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Vol. 4, Num. 30, July 23, 2009 (Read It Online) We have lots of great gardening tips and photos this week. Thanks for all the great submissions. Be sure to give a "thumbs up" to tips and photos you like, your ratings are used to pick contest winners. We also have an interesting article by Ellen Brown about Helping Garden Pollinators. If you have a gardening tip or photo to share, feel free to submit in on one of the contest pages. The hot summer months are upon us, if you have any tips for protecting outdoor plants from harsh summer heat, please share them. Thanks for reading, The ThriftyFun Team
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I have had the best time and discovered that I really enjoy this. I made up my own structure for the garden by layering peat moss, potting soil, and mulch. I then placed my plants. Imagine my surprise when it all came back this year. Everything I plant just thrives in the fertile layers. This has been a most rewarding experience. By garay from Springhill, Tennessee
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Rate It: Garden: Old Water Pump Decoration This is an old fashioned pump that my Mom has in her yard.By Mythi from Poulsbo WA
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Rate It: Ripen homegrown tomatoes on a rubber shelf liner. We bought our house 2 years ago and the woman that lived here before me left her rubber shelf liners. I hated the stuff, but also hated to throw it away. I came up with this idea. The rubber cushions the tomatoes and the holes let air circulate around them. It also keeps the tomatoes from sitting in juice from a weepy tomato. You can also put towels, newspaper or paper towels under the rubber liner to soak up the juice from the weepers. When it gets dirty, just throw it in the washing machine with a little bleach. Happy Summer bounty everyone! By Jessie Lou from Wooster, AR
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Rate It: They were only 2 topsy turvy planters left to buy at the store. After purchasing them, I had an idea, plus I wanted to plant more than 2 tommy toe tomato plants. What I did was cut a small hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket (most have a small circle already to use for a template) and used a dishwashing sponge to keep the plant from falling back through and gently filled with potting soil.T his idea works as good as the store bought planter. Good Luck and have a nice day. By Michael from Guntersvile, Alabama
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Rate It: Keep your garden beds well watered and fertilized for all season colour. By Grayce from Toronto, Ontario
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Perk up that bare kitchen window with a sweet potato vine. Place a sweet potato in a vase or glass, holding it up with three toothpicks so it doesn't fall to the bottom of the vase. When it sprouts, the sprouts will grow straight up until their weight causes them to fall over. You will have to fasten them with string or yarn to get the runners to go where you want them to grow. Be sure to keep it watered. They will grow wherever you direct them. I had one in my office and it went up in the corner and around the side of the room, and then I directed it back the way it came. I've been told the runners could be planted so you could grow your own sweet potatoes, but I've never tried that. Also, it is educational for little children to see it grow. Source: My mother had a sweet potato vine in our kitchen window in 1939, and many times after that. By Clynnaltemus from Inglis, FL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf87803346.tip.html
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Rate It: Added leftover coffee grounds to my tomato plants and wow, they are growing gigantic! By lrrn567 from Bristol, CT Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf63517641.tip.html
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Rate It: Helping Garden Pollinators
Without pollinators, many of the fruits and vegetables we plant in our gardens would be impossible to produce. Scientists around the world are telling us that pollinators are currently in a serious state of decline due to loss of habitat, pesticide use, and disease. As gardeners, we can help. Here are some things you can do to create a pollinator-friendly garden. A Global Perspective We know that pollinators are important to our backyard gardens, but what about their importance worldwide? Consider that nearly 90% of the world's flowering plants depend on animal and insect pollinators. And according to the Pollinator Partnership, as many as 80% of the world's crops depend on pollination for fertilization. Many of the food, beverages, textile fibers, spices, and medicines we make from plants could not exist without the help of pollinators. How to Create a Pollinator Friendly Garden
Plant native plants: Native pollinators rely heavily on native plants for food. Will they visit and pollinate cultivated plants? Usually. But many non-native flowering plants, shrubs, and trees are bred to have big showy blooms at the expense of producing large amounts of pollen. Also, native pollinators don't always recognize the food value of cultivated plants, because they don't have an established history with them. Besides providing nectar and pollen-producing flowers, native plants also act as hosts for insect larva, and provide seeds for native birds. For a list of native plants that grow in your area, visit the Xerces Society, an organization dedicated to the conservation of invertebrates. http://www.xerces.org/plant-lists/ Look in your local yellow pages or contact your county extension agency to find nurseries in your area that sell native plants. Focus on diversity: Different flowers attract different pollinators. For example, some flowers have stripes or color variations on their petals that act like a landing strip and guide pollinators toward their nectar. Others have shapes that accommodate long beaks, or flower only at night. Different pollinators are equipped with different tools for collecting and transporting pollen, so growing a diverse group of plants--plants with different shapes, colors, sizes, fragrances, and flowering times-will attract the greatest number of native pollinators. Provide water and shelter: Like all animals, pollinators need access to fresh water and places to feed and raise their young. Use a birdbath or shallow pool containing rocks to provide pollinators with fresh water. A quick Internet search will provide you with free plans for bird houses, bat houses, and nesting bungalows for native bees. Let a corner of the yard go to native grasses, weeds, and wildflowers to provide shelter for pollinating insects like ants, moths, and beetles, and a patch of bare sandy soil to accommodate underground bees. Locate these sites away from patio areas and places where children frequently play. Avoid using chemicals: Pesticides and herbicides are a pollinator's worst enemy (and harmful to other beneficial insects as well). Garden organically and consider an integrated pest management system to control pests. If you do use pesticides, please apply them when they will be the least disruptive to pollinators (usually after dusk for insect pollinators). Know your garden pollinators: It's important to know who your garden pollinators are so you can plant the type or flowers that attract them. List Of Common Garden Pollinators
