Pertaining to Container Gardening

Use containers that have a wide opening at the top.

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Epson Salts will benefit Houseplants if you put 2 tablespoons per gallon of water and feed monthly.

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Use a sterile mix for potting your plants. If you decide to use soil from outside, sterilize it first. This will help prevent germination of unwanted weeds, or growth of bacteria that may be present in the soil.

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You know the expensive potting soil with the moisture retaining granules? You can make your own. Take any disposable diaper and add the stuffing to potting soil. It will serve the same purpose, and costs less than the expensive soils.

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When using wooden containers, do not use ones that have been treated with creosote, or any other toxic compound.

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Redwood is a good choice for wooden containers, as it is resistant to rot.

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Keep in mind that larger containers will allow the roots more room to grow, and they don't dry out as quickly.

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Keep texture, as well as color, in mind when selecting plants for your containers. Also keep scent in mind.

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Make sure containers have holes for drainage and sitting in a suitable receptacle.

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Containers can be placed, on porches, decks, patios, in the house, and outside in areas where planting in the ground is difficult. And don't forget, that includes hanging containers as well.

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For variety, remember that you can change your container plantings according to the seasons.

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You can use old newspaper to line the pots to keep the soil from leaking out of the drain holes.

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Check light requirements for plants that you use in containers, and make sure they receive an adequate amount.

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If using clay pots as your containers, keep in mind that they are porous and allow water loss. They need to be watched closely to be sure the plants aren't drying out too much.

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Try grouping assorted sizes and styles of containers together for an interesting look.

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When adding a variety of plants to a container, be sure they have the same water and light needs.

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If you love roses, but are limited in space, try growing some in containers. A variety of roses do very well container grown, especially floribundas and miniatures.

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A fun project to do with children, is terrarium gardening. It's a great way to spend quality time together while learning to take care of things, and takes up little room.

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Letting water set out for 24 hours before watering your plants with it, increases their ability to uptake nutrients.

Cautions

Avoid using Epson Salts any where near or on Sage plants as this will cause an adverse effect.

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If you use pesticides in your garden, please, always be extremely careful of where and how it's stored. Make absolutely certain that it is not accessible to children.

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If your houseplants have webbing on them, they likely have spider mites. Control these pests with an insecticidal soap spray.

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Black Spot Remover Tonic: 15 Tomato leaves; 2 small Onions and 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol. Chop up the tomato leaves and onions real fine and steep them in the alcohol overnight. Then paint this mixture on both the tops and bottoms of any infected rose leaves.

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Chlorine is not necessarily a plant's best friend.

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When using coffee grounds around plants, be careful to not use too much. An overabundance of coffee grounds can in some instances actually be toxic to the plants.

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A safe and organic way to kill weeds is to spray them with regular household vinegar when the sun is shining.

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To help distract cabbage butterflies from your cabbage, plant some hyssop in your garden. Cabbage butterflies love it, and will be more apt to leave your cabbage alone.

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To get rid of mealy bugs, use a spray bottle with 50% alcohol and 50% water.

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To help keep fresh cut flower stems from becoming clogged, and reduce the chance of fungus and bacteria forming, remove all leaves that would be submersed in the water.

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When starting seedlings, you should water the little pots from the bottom to help prevent "damp off" from mold that grows on potting soi surfaces if they remain too wet.

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Don't fertilize seedlings until they have at least two pairs of real leaves on them.

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Outdoor fountains and clay pots should be cleaned and put away before winter arrives. If left out in freezing temperatures they will break easily.

Pertaining to Gardening in General

Composting not only adds nutrients to your garden, but also saves tax dollars be reducing garbage costs.

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To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.

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Goodbye Fruit Flies! To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it ½ full with Apple Cider Vinegar and add 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

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If you want to get rid of Ants put small piles of cornmeal where you see them most active. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

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Epson Salts sprinkled 1 cup per 100 square feet and then mixed into earth before planting is very beneficial.

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If there's a farm supply nearby, metal cattle or hog panels make good supports for crops that vine as they can be cut to the size desired.

