Happy Garden - February 19, 2009

A lot of people reponded to our call for gardening photos last week. Thank you for all the great photo entries! If you have a gardening tip or photo to share with the ThriftyFun community, feel free to submit it on one of the contest pages.

Happy Gardening!

Thanks for reading,

The ThriftyFun Team

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Photos:

• Garden: Flowering Florida Maple
• Garden: Growing By the Front Door
• Garden: Summer House
• Garden: Guard Frog
• Gardening: Petunias
• Gardening: Mini Greenhouse for a Head Start
• Gardening: Grow Larger Rose Blooms With Banana Peels

Tips and Articles:

• Using Newspaper Under Mulch
• Wash Veggies in the Washing Machine
• Check With Your Extension Service When Planting Trees
• The Basics of Fertilizing Trees
• Keep Track of Your Seed Orders
• Counting Seasonal Birds
• Use 2 Liter Bottles for Watering Your Garden

New Requests:

• What is This Plant?
• Stacked Terra Cotta Pot Plant Stand
• Transplanting Daffodil Bulbs
• Garden Soxx
• Prepared for a New Vegetable Garden
• Growing Vegetables in an Apartment

Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Garden: Flowering Florida Maple

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Garden: Growing By the Front Door

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Garden: Summer House

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Garden: Guard Frog

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Gardening: Petunias

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Gardening: Mini Greenhouse for a Head Start

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Gardening: Grow Larger Rose Blooms With Banana Peels

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Using Newspaper Under Mulch

I use newspaper, at least double paged around my plants, then I put mulch on top. It helps to keep plant roots moist, all but eliminates weeds, and by the time the garden is to be tilled the next season, the newspaper has decomposed, and helps to enrich the soil. I simply rake my mulch back, till the soil, plant, place new newspaper, and replace mulch. Helps to save on the cost of mulch too!And a great way to recycle newspapers!

By Cheryl from Trinity, NC

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Wash Veggies in the Washing Machine

When my harvest is in, I clean my carrots and cukes and any hard skinned veggie by rinsing out my washer and fill it with cold water and throw in my veggies. I let them soak then put them in the spin cycle and after the spin stops my veggies are totally clean. No soap is needed. Saves a lot of time if you have bushels of veggies to clean.

Source: I got this recipe from my mother in law 25 years ago.

By Rae (Raymonde) from NY

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Check With Your Extension Service When Planting Trees

In trying to decide about planting new trees and what kind, go to your state's extension service. Google (mine) "Minnesota extension service", find gardens, then trees and it will tell you what trees are the native species you should plant for your area as well as the DO NOT PLANT versions, due to disease that can happen. Gardening/seed/trees catalogues cannot be that specific in their information when sending them to the general public. You just get the zone number it is rated for.

By Joyce from Benson MN

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The Basics of Fertilizing Trees
By Ellen Brown

Trees rely on sun, rain, and soil nutrients, to support their growth. When left to nature, trees are self-fertilizing, and competition for nutrients from surrounding plants is limited by the availability of these three resources. When planted in our landscapes, however, we rake up leaves and force them to compete for available resources with a wide variety of plants. That's why sometimes trees need a little boost in the form of fertilizer.

Determining Fertilization Needs

Soil Deficiencies: Fertilizer is only beneficial to trees if it is needed. The best way to establish this is by having your soil tested. For around $15, a soil test will determine the pH level of your soil (acidity/alkalinity) as well as deficiencies in soil nutrients. Contact your county extension agency for more information.

Signs of Deficient Growth: If your tree is showing symptoms of decline (pale leaves, early leaf drop, branch die back, or poor growth) it may be due to low levels of nutrients in the soil. These problems can also indicate problems with insects, disease, or environmental stressors. Overloading soil nutrients only adds additional stress. Don't rush to add fertilizer until other causes are ruled out.

Tree Age and Location: Young, actively growing trees perform better when fertilized.

Mature, well-established trees, however, do not usually require fertilizing. The growth rate of older trees slows significantly, and their expansive roots systems are normally more than adequate in supplying their nutritional needs. Trees planted within a lawn that is regularly fertilized, or trees growing in naturalized areas (areas not usually mowed or raked) do not need additional fertilizer.

Types of Fertilizers

A complete (NPK) slow release organic fertilizer is probably the best choice for fertilizing trees, unless a soil test recommends otherwise. The nitrogen in these fertilizers is released slowly over a long period. Look for fertilizers higher in nitrogen and lower in phosphorus like 16-4-8, 12-6-6, or 12-4-8. Read and follow label directions carefully.

Application Methods

Tree fertilizers are usually delivered in one of two ways, on the surface or below the surface. Dry fertilizers can be spread on top of the soil or poured into pre-drilled holes in the ground. They are generally the least expensive and most popular. Fertilizers formed into spikes are quick, easy-to-insert around the drip line, but slightly more expensive. The downside to using them is that they don't deliver the fertilizer as evenly or as efficiently as some of the other options. Root feeders are hand-held soil probes used to distribute dry or water-soluble fertilizers directly into the root zone. They offer the most efficient delivery of nutrients and least amount of run-off. The downside is they require special tools.

