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Vol. 3, Num. 18, May 1, 2008 (Read It Online) This week we have some wonderful May Flower photos sent in by readers. We also have two great articles by Ellen Brown. Ellen also answers more of your questions. Thanks for reading, Susan
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Rate It: This flower is a Clematis. We planted four last Spring so it will climb each corner of the arch that it is planted around. All four are different colors. I can't wait until they are all in bloom and meet at the top. This is our first bloom on this side. I wish to share it's beauty with everyone. By Connie from Smithville,TN
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Rate It: I love the color yellow and I use as much as I can find in my gardens. This picture was taken so I can remember the beauty all year. By Karen from Thomasville, NC
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Rate It: This is a photo from the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve in Southern California. We went there last Saturday and it was soooo beautiful. I couldn't stop taking pictures. By Har'et from Lakewood, CA
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Rate It: This is a picture of a hanging basket in my yard, hope this is what you want for your May flower edition. I have the picture as my wallpaper on my computer screen so I can see it even when I am in the house. By Phyllis from Roseburg, Oregon
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Rate It: This is a picture of some Queen Anne's Lace taken in our nearby National Park of Waterton/Glacier. This park straddles the border between Montana and Alberta, Canada. It can be dried quite successfully. Of course, one can't pick it in a National park. So the alternative is to take a picture. By Irene from Pincher Creek, AB. Canada
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Rate It: This is a flowering crab apple that I planted 15 years ago. It smells wonderful and is just beautiful for 2 weeks. The birds love to hide in it and fuss at the squirrels. By kwhite from Thomasville, NC
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Rate It: When taking pictures of flowers, try doing something unusual like taking a close up inside a flower bush. I love closeup pictures and it's almost like you can touch the flowers. By Susan from Gloversville, NY
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Rate It: Beautiful Flowers Without A Lot Of Water This is my granddaughter, Kari, sitting in their front yard. The flowers are all natives of our region: dry west Texas. White broken stones are scattered through the plants for stepping stones. Also, there is a gravel path through the yard. Xeriscaping is encouraged in our area to conserve water and as the picture shows, you can still have beautiful plants that don't take a lot of water.By Frances from Tarzan, TX
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Use A Frisbee As Inexpensive Hummingbird Shade I frequent a Hummingbird forum. On it, there is a photo of a feeder that someone used a Frisbee at the top of the feeder to shade it. It's a great idea and saves buying the expensive ones. Click on the address below then scroll down to see it. There are a couple pics. We are visiting the dollar store tomorrow to get some. Also making one for my underprivileged neighbor. She's so excited! She gets a Clearwing Humming Bird moth in her garden each year but has yet to see a hummer, she's excited :) Ariela from Jax FlPost Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35253212.tip.html
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Rate It: 8 Signs Your Seedlings Are In Trouble
In many ways, nurturing seedlings is a lot like parenting. It requires love, attentiveness, and lots of patience (a good sense of humor doesn't hurt either). To keep your seedlings healthy, you need to learn to recognize when they are sick. Here are eight signs your seeds are in trouble and what may be causing it.
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Rate It: Greening The Exterior Of Your Home
Part of home maintenance is maintaining the exterior. As projects come up (and they always do), why not use the opportunity to go green? Having an eco-friendly exterior does not mean you need $10,000 worth of solar panels either. Over time, much smaller changes can add up to big savings-for you and for the environment.
