Happy Garden - August 16, 2007

Volume 2, Number 32, August 16, 2007 (Read It Online) This week we have tips for Starting a Rose Bush from a Cutting, Uses for Egg Shells and Bird Feeder Suet Recipes. We would love to hear you gardening tips. Post them here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml 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: Garden Mushroom Cap Flower Bed Glider Hedge People Phlox "David" Huge Hydrangea Bloom Tips and Articles: Attract Hummingbirds with Red Shirt Starting a Rose Bush from a Cutting Uses for Egg Shells Bird Feeder Suet Recipe Keeping Squirrels Out of the Garden New Requests: Advice For Pruning Forsythia Hedge Recipe For Tomato Sauce Using Garden Tomatoes Where To Find Whippoorwill Pea Seed Pumpkins Turning Orange Early Frugal Outdoor Garden Gift Ideas Care Advice For Moss Advice On Moving Outdoor Plants From Alaska To Colorado Planting Flowers in Old Wheelbarrow 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: Garden Mushroom Cap Make a mushroom cap out of concrete poured into a small plastic bowl, dried and cover it will broken plate "tiles" and grout! Pour concrete into a plastic ice tea cup and make the stem. Let dry, remove plastic cup, seal with glue and water, cover with tiles. Wait a day and grout. Place mushroom cap on top of the base. You''ll have Here's an inexpensive and whimsical garden decoration! The picture is just of the completed top. By Kim from Walnut Hill, Florida Editor's Note: Also a good way to use up your favorite broken pottery and dishes. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40697093.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Flower Bed Glider Want something different for your flower garden or front yard? Use an old iron chair or glider, as I have used, to create a flower bed. I lined the bottom with coconut shell liners, filled with potting soil and planted away! I planted ivy to cover the back and sides and then every year I plant what ever annuals that catches my eye. They are fun and decorative! By Tammie from Moody, AL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67953965.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Hedge People We were on our way home from Toronto, stopped in a small town east of Toronto and spotted this creation. We all thought it was awesome. Just had to share it. By Judy from Lanark, Ontario, Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf21257570.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Phlox "David" My phlox "David", so pure and simple looking. By Elaine from Iowa Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf10904037.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Huge Hydrangea Bloom Here is a picture of my huge hydrangea bloom - endless summer! By Elaine Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf83259405.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips and Articles: Attract Hummingbirds with Red Shirt I have lots of flowers outdoors, and we usually we get about 1-2 hummingbirds. This week we've counted 4 at one time. I went outdoors with a red shirt on, holding the hummingbird feeder with my arm outstretched. 2 hummers came up, and 1 ate from the feeder as I held it. My husband came out with the camera, and of course, they flew away. We will try it again to get a picture. They are so much fun to have around. They were eating the hosta flowers, too. By Donna from Millbury, OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58823241.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Starting a Rose Bush from a Cutting How do you start a rose bush form a cutting? Tips from the ThriftyFun community. Cover Cutting With A Jar My Mammaw used to take a cutting and just ram it in the ground where she wanted it to grow and would place a quart jar over it and leave it there until new growth begins. She would have some fail, but not too often. Her thumb was greener than green. She always lived in East TX, but I'm sure no matter where you are, if the cutting is getting plenty of sun, and the soil is moist to begin with, it should take root. I do not believe roses will root in water alone though. Here are a few sites you might enjoy: http://www.texasrosefestival.com/ http://www.tylertexas.com/cvb/index.htm By Trbrown22 My mom could start rosebushes from cuttings, though I never tried, her's sure grew! Be sure to get a cutting with a bloom and five leaf fronds. Plant three fronds, leaving two above ground, pinch off the bloom and cover with a glass jar until new growth. VERY similar to the previous post, just be sure of the bloom part if you want to be sure of the bush also blooming. By Margie Plant With A Bean I have always used a cutting to transplant roses and the way I do it is to get a cutting just under the joint and slit it and then put a pinto or some kind of bean and dip it in Rootone and plant. I always said a verse, "If you grow, you grow. If you don't, out you go" and it did grow. The bean is what takes root first and it helps to give the twig a chance to take root. By Margaret from TX Rootone You can get a product (called Rootone, I think) that you dip the cut end of the rosebush branch in before planting. I've had very good success with it. I've never heard of rooting any woody plant in water, though. God bless you! By Tedsmom Coffee Can I was taught to take the cutting, dip it in rooting hormone, and plant in a coffee can filled 3/4 way with damp sand (you can do several at once in the same can). Cover with the lid and wait until rooted. Just make sure you don't bake the cuttings in a hot place. Not sure if this would work as well with the newer plastic cans. By Susanmajp Just Stick It In The Ground I picked a beautiful rose at my Mom's house and stuck it in the ground in my yard a few years ago and now I have one of the most beautiful rose bushes any where! Just cut you a piece of the bush off at a joint and put it in some good soil. By Shelly Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf81542154.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Uses for Egg Shells Uses for eggshells from the ThriftyFun community. Pest Control I use finely crushed eggshells around seedlings that I transplant into my garden each spring. The shells keep snails, slugs and cut worms away. Apparently, the shells are abrasive to these critters and they won't crawl over them to eat the young plants. By Readingiggits Add Calcium To The Soil I've heard that tomatoes love them, something about the added calcium in the soil. So when I planted mine this year, I crushed up a bunch of eggshells and mixed them in around the plants. By Beth - MA Seed Starter You can also use them to start seedlings in. Then when you transplant, just crack the shell and plant the whole thing. Of course this only works for small seedlings. By Diwitch Eggshell Seed-Starting Pots To make eggshell seed-starting pots: Crack the tips off several eggshells, reserving the eggs for cooking. Fill shells with a light soil mixture and one or two seeds (nasturtiums were used in the book), and prick drainage holes in the bottom of each shell with a pin. Keep moist and warm. When seedlings have reached a suitable size, plant