Mosquito Squad offers tips to get insects to buzz off A s Nor t h A me r i c a’s largest and most trusted mosquito elimination and tick control brand, Mos quito Squad specializes in eliminating both mosqui toes and ticks from out door living spaces so that Americans can enjoy their yards, outdoor events, and outdoor living and dining spaces. Recognized as the country’s 13th fastest grow ing franchise concept by INC. Magazine, Mosquito Squad is America’s largest mosquito and tick control brand, with over 125 loca tions nationwide. Now in its third year of business, Mosquito Squad of the Lowcountry serves residents throughout the area. Mary Anna Lewis of fers the following tips for eliminating mosquitoes from local yards: 1. Tip. Reduce standing water to eliminate mosqui to threats, including those
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underneath and around downspouts, in plant sau cers and dog bowls. 2. Toss. Excess grass, leaves, piles, fire wood. 3. Turn. Turn over larger items like children’s sand boxes, wagons or plastic toys. 4. Remove tarp. If tarps stretched over firewood piles, boats or sports equip ment aren’t taut, they’re holding water. 5. Treat. Utilize a mos quito elimination barrier treatment around the home and yard. Using a barrier treatment at home reduces the need for using DEET containing bug spray. Mos quito Squad’s eliminates up to 90% of the mosquitoes and ticks on a property. Rockin’ on the porch, touch football games and grilling out are Lowcoun try fall traditions. Mosqui to Squad, North America’s largest and most trusted
mosquito elimination and tick control brand, is ready to help Lowcountry resi dents make the time they spend outside even more enjoyable. Owned by longtime lo cals, Mary Anna and Da vid Lewis, Mosquito Squad specializes in eliminating mosquitoes and ticks from outdoor living spaces, al lowing Americans to enjoy their yards, outdoor living spaces, special events and green spaces. Now in its third season serving the Charleston area, Mosquito Squad provides a barrier spray service that elimi nates 85 to 90 percent of outdoor pests for up to three weeks. “Parents want their kids to be able to play outside without getting eaten alive. Our barrier spray treat ments can provide a con sistent level of coverage so that homeowners and their
guests can enjoy mosquito free days and nights,” says Mary Anna Lewis. Mosquito Squad has been named as one of the coun try’s fastest growing fran chise concepts in 2012 and 2011 by INC. Magazine. “We recognized the opportunity to finally bring an afford able, effective answer to an ageold question in our areahow do we get rid of mosquitoes? We love tell ing people we have a 100% percentsatisfaction/mon eyback guarantee because folks can use us completely riskfree.’ According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the country’s first case of West Nile Vi rus was reported in Mis sissippi in early April. Last year, 5,387 cases of West Nile were reported with 243 deaths. West Nile is spread only via the bite of an in fected mosquito. Incidents
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On hand to celebrate Mosquito Squad’s third time of being named to Inc Magazine’s list were Mount Pleasant council member Chris Nickels, Mosquito Squad mascot “Dread Skeeter,” Mount Pleasant Mayor Billy Swails, Mosquito Squad owners Mary Anna Lewis and David Lewis, office manager Melanie Bratcher and council member Craig Rhyne.
