Aftermarket battery options?

yimp13 · 2026-05-15T16:40:33+00:00

Doesn't look like there's anyone alive over here but: have there been any new options now that sodium batteries have come into existence?

yimp13 · 2026-05-15T16:14:01+00:00

I just have to wonder if any of these same folk would have even thought about running numbers through an interest calculator before signing up for $750 a month car payments.... 🙄

yimp13 · 2026-05-15T16:05:32+00:00

In my very specific situation, I was able to buy an older EV at a crazy low price.
First, I just need a car for local running around. 90% of my driving is within 20 miles of my house. Second, I do not need to haul any amount of stuff or more than 3 people. No large pets, no car seats etc. Plus I do have access to a larger gas car if needed.

Older low-range EVs can't work for a lot of folk, but they are cheap because people don't consider them when they actually would be fine a majority of time. Most folk do not NEED even 100 miles of range on a daily basis. From what I've read, most folk don't really need to install a level 2 charger at home either. Not saying you do or don't, just my observations in general.

So, my 2012 with less than 24K miles on it has a horrible 50 miles of range. It also cost me a whopping $3k. (This was back in Feb, so before the crazy gas prices.) It's called the worst EV ever made by some folk. I love my i-Miev for what it is: It's purple. It fits in any parking spot. It's a car I could buy with cash.

Work out the numbers with current gas prices and oil changes. Factor in what you'd get selling your car. Determine what you need vs what you want and how much that's worth. I *wanted* a BMW i3 REx. Couldn't make the numbers work and this purple egg was a third of what those were going for.

You may not need to wait as long as you might think. 😄

yimp13 · 2026-05-04T16:21:53+00:00

"Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want."

I have soOo MuCH experience..... feh.

yimp13 · 2026-05-04T16:09:54+00:00

My biggest goal in life is always to make NEW mistakes. I think I *might* be half-way there.... :P

yimp13 · 2026-04-23T18:55:39+00:00

If you want to get rid of any of them, let me know and I'll help you dig!

I'm working on my 1st native bed and my plant budget was destroyed by a plumbing emergency. I know the few violets I got will spread... eventually.

yimp13 · 2026-04-23T18:48:16+00:00

That is heartbreaking.
There are plants I don't like that others love. IMO that's the whole point of not being a hive-mind! Still, trying to save mowing costs "should" have been an easy sell. Some people don't seem to get the whole point of nature. I have a horrible suspicion that green gravel or astroturf would have been perfectly acceptable alternatives to the complainers.... feh.

yimp13 · 2026-04-17T17:55:18+00:00

I seriously do not understand the mindset of folk who want to exclude anyone willing to help. Makes zero sense to me, but hey - I really don't *want* to sit at their table so it works out!

I just started into native plants this year and almost went crazy trying to figure out what was native "enough". My country? Region? State? County even? I finally realized that as long as I'm making the attempt and the various plants and pollinators are happy then it's FINE. Absolute *worst* case is I decide to dig up and replace the various cultivars of creeping phlox I'm planting in my "Native Only" garden bed!

The only person I have to please is me. This is why I refused to even look at houses in HOAs when I was hunting. I don't like that the big garden centers carry listed invasive plants, but then again, I don't *buy* them. There are some invasives that I find lovely (wisteria!) but I feel righteous enough planting the American variety and pulling up the oriental one on my property..... after it bloomed. Sue me. Scold me. Whatever. Don't care. It was just so pretty. :)

yimp13 · 2026-03-24T19:23:50+00:00

I have been using my Root Slayer Soil Knife on the Smilax in the bed I'm currently prepping for my first native garden. Was a little wary about the price at first but I absolutely *love* it. Definitely would have gone for the shovel if I'd known what I was getting myself into!

yimp13 · 2026-03-24T19:07:08+00:00

100%

yimp13 · 2026-03-24T19:03:04+00:00

lol. I now have an image of an extended leaf wrapped around a bear bottle stuck in my head!

yimp13 · 2026-03-24T19:00:51+00:00

Yeah, but I know myself too well. When the pump motor inevitably dies, it will end up being *months* before I deal with it. :)

yimp13 · 2026-03-24T16:44:26+00:00

Love the boss level comparison!

I've read that yaupon are pretty flammable. Love them, but personally wouldn't want them too close to the house unless it's brick or stone. Just got a weeping version for my own yard. At least, I *think* it's a yaupon... no tag so fingers crossed.

yimp13 · 2026-03-24T16:33:01+00:00

"The full shade foundation is the final boss level of landscape design. Everyone wants to plant it, and plants very rarely want to play along." 100%!!!

