There’s nothing worse than a lawn mower that’s on its last legs. The endless battle to get it started and keep it running is bad enough, but mowers with dull blades and grinding gears wreak havoc on your yard. Poorly maintained lawn mowers tear the leaves of your grass, leaving your landscape uneven and unkempt. Choose high quality landscape equipment and service your machinery in the fall and the spring to guarantee years of thick, crisply cut grass.

Toro Lawn Mowers

Ace of Gray is getting Toros! Toro lawn mowers are built to last, giving Gray homeowners gorgeous, green yards for years to come. They expertly maneuver around difficult terrain, maintaining uniform, healthy, manicured landscapes. Check out our selection of ride-mowers, push mowers, and landscaping equipment to suit any size yard.

Home Mower Maintenance

If you take care of your lawn mower, it will take care of your yard. Keep your landscape equipment running smoothly by following these simple home mower maintenance tips:

• Follow care instructions in the mower’s manual
• Check spark plugs, filters, and oil once a season
• Regularly clean grass and debris from the undercarriage
• Sharpen the blade every few months
• Drain gasoline before storing your machine for the winter
• Protect your mower in a storage shed or cover it with a plastic tarp

Professional Lawn Mower Servicing

The best way to keep your mower up and running is to pay attention to what the cogs are telling you. Don’t wait for it to stall before seeking professional lawn mower repair. Ace of Gray has a fully staffed servicing center for mowers and other gardening equipment. Before you fill up for spring mowing, let us fix the broken gears and waterlogged fluid compartments that could lead to bigger problems down the road.

Stop by Ace of Gray for landscaping accessories, servicing of yard equipment, and help choosing from our selection of quality lawn mowers.

The temperatures keep dropping, and the fluctuating winter weather makes our gardens grim and gray. It’s almost time for winter pruning and applying pre-emergents, but the intervening weeks promise a dull and barren landscape. There’s no reason to fall prey to the cold-weather doldrums. Instead of dreaming spring dreams, take advantage of the bare branches and unimpeded view of your winter landscape. It’s the perfect time of year to reassess your outdoor spaces.

Garden Layout

Wintertime offers a unique perspective on your home landscaping. Without the bright blooms and vivid greens of spring, you can see clearly to prune hedges, remove dangerous tree branches, and thin rose bushes. The dormant season also gives you a new perspective on the landscape you love. You can gauge where to plant spring bulbs, which areas of your yard need better drainage, and whether you’re working with the natural contours of your lawn or against them. Take January and February to sketch spring garden ideas and note irrigation issues. If you need a boost of winter beauty, install garden ornaments like birdbaths, arbors, or lawn statues. Your flowers will grow around them in the spring, giving your garden depth and style.

Outdoor Living Space

There’s no better time to conquer the great outdoors than late winter. The cooler months offer the perfect opportunity to design the outdoor living space of your dreams. Whether a chic outdoor kitchen or the versatility of a Traeger fits your family’s style, winter gives you the freedom to design, budget, and build your outdoor oasis. When warm March sunshine reaches Gray, all you’ll need is the burgers and buns.

For tips on winter landscaping and home improvement, ask the experts at Ace of Gray.

Last week’s deep freeze reminded us that winter weather can reach our homes in Gray, GA. With temperatures declining again this weekend, we’re bundling up our kids and keeping our pets indoors until the inclement weather has passed. But what are we doing to protect our homes from the cold? Winter’s chill often reveals breaches in our home’s defenses that we missed during fall home maintenance. Worn weather strips, drafty windows, and malfunctioning thermostats can mean the difference between enjoying the evening with your family and sniffling on the couch. Protect your family this winter with a few simple home maintenance tasks.

Keep Out the Cold

If you’re heating bill has skyrocketed, check your home insulation. Feel around windows and doorframes for leaks of cold air. Reinforce caulk around windowpanes, replace worn weather strips, and hang heavy drapes to insulate window glass. Use caulk around pipes and ducts with exterior entry points into your home. Consider adding additional home insulation to drafty attics and cold basements. If your thermostat runs on batteries, replace them now to get an accurate representation of just how much energy your home insulation is saving.

