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Volume 2, Number 29, July 26, 2007 (Read It Online) Thank you to everyone that is sending in photos of your gardening. We really enjoy publishing them. This week we have some Garden Solutions from the Kitchen, Bath and Laundry as well as many more useful tips. Be sure to look over the requests and see if you have any advice to offer. Thanks for reading, Susan
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By Donita from Loveland, CO
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Rate It: I don't know about the rest of you but my delphiniums are huge this summer. Enjoy the photo. By Tracy from Battle Creek, MI
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Rate It: I painted this tea kettle white and put black splatters on it. I set it on an old iron stove that sits on our deck. I will probably put some plants in it. By WandaJo from Tennessee
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Rate It: How To Make A Beautiful Flower Bed This summer, I decided to make a flower garden for the first time. I started by blocking off a space for the flowers to go. Make sure you have lots of soil to fill in the space. I went to nearby gardening centers to pick out the flowers I wanted. My suggestion is to pick a variety of colors, that makes it much more noticable and pretty. Also, find out how big the flowers are going to get, otherwise you will end up with a overly crowded bed. I made that mistake and ended up having to take some out. After they are planted just make sure you water them everyday and get the weeds out when needed.By Heather from Stanton, KY
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Rate It: My Double Delight Tea Rose is such a garden decorating dream; its fragrance surpasses the fragrance of an expensive perfume and the beauty to look at the bud and blossom of this Delight can not be described but must be seen by the human eye. It is a joy for me to sit on my backyard deck and view this magnificent rose and the fragrance permeates the air after a rain. I am photographing the stages of this flower and will frame the 4 x 6 photos in my home for my family and guests to enjoy the delight of these blossoms. By WandaJo from TN
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Rate It: If you like onion, the Walking Onion is a fun one to grow. Completely edible from the bulbs to the greens to the little bublets that grow on it's tips, this mild tasting onion is a great conversation starter as well. It starts out growing like green bunching onion, but then these little bublet clusters form at the tips. They start to send out crazy looking "arms" and then get heavy and cause the stalk to tip over. When the bublets touch the ground, they root and start a new bunch, which is why the onion seems like it is "walking". Great in stirfry, or raw in salads and sandwiches, and fun to look at in your garden! By Regina from Rochester, NY
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Empty Milk Carton for Watering Plants I really didn't know where to put this tip, it covers so many aspects! Instead of lugging home a bottle/packet of commercial plant fertilizer, try this quick and easy tip. When you finish a carton of milk, fill the carton with water and use it to water your plants. Your plants will flourish, your wallet will flourish and the land fill will have one less carton to worry about as you didn't have to buy a special product to do the job! And there is one more plus, as you finish the milk carton you stand a better chance of remembering to water that poor house plant in the corner! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf10555569.tip.html
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Rate It: Conserving Water While Maintaining My Lawn Our well is very low this year due to a lack of rain. We are trying to keep the lawn alive. We put shower water on it and so forth in addition to once in awhile using the sprinklers. Would the lawn be healthier if I fertilize it or would that simply stress it out? I know I would need to water in the fertilizer. Hardiness Zone: 8a Rae Ann from California Answers: Keep Your Lawn Longer When we had a drought here one summer gardening experts gave the following advice: let your grass grow several inches tall, it keeps water from evaporating. Fertilizing your lawn will make the grass grow tall but it will also grow so quickly so you will have to cut it all the time. By Joan If you want to fertilize, use something natural, like corn gluten meal. Be aware that this will make everything grow, including weeds, so it's wise to do it when the weed population is low. It's much healthier for the lawn, does not contain blastingly large amounts of nitrogen, and so will make your lawn healthier. We let the lawn grow until it starts to look like it needs a haircut, and then set the mower height to the second to the highest setting (every mower is different). The mowings go faster, and by the end of the year, all we've done is something like 2 extra mowings. We let the clippings fall back on the lawn. My DH was a lawn perfectionist until I made him go with me to a seminar put on by our city about conserving water via lawn care. By the end of the meeting, he agreed to do a "We'll try it and see." Been doing it this was for more years than I can recall. This has certainly cut back on our watering. You might also call your local plant nursery and ask if there is a low water requiring grass - buy a couple of squares, try them out and see. I was given some that had been hanging out in the back of a truck and they didn't grow - by the time I got them the grass was half dead. Am going to do it again but get fresh mats this time. By cookwie Let It Get Brown I don't mean any disrespect, however, I feel the availability of water is more important than a good looking lawn. I, too, have a well that is low. I'm scrimping in every aspect. I can live without green grass, but not water. By jane32425 I would not put any fertilizer on the lawn as it could burn and stress the grass. I would do nothing. The grass will turn brown and look dead but it will come back when it rains again. By Dean Use Grey Wash Water I live in the desert and it gets really hot here. We have a well that we use for drinking water and we are very conserving with the water. My husband hooked up a hose for the washing machine and as soon as the hot wash is over, we hook the hose up to the inside drain and run all the rinse water outside to the yard. We have plenty of water for the plants and the trees by doing that and we're still saving water. Of course, sometimes I have to run the hose out through a window to the back yard but so what, it works wonderful and the neighbors are doing the same thing now for their lawns. It helps to keep a nice green yard and the city is saving money, so am I. By Louise Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16353593.tip.html