of Lyme disease, spread via ticks, have increased as well, with more than 32,000 confirmed and probable cases reported in 2012, up from 22,000
in 2011. Dogs are also sus ceptible to Lyme disease. For more information, contact Lewis at 843884– 8661 or visit www.lowcoun try.mosquitosquad.com.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
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MOULTRIE NEWS.3S
Ginger’s allure makes friends for life BY JIM MARTIN Special to the Moultrie News She pe ere d over t he rusty chain link fence di viding her garden from ours. “Would you like a few clumps of my ginger lily,” she said reaching for the shovel indicating her sincere interest in sharing her fortune. As the shovel pierces the sandy surface, she continued on, offering advice the clump of apple green shoots now teeter ing on the rounded blade. “I find I must divide them every so often so they con tinue to flower. Afternoon shade is the best and once you have a clump growing, there will always be plenty to go around,” Having these plants back in the garden was like catching up on a conversation with an old friend. Once it’s over, you wonder why it took so long
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to reconnect. That fall, the long straplike leaves gave rise to white flowers laded with the aroma of honey suckle and vanilla, I re membered one again why this plant would forever more have a star spot in my garden. The butterfly gingers are the essential southern pe rennial. They exist in our climate in a seemingly effortless state. Seldom picky about their home and almost always willing to show their gratitude with an abundance of disease free foliate supporting a burst of color and fragrance as the days of August inch closer to fall. The most in experienced gardener will find the white butterf ly ginger, Hedychium coro narium, an easy choice to start the journey of ginger discovery. Hardy, robust and care free, this ginger
with its white butterflylike f lowers grows anywhere from fivetoeightfeet tall in a single season. The late August flowering continues on until early November. It is by far the most common and in many instances one of the most shared of all plants in the southern land scape. The rhizomes are fleshy, strong root struc tures that are totally hardy year round. From here, the choices will force even the most seasoned plantophile to palpitations of extreme se verity. There are so many favorites to choose from, paring it down seems such a disservice to the whole ge nus of Hedychium. Orange and its shades dominate the many ginger cultivars available to gardeners in this climate. Another spe cies, H.coccineum, sports longs orange flower spikes
growing eight feet in height. It has been used to pro duce many hybrids popu lar for their bright color. H coccineum‘Disney’ is topped with brilliant or angered f lowers with a mild but intoxicating fra grance. Even though it grows between seven and eight feet in height, its erect stems hold their form throughout the season making it a great choice for tight spaces. One of my personal favor ites is H. ‘Daniel Weeks’. Al though it is a rapid spread er, sending its rhizomes in all directions forming three to four feet clumps in a few seasons, the height is unique reaching four to five feet in a season. The golden yellow flowers are by far one of the most fra grant. This plant also has a very long flowering period extending from July until a heavy frost sometime in midNovember. Those who pine for a tall ginger will satisfy the desire with Hedychium ‘Eliza beth’. nine to 10feet tall spikes give rise to peachy red flowers that also carry with it the unmistakable aroma known to ride the evening air on a steamy August night. Variegated foliage can also be had with an introduction called “Dr. Moy.” The foliage looks as though a lazy painter dropped white paint from about, giving the plant a white speckled appear ance. “Dr. Moy” flowers a little later in September. A dwarf by comparison it only reaches three to four feet. The peachy orange flowers are wonderfully fragrant. While gingers are not picky with their wants and needs, adhering to a few simple principles will make them even easier to estab lish. Moisture and compost are their favorite friends. Adding generous amounts of organic matter such as
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PHOTO PROVIDED
The lure of the butterfly ginger is a strong one. Ease of care, strong architectural presence and longevity make for an exceptional choice when adding new plants to the borders.
mushroom compost or our local county compost will ensure good growth with adequate moisture retention. Water in dry pe riods will help the plants get through the summer growth period producing stems that will support the pineapple like heads that will have the flowers later in the season. The butterfly gingers will grow in full sun or partial shade. I find they like it best in a little after noon shade. All that being said, if they are grown in full sun, they must have moisture to flourish. Dig your clumps up ev ery three years in the late spring as the new growth begins to emerge. Di vide and save the newest, healthiest rhizomes. This is also the time to share with friends because the bushel
baskets will be overflow ing with extra plants. For continued shoot produc tion which accounts for continued seasonal bloom, cut the flower stalks to the ground once they are com pletely through flowering. This in turn lets light get to the lower level of the plant, encouraging more shoot production. The lure of the butterfly ginger is a strong one. Ease of care, strong architec tural presence and longev ity make for an exceptional choice when adding new plants to the borders.
