tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-329328062012-01-23T08:30:06.041-08:00Featuring free gardening tips, including organic gardening tips, landscape gardening tips, vegetable gardening tips and more.Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.comBlogger761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-69136404099223690312007-11-11T22:20:00.000-08:002007-11-11T23:08:07.120-08:00

Garden ReflectionsAs I walked through the Fall garden this morning, my mind wandered back to how the garden season commenced this year. A whiff of warm Spring breezes brought forth bright green leaves and plants full of vigor, only to be ambushed by the unmerciful late frosts that rolled across the region. Several plants were lost and those that weren't had to fight throughout the whole of Summer

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-30516927872521066192007-11-04T21:06:00.000-08:002011-10-20T20:44:12.291-07:00

Yellow Magnolia Tree FlowersSome of our favorite trees for beautiful Spring flowers are the deciduous magnolia trees. While some common magnolias like the star magnolia are more popular, there are a few less well-known magnolia trees that can be used quite successfully in most landscapes. And they require as little care as the popular ones. Below are the flowers of two soft yellow magnolias that

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-65545274670176450482007-03-27T12:48:00.000-07:002007-10-29T02:58:50.825-07:00

Make Tree and Plant Labels Last LongerI explained in an earlier post about how to make homemade plant labels. Now I'm going to tell you how to make your plant labels last longer no matter what type of label you use. Go outside and locate the plants you wish to label. If you know where the sun comes up, you'll know that is the eastern horizon. Stand up straight now, and put your arms straight out

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-22678427874365068202007-02-15T02:55:00.000-08:002007-03-13T17:32:48.869-07:00

2007 Perennial Plant of the Year - Nepeta 'Walker's Low'The Perennial Plant Association has granted Nepeta 'Walker's Low' with the befitting 2007 Perennial Plant of the Year award. I've been an admirer of this plant since its release. Does a wonderful job of attracting bees, butterflies and other beneficials to the garden. And the normal pests in the garden, deer and rabbit, tend to dislike the

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-55021758326635338782007-02-06T18:57:00.000-08:002007-10-29T03:00:48.286-07:00

Garden GazebosThere was a time when a garden gazebo was only available to those who could afford to spend an extravagant amount of money. Gazebos have not only become affordable, the styles are varied and widely available. No matter what size area you have to devote to your gazebo building project, you can find the perfect size and style gazebo that will fit your personal landscape needs. Before

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1169616029590546142007-01-23T21:20:00.000-08:002007-10-29T03:01:39.470-07:00

Switchgrass and Ethanol Where are we headed with biofuels? Time and time again you hear about ethanol and corn, ethanol and sugar cane. Then there's biodiesel - The McDonald's greasepit of biofuels. Now it's ethanol and switchgrass. So are we going to find a biofuel and run with it? Is switchgrass the answer, really? If it is, let's get on with it. Ethanol has been around as long as the

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-86450250424786601742007-01-15T19:09:00.000-08:002011-11-24T16:19:41.381-08:00

How To Lower Soil pH In The GardenYou might find that you need to lower the soil pH in specific parts of your garden or landscape to grow certain plants. Most garden plants grow well in a slightly acidic pH range of 5.5 - 7.0.The first thing you need to do is test the pH level of soil where you plan to plant. Once you have the pH reading, you can lower soil pH by adding the appropriate amount of

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1167209182462709922006-12-26T23:58:00.000-08:002007-10-29T03:02:41.062-07:00

Recycling Christmas Trees | Christmas Tree Disposal TipsChristmas has come and gone and many folks are trying to make room for their New Year events. In doing so you may want to dispose of your Christmas tree quickly. Instead of placing your Christmas tree out on the curb for disposal, there are a few ways you can use the tree around your home. Making mulch out of your Christmas tree is the first

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1166784205872943692006-12-22T01:34:00.000-08:002011-11-29T05:21:36.966-08:00

