Gardening

From the Charlotte Observer  

JOE DEPRIEST AND REBECCA SULOCK

Staff Writers

In Gastonia, the city still has plenty of good quality water, but continues to urge conservation, according to Ed Cross, division manager of water supply and treatment.

The city, which has mandatory Stage 2 water restrictions in place, gets its water from Mountain Island Lake and supplies the towns of Cramerton, McAdenville, Lowell, Ranlo and Clover, S.C. Cross said between 80,000 to 100,000 people depend on Gastonia for water.

The biggest impact under a Stage 3 drought would be the banning of outdoor sprinkler systems for lawns, Cross said. All outdoor watering would have to be done by hand-held nozzles.

City of Belmont officials are asking residents to cut back or stop lawn-watering, and to wait to plant or reseed lawns until the region gets significant rainfall, said City Manager Barry Webb. Belmont officials also sent out letter to its top dozen or so water users, including Spartan Dyers and Wal-Mart, letting them know Stage 3 restrictions could be coming and asking for conservation now

Current measures in Gastonia have reduced water usage by 11 percent since August, Cross said. The goal under Stage 2 restrictions is reducing usage by 5 to 10 percent.

“We’re doing relatively well,” Cross said. “But if the drought continues we’ll have to reassess things.”

His biggest concern for a Stage 4 emergency would be going to a water allocation program for residences and businesses.

“That would be phenomenally complicated,” Cross said. “But what else can you do?”

Well, disfigured trees versus no power after windstorms or hurricanes. Duke Power Company, “trims” and “prunes” trees to avoid power line interference. Unfortunately, the terms are really hack, and disfigure.

In some parts of this beautiful community, the trees are carefully pruned. In other areas, especially if the property owner is not at home when the “cuttin’ crew” comes by, whole sides of trees are shaved cleaner than a hairless cat.

Most of the new developments have buried lines and don’t face the issue. We often find it funny though, when developers plant young trees right under existing lines. Doesn’t the city oversee the planning and execution of these developments ?  It is as if the department doesn’t exist sometimes. Heaven’s to betsy, they have to see what will happen in a couple of dozen years.

It is also a shame that Duke Power doesn’t have a consistent plan across the town… even though they say they do, it is neither enforced or reviewed.

 Click Here — Not the Picture !

Belmont’s thriving downtown businesses include two places where wine aficionados can seek out their favorites. The Belmont Banner — or “Bannernews” — as it is now called, ran a delightful article about the Emporium on Main, and the new Cork and Candle stores in this week’s issue.

Unfortunately, the Belmont Front Porch cannot link the source article in this case, so we will try as best as we (hiccup) can to describe some of the upcoming events.

Both stores offer wine tasting and can order your favorites. Cork and Candle has a good selection of NC wines. For wine drinkers in the area, each store has knowledgeable sales people and are happy to help your discovery process.