Pruning Basics
When to Prune? Knowing the right time is crucial, pruning at the wrong time may not damage plants but it can sacrifice that year’s flowers or fruit.
Late spring/Early Summer
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees which flower before July 1 immediately after the flowers fade.
Midsummer
Several deciduous trees produce a heavy sap flow in early spring. Pruning braches in this season won’t kill the tree, but the sap flow can bleed on to outdoor furnishings, patios, cars and walkways. Avoid a sticky situation by pruning these trees in midsummer.
Fall/Early Winter
Spring and Summer blooming hawthorns and viburnums are typically grown for their fruits, which attract wildlife. Don’t prune these plants after flowering. Allow fruits to mature and then prune plants after wildlife consume fruits.
Winter/Early Spring
Prune summer blooming trees and shrubs in winter or early spring, before new growth emerges.
Tips for Pruning
Keep cutting surfaces clean and sharp. Keep metal parts of pruning tools oiled regularly to prevent rust. Use pruning tools for pruning only, other materials can dull or damage the blades.
No matter what kind of plant you’re pruning, you will use three basic techniques.
Pinching is typically done by hand, using thumb and forefinger. It’s a good method to increase bushiness and curtail and control plant size.
Thinning involves removing branches back to the trunk, a main branch or the soil line. With thinning cuts, don’t remove the branch collar (the wrinkled area near the trunk or main branch). This area contains the cells needed to heal the cutting wound. Slicing in the branch collar creates an opening for infection and disease to enter.
Heading back shortens branches to a healthy bud or lateral branch. Place cuts roughly ¼ inch above the bud or branch.
This article is excerpted from Lowe’s Creative Ideas magazine.
Thinking About Buying a Foreclosure? Things to Think About!
1) Obtain a Home Inspection – The house may look great on the surface but might have hidden problems which could require expensive repairs. On the other hand, a fixer may look bad but could have excellent bones that can be repaired at a reasonable cost. Even if the listing agent has previous inspections and reports that may be a few months old, you may want to still consider having a new inspection as a sitting home can deteriorate a bit.
2) Use Common Real Estate Logic – Too many people focus on price alone. You need to keep in mind sub-par locations, poor lighting, terrible views, below average school district, high crime rates and other negatives that may be another reason why a home went into foreclosure. You should always try to find out how long the home has been empty; the longer it has, the more of chance it may not be a good deal. Also, if there are other foreclosures nearby, that may be a reason for concern.
3) Rethink or Skip the Flip – Even if the house looks like a great flipping opportunity, beware unless you are a pro, with incredible contractor connections. You may want to triple the amount you think you will be spending to fix up the home. Sometimes the temptation to make fast money doesn’t always pan out, so think it through and speak to a real estate professional and contractors.
4) Go over the Budget – A fixer-upper means nothing if you can’t afford to fix it up. Make sure you have an ample budget to do all of the repairs needed.
5) See the house in person – You should never buy a house without going in person to see it.
Cashing in on rental property
One bright spot in the dismal real estate market is the rental market. Demand is up and rents are rising. That’s partly because those foreclosures have turned more than 4 million former homeowners into rents, but also because many other prospective homeowners, worried about losing their jobs or housing prices falling a lot further still, are reluctant to buy now.
As with many investments, the best time to get in is when most others are sitting on the sidelines.
Mortgage rates are at a 40 year low, and homes in many areas are ultra-cheap. Meanwhile, demand for rentals has risen in more than 500 cities. With this increase, it has allowed landlords to charge more. Hotpads.com, a real estate research firm, reports that rents nationwide jumped 11.6% in 2010 to $1,320 a month.
You’ll need that rental income to tide you over until home prices bounce back; in fact, the typical investor today plans to hold for 10 years, according to a survey by the National Association of Realtors. If you can hang on that long, you have got a good shot at solid gains, especially if you are financing the home.
