|
|
|
Hello,
Today we have Gardening Q and A with Ellen Brown once again. If you have any gardening question for Ellen and ThriftyFun Community please submit them at the link below:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/add.ldml
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Enter The Photo Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Enter The Tip Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml
Frugal solutions to everyday problems: Submit a request...
http://www.thriftyfun.com/add.ldml
This newsletter contains:
Today's Sponsors
Manage your money simply and quickly. Inexpensive budget planning software.
http://www.mybudgetplanner.com/partner/thf/mbpmain.htm
New Contest - More Prizes
We are giving away 17 $25 prizes in a variety of categories.
Tip Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml
Photo Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/photo_contest.ldml
Contest ends October 31, 2005
Gardening Q and A
Q: Is there a way to discourage squirrels from feasting in my garden? They have eaten every apple on my three trees.
Diane
A: Diane,
This is a tough problem. Other than tying a cat or dog out to guard your tree, your best line of defense is trying to discourage squirrels from climbing it in the first place. Here are a few suggestions:
Attach a 2-3 ft wide metal collar/baffle around the trunk about 6 ft. up from the ground. Use one that is fastened with springs to allow for expansion as the tree trunk grows.
If possible, remove branches less than 6 ft from the ground and those that come within 6 ft of other trees or buildings.
If squirrels are using a telephone or cable wire to access you tree, you can slip a plastic disk or some 10-inch PVC tubing over the wire to prevent squirrels from crossing it. CAUTION: DO NOT do this to power lines! It's very dangerous!
I have a flowering crab tree in my backyard. I feed birds from feeders in my front yard. For the past 5 years I have offered the squirrels and chipmunks a pan of black-oil sunflower seeds a few feet away from the feeders at the base of another tree. So far this has successfully kept them from raiding the rest of my feeders and my apple tree. I haven't noticed any increases in their population, but I admit there may be other forces at work-a large predatory bird population and (unfortunately) several neighborhood cats on the prowl.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Q: The older the collard plant, the smaller the leaves. I planted a collard plants this spring. Can I get the fall season out of it by cutting it down to the ground? My location is Dallas, TX.
Thanks for your input,
Cookwie
A: Cookwie,
You can certainly try it, but it really depends on how much the plant has already produced for you. You're right, though, this late in the season the leaves will definitely be smaller. As long as the plants haven't flowered, they may continue to sprout leaves from the sides of the stem. Cut the plants back when they are about half grown, and when harvesting take only the lower leaves to keep the plant growing and producing more leaves. Because of your location, you probably still have time to sow new seeds for a second season fall crop (50-60 days to adult plants) if you plant them now.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Transplanting a Weeping Cherry Tree
Q: I have a weeping cherry tree that was transplanted from the front of my house to the back yard 2 or 3 years ago. I would like to bring it back to the front and was wondering when would be a good time to move it or would it be wise not to do so?
Thank you.
Bee
A: Bee,
Transplanting trees always causes a certain amount of stress. To reduce the potential shock to your cherry tree, transplant it during dormant periods-usually late fall or winter. This is a time when root growth slows significantly or even stops, so shock from transplanting is significantly reduced. You can also transplant in early spring just as the buds are beginning to swell-a week or so before root growth resumes.
Transplanting trees is just like planting them. Measure the diameter of the tree's trunk and multiply that number by 18. That will give you the diameter of your root ball. Dig down (slanting slightly inward toward the trunk) to a depth of 12-24 inches. Remove the tree and place it into a pre-dug hole at a straight angle. As you fill in the hole, tamp the soil lightly and add water every so often to remove any air pockets around the roots. The fill should consist of 70% original soil and 30% high quality compost and garden/top soil combined. Leave up to 1/3 of the top of the root ball above ground, water well and mulch with 2 inches of wood chips or cocoa shells. Leave a 3-4 inch space between the mulch and the trunk.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Q: This summer I purchased a confederate jasmine plant and it has done wonderful... green with wonderful fragrant white flowers and has grown up the trellis winding around it every day.
My question is, do I leave this plant alone now that the cooler weather will be here or do I cut it down?
Thank you in advance for your information.
