​SKI Landscape's President/Owner, John Wolski, hands the truck keys to Dave Withey, Founder/Executive Director of NeighborhoodLink Indianapolis. With the donation of the box truck, SKI makes it possible for Dave and his crew to store and transport tools and materials easily to their many jobsites. NeighborhoodLink Indianapolis offers local seniors home repair services which gives them the opportunity to live independently in the comfort of their own homes.

Recently SKI Landscape donated flats of flowers to residents at the Stratford Senior Living Community in Carmel, Indiana. The wide variety of plantings added vibrant color to their lives and all enjoyed getting their fingernails dirty!

​Most animals can produce their own vitamin C with the exception of fish, primates (including humans) and guinea pigs.
Lady bugs and their larvae are valued insects. They feed on aphids that destroy plants by sucking out juices and transmitting diseases.
Corn on the cob is best served the day you buy it; don’t refrigerate. Look for bright-green husks wrapped tightly around the ear, with flowing moist silk (not brown). Pull back husk; kernels should be small, shiny, firm, and tightly packed.
The Bull Thistle is the national emblem of Scotland. Legend says that when the Danes invaded Scotland, they removed their boots to move quietly. A soldier stepped on a thistle and yelled, which alerted the Scots of the attack. A superstition was thus born that anyone who wore a thistle was immune to danger.
Don’t be alarmed by June drop of tree fruit. It is a natural thinning process. Thin remaining fruit six to eight inches apart, if necessary, or prop heavy branches to avoid breakage.
Pinch shoot tips of impatiens, chrysanthemums, petunias and coleus to promote better growth.
Wait to plant pumpkins until the Fourth of July to avoid egg-laying season for pumpkin-munching pests.
If you are bitten by a tick, watch for the telltale signs of Lyme disease: a rash that spreads usually starting a few days after you were bitten; fever, chills, and muscle aches; extreme fatigue; and neck stiffness that can set in quickly or a week later.
Despite lowering your stress level, walking in the rain offers the following benefits: the smell of the rain refreshes the mind; high humidity keeps the skin and hair moisturized; it is said that physical activity done in the rain burns more calories and fats than when done on a good day; while raining, droplets absorb dust and microbes, so the air is purified and cleaner; walking in the rain makes one feel rebellious; helps you see problems from another perspective; fewer people go out in the rain so have a better sense of space, so our thoughts and emotions can roam free, and run wild!
Gardeners should have a tetanus/diphtheria vaccination every 10 years because they are at a higher risk of tetanus infections.

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1. Begin fertilizing houseplants when new growth appears.
2. Seed bare spots in lawn.
3. The roar we hear when placing a seashell next to our ear is the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.
4. Strawberries and cashews are the only fruits whose seeds grow on the outside.
5. Try honey for cuts. Its antioxidant, anti-bacterial properties that help cleanse and heal wounds.
6. Great seed starter--repurpose a stale ice cream cone by filling it with soil and seeds. It’s biodegradable, making replanting easy.
7. Many drinks interfere with medications by either blocking their action or interacting with them to cause dangerous side effects. Avoid washing down medications with these drinks: grapefruit juice, coffee, milk, and alcohol.
8. Wear gloves when removing ladybugs from your home. When startled, ladybugs sometimes release a yellow fluid that can cause irritation if it comes in contact with your eyes or mouth.
9. Galangal—an Indian root, strongly flavored, related to ginger, also sold dried or powered. A popular Thai flavoring, in combination with ginger and lemongrass.
10. If you cut the bottom out of gallon-sized plastic milk jugs, they make excellent covers for small garden plants. Remove the caps to let in fresh air. They are transparent enough to admit sunlight.

​February SKI Tips

1. February is a short month because Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus’ ego got in the way. When Julius Caesar was in power, February had 30 days, but Augustus was unhappy that his month, August, only had 29 days while the month named for Julius Caesar, July, had 31. So Augustus took from February to boost August.
2. For icy steps and sidewalks in freezing temperatures, mix 1 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and ½ gallon hot/warm water. Pour over walkways. They won’t refreeze.
3. The largest hailstone ever recorded in the United States was found in July 2010 in Vivian, South Dakota. It was almost 19 inches around weighed almost 2 pounds.
4. Start seeds indoors for cool-season vegetables so they will be ready for transplanting to the garden early in the season. Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage seeds should be started five to seven weeks before transplanting.
5. Birds will be arriving soon so clean out old nesting houses. Remove old nesting material which can contain harmful parasites.  
6. The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the US. Half of those valentines are given to family members other than husband or wife, like children or parents.
7. The first heart-shaped box was created by Richard Cadbury, son of Cadbury founder John Cadbury. He started packaging chocolates in fancy boxes to increase sales. He introduced the first heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day in 1861, and today, more than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sold each year. That's 58 million pounds of chocolate!
8. Scoleciphobia—the fear of worms. Often because of unhygienic conditions.
9. Do not prune spring-flowering trees and shrubs during late winter to avoid loss of bloom. Prune after flowering.
10. Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers.