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Today's Tips and Articles
Uses for Fireplace Ashes
Question:What is the best way to discard ashes from your fireplace? Is there another use for this ash? Any suggestions are welcome.Thanks,
Answer:Martha,Wood ash has a lot of uses. Here are just a few suggestions.
Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Winter Gardening
By Arzeena Hamir Once the buzz of Christmas has passed, the task of paying off bills can leave many gardeners on a strict budget. Gardeners who need to make frugal decisions at this time of the year can take heart in a number of alternatives that will not only lower the cost of gardening, but will also enhance the pleasure! Here are five steps every budget gardener should follow: View Full Article: Click Here |
Grubs Eating My Tomatoes
Question:I am growing tomatoes but the leaves are going yellow, some of the fruit are splitting and they also look as though they are housing grubs (by the burrowing into the fruit). All suggestions will be gratefully accepted as I am new to growing vegetables.Many thanks, Wendy M. from Hervey Bay, Australia Answer:Wendy,I'm wondering if your tomatoes are cracking and splitting AND THEN becoming infested with some type of grub, or if the grub is causing the fruit to split. In either case, yellowing leaves are a sign of stress. I'll describe some solutions for both cracks and grubs/worms and leave it up to you to try to determine exactly what is going on. Cracks that circle the stem end of ripening fruits or start at the stem end and run down the side, usually appear after a sudden growth spurt caused by an increase in soil moisture after a period where the plant has been too dry. Sometimes after cracks appear, insects can move in. In most cases, working to keep soil moisture levels as even as possible will prevent this. If droughts are common in your area, look for "crack-resistant" varieties to plant. There are several types of caterpillars, worms or grubs that can attack tomato fruits. Tomato fruitworms are one of the most common. Signs include small holes on the surface of the fruit. The larvae of the fruitworm (also called corn earworm) are light yellow, green, pink or brown, with long spines and a lengthwise stripe. Adult moths lay eggs on the leaves of the plants or in the soil around it. The eggs hatch and once the larvae burrow inside the ripe fruit, they feed on it. Eventually it becomes rotted and hollow and collapses like a deflated balloon. Handpicking adult caterpillars and covering your plants with netting or floating row covers to prevent adult moths from laying eggs will help prevent infestations. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Can I plant wisteria pods?
Question:Can I plant wisteria pods or should it just be the seeds?Hardiness Zone: 8a Pat from Justin, TX Answer:Pat, you can just plant the seeds. Nick the seeds just slightly and soak them overnight before planting them. Wisteria like full sun (at least 6 hour a day) and nutrient-rich well-drained soil that is slightly acidic (pH 6.0-7.0). Sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before expected transplant date or directly into the ground after danger of frost has past. Seeds should be planted approximately 1/2 inch deep and because seedlings grow quickly, they should be provided with climbing supports pretty early on. Seeds may take as long as 30 to 60 days to germinate. Wisteria remains in a juvenile state for a long time before reaching maturity. Be prepared to wait as long as 10-15 years or longer before you see any flowers.Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Gardening Resolutions For 2007
By Ellen Brown Each year I come across new ideas for improving my garden the following year. Sometimes I find a new idea for an outdoor project, and other times I discover a way to improve upon an old gardening technique. The problem is, I rarely write the ideas down. By the time the next gardening season rolls around, I can't seem to remember any of my new ideas. Last year I resolved to make a list of resolutions for 2007. Here they are: Take A Proactive ApproachThis year I resolve to take a more proactive approach to my garden. I'm going to spend more time observing my plants so I can head off problems at the first sign of trouble. I'm going to observe and inventory garden insects and record wildlife activity and try to come up with more ways to attract birds, butterflies and beneficial bugs to my garden. I'm also going look for new ways to control weeds. This year I intend to spend more time enjoying my garden and less time weeding.Keep Up My Garden JournalThis is a resolution of mine every year. I always start out with good intentions, but by the time mid-summer rolls around, things get busy and I end up forgetting all about keep up my garden journal. Because I'm part photographer by trade, I'm always diligent about taking pictures of my garden. What I'm not good at is keeping track of new plant varieties that I come across or jotting down things I want to remember for next year. One problem seems to be that whenever I'm inside, my garden