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Vol. 4, Num. 11, March 19, 2009 (Read It Online) We've had a lot of new gardening requests since last week's newsletter. Be sure to look them over to see if you have any advice to offer. If you have a gardening question for the ThriftyFun community, feel free to submit i there: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_request.ldml During April we like to publish spring flowers. If you have any blooms in your yard that you would like to share, feel free to submit them on the Photo Contest page. Thanks for reading, The ThriftyFun Team
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Garden: Carport Full Of Flowers As you can see, my carport is not used for a car. In this hot Florida sun, it is the perfect place for my beautiful flowering container garden. It is March 17 and right now I have in full bloom several containers of white petunias, 2 pots of white allysium, red amaryllis, red and pink geraniums and some seeds that haven't bloomed yet. In the background is my Norfolk Island Pine.I use containers of various sizes to make an interesting display and they don't always have to be the same color of pots. White and yellow flowers show up best from the road and seem to last longer. When these beautiful flowers have shed their last leaf, I will repot all of the containers with something new and in season and I do this about 3 times a year. I get a lot of compliments from the neighbors and I now have several of them starting their own flower gardens. Nature makes me smile! How about you? By Florida gal from Spring Hill, FL
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Rate It: This area contains begonias, new guinea impatiens, and a spike. I added some regular impatiens in planters, and some leafy plants from the yard. These yellow and white four o'clocks are planted in the west and open with the sunrise. A volunteer morning glory is happily rambling among them. The larger leaves in the middle right are rhubarb. By Carol L. from South Bend, IN
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Rate It: This is a flower we had on our deck last summer. By Kflocey from Gladwin, MI
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Rate It: Gardening: Flowering Container This was my favorite planting last summer. I enjoyed all of the vibrant colors mixed together. The mix contains geraniums, begonias, a blue salvia, petunia, and dahlia, with 2 spikes for interest. This planting was in a partial sun area and the dahlia did not do well.By Carol from South Bend, IN
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Forcing Branches: Bringing a Touch of Spring Indoors
For me, one of the hardest parts about spring (besides keeping the mudroom clean) is the endless waiting for it to get here. The arrival of March (at least here in zone 4) brings the first few promises of spring-the sun is noticeably higher in the sky and the snow at the base of neighborhood trees is starting to recede. Too bad March also brings a huge case of 'garden fever.' The cure? Forcing spring branches may be just what the doctor ordered. Cut The process of cutting and forcing woody branches is a simple one. Pick a warm, sunny day approximately 6 to 8 weeks before the branches would naturally bloom to cut them. Not only will the warm temperatures be more comfortable for you, but it will also get the sap running in the branches, making them more 'awake'. Using a very sharp scissors or shears, select 4 to 5 branches with plenty of buds, and prune them to a length of 1 to 2 feet (1 to 2 year-old branches generally have the most buds). Soak Submerge the branches for 2 hours in a sink filled with lukewarm water. Soaking them will help loosen up the bud scales and wash away any remaining dirt and debris. After soaking them, trim away 2-3 cm from the cut end of the branches at an angle, and use a rock or other heavy object to gently crush the end (this will encourage increased water uptake). Over the next few weeks, you may need to trim the ends again to keep the water uptake flowing smoothly. Forcing What to do with the branches next is somewhat open to debate. Some gardeners like to arrange their branches in a vase immediately, thus preventing the disturbance of the delicate buds when they open later on. Others keep their branches in a bucket until they open, and then move them to a vase. Personally, I like the look of sparse branches even before they bloom, so after a few transitional days in a darker room, I usually move them to a room with brighter light to display them right away. In any event, be prepared to exercise a few more weeks of patience before you see any buds start to pop. Moisture Some gardeners also store branches covered with ventilated plastic wrap to keep them moist, while others mist them daily with a squirt bottle. The important thing to remember is to keep the branches (and swelling buds) from completely drying out. This means keeping them away from heat vents and out of direct sunlight, ensuring that they take up adequate water and that the buds stay somewhat moist. An ideal room temperature for forcing is about 65-70 º F and water in the vase or bucket should be hanged every 3-4 days (or when it becomes cloudy). Adding a few drops of mouthwash, bleach or a packet of flower preservative to the water will also help retard bacteria growth. Timing Is Everything Mother nature can't be rushed, but the closer you cut your branches to their natural bloom time, the more quickly they will open. The amount of time necessary for forcing depends on many things: last year's moisture levels, the period of dormancy needed, light, temperature, and the plant's own hormones. In general, pussy willows and forsythia are usually the earliest to emerge (in 2-6 weeks). Good Candidates for Forcing