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Rate It: Citrus Peels to Keep Cats Out of Plants My sweet kitty just loves when I dig up the dirt to plant my flowerbeds and thinks that she's discovered a new litter box! After trying other methods: sprinkling in hot pepper (nope), cayenne pepper (nope), even adding clam shells into the soil (nope), I tried this. I heard that animals don't like citrus and so after making orange-lemonade (3 oranges, 3 lemons and sugar to a gallon, YUM). I slivered up the peels and sprinkled them around in my flower bed, under petals so they didn't show. You may also even add soil to empty citrus fruit peel halves and plant some small flower seeds and use them as pots! It worked! No more kitty visits! I ended up doing the same around my vegetable garden fencing since a groundhog started making his rounds there soon after! Hope this helps all my creative friends out there! :D By AHA! from Sterling, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf32574072.tip.html
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Does anyone know what this bird is? We photographed it in Kensington Park in London last month. His feet look like they are feathers. but he swims like a duck. By willsmaw from Gilbertsville, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf13216019.tip.html
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Rate It: Has anyone tried those upside down tomatoes? How do they work and taste? I also think that this method would work for herbs since you can move this thing around to meet the sun. What do you think? Hardiness Zone: 8b By sue123 from Northern CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf61112152.tip.html
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Rate It: Cats Using Flower Garden as a Litter Box Please help, my neighbour's cat is using my garden as a litter box. I've cleaned it once but the cat returned. If I put moth balls out will this keep the cat out or will the cat eat them? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17521470.tip.html
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Rate It: Getting Rid of a Black Snake in Duct Work When I walked into our kitchen this morning, there was a 3-ft black snake on the floor. I tried to chase it out the door, but it slithered down the register into the duct work. Now it is in the ducts. I closed all the registers, but can't leave them closed forever. What can I do? Thanks. By Justjuan from St. Louis, MO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf93792884.tip.html
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Rate It: Help. I have a loaded fig tree, but the ants seem to get into them. I was told this was good for pollination, not so good for my eating pleasure. Any suggestions? Hardiness Zone: 10a By Eladann from Palm Springs,CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95802900.tip.html
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Rate It: I tried replanting "sea" or beach roses as the can be known as. Rosa Rugosa I believe is the other name. It doesn't look like they may make it, is there anything I can do? Also, I would like to transplant others that have sprouted from the originals. How do I do this? Hardiness Zone: 7a By Mariebal from ma Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30587599.tip.html
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Rate It: Why are my zucchini shriveling up, when they are small? Hardiness Zone: 6a By kjdaly from Ferndale, MI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30303544.tip.html
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Rate It: Planting a Two to Three Season Flower Garden We just moved a shed out and now I have a bare 9x13 spot that I'd like to make into a flower garden. I want to plant flowers that will follow one another through 2 or 3 seasons, but I can't seem to find any help or plans online. I'm probably not using the right search terms, but I'm at a loss as to what search terms to use or where to look. Anybody have any ideas? No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced. By Thursday_next from IN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf90468856.tip.html
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Rate It: Plants That Like Coffee Grounds Which plants like coffee grounds? Hardiness Zone: 8b By JM Skinner from Jax, FL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30819459.tip.html
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Rate It: I planted Crape Myrtle plants last year and this year they haven't bloomed? What to do? Hardiness Zone: 7a By dmorningbird from OK Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf23977438.tip.html
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Rate It: What type of potting mixture do I replant Xmas Cactus cuttings in after they've rooted? Can I leave them in water? By elyag from Rochester, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82738933.tip.html
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Rate It: How do I get rid of little bugs that look like a fruit fly in my houseplants? By Mitch88 from Ontario, Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf949883.tip.html
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Rate It: Tomato Plants Not Producing Fruit My tomato plants are blooming, but no tomatoes are forming. Hardiness Zone: 7b By bluehen from TN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf48516325.tip.html
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Rate It: I need a natural Skunk repellent. By malbennana from Lewistown, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf80677862.tip.html
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Rate It: How do I make a Hummingbird feeder? By playa from Houston, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14702085.tip.html