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Rate It: Two Easy-to-Make Compost Bins
No matter how much you pay for a compost bin, breaking down organic waste requires four things: water, air, a few naturally occurring microbes and a fair amount of patience. Many manufactured compost systems come complete with various bells and whistles: special gear systems for easy mixing, ergonomic ventilation slots, and enhanced faux finishes to match your landscaping décor. Add to that a wide range of accessories-compost accelerators, pile turners, scrap carriers and soil sifters-and you're looking at spending upwards of a couple hundred dollars. Here are two cheap and easy bins you can make yourself that will result in the same nutrient-rich compost. View This Article: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19249088.tip.html
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Rate It: Twelve Rules for Healthy Houseplants
In the wild, a plant must rely on Mother Nature to meet its requirement for growth. Houseplants, on the other hand, must depend entirely on you to provide them with what they need. Follow these twelve rules for healthy houseplants Keep in mind that plants, like people, all have different needs and that there are usually exceptions to every rule. View This Article: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf84204147.tip.html
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Rate It: Keep Gloves Handy in the Garden I often pass by my garden, and have found that I consistently pull little weeds out from the soil. Then I have to spend a few minutes trying to get the dirt out from under my fingernails. Now I leave an extra old pair of gardening gloves outside, right by the garden. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf368892.tip.html
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Rate It: We use mousetraps to keep squirrels, rabbits and cats from ruining our garden. The noise scares them without hurting them so that they don't return. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf328925.tip.html
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Rate It: On a fluke, I picked up a frisbee in the yard and used it to distribute mulch from the bag and haven't used anything since. It gives enough leverage to spread the right amount around each plant and sure beats trying to pick the bag up and control the amount you pour out. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf537336.tip.html
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Rate It: Garden Solutions from the Kitchen, Bath and Laundry
Here are examples of how a few products that nearly everyone has laying around the house can be incorporated into the garden. Aluminum Foil Crumpled up into a ball, aluminum foil makes an instant birdbath scrubber. Aspirin Two aspirins dissolved in a quart of water will help keep cut flowers looking fresh. Baking Soda To minimize damage from dog urine, apply one cup of baking soda dissolved in a gallon of water to burn spots every three days until the grass recovers. Beer One part beer and two parts water makes a drink your azaleas will love (it increases the soils acidity). A saucer filled with beer placed next to hostas will attract and drown snails and slugs.
Dropping a little used cat litter down a gopher or mole tunnel will discourage them from living in the area. Cereal Use it as a fertilizer or to attract birds to feeders. Chalk Ground chalk can be mixed into soil to prevent diseases caused by calcium deficiencies. Cola A soak in cola will loosen the rust on garden tools. Pour flat cola into a compost bin to give microorganisms a boost. Coffee When mixed into the soil, used coffee grounds acts as a fertilizer. Dry grounds deter ants when sprinkled around anthills. Dental Floss Loop it around nails, weave it through eye screws spaced up the side of a wall for a cheap trellis, or use it to secure plants to stakes. Dish Soap One ounce of dish soap mixed with 2 cups of water will control most pests when sprayed directly on plant leaves. Rinse the leaves with water after 1 hour to avoid any burn damage. Use dish soap, like Ivory, that is safe for the environment. Dryer Sheets Place a used dryer sheet over drainage holes inside planters to prevent losing soil when watering. Dust Busters Insect pests and weed seeds (like dandelions) can be vacuumed up with a dust buster. It sounds crazy, but it works! Glue Crazy glue works well to seal leaky garden hoses. Wood glue works well to seal off pruned branches. Jell-O A few teaspoons of Jell-O in potted plants will help them retain moisture as well as enhancing plant growth by enriching the soil with nitrogen. Lip Balm A light coat of lip balm on garden tools helps to prevent them from rusting. Panty Hose Panty hose work great for storing and hanging bulbs over winter. Cut off the feet and slip them over the heads of cabbage, broccoli or pollinated corn to prevent insect and worm damage. Make kneeling pads by stuffing panty hose with foam, bubble wrap, holey socks or old kitchen sponges. Petroleum Jelly A thin coat on the poles and chains of hummingbird feeders will prevent ant infestation. A thin coat on garden tools lubricates rusty parts. Straws Use straws to elongate the ends of flower stems that were accidentally cut too short. Tabasco Sauce