Happy Garden - July 30, 2009

This week we have more gardening tips and photos from readers. Thanks for all the great submissions. We also have an article about Salad Greens All Summer by Ellen Brown.

Be sure to give a "thumbs up" tips and photos that you like. Your ratings are used to pick contest winners.

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The ThriftyFun Team

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Photos:

• Garden: Recycled Window Greenhouse
• Garden: Produce Year Round
• Garden: Honeysuckle
• Garden: Strawberry Plants
• Garden: Decorative Wooden Fence

Tips and Articles:

• Screen Door Bird Feeder
• Salad Greens All Summer
• Use Pipe Insulation to Protect a Tomato Vine
• Attract Slugs With Used Corn Cobs
• Use Antlers as Garden Decor
• Use Pine Needles for Mulch
• Use Ice To Water Plants

New Requests:

• Lilac Bushes Leaves Turning Brown
• Hibiscus Not Blooming
• Sweet Gum Tree Advice
• Pruning Clematis Plants
• Toilet Planter
• Getting Rid of Nut Grass
• Magnesium Sulfate's Effect on Aerobic Respiration in Plants
• Peas Dying From the Bottom Up
• Raising Honey Bees
• Maples Leaves Turning Brown
• Plants for Shady Garden
• Something Eating Leaves on Apple Tree
• Trellising Grape Vines
• How Close to Plant Lilacs
• Brown Bugs Eating My Flowers
• Growing Bee Balm in a Pot
• When to Plant Hollyhocks
• Harvesting Indian Corn
• Planting Hollyhock Seeds
• How to Get Rid of Snakes
• Coffee Grounds for Citrus Trees?
• Natural Repellent for Squirrels
• Growing Flowers in Egypt
• Garlic Bulbs Rotted
• Starting a Crepe Myrtle from a Cutting
• Zucchini Flowers But No Zucchini
• Can I plant Wisteria pods?
• Make Your Own Weed Killer Recipe
• Blooms Falling Off My Cucumbers
• Worms Eating Tomatoes

Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Garden: Recycled Window Greenhouse

Source: Husband's imagination and many different websites.

By dragonflysue from Ludowici, Georgia

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Garden: Produce Year Round

By cblack28 from Walton, Ky.

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Garden: Honeysuckle

Source: My Mom's Garden

By Mythi from Poulsbo WA

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Garden: Strawberry Plants

My sister loves to take photographs, and she sends me some of the best. I do get homesick at times, but still love the pictures.

Source: My sister, who lives on Camano Island, WA.

By ljf from Theodore, AL

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Garden: Decorative Wooden Fence

By Mommacuddles2 from Loretto, TN

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Screen Door Bird Feeder

Support an old framed window screen with large stones or bricks and you have an instant feeder. When peeling fresh produce, save all the seeds and add to the feeder.

Source: A bird book, but don't know the name

By annelaundrie from Green Bay, WI

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Salad Greens All Summer
By Ellen Brown

Achieving a Continuous Crop

Spring and Fall: Choose quick-maturing varieties that will produce a crop within weeks of sowing. In the fall, use row covers to extend the season and protect crops from frost.

Summer: Obviously the widest range of salad greens can be grown in summer, providing you protect them from summer heat and make sure they stay evenly watered. Some greens are mild, others are strong and bitter, so grow a mixture for a blend of flavors.

Winter: Greens sown in late summer should be ready to harvest in early winter. With a little protection, gardeners in milder climates can continue to sow and grow salads all winter long. Gardeners living in harsh climates can continue to grow salad greens indoors in shallow flats near a south-facing window.

Successional Sowing: A new batch of seed sown every 2-3 weeks will ensure a continuous crop of greens for harvesting. Plant greens in full sun early and late in the season when the weather is cool. Plant them in light to partial shade during the heat of the summer.

Interplanting and Catch Cropping: Greens grow quickly. Plant them in between rows or around slow-growing crops like such as cabbages, potatoes, and cucumbers. Your salad greens will mature and be ready for harvesting well before the larger crops fill in the space.

Prevent Bolting

• Look for cultivars that are "slow bolting" and "heat tolerant". Certain greens, including Swiss chard, malbar, New Zealand spinach, and amaranth, are known to show more heat tolerance.
• Plant crops in cool seasons. Two factors that cause greens like spinach to bolt quickly in the spring are longer days and temperatures above 70 degrees F. Plant crops as early in the spring and as late in the fall as possible to beat the heat.
• Choose a cool location. Gardens located on the north and east sides of the home tend to be cooler. If that's not an option for you, plant them beneath a trellis or under a sheet of lattice propped up on cinder blocks to cut down on the sun's rays and give the greens additional shade.
• Water regularly and add mulch. Watering daily, especially in the summer, will help prevent leaves from wilting and tasting bitter. Mulching will help keep the soil moist and the roots cool.