Garden Pictures on a Rainy DayOn days like this when it's rainy out and I get to feeling blue, there's no better medicine for me than to browse through pictures of the garden taken in the past. I guess I live for playing in the garden. I started planning for next Spring when the leaves began to fall in Autumn. I'm working on building a bigger vegetable garden every year. We started canning [

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1166663374888603902006-12-20T17:07:00.000-08:002011-11-29T05:14:28.919-08:00

Mimosa Tree | Silk TreeA beautiful tree, whether in bloom or not, the mimosa tree, also known as the silk tree to some, creates quite a spectacle in landscapes across the country. The mimosa tree's biggest drawback is it's a little too prolific in propagating itself by means of seed. The mimosa trees can be seen in bloom in our part of the country along the Interstate 65 in central Kentucky

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1166515267248847092006-12-18T23:24:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:56:11.910-08:00

Recycling Sod | Reusing Lawn SodSince it was so nice outside I went ahead and planted a few trees and plants today. Whenever I dig a new hole for a tree or plant, I'll remove the lawn sod first and recycle it by either filling in bare spots or dips in the lawn or tossing the sod into the compost pile. You can do the same thing when digging a new garden bed. Just stick the shovel into the sod and

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1165651748266568732006-12-08T23:20:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:50:31.960-08:00

Weed Control | Corn Gluten Meal The organic weed control we know as corn gluten meal has been around for several years now. Corn gluten meal is used organically to control sprouting garden weeds. It will not suppress established weeds. Corn gluten meal works by drying out emerging weed seedlings as soon as they begin to grow. Corn gluten meal will work for about 4 - 6 weeks before

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1165642902297927932006-12-08T21:20:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:50:06.895-08:00

Use for Old Halloween MasksHere's a great use for your old Halloween masks. When the crows are snitching your freshly planted corn from the garden next Spring, put your scary Halloween mask over the face of your scarecrow. Be creative! Throw an old straw hat over the head of the Halloween mask. If this doesn't scare the critters, it will surely have them laughing so hard that they forget where

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1165487403203923682006-12-07T01:56:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:48:24.789-08:00

Benefits of Landscape LightingThere are many considerable benefits of landscape lighting. Landscape lighting reveals the hidden architectural aspects of your home in the darkness of night. They cast dramatic silhouettes of your trees and plants against the walls of your home creating a spectacular show for the curious passerby. Landscape lighting also acts as a security measure in your overall

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1165389293111343182006-12-05T22:37:00.000-08:002007-10-29T03:09:37.103-07:00

Cooperative Extension PDF FilesMany cooperative extension publications available online are sometimes available only as PDF files. This is especially true when searching through agricultural cooperative extension sites. For some people using older computers with little memory and small processors, these PDF files can put a serious strain on your computer resources, sometimes bringing about the

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1165386537886937632006-12-05T21:58:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:46:30.053-08:00

Organic Pest ControlWhat chemicals, if any, do you use in your garden? When you are presented with a pest control problem on your plants, do you reach for a bottle of toxic chemicals or opt for a more ecologically responsible alternative? Granted, there may be more work involved with organic methods. Picking bugs off your prized plants can be tedious and time consuming. But don't you really

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1164856181922355262006-11-29T17:28:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:47:26.223-08:00

2007 All American Daylily - Lavender Vista Daylily The All American Daylily Selection Council has released their All American Daylily Winner for 2007. With its 5 - 6" fragrant, re-blooming lavender blooms, Lavender Vista Daylily has been awarded All American Daylily for 2007 Exhibition. Lavender Vista Daylily now ranks among the other 14 daylilies awarded with this distinction. Lavender Vista

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1164850011947371622006-11-29T16:42:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:45:24.844-08:00

Svalbard Global Seed VaultOur distant offspring may have to fight polar bears to get to an Arctic seed storage, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, that is being built on the Svalbard Archipelago, 300 miles north of Norway. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is being built to house seeds from around the world in case of global disaster; such as nuclear war, plant epidemics, or even another Ice Age. The