Invest in Heating

Freestanding space heaters are often more cost and energy efficient than central heating. If your family gathers in the living room to watch movies at night, buy a portable heater. Do you get cold at night? Add a space heater to your bedroom. If your family loves to entertain, invest in a patio heater to warm your outdoor living space. Ace Hardware designs outdoor heaters for both elegance and efficiency, giving your family the same versatility you enjoy in warmer months. Ace of Gray also carries heated doghouses for outdoor pets.

Not sure how to fix your the draft in your home? Stop by and ask the professionals at Ace of Gray. We’re happy to share our professional experience, practical knowledge, and affable assistance with all our customers.

With the sudden onslaught of cold weather, you have plenty to take care of this week. Like the rest of us in Gray, GA, you’ve probably fixed your attention on layering your clothing, checking your heaters, and preventing the pipes from freezing. But your four-legged family members depend on you to survive the cold weather. Safeguard your pets against the freezing temperatures by keeping them close, safe, and warm this winter.

Staying Home

The best way to protect cats, dogs, and other pets from freezing temperatures is to keep them indoors. Bring outdoor pets inside when the temperature drops too low. Cats are particularly susceptible to the cold; their small mass and low body fat makes them more likely to freeze to death. Keep your dog on a leash when taking him outside to relieve himself, and stay outside no longer than necessary. If you’re puppy is used to running errands with you, leave him at home during inclement weather. Cars trap cold air during the winter, becoming as dangerous to pets as overheated cars during the summer.

Staying Warm

Making sure your pets stay warm during cold weather is crucial to their long-term health and happiness. Install a heated dog house for outdoor pets, buy a pet sweater for short-haired animals, and let your furry friends sleep on a pet pillow or doggie bed to protect them from drafty floors and cold tiles. Limit dog grooming during the winter months, keeping your pets’ hair long enough to insulate their bodies. Consider paper training small dogs and puppies that are sensitive to the cold.

Staying Safe

Cold isn’t the only aspect of winter that is hazardous to your pets’ health. Carefully store antifreeze out of reach; animals like the taste, but the chemicals are just as hazardous to pets as they are to people. Brush ice, water, and road salt off your pets’ fur and paws after a trip outside. Carefully check your pets for dry skin and cracked paws. Before using your car, check under the hood and beneath the tires for stray cats trying to escape the cold.

Stop by Ace of Gray for cold weather pet accessories.

Are you a planner, a DIYer, or a mom whose kids are hanging onto Christmas with both hands? There’s no reason not to take advantage of the décor and apparel sales at Ace of Gray. Our seasonal home ornaments, holiday toys and stocking stuffers, and cute Christmas sweaters are now 75% off! Hurry in before the Easter season sweeps through your favorite home improvement store.

Preparing for Next Christmas

Smart shoppers know that post-holiday sales provide a unique opportunity to buy beautifully crafted, elegant Christmas decorations at a fraction of the cost. Now is the time to buy the Willow Tree Nativity that will grace your mantle for years to come. You might have to tuck your new ornaments, artificial wreaths, and cute Santa signs into storage, but trust us: when next December rolls around, you’ll be glad you did.

Upcycling and Crafting

Whether you’re new to upcycling or you’re a crafting pro, sale Christmas decorations offer endless options for repurposing. Choose your favorite color of Valspar paint, stock up on craft glue and basic brushes, and turn those red and green ornaments into classic home decorations you can display year-round. For home craft experts, take your décor to the next level with the addition of sparkles and buttons, or create an entirely new piece by combining elements into something unique.