Jim Martin is a horticul turist, a founding board member of Charleston Horticultural Society and and executive director of the Charleston Parks Con servancy.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Protect winter landscape from hungry wildlife BY MELINDA MYERS Special to the Moultrie News There’s no doubt that managing critters in the landscape can be a chal lenge especially as food sup plies start to dwindle. If you are battling with rabbits, deer, groundhogs or other wildlife, don’t let down your guard as the growing sea son begins to wind down. Be proactive. Start before they get into the habit of dining on your landscape. It is easier to keep them away than break the dining habit. Fence them out. Fencing is the best defense against most wildlife. A four feet tall fence around a small garden will keep out rab bits. Secure the bottom tight to the ground or bury it several inches to prevent rabbits and voles from crawling underneath. Or fold the bottom of the fence
ber snakes, sliv outward, making ers of deodorant sure it’s tight to soap, handfuls of the ground. Ani human hair and mals tend not to noise makers are crawl under when scare tactics that the bottom skirt have been used faces away from by gardeners for the garden. years. Consider G o deeper, at your environment least 12 to 18 inch when select ing es, if you are try a tactic. Urban ing to discourage animals are used woodchucks. And to the sound and make sure the gate smell of people. is secure. Many A lternate scare hungry animals tactics for more have found their ef fective con way into the gar trol. The animals den through open won’t be afraid of ings around and PHOTO PROVIDED BY MELINDA MYERS a snake that hasn’t under the gate. A five foot fence Fencing, when installed properly, can be an effective tool in protecting gardens against moved in weeks. Combine tactics. a r o u n d s m a l l animal damage. ing a natural product like Use a mix of fencing, scare garden areas can help foot heights. safeguard your plantings Break out the repellents. Messina’s Animal Stopper tactics and repellents. Keep against hungry deer. Some Homemade and commer (www.Messinas.com). It is monitoring for damage. gardeners report success cial repellents can be used. made of herbs, safe to use If there are enough ani mals and they are hungry, surrounding their garden Apply before the animals and smells good. with fishing line mounted start feeding and reapply Scare ‘em away. Blow up they will eat just about any on posts at one and three as directed. Consider us owls, clanging pans, rub thing.
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Don’t forget about nature. Welcome hawks and fox into your landscape. Using less pesticides and tolerat ing some critters, their food source, will encourage them to visit your yard. These natural pest con trollers help keep the gar denmunching critters un der control. And most importantly, don’t give up. A bit of per sistence, variety and adapt ability is the key to success. Investing some time now will not only deter existing critters from dining in your landscape, but will also re duce the risk of animals moving in next season.
Melinda Myers has a master’s degree in horti culture, over 30 years of gardening experience, and has written more than 20 gardening books. She is also a syndicated TV/radio host and columnist.
MOULTRIE NEWS.5S
Costeffective fencing options Fencing serves many pur poses. Some homeowners erect a fence for privacy, while others do so to con tain pets and children. Because fencing can be ex pensive, some homeowners look for ways to cut costs, which can be relatively easy, especially for those home owners willing to consider various materials when erecting their fence. Traditional fences are available in materials rang ing from wood to vinyl to
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metal. Homeowners have other options at their dis posal if they prefer a more natural fence. Different shrubs, trees or grasses can be planted to create a bar rier between properties or within the property. When choosing a fencing material, consider that even a less expensive material may prove more expensive in the long run if it needs A picket fence provides a pretty border in many yards. significant maintenance or has to be replaced in just a materials homeowners can Found material few years. Here are some consider. Repur posed wood or metal can be crafted into a rustic, oneofakind fence. Materials can be found that are no cost, requiring only the cost of labor. Should you build it yourself, this can be next to nothing. Sometimes existing fences on another property can be disassembled and rebuilt on your own property for little to no cost as well.
PHOTO PROVIDED
may be used as garden border fencing or to mark a property line between homes. Spacing the pickets wide ly apart may cut down on the number that need to be purchased, further keeping the cost down.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a rapidly grow ing grass that produces a hard woodlike material that is used in many build Chainlink ing applications. Bamboo wood can be used to build a Chainlink fencing is one fence, but the natural plant of the most economical also can be planted to form types of boundary fenc a living fence for privacy. ing. The fencing comes in a variety of diamond sizes and is fixed to galvanized Stockade fence pipes spaced across the perimeter of the property. A stockade fence is one of the more basic wood fenc ing options. Wooden slats Picket fencing are placed alongside one A wooden picket fence is another to form an effec another inexpensive fenc tive and affordable privacy ing material. The pickets fence. Stockade fencing can be can be purchased in vari ous heights, and this fence stained or painted to pre
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serve it. Many home improve ment retailers sell panels of stockade fencing so that you can make fence in stallation a doityourself project.
