|
|
|
Volume 2, Number 27, July 12, 2007 (Read It Online) We have lots of new gardening request this week, please look them over and see if you have any advice to offer. Here's this week's featured request... Squirrel Repellants My parents have a problem with squirrels. They are always in the backyard as the neighbors feed them peanuts. The squirrels are digging big holes in their hanging flower pots. They have tried cayenne pepper but have had only limited success. Does anyone have any other homemade remedies that might solve the problem? Hardiness Zone: 5a Carol from London, Ontario Thanks for reading, Susan
Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter.
Photos:
Tips and Articles:
New Requests:
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:
By WandaJo from Tennessee
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12121845.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: What's Growing in the Compost Pile? Can anybody tell me what kind of plant this is? It is growing in my compost. I compare it to a cuke and musk leaf. I don't think it is that, but the leaves are about 2 ft. across. What ever it is, it is very healthy. I also have morning glory growing in there.By Joyce from Wisconsin
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35279413.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Here is that same aloe plant after the January freeze we had in Southern California. It is recovering. Hugs, Great Granny Vi
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82495418.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Pond and Birdbath at Site of Cut Down Tree We had to cut down a dead tree a few years ago but could not remove the stump for several reasons. To cover up the stump and some raised roots we decided to put in a pond and garden. The pond liner we got for free (someone had it setting out to get rid of), the pond pump we got from someone who was making their pond bigger, all of the hostas we divided from elsewhere in our yard. The stones all came from the creek in our yard and from a few of the places we went on vacation.The birdbath is made from terra cotta pots and the plants are all planted between the tree roots. The fish and plants came from our parents' ponds (both of those things multiply and they were happy to give them away!) We figured the cost of the project would have been about $2,000 brand new but it only cost us $600.00 and we started it in the fall, buying things we had to get a little at a time over the next several months. We got so much on clearance! By the middle of summer we were set and have enjoyed it ever since! By Renee from Slatedale, PA
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf78983434.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Beautiful Orioles this year, they love the grape jelly I put in feeders every day. By Peggy from Cortland, Oh
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45531951.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: I read about web worms in today's newspaper. Then looked at the neighbor's tree. Yup, the season has arrived. Among other things, the most natural treatment is to rip a hole in the web so natural predators can get in there and finish the job. By Holly from Richardson, TX
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf70799373.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Plants are both an inexpensive way to brighten your decor, and helpful to indoor air quality. What you see is my "plant window"--the only place in the house that gets any real light, and then only in the morning and it was done entirely from yard sale finds. At various sales I picked up the table, tablecloth, two stools, all the pots, the soil, the trivets, the plants, and the trellis. My final cost was a whopping $13.50. By Marie E. Cecchini from West Dundee, IL
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92820594.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It:
When I clean out my aquarium, I save the dirty aquarium water to water my plants. The water is full of free fish emulsion which houseplants just love! It's free vitamins and minerals for the plants. Saves on having to buy additives. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59908526.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Recycling Weed and Feed Spray Bottles These type of bottles fit on the end of your water hose and contain a concentrated solution that is sprayed out with the water to fertilize a yard. With one of these type of bottles, rinsed well and a spray nozzle for your water hose that has threads on the sprayer end you can accomplish many outdoor tasks.
By Tina from Lufkin, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45258038.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: I wanted a bird bath, but did not want something that my son would try to tip over. So I went to a discount store and found a large shallow glazed serving dish, the one I found happened to be in the shape of a yellow chick, but there were more traditional round or square ones. I put it in the garden right on the ground with some mulch around it to hold it in place, and filled it with water. The birds love it and, during the recent drought we have had, I have seen my local family of bunnies coming in for a drink as well. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59518308.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Use Outdated Seeds In Craft Projects Have seeds you weren't able to use this year? Use them in kid crafts. Glue them in the center of a paper plate then color the outer ridges of the paper plate to make a pretty flower. Or glue the seeds to the bottom of construction paper, then draw sprouts from each one to make a garden! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30218912.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Save your egg shells from your favorite recipe to help out your garden. Crush your clean egg shells into small but not powdered pieces and spread them around the base of your plants. Slugs will not go over them because of the texture of the shells. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf243499.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Drip Irrigation for Home Gardens "Drip irrigation is popular because it can increase yields and decrease both water requirements and labor. The concept behind drip irrigation is to provide the plant with continuous, near-optimal soil moisture. This is accomplished by conducting water directly to individual plants instead of providing water to the entire Garden area, as with flood or sprinkler irrigation." Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf931658.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Managing Insect Pests in Vegetable Gardens Here are tips from the ThriftyFun community for managing insect pests in your vegetable garden. Beer, Onions And Marigolds Try using beer in a saucer to keep slugs out of the garden and plant onion, garlic and marigolds to keep bugs out. It works for me. By my cats Tips For Specific Pests For ants: Sprinkle aspertame around. For slugs: set a shallow bowl of beer out. For aphids: Use a spray bottle of water mixed with a few drops of dishwashing soap. For corn ears and bugs: When the silk begins to appear, put cooking oil in a squeeze bottle and put a drop on the silk. Repeat every few days. By Mythi Spinosad (Green Light) I have been organically gardening for over 20 years. The best insect control having chickens, but I have found Spinosad (Green Light), it is totally organic and it only kills chewing insects. For the first time, I do not have aphids on my Brussels sprouts. Banana peelings work on roses and on other things for aphids but not the Brussels sprouts. I handpick things in the front yard and bring to the chickens. I have no snails because I have killer snails. Since I've been using the Spinosad, I had virtually eliminated all my bug problems. It works on whitefly caterpillars, loppers, grasshoppers, you name it. You just have to be careful that if you're raising butterflies, not to spray those particular plants. By BABBIE Organic Tips Whenever I cook with onions (long green or round), I save the root end and plant it around my garden. It comes up as long green onion. Free, and it repels bugs. You can also cut the green tops and cook with them. Marigolds. Lavendar. Dish detergent diluted with water for aphids and other bugs you can see. Hand-pick caterpillars off leaves; you can also use the dish detergent spray for them. Pick off any leaves infected with leaf borers before they spread, and make sure you throw them away inside, away from other plants. Seal them inside a plastic bag before throwing them away. Good luck and Delicious Gardening! By Cantate Feel free to post your ideas below.
