Happy Garden - August 7, 2008

Thank you for sending in your garden photos! Keep them coming, we love to see what you have done in your yards and garden. If there are any projects you are particular proud of, feel free to submit them to the Photo Contest.

Here's some new videos...

Creative Stepping Stone
http://thriftyfun.magnify.net/item/BRVC3DC7FM2S5Q7Y

Cement Leaves
http://thriftyfun.magnify.net/item/TPQ3FKZF7TQ6WH1J

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Photos:

• Garden In Ontario
• Garden: Squirrels Eating Sunflowers
• Growing Tomatoes on the Balcony
• Heaven Sent
• Garden: Odd Colored Mushrooms

Tips and Articles:

• Hibiscus Leaves Turning Yellow
• Are Chive Plant Flowers Edible?
• Use Neosporin to Stop Tree Cankers
• Can You Trim A Bush In Hot Weather?
• Save Deadheaded Annuals for Next Year's Seeds
• 5 Steps to Creating A Landscaping Plan
• Garden Photographs for Winter Enjoyment
• Save Excess Water for Houseplants
• Yard Talk: Dirt Simple Tips for Natural Yard Care
• Removing Lilacs from Lawn

New Requests:

• Getting Rid of Groundhogs
• Ideas for Surplus Herbs
• Recommendations For Seed Companies
• What Is This Plant?
• Orchid Leaves Are Rotting
• Composting At An Apartment
• What Is This Plant?
• Worms Eating Tomatoes
• Problems With Hibiscus Plants
• What is this plant?
• Recycled Paper Pots

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.

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Garden In Ontario

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Garden: Squirrels Eating Sunflowers

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Growing Tomatoes on the Balcony

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Heaven Sent

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Garden: Odd Colored Mushrooms

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Hibiscus Leaves Turning Yellow

Question:

I have a Hibiscus tree that is potted and placed on my deck. It still has beautiful yellow blooms but I've recently found the leaves to be yellowing and falling off the plant. Nothing has changed with exception of the heat has intensified. I keep it watered but the surface soil typically looks dry. Could it not be getting enough water or perhaps too much?

Hardiness Zone: 8b

Karen from Mobile, AL

Answer:

It isn't all that uncommon for container plants to show some signs of stress when summer sun really starts turning up the heat. Hibiscus is usually quite tolerant of intense summer heat, but no plant does well with extreme changes in temperature and humidity. When a hibiscus develops yellow leaves, it's most often caused by a lack of water, root damage, over-fertilizing (which isn't easy, as they are heavy feeders), or the leaves are simply getting old and they need replacing. A few yellow leaves is normal and nothing to panic over. Many yellow leaves indicate stress (usually due to under-watering or a pest attack from the likes of spider mites) and action is warranted.

Hibiscus should be watered (and fertilized) often during the spring and summer growing season, even more so when they are grown in containers. The tricky part of watering them in containers is avoiding root rot. These plants are native to tropical, swampy areas, so keeping the soil evenly moist at all times is ideal. That said, you don't want the roots to stand with wet feet, so letting the surface soil dry out a bit between watering is typically okay. Any excess water remaining in the planter 30 minutes after watering should be dumped.

Other than keeping the soil consistently moist (not wet), the other thing I would recommend is checking for insect infestations-especially on the tips of shoots, on the buds, and on the undersides of the leaves. Hibiscus can be susceptible to aphids and spider mites. If you don't see any signs of pests, give your plant some time. It sounds like you're doing everything just right.

Ellen

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Are Chive Plant Flowers Edible?

Question:

I have several chive plants that have a light purple flower on the end of each top of the plant. Is this flower edible? And if so, can it be consumed raw, such as in a salad? Thank you.

Carol from Beverly, Mass.

Answer:

Carol,

A resounding yes! You can absolutely eat chive blossoms! Chives are members of the Allium family, and just in case you didn't know, many members of this family (including chives, leeks, onions, and garlic) produce edible flowers.

What is so great about chive plants is their versatility in the garden. As an herb, they produce edible stems and flowers. The stems work great as an onion substitute for roasts, vegetables, salads, sandwiches, and soups. The peppery tasting flower petals make an attractive edible seasoning suitable for use in egg, cheese, and fish dishes or when kept intact and used as a garnish.

As a landscaping plant, chives produce bulbous, eye-catching purple, pink, or white blooms (depending on the variety) that sit on top of bright green tufts of decorative, grass-like stems. Chives are also good self-seeders, so if left to their own devices they will fill in a modest area of the garden quickly (under favorable conditions). Chives also exhibit some insect repelling properties, and bees love them. Once established, they aren't too fussy about their growing conditions.