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If you want to add texture, as well as reduce maintenance in your yard, consider planting some ground covers. These work especially well on sloped areas.

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Adding humus to your soil not only helps it to hold the moisture, but it also helps with aeration.

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Lattice panels can be installed around air conditioners and other areas like around trash cans, as a beautifier. While "prettying" up the area the panels also still allow sufficient air flow.

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When using manure, it's best to let it age for several months before putting it in your garden. Fresh manure will "burn" your plants.

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When working beds for flowers, the ground should be well turned at least 6 inches deep. When mulching your plants, be sure you keep the mulch from getting right up against the plant itself. Give it a little bit of room.

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When choosing tools to use in your garden, keep comfort and handle length in mind.

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Don't throw away those wood ashes. Distribute them in the garden after they are cooled. They "sweeten" the soil (free Potash). You can leave them there and work them into the soil as conditions permit.

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Wood ashes are a good addition to areas where you plan on planting carrots or tomatoes.

Pertaining to Plants in General

When choosing and buying annuals for your garden, pick ones that have dense foliage.

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Start putting in your plants; work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

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Calla lilies need afternoon shade, and a rich, moist soil.

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Camellias have a reputation for setting more buds than they can open, so bud drop a natural phenomenon, especially if your plant is otherwise healthy and growing well. However, bud drop can be caused by over watering in the cool months, or under watering in the summer. Bud drop can also be caused by spells of very low humidity. Monitor your plant for signs of ill-health, and after flower buds form, thin clusters at branch tips to one or two fat flower buds, leaving the slender leaf buds alone. The remaining buds should open into beautiful, large flowers.

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If you decide to grow crepe myrtle, plant it in a place that receives plenty of sun, otherwise they don't thrive as well, and also tend to succumb to diseases easier.

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Cyclamen do best when placed in a sunny, east window, and given a weekly misting.

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For humidity loving ferns, place the pots in a shallow container that is filled with water and pebbles.

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Cut asparagus ferns off at the ground when they start turning yellow. Remove all old plant debris.

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Kingfisher Daisy, (Felicia), is an ideal plant for hanging baskets.

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Keeping your gardenia blooms cut, will help promote more blooms, and a bushier plant.

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Gerbera daisies are wonderful flowers to use in cut arrangements. You might consider growing some!

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If you need to move or divide Hosta's, spring is the best time of year to do that.

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To start new jade plants from leaves or stems, allow the cut area to callous over before placing it in moistened sand.

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Japanese iris, sedges, or swamp sunflowers are good choices for planting in ground that tends to stay wet or damp.

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To check and see how well older seed may germinate, place some seeds in a dampened paper towel, and then into a glass jar. Check the seeds after about 10 days to see how many of them have germinated.

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Roses will benefit from Epsom Salt usage as: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks. Also scratch 1/2 cup into soil at base to encourage flowering canes and healthy new basal cane growth. Soak unplanted bushes in 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt per gallon of water to help roots recover. Add a tablespoon of Epsom Salt to each hole at planting time. Spray with Epsom Salt solution weekly to discourage pests.

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A good choice of vine for areas that have dense shade is the English ivy.

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Plant watermelon in a place where there is good air circulation, and full sun.

Pertaining to Herbs

When planting garlic, separate the individual cloves for planting. Also try planting with Roses as this helps to deter aphids.

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After onion tops have fallen over, pull the onions, then store them for about 2 weeks in a place that is dry, out of the sun, and is well ventilated. After this, place them in mesh bags, or hang in bundles, where there is little humidity, and the temperatures range between 33 and 45 degrees F.

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Parsley planted among roses and tomatoes, helps to enhance their vigor.

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Planting marigolds between tomatoe plants helps deter the tomatoe worm

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When growing summer savory, start the plants indoors and leave them to continue growing there for about 7 weeks.

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Plant winter savory in a rich, well drained area that receives lots of sunshine.

Pertaining to Trees and Flowering Shrubs

Astilbe grows best in soils that are moist. They can tolerate a dryer soil, provided they have shade.