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf865125.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Avocado Pits Grow into a Nice House Plant After removing the pit from an avocado, don't throw it away. Wash the pit. Stick three toothpicks around the pointy upper third of the pit. Then fill up a jar water and rest the avocado pit on the rim with the large portion of the pit in the water and small portion above water. After five days, place the jar in a spot where the pit can receive sunlight. It won't be long before you see roots appears and leaves sprout. Once you have a healthy system of roots and several leaves you can transplant to potting soil. Water once a week. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf784374.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Place pieces of newspaper between your rows or plants. Each time you mow your lawn, dump your grass clippings over the paper. You won't have anymore weed problems, and it helps out your soil when you till it under for the next year. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000751.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It:
Blister Beetles on Tomato Plants For the second year we are having a problem with blister beetles on our tomato plants. Last year they were pretty much confined to the tomatoes and we treated with pesticides. This year they seem to have spread--I just saw them on plants on the other side of the house. They are eating the leaves, leaving the veins. I forgot to plant marigolds, and now I wish I had. I would like to treat the beetles organically this year if possible. What are some good, fairly inexpensive, organic, nontoxic pesticides I can use? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67641562.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: How can I keep my cats and neighbor cats out of my pond? They are eating my fish and frogs. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50405691.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Planting After Using Ant Poison I have a very large ant hill (approx 3' wide by 2'deep and quite high) in perennial plant area of my garden. I have sprayed poison and have dusted the area with ant poison. Do I have to wait for the ants to die or move before planting in the ant mound with new perennials? Will the poison affect the growth of the new plants?? thank you Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95839074.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: How do I get ants out of my garden? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12430221.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: My parents have a problem with squirrels. They are always in the backyard as the neighbors feed them peanuts. The squirrels are digging big holes in their hanging flower pots. They have tried cayenne pepper but have had only limited success. Does anyone have any other homemade remedies that might solve the problem? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31954137.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Weeds From Neighbor's Property Whom do I talk to about weeds growing onto my property from my neighbors' property? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37580236.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Is Dog Urine Bad for My Vegetable Garden? I have 2 female dogs. They urinate on cement in my yard, when I hose it down the water from this goes into my vegetable garden. Can this be harmful to humans to eat these vegetables? I am concerned about this. Can someone please help? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf86090586.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: What causes the skin on our tomatoes to look shriveled and the stems looks as if it is going to break on each tomato? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf84867142.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: What Causes Yellow Leaves On Squash Plants? The lower leaves on my squash plants, (winter squash, zucchini, summer) are turning yellow. Does anyone have any experience with gardening that could tell me if this is a water issue or a nutrient shortage or excess? I'm desperate! Thanks so much! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf85639320.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: We've recently discovered a hole in our oak tree, which has some liquid in the bottom, and is lined with long, brown slimy bugs that resemble centipedes somewhat. There is also a blobbish orange thing I'm assuming is a larva. Is there any way to safely remove these? Is it possible to just fill in the hole? And if so, what should I fill it with? Thanks tons! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf20268740.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: How do I get rid of goat heads in my yard? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf86756579.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Keeping Pet Chickens and Ducks from Eating Vegetables I have a client I work for who has chickens, hens, roosters and ducks. She has also planted a garden and the animals are eating/ruining her tomato plants. Is there a way for her to keep them away from her garden, short of keeping them cooped up? She likes to let them out to roam during the day. Thanks for any help on this. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19195183.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: I have petunias in a hanging basket. It seems to have leaf mold. We have been having some hot and humid weather lately. The plant does get full sun and looks beautiful but the center the leaves are dying and the mold is spreading. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to remedy this and ways to prevent this problem? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65125071.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: I'm getting married in October and would like the bridesmaids to carry sunflowers as there bouquet. If I plant sunflowers in late July or August, will they grow into October and be able to cut and use? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf78086561.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: What is the best way to remove dead branches from crape myrtles? Should I cut at the base, or higher up if it is green? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30985479.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Does anyone have suggestions for keeping chipmunks out of my flowers? They're eating the flowers from my impatients, and biting the stems of several other flowering plants. I've tried Liquid Fence, but it's very expensive and has to be reapplied often. I've also tried Shake Away (also pricey) but it's difficult to apply to pots and flowerbeds. Maybe someone has a homemade remedy? Thanks. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15735421.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Tomato Plants with Yellow Leaves What causes yellow leaves on tomato plants? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf482428.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Once a peace lily leaves starts browning on the edges, will they continue to brown or will it eventually stop? What can I do to make sure that the new leaves don't start browning? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf948099.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
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:
|
Like ThriftyFun on Facebook
