The Truth About Ice Melt Products

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Hedberg Rocks

Keeping your balance on icy walkways can be tricky. So is balancing the need for salt versus the damange it does to your landscape and the environment. Here’s some information to help you make an informed choice about how you will keep your driveway and outdoor walking surfaces safe for your family and guests this winter.

 ice on sidewalk

The key to responsible and effective ice control is applying the right amount of the most temperature appropriate ice melter. Many professional snow removal companies have this dialed in. Most homeowners don’t have a clue. Fortunately for us shoveling amateurs, Michigan Technological University tested various ice melt products under real world conditions to help us know what works best.  

First of all, remove all the snow you can. That will ensure that whatever you sprinkle on actually gets to the ice. Then, based on the temperature, apply the best product, preferably with a mechanical spreaders, such as hand spreaders or push spreaders. That will ensure even coverage. Here’s what the Morton Salt and Michigan Technological University findings recommend.

ice melt application rate chart.

When the weather is above 20 degrees F rock salt works well. You can also use a blend of rock salt and calcium chloride. When tempertures dip into the single digits, rock salt is not effective by itself and a blend is needed. Hedberg carries a bagged blended product called “Extreme Melt Walkway De-Icer” that is highly effective, less corrosive and environmentally safer than straight salt. For sub-zero conditions, rock salt is not recommended. Calcium choride is effective to -25 degrees F. It generates heat on contact with the ice. Hedberg carries a product called “Safer Than Salt Enhanced Concentrated Ice Melter” that is very popular among snow removal professionals. Its orange colored granules let you see where it has been applied.

Several products new to the market contain sugar beet extracts and molasses and may be more more environmentally sensitive. These products may be available at a local hardware store in liquid or granular forms. We recommend you read the labels for proper usage.

It may take a while to get here, but winter with its snow and ice is an inevitable party of living in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Please be safe and contact us at Hedberg if we can be of assistance.

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Unique Stone Gifts

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Hedberg Rocks

What do you give the person who has everything? How about something elemental and beautiful, carved from natural stone? Here are a few of our favorite stone things to give – and  receive! 

stone candle holders

Limestone candle holders decorate a fireplace mantel.

“I love my set of three limestone candle holders,” says Tina Plant, Chief Marketing Officer at Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies. “They look perfect on my fireplace mantle. Nobody else has anything like it.”

stone wine rack

One of Hedberg's hand crafted stone wine racks.

 

“Duane Yuhala, our amazing stone cutter, makes wine racks out of odds and ends of stone. No two look the same,” said Regina Hiller, a Hedberg masonry sales professional. “It’s Duane’s talent for coaxing out the unique qualities of natural stone that make these wine racks beautiful pieces of art. Since we introduced them, they’ve been very popular.”

This candlebar make timeless materials shine.

“The simplicity of tea candles set into a bar of stone makes for a contemporary, Zen decoration,” said Nathan Jorgenson, Hedberg masonry showroom design expert. “It’s understated yet exciting, great for entertaining and holiday decorating.”

 

stone bench

Stone garden bench compliments the flagstone patio.

“Stone benches are the ultimate accessory for a garden or courtyard patio,” said Jeff Greeney, Hedberg sales team member. “They blend seamlessly into nature and give you a permanent vistage point from which to enjoy your gardens. Benches can create different looks; a clean, contemporary, clean style or a more rustic, weathered look to compliment the style of your space.”

Stone fountain

Stone fountains bring life to landscapes.

“Small stone water features are all the rage in landscapes,” said Steve Hedberg, owner of Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies. “The sight and sound of recirculating water covers up city noise and makes any garden area more exciting. Birds and small critters are drawn to water, and people find they spend more time outdoors enjoying the soothing environment.”

Hedberg gift cards

Hedberg gift cards make great gifts.

“You can’t go wrong with a Hedberg gift card,” said Alex Nelson, Hedberg Plymouth city desk lead. “Everyone who owns a house needs to perk up their yard in the spring. You can use a gift card to get mulch, or decorative rock, a bench, or plants (at Hedberg Nursery in Stillwater), or use it towards the purchase of a patio or water feature. It’s the gift of infinite possibilities.”

All of these items are more are available now at Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies locations in Plymouth, Stillwater and Farmington.

