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Vol. 4, Num. 6, February 12, 2009 (Read It Online) We are running low on gardening photos. Do you have a photo of a plant or something else in your garden that you are particularly proud of? Feel free to post it here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_photocontest.ldml Do you have a gardening related request for the ThriftyFun community? Feel free to submit it here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_request.ldml Thanks for reading, The ThriftyFun Team
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Photos: Tips and Articles: New Requests:
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:
Use a Child's Wading Pool as a Garden My grandchildren out-grew their little pool, I didn't want to throw it away so I made a small vegetable garden out of it. I am disabled and I can pull my lawn chair up to the pool and work in it. Best of all, I never had any weeds in it all year. After the Spring and Summer veggies. I just planted some green peas and bush beans for Fall. They were wonderful.By Sharon from Van Buren, Arkansas
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Rate It: Don't forget that even if it's cold, beauty will be there... By Lamonrow from Gatineau, QC, Canada
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Rate It: Garden: Paint a Village of Rocks I no longer spend lots of cash on plants and flowers which get battered by the wind and burnt by the salt air. I add colour and fun by painting rocks and developing a village much to the delight of neighbours and friends who visit. I sprayed the rocks white to give me a canvas to paint on with acrylic paint and the shape of the rock determines whether it will be a house, shop, car or animal.By Isobel from Scotland
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How Microclimates Affect Your Garden
Chances are your garden has one or two areas where, despite growing successfully in other parts of the garden, plants seem to struggle. This might be due to a microclimate; a small area in your garden where the climate differs from the surrounding area due to small differences in topography. Things like hills, valleys, trees, and large bodies of water all have an influence on the growing "climate" of your plants. Once you understand the advantages and disadvantages that each type of microclimate has, you'll be better equipped to successfully meet your plant's growing requirements. The Three Main Microclimates
Valleys
Advantages: Nutrients and topsoil regularly wash downhill from surrounding slopes making valley soil some of the richest and most fertile soil for growing plants. Disadvantages: Cool air is heavier than warm air. It always pools and collects at the lowest point. Unfortunately, that means that garden plots located at the bottoms of valleys are usually subject to the earliest frosts in the fall, and the latest frosts in the spring. In fact, some valleys can be as much as 10 degrees cooler than nearby slopes. A lack of air circulation can also encourage conditions that support fungal diseases, especially in areas where soil lacks good drainage. Hilltops
Advantages: Because warm air rises, temperatures tend to be more moderate at the tops of hills compared to the surrounding valleys or flat land. Air circulation is greater, so conditions do not favor the development of fungal diseases. In urban areas, balconies and rooftops create similar microclimates, but on a smaller scale. Disadvantages: Whipping winds (especially in winter) can damage plants, dry out soil and cause the erosion of topsoil. Since water flows downhill, valuable organic nutrients can be quickly washed away. Slopes
Advantages: Regular breezes can help cool hot temperatures in the afternoon. The warm air that rises over them in the morning helps keep frost at bay. In northern climates, slopes with a southern exposure tend to warm up more quickly than surrounding areas in the spring and remain frost-free longer in the fall. This translates into a slightly longer growing season and potentially, a larger harvest. Raised beds and terrace gardens (especially when facing south) can create microclimates like slopes. Disadvantages: Gardening on a steep slope can be challenging in terms of water and wind erosion (unless terraced or sheltered by windbreaks). Over time, this can result in a wearing away of valuable topsoil and a lack of soil moisture due to excessive drainage. South facing slopes warm up earlier, which can leave early blooming plants more susceptible to damage from frost. Other Influences on Microclimates
Bodies of Water
Advantages: Water warms up and cools down at a slower rate than the land that surrounds it. As a result, large bodies of water moderate surrounding air temperatures and give you a longer growing seasons by keeping frost at bay. The larger the body of water, the greater effect it will have on the surrounding environment. Disadvantages: Winds tend to be stronger near large bodies of water. In climates where large bodies of water freeze over completely, the spring thaw can feel like it's never going to arrive. Urban Areas
Advantages: Urban areas, especially large cities, can be as much as one full hardiness zone warmer than the surrounding countryside. This is because urban areas contain large amounts of paved surfaces and concrete structures that absorb heat during the day and then radiate it back into the air at night. The advantage to gardening in a large urban area is that all this radiant heat keeps temperatures moderate in the spring, winter, and fall when plants are at a greater risk of damage from extreme cold. Tall buildings also protect plants by blocking or slowing down the wind. Disadvantages: Unfortunately, paved surfaces and tall buildings trap summer heat, which can create a blistering environment for plants during the growing season. Buildings, Walls, Trees, and Fences Whether they are on your property or your neighbors, buildings, walls, and fences can all create miniature microclimates (little protective nooks) around your yard and garden. (The same is true for large rocks.) During the day, these structures absorb heat. At night, they radiate it back into the air. Depending on their orientation, they can protect plants from the sun, or prevent them from receiving it. Because walls and corners of building generate more turbulence when hit with wind, it is best to avoid planting plants that are easily dried out by strong winds. Don't forget that buildings can also create "rain shadows" due to their eaves, or on the lee side of the house when rains are accompanied by strong winds.
