Happy Garden - September 13, 2007

Volume 2, Number 36, September 13, 2007 (Read It Online) Susan will be back next week, until then, Happy Gardening! Thanks for reading, Jess and Lewis 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: Morning Glories: Not Just A Weed What is This Tree (Mexico)? Cleome Flowers Tips and Articles: Riesentruabe Tomato Removing Ant Mounds in Lawns Wading Pool For Yard Waste Autumn Ladybug Invasions Tips for Growing Sunflowers Roundup Alternative New Requests: Planting a Boston Fern Wintering Geraniums Help Identifying Large Gourd Black Flies In House Plant Nontoxic Shrubs for Desert Garden How Do You Affect The Growth Of Marigolds? More Dandelions Than Lawn Transplanting a Butterfly Bush Getting Rid Of Trumpet Vines 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: Morning Glories: Not Just A Weed Although when mentioning that I grow Morning glories, many think it's a weed , not so. I love to have them hang over my railing on the deck, some have also come up on their own and are a dark purple. Blossoms open in the a.m. only By czechlady from Yakima, WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97476566.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print What is This Tree (Mexico)? I would like to identify this blooming tree. The tree seems to be from the mimosa group from the leaves and seed pods. The picture was taken in southern Mexico in July. Thank you By 2oma from Oklahoma City, OK Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf63977189.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Cleome Flowers Cleome is one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed. Not only that, you have a lot of free flowers the next year and they reseed themselves. By Elaine from Iowa Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf33926965.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips and Articles: Riesentruabe Tomato This is a Riesentruabe tomato. The tomatoes start out separate but grow together as they ripen. The tomatoes can be pulled apart like cloves of garlic for use. By Anna from Zanesville, IN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59557813.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Removing Ant Mounds in Lawns I suggest the following procedure for eliminating ant mounds in lawns. First, rake the ant mound down level by spreading the dirt to the surrounding area. Wait several days to see if the ants rebuild the mound. If they do, you can chose to use an insecticide to reduce the population rather than fight the mound with repeated raking. After the mound has been raked level, sprinkle a small amount of diazinon granules or Sevin dust onto the area. Rake again to mix the insecticide into the dirt and then water the area. Hopefully one treatment will reduce the ant population sufficiently to make their presence tolerable for the remainder of the summer. If not, repeat as needed. Source: Ant Control in Lawns - Iowa State University Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf63174299.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Wading Pool For Yard Waste A large hard plastic baby pool makes a great container for cleaning up leaves and yard debris. Punch 2 holes in the side and run a rope through to make a handle so you can drag it around. By Betty from Louisburg, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14774352.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Autumn Ladybug Invasions By Ellen Brown Ladybug beetles, also known as Asian Lady Beetles or Ladybird beetles, are a gardener's best friend in the spring and summer months. In the world of beneficial garden insects, you won't find a better predator when it comes to controlling soft-bodied pest like aphids and scale. By the time fall rolls around, however, these insect friends start wearing out their welcome when they begin to congregate on the sides of buildings and invading our indoor environments. Asian vs. Native Species The ladybugs accumulating on your walls and windows are most often the Asian Lady Beetle variety, although some native species will follow suit if conditions warrant. These beetles were first imported from Asia into the United States in 1916 and released as a biological control for certain species of insects. For a long time it was assumed that they failed to establish themselves, until they turned up in 1988 in New Orleans. They are currently found in every part of the United States. Asian Lady Beetles are about 1/3 of an inch long. Compared to other lady beetle species, Asian Lady Beetles come in a wider range of colors and spot numbers. Wings range from black to mustard; spots number zero to more than a dozen. The most common U.S. form is mustard to red with 16 or more black spots. The Asian Lady Beetle can also often be identified by a black mark resembling the letter "M" (or "W") located between its head and abdomen. Ladybeetle Behavior As part of the Asian Lady Beetle life cycle, as soon as a hard frost occurs in the fall, adult beetles look for a cool, dry place