Happy Garden - November 8, 2007

Volume 2, Number 44, November 8, 2007 (Read It Online) Do you have any tips for protecting plants from the cold? Feel free to post them on the contest page. Do you have a gardening request for the ThriftyFun community? Submit it here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_request.ldml Thanks for reading, Susan 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: Disguising a Telephone Pole Beautiful Fall Leaves Tips and Articles: How Long Are Seeds Good For? Use Your Leaves As Winter Mulch Using Soda Bottle To Protect Seedlings And Delicate Plants A Yard's Free Treasures Overwintering Bulbs, Tubers, and Rhizomes Using Leaves For Mulching Tender Perennials Growing a Pine Tree Ideas For Sifting Rocks Out Of Garden New Requests: Starting Curly Bamboo Shoots How to Kill Vegetation How Many Flowers Grow From a Hyacinth Bulb? 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: Disguising a Telephone Pole In an attempt to hide a telephone pole in our front yard, or at least draw attention away from the pole, I designed this area to have different textures and focal points. Big stones, mulch, tall shrub, wide bush and a variety of flowers that will bloom at different times in spring and summer. I have added decorative small rocks around the Yucca plants (not shown in this picture). Only took one day to put together. By CalaLily from Alexandria, VA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56063456.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Beautiful Fall Leaves Just some pictures I took of fall in this area. It's such a beautiful area when the leaves are changing. By Sherry from Silverdale, WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf62098565.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips and Articles: How Long Are Seeds Good For? How long are seeds good for? Advice from the ThriftyFun community. Different Seeds Last Longer Different seeds have different lifespans. I am sure if you go on the Organic Gardening site and search for "Viability of Seeds" they will probably have the info you need. By 2ndhandroz Seeds Can Last a Long Time You know, archaeologists unearthed some ancient magnolia seeds from a Japanese tomb some years ago, and on a whim, tried planting them. They sprouted and turned out to be a previously extinct form of magnolia. So in my opinion, seeds can stay viable for a long time, given that they're kept in a suitable environment for storage. Whether that means keeping them in the refrigerator or just on a dark shelf, I don't know. I'd guess it depends on the seeds. (I know some need to "winterize" before they'll germinate) I do know that I found an old packet of pumpkin seeds last year that was several years old, decided to toss them out in the back yard, and ended up with 10 amazing pumpkins! It can't hurt to try tossing them out into a bed just to see what happens, right? :) By Beth - MA Do A Viability Test You can do a viability test. It is very easy, take a dampened paper towel and on this paper towel you need to place 10 seeds. Take the paper towel, fold it over and place in a Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and put it on top of the refrigerator, wait 3 or 4 days and then take down the bag and check. If none have sprouted, give it another 2 or 3 days and check again and see if anything has sprouted. If 8 out of the 10 seeds sprouted, you have an 80% of viability. If 2 seeds out of the 10 sprouted you have 20% viability. This way you will know to increase the amount of seeds you want to plant. Do not waste the seeds you have sprouted, you can always put them in pots and wait till they get to be a decent size and then plant or them in the garden. By BABBIE Keep Them Cool and Dry Some seeds can be stored for a long time, 50 years even, but you have to keep them in a controlled temperature. At our University here in Saskatchewan at Saskatoon, they keep seeds in paper packets at 4C and 20% humidity. For long term storage, they keep them at -18C. They are keeping heritage varieties of grains and other seeds for a gene bank and for research. For your regular garden seeds, it would seem to me that you could pop them into your freezer, your fridge, or keep them in a cool dry place. I have successfully kept regular garden seeds for 3 or 4 years, if I have more than I need in any one year. I just keep mine in a box on a closet shelf in a cool room. By Louel53 Post your ideas below. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf64771719.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Use Your Leaves As Winter Mulch With winter fast approaching, we need to concentrate on protecting our treasured flower gardens. In a pinch, if I don't have adequate mulch to use on every flower bed, I have my son rake the leaves that fell during fall into a big pile. I take most of my hanging pots and place them in bare spots in the flower beds. I then pile the leaves onto the bed, completely covering everything. I have done this for the last 3 years and it works very well. When the last frost has come, I then carefully remove any loose leaves and use the rest for natural mulch. It's not the most attractive way to protect your flowers but definitely the most inexpensive. I have annuals that return every year due to this primitive mulching method, with great success too. By Cindy Duncan from Alabama Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15246524.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Using Soda Bottle To Protect Seedlings And Delicate Plants My tip for protecting small plants and starters is to cover them with a 2 liter clear plastic soda bottle. I cut off the bottom and discard it. Then I place the remaining bottle over my small or sensitive plants and flowers to protect them from the elements. The great thing about this is that the bottles are clear so they continue to get sun and if I need to water them, I simple unscrew the bottle tops, give them a little drink and air during the day and then close them back up at night. This system has been working very will for me since I started doing it several years ago. Of course I have only a balcony garden as I live in the middle of a large city. By Lisingreece from Greece Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95787230.