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Rate It: Problems With A Sweet Gum Tree Question:We have a very large sweet gum tree. A large area of bark has come off the tree and a lot of the roots are exposed. Is this tree dying from the loss of bark? How can I cover up the roots? The roots have ruined my front yard.Margie Answer:Hi Margie,Sorry to hear about your Sweet Gum tree. The outer layer of bark on a tree functions to protect the living layers that lie just beneath it. This means that any damage sustained to the trunk that results in a substantial loss of bark will certainly have an effect on the performance of the tree. Bark loss that extends all the way around the girth of the tree spells certain death. A large loss limited to one side of the tree may only affect that side of the tree in the same way an amputation would. I would recommend calling a professional tree service to schedule an onsite inspection. They will be able to assess your situation and give you a good idea of your tree's chances for survival. Much of the root system of a Sweet Gum tree is shallow (just beneath the surface of the soil. As the tree gets older, the roots become larger around in size and start to push up through the soil. Over time, these exposed roots can lift sidewalks, interfere with mowing, and create a tripping hazard in the yard. Most tree experts would advise you to NOT cover the exposed roots of your tree with soil. This is because the addition of soil will change drainage patterns around the tree's root zone, thereby changing the way oxygen and water are distributed to the roots. Sudden or severe changes in oxygen availability can spell disaster (even death) to your tree, and given that it may already be in trouble, it's not worth taking the chance. Cutting the roots can have a similar disastrous affect. There is no way to know how much of the root system that tree can afford to lose without adversely affecting it. Any wounds you make in the bark can also create a road in for insects and disease. A better solution may be to plant an interesting ground cover nearby that will spread and grow over the roots. A coarse mulch like woodchips may also allow enough air and water to penetrate to the root zone, but again, a professional will be able to better advise you after an onsite visit. Good luck! Ellen Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45220653.tip.html
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Rate It: Keeping Your Trunk Clean When Hauling Gardening Supplies Most people haul dirt and plants, etc. in their trunk. Keep it clean by spreading a cheap shower curtain in the car trunk to catch spills and dirt. The shower curtain can be washed. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31473391.tip.html
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Rate It: Reusing Broken Mini Blind Slats When one of my mini blinds broke, I thought about what a waste it was. After a time I was repotting plants and needed markers for them. They were African violets. I decided to cut up the slats of the mini blinds. Then as I was planting my garden I realized I could also use the slats to mark them as well. Actually, I have found many uses for those slats and I am still on using the same mini blind. Those slats will last me for years to come. Another use might be as a marker in a filing cabinet, marking rabbit or chicken pens, etc. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31722920.tip.html
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Rate It: Composting adds free organic material to your garden which helps the soil retain and drain water and encourages healthier plants. Here is an easy way to compost
Source: excerpted from Harmony Elementary's A to Z recycling newsletter By Diana from Prospect, KY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf42744343.tip.html
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Rate It: Beverages for the Christmas Cactus I have a 55+ year old Christmas Cactus that I got after my grandmother's death. It didn't do very well and didn't grow much and I was about to throw it away; then, I remembered seeing my grandmother pour whatever she was drinking on the cactus. (Tea, coffee) I started giving the cactus a cup of coffee once a week and it has just exploded! It blooms twice a year and has grown by leaps and bounds. Try coffee! By Liz from Birmingham, AL Editor's Note: This works really well but make sure it is has no sugar or cream in it. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39258766.tip.html
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Rate It: Gold Nugget Loquat With Yellow Leaves Question:I have planted a new Gold Nugget Loquat tree (came in a 15 Gallon pot, about 5.5 ft tall), and after a month, leaves have randomly started turning yellow. I am not sure if this is due to excessive water or something else. Any comments will be appreciated. (See attached picture.)Hardiness Zone: 10a Bani from Southern California Answer:Bani,You mentioned that you were not sure, but your tree could be declining due to excessive water. From the picture you submitted, that would be my guess. Loquats are not tolerant of "flooded" soil conditions-they can decline quickly if overwatered-the lower leaves are usually the first to go. Have you experienced some rainy spring weather recently? Loquat roots are fussy about standing in water, so make sure your container provides adequate drainage. I can't see the bottom of your container, but if you have it sitting in a tray or pan, make sure you dump out any excess water that collects in it after it rains or after you water. Approximately how old is your tree? (The nursery you bought it from should be able to tell you.) For the first 3 years, loquat trees should be watered once a week during dry periods (5 or more days of little to no rainfall). During rainy seasons, you need to reduce or stop watering them all together. At 4 years of age and older, water them only during periods when they are developing fruit, and during prolonged periods where they receive little or no rainfall. Let your tree dry out for 5-6 days before you water it next. It should bounce back fine. Ellen