Vinyl fencing
Although vinyl fencing is one of the more expensive fencing materials at the outset (it costs about twice the price of a wood fence), it does pay for itself rather quickly thanks to minimal maintenance. Unlike some other ma terials, vinyl will not rot or discolor. You also won’t have to purchase stain, paint and expensive clean ers for a vinyl fence. That means once you make the investment, you will have years upon years of maintenancefree enjoy ment. There are many different fencing materials that can coordinate with a variety of budgets.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Create lighting scheme that works for kitchen Setting ambient lighting on a dimmer enables homeowners to cast a mood When designing a kitchen, homeowners typically give substantial consideration to many elements of their dream design, including cabinet and countertop materials and which brand of appliances they most pre fer. But few may consider the lighting for the room as thoroughly. Lighting is an important consideration in any room. The right lighting can have a dramatic effect on the functionality of the kitchen, including how the space feels when you enter it. The right blend of lights can create a vibrant mood in the kitchen, while light can be adjusted according to what needs to get done in the space. Establishing a lighting plan in a kitchen requires a combination of differ ent lights. The main focus should be on three distinct lighting types: task lighting, ambient lighting and accent lighting.
Task lighting Task light is beneficial anywhere a person will need to perform tasks that require close concentra tion, such as chopping veg etables. Task lighting shines direct light onto a surface, illuminating it thoroughly, and it can be turned off when it is not needed. Task lighting is generally placed above counters and islands where one will be slicing vegetables and pre paring food. There may be lighting over the sink to il luminate dirty dishes. If a kitchen has a desk area,
lighting above the desk will make that area more func tional. Many task lighting designs include lights un der cabinetry to shine down onto counters and elimi nate shadowed recesses. Undercabinet lighting is a relatively inexpensive add on for existing kitchens. Homeowners can add light ing afterward to focus more light onto countertops.
Ambient lighting Ambient lighting is anoth er name for allover light ing that fills a room. During the day, ambient light may stream in from windows and skylights. However, at night, ambient lighting is created by different light fixtures in a room. Overhead fixtures are a popular choice for ambient lighting. A blend of hanging pendant lamps, chande liers and recessed lighting can create the amount of light needed. Homeowners should pay special atten tion to the bulbs and fix tures they choose, as not all produce the same amount of light. Those concerned about energy efficiency also must give mind to whether the bulbs will use a lot of energy or last a long time. Compact fluorescent bulbs as well as LED lighting are longlasting and do not use as much energy as incan descent bulbs. Indirect ambient lighting softens shadows in a room, creating a warm, inviting glow. It is an important layer of light that is often overlooked in the kitchen. Setting ambient lighting
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on a dimmer enables home owners to cast a mood that is desired when the kitchen isn’t being used for prep work.
Accent lighting
If there are key elements around the kitchen that a person would like to high light, such as a china set, accent lighting can do the trick. Spotlights can be used to show off collect ibles, while a subtle strip PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE of lighting can illuminate a wall of artwork. Many Under-cabinet task lighting sheds light on areas where cooks do their prep work. people like to install accent lighting inside of cabinetry to create dramatic focal points. Homeowners may want to incorporate decorative lighting in their kitchens. This is the use of ornate chandeliers, hanging pen dants and other eyecatch ing fixtures. Decorative lighting should be consid ered in proportion to the size of the kitchen. Therefore, smaller kitch ens will have smaller fix tures and vice versa. Deco rative lighting may be the most expensive type of kitchen lighting, so some homeowners prefer to plan ahead for the inclusion of decorative accents by hav ing the wiring ready and then adding the fixtures over time. Lighting in a kitchen can be just as important as which appliances and oth er accessories homeowners choose for their kitchens. Without the right mix of lighting, the kitchen may not be functional or invit ing.