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1164521390935782182006-11-25T22:08:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:44:44.657-08:00

Garden Tiller MaintenanceIf you've put off your annual garden tiller maintenance until now, you can still get the old tiller back into shape for breaking up some dirt early next Spring. I'll confess, I got a late start on this gardening chore this year. Plants needed planting. Brush needed clearing. And every other chore seemed so much more important than getting the garden tiller ready for

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-40353334835814713712006-11-17T16:23:00.000-08:002012-01-17T16:43:58.372-08:00

Free DIY PVC Greenhouse PlansHave you ever wanted to own your own backyard hobby greenhouse to start and grow plants? If a commercial greenhouse is beyond your means then maybe you should consider the option to build a greenhouse using PVC and greenhouse plastic. You get the same benefits as the commercial greenhouse, but without the prohibitive upfront costs.You can easily build a PVC greenhouse

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1163750182217513342006-11-16T23:26:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:44:17.067-08:00

Make a Snowflake - Send a SnowflakeI remember this from a few years ago: Make a Snowflake I really thought I had lost the URL. It's a great way to spread your holiday cheers. It will take a few seconds to load, but is a great thing to do with the kids, even let them make their own snowflake. You could even email the URL to friends and family and give them your snowflake number and they'll be able

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1163058310252908982006-11-08T23:05:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:43:56.264-08:00

Sowbugs & Pillbugs - The DifferenceWhat's the difference between sowbugs and pillbugs? Not much, mind you. But the main difference between the two little creatures is the fact that the pillbug can roll up into a ball when confronted by curious onlookers such as humans and it also lacks the tail "appendages" which the sowbugs do inherit. Probably seen more often are the pillbugs, also known as

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1162809561667712262006-11-06T02:09:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:43:20.939-08:00

Kentucky Snakes - Identification PicturesWe cross paths with a lot of snakes here in Kentucky during the growing season. As I was brushing up on Kentucky hunting laws, I came across this excellent resource (PDF) for identifying Kentucky snakes. The colorful pictures make for easy identification between venomous and non-venomous snakes. I'll be printing this off in the next few days for future

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1162807323129311612006-11-06T01:30:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:40:57.540-08:00

It was so cold that...The funniest thing happened a couple of nights ago. We have several outdoor cats that sleep in the garden shed. They bundle together tightly in their straw bed when the temperatures take a dive. I took a notion to go and check on them and make sure they were okay. As I came upon them in the shed, I noticed something dark and shiny on the back of one of the cats. It threw me

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1162556760271918892006-11-03T03:34:00.000-08:002011-11-29T05:27:30.783-08:00

Time to Make More Leaf Mold It's that time of year again. We'll be starting about 5 more leaf mold bins this weekend. Raking up the leaves is the fun part for me. There's just something peaceful about raking leaves on a cool fall day. Last year's leaf mold bins will be emptied and the finished leaf mold will be taken from the bottom of the pile. What was left on top that hadn't broken

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1162550270088846102006-11-03T01:28:00.000-08:002011-11-29T05:24:02.954-08:00

Treatment for Poison Ivy So what's the best treatment for poison ivy rash? I am horribly allergic to poison ivy. I itch. I scratch. The stuff just drives me crazy when it gets out of control. But in the last few years, I've found the best way to control poison ivy is to prevent it before the rash gets a hold on you. Now I've found that I can rip the ivy vines out of the ground with my bare hands

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1162424057544241702006-11-01T15:32:00.000-08:002011-11-29T05:24:21.560-08:00

Homemade Vegetable Plant SupportsWith this simple vegetable gardening tip you can keep your vegetable plants from falling over and lying on the ground. Simply buy or scavenge for an old cattle panel. Use some lengths of rebar or T-posts and drive them into the garden bed or rows and attach the cattle panels with wire. This plant support works well for climbing plants such as cucumbers, melons and

