Happy Garden - February 26, 2009

Vol. 4, Num. 8, February 26, 2009 (Read It Online) Thank you for all the great gardening photos! If you have a photo of a plant or something else in your garden you are proud of, feel free to post it here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_photocontest.ldml Happy Gardening! Thanks for reading, The ThriftyFun Team Send to a Friend! Submit Your Gardening Tips Submit Photos of Your Garden Submit a Gardening Request Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter. Today's newsletter contains: Photos: Family: Grandson Playing in the Garden Garden: Kitchen Cabbage Minnesota State Fair "Veggie" Burger Garden: Homegrown Garlic Gardening: Sunflowers Large Rock Garden Border Woodpecker From The Window Tips and Articles: What Is Arbor Day? Cake for the Birds Be Wary of Snakes in Mulch Keep Insects Off Your Fruit Trees Make Bread for the Birds With Old Flour Use a Scoop for Potting Plants New Requests: Growing an Easter Egg Plant Growing an Avocado Plant Inside Planting Vegetables Together Planting an Apple With Amaryllis Bulbs Crepe Myrtle Blooms Not Opening Sprouting Vegetables in Water Why do Calla Lilies 'cry'? Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! 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: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml Photos: Family: Grandson Playing in the Garden Picture of my grandson playing in my garden, he loves to play in dirt. By Kathleen from Dothan, AL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf25282598.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Garden: Kitchen Cabbage After seeing the "celery plant" tip, from the bottom of a fresh celery, I decided to see if the bottom from a Napa Cabbage would work. It did, and sprouted literally overnight. Slice off the bottom end of a Napa Cabbage, use several toothpicks to suspend the bottom end in water and place in a filtered light place. Here's what it looks like after just a week. By ShellyE from Las Vegas, Nevada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf70978878.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Minnesota State Fair "Veggie" Burger This exhibit was so cool, vegetables used to make something other that what it was. This was at the Minnesota State fair. This looks like a close up of a burger and fries, Makes me hungry! By Joyce from Benson MN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf49391251.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Garden: Homegrown Garlic The picture of garlic from my garden last year. By Kathleen from Dothan, AL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56080811.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Gardening: Sunflowers Here's a picture of sunflowers near our home. You can see some are shorter than the others. I cut them off before they bloomed so they would not be so tall. I like them shorter. I will cut them all this summer. I did not know if they would bloom after I trimmed them or not, now I know. By Kathleen from Dothan, AL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47625416.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Large Rock Garden Border My neighbor had large rocks he was going to get rid of. So, I took them and made myself a rock garden. Some things are planted in the dirt, others are in plant containers so I can move them around until I like what I see. By Sharon from Van Buren, Arkansas Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26321941.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Woodpecker From The Window My daily visitor the woodpecker. I love watching him play with believe it or not, 1 or 2 others woodpeckers. They fly around chasing each other. This was taken from my bedroom window By Joyceann from Daners, MA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf25110500.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips and Articles: What Is Arbor Day? By Debra Frick Arbor Day was started by J. Sterling Morton in the State of Nebraska as a way to stop soil erosion. That first Arbor Day, over 1 million trees were planted. Now Arbor Day is celebrated in all fifty states but in different months so that they hit the best days to plant trees. Why would you want a day to honor trees? Arbor Day precedes Earth Day by years. The first official Arbor Day was in 1872. Its focus is to replant forests that have been cut down in the name of housing development and manufacturing or due to wildfires and natural disasters. But also to beautify the areas in which we live. Remember back to High School Science. Trees, we were taught, provide us with oxygen and absorb our carbon dioxide. They also hold the soil down to the earth helping to stop soil erosion and to provide the earth with shade which helps with global warming. When trees are cut down, this affects our air and create vast wastelands. Wild fires and natural disasters play a part too. So we celebrate Arbor Day as a day of stewardship to the planet that we live on. Today is a good day to remember what our country looked liked when the first settlers arrived. In the preceding years, there have been mass harvesting of trees in many areas which leave big scars on the land. With good steward ship, these areas can be brought back, soil erosion stopped and the animals that depend on these areas again can flourish. So why acknowledge Arbor Day in your town or city? Because with the planting of new trees in your area, you will help to cleanse the very air that we breathe. Because it helps to beautify the very areas that we live and play in. We are the stewards of our towns and cities, these small places on this planet that we call home. Trees are an investment in the future. They also increase your properties value and help to reduce run off into our water sheds and waste water systems. While it is sunny today, our ground is still frozen from the last snow storm. No planting today! This is the time to plan, not plant. Have you had a natural disaster in your area? Volunteers are needed every where to help plant trees to repair damages. There have been terrible ice storms in the mid-west that have cause many trees to die. Many trees will need to be replanted. Our National forests are in danger due to wildfires and insect infestations that are killing many trees. There are just so many ways that you can help. Organize your local scouts to plant trees that have been damaged or new ones just to beautify where you live. Church groups and other organization can help also but even just a group of neighbors can start a movement. The National Arbor Foundation will even give you 10 free trees that are suited for what every part of the country that you live in for just a modest donation. www.arborday.org Maybe your city park could use a few new trees, think about donating and planting a few. Maybe you would like to plant a tree in memory of someone, it does not necessarily mean for someone who died. How about planting one for that teacher that inspired you, the friend that helped lead you down the right path or the birth of a new baby. Some of these trees will live and prosper long after these memories are gone. They will provide shade and oxygen for many generations. What a wonderful gift this would be to your community or to your home. So come join me this Arbor Day and plant a memory for that special someone in your life or to just help our planet. It all starts one tree at a time. Editor's Note: Post your own stories and photos about how you celebrate Arbor Day in your community. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45894376.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Cake for the Birds Ingredients 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup uncooked oatmeal 1 cup flour or dry cereal 1/2 tsp. soda 3 tsp. powdered milk 1/2 cup bacon grease 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs water to make thick batter mesh bag Directions Mix all ingredients. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Cool, remove and put in mesh bag. Hang from tree branch. By Stacey from Topeka, KS Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58795635.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Be Wary of Snakes in Mulch Do not grab handfuls of mulch. Dump it out on the ground and rake through it. They have found snakes (copper heads) and other critters in the mulch still alive. By Kelly from Lexington, KY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf20658810.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Keep Insects Off Your Fruit Trees Here's a tip to keep insects out of your fruit trees: Take a gallon milk or water jug and fill it half full of water. Place a banana skin and l cup of sugar inside and mix. Hang this on your fruit tree. The insects will go into it instead of the fruit. Do this before the blossoms come. By Jean from Schenectady, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf75527597.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Make Bread for the Birds With Old Flour I found an old 5 pound bag of wheat flour that got lost in the back of the pantry. Not wanting to waste it I used it in my bread machine and made loaves of bread to put out for the birds. The bottom of the loaf where the mixing paddle goes is perfent to slip over the snoe fence outside the kitchen window. The birds are loving it! By Peggy from Cortland, Ohio Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf98230238.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Use a Scoop for Potting Plants You know how difficult it is to scoop up potting soil when potting plants? Well, they make a wonderful tool for that, one that I had not seen and was pointed out to me. Now, I am pointing out this tip to you. Get yourself a big scoop designed for just this purpose. Some of them have an edge with teeth that helps you open the bags of potting soil. This tool will make potting, repotting and planting much easier. Glad someone passed the tip on to me. By Rika from Brunswick, Georgia Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16113849.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Contest! Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners, 2 photo winners (1 photo and 1 pet photo) and 1 recipe winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! New Requests: Growing an Easter Egg Plant I have just purchased seeds for the Easter Egg Plant. I have seen this plant once and it is very beautiful. Has anyone tried to grow this plant indoors and how did it turn out? Any tips and tricks to share about growing and the care of this beauty would be appreciated. Karyn from Ottawa, Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16044773.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Growing an Avocado Plant Inside I plan on growing an avocado tree or bush indoors due to the cold winters we have. Can it ever bear fruit? Hardiness Zone: 6a Terry from Rochester, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44007237.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Planting Vegetables Together What vegetables can I plant together, in the spring? Hardiness Zone: 7b Meechi from Camden, NJ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf93293315.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Planting an Apple With Amaryllis Bulbs I know that my mind is going but I'm certain that I heard somewhere that an apple put in a paper bag with a newly planted amaryllis bulb for 1 week would hasten root growth, stem growth, and eventually blooming. It has to do with the ethylene given off by the apple. However I sure would hate to kill my 2 amaryllis plants so I'm trying to find someone to back up this nutty theory. Anyone willing? Thanks! Hardiness Zone: 5b Barbara from Wickliffe, OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96908185.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Crepe Myrtle Blooms Not Opening Our Crepe Myrtle tree is about 4 years old. It grows well and has produced flower blooms the last two summers. Unfortunately, the blooms drop before they open. How can we correct this? Hardiness Zone: 9a Irene from Houston, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf61643835.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Sprouting Vegetables in Water I was talking with a fellow shopper in the supermarket today and she mentioned something about sticking the end of a celery bunch in water to sprout it. This got me to thinking about my grandparent's kitchen, they had things sprouting all over the place. I was wondering which veggies you can do this with and how and when to plant them in soil. Hardiness Zone: 6b DeeDee from Springfield, MO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92072349.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Why do Calla Lilies 'cry'? Why do Calla Lilies 'cry'? Jena from Glendale, AZ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41648978.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! 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: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml More Stuff Seed Swap! Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users. Submit a Request... Frugal solutions to everyday problems.