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Hello,
In today's newsletter we have some Gardening Q and A with our Gardening and Green Living expert Ellen Brown. If you have a gardening or green living question for Ellen Brown and the ThriftyFun community, be sure to post it at the link below:
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We are donating $2 for every photo contest entry that is submitted before Sunday at midnight to the emergency relief for children of Niger. You can submit up to 5 Photo Contest Entries day. In Monday's newsletter we will announce how much money we have raised and submit the donation. Thank you to everyone that has taken time to submit an entry already. You can submit up to 5 entries day.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
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Today's Photos
Here is Cokeyo my Chocolate Toy Poodle, DOB August 23, 2004 6 Pounds.
By Chris Michelle Brown
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Patio Garden - Botanical Madness
Using pots is my tip on having a nice patio garden.
By kenton
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Here is a spectacular hors d'oeuvre for any fancy occasion. I took this picture at my friends wedding. My best friends little sister Rachel made them! They are strawberries with milk chocolate and white chocolate coating (suiting).
By Stella
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Today's Tips
Q: Does anyone know if a Hoya plant should be kept in a small or larger pot? Also, should they be kept moist or dry? I've had a Hoya for over 10 years and it has never bloomed.
Thanks,
Eleanor
A: Eleanor,
Hoya plants generally prefer to be kept root bound. A rule of thumb is not to repot them until its unavoidable. Water them enough to soak the root mass, and then let the upper 1/3 to upper 1/2 of the pot dry before watering again. Water them liberally in summer and only in amounts to prevent leaves from shriveling in the winter. Hoya plants like well-drained, slightly acidic soil, warm temperatures and high-humidity-near saturation. They also prefer higher levels of potassium to bloom. When kept indoors in centrally heated and cooled rooms they will rarely bloom. Place them outside in partial shade (under a tree) for the summer to encourage blooming. They should receive at least four hours of direct sunlight, but need to be kept out of noonday sun in order to bloom. Too much shade discourages blooming and too much sun will burn their leaves. Once buds appear the plants should not be disturbed. Also, dried flower spurs should not be removed as next seasons flowers will appear in these same spots.
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Q: When they turn red, something is getting to eat them before me. Now I know some smart gardener out there can help me by telling me what to do so I can enjoy at least one tomato.
Thanks
Laurie
A: Laurie,
There are several possible culprits to the holes in your ripe cherry tomatoes-namely birds or worms. Because you mentioned the holes appear as soon as your tomatoes turn red, you might be sustaining damage from birds. Small, deep holes, 1/4 to 1/2 inches in diameter (with rough, serrated edges) are probably the best indicators you have birds feasting on your ripened tomatoes. One way to prevent this is to slip old pantyhose around the tomato clusters until you harvest them. The birds will not be able to peck through the nylon. You might also consider picking your tomatoes at first blush instead of waiting until they ripen. Just set them in a bowl at room temperature and they'll ripen in a few days to a week. Picking them at this stage will also increase your yields.
Tomato fruit worms, Hornworms and the tiny Tomato pinworms (most common in California) also chew deep holes in the fruits, but if this were the case, you would see visible evidence of the worm's presence and be able to remove them by hand picking.
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Q: How do you get dirt and dust off African Violet leaves? Opal
A: Opal,
There are three effective ways to clean the leaves of your African Violets. One way is to "sweep" the leaves using a feathered paintbrush, soft babies brush or even a feather duster. No matter which of these tools you decide to try, it's best that you designate it for the exclusive use on your Violet's leaves (e.g. don't use a paint brush previously used for painting even if it has been cleaned). A second way it to use canned air like the type used to clean computer keyboards. Be careful not to spray too close to the leaves or you may "freeze" them with the pressurized air. A third way is to simply use a moist, softly textured cloth (like Terry Cloth) and gently wipe away the dust while supporting the leaves in your other hand. Make sure the water is room temperature and soak up any excess with the head of a Q-tip.
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Q: I'm about to plant a cedar hedge. I was told I have to mix some lime into my soil first. Is this true? I live in a zone 4 and already have several cedar trees on the property.
Anne from NB
A: Anne,
Most cedars prefer slightly acidic soils with a pH of 6 to 6.5, but they will still grow well in soils up to 7.5. Overly acidic soil can result in nutrient deficiencies (symptoms are usually browning or yellowing foliage) and lead to the eventual decline of your hedges. Applying dolomitic lime will increase the pH of acidic soil-making it more basic. Because you already have several cedar trees growing successfully on your property, I suspect your soil will work fine for your new hedges. It's worth noting, however, that pH levels in different locations on the same property can be vastly different. To be sure, I would suggest getting your soil tested. You can contact your local county extension agency for specific directions, locate a private lab, or do it yourself. The inexpensive do-it-yourself pH test-kits available at most local garden centers or farm supply stores should work fine.
