overseed. It gives the new seed a good place to rest and lots of nutrients help it grow. Benefits of Over-Seeding
Aerating is for lawns that have become root bound. The roots have in most cases become so grown together that there is no room for new starts to begin. Aeration can also benefit a lawn that has suffered drought or when the soil has not been properly amended and fertilized. Here is more information on Lawn Aeration
Remove Rocks and other Debris. Cooler weather is also a good time to just get out in the yard and remove any loose rocks that happen to have grown. Yes, everyone that lives in NWA know that we actually grow rocks here overnight. They prevent grass from growing, trip children and wreck havoc on lawn mower blades.
Mulching can be done almost all year round. Autumn leaves can be mulched with a lawn mower to add the leaf debris back into the lawn. Its also a lot quicker than raking them all up. Saves garbage bags or the risk of starting a fire for those that burn them instead of bagging or mulching them.
During the growing season mowing over large clumps of grass several times adds the nutrients and any seed that was on the grass back in to the soil.
leaving grass clumps after mowing can kill the new grass growing underneath.
Let the Grass Seed. As the weather gets cooler or before it begins to get to hot let the grass get a little shaggy and produce its own seed. Why waste free seed and risk more bare spots later when the lawn can replenish its self.
grass does not have to grow to high only until you start to see the tassels
A lush grassy lawn takes a little TLC. Well maybe a little more care and attention here in NWA where the ground is so rocky and most of our dirt consists of clay that does not promote good drainage or root growth.
Aphids do not look alarming when there are only a couple hanging out in the garden. More times than not they go unnoticed until a plant is doing very badly. Then the gardener starts running through a mental checklist, especially those of us with busy schedules that rely on technology to maintain our gardens throughout the week.
Is the watering system working properly?
Did I plant that in the right spot?
Is it getting too much light? To much water?
It was so pretty when I bought it. What am I doing wrong?
Aphid Appearance
Then on closer inspection you spot the mass of small nearly translucent bodies covering the underside of the leaves. The little aphids are out of sight and out of mind.
A few aphids in the garden is not a problem. The plants immune system so to speak will heal the little holes they eat into it when they move on after the sap or honeydew has dried. It’s when the garden or a more often even just a single plant, commonly rose bushes, become infested with hundreds of the tiny little ¼ inch pests.
There are nearly 4,000 species of aphids in the world. Some are only attracted to certain plants others have a wider appetite.
Aphids can come in almost any color green, brown, white even pink. They have soft pear shaped bodies with long antennae. Most species of aphid do not generally have wings but when an area becomes overpopulated they can grow them to move to a new location. A gardeners worst nightmare.
Aphids on Crape Myrtle
Aphids Effect on Plant Health
Most species will be found on the underside of a plants leaves. This keeps them out of the sun and protected from predators.
A few species like the grey-white root aphid will bury in the soil and attack a plants roots.
Constant assault from aphids and them being overpopulated in an area can lead to severe disease and death in plants.
Leaf curl
Misshapen leaves
Yellow leaves
Fungal growth
Sooty mold
Aphids can also carry disease from one plant to another. Aphids are the plant equivalent to ticks and mosquitoes for humans.
They can also attract other unwanted bugs to the garden that prey on aphids. Ladybugs love to eat aphids, and no matter how cute they are I do not want a swarm of ladybugs in my yard anymore than the aphids.
Aphid Control and Prevention
Prevention goes a long way when it comes to garden pests. Regularly inspecting plants and not relying too heavily on timers and other time saving routines can make a difference.
Be sure to inspect all buds, fruit and flower but pay close attention to the underside of leaves.
Companion Gardening is one of our favorite things. We know its not for everyone. But when it comes to low maintenance routines having a balanced garden is a big help.
Plants with certain smells are less appealing and tasty to most aphids. But with so many species it can still be tricky. Most pest don’t have a specific species just for beans, cabbage, melons, potatoes, but aphids do. So here are some of the most common plants to deter and repel aphids.
Aphid Deterrent Plants
Marigolds
Catnip
Lavender
Fennel
Dill
Garlic
Chives
Cilantro
Oregano
Some plants are hardier and act as a trap for aphis. These plants will tolerate the abuse and heal themselves quicker. They are also cheaper than other aphid favorites.
Aphid Trap Plants
Sunflowers
Nuestriums
Mustard
Other Aphid Deterrents
Sometimes it may be as simple as hosing the pest of off the plant. Often times the aphid will not find it’s way back to the same plant. For example roses are an aphid favorite and the rose bush is the only plant being infested.
There are chemicals on the market for everything. Dust pest control products are quick and simple way to go. Again we know that not everyone wants unsightly powder spread on their plants for the neighbors to see. If you are willing to use a powder form for control you may also want to try
Powder Products from the house
Flour
Baking Soda
Borax
Epsom Salt
Diatomaceous Earth
Spray Mixtures you may have on hand
1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water
Rubbing alcohol and water
Neem oil
Epsom Salt and water
Liquid dish soap, cayenne pepper and very little water
Banana peels chopped up and buried a couple of inches under the soil are said to prevent aphids as well. I have never tried this for pests, but it is a trick I personally use on my rose bushes a couple times a year to provide them with more nutrients. So it is worth a try.
We hope your gardens flourish and are pest free. As always give us a call if you are in Northwest Arkansas or Southwest Missouri and your yard or garden serviced. Feel free to email or reach us on any of our social media platforms even if you don’t live in our area and have a question.