Combine Tabasco, Ivory dish soap and black pepper in a spray bottle for an effective organic pest repellant. Tea Pour tea on compost piles to speed up decomposition, increase acidity or attract beneficial bacteria. Toothpaste Toothpaste works as a great polishing agent for garden tools, relieves itching from bug bites and neutralizes onion or garlic odors on your hand when you wash with it. Vinegar Water blueberries or cranberries (occasionally) with two tablespoons of white vinegar mixed with one quart of water. Use it as a cat repellant by spraying (full strength) around the base of birdbaths and feeders. Vodka Rub a sponge or rag soaked in vodka onto clothing, then rinse thoroughly to remove grass stains. Yogurt Mix a cup of plain yogurt, a cup of water and a handful of moss in the blender for 30 seconds. This mixture spread on planters or between stones will grow a blanket of new moss in a just a few short weeks. Yogurt Cups Yogurt cups are great for starting seedlings. Punch drainage holes in the bottom, line them with coffee filters and fill them with dirt. Pop out the seedlings, filters and all, to transplant them. The filters will easily decompose in the soil. By Ellen Brown Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf497432.tip.html
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Rate It: While arranging some pine boughs in a vase as a centerpiece, I ended up with pine sap all over my hands. I tried soap, Dawn, scrubbed, and scrubbed, nothing worked - still sticky. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf932469.tip.html
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Growing Apricots And Peaches From Pits I read your note on growing cherries from the pit . I am trying to start other fruit. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf34478911.tip.html
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Rate It: Juicing Tomatoes In Small Batches I'm growing tomatoes in containers. I would like to make juice out of them, but they are not accumulating fast enough. Can I freeze them a few at a time until I have enough for the juice? Also, does anyone have a recipe for making V8 Juice using all eight vegetables? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27841683.tip.html
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Rate It: Can I reset gladiolas this time of year? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44792012.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a couple banana peppers that are turning a dark purple, what gives? The peppers appear fine, nice and shiny and growing strong. The stems have some darker stripes running through them. They are sweet bananas. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf49875774.tip.html
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Rate It: Today is July 23, and just yesterday I was given some rhubarb to transplant, I have planted it in full sun, and have spaced the root out some. My question is today, just 1 day later, my rhubarb is limp looking, and I'm not sure if it is going to make it. Can you tell me if there is anything that I can do to keep it alive and growing or should I just cut down the stalk's that I do have and hope for more next year? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf28307662.tip.html
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Rate It: I am looking for bulk marigolds to string together for the garlands in an Indian wedding, anyone know where I can get them? So far I can only find seeds. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67999499.tip.html
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Rate It: Peach Tree Has Brown And Holey Leaves Something is eating the leaves of my weeping pink cascade peach tree. What can I do? the leaves have holes in them and the leaves are turning brown. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44738604.tip.html
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Rate It: Fried Egg Poppy Success In Mid Atlantic States I am trying to find out if anyone in the Mid Atlantic States (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina) has had any success with a "Fried Egg Poppy" plant (matilija poppy or Romneya Coulteri). These grey green plants have large white crepe like flowers with golden yellow centers. The plant grows 3 to 4 ft tall. I am interested in buying a plant but can only find them in CA and wonder if it is worth the expense. Maybe someone knows a closer source. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95920768.tip.html
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Rate It: Leaves Turning Brown on a Nyctanthes Arbor-Tristis I have planted a rare plant two weeks ago. New leaves started coming, but suddenly from last 3 days leaves started shrinking and leaves are slowly turning brown. I would like to know the reason and remedy for the plant. I appreciate the quick response. Its botanical name is (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45165841.tip.html
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Rate It: If you're new to gardening and don't know how to start, the best idea is to visit someone else's garden and ask how they do it. Most will be delighted to share in how to prepare your own masterpiece! By Terri Also, feel free to submit your gardening related questions to ThriftyFun. There are a lot of helpful gardeners who frequent this website. You can submit a gardening request here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_request.ldml Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf954938.tip.html
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Rate It: Keeping Your Beans Safe From CutWorms Instead of composting my egg shells I dry them and crunch them up and store in a container all year to sprinkle on my beans after I plant them. The cut-worms and slugs don't seem to like the feeling of the shells on their underside. The egg shells end up in your garden and serve a purpose too. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf319991.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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