to spend the winter. Throughout their native range in Asia, a winter shelter usually consists of cavities or caves in south-facing cliffs where the temperature is cool and the air is dry. This explains why they tend to congregate on the exterior walls of south-facing buildings before sometimes making their way inside through tiny cracks and holes in your siding and insulation. They will not attack wood, fabric or people, they just want to hibernate. When the weather warms up in the spring, the ladybeetles will make a hasty retreat back outdoors. So why do piles of dead ladybugs collect in your window sill over winter? Once inside your home, ladybugs will naturally gravitate towards the light-usually making their way to your windows. Because the temperature indoors is warmer and dryer than the temperature outdoors, the ladybeetles' metabolism gears up for summer again. A high metabolism coupled with no source of food causes them to quickly use up their winter reserves and die. This is why it's best to capture ladybeetles and return them to the outdoors where cooler temperatures will slow down their metabolism until spring. Waking Up To The Light For ladybeetles that hibernate inside the cracks and crevices of exterior walls, an occasional calm, sunny winter day, combined with a steady increase in daylight and a southern exposure, is often enough to generate sufficient amounts of radiant energy (temps may reach near 50º F) to wake the beetles up from their winter naps. Once they wake up they begin crawling around and sometimes make their way inside you home. This is why even though it may only be 25º F degrees outside, ladybugs can mysteriously appear in your living room in the middle of winter. Controlling Indoor Invasions The best way to control Lady Beetle invasions is to seal up and repair any cracks and crevices around windows, eaves, doors, insulation and siding. Pay close attention to places where pipes, conduits and wires enter your home. Planting trees near south-facing exterior walls may also offer long term control by providing the beetles shelter for the winter. Ladybugs are tough little bugs. The best way to remove them is to use a broom, wash rag or a vacuum cleaner with a dirt trap that can be emptied (e.g. Dust Buster). If you can, return the bugs to the outdoors so they'll be around to feed on your garden pests next season. You can also release them onto your indoor plants. Wet the leaves down with a spray bottle, drop the lady bug onto your plant and quickly shut off any lights in the room. This is best done at night, because ladybugs have an instinctive tendency to fly toward any light source when preparing for hibernation. Why Insecticides Are Impractical There are several commercial sprays and dusts available that claim to prevent or control Asian Lady Beetles. These insecticides are impractical, because there is no way to get to areas where the ladybugs are congregating in mass, and fall weather puts the bug's physiological activity near zero, which make them less susceptible to insecticides. In order to kill ladybugs indoors, you would have to apply the spray to surfaces, such as counter-tops, where residual chemicals could be hazardous to your health. A Note About Allergies & Bites Although it is uncommon, Asian Lady Beetles can cause allergic reactions in some people. Symptoms include itchy eyes, sneezing, congestion and a runny nose. Asian Beetles do not carry disease and they do not have any toxins associated with their mouthparts. Occasionally they may pinch your skin when being handled, but they seldom break the skin. You may also feel a slight prick on your skin when handling the beetles. This is caused from small spurs on the beetle's hind legs which it uses to establish whether or not something is edible. Don't worry, you're not. In the unlikely event you become concerned over a pinch or a prick, wash the site with soap and water and apply an antiseptic. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40835778.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips for Growing Sunflowers Tips for growing sunflowers from the ThriftyFun community. Basics For Sunflowers Here are some basics on growing sunflowers: Plant them in full sun. Plant seeds 1 inch deep and 6 inches apart (or according to package directions). Water well after planting. Seedlings usually germinate within a week or two and take 80-90 days to reach maturity. For taller plants that flower earlier, start them in 4 inch peat pots indoors. Seedlings are usually thinned to 12-18 inches apart, but can be plants more closely together in containers. Russian Giants, Kong and Mammoth varieties grow as tall as 15 feet and have flower heads as large as 20" in diameter. You'll need a pot at least 15" inches deep and 15" in diameter (or larger) to grow these giants. Sunflower roots grow deep and spread wide so make sure you use a large enough container. Tall plants may need staking. Keep the soil in your containers moist and fertilize them with a 1/2 strength organic liquid fertilizer every