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Recipes to Rock Your World

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Hedberg Rocks

Outdoor living doesn’t stop with a little frost. Heck, up here in the North Country we shovel pathways to the grill, firepit, hockey rink – snow and windchill are part of our winter outdoor living style. So here are a few recipes to enjoy year round – outdoors, of course!

Grill-Baked Apple Crisp

http://belgardhardscapes.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/recipe-of-the-month-grill-baked-apple-crisp/ 

Photo by Thomas J. Story

This recipe comes to us from our good friends at Belgard Hardscapes, leadering suppliers of outdoor living elements.  This dessert can be cooked in the oven in your kitchen or an outdoor brick oven, and you can also cook it on the grill for extra fun.

 

 

Honey-Sesame Grilled Chicken Wings
http://belgardhardscapes.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/recipe-honey-sesame-grilled-chicken-wings/
chicken wings

Another favorite from Belgard Outdoor Living, these finger lickin, sweet wings are perfect to serve as finger food appetizers at a holiday party or as a main dish with your favorite side for your family dinner. This recipe is great on the grill in your outdoor kitchen, and can also be prepared indoors using an oven or broiler.

Holiday Pom Punch
While you’re waiting for your wings to grill to perfection, why not whip up a festive punch? Pomegranates are a holiday classic. Here’s a family friendly non-alcoholicpomegranate sparking punch recipe and a spiked option featuring the delightful pomegranate.

3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup pomegranate juice
Two bottles sparkling cider, chilled
3/4 cup chilled white soda
2 oranges, thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup diced pineapple
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Ice cubes, for serving

Pour the pomegratate juice and sugar into a punch bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the other ingredients, stir gently. Serve over ice cubes.

For a spiked version, use chilled sparkling wine instead of sparkling cider and a chilled sweet white wine, such as Riesling, instead of white soda.

What’s your favorite holiday grilling recipe?

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Top Ten Benefits of Urban Trees

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Hedberg Rocks

Since you were small you’ve learned that trees are good for life. Why are they good? We learned these top ten benefits at the 2011 Clean Water Summit held at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

  1. Cooler air temperatures and energy savings.
  2. Socioeconomic and aesthetic benefits.
  3. Air quality improvement (leaves absorb and process some pollutants and also capture and move particulate pollutants to soil systems)
  4. Water quality improvement. Leaves and roots reduce stormwater runoff and the associated pollution it causes
  5. Greenhouse gas reduction (absorb CO2)
  6. UV Radiation reduction (leaves absorb 95% of UV rays and if you sit under one your exposure to UV rays is reduced 50%)
  7. Provide wildlife habitat
  8. Noise reduction
  9. Products (timber, food, fiber, ethanol)
  10. Oxygen production

It has also been noted that trees increase property value and that exposure to trees reduces mental fatigue. Next time you’re stressed out, go sit under a tree! If you’re in need of trees, come see us at Hedberg Nursery. We’ll take the stress out of adding trees to your landscape.

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Winterizing Your Pond

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Hedberg Rocks

Leaves on waterfallIn case you’ve been putting it off, it’s time to plan what you will do with your pond this winter.

Will you shut it down or keep it running?
Do you need supplies?
What are you doing with your fish and plants?

Here’s some advice to help you out.

 

Pond Shut Down

Many people try to choose a warm day to close down their ponds. At this point in the fall, your pond water temperature will be pretty cold, no matter how warm the sun feels. Be ready for that brisk chill on your arms and legs as you work. For your comfort and safety, we recommend waders.  

Plants

Hardy plants, such as lilies that are in their pots, need to be cut back to just two-inch stems, then placed at the deepest part of the pond. This is the least likely spot to freeze. Any zone 5 plants can be cut back and over-wintered at the deepest part.

Hardy plants that are planted in the pond edge will tolerate our winters. Cut them back to two inches as you would do with your garden perennials or leave them as is for winter interest, it’s your choice.

If you plan on keeping your tropical plants, bring them indoors and place them in plastic containers (ice cream buckets work well) in front of a bright window. These need to be kept wet at all times. Treat them like house plants.

Pond System Maintenance

Pull out all the filter mats, lava rock or bioballs and everything in the biofalls where your waterfall starts. Rinse everything off as well as you can, let dry and store in the garage or shed. Storing these things in a marked plastic storage tub makes it easy to find next year and helps prevent critters from using it as bedding.

The skimmer where your pump is housed is next. Pull out the mats, leaf basket and pump. Clean everything off.  Bring the pump into the house and store in a bucket of water. Let the other items dry and store with the things from the biofalls.

