Happy Garden Newsletter - March 15, 2007

This week we have more tips, articles and requests. Please look over the requests and see if you have any advice to offer.

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Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Photos:

• A Garden Window

Tips and Articles:

• Collect Rainwater In the Spring
• Garden Decor Ideas
• Bulbs in a Mild Winter
• Help My Plant
• Frugal Edging For Your Garden
• A Toy Wagon for Garden Tools
• Preventing Dirt Under Your Finger Nails
• An Introduction to Lasagna Gardening
• 5 Great Books For Gardeners
• Aphid Repellent Plants
• Rice Water For Plants
• Daffodils in Flower Arrangements
• Sweet Gum Balls For Flower Drainage

New Requests:

• Growing Tomatoes In Hanging Baskets
• Amaryllis Not Blooming
• Growing a Tree from a Willow Cutting
• Dog Poop in Planting Areas
• Growing Tomatoes Under Lights
• Growing Cabbage in Containers
• Mosquito Repellent Plants
• What is this plant? (Hens & Chicks, Sempervivum Tectorum)
• Help My Tea Rose
• Eggplant Plant Not Bearing Fruit
• Wilting Geraniums

A Garden Window

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Collect Rainwater In the Spring

If you're a gardener, take advantage of the spring showers to stock up on free water. We collect rainwater in large trash barrels behind our garage from the drainage off of the roof. We fill them using a hose which is connected to the drainpipe. We cover each barrel with it's lid and have plenty of water for the flower and vegetable gardens. Then, every time it rains we collect the water until all the barrels are full. Last year when we had a drought, we supplied the neighbors with vegetables since we were the only ones able to maintain our garden!

Hannah

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Garden Decor Ideas
By Monica Resinger

A list of inexpensive and easy garden decorations.

• Johnny Jump Ups planted in small galvanized buckets looks so charming!

• Plant half whiskey barrels tightly with strawberry plants.

• Scarecrows are not only useful, they're decorative.

• Check your nearest dollar store for really cute and cheap garden decorations! They also have seeds sometimes 10 packets for $1.00.

• Make a rustic trellis by nailing or screwing branches together in desired shape.

• Tip a flowerpot (any size) over and have soil spill out of it. Plant flowers in the soil for a charming spilled pot look.

• Old bowling balls can either be spray painted desired color or left as-is and used as a "garden sphere" that is so popular in gardens If you don't have a bowling ball, check the thrift stores or yard sales to get one cheap.

• To spruce up a plain garage or house wall in the garden, nail strips of wood onto the wall in a paned-window shape. Paint desired color, add window-box full of planted flowers, grow a flowering vine over it, or even hang silk flowers over it.

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Bulbs in a Mild Winter

Question:

Hardiness Zone: 6b

Elizabeth Ehmen from Warsaw, IN

Answer:

When mild temperatures trigger premature growth, there isn't a whole lot you can do to prevent your bulbs from sprouting. As soon as temperatures drop, any new growth will quickly come to a halt and any foliage that had been exposed may end up turning brown and dying back. Once spring rolls around, the chances are very good that parts of the bulb that remain underground will come through unscathed. Nature has designed bulbs, especially spring bulbs, with the ability to bounce back from unexpected temperature swings. As long as your bulbs don't start to flower, they should be just fine. If you have experienced an unusually long warm spell, you may see a slightly less vigorous flush of flowers. This will depend largely on how long the warm spell lasted and how quickly temperatures cooled down afterwards. One thing that you can do to help protect sprouted bulbs from dropping temperatures is to cover them with pine boughs or straw. This is especially important if you're lacking snow cover, which can act to insulate and help protect bulbs.

Ellen

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Help My Plant

Question:

Hardiness Zone: 6a

Debbi B from Brownstown, MI

Answer:

The plant in the picture you posted looks like a Dracaena. There are a number of plants in this genus, but most have narrow arching leaves on unbranched stems, and have a vertical growth habit. They can be difficult or easy to grow. It all depends on the variety you have. Here are some symptoms of problems commonly seen in this group and what causes them:

Symptom: Leaves with brown tips & yellow edges.
Causes: Air is too dry, plant has been exposed to cold drafts, or the plant is under-watered.

