June, 2009 Gardening Tips

Five Standby Remedies
(For yard and garden, including a natural Fungicide for Mildew and Black Spot)

(Submitted by Kythera Ann*)

Simple Soap Solution
2 Tbs. soap flakes
2 litre warm water
Dissolve soap flakes in water and apply directly to infested areas every 5-7 days.
Note: Too much soap can cause burning on plants.
Pests affected: Aphids, Spider mites, and Whiteflies.

Garlic Oil Spray
10-15 cloves of minced garlic 2 tsp. mineral oil 600 ml water 1 tsp. liquid dish soap
Soak garlic in mineral oil for 24 hours. Strain garlic out and add 600 ml water and 1 tsp. liquid dish soap. Mix thoroughly. Spray plants with this solution.
Pests affected: Aphids, Spider mites, and Whiteflies

Fungicide for Mildew and Black Spot
1 tsp. baking soda
1 liter water
1 tsp. soap flakes
Dissolve baking soda in 1 litre of warm water. Add soap flakes to help solution cling to leaves. Remove infected leaves from plant and then spray top and bottom of remaining leaf surfaces to control spread of the disease.

Sticky Traps
1-2 Tbsp. Vaseline or preferably, Un-petroleum Jelly
4"x 8" plastic cards or cardboard
Waterproof yellow paint
Apply paint onto both sides of the card and let it dry. Once the paint is dry, apply Un-petroleum Jelly liberally over both sides of the card. Place the card just above the plant canopy.
Pests controlled: Flying pests, such as Fungus gnats, and Whiteflies.

Sow bug Traps
1 small plastic container with lid
Cut a small hole at the base of the container, large enough and close enough to the bottom to allow sow bugs to climb in. Place cornmeal in container. Place container into area infested with Sow bugs. After feeding on the cornmeal, the bugs will drink and then explode! (Replace cornmeal frequently.)

*Adapted from "A Year on The Garden Path" by Carolyn Herriot
(Earthfuture/Lantern, 2005)

Harvesting Lavender

(Submitted by Aletha)

Ah, to harvest the wonderful smell of lavender, well the best time to do this is when the buds are swollen but have not yet opened up and do this mid morning before the hot sun gets at it and the morning dew is off. Then bring them inside and spread them out on a cloth in a warm room with no direct sunlight and you will have beautiful lavender.

Iris Changing Color from Purple to White

(Submitted by Aletha)

If you have Iris in your garden and they have changed color this season and you wonder why, usually it is because of exposure to an herbicide that has been sprayed and it made the flower change even before it came up above ground or bloomed. It should go back to its normal state next year if it is not exposed to these herbicides.

Spade Fork

(Submitted by Aletha)

I wonder how many of us own a Spading fork for use in the garden be it for vegetables or flowers. Yes it can be work if we do not keep up with it but if you want to break your soil up after you planted things or you want to transplant a clump of flowers then if you have a Spading fork it is easier. A spading fork has flat tines that are great for turning the soil, lifting plants or bulbs and separating perennials. It is less jarring to the user than a shovel when digging in rocky soil or just to turn over your soil and what is also neat about this tool is that you can aerate the soil around your plants and keep the soil loose.

Staking Tomatoes

(Submitted by Aletha)

For those that grow the red ripe tomatoes and you have not stacked them, now is the time before they get too big. You know the plant sticker when you buy tomatoes at the nursery and it tells you what type they are? Well my brother-in-law ties them to the top of the tomato cages which makes it even easier to see what you have.

         

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