Christmas in January

It’s a joy to watch kids’ faces light up with the magic of Christmas each December. The twinkling lights, the promise of toys, and the bright colors of the season sweep into their innocent smiles, warming the hearts of friends and family. But some kids don’t want to let go of the holiday season. If your son or daughter misses the Elf on the Shelf, Nutcracker, or Santa plush doll they fell in love with at Christmas, rekindle the magic with “your Elf’s best friend” or “Santa’s Winter Helper.”

Stop by Ace Hardware of Gray, GA for unbeatable deals on Christmas home décor and holiday toys.

The flurry of choosing evergreens, hanging ornaments, and picking out presents is wrapping up this week. It’s been a season full of cheerful Christmas tunes, spreading holiday joy, and creating magic for kids and parents alike. Whether you filled your holiday season with holiday light displays, pictures with Santa Claus, or finding innovative ways to pose your Elf on the Shelf, we know the blessings of the season will carry you through the week and long into the New Year. As you pick up discarded wrapping paper and wrestle your new Big Green Egg into the trunk for the long trip home, remember the warmth of Christmas morning, the spirit of giving, and the joy lighting up your family’s faces as they shared family traditions and created new, beloved memories.

The folks at Ace of Gray cherish our part in preparing your home for the holidays. As we celebrate the season with our families and friends, we’ll remember the spirit of love and giving we’ve witnessed this December. Thank you for allowing us to share in your joy. We wish you and your loved ones Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a blessed New Year.

Here in Gray, we don’t have to worry about heavy snows, bough-breaking ice storms, or plant damage from four solid months of road salt. But just because we’re blessed to live in the South doesn’t mean we can ignore our trees and shrubs when the weather gets cold. Wild animals, winter wind, and mild ices can cause structural damage to your spring and summer blooming trees. Here are three simple ways prevent tree injury this winter.

1. 1. Fence in your trees and shrubs. Hungry rabbits, curious deer, and other wandering winter wildlife can damage the bark, limbs, and even the roots of your trees. Place chicken wire fencing, sturdy hardware cloth, or a small wooden fence around the base of your trees to protect them during the cooler months. But don’t forget to remove the barriers come spring; wire fencing and burlap wraps constrict spring growth, stunting your trees and increasing the risk of injury.
2. 2. Keep nature at bay. Just because we don’t often see snow in Georgia doesn’t mean our plants are immune to winter weather. Heavy winds, light ices, and torrential rains strain even hardy trees, scattering thin branches and cracking heavy tree limbs. Check your trees and shrubs for injury after a storm. Tend any wounded branches or bark. If a crack in the trunk or damage to the roots creates a safety risk to nearby structures, have a professional examine your tree for potential removal.
3. 3. Remember spring is coming. Winter won’t last forever. To keep your plants growing strong, you need to tend them in the dormant season. Lay mulch in January and February. Mulch decomposes more slowly in cooler weather, providing longer lasting benefits than mulch or pine straw applied solely in the spring. Prune your trees in February or March while they’re still dormant. Late winter pruning prevents tree injury and rejuvenates plants for a burst of growth in the spring.

For more information on winter tree care, stop by Ace Hardware of Gray, GA.

For anyone with a green thumb, fall can be a difficult time of year. Lawns are starting to sprout after the yearly aeration and overseeding, but flowerbeds are beginning to look bare. The stunning fall foliage hasn’t quite reached our southern homes, and the decorative pumpkins and squashes are starting to wither. Landscape maintenance like laying beds, correcting drainage issues, and fall fertilization makes your spring gardens flourish, but sometimes fall flowers are just what your Georgia garden needs.

Dividing Perennials

With the cooler nights, warm days, and abundant sunshine of Gray, Georgia, fall offers ideal conditions for plant reestablishment. Dividing your perennials ensures your garden will thrive in the years to come. Walk your garden and determine which perennials are crowded, shrinking in size, or producing fewer blooms. Choose a new location with plenty of room, remove dead leaves and stems, and use sharp tools when dividing your roots. Spread the root system, and then replenish the soil with nutrients and proper irrigation. Fall weather promotes root growth, allowing replanted blooms to establish quickly.