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1162038319256929172006-10-28T05:10:00.000-07:002006-10-28T05:25:20.156-07:00

Hypertufa | An Idea for WinterI've always been meaning to get around to trying my hand at hypertufa. I found this great webpage a long time ago and kept telling myself to just get what I needed to do it, but of course, something always came up. Well, since the gardens need less attention now I'm going to make a sincere effort to make a hypertufa trough this winter. I know they need quite awhile

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1161815978612091162006-10-25T15:39:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:25:33.093-08:00

Putting Away the HammockAmong other fall chores that were finished today, I found the time to get my lonely hammock ready for winter storage. I really didn't have much time to be lazy and use my hammock this year. Seems everything that could break did, so I was busy fixing many things over the summer. I do remember a few days when I got to lounge in the hammock though. If the cats would have left

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1161682684468415642006-10-24T02:02:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:25:48.005-08:00

Drying Hydrangea BloomsWe love our hydrangeas, especially when they are in bloom. I'm beginning to think that if I don't quit collecting new cultivars, I'll soon run out of room for the rest of our plants. Since hydrangea blooms don't last forever, we like to bring some of the blooms indoors and use the dried hydrangea blooms in arrangements throughout the house. In the winter they remind us of

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1161384456052300242006-10-20T15:46:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:26:32.896-08:00

Organic Powdery Mildew ControlAh, the dreaded powdery mildew. Variations of this disease distress a wide range of plants; including squash, grapes, and even our native dogwood tree. Milk has been found to halt progression and provide control of powdery mildew on many plants and trees. I have used it in the garden on our squash and gourds with success. And I even got the chance to experiment with

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1161286217914366492006-10-19T12:03:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:27:04.587-08:00

When to Plant Strawberries - Strawberry PlantsWondering when to plant strawberries? Strawberry plants are usually planted in the Spring in most gardens, but you can get away with planting them in the Fall season and have no problems. Trouble is, strawberries are not huge sellers in the Fall season so most nurseries don't carry them this late in the year. But if you already have your own bed of

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1161024149892892642006-10-16T09:41:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:27:50.375-08:00

A Healthy SoilSometimes we need to get back to the basics of healthy soil. Healthy soil is essential to building beautiful gardens. With healthy soil, your plants are better equipped to fight off diseases. Your plants have more organic nutrients available to them. If you're growing vegetables, you can expect better yields. If you're growing flowering plants, you can expect more blooms and lush

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1160785982677420702006-10-13T17:25:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:28:10.364-08:00

Planting Trees | Removing SodA quick gardening tip for removing sod when you are planting trees. Mark the outside line of the circle. You can easily remove sod with your garden shovel by digging down about 2 - 3 inches and then pull the shovel handle down towards the ground. Push the shovel under the sod Gardening Tips

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1160629004881091542006-10-11T21:55:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:28:28.349-08:00

Worm SnakesIf it looks like a worm, then it must be a worm... snake that is. I'm not sure whether they're called worm snakes because they look like worms or because they eat worms. Either way, don't go digging through loose, sandy garden soil with bare hands and take for granted the only squiggly creature you'll come up with between your fingers is a worm. I was transplanting plants into a

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1160570774767096932006-10-11T04:40:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:29:50.523-08:00

Gathering Tree SeedsOne of my favorite things to do at this time of year is gathering tree seeds. I love to find seeds from native trees that we don't have growing on our property and add them to "our collection". The easiest way to go about gathering tree seeds is to study up on the specific tree you are wanting to collect seeds from. Find out their good and bad points. And most importantly, for

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1160509897381260702006-10-10T12:00:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:30:07.945-08:00

Feeding Wild Birds in WinterIf you plan on feeding wild birds this winter, here's a few tips you'll want to keep in mind. The main one being, if you do start feeding wild birds in your backyard this winter, don't stop until Spring arrives. It wouldn't be nice if we traveled many hungry miles for a good meal at our favorite restaurant only to find out that there was no food available to eat when

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1160368001326341362006-10-08T20:37:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:30:23.270-08:00

Chigger BitesI'm not used to chigger bites this late in the year. I never thought the chiggers would be active after the cool days we've been having lately. Although I'm not aware of any safe home remedies to keep chiggers off your clothing, there are several home remedies for chigger bites. Using lye soap is one of the best remedies for chigger bites. Washing with lye soap will relieve the itch.