Harvesting Crops

• Seedling greens (including mesclun): Harvest them as soon as they reach 4-6 inches high, or when they are large enough to be picked--usually within a few weeks. Cut the leaves using a sharp knife or scissors. If you leave at least a 1/2 inch stem, and you should be able to harvest 1-2 more crops during the season.
• Lettuce Heads (crisphead, romaine): Harvest as soon as the heads are fully formed. Use a sharp knife and cut the heads off just above the soil surface. Heads may feel as firm as store-bought lettuce.

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Use Pipe Insulation to Protect a Tomato Vine

If your tomatoes grow up and over the tomato cage, sometimes the stem can get so heavy that it cuts the vine where it hits the top of the cage. A good solution to that is to cut lengths of pipe insulation to go around it. I am talking about the kind of insulation that has a slit in it. You just open the slit and insert over the tomato cage. It makes a soft, cushy, support for the plant.

By Laniegirl from Belle Plaine, Iowa

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Attract Slugs With Used Corn Cobs

Slugs are strongly attracted to moist, used corn cobs. Place them in a shady spot near where you have a slug problem and in the morning you can either salt them or collect and dispose of them. When the slugs are no longer interested in the cob, recycle it into your compost.

By Vigrow from CT

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Use Antlers as Garden Decor

Hello hunters or those married to hunters! Here is how you can decorate your garden. Seal deer (I live in Alaska, so I use caribou and moose) antlers with spray polyurethane or brush on weatherproof sealant. I like to let the sun bleach them white first.

Then, plant those bad boys in the back of your flowerbeds for climbing plants to climb. It's a very Georgia O'Keefe look and keeps all those antlers out of the house.

By Stephanie from Anchorage, AK

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Use Pine Needles for Mulch

If you have any pine trees in your yard, use the needles as mulch! I did that in our veggie and flower gardens this year and it really holds up. You would be amazed and how much pine needles are under one tree!

By Joynchocolate from Landisville, PA

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Use Ice To Water Plants

Fill empty plastic water bottles then freeze with the tops off. Once frozen, place upside down in your plant. The frozen water bottle will automatically water your plant for you as the ice melts. This helps keep your plants watered, even if you are under a water restriction.

By learninglinx from Gainesville, FL

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Lilac Bushes Leaves Turning Brown

I have 2 Lilac bushes whose leaves seem to be curling up, drying out, then turning brown. I'm wondering if this means the plant is dying or if my watering schedule is off. We have clay soil and the roots may not be drying out. Is there still hope for my bushes? Thanks so much, Emily

Hardiness Zone: 5a

By emilyg17 from Broomfield, CO

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Hibiscus Not Blooming

My hibiscus is loaded with bloom's, they are not developing like they did last year. Most of them fall off before opening or the blooms are very small like a husk. What can I do? Thanks for any help.

By powelles from Fairmount, TX

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Sweet Gum Tree Advice

I've had several Sweet Gum trees and their stumps taken out this year. I am having a hard time getting rid of the shooters that keep coming up at the very small amount of stump several inches underground. Ideas?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

By reluctant landscaper from Richmond, VA

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Pruning Clematis Plants

Can I cut back my clematis now? Ever? I've done a lot of reading on them, but no one ever says anything about cutting them back. C'mon you seasoned gardeners, tell me your secrets. Thanx

By mom of towers from St. Louis

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Toilet Planter

We are replacing a leaking toilet. I would like some suggestions as to how to "recycle" the old, but clean and stain free, toilet into my garden. I can't make drainage holes in the tank without breaking it. What kinds of plants would you guys recommend that won't drown during our heavy rain storms? I am "creating" a cute outhouse theme corner with a scarecrow and an old wooden door.

Hardiness Zone: 3a

By catastrofy from Winnipeg, Canada

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Getting Rid of Nut Grass

For some reason my garden is full of Nut Grass. They seem to have a long root system which I can't pull out. How can I get rid of the grass? Is there any type of spray I can use?

By Schilling from Phoenix, AZ

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Magnesium Sulfate's Effect on Aerobic Respiration in Plants

What is the effect of magnesium sulfate on aerobic respiration in germinating plants? If this is kind of hard then can you please give me references where I can find it? Please do not include wikipedia.org in your suggestions. Thank you very much.

Hardiness Zone: 11

By Reyaenna from Paranaque, Philippines

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Peas Dying From the Bottom Up

My peas are dying from the bottom up. Does anyone have any suggestions?

By silversalmon from Soldotna,AK

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Raising Honey Bees

What is the best way to begin raising bees for pollination and honey?

By paradise series author

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Maples Leaves Turning Brown

What causes browning leaves on variegated maple trees? I originally thought it was sunburn, but we have had very little sun this summer.