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Rate It: Question:What can I feed my garden worms with? I need to fatten them up for fishing! ThanksEileen from Northern CA Answer:Eileen,This is a great question. I'm going to assume that you're talking about fattening up your nightcrawlers and common field worms, and not referring to manure worms (red wigglers) that we feed with our kitchen scraps. The most common earthworms found in the garden are nightcrawlers and field worms (also called garden worms). Night crawlers are easy to spot because they are big! They make wonderful bait for anglers, but they reproduce slowly, so they are not commercially raised as often as some other types of bait worms. Nightcrawlers prefer soil that is heavy in organic matter like lawns and grassy meadows. Field worms are smaller than nightcrawlers. They are also easy to identify because they have a pronounced raised band (clitellum) about _ length down their body. They tend to be more common in soils that are slightly poorer in organic matter. Both of these worms feed by bringing organic debris down into their burrows from the surface. As they move about, the holes they create aerate the soil. Their excretions, also called casts, improve the soil's structure. When you feed your soil, you are feeding the worms that live there. The more organic nutrients your soil contains, the greater your worm population and the more vigorous your worms. Fertilizers do not necessarily provide earthworms with the food they need (synthetic or organic). They love foods high in nitrogen, so mixing green grass clippings, corn stalks, and green leaves into the soil(dried leaves are low in nitrogen) should provide them with plenty of food. Apparently, the Purina company also makes and Purina Earthworm Chow for raising bait worms. I haven't been able to locate this online, but I have seen several references to it. You might try locating a worm ranch that raises earth worms (not vericomposting worms) for more information. I know the first two main ingredients are ground corn and ground soybean hulls. Good luck! Ellen Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37651106.tip.html
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Rate It: Growing Tomatoes In Black Plastic Bags Question:Another poster on here mentioned using black plastic bags as containers for growing tomatoes. I was wondering if anyone could elaborate on that method?Hardiness Zone: 6a Tami from MO Answer:Hi Tami, Some folks swear by this method, while others swear at it. Essentially, growing tomatoes upside down in bags or buckets is an inexpensive do-it-yourself version of some of the more expensive systems, like the Topsy Turvey planter, that are now offered to consumers in garden catalogues. The theory is that growing tomatoes this way produces bigger yields and affords fewer problems with insects and disease. In addition, no pruning, no weeding, and no staking is required and the plants benefit from increased air circulation. As long as you have a sunny spot, it's a great way to save on garden space, or for apartment dwellers, to maximize the limited space of a balcony or patio. The bags can be hung from S hooks attached to eaves or railings, or by suspending them from shepherd's hooks, or even clotheslines. I have never tried it, but the idea is simple. Get yourself a sturdy plastic bag (it needs to be able to hold a large amount of wet soil) or a 5-gallon bucket with a metal handle. Carefully slip the tomato plant into the hole (roots first) so that the leaves are sticking out the bottom. Holding the plant in place, start filling the bag (or bucket) with a lightweight soil mix (try a mixture consisting of 50% damp sphagnum peat moss, 30% compost, and 20% perlite). Fill in evenly around the plant and tip the bucket carefully upside down to test whether or not the plant is securely anchored into the soil. Some people place a paper towel around the plant's roots or place a sheet of newspaper on the bottom of the container before pushing the tomato plant through. This helps keep it from slipping out of the hole while you're adding soil. Fill the rest of the bag to within an inch or so from the top. Hang in a sunny spot and water as needed from the top. Keep in mind that small fruiting varieties will be lighter. Also, tomatoes like heat. Cover the top of the soil with a layer of mulch or fasten a dark-colored cloth over the open end of the bucket. This will hold in moisture and heat, and help keep insects out. I've also heard of people planting annuals on the topside of their buckets to help hold in moisture and make the apparatus look more attractive. Double duty! Other container ideas include large plastic nursery pots, burlap sacks, or 2-liter soda bottles. Make sure you water frequently, like you would with any container-grown plant. Have fun! Ellen
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How to Get a Start From a Flowering Almond Bush Can I get a start off my moms flowering almond bush, or do I have to go buy my own? and how do I? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf23726153.tip.html
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Rate It: Recommendations For Plants Along Driveway Can anyone suggest a good tree and bush to go up our 280 foot driveway. We had some and had to yank them out to do a sewer. I would like a tree about 20+ feet tall for privacy, fast growing, small roots as we have a about a 5 foot wide area between driveways. I would like a bush to do for the first 100 feet about 5-6 ft tall, something nice, that is fast growing. Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58046348.tip.html
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Rate It: Why do half of my daffodils and tulips grow green shoots, but never produce a flower? Do I need to pull them out? I planted them about 2-4 years ago. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97291397.tip.html
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Rate It: How do I keep deer from eating my tulips once they have bloomed? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf337915.tip.html
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Rate It: Lilac branch cuttings, where spoke about on TV. I didn't catch the whole issue, they claimed you could root from a lilac bush, by soaking in water. Nothing? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000915.tip.html
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Rate It: Are Grounds From Flavored Coffee Good For Roses? I've heard that used coffee grounds are good for rose bushes. Can the grounds from flavored coffees also be used? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17515499.tip.html