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Unlike commercial fertillizers Epson Salts will not build up in the soil over time so there is no fear of overusing. It is great for Shrubs (evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron): Use 1 tablespoon of Epson Salts per 9 square feet and apply over root zone every 2-4 weeks.

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If white birches have died due to birch leaf miners tunneling in leaves or birch borers tunneling into bark, consider planting the 'Heritage' river birch instead. It has a similar growth habit, but less susceptible to both pests.

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When considering a plant for bonsai, choose one that is well branched, and has small leaves.

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Broom (Cytisus), is a good plant choice for growing in hot, dry areas.

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To help decrease chances of disease on your fruit trees, always clear away any old or rotten fruit, leaves, and even those on the ground. They can be an inviting host for disease.

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Pine trees can be safely planted in early spring or late fall but avoid doing so during the period of "soft growth" which is from May to August.

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Most strawberry trees (Arbutus), need a lime free soil to grow well.

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To get more bloom out of your Wegelia, give the tips a little pruning after current blooming is finished.

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To protect young trees from hungry mice and rabbits eating their bark, wrap trunks with plastic tree wrap. Wrap the covering around the trunk up about 1 foot off the ground and 2 to 3 inches into the soil.

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Epson Salts is also great for Trees: Apply 2 tablespoons per 9 square feet and apply over the root zone 3 times annually. For Lawns: Apply 3 pounds for every 1,250 square feet with a spreader, or dilute in water and apply with a sprayer.

Pertaining to Vegetables

Vegetables need at least an inch of water each week while growing, whether it is from rainfall or watering.

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Weeding is critical with roots crops to reduce crowding, which affects the quality of growth.

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Wait until the soil temperature has reached about 50 degrees F., before planting asparagus.

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Want to know an easy way to shell dry beans? Put them in a pillowcase, tie the top, and throw them in the dryer for a while. Just be sure the pillowcase doesn't have any holes in it, or you'll have a mess in your dryer!!

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It's a good idea to start your broccoli seeds indoors, about 5 to 6 weeks before the last average frost date. Make sure they are not over watered, too hot (65 degrees F. is warm enough) and get enough sunlight, or they will grow spindly and weak.

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Celery is best grown in climates with a long cooler season, and it needs a lot of water.

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It is of benefit to plant spinach early in the season to help avoid bolting problems.

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If planting spring crops such as radishes, try staggering the plantings so that you have a continuous harvest of fresh radishes.

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It's best to buy fresh parsnip seed each year. Parsnip seed does not have a long span of being viable for germination.

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Want great Tomatoe plants with delicious fruit? Use Epson Salts as: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant and apply every two weeks.

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Turnips can be planted in the early spring and then again in the summer for an autumn harvest.

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For optimum sweetness and quality, be sure you allow rutabaga roots to fully mature before harvesting.

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At the end of your tomato season, you can finish ripening green tomatoes by stripping off the lower leaves of the plant, then hanging it upside down inside.

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While still young and tender, try harvesting some beet or turnip tops to cook as greens.

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As your root crops start to grow, thin as needed to allow plenty of space for more growth.

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When harvesting carrots or parsnips in the fall it's best to wait until after a light frost. They become sweeter then.

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To help prevent pumpkins from turning to mush on the vine, gently place them on bricks, or even smooth stones, so that the bottoms are not in contact with the ground.

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When you press on a pumpkin or squash with your thumbnail and the skin doesn't puncture, then it's ready to harvest.

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Pumpkins store best if picked before a frost, and if you leave about 2 inches of stem attached.

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It's wise not to plant potatoes in spots where peppers were grown in the previous two years.

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If you are a smoker, do not handle Pepper plants as they will react adversely to Tobacco residue.

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Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating while Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

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Mulching potatoes helps maintain a more even moisture level, thus reducing the chances of them becoming hollow and rotten in the center.

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You can begin harvesting sweet potatoes after the vines start turning yellow. But it is best to get them out of the ground before a frost, as after that, they can rot quickly.

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Did you know you can freeze whole cherry tomatoes and just throw them into chili and soups???

         

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