two weeks. Sunflowers need lots of water (plants 6 feet tall can consume 8 gallons per week), but over-watering them can cause deformed seed heads. Use well-drained soil and keep the soil in your containers evenly moist. Water seedling deeply once per week for the first month so they develop deep roots. After that, water your sunflowers lightly every day. Good Luck! Ellen Soak The Seeds Try soaking the sunflower seeds in warm water the night before you plant them. Remove Wilting Foilage It helps also to take off any foliage that is wilting or being eaten by bugs. Of course deadhead those plants to get blooms throughout fall! By Wendola Coffee Grounds My nanny used to fertilize hers with some old coffee grounds once every couple of weeks and they grew and bloomed beautifully! Just sprinkle the grounds around the base of the plant and water. By Michelle Sunflowers Need... Lots of sunshine and water! By Frugalelf Grow From Seed Sunflower are super easy to grow. In Canada, it is cold most of the year, I plant the sunflower seeds in my garden the end of May. By the end of August, my heads are mature and ready for drying, for eating or feeding the birds. I would not buy a mature plant. The beautiful yellow flower only lasts a few days. By Maggie Grow In Potting Soil I have grown sunflowers since I was young. I am wanting them to grow big and use them in senior pictures. I started them in regular dirt and one in potting soil. The ones in the dirt were eaten, I think by something, and the one in the potting soil is amazing. Since then, I have planted 11 in cups with potting mix and potting soil. When you plant them in this, make sure you make a hole in the bottom or near the bottom. They look amazing, I just planted them 5 days ago and they are coming along great. By Sunflower Queen Balcony Tips Sunflower seeds aren't that costly. I'd go to a garden section of a hardware store and buy them. If you are going to grow them in a planter on the balcony, first invest in a heavy planter to put them in. They'll grow tall and would be top heavy. Nice soil, sun, some water and patience, and voila! Good luck! By badwater Post your own tips here. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf18866289.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Roundup Alternative Alternatives to using Roundup and other commercial brands. Here are tips from the ThriftyFun community, post your own here. Weedkiller Recipe It would be tempting to go on an extended tirade about the consequences of using synthetic chemicals like Roundup on your yard and garden, but I won't. Instead, I'm going to suggest some alternatives to controlling the weeds in your driveway cracks and rock garden. I will say, however, (and this is my advice for all gardeners) that for the sake of your health (and that of your family's, your neighbor's and the environment), please consider organic alternatives to these synthetic chemicals. There is a lot of conflicting information out there regarding their safety, but scientists do know that several of the "non-active" ingredients in Roundup (ingredients other than the "active" ingredient Glyphosate) have been linked to serious health effects. These include reproductive failure, kidney failure, endocrine disruption and a decline in our global frog population (some ingredients kill the tadpoles). The EPA also lists Glyphosate (the active ingredient) as a drinking water contaminant that can cause serious long-term health effects at elevated levels. What constitutes "elevated" to each individual remains unclear. Now, on to some alternatives. The following recipe is cheap and effective. You might have to re-apply it if it rains immediately after your initial application. Apply this on a hot sunny day and you should be weed-free for a while. 1 cup salt 1 gallon vinegar 1 teaspoon of dish soap (optional-used for adhering the mixture to plants). Application Directions: Combine the ingredients in a bucket. Stir to blend. Pour or spot spray over weeds. This mixture is non-selective, so do not apply it to ornamental plants. The vinegar can also bleach out dark-colored asphalt or brick when with sun exposure, so apply it at night to avoid discoloration if your circumstances require it. Another treatment that works on some weeds is simply to cover them with baking soda. Do not combine this with water/rain or it will not be effective. If it's working, you should see black weeds within 24-48 hours. Other effective methods include killing weeds with boiling water or burning them with a propane torch. These methods may have to be repeated a few times throughout the season, but they are far safer and much less expensive then synthetic chemicals. Hope these ideas help! Ellen Roundup Is Nasty Stuff After losing a bunch of little tree frogs that used to be in my organic garden after my neighbors sprayed Roundup right next to my garden, please refrain from using it. The frogs still haven't come back and that was probably 5 years ago. Here are some facts about the long term affects of Roundup and