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Rate It: Spring is right around the corner. Here are some tips for saving money on gardening. Post your own ideas here. Growing Seedlings Raising your own seedlings at home is fun and cheap. Save more money by re-using containers you have around the home. Egg cartons make fine individual planting containers that can be planted with the seedlings to avoid root disturbance. Margarine and ice cream containers with holes pierced in the base in the base are great for starting small seeds off. Cut down plastic milk bottles or juice cartons (square 2 litres) will fit into a polystyrene (ex-veg) box. These boxes are best lined with shadecloth or newspaper to keep the soil in your seedling container. These allow you to plant your seedlings by carefully sliding them out thus again causing minimal root disturbance. I also use toilet roll middles to grow larger seeds that do not need to be potted, like peas and beans. These are planted intact and the cardboard doesn't take long to break down. By Scarecrow
Make Your Own Soil Mixture There are many commercial seed raising mixtures on the market but I make my own up. Usually, I use equal parts of cheap potting mix or even better sifted home made compost, sand or sandy loam, and a pre-soaked cocoa peat (coir) brick. Basically you need a free draining, moisture retentive mix with little nutrient in it to start seeds germinating. Once they have commenced growing, the smaller ones will need to be potted on. Larger seeds can be started off in bigger, single containers where they will remain till planting. The "potting on" mix needs to have some form of nutrient in it. I often add blood and bone and use seaweed extract and fish emulsion when soaking the cocoa peat brick. By Scarecrow
Free Fertilizer As soon as you can work your garden area, stop at a starbucks and ask for their used coffee grounds. Spread and till in. It's a great revitilizer for your dirt but you need a little time, at least a few weeks, before you actually plant anything. Coffee is very "hot" and will not help your plants until it starts breaking down. Good luck and happy gardening. By Judy Swap Seeds And Cuttings I do the seed swap and I also share clippings of plants with others for postage. I have built up a garden to plant for this year and I did it during the year and the average cost to mail 5 plant clippings is the envelope and approximately $1.00 to $1.50 for each mailing so I get 5 plants for under $2.00. That's pretty cheap! By Denise Check Freecycle I belong to freecycle.org. Every year, there are many people in my area who have plants and extra seeds to share. Not only do I get a lot of free plants, I can share my extra seedlings. When harvest time comes, I have met many wonderful local gardeners and we continue to share. The harvest of fruits, veggies, cuttings, and most of all, friendship can never be measured in money. Good luck and happy gardening By Jan in NC Be Sure To Use Seed Starter, Not Potting Soil When starting seeds DO NOT use garden soil or soil from the yard. Most "dirt/soil" contains the spores of many fungus and other diseases that can attack and kill your little baby plants. And most soil is too heavy for small seeds to break through to the light. Unless you know how to blend a soilless mixture just buy a bag of seed starter mix at the nursery. You will save yourself a lot of heart ache and work if you give your little babies the best possible start in life. It doesn't take much to start a little seed so just save what you don't use this year for next year. It will keep for decades. By Denise Don't Forget To Compost I know in our area the Conservation Council promoted composting, it was sponsored by the company who does our trash removal. If you take a free class on how to compost, then you would receive a free compost bin. It was so worth the class, we learned a lot of things and the compost bin is very nice. You may want to check with your local trash company. By Kimmiesue05 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17661597.tip.html
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Planting Mini Rose Bushes in New York Can mini rose bushes be planted in April in New York? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26995364.tip.html
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Rate It: Can vanilla be grown in Egypt? I am starting a small horticultural business on the Red Sea Coast. Does anyone have information that would direct me to find out if this is possible? Do you know of any websites that have information on this subject for Egypt? I tried to find information from the Egyptian Agriculture Ministry but no luck. Would a green house with irrigation be OK for vanilla production? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58910949.tip.html
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Rate It: Houseplants Dried Up After Getting Too Cold I live in the midwest and went on a 2-week vacation. When I returned my furnace wasn't working, so it was pretty darn cold in the house (40's). My peace plant plus other plants I have were all dried up, but he soil was still moist from neighbor watering my plants. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf25125317.tip.html
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Rate It: My amaryllis bulb is just sprouting leaves, but no stalk. Is that normal? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56531598.tip.html
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Rate It: I would like to use all the rocks that seem to grow here to good use. Instead of buying wood to make raised beds in the garden I would like to try building it with the stones. The previous owner left three bags of quick-crete, so I was hoping to use that. Will I have to wash all the rocks first? Do I have to put down a layer of sand before I even start? How long will it have to 'set' before I put in the dirt? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf342038.tip.html
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Rate It: Roses Have Witch's Broom Disease Has anyone ever heard of Witch's Broom Disease? My rose bushes have this, and I don't know how to get rid of it or how to prevent it. Any help would be great. Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76588911.tip.html
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Rate It: I want to try and grow some roses from seed, but I have read some articles that say to pick the hips before they wrinkle. It is February, so are the hips still good? There are some still left on my plants, can I use them? Any feedback would be very helpful. Thanks! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65489571.tip.html
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Rate It: Spring is coming (eventually), and my thoughts turn to gardening. I've been wondering, can loose-leaf lettuce be grown indoors? I have a nice west-facing window with a deep windowsill over the sink and wonder if enough UV rays get through to merit growing it. I can't afford a grow light, so this is the way it has to be. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf33606275.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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