Fall Planting

Whether you love beautiful blooms or versatile veggies, autumn planting gives your yard a bold splash of color that will carry your landscape through the holidays. Traditional fall favorites include colorful mums with their assorted petal designs, dramatic and showy pansies, and the hardy, vivid jewel tones of violas. Asters add color variety and simplicity of shape, while snapdragons give your garden bold color and unusual, blooming towers. Transition your fall vegetable garden into the holiday festivities with the rich color of ornamental kale and plump pumpkins. Fall flowers and vegetables make the perfect decoration, both in the garden and on the holiday table.

Ace Hardware of Gray, GA has a variety of mums, pansies, and pumpkins to give your gardens an autumn boost. Stop by or call us for more information on fall planting.

The Christmas season is kicking into high gear. With just 12 days left until the biggest holiday of the year, we’re making every day count. Partridges in pear trees are all very well, but if you’re looking for a gift for your spouse, a last minute present for an office party, or even a winter wreath to spruce up your Christmas decorations, we’ve got you covered. The holiday specials are spectacular at Ace of Gray this year!

Seasonal Home Décor

If your holiday spirit is in full swing, we have the perfect additions to your Christmas home décor. We’re offering 25% off live holiday decorations. That includes elegant garlands, festive wreaths, and plump Christmas trees. Add a festive touch to your front door and make a memory decorating the tree with your family. With such a great selection and almost two weeks to spare, there’s no reason to be a Grinch this year.

Ace Gift Shop

Maybe you’re looking for one last present for that elusive person on your list. Maybe you haven’t even started Christmas shopping yet. Whatever your situation, Ace of Gray promises to be Santa’s little helpers this year. We stock an assortment of fresh, colorful Lily Pullitzer apparel for the ladies on your list, Melissa & Doug arts and crafts for the kids, and power tools, grills, and home improvement equipment for the men. Living with a hardcore UGA, Auburn, Georgia Tech, or Alabama fan? Ace of Gray carries logo apparel, tailgate equipment, and collectibles for the sports fan in your life. We also carry an array of stocking stuffers for any age!

Ace Hardware of Gray, GA is your one-stop shop for Christmas home décor, stocking stuffers, and the perfect present for anyone on your list.

Autumn has swept through Gray, Georgia, breezing through warm-hued trees, colorful fall perennials, and holiday displays abounding with pumpkins, hay bales, and cornucopias. The beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows of fall leaves make the world come to life as plants go dormant and prepare for the cooler months. Preparing your landscape for winter is an important part of autumn, but it’s just as crucial to maintain your home. Before the cold snap hits, make sure your home is ready for the chilly weather and imminent morning frosts.

Exterior Home Maintenance

Although southern winters are mild compared to New York or Wisconsin, Georgia frosts, ice storms, and cold fronts wear down home exteriors in the colder months. Proper home winterization will keep cold from seeping into your house, protect your home from water and ice damage, and give your family a safe, warm shelter during the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. Every autumn, you should:

• Replace damaged shingles on your roof
• Clear out the gutters
• Replace weather strips on windows and doors
• Winterize pipes and check drainage
• Repair sidewalks and driveways
• Add stepping-stones to areas in the yard with heavy foot traffic
• Caulk weak seams around the foundation and exterior walls
• Remove, repair, and store screens
• Winterize and store summer home & maintenance equipment

Interior Home Maintenance

Preparing for winter starts outside, but interior home maintenance will improve your family’s quality of living in the months to come. Check for fire hazards, improve the quality of your home air, and lessen the heating bill by following a fall home maintenance checklist.

• Check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
• Inspect heating units and stoves
• Clean and inspect the fireplace
• Replace air filters
• Switch the direction on ceiling fans to pull the warm air upwards
• Check the insulation in your attic and storage areas
• Install heavy curtains to insulate windows

If you need materials and tips for your home maintenance projects or need assistance getting started, call Ace Hardware of Gray, GA.

photo from flickr