Leaves

Skimmer net

To make spring clean out easier, you’ll want to reduce the amount of leaves that end up in your pond this fall. You can use a long handled net to scoop out leaves on a daily basis (or as close to daily as you can get), or cover the pond with leaf netting until the leaves are done falling. Leaf netting should be shaken daily (or as close to daily as you can get) so the weight doesn’t make more work or mess for you.

Fish

Use a pond thermometer to measure the water temperature, and when it reaches 65 degrees change your fish food over to a Cold Water fish food.  You may notice that your fish in pond in winterfish stop eating as we get further into fall, and that’s normal. Stop feeding your fish when the water gets to 55 degrees.

If you plan on keeping your fish in the pond, you’ll need to maintain an opening in the ice for oxygen exchange. One way to do this is to place a small pump on the first shelf that drops down into your pond and position it so that it bubbles up. When the pond eventually freezes, it will create an ice dome that you will have to gently break to maintain your opening. You can also use a cordless drill to create holes in the ice dome to help keep it open. Either way, be careful so you don’t puncture the pond liner! When the temperatures get down around zero degrees you will need to install a de-icier or pond heater to help keep the pond open.  

If you bring your fish inside, you can let your pond freeze over.  To bring your fish indoors you’ll need some supplies.

  • Any container that holds water, the easiest is a stock tank either rubber or metal. You can use a Rubbermaid container, but make sure you frame it up with boards so the water doesn’t collapse the sides and drain out.
  • Some rocks to cover the bottom.
  • A small pump or aerator for oxygen.
  • If placing in the garage, you’ll need a pond heater or de-icier.
  • An overhead light.

Keeping You Pond Running

pond in winter

If you decide to keep your pond operating and enjoy it till the first snowfall, pull out the filter mat but leave everything else in the skimmer box so it continues to function. As the system pulls in leaves and debris you will need to clean out the basket or debris netting daily so it does not plug up. When you’re ready, follow the instructions to shut down your pond.

You can run your pond all winter, if your stream is wide enough. During extreme cold there may be a tendency for ice dams to develop, leading to water loss over the edges. Keep an eye on your stream and water level and be ready to add more water due to evaporation and water loss over the sides. 

Supplies and Assistance

If you  need any of the supplies listed, visit a Hedberg Aquatic Addiction pond store. We specialize in all things pond related. If you would like a professional to come out and winterize your pond, please call us at 763-225-0589 and we’ll line you up with a qualified contractor.

Enjoy your pond over the winter! It’ll be spring again before you know it. 

                                                                                                   

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Hedberg customers win New Hope RAVE! Award

Posted on October 10, 2011 by splant

Hedberg customers Roger and Marilyn Harma were recently recognized for outstanding exterior renovations on their home by the City of New Hope. The 2011 RAVE! Award is a great acknowledgement of the work the couple put into renovations on the house they built in 1977.

front walk area featuring natural stone renovation

One angle of the Harma's renovation featuring natural stone from Hedberg.

The Harmas started working on the project in the winter of 2010 when they attended a home show and found a siding contractor: Eagle Siding in Burnsville. As they planned the renovation, they considered brick and artificial stone options before deciding natural stone was the only choice they’d be happy with. After that they committed to finding the right stone for their house, even taking a detour while on vacation in Pennsylvania to stop by a rock quarry. “We drove around neighborhoods looking at stonework from Elk River to Burnsville,” Roger told the New Hope and Golden Valley Sun Post. “We wanted to find the right stone, color and siding.”

renovation project with natural stone

Another angle of the renovation that shows the natural stone, siding and Hardie shakes.

After a few trips to the Hedberg Masonry Selection Center, they eventually decided on the Orchard Woods blend for their stonework, which is part of Hedberg’s “Naturally Affordable” line of products. Dennis Peterson Masonry made the process go smoothly, and by last fall, the previously stone-less exterior was transformed. The project included new sliding, dark red painted Hardie shakes, natural stonework, a redone concrete sidewalk and an expanded front porch. The Harmas also removed some bushes so the stone work could be more easily seen.

 

shows walk up, natural stone, new siding of home
The front walk up with new siding, Hardie shakes, natural stone and minimal bushes.