journal is in shed and vice-versa. This year I resolve to keep my garden journal next to the shed keys.Share Plants, Swap SeedsOver the years, my perennial garden has evolved into a living tribute to my friends and family. Sure, I've bought plenty of own bedding plants and started lots of plants from seed, but the plants in my garden that I cherish the most are the plants that I've acquired from friends and family. I have lilacs and coral bells from my aunt and uncle's farm, hollyhocks and bleeding heart from my mother, daylilies from a friend and a crabapple tree from a co-worker. Sharing plants and swapping seeds is a great way to share the beauty of your garden and share yourself with others. This year I intend to give away more from my garden.Water More EfficientlyWhile visiting a friend's garden this summer, I discovered a better way to water raised beds. The system she uses was designed by her husband and consists of a simple network of PVC pipes that hooks up to her garden hose. The pipes are customized to fit the exact dimensions of her raised beds so that no water is ever wasted. This year I resolve to devise a similar system for my vegetable garden.Beautify My BoulevardStorm water runoff is a huge environmental concern where I live. I've eliminated all chemicals from my garden and I make an effort to keep the dirt and sand from the street in front of my house from entering the storm drain at the end of my block. This year I resolve to expand my garden to the boulevard in front of my house to help further reduce storm water runoff in my community.What are some of your gardening intentions for 2007? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Double Gloves for Gardening in Winter
Want to keep your hands warm while working outside during these cold winter months? Try this: Put on a pair of thin, disposable latex gloves, BEFORE putting on your usual gardening gloves. Your hands will stay toasty warm for hours. Try it! Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Prevent Invasive Plants From Taking Over
When planting a plant that is liable to take over your garden, it is best to get a small plastic bucket (such as ice cream comes in) and set it into a previously dug hole. Put small drainage holes in the container, then add part dirt mixed with fertilizer and place the plant in the bucket and cover over the roots and enjoy without having the invasive plant spread roots all over your garden. You can use any size container. I love many invasive plants and now can enjoy them. Post Feedback: Click Here |
Moonflower Seeds
Question:My moonflowers have bloomed now, I am wondering when will I start too see the seeds from them. I just want too get them before it freezes here.Hardiness Zone: 5a Joyce from Janesville, WI Answer:Joyce,Moonflower seeds pods are easy to identify. As the flowers fade you will see large purplish-colored pods. Some gardeners like the looks of them and leave them attached to the vines, while other cut them off. To save moonflower seeds, collect the pods once they turn brown and start to crack open. If you're worried about frost before the pods dry out completely, remove them and finish drying them inside. Inside the pods will be hard, cream-colored seeds. These seeds sometimes take a while to dry, so you may want to store them over winter in paper bags to ensure they get some air circulation. In the spring, nick the seeds slightly and soak them overnight in warm water. This will help speed up the germination process before you plant them. Start the seeds indoors for transplanting or sow them directly into the ground once danger of frost is well past. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Lye for Lilacs
Question:How can I get 3-year-old lilacs to bloom next spring? I have heard "work Lye in around them" have any of you heard the same?Hardiness Zone: 7b Paula Answer:Paula,I have never heard of using lye (sodium hydroxide) to get lilacs to bloom. Sodium hydroxide is extremely alkaline and is usually used to neutralize acids. Sodium hydroxides and potassium hydroxides are sometimes used in various hydroponic pH adjusters. Before adding anything to your soil to change the pH, be sure to have it tested first or you could find yourself worse off than when you started. Try to be patient. Your lilac bush is very young. Young lilacs are often coaxed into blooming to sell better at nurseries. Once planted, they often take a break for several years to focus on establishing themselves before blooming again. As long as your lilacs are at least 6 full hours of sun per day, plenty of water and you don't overdo it on the nitrogen fertilizer or prune them improperly, they should bloom for you after taking a few years to become firmly established. If after that they don't bloom, check to see that they aren't planted too deep. If not, consider plunging a sharp spade down into the soil on two sides of the plant, about a foot out from the trunk. Hopefully, that will give them the jolt they need to produce buds for the following year. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Can you use shredded paper as media to grow plants?