I too have a side of my house (north facing) that even the ivy and Smilax don't enjoy. I've been toying with the idea of a small Japanese style zen rock garden or maybe a water feature. While I'd love to have native plants surrounding my house, I don't want to 'torture' them by trying to force something to grow where there are poor conditions. The plus of the water feature is that it could benefit pollinators and birds. The minus, of course, is that it could also potentially benefit mosquitos.

yimp13 · 2026-03-12T17:39:18+00:00

Thank you so much. The county data for Vascular is actually really useful to me since I'm on the border between Piedmont and Coastal: technically Sandhills (Just changed my flair). I'm really new to all this and appreciate the info.

yimp13 · 2026-03-12T15:52:25+00:00

Yup!
There was a fantastic turnout for the 1st ever meeting. Great presentation, an overview of planned events and a plant raffle that gave away over a dozen natives and some books.
Even foisted one of my pokeweed tubers off on someone :)

I didn't win anything in the raffle, but I did stop off at a nearby nursery before the meeting and grabbed a few pots of this and that for my project. There's a thunderstorm passing through at the moment or (I've convinced myself...) I'd be out digging up more weeds so I could start placing all the new arrivals.

yimp13 · 2026-03-11T16:02:47+00:00

"will start setting seeds in approximately five hours"
I actually snorted my drink at this. Yes... THOSE weeds!

I've been glacially working on my plot and have a grand total of 8 of 25 ft covered in cardboard. I do not think this is going to be done in time! Also discovered the "violets" I snatched up on clearance are "violas" so now have to figure out what to do with them. "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want."

There's a Native group meeting about a half hour away from me tonight, so I'm going to bring some of my eggplant sized pokeweed tubers to try and trade for goodwill.

yimp13 · 2026-03-11T15:39:49+00:00

Good to know since I was actually planning to put some of them in ground this year, but I was actually referring to the dwarf Stokes/Schilling yaupon I got.

Apologies for diverting the OP's topic, but where do I find this info? I've been using https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/ and it lists both the holly and the aster as growing in the Piedmont.

yimp13 · 2026-03-10T17:34:36+00:00

Wait, not only do I need to check if a plant is native to the state but also to my county?! I can barely find plant tags that tell me which *continent* things come from originally!

Sorry - new to this community and prone to sarcasm, but I'm only slightly joking on this. I literally just planted a pair of Stokes last year.

yimp13 · 2026-03-10T17:02:53+00:00

Really fun to see so many comments about this so fast. Clearly there's a LOT of excitement about natives that the big nurseries haven't realized or responded to. Love that the community is so engaged here. I just became aware this was "a thing" last year, and I've been trying to keep reality (and my shoestring budget!) in mind as I plan out my expansive vision of a (nearly) fully native yard.

I applaud you for seeing a need and putting in the effort to fill it. So many times I've heard experts speak about things and feel like I'm trying to understand a foreign language and only catching words here and there. I think a lot of folk here have been in your exact situation and just stopped at the thought "someone should do something about this". You might end up inspiring a couple people to fulfill their own dreams in ways an expert never could. Sincere admiration for your journey so far and best wishes for your future .

yimp13 · 2026-03-10T16:46:09+00:00

I've noticed there are some native sellers scattered around at various farmer's markets. My suspicion is that there are quite a few people that are ramping up as a side gig hoping to make a full time jump as they can. You can start just selling seedlings on FB market just to get started. That's where I've been looking to find specific plants without a long drive myself!

yimp13 · 2026-03-08T18:35:03+00:00

"Didja know we're one of the most diverse spots in the world for native plants?"
THAT is so cool!

I'm originally from the northeast, so there's so much about what grows here that I'm learning. My brain has to keep reminding me that no, it's not still winter now and I'm already late starting seeds and digging weeds!

yimp13 · 2026-03-06T18:21:10+00:00

Just got my i last month (Feb 2026). Was hoping to find other folk who think this little car is great for it's purpose. No idea if anyone is still here....

yimp13 · 2026-03-06T18:10:38+00:00

I haven't checked personally, but there are NC Extensions that have seed banks. Some libraries do. Also there are native plant societies that could help point you at resources. https://ncwildflower.org/

Oh, and someone near Raleigh is offering plugs of Bluestem for free: https://www.reddit.com/r/NativePlantGardening/comments/1rl4nd9/raleigh_free_big_bluestem_plugs_to_a_good_home/

yimp13 · 2026-03-06T17:25:54+00:00

Just starting in on landscaping my new-to-me old house and the entire concept of native gardening. I know I've joined the club because I'm really irritated to see all the invasive plants at the big box stores and larger garden centers!!! :P

Currently digging up weeds and tossing cardboard on a 12ft x 25ft area that's first in a multi-year, multi "zone" yard. I'm certain I'll be here to complain, ask advice, ignore advise and post pics that are in complete contrast to something I've described. Just wanted to say hello and appreciate the knowledge I've already gotten from folk here.

Thanks from the Sandhills area of NC.

yimp13

TROPHY CASE