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MOULTRIE NEWS.7S
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Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
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MOULTRIE NEWS.9S
Wine a while Make your own lantern
Repurpose Reuse Recycle What you’ll need 1. Empty Wine Bottle (You can use any bottle you like as long as it’s glass and the neck is 1” in diameter. Be clever.) 2. Teflon Tape 1/2” 3. Copper Top Plate Con nector (threaded for 3/8”16 thread rod) 4. 1” Split Ring Hanger (threaded for 3/8”16 thread rod) 5. 1/2” x 3/8” Copper Cou pling 6. 1/2” Copper Cap 7. Two Hex Nuts (threaded for 3/8”16 thread rod) 8. Two #10 x 1” Zinc Plat ed Wood Screws (if your mounting it to wood) 9. 3/8”16 Zinc Plated Threaded Rod (I bought a 3’ rod and cut it down to 8, 41/2” rods with a hacksaw.) 10. Tiki Replacement Wick 11. Torch Fuel (For safety reasons, only use fuel made specifically for outdoor torches. i.e. Tiki brand) Helpful Tools: Channel locks, adjustable wrench, hacksaw, power screwdriver and a funnel Safety Note: This is for outdoor use only. Tiki brand recommends that the wick never be set higher than 1inch, and I recommend that you exercise the same discretion and common sense that you would with any small open flame.
IMAGE FROM DESIGNSPONGE.COM
This clever outdoor idea comes from Erik Anderson of Gerardot & Co. The project turns an ever yday bottle into a modern back yard tiki torch.Find it: ht tp://w w w.design sponge.com
IMAGE BY DEE KINCKE. WWW.FLICKR.COM
This Glass Bottle Border can be found at the Mano Poderosa Jardin. A wine bottle walk way is such a cool, eclectic look. What a great way to put funky blue wine bottles to use. Find it: http://inspirationgreen. com/recycled-glass-bottles.html
bottle torch. Position the top plate connector on your mounting surface and mark the holes for where the screws will go. It’s easier to keep it level if you predrill Building your screws first. 2. Once you have your top Instructions plate connector mounted you can screw in the 3/8” The Hanger 1. Decide where you want 16 rod until it stops. Chan to mount your recycled nellocks are helpful for this
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part. 3. Thread the two hex nuts on to the rod and tighten one all the way down at the point where the rod meets the top connector plate. Leave the other hex nut at the front end so it can be used to se cure the split ring hanger. 4. Thread on the split ring hanger just enough so that the rod is flush with the in
side of the ring. Turn the sec ond hex nut counterclock wise to snug it up against the split ring hanger. If you’d prefer your hard ware to keep its shiny, un weathered look you can always give it several coats of clear polyurethane before you mount it. A weathered patina will
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add a nice element of char 4. Flip the front half of acter. the ring back into place and tighten down the hanger evenly on both sides. The bottle You may need to loosen the other side to make sure 1. Carefully and tightly both sides are an even tight wrap the 1/2” end of the cou ness. (Don’t over tighten the pling with your teflon tape. Hanger. You don’t want to You’ll want to keep each break the glass.) wrap nice and clean so that 5. Use a funnel to fill the it creates a smooth, even bottle with your favorite surface. Continue building torch oil. (I use Tiki’s Bite up the tape until it fits very Fighter because it’s clear snugly into the opening of and seems to do a good job your bottle. You obviously of keeping the mosquitoes don’t want it to fall in. away.) 2. Insert the wick into the 6. Insert the coupling and coupling until it sticks out wick into the top of the bot about 1/4”. The Tiki brand tle and twist it snugly into replacement wicks are about place. 3/8” in diameter so they fit Give the wick a few min really well. Once they absorb utes to absorb the oil before the torch oil they’re even you try to light it. tighter. 7. I typically just blow my 3. Unscrew the split ring torches out. Use the copper hanger on one side and posi cap to keep the wick dry tion the bottle neck into the when you’re not using your ring. torch.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Don’t let garden become buffet for wildlife Creating a beautiful and bountiful garden is a pop ular pastime for people all across the country. It is important to keep in mind that aesthetically appealing plants may be appetizing to area wildlife, including deer. Those who do not want their gardens to turn into allyoucaneat buffets for deer, rabbits and other wild animals can take a more proactive approach to gardening. Deer are opportunists who w ill no doubt see your garden as a salad bar ripe with all of their favorite foods. As housing developments continue to encroach on the natural habitats of deer and other animals, these animals are becoming more vis ible. Deer may not be able to forage for food effectively in their smaller, natural surroundings, or they may become accustomed to the “easy pickings” they find in neighborhood yards. Either way, you may encounter a deer in or around your area. Keeping deer at bay in volves some work and maintenance on the part of a homeowner. There are safe and humane meth ods to repelling deer, or at least blocking access to the plants worth protecting. Here are the main ways to deerproof a garden.