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Rate It: Save Cereal Liners For Hot House Covers I save the liner bag from cereal boxes; they are like heavy wax paper. They make great hot house covers for plant starts or to protect small garden plants from early spring frost. When they are used in the garden, they need to be weighed down with soil or stones to prevent the wind from blowing them. They can also be used for children's snacks, etc. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf55001715.tip.html
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Rate It: Bury Plastic Bottles for Garden Irrigation I am thinking of soaking my garden by melting small holes in soda jugs with my leather burning tool ( a flame to a needle or screwdriver might do as well), then sinking the jugs right side up to their necks into the garden dirt near the plants with about 3 inches exposed above ground. Then I would fill the jugs with water daily, replacing the lids to prevent evaporation. I would just uncap and fill them each day to get a deep soak. I figure the jugs might serve to heat the ground as well, as the air in them warms from the sun. I am opting for soda jugs as they take up less space than milk jugs would. Any thoughts on this? Does it sound worth trying? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf79578201.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Gravel From Your Lawn Edge Getting the stones and gravel out of the edge of your lawn which were dumped by highway trucks for ice and snow is a tedious job. I found that using a shop vac is much easier and faster and does a very nice job. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45046044.tip.html
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Rate It: Ask Cemetery Groundskeepers To Save Gardening Supplies Think green when starting seeds in the Spring! I went to local cemeteries around Memorial Day the year prior and had the groundskeepers save the packs and trays, for me! It saved me from having to buy them! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17216611.tip.html
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Rate It: Video: Plants Poisonous to Pets Just received this information from the ASPCA via email. I was surprised to know that some of these plants are poisonous to our pets, and thought I should share it with the ThriftyFun Community! If you're like me, there will be a couple varieties that you had no clue could cause injury to your babies! I am blessed that my Rachel doesn't like to chew on plants because it turns out I have two of them in my home. There is a written list plus a video which shows what the plants look like (yep, there are plants we don't know the name of so the video is quite enlightening) and other links to navigate for other general information from the ASPCA. Here's the video: By Deeli from Richland, WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52246622.tip.html
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Rate It: Compare Soil Enhancer Compositions to Find the Best Bargain We're encouraged to use raised garden beds for our veggies here. Aside from our incredible compost bin, Chris wanted to mix Black Cow with the soil he'd bought. He chafed at the price specially after deciding he needed one more bag. He then spent the time to read ingredients on the store brands, and found a much cheaper Earthgro mixture in the same composition. Since we no longer can buy the separate ingredients at our local stores, this saved money and time. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40616742.tip.html
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Rate It: Tips for saving money on plants as suggested by the ThriftyFun community. Buy Plants in The Fall I use the fall to add any plants or shrubs when the nurseries are having 50-75% off. Last year I wanted to add a Magnolia tree to my yard and normally they are expensive but I went in September and bought one for half the cost. The person at the nursery told me it is fine to plant, you just put in ground but don't fertilize to promote new growth. My tree came back beautifully in the spring. Our nursery also guarantees all their plants for a year no matter what time of year you plant. I went this weekend and bought several plants and shrubs all for half off. By Bulandd Save Seeds The best ways I know of to save money on plants is to save your own seed and to spend wisely when buying plants. I spend good money on fruit trees, they are a wonderful investment. It is worth saving seed from vegetables to re-use. Why buy new seed when your plants will make it for you? I save parsnip seeds and sprinkle it around, also turnip, radish, carrot, lettuce and rocket. I also keep broad bean, scarlet runner beans, green beans, pumpkin, cucumber. In fact, now that I think about it, the only seed I need to buy is corn, I do like the flavor of hybrid corn best and if I run out of seedd or forget to save it. I need to get more Turks turban pumpkin