The Happy Garden - November 29, 2007

Volume 2, Number 46, November 29, 2007 (Read It Online) This week we have an article we originally published last year about Selecting and Caring for Poinsettias. We also have tips and a couple photos from readers. If you have any winter gardening tips to share, please submit them on the contest pages. Thanks for reading, Susan Send to a Friend! Submit Your Gardening Tips Submit Photos of Your Garden Submit a Gardening Request Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter. Today's newsletter contains: Photos: Old Rake As Bird Feeder Spectacular Blooms Wall Pocket Decorations Tips and Articles: Use Hard Boiled Egg Water For Houseplants Keep Track of Rainy Days To Save Garden Water Growing Gourds and Flowers for Drying Make Rooting Hormone From Willow Selecting and Caring for Poinsettias New Requests: Natural Solution for Indoor Fungus on Flowerpots Orange Trees Not Producing Pollen Breads and Pasta in Compost Using Wood Ashes on Pineapple and Apple Trees Plant Similar to a Caladium Getting a Graft from a Tree Map of Gardening Zones Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish. More Information: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml Photos: Old Rake As Bird Feeder You do not need to throw away old gardening tools, this rake functions very well as a bird feeder :) By Sylver from Netherlands Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf88114548.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Spectacular Blooms As most of you know gardening is an art form and creating a beautiful garden takes hard work and patience. The results, however, can be spectacular! The Mother to six of my cousins, eighty year old Elizabeth Lepore, added fish oil to black earth in order to produce this particular flower. It was one of the last flowers to bloom within her secret back yard garden this past September, and I took the picture. By Joseph from Laval West, Laval, Quebec, Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26645124.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Wall Pocket Decorations These are wall pockets made from tin cans. These are the large sized cans that schools and such use . Tops and bottoms are cut from the can, then I step on one end to flatten it together. The I drill 5 holes across the the bottom, through both layers and "sew" with light weight wire. Once that's done, it's time for the fun part. These I decoupaged with fabric and added some odd dangle pieces that I had in my craft room. Drilled 2 small holes on the top back for wire to hang them up by :0) By Maggie from Bloomington, MN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf53233126.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips and Articles: Use Hard Boiled Egg Water For Houseplants Cheap and easy feed for houseplants. When you boil eggs - save the water. Sieve out any pieces of egg that may have busted out during boiling. This water, when completely cooled, contains lots of minerals from the egg shell and makes a good feed for houseplants and can be used as often as you water. Kindest regards - By Borasic Lint from England UK Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30267442.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Keep Track of Rainy Days To Save Garden Water Keep track of the days that it rains on a calendar. Circle the day and write "Rain". This way its easy for you too see which day it rained. It will help you save money on your water bill. You will always know when you should water your garden, so no over watering occurs, and no waste! By Tonya S. from Coal City, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf85178717.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Growing Gourds and Flowers for Drying Get 2 packages of miniature gourds and plant them in two long rows. You will have so many that you will be able to sell many of them to garden shops. Now pick out flower seeds, baby's breath and other grasses that will dry. You can make gorgeous floral arrangements. Ribbon is lovely around the top of the container. By Bev from Chilliwack BC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76253158.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Make Rooting Hormone From Willow Making your own rooting hormone with willow water. Here's what you do: Get a handful of willow twigs (any Salix species will do) Cut them into pieces a few inches long Soak the twigs in a few inches of water for a day or two; then remove the twigs. Use the willow water to soak cuttings in overnight, or to water flats of newly started cuttings, or to help transplants. Now remember since this method isn't very exact, the strength of the willow water can vary depending on the time of year, the number of twigs, the concentration of hormones in the twigs, and the amount of time that the twigs were soaked. You will, however, still get a solution that will help your plants root By Sherry from Silverdale, WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf54763588.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Selecting and Caring for Poinsettias By Ellen Brown Since the 1920's, the poinsettia has become synonymous with the holiday season. Here are a few tips for selecting and caring for this year's poinsettia, as well as some advice for getting it to bloom again next year. Selecting This Year's Plant Bract Color: When selecting a poinsettia, there are a few things you need to know. First, the showy parts of the plant are not actually the flowers. Instead, they are modified leaves called bracts. Select a plant with fully colored and open bracts-avoiding bracts with green around the margins. Because poinsettias now come in shades from red to white and every shade in between (including purple, yellow and salmon), make sure you check the variety to ensure the bracts are displaying their mature color. Unopened Flowers: A poinsettias true flowers are yellow and tiny and located in the center of the flower-head. Plants with unopened flowers will last longer. Freshness and Overall Health: Select a plant with healthy green colored foliage from the flower heads to the base of the stem. Stems should be stiff and the plants should have good leaf retention. Avoid plants that show signs of wilting, damage or soil that is saturated or too dry. Shape and Proportion: A healthy plant will appear balanced and full from all sides and be appropriate in height and shape relative to the container it's in. (generally 2 1/2 times taller than the diameter of the container). Caring for Your Poinsettias During the Holidays Since the 1920's, the poinsettia has become synonymous with the holiday season. Temperature and Location: Poinsettias need at least 6 hours of exposure to indirect, natural light daily. To maintain good color, direct sunlight should be avoided (or at least diffused) and daytime temperatures should not exceed 70 degrees. Keep plants away from excessive hot or cold drafts, like those from heat ducts, fireplaces or outside doors. Food and Water: Poinsettias appreciate moist soil. Water