Hardiness Zone: 5a

By HLH1953 from Southern ME

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Plants for Shady Garden

We have a 12'x55' space between two mobile homes. There is an apricot tree and a cherry tree, and they create full shade. A few violets are doing well there, but I would like to add some shade-loving plants of medium and low height. Can you suggest a few good plants for an intimate garden?

Hardiness Zone: 5a

By Coreenhart from Rupert, ID

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Something Eating Leaves on Apple Tree

I planted apple trees in the spring and they were doing rather great. Now something seems to be eating the leaves, what is this and how do I stop it? A lot of the leaves have holes in them and they seem to by drying up.

Hardiness Zone: 7a

By thebudman from Pittsburgh, PA

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Trellising Grape Vines

We have a grape vine that is a left over from the ones that were taken down when we moved into this house. It seems to be thriving, we even have small grapes. Do we need to feed, fertilize, etc? How do we put it on a trellis? It is about three feet high and the bottom branches are drooping on the ground.

Hardiness Zone: 8b

By Marlene from Tonopah, NV

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How Close to Plant Lilacs

I bought three five gallon Common Lilacs. The area I want to plant is 42 inches in diameter. Do I plant one, two, or can I put all three in the same area? Thanks for your help.

Marlene

Hardiness Zone: 8b

By Marlene from Tonopah, NV

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Brown Bugs Eating My Flowers

I have these strange bugs attacking my flowers petunias, marigolds, etc. They are like a large ladybug, only brown rather than orange. They fly when disturbed. Does anyone have any idea what they could be and how do I get rid of them? Thanks.

Joan from Chesterfield, MI

Hardiness Zone: 6a

By joankay from Chesterfield, MI

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Growing Bee Balm in a Pot

Can I grow Bee Balm in a pot for the first season?

Hardiness Zone: 6a

By PUDBON from Halifax, PA

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When to Plant Hollyhocks

When is the best time to plant Hollyhocks?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

By glavern3311 from western NC

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Harvesting Indian Corn

I would like information on harvesting Indian corn.

Hardiness Zone: 7a

By Cathie B from Norman, IN

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Planting Hollyhock Seeds

When should I plant Hollyhock seed?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

By Glavern3311 from Western NC

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How to Get Rid of Snakes

Can you tell me if there is something that will freeze a snake that is in my basement? It is on the foundation and I don't want it there. I thought I saw something in a spray can that would freeze them.

By Law49330 from MI

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Coffee Grounds for Citrus Trees?

Can you give a Lemon and Lime tree coffee grounds? How do I know if a plant likes acidic soil?

By wondering

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Natural Repellent for Squirrels

I have a squirrel in my rain gutter. Is there any natural repellent which will work? The gutters had been squirrel proofed, but he persists. Please help. Thank you.

By brown dog from Hartford, CT

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Growing Flowers in Egypt

What are the flowers that can grow in Egypt for my garden?

Hardiness Zone: 11

By sandycandy from Egypt

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Garlic Bulbs Rotted

Why did my garlic rot in garden? I was told on this site to cut tops off garlic and it would make larger bulbs. I did and it rotted. Now I do not have any plants. I had about 20 plants last year they made bulbs about the size of grape fruits.

Hardiness Zone: 8a

By kffrmw88 from Dothan, AL

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Starting a Crepe Myrtle from a Cutting

I just returned from Tennessee and discovered Crape Myrtles for the first time. They were in full bloom and are just beautiful. I would love to plant one in Richmond, IN. I think the hardiness zone is 6, but I'm not sure. I will be back through TN in September and am wondering if it would be possible to get a start from one of the trees there.

If so, how do I get a start? What are the next steps to get it planted in Indiana? I am by no means a gardener so any and all information that would be helpful would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

By dherron from Richmond, IN

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Zucchini Flowers But No Zucchini

Zucchini flowers but no fruit comes.

Hardiness Zone: 8a

By busy gardener from Marysville, WA

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Can I plant Wisteria pods?

My Uncle gave me a green Wisteria seed pod and I want to grow some plants from it. What do I need to do to get the seeds to grow?

Hardiness Zone: 8a

By sarahw1983 from Lakebay

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Make Your Own Weed Killer Recipe

Looking for an inexpensive/homemade weed killer.

Hardiness Zone: 6a

By ladybelle55 from Erlanger, KY

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Blooms Falling Off My Cucumbers

Cucumbers flower, but no fruit comes. Please help.

Hardiness Zone: 8a

By busy gardener from Marysville, WA

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Worms Eating Tomatoes

What are those short, fat, gray worms eating my tomatoes? How do I get rid of them?

Hardiness Zone: 6a

By kjdaly from Ferndale, MI

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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.

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