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Leaves Turning Yellow on a Flowering Crab
Q: I have a flowering crab and its leaves are turning yellow. A tree guy told me it's fungus but he's an amateur so I'm not sure. I'm looking for a way to treat it naturally. Is that possible? Thanks!
A: Without seeing your tree, my guess would be that your tree is suffering from a typical case of Apple Scab. This is a common affliction of apple trees, especially in Eastern parts of the U.S. where warm rainy weather prevails. Symptoms are yellow leaves with brown spots followed sometimes by heavy early defoliation and scabby or "corky" fruit. It is probably too late to do anything about it at this stage of the season, but the fungus over-winters in leaf litter, so make sure to collect fruit and rake up fallen leaves this fall. Prune suckers and branches in the crown to improve air circulation so leaves can dry quickly, as well as your usual annual pruning in late winter or early spring (toss out waste). Spray your tree in the spring with liquid sulfur once flower buds show pink. Repeat 10 days later and when moist, calm weather lingers.
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Keeping Algae from Growing in a Pond
Q: I am desperately looking for a way to stop algae from growing in my small pond with goldfish in it. It is a container pond and I have tried everything. Does anyone have any home remedies?
Thanks in advance,
Michelle
A: Michelle,
Algae multiply rapidly under the right environmental conditions-especially in water containing excess nutrients (phosphate and nitrate) while having access to a lot of sunlight promoting photosynthesis. Effective control requires depriving algae of food and/or light.
Here are a few natural ways to control algae:
Don't overstock your pond with fish. Decomposing organic waste from fish provides a continuous supply of nutrients for algae bloom and string algae. Keep your pond clean by regularly vacuuming the bottom to prevent build up of these nutrients along with frequent partial water changes.
Shade can be supplied with plants such as water lilies and water hyacinth. However, because the pond's primary source of oxygen is at the water's surface, too many surface covering plants can result in low oxygen levels (signaled by gasping fish). You'll need to provide additional aeration and/or reduce the number of fish in your pond if you want to maintain extensive surface-covering plants.
Consider shading the pond's surface with a type of canopy made from shade cloth or lattice. Many aquatic gardeners find this inhibits growth of algae while protecting flowering aquatic plants from excessive sunlight and heat. This method will also protect your koi's colors and protect them from overhead predators.
If all fails, there are a number of algae controlling additives available that are safe for fish and aquatic plants.
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Q: Is there anyone out there that can tell me the easiest way to care for an orchid that has just finished blooming?
Deborah from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
A: Deborah,
After the bloom has dropped off, you may notice the tip of the spike starting to turn brown. Don't cut it off. If you're lucky, your orchid may develop a second bloom within 60-90 days from this same spike. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen so keep watering and fertilizing as normal until you're sure foliage growth has stopped. When the whole spike turns brown, go ahead and cut it off. Most orchids prefer a rest period after blooming. This is so the plant can redirect its energy into vegetative growth. How long it prefers to rest will depend on the variety you're growing. Reduce your application of water and fertilizer during this rest period until you see new foliage starting again (this may be as long as a few months). If you plan to divide your orchids, the correct time to do so is after flowering.
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Q: I have flowers at my cottage and the deer seem to be eating the head off certain flowers. What can I do to save my flowers and not hurt the deer? Can I do something that will deter the deer away from them?
Thanks,
Donna
A: Donna,
Because you already have well-established plantings, barriers or repellants are probably your best strategies. Fences are the best way to keep deer out, but even they don't work 100% of the time. Small gardens can be fenced off with a four-foot high snow fence (deer dislike small, penned-in areas). For larger areas, a six-foot high wire fence (angled away from the yard) will create a physical and psychological barrier that deer will fear becoming entangled in. The fence must have a 30-degree angle to be effective (deer can jump vertical fences 8 feet high).
A more economical approach is to try spraying your flowers and plants with a bad tasting repellant or placing a strong smelling repellant in an area near your garden:
Hang bars of strong smelling deodorant soaps from nearby trees.
Mix 2 eggs and 1 gallon of water and spray directly on flowers and plants.
This may need to be re-applied a few times throughout the season (beware, it smells).
