Post by sierraskyesmom on Feb 20, 2006 18:12:43 GMT -6
Great Gardening Tips
PEST PATROL
• To get rid of bugs on just-picked produce, rinse vegetables, then soak them in a mixture of 1 gallon water and 1 cup vinegar for five minutes. Pick off insects, then rinse again.
• Get rid of slugs by putting a shallow dish filled with beer in the garden. Slugs crawl in and drown.
• After you pick fruit, put it in a pail and cover with water. When you take the fruit inside, no fruit flies will follow.
• Cover strawberry plants or raspberry bushes with old lace curtains to keep the birds off.
TOOL TRICKS
• Make a handy depth gauge by painting rings an inch apart on the handle of a garden trowel.
• Use an old whisk broom to water delicate seedlings: Dip the broom in water, then shake lightly over plants.
• Paint tools bright colors so they can be spotted easily.
• When you're buying a watering can, make sure that it will fit under both the kitchen tap and the outside faucet.
BLOSSOMS AND BLOOMS
• Cut flowers early in the morning or in the evening. Wrap the stems with wet paper towels to keep them moist. Put them in water as soon as you're inside.
• Flowers cut too short? Put some marbles or pebbles in the bottom of the vase to give them a boost.
• If you want to put flowers in a vase that's not watertight, make a lining out of a heavy-duty ziptop bag. Fill it one-third full with water, then put the bag in the container. Add the flowers and zip the bag as needed to hold in place.
PLANTING POINTERS
• Make plant markers out of old ice-pop or crafts sticks. Coat them with clear nail polish to make them weatherproof.
• Sow small seeds like carrots or lettuce with a salt shaker for more even distribution. Choose the right size hole for your seeds and shake it along the garden row.
• Keep a set of measuring cups and spoons near garden supplies to take the guesswork out of measuring insecticides, weed killer or other chemicals.
• Line a clay or plastic flowerpot with a coffee filter before filling with soil. It keeps soil from going through the holes.
• If you're planting bulbs in the garden but can't finish up that same day, put a wooden clothespin in the ground to mark the location of the last bulb you planted. That way you'll know exactly where to pick up again.
• To move a large plant or shrub, roll it onto a snow shovel, if you have one. You can drag the shovel across the lawn without straining yourself.
• Tie plastic loops from soda cans together and attach to a fence or pole to support climbing plants.
PEST PATROL
• To get rid of bugs on just-picked produce, rinse vegetables, then soak them in a mixture of 1 gallon water and 1 cup vinegar for five minutes. Pick off insects, then rinse again.
• Get rid of slugs by putting a shallow dish filled with beer in the garden. Slugs crawl in and drown.
• After you pick fruit, put it in a pail and cover with water. When you take the fruit inside, no fruit flies will follow.
• Cover strawberry plants or raspberry bushes with old lace curtains to keep the birds off.
TOOL TRICKS
• Make a handy depth gauge by painting rings an inch apart on the handle of a garden trowel.
• Use an old whisk broom to water delicate seedlings: Dip the broom in water, then shake lightly over plants.
• Paint tools bright colors so they can be spotted easily.
• When you're buying a watering can, make sure that it will fit under both the kitchen tap and the outside faucet.
BLOSSOMS AND BLOOMS
• Cut flowers early in the morning or in the evening. Wrap the stems with wet paper towels to keep them moist. Put them in water as soon as you're inside.
• Flowers cut too short? Put some marbles or pebbles in the bottom of the vase to give them a boost.
• If you want to put flowers in a vase that's not watertight, make a lining out of a heavy-duty ziptop bag. Fill it one-third full with water, then put the bag in the container. Add the flowers and zip the bag as needed to hold in place.
PLANTING POINTERS
• Make plant markers out of old ice-pop or crafts sticks. Coat them with clear nail polish to make them weatherproof.
• Sow small seeds like carrots or lettuce with a salt shaker for more even distribution. Choose the right size hole for your seeds and shake it along the garden row.
• Keep a set of measuring cups and spoons near garden supplies to take the guesswork out of measuring insecticides, weed killer or other chemicals.
• Line a clay or plastic flowerpot with a coffee filter before filling with soil. It keeps soil from going through the holes.
• If you're planting bulbs in the garden but can't finish up that same day, put a wooden clothespin in the ground to mark the location of the last bulb you planted. That way you'll know exactly where to pick up again.
• To move a large plant or shrub, roll it onto a snow shovel, if you have one. You can drag the shovel across the lawn without straining yourself.
• Tie plastic loops from soda cans together and attach to a fence or pole to support climbing plants.
Thanks for the tips. 