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1160286435830374182006-10-07T22:40:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:30:37.203-08:00

Mulching Trees and Shrubs in FallFall is an opportune time for mulching trees and shrubs. The weather is nice and for many of us, mulching materials are at their greatest availability. Fall mulching protects the soil in your garden beds from erosion and keeps the soil temperature more even during the cold winter months ahead. The mulch will also further accentuate any grasses and ornamentals that

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1160167396763703592006-10-06T12:46:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:30:53.912-08:00

Blood MealSo what is blood meal? And why should I have any interest in using it in my garden? For one, it's an excellent source of nitrogen. Second, blood meal is an organic nutrient. Need more reasons? How about having a bag of blood meal around to deter deer? Most deer will walk a mile around the stuff. Well maybe not a mile, but you get the picture. Blood meal and deer just don't go together

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1160086846255632542006-10-05T15:20:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:32:05.672-08:00

Peeling Potatoes and Potato PeelsEver have a big old pile of potato peels after peeling potatoes? Alot of people just throw the potato peels into the trash. Hey you! Stop doing that! Instead of adding more "valuable trash" to our landfills, compost those potato peels. And here's a tip to make it even easier to get those potato peels out to the compost pile. Just lay out several sheets of

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159896148394797712006-10-03T10:22:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:33:40.115-08:00

Flu Prevention TipsThough we like to think of ourselves as a special group of people, gardeners still suffer from common ailments such as food poisoning, common colds and the dreaded Flu. The Flu is making its way through our local region and I am sure it's probably gearing up for a trip to your hometown. There are a few Flu prevention tips you can keep in mind this Flu season to protect your

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159786034419035022006-10-02T03:07:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:34:35.946-08:00

More Fall ChoresAs the days and nights get colder we are reminded of the gardening chores we have left to take care of before winter sets in. This is just to remind you of a few more Fall chores you may have forgotten before old man winter visits your garden.When freezing temperatures set in, be sure to double check any outside faucets. Remove and drain all of your garden hoses.If you won't be

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159725808100544882006-10-01T10:29:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:34:55.375-08:00

When to Transplant PeoniesSo when is the best time to transplant peonies? Early Fall is the perfect time for transplanting peonies and it's a pretty straight-forward process. The first thing you'll want to do is cut the stems back to about 6 inches. Then dig up the root ball of your peonies. You may want to have a few sheets of newspaper spread out if you're going to divide the peonies while

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159640114603839262006-09-30T10:55:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:35:12.752-08:00

Staking Trees on the Fly I was in a situation yesterday where I needed a way to stake some trees for a friend of mine. I already had the hammer and tree stakes for him, but he had no tape available to tie the trees with. So, instead of driving 30 miles to the nearest garden center, we were rummaging through his garage looking for something suitable for tying the trees to the stake. He's a plumber

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159545488589606742006-09-29T08:57:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:35:38.042-08:00

More on Curb AppealIn my past post about landscaping and curb appeal, I talked about a few ideas for enhancing the aesthetic value of your property to increase your chances of selling your home.I've garnered a few more curb appeal ideas and thought I would share them with you here. Make sure your landscape agrees with your home. There should be an overall scheme to your curb appeal. A brick ranch

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159312318825622752006-09-26T16:11:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:36:25.952-08:00

Cutting Down a Tree SafelyWinter is just around the bend and a topic that can't be stressed enough is cutting down a tree...safely. We'll certainly be in the woods this winter cutting our share of trees out of the wood lot. We plan on using wood heat when we build our home, but in the meantime, we use the trees out of our wood lot for making maple syrup in the Spring. We know that every time we