them directly in the ground, crushing the shell so the roots can emerge. By Mythi Deer Deterrent If you have deer eating any of your garden plants, throw the eggshells out there because deer HATE eggs! Otherwise, they are good for your plants, anyway. Just crush and use in your potting soil or mulch. By Margie Compost And Mix With Birdseed I crush them up very fine, and put them in my compost tumbler. On occasion, I dump them on the ground in the area where I feed the birds. The birds need grit in their gizzard to help digest food, so they eat the shells. By Harlean from Arkansas Make Sidewalk Chalk Sidewalk chalk! Here's a great link to making the chalk, however after I washed the shells and let them dry, I ground them up in the blender rather than on a rock - much easier! http://www.make-stuff.com/kids/eggshell_chalk.html By Vinnyswoman Bedtime Tea Bedtime tea, you wash them, then bake them until brown. Crush and boil as you would tea. Stain and make tea as you normally would. Enjoy a cup before you go to bed, as told me by my grandmother. By Susanv Snail Food Egg shells make good food for pet snails. They need calcium in their diet to maintain their shells. By Sylvia Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf18087851.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Bird Feeder Suet Recipe Bird feeder suet recipes and tips from the ThriftyFun community. Bird Feeder Suet Recipe Here is a recipe I found online. It looks easy and I plan to try it myself. Not-So-Sloppy Summer Suet 4 cups cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup shortening Combine all the ingredients; mix well. Put in an onion bag or suet feeder, or pack in pine cones or into the bark of trees. Then watch the birds enjoy this hearty feast. * From Birds and Blooms newsletter, July 2006 By Kathy Corn Meal and Peanut Butter Mix corn meal and peanut butter together and form it in suet holders that you recycle. I do this all the time, and the birds love it, even better than the store bought one, they seem to like them better too. By Rosa Any Kind Of Nuts Will Add Protein The peanut butter is for added protein, so you can use any type of nut butters (almond, cashew, etc.), or make your own. You could also use sunflower or pumpkin seed butters, or try millet, flax or sesame seed butters. The birds won't mind. By Susanmajp Cheap Suet Cakes I don't make my own suet cakes, but our Kroger store sells some for 69¢, and I use them all summer. I store them in the fridge, but even in the hottest months they don't melt and fall apart, but they do get softer in the heat of summer. I was going to try making my own, but for the price, I just buy Kroger's. I do know that you have to use Beef Suet, it doesn't melt as easily as the fat you trim off steaks and roasts. But that means you have to find a butcher to supply you with Suet. By Harlean from Arkansas Feel free to post your ideas below. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66891909.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Keeping Squirrels Out of the Garden To keep squirrels away from or eating your plants, mix a gallon of water with 6 capfuls of Murphy's Oil Soap and 2 Tbsp. of cayenne pepper, spray onto plants. This does not harm the plants and WILL keep the squirrels away. By Kelly from Largo, FL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15001484.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: Advice For Pruning Forsythia Hedge I am pruning a rather large forsythia hedge that has gotten out of control. Can I use Round Up to kill the new shoots coming up out of the ground that are spreading too much or is there something else I can use. I do not want to kill the main hedge, just keep it in check. Also, when is the latest I can trim the hedge so it will still flower next spring. Hardiness Zone: 6a Rose from Malvern, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82602317.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Recipe For Tomato Sauce Using Garden Tomatoes I am looking for a recipe for a tomato sauce using fresh tomatoes from my garden. Any ideas? Melissa from Salt Lake City, Utah Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74173385.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Where To Find Whippoorwill Pea Seed Does anyone know where I can find the old fashioned whippoorwill pea seed? Hardiness Zone: 8b Egribble from Killeen, Texas Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59083304.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Pumpkins Turning Orange Early My pumpkins have already turned orange. Will they last if I leave them on the vine until Halloween, or will they rot before then? I don't want to pick them yet, as the whole reason I planted them was for Halloween. Thanks! Hardiness Zone: 7a thriftymomof2 from Maryland Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95480797.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Frugal Outdoor Garden Gift Ideas I want to make a gift for my Aunt who is coming to visit in a week. Does anyone have any quick ideas for something that is useful or outside ornamental that doesn't look artificial such as silk flowers or plastic. Not that there is anything wrong with silk flowers she just wouldn't care for them. My Aunt would love outdoor garden things, nature things etc. The more creative and frugal the better. I just can't think of anything that would be fast and that I wouldn't have to spend money on. Thank you. Dorothy from Kingston, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41312981.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Care Advice For Moss After starting moss on rocks with the buttermilk recipe can you cover with clear plastic? Hardiness Zone: 6b Jackie from Towanda KS, Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf57972434.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Advice On Moving Outdoor Plants From Alaska To Colorado I am selling my house and eventually moving into another house. I would like to take some of my outside plants with me. However, I will probably live in an apartment for about 6 months to a year before I find another house. Can I plant a Peonia into a pot and keep it indoors until I can return to a more permanent outside garden? Also, what about a Bleeding heart? I tried to winter a Bleeding Heart last year, by putting it in a semi-dark, cool room and sprinkling it lightly with water every now and then, but it didn't make it. One more question: I may move from Alaska(zone 5-6) to Colorado(zone 4-7), Can you take a piece of the root of the above mentioned plants and still have success re-growing? How. Mary Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60939894.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Planting Flowers in Old Wheelbarrow I would appreciate info on planting flowers in a very old wheelbarrow. It has curved sides so not many pots can fit in it. If I drill a hole in the bottom for drainage and put dirt in it to plant the flowers in, will the bottom rust out? Hardiness Zone: 10b R. Anderson from Templeton, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60532496.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.