Question:Can you use shredded paper as media to grow plants?Hardiness Zone: 5b Marlena from East Berlin, PA Answer:Marlena,Depending on its makeup and absorbency, shredded paper could serve as a useful medium for sprouting seeds, similar to the way a damp paper towel inside a plastic bag works for sprouting seeds. But in terms of using it as a growing medium, the structure of most paper does not allow it to retain moisture long enough to support any real growth. My guess is that certain types of papers may have better potential as a growing medium than others. Paper made from cotton fibers, for example, may have a higher likelihood to retain moisture, but it's still doubtful that it would work very well. This is because one of the properties that makes paper so useful to us is the ability of paper fibers to bond together and form a mat when all the moisture is removed. In fact, the smaller the pieces the easier it is for the fibers to bond together once they dry. Raw paper doesn't contain enough beneficial nutrients to support plant life, but it's still incredibly useful in the garden. It's worth saving for the compost pile and shredded paper could make an almost impenetrable weed barrier, while gradually breaking down and adding organic matter to the soil. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Pruning an Avocado Plant
Question:I have grown an avocado seed and it is 2 years old and approximately 9 feet tall. I have had it outside and need to bring it in for the winter, but it is too tall for the ceiling. Can I cut it back or should I just leave it alone?Thanks,
Answer:Michelle,This is a tough one, as I would hate to see anything slow down a 9 ft. tall avocado tree. I'm not sure how a 9 ft. tall avocado will respond to being pruned. Is it tall and spindly or have you pruned it back before to encourage branching from below? I'm going to assume since it has grown so tall in just two years time that you may have never pruned it before. If you have a fair number of strong, leafy side branches I wouldn't worry about cutting it back far enough to fit it indoors. If the plant consists primarily of one stem, you might want to let the top bend at the ceiling and cut a few of the side branches back to try to encourage more branching. If new branches start to emerge, you can safely cut back the top. You don't say what zone you're in, but if you live in 9b or above you probably won't have to keep it indoors long enough to worry about causing a permanent change in its appearance. As long as there are enough leaves left on the plant to maintain food production and the plant is in good overall health, I wouldn't worry too much about cutting it back. Clearly you have a knack for growing avocado plants. If something should happen to this one as a result of you cutting it back, you might consider keeping any future plants to ceiling height with regular pruning. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Recycling Christmas Trees
By Ellen Brown Over 33 million real Christmas trees are sold in North America every year, and according to the National Christmas Tree Association, 93% of consumers who use real Christmas trees recycle them using some type of community program. Because the week following the New Year's Day holiday is traditionally the time when most Christmas trees are taken down, here are some post-holiday tips for prolonging your tree's usefulness. View Full Article: Click Here |
Dirty Looking Hibiscus Leaves
Question:My Hibiscus leaves on some varieties look dirty (maybe insect dirt) and grayish. Generally unhealthy, like they have been stung or like they have a disease.Hardiness Zone: 9a Jesse from Winter Haven, FL Answer:Jesse,I cannot say for sure what is happening to your hibiscus, but here are a few ideas.
Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Planting Bulbs
Question:When is the best time to plant tulip, lily, crocus and iris bulbs? I ordered about 60 of these bulbs and they said they are fall harvest. Does that mean to plant them in the fall? They are supposed to bloom in the spring, but will the grow during the winter? Will the bulbs be alright in the ground all winter? I've seen lots of iris' around in the spring and they are beautiful, that's what I'm hoping for.Hardiness Zone: 6b Thanks,
Answer:Chas,Tulip and crocus bulbs can both be planted in the fall, lily bulbs and iris tubers in the spring or fall. Iris tubers are planted just below the soil surface (about 2 inches), so if you plant them in the spring, the roots have enough time to get established and you stand less of a chance of losing them due to winter heaving. If you to plant them in the fall, give them plenty of time to establish their roots before winter (July-October). Tulips are planted about 6 inches below the soil surface and look best when planted en masse rather than individually. For crocus bulbs, dig holes 2 to 3 inches deep. If you are planting a lot of crocuses, dig shallow trenches. Leave 2 to 4 inches between bulbs. Plant lilies in groups of three or five bulbs, with each bulb spaced 8-12 inches apart. Space the different groups of bulbs three to five feet apart from each other. Small lily bulbs can be planted two to four inches deep and large bulbs four to six inches deep. All of these bulbs prefer full sun and nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Dry Rot in Trees
Question:We lost a main branch from our tree in the backyard. I found what it seemed like dry rot. I scraped out excess but what can we do to repair e.g. put in a fill to prevent further rot?Jenny from Geelong, VIC Answer:Jenny,Sorry to hear about your tree. The best advice I can give you is to get a licensed tree professional to come on site and survey the damage. Whether or not your tree can or should be saved depends on how important that main branch was to the overall functioning of the tree and how far the dry rot fungus has spread. Once a main branch is done in by dry rot, it's sometimes difficult to stop the spread of the fungus. It may be best to remove additional limbs or more of this limb in order to stop the fungus from growing. Dry rot only spreads when moisture is present. Once the wood dries, the fungus stops growing. The problem is that the new wood inhabited by the dormant fungus has been altered in a way that makes it better at absorbing water. The next time it rains, this wood absorbs an even larger amount of water and the fungus starts to grow yet again. This is an ingenious survival strategy on the fungi's part, but it makes treating dry rot difficult. The truth of the matter is that the crumbly stuff you scraped out is usually what the fungus leaves behind. In other words, the fungus is out in front of the damage you can actually see. Sometimes the white cottony mycelium of the fungus is visible near the area, but other times it is not. I recommend consulting with a licensed arborist if you really want to save the tree or prevent further damage. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Gardening Trends for 2007
By Ellen Brown Once again writers from The Garden Writers Association along with the folks at Garden Media Group have tracked consumer garden purchases for 2006 in order to predict trends for the upcoming year. Here is how gardeners voted with their dollars in 2006 and how that translates into gardening trends for 2007. View Full Article: Click Here |
Fleas in My Vegetable Garden
Question:I have a great little vegetable garden that's 5 square meters. It is full of vegetables, but also seems to be full of fleas. I discovered this when my little puppy became full of fleas despite using Frontline (flea protection). The moment he's been digging in the veggie patch (not with his mothers permission I might add) he comes inside full of fleas.. I wouldn't have known that they were in the soil, had it not been for him. The pet shop told me that it often happens with sandy soil. I don't like the idea of using a spray (the pet shop suggested one) because of the vegetables, but no matter what I do, it seems the fleas win out every time.Does anyone have any suggestions please? Many thanks,
Answer:Hi Wendy,I'm with you on avoiding chemicals on your edibles and around your puppy. A good biological control for most types of fleas is to use beneficial nematodes. These can be sprayed on flower or vegetable gardens with a hand-held sprayer and are safe to use around children and pets. The nematodes work to control fleas by killing them in the larval and pupa stages of their life cycles. Other than that, you could try spraying citrus extracts or orange peels in areas of the garden where fleas seem to be most prevalent or shampooing your puppy regularly with a citrus-based dog shampoo to help repel the fleas he comes into contact with. Make sure to remove any sign of fleas that make it indoors by vacuuming or steam cleaning, and when grooming your puppy, drown any fleas you find in soapy water. Mint, Pennyroyal, Fennel and Tansy are also said to act as insect-repellant plants for fleas. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
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| Confederate Jasmine With Leaves Turning Brown
I have Confederate Jasmine on my fence. It has brown spots on it and the leaves are turning brown and falling off. Can you help? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Planting a Pumpkin Patch
I want to plant one acre of pumpkins, I live in east central ohio. What would be the best soil type, and pesticides needed? Any help or advice would be very appreciated. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Chemical for Weeds
There are too many weeds in my garden. Can you suggest an effective weeding chemical or else, any other suitable suggestion for it? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Pyrocanthus Roots
What sort of roots does a pyrocanthus have? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Natural Cleaner For Tropical Plants
I am looking for a natural cleaner for tropical plants. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Lady Fingers (Flower)
Would anyone know of a flower called Lady Fingers? I have not heard of this for a while. I also can not find them anywhere. Any help would be great. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Planting Carrots
Where is a garden should carrots be planted? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Chili Seeds
I am looking for information about growing chili plants from existing fruit, seed storage and drying to get the seed. Post Feedback: Click Here |
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