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159277475802828562006-09-26T06:31:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:36:43.903-08:00

Maintaining and Storing Your Garden ToolsIt's about that time when fellow gardeners will be storing their garden tools for the winter. If you've been maintaining your garden tools over the last couple of seasons, then congrats to you. But some of us are using metal detectors to find our misplaced garden tools. Lost under a heap of overgrown plants, many tools lay hidden, awaiting a nice dry spot

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159198493890387822006-09-25T08:34:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:37:30.672-08:00

Common Garden WeedsWe've all had to deal with common garden weeds. But do you know the names of those garden weeds? Can you identify them with a glance? Do you know how those weeds propagate themselves? Some common garden weeds produce seed several times a season and if not caught in time will cover your garden bed with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of seeds. There are also a few common garden

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159118415381596742006-09-24T09:44:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:37:49.806-08:00

What to do with Leaves in FallPerhaps you are looking for ideas on what to do with the leaves scattered across your lawn this Fall. There are a few things you can do with those leaves besides bagging them up and putting them out on the curb for the city to haul away.Leaf MoldWe personally like to make leaf mold with our leaves. The leaves are basically raked up and piled into a bin and left to

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1159029883804484232006-09-23T08:16:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:38:36.662-08:00

Native Plants for Attracting BirdsAn excellent way of attracting birds to your backyard is by planting native plants that these creatures depend on for food and shelter. The National Audubon Society offers many tips on creating the perfect backyard sanctuary for birds. It also offers a list of native plants for birds.Some common native sources of food for birds are:American

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158900316344325682006-09-21T21:11:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:39:24.144-08:00

Protecting Sunflower Seed Heads from BirdsMost birds just love sunflower seeds. And protecting your sunflower seed heads from birds, so you'll have some to eat, is a simple task. Just dig out an old pair of pantyhose and place over the sunflower seed heads when they are near ripening. You'll get your share of sunflower seeds and you can leave a few uncovered just for the birds. Better yet, dry

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158696143075810512006-09-19T13:02:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:39:47.411-08:00

Poisonous Plants for DogsThere are countless plants that are poisonous to dogs and you can keep your dog safe by knowing what plants are poisonous to them. I won't go into listing all of the poisonous plants here as there are many competent sources already available. One such source is from Cornell University. Their poisonous plants database offers a list of plants not only poisonous to dogs, but

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158582608348072062006-09-18T04:50:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:40:10.416-08:00

Keeping Deer out of your GardenA few simple tips that may help you keep deer out of your garden:Sprinkle human hair around your plants. Deer tend not to like the smellIrish Spring soap seems to deter deer when hung around plantsMix egg and water and drizzle on plants. Deer aren't too fond of the taste of eggsPlant dill around the garden. Some deer just won't touch anything in the surrounding

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158370801957341922006-09-15T17:49:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:41:05.814-08:00

Home Use Pesticide DatabaseHas anyone tried using the Home Use Pesticide Database from Colorado State University Co-op Extension? I just scanned through it real quick and have noted it for further investigation. Looks promising and even includes an organic only approach to search. Hope it continues to be developed as the database could be an invaluable resource for gardeners. I also hope that

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158334955684645312006-09-15T08:42:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:41:22.450-08:00

Growing and Propagating Strawberry PlantsThis year was an excellent year for our strawberry plants. Starting out with 50 plants last year, we now have well over 500 strawberry plants this year. The strawberries propagate themselves by sending out runners that fix themselves into the soil around the parent plant and grow into new strawberry plants. So propagating strawberry plants is not in itself

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158276703016238562006-09-14T16:07:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:41:38.943-08:00

Pruning Rose of SharonOh, how the Rose of Sharon grow. Sometimes too fast for their own good, I say. Rose of Sharon don't require very much maintenance, save for the invasion of Japanese Beetles that attack them throughout the summer months. This very hardy shrub will bloom constantly throughout its growing season. And it draws lots of wonderful creatures, such as hummingbirds to your area. As

