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Vol. 3, Num. 20, May 15, 2008 (Read It Online) We have lots of great tips and advice this week. Ellen Brown shares and article about the The Dos And Don'ts Of Buying Trees and Shrubs. We have readers tips about keeping slugs out of your house. And much more. Happy Gardening! Thanks for reading, Susan
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Approximate Time: 30 minutes Supplies:
Instructions:Take a big smooth rock and clean it well, let dry. If the rock is dark, use light colored paints, if light, use dark paints. You could also paint the whole rock one color but make sure it is dry before painting on the design. Then you can paint on anything you want. I chose to put our last name on ours but you can put any thing you like. Paint flowers or other designs around the words. When paint is dry spray with sealer.By Sandy from Bluff City, TN
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Rate It: I like to plant my flowers in pots and use different color combinations. It makes the yard look fun and colorful! By Monica from Gastonia, NC
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Rate It: Spring has finally sprung in Vermont. These pretty blue flowers are all in a patch on my front lawn. What a joy! By Kate from West Burke, VT
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Rate It: I planted these beautiful yellow flowers in 1999 when I got the news that my brother-in-law had cancer and was not going to survive. Every year when they bloom, I reflect back on the ones I have lost in my life. I added the American Flag last year when my son-in-law left for Iraq. Thankfully, my son-in-law is on his way home this week. By Karen from Thomasville
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Rate It: The little farmers are gourds, painted in the colors you want you can get both straw hats or you can crochet them, which ever you like. The hay bale is styrofoam covered with raffia and I put craft wire for looks. I used the balls that fall out of oak trees, painted them to look like pumpkins, got a couple black birds and glued them on and came out with a pretty neat set. By Sheri from Stockton, CA
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Rate It: Be Patient And Prepared For Photo Opportunities Keep a camera near the door and use a lot of patience to get shots of your feathered friends. This little fella posed for me for about ten minutes. He even turned for a profile shot when I asked him to. Certainly made my day.By Travis from Columbus, OH
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Rate It: Hubby started his raised veggie garden. Since we don't have enough sun or DIRT to do a big garden, here is his way to help fight food costs. Well, maybe $1.00 each for radishes isn't saving us anything yet, LOL but maybe the cost will go down as he learns how to garden. Time to start the Victory Gardens of WWII Radishes, green onions and sweet yellow wax peppers, he thought were bell peppers. Bless his heart. By Great Granny Vi from Moorpark, CA
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Rate It: Gardening: Vertical Planting Pouches Have you seen the pouches at the gardening centers that have small opening in them and appear to be made from heavy plastic? You plant flowers in the openings and when it gets filled out you have a virtual waterfall of plants.I made some of these that look exactly like them. They are made from tarps. I sewed them on my sewing machine. I used the grommet to attach my handle but you could sew it on as well. They are approximately 17 inches high and 7 inches across. You can square off the bottom if you wish (like it is on a brown paper bag). By making your own, you can make it the size you want and put in as many plants as you wish. These are shown with no cuts because I am trying to decide what plants to put in. But to make the openings, just take a utility knife and make an X for the openings. By Elaine from Iowa
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Rate It:
The Dos And Don'ts Of Buying Trees and Shrubs
Trees and shrubs are a great way to add real value to your landscape. Because they have a lifespan that can potentially outlast you and your house, it pays shop smart. A failure to plan can spell disaster down the road-for your trees and shrubs, and for your pocketbook.
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Rate It: Plant Corn, Beans and Squash Together In the Three Sisters Garden, Native Americans grew pole beans, corn, and squash all together. How do you grow pole beans on corn. Growing pole beans on corn stalks is a matter of timing. After all danger of frost has passed in your area, create a mound of soil 10 inches high and 3 feet in diameter. Choose a tall corn variety, such as 'Country Gentlemen'. Flatten the top of the mound and plant 7 sweet corn seeds in the center, spacing the seeds about 4 inches apart. After 2 weeks or when the corn plants are at least 10 inches tall, sow 6 pole bean seeds in a circle 6 inches away from the corn plants. Keep the mound weeded and watered. When the pole beans are a few inches tall, train them to climb by gently wrapping the shoots around the corn stalks. Once started, the beans will continue to climb on their own. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf28766072.tip.html
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Rate It: Question:Does mowing your Irises after they've bloomed cause them to not bloom again the next year? I'm not much of a gardener, which is probably obvious. We've had them planted for several years, and they bloomed pretty well for the first 2-3 years. My husband then mowed over them the last couple of years (after their blooming season), and now very few have bloomed back. Is there anything we can do now to help?Hardiness Zone: 7a Leah from Shelbyville, TN Answer:Hi Leah,Mowing them is fine after they are done blooming, but it is always best to wait until late in the season so the foliage has ample time to store nutrients for next year's bloom. Tell your hubby to hold off or even skip it this year and see if they come back strong next year. If not, then you need to look at other possible causes. When irises fail to bloom it is usually due to nutrient deficiencies, inappropriate watering, incorrect planting depth, or overcrowding. In your case, you mentioned that your irises bloomed well for the first 2-3 years, but have failed to come back strong since. Have you divided them in the past few years? In not, I suspect they are in need of some breathing room by now. After a period of 2-3 years, irises start to grow into clumps and become overcrowded. They won't bloom well again until you give them a bit of breathing room. Another cause to consider is whether a few years of mowing over them have buried the rhizomes under a bit of lawn mower mulch. If these are bearded irises, they should be sitting in the soil so the tops of the rhizomes are at or only very slightly below the soil's surface. If planted too deeply, you will see foliage, but no flowers. Ellen Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf36669626.tip.html
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Rate It: Getting Rid of Weeds To Plant Ground Cover Question:Can you tell me, do I have to remove the roots of weeds or can I just cut them down? I had spent hours breaking my back last yr digging up the weeds out of my flowerbeds and cannot bear to do it again, now with neck problems etc.I would like to get it all out and plant ground cover, as the front beds are empty except the weeds. We are going to be moving and I don't want to leave it looking so bad. We cannot purchase any other supplies or services at this time. Thank you for your help. Hardiness Zone: 7a Breighdi from Statesville, NC Answer:Breighdi,Are you moving soon? If so, I'm afraid the fastest way out of this situation involves manually digging out the weeds. If you have some time (up to several weeks), you might try covering the beds with some black plastic (garbage bags would work fine). The plastic will prevent light and moisture from reaching the weeds. It will also intensify heat from the sun and trap it under the plastic, which will act to slowly cook the weeds. How long it will take to kill the weeds underneath the plastic will depend on how much sun the beds receive each day, and how long you can leave the plastic on before you feel like you have to replant. You can speed up the whole process if you pour boiling water over the weeds before you cover them, or torch them first with a flame-weeder. The potential for weeds to come back still exists after this process (from dormant weed seeds or deeply buried roots), but it should give new plantings enough time to take hold before the weeds return. Avoid spraying the beds with chemicals (including home remedies like vinegar) since you plan to replant a ground cover right away. Even so-called "safe" chemicals may temporarily alter the soil chemistry and negatively affect soil microorganisms in such a way that new plantings will have trouble taking hold. Good luck! Ellen
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Rate It: Looking For Cream Amaryllis Bulbs Q:I am looking for a cream amaryllis bulb to purchase. Does anyone know where I might find one?Hardiness Zone: 9a Dusty from St. Martinville, LA A:Hi Dusty,This is where I get zone envy. Solid cream-colored amaryllis bulbs may be difficult to find. I've seen several described with color combinations that include cream, but none described as solid cream. You may want to consider a white colored amaryllis as another option. Few of these are actually "pure" white, but lightly veined with colors like pink or green, which give them an off-white appearance. This one called "Jewel" from bloomingbulbs.com is considered white, but the flowers are actually white with a tint of orange, which gives it more of a creamy look. Two other "white" varieties to look out for include Picotee and Lemon Lime. Here are some other places on the web that sell several varieties. If nothing else, give them a call or send them an email to see what they have in stock. Amaryllis Bulb Company
The Nursery at TyTy
Good luck on your quest. Ellen Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74008494.tip.html
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Rate It: Weddings are expensive. A garden setting should be the least of your problems. I am planting a wedding garden today for $40. My daughter, Amy, is getting married in my back yard in August and I need masses of flowers for her special day. Plugging in nursery stock is not the answer, as it is too expensive and too hot in August for tender bloomers to survive the transplant process. It's the beginning of May. I have 14 weeks to get my seed planted, germinated, and up and blooming. I am using all white since it is an evening wedding with quick blooming cosmos, alyssum, zinnia and verbena. Total cost of the seed? $40. First things first, though. The house is washed, the paint touched up. I did these chores early so I won't be trampling the seedlings later. The garden is tidied of early spring bloomers such as Shirley poppy, Baby Blue Eyes and forget-me-nots. The shrubs trimmed and perennials deadheaded. The soil is dug deep with compost. Then my seeds will be sprinkled on the surface with just the lightest cover of amendment. It is all about water now until the seeds germinate. I am expecting a garden full of white flowers in 60 days. Source: Cindy McNatt, Homebody blogger at the Orange County Register. By wedding gardener at homebody.freedomblogging.com from Orange County
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Rate It: A frugal way to start those seeds is to save your paper (not styrofoam) egg cartons! Just add potting soil to each cup, plant the seed, and water. When ready to plant, tear each cup apart, and plant in the garden! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf69763612.tip.html
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Rate It: I keep finding slugs that come into my house at night. Help! Advice from the ThriftyFun community. Post your own slug prevention tips here. A Pan of BeerIf you can find out where they are coming in try putting some beer into a shallow dish or pan and place it at their entry point. Slugs and snails love beer! (And they die happy.)By Seagrape A Line of SaltA good way to keep slugs out of your house is to lay down a line of salt all the way around your house and especially the door openings (they can squish themselves down and get through tiny spaces). The salt will kill them if put it on them directly, and if they crawl across the line of salt, it gets all over them. Have you ever stepped on a slug barefooted? I HAVE! eeeeeeewwwwww! Also, a shallow pan of beer under plants and outside of doors will attract and kill them too.By Glenda Rough Edges Deter SlugsI read somewhere once that any rough edges will deter slugs, like crushed egg shells around the exterior of your house, they won't cross the line as it cuts into their bodies and they turn away. Rotten granite is good and pretty too, use it in flower gardens if you have any that border your house and then they don't invade your gardens either. Slugs are creepy creatures even if they do have a place in the natural cycle of things. I doubt that cycle needs to include our homes. Good Luck.By Barbie Copper TapeYou can buy rolls of copper tape at the DIY store; we have used it successfully this year to keep slugs and snails out of the plant pots on the patio and also we put a strip along the threshold of the lobby where the slugs were getting in. It definitely worked as we had none in the lobby for ages until our new puppy chewed up the tape and now they are getting in again! Looks like I am off to the DIY store again!By Heather More About Salt... and CopperI know salt has already been suggested, but I thought I would add another thought to it. Since you can see the trail where they have been, place a light layer of salt down where they have left their trails. The salt will actually kill them because it dries them up - like almost instantly. I'd suggest sweeping the floor before the kids get up.Also, the copper is a very good idea. What actually happens is when they crawl across it it creates an electrical type reaction and they literally zap themselves crawling across the copper. By TonyaG Salt Worked for UsMy boyfriend and I are having the same problem - slugs in the kitchen overnight. I woke up the during the night and found eleven crawling over my floor, that is after having already picked up 4 when I had come in late from work that same night. We have put a line of salt along the wall that they seem to be emerging from and - touch wood - have had no more late night visits.By Michaela SealantI have the same problem with slugs. The way I stopped them is by putting a layer of sealant (clear rubber) round the edge of the back door where they were coming in, presto, no more slugs.By Laylabug007 Nail Varnish RemoverNail varnish remover works the same as the beer but better, we found this out by chance when we ran out of beer. It kind of burns them up from the inside, not for the squeamish.By Lou Editor's Note: Be sure that you have no pets or small children around if you are placing any chemicals on the floor, even beer. Oyster ShellA new one I heard on the radio this weekend for getting rid of slugs is oyster shell. You can buy it at a feed store. Sprinkle it where you think they are getting in. One thing about slugs is that they leave a trail, follow it back to where they are getting in the house.Seal Up Holes And Cultivate A Frog PondI once had the same problem maybe 3 a night in a house I had bought, I sealed up all the gaps on the back wall to the kitchen i could see from outside with that foam sealer stuff and that seemed to work. 8 years, later no visitors. I have moved since and now have a garden. I am a strong believer in having a pond, you will soon have frogs and believe me they love them. Plus with all frog's natural habitats being dug up for new houses these days, you're doing them a favour also. Good luck.By Reader747 Slugs Can Get In Tiny CracksOne night, I stayed up and watched where they came from and went to. I watched one and the big fat bloater could actually squeeze through a crack in between the architrave and the wall no wider than a hair. So I'm slowly but surely reducing the numbers, and I'm narrowing down the holes. Also I found one which has got stuck half way through a tiny crack and died, and had to snap it in half. The thing was full of cat food, as I think they come into our house for this reason as we have it on the floor, in dishes of course.By Danny, Bolton UK Feel free to post your ideas below.
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Rate It: Homemade Spray for Rose Bushes Ingredients
DirectionsShake well. Spray every 8 to ten days. Water well before and after spraying. Don't spray blooms and don't wash spray off. Make new spray each time you spray as the chlorine content will weakenBy Bill from Florida Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35267840.tip.html
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Rate It: Quick And Easy Temporary Kennel Do you wish there was a safe, easy and thrifty way for your pets to enjoy the fine weather? How about an easy up and easy down small kennel? All you need are temporary fence posts, rabbit wire and zip-ties to make your own cat and critter kennel. Temporary fence posts can easily be sunk into ground that has few rocks using only your feet or a mallet. Temporary fence posts are made for construction areas to quickly, easily and cheaply put up fences. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60658498.tip.html
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Rate It: Ask Your Cafe For Used Coffee Grounds Many cafes will give out quantities of used coffee grounds for your garden for free! Our local Borders does this and it is wonderful for the garden, esp. acid loving plants like azalea, lilac, hydrangea, etc. :) All you have to do is ask! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41111901.tip.html
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Rate It: Cleaning Gardening Pots Before Replanting Always scrub out last year's pots with a slight bleach solution to kill any fungus, blight or other diseases that may have accumulated in your pots from last years use. After soaking in a slight bleach mixture, make sure you wash extremely well in HOT water to get rid of the bleach. Then when you plant your new plants they are at less of a risk of picking up disease. This is especially important in container gardening. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf51966338.tip.html
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While repairing a lawn with patch seed, we noticed small yellow jackets coming out of the ground. How can we get rid of the underground nests now, without interfering with the new growth of our lawn. Help! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf565234.tip.html
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Rate It: Landscaping Ideas with Recycled Clay Roof Tiles I want to recycle quite a lot of clay roof tiles for use in my landscape. Any ideas? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26989190.tip.html
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Rate It: Looking For Yellow Shrub The Flowers Through Summer I Live in the Northeaster part of the country and I am looking for a shrub, preferably yellow that flowers all Summer. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97077064.tip.html
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Rate It: Identifying Male And Female Avocado How do you know if you have a male or female avacoda seed to grow? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf42589219.tip.html
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Rate It: My lilac bushes do not have too many flowers this year. When is the proper time to prune? Perhaps I trimmed too much last year. I try to keep them from growing too large and out of control. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf94960812.tip.html
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Rate It: Is it necessary to dead head dianthus? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74669856.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a tomato plant and several other flowering plants. They are just doing terrible. I am new to Florida and perhaps my growing experience is not suitable for this climate? I even planted 10 different seeds under clear plastic and am having no luck there either. Help please? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82882231.tip.html
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Rate It: What Can You Plant by Zucchini? What can you plant next to zucchini? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf90346400.tip.html
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Rate It: Advice For Reviving A Clematis Should I pardon this clematis? I have a clematis which has been on this trellis since we moved into our home over ten years ago. Every spring I am surprised that it has even survived because it never looks all that healthy to me. You can see that the top of the plant looks healthy and has many buds on which will soon bloom, but the middle areas are woody and unhealthy looking. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf51810545.tip.html
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Rate It: Can Orchids Be Started From Cuttings? Is it possible to start orchids from cuttings? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19440134.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a problem getting Lantana to grow. I have the yellow gold that will spread. Do you have any tips on planting and watering etc? Seems after about a month or two they just die. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95096438.tip.html
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Rate It: My 2 Avocado trees are over 7-8 feet tall and look like they now have tiny yellow flowers and are pollinating. They are next to each other in our back yard and look great. They are 6 or 7 yrs old. Will they start to have fruit soon? How should I treat them? Any info you can give me will be helpful. Thank you. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60147582.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a raised, bricked flower bed running a partial length of our house. It is 15' long and 1.5' wide and sits in partial to full shade. It faces the street, so I'd like to plant something eye-catching, that might provide continuous color. I'm okay with planting a few annuals to add to the look, but would really like some suggestions for perennials to anchor this area. Thanks so much for your help! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73769929.tip.html
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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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