Fence it Fences are one way to deter deer from entering a yard and dining on your garden. Keep in mind that deer can jump fences that are quite tall, but they have to be especially motivated to jump an eightfoottall fence. Still, they tend to be weary about scaling a fence when they cannot see what is on the other side. Therefore, if you are fencing out deer, choose a fence that camouflages the
Deer are opportunists who will no doubt see your garden as a salad bar ripe with all of their favorite foods. garden well and completely encloses the area to be pro tected. If you do not want the fence to be solid, consid er putting stakes or thorny plants within the garden so that the deer will hesitate to jump into the garden.
Scare them
Change plants
If other food sources are available, there are some species of plants and trees that deer will avoid. Fill ing your garden with these plants can help you main tain a beautiful, albeit un tasty, environment for deer. When planting annuals, select among: !"#$%&&'( !")*+,-./& !"0/$*-1'$/ !"0*$,&./ PHOTO PROVIDED !"2./-34'& !"5,6+$,7* Gardeners who do not want their gardens to turn into all-you-can-eat buffets for deer, rabbits and other !"8*9/-.'(& wild animals can take a more proactive approach to gardening. !":/9&$*% !":,;;% !"<-/;19/+,-&
Deer are naturally skit tish around people, but over time they can become quite complacent around human beings. Once a deer decides that something will not present a threat, the deer can adapt to its presence. Motionactivated devic es may not work, nor the presence of pets. Predator In terms of perennials, urine is typically an effec tive way at keeping deer at plant these items once, and bay. Bottled coyote urine deer could stay away: !"#+*9/3'( can be quite effective, al though human urine may !"#-*(,-* work as well. Reapplying !"#&3.=* the product weekly around !")*/91*1".9.& !"0/3(.-3 the plants is a good idea. !">,-*%&'?@$* !"A/-3/-/ Repel the deer !"B,-@&4,,1 !"C,?@"9,&* There are many organic or !"C,&*(/9% chemicallybased products !"<,/;D,93 on the market that deer may !"E.&3*9./ find offensive to the taste or Plant these herbs along side flowers for even more smell. Hot pepper, sulfur and protection: eggs or even the use of soapy !"04.7*& water have been successful !"F'?/$%;3'& in certain instances. The !"8/9$.? use of blood meal or even !"B.-3 !"G4%(* human hair around the gar den may repel the deer and !"E.-3*9+9**keep them on a different 8/91*-*9&"D4,"'&*"/"?,( foraging path. However, re bination of methods to keep member that any deer that deer out of their yards and is very hungry may ignore gardens may have a higher unpleasant tastes or smells success rate at deterring these animals. for a quick bite.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
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MOULTRIE NEWS.11S
12S.MOULTRIE NEWS
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Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
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MOULTRIE NEWS.13S
14S.MOULTRIE NEWS
Charleston-area residential real estate sales strong through summer’s end According to prelimi nary data released by the Charleston Trident Asso ciation of Realtors, 1,278 homes sold at a median price of $217,462 in August. Last August, 1,034 homes sold at a median price of $199,414 in the region. Ye a r t o d a t e , 8 ,7 0 6 homes have sold at a me dian price of $205,417 and in an average of 87 days. Compared to this point in 2012, sales have increased by 24 percent and median price by 7.6 percent. Days on market have declined by an average of 27 days, meaning homes are selling nearly a month faster than they were a year ago. In Au gust 2012, yeartodate fig ures showed 7,030 sales at a median price of $190,907. “Looking at the year todate figures, we are positioned to finish 2013
with significant gains in sales volume and healthy, steady growth in prices” said 2013 Multiple Listing Service (MLS) President, Dave Sansom. “Thus far, we’ve made more progress than we anticipated in 2013 and this level of growth is sustainable for our market” said Sansom. Inventory has held steady throughout the year, with 5,702 homes listed as “ac tive” for sale in the MLS database. This figure rep resents approximately five months of inventory avail able in the region and con sidered by industry experts to be the benchmark of a balanced and healthy real estate market. “As we expected, the mini mal increases in mortgage rates have not soured the demand for residential real estate in Charleston”
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said 2013 CTAR president, Owen Tyler. “Buyer activ ity and interest is still very strong—the mix of cash buyers/investors and tra ditional buyers who recog nize the longterm value of Charlestonarea real estate have helped keep the pace of sales high and our prices strong and stable” he con tinued.