as I didn't plant it last year. I love finding little surprises all over the place, like lettuces growing in between the pavers on the back veranda and parsnips down the driveway. If you throw around enough seed you will rarely have to buy seed, or plant it. I grow wallflowers and let them seed, also sweet peas, nasturtiums, cornflowers, and foxgloves. That's about all the flowers I have, just because I mostly love vegetables and they also have magnificent flowers. The carrot flower is spectacular. The other way to save money is to take cuttings. I have successfully planted lavender, rosemary, thyme and geranium cuttings. Every now and then I have a success with daphne. I take cuttings from cape gooseberries, runners from strawberries and pepino cuttings, also raspberry and loganberry as well as globe artichoke starter plants. If you know someone who is successful with taking cuttings it will be much cheaper. I think it is a great idea to swap too. If I have an excess of anything I will offer it to someone in exchange for their excess. It makes it OK to ask for someone else's excess if you have something to offer. It will save you an unbelievable amount of money. This year I have swapped dried tomatoes and zucchini for day old bread, potatoes for chestnuts, pepino cuttings for horse manure, potatoes for grape cuttings, broad beans for fresh fish, potatoes for plums and music for wine. It's very addictive, this bartering thing and will save you heaps. Good luck! Forage For Seeds My mother used to pocket handfuls of deadheaded flowers, seed pods and cuttings from any yard or park she would visit. She then would scatter them in her yard and wait to see what would happen. By Jess Check The Dollar Store You can get little plants at the 99 cent store! Good for inside and out in our climate. The 99 cent store occasionally has bare root roses, which my old landlord used to plant a rose garden around the front wall. By Pamphyila Tomatoes and Beans From Seed I throw out tomato seeds into the garden and they make beautiful plants and produce all of our tomatoes. It is a cheap and inexpensive way to grow tomatoes. I also plant pinto beans for they grow like crazy. Hope this helps! By Robyn Fed Growing Geraniums Year to Year We live in Zone 4, it gets well below zero. I buy and plant geraniums and pull them up in the fall. I store them in large cardboard boxes in the basement. Do not water, I leave them alone until early February . I take them outside on a mild day and clean off all the dead stuff then cut them back to about 1 inch. I dip the roots in a pail of water to soak them up, then re-pot them in gallon tin cans, with drain holes, and set the cans in something to catch the water. Give them a window and water and replant them outside in May. They get bigger every year and I get lots of compliments on them. Best of all, they are free! Seed geraniums do not work for me, only Zonal, so they cost a little more in the beginning but look what you get. I've been doing this for 10 to 12 years. Grow Poinsettias Year Round Save your poinsettia plants after the holiday season. They are native to Mexico and can be replanted outside to eventually form a bush, or for greenery inside. We have nice non-hot house blooms on a poinsettia in the front piece of garden. Not as flashy as the forced blooms, but quite nice in their own way. By Pamphyila Share With Neighbors Contact your neighbors and share extra garden plants with them. How many times have we all weeded our gardens and have thrown out numerous plants. By MCW The Arbor Day Foundation I was recently looking for prices on dogwoods and came across the Arbor Day Foundation. They have very reasonable prices on trees and will make sure they are suitable for your region. Best of all, if you become a member (I think it is $10), they will send you 10 trees for free. I know that there was a flowering tree package with dogwoods and other pretty trees. By Jess Creative Ways to Acquire Plants I have nursed plants back to health that I have found discarded by gardeners, you can also try discard piles of nurseries. There just was a documentary on Sundance TV about a man who made his garden bloom with discards. You can also get cuttings. Any kind of succulent will root from a simple cutting. So you can trim a jade plant from your garden (or a friend's) and then just stick in the ground to root! Spider plants are also extremely easy to propagate as you can root the little "baby" spider plants in pots or in the ground, both inside and out (I am in balmy Southern California). I have also gotten cuttings from geranium plants which flourish here. I also read about the fabled old Afro-American sisters who put the ends of all their cut flowers into the garden - as some of the seeds actually took. An interesting idea. There are also plants like mint which are very invasive, so you can take cuttings from when they are trimmed. By Pamphyila Start From Clippings For indoor green plants, like Golden Pothos, sometimes you have to clip them, as the stems may get too long. Use these stems (with leaves still attached) and place in a clear container with water or plant directly into a pot with pot soil. Over time, the clipping will grow new roots and create a new plant! I have 5 beautiful Golden Pothos plants in my home that started from just one. By Go2jared
If you have any more ideas to share, feel free to post them below.