Ellen

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Use Neosporin to Stop Tree Cankers

Sometimes trees develop wounds called "cankers". These are horizontal cracks in the bark. They slowly expand until they have encircled the tree, cutting all of the "tubes" that carry nutrients from the roots to the branches, killing the tree. I have always been told that there is no known cure. However, years ago I stopped a canker that had progressed one third of the way around the trunk of a birch tree in my yard. That tree thrived for the next 30 years.

The "miracle" substance I used was triple antibiotic ointment (Neosporin), which is available at every health and beauty aids department in the country. Simply reach under the edge of the bark with any kind of narrow tool, and scrape out most of the rotten wood, bugs, and debris. Then insert the nozzle of the Neosporin tube under the bark and proceed from one end of the canker to the other, squeezing the tube until the ointment begins to squish out from under the bark. (Do this on top and bottom of the canker). Then, don't do anything else! My experience was that this one treatment stopped the canker cold, and saved the tree. This "ridiculous" idea came to me after I tried bleach, peroxide, and probably one or two other chemicals. It then dawned on me that a canker is an infection. Neosporin stopped and cured infections on me and on my cat (who liked to fight with other animals), so maybe it would cure the infection on my birch tree. When it worked, nobody was more surprised than I was.

By Larry from Northwest New Jersey

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Can You Trim A Bush In Hot Weather?

Question:

I live in Phoenix, Arizona and the high temp here has been around 100 lately. I've got a rose bush that is falling over my walkway to my front door. If I trim the bush in this hot weather, will it harm it?

Hardiness Zone: 11

Debbie from Phoenix, AZ

Answer:

Debbie,

It really depends on two things, what type of rose it is, and how much "trimming" is deemed necessary to keep it from falling over your walkway. Shrub roses usually need minimal trimming, but when they do, they can be cut back anytime to shape the bush, reduce the size, or to increase air circulation. In your area, heavy pruning (for all types of roses) is best done in January, and light pruning (limited removal of old, dead, or crossing canes) is done in late August or early September.

Since you live in a hot climate, your roses are (for the most part) "on" nearly all the time. Every time a rose bush (or other shrub) is pruned, the natural response is for the plant to put out a new spurt of growth. In extreme heat (or cold) this new growth can quite literally be burned and the plant expends energy trying to send out new growth when it might otherwise be shutting down to conserve energy due to the high temperatures. For this reason, it's better to avoid mid-summer pruning and trimming unless it's absolutely necessary.

I would recommend finding a way to stake or support your roses for now and save the trimming until late August or early September when the temperatures cool a bit.

Ellen

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Save Deadheaded Annuals for Next Year's Seeds

If you have annual flowers that are blooming now, such as zinnias, Black Eyed Susan's, asters, four o'clocks, etc., they will bloom better and longer if you deadhead them every few days. Just take scissor and clip the blossoms that are starting to dry up. But don't throw those blossoms away. Toss them in a shallow open box, and let them dry thoroughly. Then rub them between your hands, and you will see that the spent blossoms are actually seeds for next year.

Then I just store them in a paper bag, and, in early spring, I broadcast them in flower beds, along the edge of the woods where we can't mow. You will have enough seed to furnish all your friends, and may never have to buy annual flower seeds again!

I sent a half a gallon Zip lock bag home with my daughter to cast out onto a piece of property that they plan to someday build on. And still had a gallon bag left for myself. I just mixed all the different varieties together, but you could keep them separate if you prefer. I just think the mixture looks good in a flower bed.

By Harlean from Hot Springs, Arkansas

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5 Steps to Creating A Landscaping Plan
By Ellen Brown

Landscaping around your home can seem like a daunting project-especially if you're starting with a blank canvas. Whether you're building a new house, cleaning up after a storm, or planning a complete renovation of your existing landscape, sometimes the hardest is part about creating a plan is knowing where to start.

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Garden Photographs for Winter Enjoyment

Today I went outside and was enjoying my garden so much, and I had an idea. I went around with my cell phone and took pictures of my favorite flowers in bloom. I have about 8 pictures that I can use as wallpaper on my phone. These pictures will to remind me of my lovely flowers in the dead of winter. I also managed to get a picture of a beautiful yellow monarch on our butterfly bush. What a treat!

By Carol from Landisville, PA

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Save Excess Water for Houseplants

I keep a dishpan in my kitchen sink that I use to catch excess water. (Waiting for water to heat up, washing hands, etc.) I then use this water to water my houseplants. I also water my plants with water I used to boil pasta.

By Susan from Giddings, TX

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Yard Talk: Dirt Simple Tips for Natural Yard Care

This site is about gardening in Seattle or the Pacific Northwest but there are a lot of good tips that would apply other places. One that is of particular good use everywhere is: Episode 11: "Healthy Home Companion". It shows why using chemicals on your yard, especially if you have children or pets, is not a good idea.