Glyphosate. http://www.pesticide.org/glyphosateroundupnr.html http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/monsanto-hazards.cfm It may not cost much but it is very bad for the ground water, amphibians, earthworms and people. Using a Weed Dragon or weed burner is very effective for clearing ground and keeping it weed free with much less harm to the environment. By Susan from ThriftyFun Chemical Free Weed Control I don't use any chemicals in my garden and here is how I control weeds. For as much of the open areas as possible, I put down a 3-4 layers of black/white newspaper down under the mulch. It helps block out the weeds better than mulch alone. It needs to be redone every year or two, but that's fine by me. For sidewalks, driveways and areas that edged in stone, I torch the weeds with a special propane torch designed especially for this purpose. I don't use it when it's extremely dry out and I always have water available in case something catches fire that shouldn't. I use straight vinegar when dealing with some weeds (I am concerned about adding too much salt to the ground). But if you don't need the above solution very often, then it is perfectly fine to use. I also hand pull, but laying the newspaper down under the mulch greatly reduces that. Just make sure you get as much of the root as possible. By adina72 Boiling Water I use boiling water on my sidewalk/driveway and for spot treatments in my lawn. Just heat up that tea kettle and VERY CAREFULLY go for a walk, pouring small amounts of hot water on the unwanted plants as you go along. By QueenBeeCrafts Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf10706575.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: Planting a Boston Fern Has anyone planted a Boston fern, after they have spent the summer on your porch in the ground and had them to come up the next year? Hardiness Zone: 6a Peggy from Chillicothe, OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf29999512.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Wintering Geraniums What's the best way to 'winter' all of my lovely geraniums? I have too many to let them die. Is it best to put them in the dark and let them go dormant, or can I just keep watering and trimming them all winter indoors? Hardiness Zone: 4b Thanks, Kim from Crawford, CO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60955248.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Help Identifying Large Gourd My friend recently received this very large garden item and doesn't know what it is. He received it from someone who too had no idea what it is. He thought at first it was a melon but we actually believe it is a squash/pumpkin of some kind. If anyone has a clue as to what it is we would greatly appreciate any info on it and whether it can be cooked and eaten. Hardiness Zone: 8a Melody from White City, Oregon Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45356521.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Black Flies In House Plant I have an indoor pot plant - 'chamaedorea'. In the past month there are loads of black flies around it and in the peat. How do I get rid of them. I'm useless at all things gardening, but the plant was my mums and I don't want to damage it or throw it away. Also, how often do I water it and how much water should I use. Many thanks. Mandy from United kingdom Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf20157364.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Nontoxic Shrubs for Desert Garden I am looking for ideas for non poisonous shrubs for desert gardening. I would like color with flowering plants. Hardiness Zone: 8b Cuppie from North Las Vegas, NV Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf91816896.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print How Do You Affect The Growth Of Marigolds? How do you affect the growth of marigolds? Sierra from S. Burlington, VT Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67983063.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print More Dandelions Than Lawn I recently bought a house in the country. My lawns are chock full of dandelions. There is wild grass and dry arid soil. Many small rocks as well as we are located on the side of a small mountain. How do I get rid of the dandelions which virtually cover the entire lawn, without destroying the grass. What little there is. Truman from Sooke, BC, Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37210965.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Transplanting a Butterfly Bush What should I do besides watering after transplanting a very large butterfly bush? Should I fertilize or cut it back? Hardiness Zone: 7b Carol from Willards, Maryland Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82417888.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Getting Rid Of Trumpet Vines How can I get rid of trumpet vine? It is taking over everything. Hardiness Zone: 7b Ann from Smyrna, GA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47906014.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.