When to Fertilize

Trees are most able to absorb nutrients through their roots when the roots are actively growing. Deciduous trees should be fertilized every two to three years, anytime between fall leaf-drop and spring leaf-out, as long as there is adequate moisture available. Evergreens should be fertilized in the spring, but need less frequent fertilizing than deciduous trees.

In cold climates, fertilizers should not be applied after early July (or during the last 6 weeks of the growing season) in order to give new root growth time to harden off before winter. Fertilizers should also not be applied during extreme heat or drought.

Feed the Feeder Roots

In general, most of a tree's feeder roots are in the top 12 inches of soil. They extend out near the drip line (the outermost branches) and beyond. Deeper roots and roots closest to the tree's trunk serve more for structural support. Applying fertilizer to these areas is a waste, because the tree's feeder roots will be unable to access the nutrients.

Apply fertilizer to the circular drip line below the canopy, and out half again as far as the total distance from the trunk to the drip line. This is where the feeder roots are. For example, if the total distance from the trunk to the drip line is 6 feet, apply fertilizer to the drip line area plus out an additional 3 feet.

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Keep Track of Your Seed Orders

When doing garden seed orders from catalogs, KEEP the catalog, cut out the section describing your seeds and affix it to an index card or piece of paper and file them to verify information during the growing season.

I keep a 3 ring binder, affix the info to a sheet of paper and slip into a clear page protector, then into the book. I can keep several years in the same binder. Sometimes you go back for the info to see what you did a couple years ago.

I have a friend who logs in the temp each day, what she plants when, what day they bloomed for the first time, the first frost, etc. She is a Master Gardener and finds this so important when making changes in the garden.

By Joyce from Benson, MN

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Counting Seasonal Birds

Some of us in the warmer climate are getting ready for the season for flowers and vegetables. This Month, the National Bird Society is taking notes with all bird species on counting each bird. So if you are a bird watcher or want to be one, go online and help out with counting the birds in your location, even in the northern section as well.

By Mark from CT

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Use 2 Liter Bottles for Watering Your Garden

It is always so hot here in the summer and I like to have flowers and vegetables on my deck and in the yard, but can't afford the water bills to keep them watered between times of rain.

So I cut the end off the bottom of a 2-liter plastic bottle, turn the bottle up-side down so the neck (without the lid) is in the ground next to the plant. Pour water in the wide part of the open bottle and it will keep the plants moist through the day and I don't waste water from the hose.

I also put a stick through the holes into the dirt so the wind doesn't blow the bottle over. This works great. You can add your fertilizer to the water and water and feed plants at the same time. I have several in my garden.

I hope this idea helps others.

By Sharon from Van Buren, Arkansas

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What is This Plant?

I received this potted plant for Valentine's day and I have no idea what the plants are or how to take care of it. If you have any idea what they are please let me know.Thanks.

AmyD1978

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Stacked Terra Cotta Pot Plant Stand

I am looking for instructions how to make an upright plant stand out of terra cotta pots. I have seen them at flea markets and craft shows in TX. I think they have a steel rod that goes through the hole in the bottom and the pots are kind of zig zagged. I don't know how else to explain it. I never examined one close enough to really see how it was held together. They were like 5 feet tall. Thank you!

Amanda from NC

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Transplanting Daffodil Bulbs

About 18 years ago I planted daffodils around new house. My crepe myrtles have matured into trees so the bulbs are in shaded areas now. I noticed that this week one clump is blooming profusely but most others have one or no blooms. As you can see in the photo, the clumps in the back have few blooms but this one gets more sun but fewer blooms.

While this clump may get a little more sun, I may have also watered this area a little more during the fall. Can fall watering affect the number of blooms in spring? I plan to transplant most of these clumps when I re-landscape my backyard and get them in more sun. When should I move them?

Hardiness Zone: 8a


Robin from Meridian, Texas

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Garden Soxx

Where can I purchase something called Garden Soxx? Has anyone tried these?

Peg from Springboro, OH

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Prepared for a New Vegetable Garden

I'm just starting a vegetable garden and I've never done this before. There is grass on the plot of land right now. I plan on renting a sod cutter and pulling it up. After the grass is up, I have tilled and added whatever the soil needs, will I be able to plant this spring? Or is it better to wait for the following fall to do this and then plant that spring?

Hardiness Zone: 9a


Erika from Vancouver, WA

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Growing Vegetables in an Apartment

I would like to know if there is any way that I can raise some vegetables especially tomato plants this summer? My husband and I live in a small second floor apartment with no porch or yard. Any help would be appreciated.

Hardiness Zone: 6a


Sandra from Pennsylvania

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