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print A Yard's Free Treasures By Kelly Ann Butterbaugh For many parts of the country, autumn is a time to clean up the bounties of summer and prepare for the severities of winter. While it's tempting to fill trash cans and leaf bags with these summer skeletons, it's also wasteful. Summer leaves a bevy of free supplies behind that many people are overlooking. Leaves and Pine Needles While raking leaves think about the natural forest cycle; the leaves fall to create a rich layer of mulch on the forest floor. Apply this to your own yard by composting the leaves this fall. Create a large pen by forming a garden fence into a circle. Then, herd your leaves into the pen and attack them with a large yard sheer or mulcher to grind them into smaller pieces. This mulch is a great under-layer for bark mulch in the spring. White pines are also loosing their needles now in preparation for winter, though they will replace the needles with new ones much like an animal sheds its fur. Pine needles are great winter covers for perennials such as mums. They add to the autumn appeal of the mum, and they insulate the sometimes not-so-perennial plant against the cold. Pots which are home to spring bulbs also enjoy a few inches of the warm needles as insulation as do newly planted shrubs which happily wear their scarves of needles wrapped around their trunks. Garden Plants Before pulling up the frost-bitten garden plants, harvest what they have to offerseeds. Some plants have seeds that can easily be turned into next year's crops. Cherry tomatoes can be thrown directly into the garden soil where they will reseed themselves into new plants next year, likewise with gourds and pumpkins. While trimming, throw the seedheads from black-eyed-susans, four o-clocks, and cleomes into the soil where they will germinate on their own. Other plants have seeds that need to be harvested, dried, and saved for next year. Save sunflower seeds, marigold seeds, and other plants like zinnias for next year. If reseeding isn't for you, try using the garden's seed crops in a different way. Save then spread the dried sunflower, cosmos, black-eyed-susan, and gourd seeds where the birds can easily find them. They'll appreciate the free food, and you won't have to buy as many bags of birdseed in the cooler months. The Last Crop Those last tomatoes that didn't turn green aren't a waste; they're a free bonus. Use green tomatoes to make salsa, relish, or the favorite fried green tomato. Smaller peppers that didn't make it to fruition can also be added to the salsa or relish. Think creatively to get everything you can from the garden and yard before the winter frosts take your fall freebies. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf85171934.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Overwintering Bulbs, Tubers, and Rhizomes Many plants store energy for next year's growth in tubers and rhizomes. The following plants can be stored over the winter in the same manner: Dahlia Elephant's Ear Ornamental Sweet Potato Taro Tuberous begonia Gather Tubers, Bulbs, and Rhizomes. Dig them up with a fork, taking care not to puncture. Choose several large, undamaged tubers, bulbs, or rhizomes for storage. Store well. Allow to air dry in a shaded, sheltered area for a few hours. Then brush off excess soil and store in a box or mesh bag between layers of peat moss. Place the box/bag in a dark, cool (45-50 degrees F), well-ventilated place. Check in. Examine once a month and discard any rotting tubers, bulbs, or rhizomes. By Mythi from Silverdale WA Editor's Note: This information is from Organic Gardening and can be accessed directly here: http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-19-1316,00.html Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf38987719.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Using Leaves For Mulching Tender Perennials My husband and I have a lot of flower gardens in the summer. I have around 250 day lilies that I have collected, and am still collecting more. As the leaves are falling, we take a leaf blower and pick them up, which chops them. Then, since they are light, we use these as mulch around our day lilies and other plants to winterize them. They protect the roots of the plants and it is cheaper and not as heavy as mulch. I also have two tulip beds with about 400 tulips in them and we do the same thing. Our other perennials, which are hardy, do not need mulching. By Lil from Beaver Falls, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17539568.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Growing a Pine Tree Does anyone know if a pine tree can be grown from a pine cone? Where are the seeds? Has anyone done this with success? Hardiness Zone: 6b Sandra from Montvale, NJ Answers: Website The following is a website that might help answer your question about growing a pine tree. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FR002 By Marge W. Tips for Extracting Seeds The seeds in a pine tree are located in the pine cone. The flaky dried seeds drop to the ground once the cone enlarges or opens up from its closed state. I've picked up many a pine cone to use as Christmas decorations (painting the tips white) and lots of little seeds are found on the table from handling. Gently tap the seeds from the cone and you'll get plenty enough for planting. I've never tried to plant a seed to see if will come up for me. Squirrels love the seeds in the young pine cones. Good luck. By Lorelei Different Pines Open Differently Many pine cones, such as Jack Pine, are close tightly and open up, in nature, only after a forest fire. However, you may actually be talking about fir or spruce cones, which do drop their seeds, little flaky brown things, very easily. I have grown little blue spruce trees from seeds. They take a long time to grow to any size. By Louel53 Keep It Well Watered As the pine cone dries, the pods burst open and throw the seeds. I would put the whole thing in the dirt and keep it watered. By Kathy Harvesting Techniques The seeds are in the pine cone. If the pine cone is open, it probably lost its seeds already. If it is still closed and puffy with a brownish color, the seeds are ripe. Dry out the pine cones in the sun, or in the oven at low heat. Once dry put them in a baggy and shake them. The seeds will come out. By kbryson84 Post your ideas below. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12685451.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Ideas For Sifting Rocks Out Of Garden I need to get the rocks out of my garden. I've already made a rectangular "box", open on top, heavy-duty wire mesh on the bottom, but lifting it to shake it hurts my back. I'm trying to create a way to put legs on it and shake it to filter out the dirt. I'm looking for examples, plans, etc. Jo from Tacoma, WA Answers Rig Sanders To Vibrate This might be a lot of hassle to go through, but if you got 2 electric sanders and fixed them onto a base upsidedown and attach your box to the "bottom" (now the top) of your 2 sanders, plug both of those into a multi plug and then 'plug er in!' Good luck, and if it doesn't work, sorry! It's just an idea of off the top of my head. By Cscathro2801 Technique For Great Dirt Oh boy, I can relate! I have a wooden framed screen, just one big sheet with wooden supports under it. I lean it against the building or whatever and let a shovelful of dirt cascade down the front, where the dirt falls through into my wheelbarrow. The rocks land in a box that I empty regularly into a bucket and carry to wherever I need rocks. I use them for drainage, digging a posthole and filling it with rocks, under my flowerbeds and one corner of the lawn that was too swampy. I sort them and use them for paths too. One year I mixed rocks and potting soil on purpose to grow some comical crooked carrots for my godson. Neighbors are asking how I got such awesome dirt, and I tell them, I built it! By taking rocks out, then amending it to the proper balance (one-third sand, one-third clay, and one-third compost and vegetation matter, and you gotta remember that the compost goes away fast and needs to be topped up every winter). I love great dirt, it's about the most satisfying thing about gardening. By Kimhis Attach Wheels Try wheels. Such as on a desk chair. They go every which way. Should help. By Pearl Old Wagon Wheels How about something with wheels? Old wagon? cut bottom out and attach wire mesh reinforced? Add Legs You didn't state the dimensions of your screen box; could you nail 2 legs to it and stand it on the ground (the ground would be one side of the triangle, and the screen and the legs the other 2 sides). Rest the front edge in a container for the rocks and the 2 legs in a container for the dirt. Shovel the dirt onto the screen; the rocks roll down the inclined screen into the rock container, and the dirt goes through the screen into the dirt container. Can you picture what I mean? Bet it would work! By Nancy from Florida Use Water What's wrong with using a hose to wash all the dirt through? I mean you'll have a bit of a mess, but it'd dry into nice, clean dirt! By Beth - MA Teepee Structure And Other Ideas I enlisted the help of my father-in-law on this one. He has collected rocks for years and has the same problem you do. Only he wants to keep the rocks, not the dirt. Maybe you two should work together! LOL! What he does is uses a teepee style stand. Maybe you have seen those stands that go over a campfire for cooking. It is a teepee with cords or wire coming down from the top. The end of the wires would be attached to the corners of your box so that your box is hanging in the air in the center of this teepee stand. You put in your dirt and shake the box without having to hold the weight of the box! Hope this helps. It seems it would be easy to build. Another idea is maybe you could recycle an old end table from a garage sale. Cut out the center of the table top and put in screen. I would think the legs would wear out pretty quick though. Hope this helps! By Jillian357 Build One To Fit Your Wheelbarrow I made one years ago and I still use it. Mine is the same size as my wheelbarrel, I took 1 1/2" X 1/2" wood and a piece of screen I bought at the hardware store. The holes in the screen are less than a half inch square. Three of the holes equals one inch. You need four pieces of wood for the long sides and three for the shorter ends. I nailed the screen between the wood on three sides, and the last end I nailed to the screen and to both long sides but I only have the one piece of wood there. Now I put the sifter on top of the wheel barrel and with my shovel scoop the garden soil on it. About five scoops at a time, with my hands (in gloves) I run my fingers through the soil and large rocks I pick out but then I can shake the sifter and all the soil goes in the wheel barrel. I then dump out the rock (in a spare wheelbarrel) from the end of the sifter with one piece of wood. Then I dump the rock free soil back into my garden. I live in Yakima, WA. By Sandy Post your ideas below! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71577517.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 and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! New Requests: Starting Curly Bamboo Shoots I have some curly bamboo. How can I start new shoots so I can share it with my girls? Thank you. Hardiness Zone: 6a Cindy from Harrisonville, MO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39670952.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print How to Kill Vegetation I am looking for tips on how to kill vegetation? Hardiness Zone: 6a Lynette from Michigan Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65502109.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print How Many Flowers Grow From a Hyacinth Bulb? How many flowers usually grow for each hyacinth bulb? Hardiness Zone: 6a Bonnie from Topeka, KS Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31467464.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.