Happy Garden - December 18, 2008

This week we have more tips, photos and a new article about Invasive Plants. I hope you find them useful. Do you have any pictures of your garden to share? Feel free to submit them here:

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Thanks for reading,

The ThriftyFun Team

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Photos:

• Garden: Florida Roses
• Garden: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

Tips and Articles:

• Outside Faucet Cover for Freezing Weather
• Wandering Jew Plant As Medicine
• Make a Trellis Out of an Old Box Spring
• Invasive Plants and How You Can Minimize Their Spread
• Build Your Own Patio Cover
• Funky Flower Gel Bamboo Plant or Candle Gift
• Decorate With Pinecones

New Requests:

• Keeping Dogs from Peeing in Flower Beds
• Plant Food for Tropical Hibiscus
• Cutting Back a Palm Type Plant
• Selling Mature Pine Trees
• How to Get Rid of Snakes!

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:
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Garden: Florida Roses

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Garden: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

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Outside Faucet Cover for Freezing Weather

All you need are styrofoam cups, an empty 2 litter pop bottle and tape. We are in a big cold snap right nowand my local Home Depot was sold out of faucet covers, so I came up with an even better idea.

I took three large styrofoam cups (20 oz. size from the $1 store) and stacked them all together inside of each other. I then cut off the top lips of the top 2 cups so the cups were no taller than the bottom cup. These go on to the spout first and if you like, you can just tape these cups on to the faucet and leave it at that, but for added protection I cut the bottom half off of a 2 litter pop bottle and put this over the cups. In between the cups and the bottle-bottom I put quilt batting for extra insulation, but you could also use fiberglass insulation, spray in foam or even just a rag. Lastly, I duct taped this to the side of my house. I bet you could also drill a hole and uses zip-ties to secure it.

By Cyinda from near Seattle

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Wandering Jew Plant As Medicine

To everyone that suffers from pain in their hands due to carpal tunnel or arthritis pain, and probably even more. All YOU NEED ARE 1 to 3 leaves of this humble and amazing plant. Rinse and boil them until they turn pink. The water will probable turn green, depending on how many leaves you are boiling. When leaves are pink, pour the water in a bowl and put your hands above the bowl, (Your hands are going to receive the steam, DON'T PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE BOILING WATER. YOU'LL GET BURNED!). When there is no more steam coming out, just throw the water away.

My daughter who has suffered from this pain, went to the doctors. use different kinds of medicines and never got better, was almost crying one day in pain, I got 3 leaves and did it on her. After almost 20 minutes, she told me there was no more pain. I've been thinking about sharing this tip with everyone, but was afraid of not knowing what to say, and look how much I've said right now. This is true. Hope it works as well for many of you that are suffering from this affliction.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to the world. God loves us all big or small, rich or poor. God bless you and remember that he loves you as much as he loves me. You are not alone. Hang in there, have faith.

Source: This tip was given to me by a Chinese lady whose brother in law, from Thailand gave it to her for her husband suffering from Carpal tunnel pain.

By Maria from Sacramento, CA

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Make a Trellis Out of an Old Box Spring

Gardening is a hobby with my wife and me. As we have a number of Clematis vines the trellises deteriorate. In my recycling travels I came upon a great way to make a trellis. I came by a motel and noticed a discarded box spring by the dumpster. I took it home and took it apart, finding some nice 1x4's and then took a bolt cutter and cut the spring in half and wala. We have 2 great trellises that are now in use. I might add that the Clematis and the box springs make great bed fellows.

By Patrick from Mcminnville, Tennessee

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Invasive Plants and How You Can Minimize Their Spread

Each year millions of dollars are spent, and tons of herbicides are applied, in what is sometimes a futile attempt to combat the spread of invasive plants. Here is what you need to know about the invasive plant problem and what you can do to help.

What Makes a Plant Invasive Plants are classified as invasive when they have proved their ability to thrive and spread (aggressively) outside of their native range. Some plants spread slowly to only small areas and never really become a problem. Other plants are naturally aggressive in their native habitat. When these plants spread to outside their native range, they tend to be equally as aggressive. Before you know it, native plants (and the animals and insects that depend on them) are crowded out and biodiversity is lost. In areas where rare native species are already under pressure, the spread of invasive species can be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Recognizing Invasive Plants The 5 Characteristics of Invasive Plants:

1. They produce a large number of offspring each season.
2. They can tolerate a variety of soil types and climate conditions.
3. They spread easily.
4. The grow rapidly and easily overtake slower growing plants.
5. They spread aggressively when not constrained by the environmental checks and balances of their native habitat.