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158249040993288482006-09-14T08:50:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:41:52.595-08:00

On Making Slow CompostSo you just don't have the umph to create a full-fledged compost pile. It's alright, we understand. Sometimes, whether for health reasons or just the fact that you have a busy lifestyle, you may not have the time or energy for a compost pile. Enter Slow Compost. So just make a simple pile of yard wastes and kitchen scraps and maybe kick them around when you get bored. All of

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158164472626361422006-09-13T09:20:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:42:10.192-08:00

Limited Gardening SpaceWe don't really have limited gardening space by any means, but I'm sure there are plenty of gardening folks out there that do. We used to live in an apartment before moving to our 50 acres of heaven, so I do realize what it means to garden with limited space. When we were living in the apartment, I believe we were the only people there that grew corn in containers. Made a

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1158088647319330132006-09-12T12:17:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:42:31.223-08:00

Rain and Gardening ChoresRain has moved in over the last several days and has brought the gardening chores to somewhat of a standstill. We still have many gardening chores left for this month and surely don't need the prolonged waiting period. While out in the shed, I just shelled a bunch of seeds for replanting a garden bed next year. It really helps to have a shed outdoors where there is some

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157896003519831372006-09-10T06:30:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:42:51.813-08:00

Water Retention in Soil Increasing your soil's organic material is beneficial in many ways besides just increasing it's water retention capabilities, but we'll get to that in another post. An easy way to help your soil hold water is by adding organic material when cultivating the area. Some examples of organic materials that help in water retention are: composted manure, leaf mold, shredded

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157719782287862402006-09-08T05:22:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:43:11.726-08:00

Curb Appeal - Selling your HomeI believe most of us could agree that the curb appeal of most homes is what furthers the interest of new home buyers. Especially from those that are riding around in their vehicles looking for their "home sweet home". The first thing that is noted along with the home is the landscaping around the home. Are the garden beds filled with weeds? Are dead branches hanging

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157613012318215852006-09-06T23:08:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:44:36.052-08:00

Mulching Garden BedsFor those that don't know, mulching garden beds has many benefits. For one, a thick layer of mulch in garden beds makes for cooler soil temperatures in summer. These cooler temperatures are also appealing to earthworms. Mulching garden beds conserves moisture. In winter, mulch keeps the garden beds from freezing and thawing repeatedly. Mulching garden beds also helps to add

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157572551329216972006-09-06T12:42:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:44:56.736-08:00

Planting Small SeedsWhen planting small seeds, mix the small seeds with sand or vermiculite to get even distribution across the sowing surface. This is especially useful with planting small vegetable seeds such as carrots and small annual plant seed. Another easy way with planting small seeds is to get a small piece of paper, fold it in half and pour your seeds into the paper fold. Then plant the

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157480099128718442006-09-05T10:53:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:45:31.947-08:00

Yellow Spots on my Butterfly BushUpon checking the gardens I noticed that a few of my butterfly bushes had yellow spots and that can pretty much mean only one thing. Spider Mites!! These little guys will try to suck the life out of butterfly bushes if the plants are under any kind of heat or drought stress. Normally the butterfly bush won't be affected, but if you let them get too dry and they

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157393614591247492006-09-04T10:35:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:45:52.960-08:00

Frugal Gardening TipsSome miscellaneous frugal gardening tips to help you save money.A $9.00 bag of peat in-season may cost you only $3.50 at the end of the season. Buy the majority of your garden supplies in the Fall and pay lower prices from retailers.Instead of buying that plant you've had an eye on for your garden, why not trade plants through a local garden club or online plant swap.Don't

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157270541141171282006-09-03T00:37:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:46:25.406-08:00