Symptom: Leaves are soft and curled with brown edges.
Causes: Damage from cold temperatures. Keep Dracaena away from doors and widows during the winter.

Symptom: Leaves with brown spots.
Causes: Under-watering. Keep the root ball moist, but not wet.

Symptom: Lower leaves are yellowing.
Causes: This is actually natural. Dracaenas grow tall due to the limited lifespan of their leaves. Lower leaves turn yellow and die about every two years.

Symptom: Leaves with bleached or dry patches.
Causes: Too much sun. Move to a shadier location.

The most common cause for Dracaena collapse is due to OVER-watering or cold temperatures. An east or west window with bright, filtered sunlight is ideal for this plant with temperatures at a minimum of 55 degrees. Leave will appreciate regular misting to keep the air around the plant humid.

Good luck!
Ellen

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Frugal Edging For Your Garden

A really frugal edging for gardens is broken concrete. When we had our bathroom floor re-done (our house is on a slab) a pile of light concrete sat outside our house for about 2 months before I got tired of waiting for them to haul it away.

I carefully picked through the pile and put them in a "rock wall" configuration around the edge of one of my gardens. It looks great; not like concrete at all. The only thing to be aware of is that there were rusty nails sticking out of some of the concrete and you have to make SURE you put those nail down in the ground.

My problem is that now I need more concrete to finish the job! :-)

By Kathleen K.

Do you have any more ideas for frugal edging? Please post them.

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A Toy Wagon for Garden Tools

Keep an eye out for an old toy wagon at garage sales. They can be useful for pulling around your garden tools and keeping them together. Even a rusty wagon will do the trick. Sand down the rust, repaint and it will look great in your yard.

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Preventing Dirt Under Your Finger Nails

Here's an old trick for people who don't like to use gloves when they garden. Rub your finger nails over a bar of soap. Your nails will fill up with the soap and prevent dirt from building up. When you clean up, scrub your nails with a nail brush to easily remove the soap.

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An Introduction to Lasagna Gardening
By Ellen Brown

Lasagna gardening isn't about growing lasagna, and it isn't about growing the great vegetables and herbs found in lasagna recipes. Instead, lasagna gardening is a timesaving organic gardening method developed by gardener and writer, Patricia Lanza, which requires no digging, no tilling and no sod removal. Too good to be true? Read on.

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5 Great Books For Gardeners
By Ellen Brown

With gardening comes a learning curve that can never be surmounted so long as you keep gardening. It doesn't matter how much you know, there's always something new to learn. As an avid reader and junior scientist (all gardeners are amateur, if not reluctant scientists), my bookshelves are overflowing with dozens of books devoted to various gardening-related subjects, including a handful of field guides on insects and trees, and several dusty botanical textbooks left over from college. There never seems to be any absolute truths when it comes to gardening (at least not for long), so we can always look forward to a constant stream of new books filled with new and better ways to garden. Here are a few of my favorites-some old and some new-in no particular order.

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Aphid Repellent Plants

You can help prevent aphid infestations on your vegetables by interplanting them with plants that repel aphids. Some examples are anise, chives, coriander, garlic, onions, petunias and radish. Another trick is lay some aluminum foil around the base of a plant, the reflection will help deter the aphids.

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Rice Water For Plants

Question:

Debbi B from Brownstown, MI

Answer:

Just like potato water, rice water also contains valuable nutrients for houseplants. Using it is also a wonderful way to conserve water and a great way to take some of the worry out of over-fertilizing. The starches from leftover rice water will help encourage beneficial soil bacteria, while the vitamins and minerals will add small amounts of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) to the soil. One thing to keep in mind when using water from cooking on your houseplants is to make sure the water has cooled to room temperature before you use it. It's also best to avoid using water that you have added salt to. Just about any clear or light-colored water that is left over after cooking is probably okay to use as long as it doesn't contain salts. This includes using water from cooking hard-boiled eggs, pasta and vegetables. If you have a freshwater fish aquarium, save some water for your houseplants every time you clean it.

Ellen

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Daffodils in Flower Arrangements

Daffodils produce a toxin that kills other cut flowers, so keep them separate when making flower arrangements.