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Where Can I Buy Diatomaceous Earth? Where can I buy Fresh Water Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth in Houston TX Area? I want to use it as a wormer for my horses and dogs. Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf334696.tip.html
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Rate It: Does anyone know the best chemical spray to use on wild Onions or wild Garlic? I used IMAGE and it did not seem to work, I even doubled the mixing instructions. It is labeled for Onions and I added "blue marking dye". I need to get rid of these before the grass starts to come back strong. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf961095.tip.html
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Rate It: Where Can I Find Inexpensive Terra Cotta Pots? I'm looking for the most cost efficient terra cotta pots available. The size and shape don't matter. Any thoughts? Yes, I'm a dumpster diver and have retrieved some there, thoroughly sanitized them, and they are perfect. Hardiness Zone: 5b Barbara from Wickliffe, OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47818981.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a 4 year old granddaughter. We did a garden together that did OK, but I am looking for other planting projects to do with her. I have 6 big pots that we can put stuff in. Clarissa from East Chicago, IN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf837332.tip.html
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Rate It: Grass in Sunny Areas Not Growing Well I need help getting my sunny Florida grass green. The shaded area of my lawn is doing well and sunny area around the pool just does not grow well. Thanks for the help. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30523310.tip.html
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Rate It: I left my Hummingbird vine in tact over the winter. When should I cut off the dead remains to get it ready to reseed itself for Spring? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58611388.tip.html
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Rate It: Growing Herbs in a Container Garden I am interested in growing herbs in a 14-20 inch pot on my deck this summer. Is it possible to grow them in a pot or will they spread too much for that type of gardening? What herbs would be best for container gardening? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf28037363.tip.html
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Rate It: I have just bought a potted outdoor plant and was told its a Galansia or Galanzia. i live on an island in the Mediterranean where its very hot in the summer and reasonably cold in the winter. I tried to get as close as possible with the hardiness zone equivalent in the US. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf33576705.tip.html
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Rate It: I took a trip to Oregon and went through an area that had lavender farms. I am in love with the fragrance! I have tried to grow it in South Texas but I guess it's too warm! Is it possible to plant seeds now and expect a harvest? Rosemary grows a lot here and it seems to be the same type of plant. Any suggestions? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf86080525.tip.html
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Rate It: Planting Marigolds for a Science Fair Project I like marigolds and I'm planting one for my science fair project. I don't know what to do though! Can someone please give me some helpful hints? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf57788946.tip.html
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Rate It: Preventing Snails in the Garden Is there anything I can do now (Spring) that will prevent my garden and whole backyard from getting creepy snails? I know a few tips on getting rid of them but I would prefer preventing them from visiting altogether. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf23825525.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a problem with prickly, thorny shrubs invading my garden. I live in Massachusetts. I just looked at my garden this afternoon and found one already! Its roots are very deep. How do I get rid of these invaders? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf46551845.tip.html
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Rate It: How Often Should I Water My Garden? How often should I water my garden here in Casa Grande, Arizona? I planted sweet corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, peppers, and squash. I want to plant onions, radishes, lettuce, and carrots. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf98066901.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a night blooming Jasmine that I planted less than a year ago and it has grown very large. I do not know how to prune it back. Can anyone send some advice? Hardiness Zone: 10a Heidi from Largo, FLPost Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf78368654.tip.html
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Rate It: The shrubs in front of our house have a lot of dead limbs in with the regular ones. I thought about cutting the whole thing down to about 6 inches. Or should I just go through them and pull out the dead ones and trim back the tops? Thank you. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37662928.tip.html
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Rate It: I was hoping for a tall indoor plant like Forsythia and Curly Willow. I'm not set on flowering or not, but I am aiming for easily manageable, thin twigs, and decorative. I usually transfer plants outdoors for the summer to get some light. Does anybody have favorite indoor plants in mind? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73435422.tip.html
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Rate It: I live on the 11th floor of an apartment tower facing Lake Erie (North) but we get an incredible amount of sun. Last year I had a fabulous container garden. I know than anything in terra cotta must be brought in to avoid cracking. Besides that, what is the best way to winter-over the perennials so that they can still get a little water? We get snow on the balcony about 4 times during the winter. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf64926162.tip.html
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Rate It: Suggestions for Perennial Flowers I have two large, brick flower beds. What can I plant that will come up every year. I plant every year about Mothers Day! The cost is just too much anymore. I love pretty colors and no work. After twenty years of planting I need help. Thank you for any help! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf78241671.tip.html
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Rate It: Can I start holly hock and columbine seeds now and plant them when they start sprouting this spring? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf85156799.tip.html
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Rate It: Removing Poop Odor from Garden I live in a country house with 2000 sq. meters of garden, no plants, just trees and earth. I have lots of dogs and collect their poops regularly, nevertheless some of them skip my attention. When it rains or when there's excessive heat in the summer, some unpleasant odor can be smelled. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf68472554.tip.html
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Rate It: Will a soap and water spray get rid of aphids on plant leaves? Mary from Laredo, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf732331.tip.html
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Rate It: I had a container garden last year with tomato plants and developed "blossom end rot". Does anyone have a solution to prevent this? I was told it was from a lack of calcium, so I bought Green Light Blossom End Rot Spray and sprayed the tomato plants. I didn't have much luck with this and lost nearly half my crop. I love homegrown tomatoes! So any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12622614.tip.html
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Rate It: Has anyone ever heard of cornmeal killing ants? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf99308896.tip.html
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Rate It: Lining Unfinished Wood Window Boxes I just bought some wooden window boxes and the liners from my old ones don't fit. They are unfinished wood. Any suggestions of what I should put in them before I plant? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf34535307.tip.html
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Rate It: I have a 5 lb plastic bag of blood meal that sat under a drip and the bag filled with water. I sure don't want to throw it away, but not sure how much to dilute it. Any suggestions on how much water to mix it with? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf57843110.tip.html
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Rate It: Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here
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:
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