Yard Talk Site

Each episode is a little movie to watch about the subject. It requires a free Real Audio player for which they provide a link. I checked to see if they had these on YouTube but they do not, at least at the time of this posting. Even if you can't watch the movies or don't have time, there are a lot of good tips on the page of each episode.

Happy Gardening,
Susan from ThriftyFun

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Removing Lilacs from Lawn

Question:

How do I get rid of lilac suckers from my lawn? I have an urban forest in the making! I don't want to kill the lilacs or dig up the lawn. Will the vinegar, salt, water, and soap solution work? Mowing doesn't help.

Hardiness Zone: 3a

Catastrofy from Winnipeg, Canada

Answer:

Catastrofy,

Each lilac sucker has the potential to turn into a whole new plant, so you're right, it's wise to remove some of the suckers or you run the risk of taking vigor away from the parent plant. Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of lilac suckers permanently (sans using toxic chemical means) is to fully separate them from the mother plant by digging them out.

Although snapping them off or mowing them down can cause them to re-branch and produce even more suckers than your started with, many gardeners find that mowing them regularly is the easiest, most practical (and least time consuming) way of dealing with them. If you're worried about suckers spilling over into your lawn, you might try installing a "weed" barrier (made from copper, steel or plastic) that goes down 6 inches or more into the soil between the edge of your lawn and your lilac shrubs.

The reason lilacs tend to get tall and leggy after a while is because these shrubs renew themselves from their roots. It is important to leave at least a portion of the suckers intact to accomplish this purpose. A good way to keep the canes from getting tall and leggy is to cut the oldest ones down to within 18-20 inches of the ground in late spring right after they bloom. This way you always have some up and coming suckers that will produce larger flower heads on shorter stems.

Good luck!
Ellen

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Getting Rid of Groundhogs

How does one get rid of groundhogs?

Sheila from Flint, Michigan

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Ideas for Surplus Herbs

This year my herb garden is doing well. I have a nice amount of peppermint and oregano. I have dried some for tea and cooking spice. However I don't want to let the rest go to waste. Any ideas for dried peppermint recipes, and holiday gifts? I'm hoping my lavender comes in this abundant too. Thank you!

Ginger from Walnutport, PA

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Recommendations For Seed Companies

I am looking for recommendations on what catalogs or companies are good to buy seeds from.

Joyce from Danvers, MA

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What Is This Plant?

What is this plant? It suddenly sprouted up in our backyard by the pool. My kids were eating sunflower seeds out by the pool a while ago, could it be a sunflower seed plant? Thanks!

Hardiness Zone: 11


Debbie from Phoenix, AZ

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Orchid Leaves Are Rotting

I have several orchids and most of them are doing great. I have one though that one entire leaf turned almost black and mushy and fell off. Now the same thing is happening to the other leaves along the edge of the leaf - a darkening and softening. Other orchids are fine. What could this be?

Sally from Charleston, WV

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Composting At An Apartment

Can I use a Rubbermaid barrel for a compost pile? I rent my apartment and the owner doesn't want any contraptions.

Hardiness Zone: 6a


Joyce from Danvers, MA

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What Is This Plant?

I've received this pineapple plant one year ago. It's growing a new pineapple plant from all of it's eyes, and on the top side growing another small pineapple. Until now I still don't know what the name is of this kind of plant. I just called it a unique "Pineapple" Plant. Maybe you can help me to find out what the real name is for this plant.

Hardiness Zone: 11


Eddy from Surabaya, Indonesia

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Worms Eating Tomatoes

We seem to have a worm that has decided it likes out tomatoes. What can I use to get rid of it. It's eating too many! I can't do anything poisonous because I have dogs in my yard. Help!

Robin from Washington, IA

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Problems With Hibiscus Plants

I have recently potted two hibiscus plants in my balcony. The one with the pink flowers has not given a single bud in 3 weeks. Also the leaves of this plant have holes in them. What can I do to prevent the holes?

The yellow one gives one flower in a week. Three days back it had some 5 new buds, but the very next day all the buds had suddenly disappeared. What can be causing this?

Hardiness Zone: 11


Neet from Mumbai, IN

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What is this plant?

I bought a plant at a local nursery and noticed that this plant was growing with it so I separated them. Unfortunately I do not know what this is. The white flowers turn to green clusters then the berry like balls turn a black color. I would like to know what it is and if it will harm my cats.

Hardiness Zone: 9b

Alma from Corpus Christi, Texas

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Recycled Paper Pots

This is in response to the post about making recyclable plantable paper. I have been thinking about taking that idea a step farther and making little flower pots from recycled paper with seeds in them. Do you think they would still sprout if the whole pot was planted? Also, any ideas about an eco-friendly additive that would help them keep shape?

Hope someone can help!

Manijeh from Portland, OR

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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.

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Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml