May 2026 Lawn and Garden -Refresh Your Recreational Spaces

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As the warm weather settles in, it’s a great time to focus on reviving your outdoor space, especially your patio or deck if you plan on doing any entertaining. While other parts of your home’s exterior also need attention, this spot is where you and your guests will gather. And between ice, snow, rain, and whatever else Mother Nature might have hit it with, it’s likely a little worse for wear. That’s why now is the perfect time to give it some extra care, ensuring that it’s prepped and ready for you to enjoy in the months ahead. Start with a thorough cleaning Whether your outdoor structure is made of wood, concrete, or composite, it’s important to give it a cleaning at least once a year. Mildew, algae, and grime build up more quickly than you might think, especially in shaded or damp areas. Left unchecked, they can make the surface slippery and dull and even lead to decay. This season, dedicate a day to clearing off any furniture, sweeping away debris, and rinsing the surface with a ho...
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Prepare Your Ears For Millions Of Extra Cicadas In North Carolina This Spring

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Uh oh, North Carolina. Parts of the state will see and hear an insurgence of cicadas later this spring and, in case you don’t remember the last time cicadas invaded the landscape, it’s expected to get very noisy in some places. Read on to learn about the explosion of cicadas in North Carolina in the coming months.

It's believed that more than 3,000 species of cicada exist worldwide.
Flickr/Jason Means
Commonly mistaken for locusts, cicadas are known for living underground as nymphs for as little as one year to 13-17 years before emerging to breed and lay eggs again in the bark of trees that dot the landscape.
They exist in a number of emergence patterns, including annual cicadas and periodic cicadas. Both remain underground as nymphs when not actively breeding.
Kakizaki Hajime / EyeEm Collection via Getty Images
The species expected to cause all of the noise in North Carolina in the coming months is referred to as Brood Nine (or Brood IX).
wikipedia/Andrew M. Liebhold, Michael J. Bohne, and Rebecca L. Lilja/USDA Forest Service - public domain
Don't be surprised if you find yourself covering your ears. A single cicada has the capability to damage a human's hearing. Its 'song' has been clocked as high as 120 decibels!
It's no wonder that a group of cicadas is called a CHORUS!
Taunia Maple / EyeEm Collection via Getty Images
Only the male of the species is known to sing with such veracity.
Other than being utterly annoying with noise, cicadas are relatively harmless.
Cyndi Monaghan / Moment Collection via Getty Images
They feed on the sap from trees and occasionally break small limbs on young trees.
When can you expect the cicadas to emerge from their 17-year slumber?
jxfzsy / E+ Collection via Getty Images
The concert will begin when the soil reaches 64 degrees at least eight inches below the surface. The emergence also often coincides with a spring rainfall in late April to early May.
With so many species of cicada, it’s possible for a different brood to appear every year. Do you recall seeing or hearing cicadas in your neck of the state in previous years?
Original Post in onlyinyourstate.com on 3/29/2020

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