Tree Planting TipsWe're gardeners, so at least one time in our lives we're probably going to be moving, or transplanting a tree, so these tree planting tips should come in handy:A few days before transplanting the tree, water around the tree thoroughly. This helps to keep the tree hydrated during the transplanting process.Dig the receiving hole twice the size of the root ball of the tree you are

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157214528668355692006-09-02T08:58:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:47:09.720-08:00

Red WormsSquishy...Slimey...Gross.... Yes we're talking about the common red worms. The worms that crawl underfoot and underground. The little creatures that keep air and water flowing through your garden soil. It wouldn't be gardening without digging through soil and catching a glimpse of one of these red worms squiggling amongst the disturbed soil. Red worms are the backbone of any healthy

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1156968317667990672006-08-30T11:16:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:47:43.533-08:00

Homemade Plant LabelsAnother great gardening tip comes on making homemade plant labels. Homemade plant labels can be had at a great price...cheap. This information especially comes in handy should you have LOTS of plants. The most popular plant labels made at home are plastic labels made from mini-blinds. There's always someone throwing out an old pair of mini-blinds and just asking around can

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1156855912376686412006-08-29T05:34:00.001-07:002011-11-29T05:48:08.450-08:00

Planting in August - Southern StatesAccording to the Farmers Almanac, if you live in the southern states, then August, specifically the 29th, 30th and 31st, is the time to be planting your peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers and other above ground crops. Also good for planting other seedbeds. Just remember that if you didn't get your soil ready for a late crop, there's always next year. You can go

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1156835025484216222006-08-28T23:22:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:48:27.584-08:00

Soil pH TestDo you have several places in your garden where you'd like to take a soil pH test, but just can't see shelling out the money for those expensive soil pH test kits? Well, have I got just the gardening tip for you. You'll need a cup of distilled water or rain water, some red and blue litmus paper from the drugstore and soil samples from the areas where you are making your soil pH tests.

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1156756054856927762006-08-28T01:04:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:48:47.609-08:00

Ashes in the Garden Who me? Put wood ashes in the garden? Why and what for? Some people will tell you not to put ashes in your garden. Well, okay, this might scare a few people, but remember, we're talking about wood ashes in the garden, not ashes from the burn barrel, where some people might burn their trash. Wood ashes are completely safe for the vegetable and flower gardens. Just use them

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1156201133495487722006-08-21T15:04:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:49:26.960-08:00

Ant ControlHow to Get Rid of Ants NaturallyI don't have a huge problem with ant control. Most of the toads we have lurking around the farm do a good job of keeping them within bounds. But I do have some friends that have an ant control problem and would like a way to get rid of the ants naturally without all of the harsh chemical ant sprays. A neighbor of mine had some crawling up the wall on his

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1156060449092669262006-08-20T00:23:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:50:06.492-08:00

Dog Days of Summer Le's face it! The dog days of summer have taken it's toll on gardeners around the globe. I for one have spent much time indoors this summer when the heat was bearing down on the earth's surface. It always seems hotter in the garden and I guess that comes from all of the chores that are awaiting us when we get there. Tomatoes to be picked, old shriveled up vines that have

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-1157268199591741832006-07-14T00:10:00.000-07:002011-11-29T05:50:23.304-08:00

Flies in the GardenDo you have problems with flies in the garden? An easy solution is to bring natural predators into the garden area to control flies. Natural predators of flies are toads, lizards and I even once spied a Praying Mantis relishing flies in the garden. Praying Mantis can be relocated into the garden area by getting one to crawl onto a branch and then releasing it onto one of the

Gardening Tipsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32932806.post-70291754966529995092006-04-03T09:44:00.000-07:002008-04-03T09:54:20.238-07:00

Pine Tree Scientific NamesLearn the scientific names of the genus of pine trees found throughout North America. Explore their growth habits and facts about the characteristics of these evergreen trees.The genus of pine trees, scientifically known as Pinus, is comprised of around 120 evergreen & coniferous trees and shrubs. Pine trees grow well in almost any type of soil that has adequate drainage

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