Hang a mesh bag of non-shampooed human hair (ask your local salons or barbers) near garden or scatter it among flowers.
Predator urine, such as coyote, can also be effective and is available at garden and feed stores or online.
Remember though, very hungry deer will eat almost anything!
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Q: I have a spider plant that is outside hanging from a tree. It is doing very nicely this summer and it has a few "babies." How should I plant these?
Thanks in advance,
Marta
A: Marta,
One of the best qualities of Spider plants is that propagating "spiderettes" from the runners (stolons) of the mother plants is easy. Fill a pot full of quality potting mix and select the plantlets you want to propagate. You can use one pot to start all the babies in (dividing them up later) or you can start each plantlet out in its own little pot. Use a hairpin or u-shaped wire to pin each plantlet down into the new soil while still attached to the mother plant. Water the babies while they develop roots in their new locations. Once new rooting has taken place, fresh growth will appear. Now it's safe to snip them off from the mother plant, place them in individual pots and continue to raise them to adulthood. This method also works with strawberry plants. FYI: Tests done by NASA determined Spider Pants are one of the best houseplants for filtering contaminants out of the air.
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Contest ends August 31, 2005
Syndication Spotlight:
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New Requests
I have a number of white cotton t-shirts that have orange and red stains around the sleeves and neck from what I could only imagine is sunscreen. These stains magically "appear" when I wash them. I use ALL Free detergent, borax and vinegar in each wash. Anyone have any ideas on how to get these stains out?
Thanks in Advance!
Rebekah
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Removing Candle Color Stain from White Wood Table?
I have a brand new white (wooden) breakfast table and I placed a 6" PURPLE pillar candle in the center of with a flower ring for decoration when we moved into our new house. When I removed the candle to clean the table a few days later, a purple candle color stain was left in the center. It is not wax, just the color. What can get this stain out?
Cynthia
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I need help finding a treatment that works for cold sores.
Thanks,
Stephanie
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Uses for Parmesan Cheese Containers
I have a couple parmesan cheese containers laying around and thought they would be good to use for something, but I cannot think of anything. Anyone know of any good ideas?
jenjoejace
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Organizing Shoes and Clothing With Limited Space
My family (husband, myself, 4 year old son and a 10 year old daughter) moved into a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with my mother to save money for a house. However, I need ideas on how to organize our shoes and clothes using only two closets and minimal space.
Mrztaylor
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Gluing Aluminum to Asphalt Tile
I recently had a new asphalt tile roof put on my house. I have valleys in the roof and when it rains the water in the valleys becomes a torrent, ignores the gutters and comes off the house like a fire hose.
On the previous roof the shingles did not have a very good adhesive and I was able to put a "V" shaped piece of aluminum under the tiles near the bottom of the valley sticking up about 3" and 2" on each side. This slowed the flow and diverted it to the side of the V. This worked very well.
The new tiles are so tightly glued that they rip if I try to lift them. I want to glue a similar arrangement as above in the valleys and would like suggestions as to what to use to glue the aluminum V's on top of the new asphalt shingles which are covered with stone?
Nick From Connecticut
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Monsoon storms left a fine layer of dirt on the bottom that the vacuum is not picking up. It's a mess! Any ideas?
LeAnne
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I'm looking for at least 2 double rolls of Seabrook wallpaper, pattern #GL1588. It has a white background with red geraniums vining all over in a larger print.
I'm also looking for matching fabrics to go with it, patterns #GG832XF (pink and green coordinate) and #GL1609F (same pattern as wallpaper).
Thanks!
Teresa
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I have to take Oxycodone, I have Fibromyalgia and chronic pain. It works very well for the pain but it makes me itch terribly. If I take benadryl to help with the itching I will surely fall asleep. The non drowsy does not help since the itching is caused by histamines, for some reason opiods make you release histamines. Does anyone have a good remedy for itching. It goes from the top of my head to the tip of my toes.
Valery
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Name Ideas For a Cleaning Business
I am leaving a current cleaning business to start a new one. I need a catchy name and slogan. I am going to make it a personal business with mints on the pillows, very personal. I want to stand out from the average cleaners and appear more selective in my cliental. Thanks for any help.
Brenda
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Every day I have to park my car near a dairy farm. If you've ever been around a dairy then you would know about the overwhelming number of flies. These flies land and perch out on vehicles by the hundreds every day, leaving behind their feces. This is very hard to wash off. Does anyone know how to keep these flies off of your vehicle? Please help if you can.
Thank you,
Jimmy from California
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