The New Hope City Council presented the 2011 RAVE! Awards to the Harmas and three other homeowners at its meeting on September 12. The RAVE! Award recognizes residential property owners who have outstanding gardens or landscaping or who make noteworthy improvements to their property. It is intended to encourage other property owners to rise to the excellence achieved by recipients of the award. The program began in 2006. More information is available on the city’s website.

front steps featuring natural stone work

A closer view of the renovated front steps, featuring the Orchard Woods blend of natural stone.

Garage with dark red Hardie shakes, Cottonwood Creek natural stone and Antique Red Rock natural stone.

The renovated garage with the Orchard Woods blend of natural stone.

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Keeping Your Pond Free of Leaves

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Hedberg Rocks

Today’s post is courtesy of Aquascape Inc.

Bursts of red, gold and orange in the trees signify an important event for pond owners … it’s time to do a little fall maintenance in your water garden. Preparing your pond for the winter greatly reduces the amount of work you need to do in the spring to get your pond in tip-top shape.

Leaves on waterfallWhile the colorful spectrum of leaves are still clinging to the tree’s branches, now’s a good time to determine your strategy for keeping that beautiful foliage out of your pond. Sure, the lacy, colorful leaves look pretty floating on your pond’s surface, but eventually they’ll sink to the bottom where they’ll decay and wreak havoc with your water quality. As leaf matter decomposes, the balance of your water changes and can become toxic for your fish. Netting your pond is an easy, obvious choice for addressing leaf control. It doesn’t take much time to set the net up over your water garden, and the hours of future work it saves you is priceless.

Pond with protective nettingYou can purchase pond netting from your local pond supply store. If you choose not to net your pond, you’ll need to make sure that you’re checking the pond’s skimmer basket every couple of days to remove the pile-up of leaves. Luckily, this is an easy task and doesn’t take much time. Once you pull the leaves out of the basket, be sure to toss them in your compost pile.

 Skimmer net

Finally, if you failed to net your pond and all those colorful, floating leaves have found their way to the pond’s bottom, you’ll want to remove them before they decay into ugly sludge that has to be cleaned out in the spring. Grab a long-handled pond net and scoop the debris from the floor of your water garden. Or if you don’t mind getting your feet wet, wade on into the pond and fish them out by hand.

Whatever your strategy to combat the onslaught of beautiful fall foliage that floats into your pond, you can rest assured that your efforts to control it now, will be well rewarded come springtime.

You’ll find all the materials and advice you need to prepare your pond for winter at Hedberg’s Aquatic Addiction pond supply stores. Click here to watch a video on getting your pond ready for winter.

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Fun Fall Decorating Idea

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Hedberg Rocks

Here’s a quick and fun way to decorate your outdoor areas for Halloween – pumpkin totems! You can repurpose just about any flower pot for this task, the bigger the better.

pumpkin totem

I converted the planter (purchased at Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies) of spent annuals near my front door into a festive fall planter using a broomstick, three pumpkins, three gourds (the goofier looking, the better), three nails, a black permanent marker and some overgrown grape vines.  You can decorate with just about anything. Here are the easy steps:

  1. Select a pot that is large enough to support your pumpkin tower. You don’t want it to topple over.
  2. Sink a pipe, pole or 1″ stick into the soil in your pot, all the way to the bottom. Make sure it’s stable. The pipe or pole should be tall enough above the pot to hold your three pumpkins. Add more soil or rock as needed to fill the pot. If you want, add a layer of mulch, leaves or straw on top of the soil for the bottom pumpkin to rest upon, or plant mums around the perimiter of the pot.
  3. Cut a 1″ or so hole (as big as your pole, pipe or stick) in the top and bottom of two of the pumpkins. Cut a hole in the bottom only of the third pumpkin. This one will go on top.
  4. Thread the pumpkins, one at a time, onto the pole. You can add layers of decorative material between the pumpkins. I used grapevines to create a messy hair look. 
  5. Insert a nail or spike into each pumpkin where you want its nose. Cut the bottom off a gourd and press is onto the nail head or spike. You may have to experiment with this a bit to get it right.
  6. You can affix natural materials to the pumpkins for eyes and mouth, or draw them on with a marker. Use your creativity and have fun!

    pumpkin totem2

    The stranger the gourd, the funnier the nose!

 

What are some of your favorite ways to decorate your home and yard for fall?