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Rate It: When to Replant Flower Bed After Using Natural Weed Killer If I use a natural grass killer in my rock garden, i.e. vinegar, salt, boiling water, etc., will I be successful in reseeding with wild flowers after rinsing the ground thoroughly with water? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50445532.tip.html
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Rate It: I am trying to find out how to transplant a hydrangea from a pot to the ground. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf32237040.tip.html
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Rate It: I live in Indiana and have a number of maple trees in my yard. I used to have a very nice lawn, but in the last several years as the trees have grown, all the grass beneath the maple trees has died. Is there any type of grass hearty enough to grow under maple trees? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47459330.tip.html
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Rate It: We plant zoysia grass in places where other grass would not grow. Now it has taken over and spread into my flowers and is ruining my flower beds. How can I get rid of it? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf46531239.tip.html
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Rate It: Transplanting A Hydrangea Bush I need to transplant a medium/large well established hydrangea bush ASAP. However, I don't know if this is the safest time of year. Should I act now or wait until fall? Any other transplanting tips on this bush would be very helpful. The bush has sentimental value and losing it would be tragic. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66998860.tip.html
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Rate It: Do I Need To Remove Fruit From My Fruit Tree? I have a naval orange tree that is loaded down with new fruit. Do I need to get rid of most of the fruit? I know that the branches will not support the weight of more than one or two naval oranges. I also have the same problem with my lime trees. Thanks for any help you can give. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40714906.tip.html
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Rate It: Sun flowers are destroying my grass. How do you kill them? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76396361.tip.html
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Rate It: We have had a rainier cherry tree for several years. It is always full of blossoms and cherries. Then the little green cherries dry up and fall off. What would you suggest is the cause? Thank you. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf43270554.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a partially shaded hill that leads down to the river. The soil is poor but grows weeds quite well. Does anyone have a suggestion on a maintenance free ground cover? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf61084286.tip.html
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Rate It: Can You Plant The Tops of Parsnips? Can you plant the tops of parsnips and will they grow? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95009926.tip.html
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Rate It: Keeping Grass From Growing In Brick Driveway What can I use in my brick driveway, to keep the grass and weeds from growing in between the bricks? I would like to use a product that would keep the plants away for at least a year. Is there a product that will do this? I do know how to kill the plants, but want something that will prevent them from growing! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf91019917.tip.html
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Rate It: Should I Deadhead a Hydrangea? I bought beautiful hydrangeas from a nursery for my patio and they have lasted about 2 months. The blooms have died. If I deadhead the blooms, will I get more or is that it? I live upstairs in a condo so have no yard and must use a balcony--so there is no way I am able to plant outside and wait until next year. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf11442668.tip.html
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Rate It: Getting Rid of Shoots From Mountain Ash Tree I want to get rid of all shoots from my Mountain Ash tree. I, have tried by digging, etc, but they keep coming up, Really ready to cut it down, but the shoots will be still there. Any help sure will appreciate it. Tree is about 30 years old. Have been trimming it, what I can reach, but don't really want it anymore. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41839854.tip.html
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Rate It: I have trouble getting flowers to grow. What should I use to get my flower beds ready for planting flowers? What kind of fertilizer is good? My house faces the sun in the afternoon. Last year I planted flowers and they looked the same months later as to when I originally brought them. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf79452520.tip.html
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Rate It: I'd like to grow strawberries this year, so I bought four different types (one is a June bearer and the other three are ever bearing). I bought four plants of each type, so I have 16 total plants. I can't seem to find any information on how much fruit that will yield. I'd like some advice on whether I have bought too many plants or too small an amount of plants. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60602406.tip.html
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Rate It: Can I Plant A Veggie Garden In A Metal Washing Tub? I would really like to have a small veggie garden but my yard is laid out in a way that there is really no place to put it. Is it possible to do one in a large metal washing tub? I appreciate any ideas! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf63424580.tip.html
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Rate It: We have had huge, healthy wisteria vines for nearly 10 years but have never seen a flower on any of them. What can we do to get them to flower? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41320232.tip.html
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Rate It: Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here
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:
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