dian price of $180,000 in Berkeley County in Au gust. The most active area in the county was the area bordered by Jedburg Road, Highway 17A and College Park, with 66 sales at a me dian price of $175,045.
July adjustment
Charleston County sales and median price increased in August, with 731 sales at a median price of $270,000. Homes in the county are spending an average of 77 days on market, the lowest average recorded this year. Outside of Mount Pleasant, where 250 homes sold at a median price of $381,125, the county’s most active area was James Island, with 83 sales at a median price of $245,000.
Preliminary data reported for July indicated that 1,272 homes sold at a median price of $209,950. Adjusted numbers now show 1,280 homes sold at a median price of $210,000.
Berkeley County 257 homes sold at a me
Charleston County
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Arborists suggest five ways to prepare trees for potentially damaging weather events It’s still important to protect your plants from weather damage before the next big event around the corner.
PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE
Tropical Storm Karen lost steam in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this month and did not achieve hur ricane status. Weather experts at the National Oceanic Atmospheric As sociation (NOAA) say even though seasonal tropical storms have been weaker, it’s still important to be pre pared for the next big event around the corner. The International Soci ety of Arboriculture (ISA) offers practical ways to protect trees from damag ing high winds and violent rain, reducing the chance of property damage and costly repair. Here are five recommend ed steps to get started: !"#$%&'(")%*)'%+(",*%"+%''-" showing signs of instability ISA suggests looking for cracks in trunks of major limbs, dead branches, aged or decaying trees. !"./0'"/1+2*3"+*"%'4'5(" potential hazards Inspect trees that could cause prop erty damage before a storm hits by checking for branch es that hang over the roof or those close to power lines. !"6%'&'3+"5/4/7'"8("8'
The Tri-County Master Gardener Association and Clemson Extension announce their first Arbor Day Tree Sale Fundraiser. Plants for sale include fruit and ornamental shade trees and shrubs, and items must be pre-ordered by Nov. 18.
PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE
The Tri-County Master Gardener Association and Clemson Extension are holding their first Arbor Day Tree Sale Fundraiser. Plants for sale include fruit and ornamental shade trees and shrubs. Contact the Clemson Extension Agency for more information.
ing proactive Once an is sue is found, follow a check list. Have a professional re move damaged or decaying trees. Call the local utility company to have branches close to power lines pruned or removed. Leaning trees may have root issues so have them inspected by an ISA Certified Arborist. !" 9*1$4'3+" +%''" &/:$'" ;"6%*)'%:("4/23+/23'5"+%''-" may increase property val ue by up to 20 percent. An ISA Certified Arborist can provide an estimated value by inspecting your trees. Keep a good record with photos of the trees and the
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
arborist’s evaluation. !"<2%'"/3"=#>"?'%+2,2'5" Arborist An ISA Certi fied Arborist can develop a master plan for your shrub and tree care. They can also best determine if broken trunks and limbs should be removed or if uprooted trees can be saved or re planted. With more than 20,000 members worldwide and located in nearly every U.S. metropolitan area, ISA Certified Arborists can guide consumers and offer valuable perspective on protecting trees from weather damage.
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MOULTRIE NEWS.15S
16S.MOULTRIE NEWS
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Wednesday, October 23, 2013