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Colorful Mums Brighten Fall Gardens

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Hedberg Rocks

Does fall make you sad to see the color in your garden slowly disappearing? Mums are a great way to bring some color back to the garden. Their beautifully rounded shape and stunning varieties of colors give you endless choices for every landscape. Yellow, bronze, burgundy and cream go well with fall décor of gourds and pumpkins. Bright pinks, lavenders, pure white and reds really pop against green foliage.

bright mums

Plant them en masse for for colorful impact. Or consider planting in a progression of related colors. And don’t forget your planters. Combine mums with cool season grasses and pansies for color long into fall. Planting a few or several is a sure way brighten your fall. You’ll find fabulous mums at Hedberg Nursery located just east of the metro on Highway 36 one mile east of 694. We can’t wait to see you!

lavender mums

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Pond Considerations for the Fall Season

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Hedberg Rocks

Today’s post comes from the water garden lifestyle experts at Aquascape, Inc.

Autumn officially begins this year on September 23rd. While you may hate bidding adieu to the long, sunny days of summer, you have to face the inevitable approach of cooler, shorter days. For pond owners across the continent, what you do with your pond during this seasonal transition depends largely on where you live.

pond

THE NORTHERN NECK OF THE WOODS
What a wonderful feeling during the summer months to see your plants thrive to the point of producing flowering buds almost at will, or the constant activity of growing fish that crave attention and food. Hopefully you were able to spend ample time by your pond to enjoy its many nuances and pleasures.

And now, as we turn the corner into another season, fall pondering is really just beginning. What do you have planned for your water feature? If you’re like many other water feature enthusiasts, improvements and change are always at the forefront. Here’s a few things to consider, going into the fall months. Please keep in mind that these suggestions may vary based on the zone in which you live.

Aquatic Plants
Most aquatic plants are installed in the spring and early summer months however, don’t discount the beauty and maturity of the aquatic plants that may be supplied in late season by a dedicated grower. In the North, water gardeners typically stop planting in September. As they say, “It’s never too late”… until the end of September.

If you’ve decided to plant this fall, keep in mind that most aquatic marginals prefer to be planted at 0 to 2 inches of depth. Reference the plant’s information tag for planting instructions specific to that plant.

Fish
In most climates, growing fish will begin to store massive amounts of energy. This survival process will carry them through dormancy during the approaching winter months. Furthermore, during these important months of energy consumption and storage, attention to the fish’s diet is critical. Where applicable, a low-temperature fish food should be considered. The formulation of this food will be easier for the fish to digest during these cooler days and nights. Aquascape Premium Cold Water Fish Food contains high quality protein and is specifically formulated for pond fish (including koi and goldfish) at colder water temperatures.

Water Feature Aesthetics
When was the last time you gave your water feature a face-lift? Now’s the time! A few simple improvements can have a dramatic impact on your water feature’s appearance. For example, hand select and install a few character boulders around the pond’s edge or stream. Pick up a bag or two of gravel and cover that annoying exposed liner. How about adding some extra lighting to the waterfall, pond, or stream? This is a great way to create additional nighttime interest. Aquascape’s Pond and Landscape LED Light Kit makes it easy to add lights to your water feature, and once you add lights, you extend the length of time you can enjoy your pond. This is especially important as the days grow shorter!

It’s Still Pond Season
Hopefully you’ve enjoyed your water feature as much as possible through the summer season. But remember, just because one season ends, doesn’t mean that the pond season has ended. Enjoy the changes in your pond as the seasons transition from one to the next. There’s always something new to discover in the wonderful world of water gardening.

Design Ideas
When you aren’t taking all your fall precautions, remember that fall is a great time to work on those design ideas. It’s not too hot to spend a few weekends by the pond, and it’s not too cold to chill you out. Make your pond bigger, add some more rocks, or even work on that waterfall you’ve always wanted. Now is a great time to put all those thoughts into action. Imagine beginning the spring season with a whole new pond. Now wouldn’t that be exciting?

Enjoy the Lifestyle
No matter where you live, these special considerations should be given to your pond as summer rolls into fall. No need to be melancholy over the shortening of days. Now’s a great time to pick up a fire pit on sale to warm your bones as you relax by the pond, or add some pond and landscape lighting for cozy, cooler evenings listening to your waterfalls. You still have plenty of time to enjoy the water garden lifestyle.

You’ll find the full range of Aquascape products at Aquatic Addiction by Hedberg, with locations in Plymouth, Farmington and Stillwater. More information at www.hedbergaquaticaddiction.com . If you would like a referral to a pond contractor to help you with a water feature, please fill out this form.

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