thoroughly so the soil is moist, but not saturated. Overly moist soil can lead to root rot and eventually kill the plant, so poinsettias should not be allowed to stand in water. Plants are often purchased covered with plastic, paper or mesh sleeves. If you plan on keeping your poinsettia after the holidays these should be removed and the plants repotted in order to prevent the plant from deteriorating. Fertilizer isn't necessary during the flowering period. The Poison Myth: A common misconception about poinsettias is that they are poisonous to pets and children. They are not. According to joints test conducted by the America Society for Florists and Ohio State University, a 50 lb. child would need to eat 1 1/2 pounds of Poinsettia bracts to shows signs of toxic poisoning (a bad stomach ache). In regards to the family pet, anything your pet eats that is out of the realm of their normal diet may give them an upset stomach. Ingesting large amounts of the bracts and flowers may cause skin, eye and mucous membrane irritation in pets. Signs Your Poinsettia is in Trouble Wilting, followed by loss of leaves: This is usually a symptom of improper watering. Allow the surface soil to dry a bit before watering, but make sure the compost around the roots stays moist, but not saturated. Loss of leaves without wilting: This is often a sign that the plant has been subjected to hot or freezing drafts. Other reasons for leaf drop include poor light or night time temperatures being too low. Leaf edges are yellow or brown or loss of flower-heads: Dry, indoor winter air may be the culprit. Poinsettias like warm rooms with moist air. Mist leaves frequently with a spray bottle. A Calendar to Re-flowering The poor poinsettia. Its bright show of color has become synonymous with holiday decorating, but it's often thrown out when the holiday decorations come down. In its native Mexico, it's actually a perennial that grows up to ten feet tall. If you're like most gardeners, you wince at the thought of throwing out a plant just because it's done flowering. You will be happy to know that with a little care and patience, you can "recycle" your poinsettia and get it to re-flower next year. November/December Poinsettias naturally come into full bloom sometime in November or December as the days grow shorter (and nights grow longer). March/April As the bracts ("flowers") start to age and lose their color (usually late March or early April), cut plants back to about 6 to 8 inches in height. May/June The pruning done in March or April will promote new growth by the end of May. You may need to prune again during the summer to keep plants bushy and compact, but don't prune them after September 1. Continue to water and fertilize ever 2 to 3 weeks. Plants should be kept in a soil mix containing high amounts of organic nutrients with good drainage. In early June, plants may be transplanted into pots that are no more than 4 inches larger than the original pot. Special instruction for planting outdoors: In general, poinsettias are sensitive to cold weather, frost and rain, so moving them outdoors is not recommended. If you want to move yours outdoors, wait until night time temperatures stay above 55 degrees. Start by acclimatizing the plant to outdoor light by placing it in a shady location for a few weeks. Then sink the entire pot into a sunny well-protected flower bed. Turn the pots every 2 weeks to keep the plant from rooting through the pot's bottom holes. October Here comes the tricky part. Starting October 1st, poinsettias need at least 14 hours of COMPLETE darkness to set their flowers. The smallest amount of stray light (street lights, night lights, etc.) can delay or even stop the re-flowering process. One way to avoid this is to place a tall box over plants at night. October/November/December During October, November and early December, the plants also require at least 6 hours of bright sunlight daily and night time temperature between 60-70 degrees (temperatures outside of this range can also delay flowering). Watering and fertilizing should be carried out as usual. Following this disciplined "photoperiod" for 8 to 10 weeks will get your poinsettia blooming just in time for the holidays. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74501004.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Contest! Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! New Requests: Natural Solution for Indoor Fungus on Flowerpots Does any knowledgeable person out there have a remedy for killing white fluffy-type fungus that grows on soil surfaces of indoor flowerpots? I have 6 large plastic flowerpots in the living room. Every year when the weather turns chilly and then cold, a white fluffy-type fungus starts growing on top of the soil, but not on the plants. I went to a store here and they sold me Furadan, but an internet check results show that Furadan is a very toxic insecticide and nematode poison. I would really rather not use that inside the house. Thanks a lot. Carlos from Mexico Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf81557937.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Orange Trees Not Producing Pollen My potted orange trees bloom, but do not produce pollen dust to pollinate. Hardiness Zone: 8a James from Snellvile, GA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52156780.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Breads and Pasta in Compost I am learning how to compost. I read about what should go in it and what should be kept out. But I didn't find anywhere about bread, pizzas, pasta, cookies? Can they go in a compost? Asad from Jonesboro, AR Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82374838.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Using Wood Ashes on Pineapple and Apple Trees Can I use wood ashes on my pineapple and apple tree? Hardiness Zone: 8b Robert from Montverde, Florida Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf57280199.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Plant Similar to a Caladium I have a garden plant that I would like to know it's identity. It grows in the Fall and Winter. It has arrow shaped leaves, green with white markings, looks like Caladium, sort of. Grows about 12". Wayne from Middle Tennessee Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf21330311.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Getting a Graft from a Tree How does one get a graft from a tree to grow a new tree? Hardiness Zone: 5a Maggie from Oak Lawn, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf28582602.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Map of Gardening Zones Where can I find the map of which gardening zone you are in? Hardiness Zone: 5a Robin from Hanover, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65230105.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish. More Information: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml More Stuff Seed Swap! Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users. Submit a Request... Frugal solutions to everyday problems.