By Patricia

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Sweet Gum Balls For Flower Drainage

If you have sweet gum balls, try using them to put in the bottom of your flower pots.

By JODI from TEXAS

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Growing Tomatoes In Hanging Baskets

I would like to try to grow some tomatoes this year in hanging baskets. Any one have ideas on how to make the baskets, the best type of soil to use, the recommended tomatoes to use and tips are also appreciated if you have any experience that might help me. I would like to hang them on my porches - I have one porch that faces east and one that faces south. I could also hang them on an unused jungle gym in the back yard if the porch idea wouldn't be great for their success.

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Thanks!
Karen from Beckley, WV

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Amaryllis Not Blooming

Last year (spring) I grew the most beautiful amaryllis, 4 in all and all different. I'm sending a picture of one of them. After they bloomed I let the leaves grow and I kept watering until the leaves got yellow and then in October, I stopped watering and put them away in a dark cool place (my garage). I put them back out in mid-February in a sunny, warm place and started watering them. All four already have BIG beautiful leaves, but no flower buds! What did I do wrong? What can I do to get them to bloom again?

Paula

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Growing a Tree from a Willow Cutting

On Valentine's Day 2007, I received some roses with beautiful greenery! On of the pieces of greenery was a Curly Willow branch which is growing it's leaves. I live in Houston, Texas and would like to know exactly what to do to grow this Curly Willow Tree. The florist said a lot of the greenery they put in their vases comes from out of the country. So I'm not sure if this one will live here. I have it still in the vase with clean water along with other greenery that came in the vase. Also my yard is clay so I need to know what to do! I'd love to have this as a tree in my back yard. Should I put root hormone on the bottom of the stem and put it in a pot with Miracle Grow Soil?

Thanks a million!
Jo Ann

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Dog Poop in Planting Areas

I read an article you posted about dog poop and gardens. I know dog poop is not good to use, but what if your dog has pooped all winter where you want to plant. Is there any way to "clean" the soil, or do I just need to remove the surface feces and turn the soil over and plant as usual? Thanks!

Hardiness Zone: 5b

Aurora from Rensselaer, IN

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Growing Tomatoes Under Lights

Why are the tomatoes I am growing under lights so gangly and have so little fruit?

Gerald from Fruita, CO

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Growing Cabbage in Containers

Can you grow cabbage in a pot?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Kathy from Goodview, VA

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Mosquito Repellent Plants

I am looking for ideas on any bushes/trees/flowers that are good at repelling mosquitos.

Hardiness Zone: 8a

Sarah from Chattanooga, TN

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What is this plant? (Hens & Chicks, Sempervivum Tectorum)

Can someone tell me what that plant is in the picture with the old boot planter. I know it's a type of cacti but from there I'm stumped. Here's the picture.

I'm an artist and I did a tryptich of cacti plants. I'll add the a pix of the drawing. Here's the drawing.

Thanks,
Gayle from Queen Creek, AZ

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Help My Tea Rose

I have a tea rose/potted miniature rose that I think I may have killed. When I transferred it to a bigger pot it was really dry. I had been watering it but apparently not enough. All of the leaves fell off. I have been keeping it moist because the branches themselves are still green. I have it sitting in a cool room where it receives sunlight most of the day. Is it dead or gone dormant?
Please help this poor plant survive being owned by me. I look at it and feel so sad for this poor plant.

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Alexa from Dover, Delaware

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Eggplant Plant Not Bearing Fruit

My fiances grandfather died and we got his eggplant to put in the ground. Since we've transplanted it, it continuously flowers but I cannot get it to bear fruit. It's been in the ground for about a month now. It is in direct sunlight as directed and is watered infrequently. The plant looks healthy overall and all of my other vegetables are doing magnificent, but this one is frustrating me to NO avail. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Hardiness Zone: 10b

Jillian from Jupiter, FL

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Wilting Geraniums

I am having a terrible time growing geraniums. My leaves start wilting and turn yellow. Am I watering too much or not enough? How much should I fertilize?

Hardiness Zone: 7b

Peg from Springboro, OH

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