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Rate It: Caring for a Burning Bush Plant My Burning Bush shrub has turned red and the bush is dying. The four other burning bushed are fine. What could have happen? By kashst from Shelby Twp. MI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf489731.tip.html
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Rate It: I have some medium size clay pots. I am wondering what I can do with these for outside. They don't have any bottoms for them to catch the water. Any ideas? Thanks. By Donisue from MO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40677599.tip.html
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Rate It: When do wild finch babies typically leave the nest? How many times a year do pairs mate? By melodyd1 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf33436268.tip.html
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Rate It: How do you make Baltimore Oriole liquid food? By Roberezend from Bob Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19082518.tip.html
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Rate It: Using Baking Soda as Weed Killer What is the mixture of baking soda to water to use as weed killer? By w.s.acabs from Springfield, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf62722478.tip.html
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Rate It: Weeping Cherry Tree Has No Leaves I planted a weeping cherry tree 2 months ago. All the leaves fell off after planting. I have little shoots coming out at the bottom of the trunk but nothing but bare branches at the top. It looks almost like it is dead. Any suggestions for what to do? I don't want to lose it. Hardiness Zone: 7a By jean1501 from Beachwood, NJ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf36642339.tip.html
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Rate It: We have a tomato plant on our deck, hanging in an upside down plant hanger. Something has been ravaging it during the night. The leaves are curled and some are chewed with holes. Some are missing altogether. There are droppings on the tomatoes, as well as on the table and deck below, the size of rodent droppings. We know we have raccoon in the area. Would it be safe to assume rodents are to blame? Hardiness Zone: 10a By Pegalootie from Huntington Beach, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf10249675.tip.html
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Rate It: Why won't my rose bush produce roses? The bush comes back very hardy every year, but it fails to have any blooms on it. Hardiness Zone: 6b By Smiles56 from KY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41756450.tip.html
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Rate It: I am new to CA and slowly trying to learn about all the different plants and gardening rules that differ from the northeast. I moved into my house last August and it had a beautiful Jasmine plant going up one of the columns. This spring it went into bloom and was gorgeous. Now the problem, when the flowers were dead I deadheaded the plant. Within days I noticed that a lot of leaves had brown all over them. Is it possible that the milky white substances caused this on the leaves? It looks almost like they are burned. If this did cause the problem, how do I prevent this next time? If I cut all these dead leaves won't the same thing happen? Looking forward to any help you can give me. Hardiness Zone: 9a By Dwutz from Santa Clarita, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47462196.tip.html
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Rate It: Getting Rid of Lily of the Valley I have invasive Lily of the Valley in my flower garden and want to rid of it. Has anyone had success? We have been digging and pulling out the roots, but I don't want to have to do that again and again. Please help. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50417572.tip.html
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Rate It: Killing Wire Grass But Not Lawn or Flowers How do I kill Wire grass (Bermuda) in my yard and flower beds? Seems I recall reading about a product in the form of a spray, that would kill it and not the grass or flowers. I do not recall where I read about it. Can anyone help me please? By Paula Jo Carr from Mebane, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41339463.tip.html
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Rate It: I planted a 6 foot Japanese Stewartia in Spring 09. I live in the Midwest, our soil is clay. Tree has a lot of buds, but there not opening? It is starting to loose some of its leaves. I did use high organic matter when I planted it. I am afraid to over water the tree. How wet am I suppose to keep the soil? Hardiness Zone: 5b By llork1941 from Palos Park, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31571055.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a large Coral Bell plant that I want to transplant. Will it hurt it to be moved and if not, when should I transplant it? Hardiness Zone: 6a By Settler from Springboro, OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf68271596.tip.html
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Rate It: I have been a tomato gardener for years, but living 4 or 5 blocks from the beach, our weather includes your typical "May gray and June gloom," days. As a result even though my plants grow like mad and have tons of flowers, I inevitably get powdery leaf mildew all over them. It then spreads from one plant to another and kills them off before the tomatoes can ripen. I water from below into coffee cans buried at the base of each plant so as to avoid wetting the leaves, but it happens every year anyway. Now I am noticing that something is getting at the tomatoes just as they are ripening and ready to pick. It's mice. My son has seen them and my dog has chased them, but they are doing a number on my fruit nonetheless. I keep an organic garden and don't want to set traps, because I have 2 very curious dogs which have access to my back patio. Does anyone out there have an organic solution to either of my problems? I'm very grateful for any suggestions. By DNapolitan from San Diego, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15158577.tip.html
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Rate It: Getting Rid of Bugs on Pumpkin Plants I have bugs on my Pumpkin plants. Hardiness Zone: 8a By framzie from Las Vegas, NV Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14147149.tip.html
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