Regards,
Joesgirl
A: Joesgirl,
I'm not sure what zone you are in (I'm assuming 7B or higher), but in general, if your jasmine plant is well-established, no special treatment is required except for any trimming you need to do to keep it in bounds. You can fertilize it lightly next spring if leaf growth starts to look yellowish rather than the normal shiny light green. If you live in a cooler climate and your plant is in a pot, bring the jasmine plant indoors as cooler temps move in and place it in an area receiving bright light with nighttime temperatures of around 55°F.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Good Potting Soil for Vegetables and Flowers
Q: Next Spring, I would like to sell a number of seedlings at a flea mart type setting. What would be a good all-around potting soil mix for vegetables and for floral type plants? I'd like to make it from scratch.
Thank you.
Mary McLuckie
A: Mary,
Here are two good potting soil recipes you can make from scratch:
Good All-Around Homemade Potting Mix
This mix should get your vegetable and flower seeds started and grow your seedlings to a sale-ready size:
Half screened compost and half vermiculite, or 2 parts garden soil, 2 part screened compost and 1 part builder's sand. Although some might suggest using milled sphagnum moss in place of the screened compost, I don't recommend it. The mining of sphagnum moss is starting to raise environmental concerns. As a product of wetland ecosystems, sphagnum moss can't really be considered a renewable resource at the level at which it is harvested from bogs and swamps to satisfy horticultural demands.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Q: I have two rather large trumpet vines. One of them has an abundance of flowers while the other one has never had even one flower on it. The one without "trumpets" on it is also a lot larger. The vine that has the trumpets (flowers) is also the only one that ever has seedpods on it. Is it possible that one is a male plant and the other one is female?
Sue
A: Sue,
Trumpet Vines are hermaphrodites (contain both male and female parts) so that isn't the problem. You don't mention whether or not your trumpet vines are planted next to each other so I'm going to assume that they are growing in different spots in your yard. First make sure its basic needs are being met, and if not, move it to a new location. These are beautiful vines that prefer lots of sun and a sheltered (somewhat windless) spot to grow in. They are quite drought tolerant and actually do better in "lean" soil with little or no fertilizer. Many people grow them for years without seeing flowers (they need to be at least 3 years old before they bloom) and eventually lose patience and give up. At times, it seems like some plants need a little "scare" or "kick-in-the-pants" to get going. Consider trying the "hack it, starve it, ignore it" method. Pinching back long stems will encourage flowering because blooms set on new growth. In the spring, cut it well back before new leaves emerge, don't fertilize it and threaten to get the shovel if it doesn't start producing. Now ignore it and see what happens.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Q: Help please. The bees have invaded our grapes and are destroying them. The vines are so full of all kinds of bees eating my fruit.
A: Thin-skinned varieties of grapes are often susceptible to wasp and hornet damage in the fall. These insects usually create holes where the stem meets the fruit and are actually responsible for the initial fruit damage. Bees, opportunists that they are, then come along and are attracted to the sugary grape pulp. Once they find a source of sugar, they tell their friends and your trouble starts to multiply.
Unfortunately, you also need bees to pollinate your vines for grape production. Bees only live about 6 weeks, so killing them with insecticides doesn't work because more worker bees simply quickly replace the dead bees. The use of any insecticides on your grapes against wasps and hornets would have required applications at pre-harvest intervals and will do little good now that your grape crop is here. My suggestions is two-fold:
1. Search and destroy any nearby wasp or hornet nests. Check the trees, ground and outbuildings on your property.
2. Lure bees away from your vines by planting nectar-producing flowers away from the area your grapes are growing. Plan for blooms all season long-especially during the late summer when your grape crop is coming in (use butterfly attracting plants as your guide). Hanging sugar feeders may also work, but understand that you risk coming into contact with stinging insects while cleaning and refilling them.
Post Feedback: Click Here
More Stuff
Coupon Swap!
Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Seed Swap!
Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Tip Contest!
Submit a tip and enter our contest.
Submit a Request
Frugal solutions to everyday problems.
Search ThriftyFun!
Use Google technology to search ThriftyFun.
Like ThriftyFun on Facebook
