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| Homemakers-R-Us Making Our Gardens With Love! |
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| Watering lawns and gardens in the evening or before dawn allows ample time for the soil to absorb the moisture before the sun can evaporate it into the air. Therefore saving you water. Mulching Adding a mulch around plants slows water evaporation, saving water and giving plants a protective covering that will keep them moist even in the hotest weather. There is enormous water savings when all of your plants have a layer of mulch. Two to four inches of mulch around the plants helps control weeds, maintains a more constant soil temperature, conserves soil moisture and reduces erosion on slopes. Compost, leaf mold, well-rotted manure, bark or wood chips, peat moss, and sawdust can be used as mulches. Mulching helps to protect plants from winter injury resulting from uneven soil temperatures and soil heaving. Mulching is a practical way to reduce weeds. Adding coarse organic matter, such as composted or aged manure, peat moss, or compost can improve the drainage of heavy clay soils and increase the water-holding capacity of light sandy soils. Pruning also can help control diseases by removing infected foliage. |
| "Man is harder than iron, stronger than stone and more fragile than a rose" -~ Turkish proverb "He who wants a rose must respect the thorn." ~ Persian Proverb "Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you." ~ Maori proverb "If you want 1 year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people." ~ Chinese proverb "There is not a tree in heaven higher than the tree of patience." ~ Irish Proverb "More things grow in the garden than the gardener sows." ~ Spanish Proverb "Life begins the day you start a garden." ~ Chinese Proverb |
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| A Better & Greener Lawn Dull lawn mower blades tear at grass, giving it a frayed look and making it more susceptible to disease. Leave the grass no shorter than 2.5 to 3 inches tall. Short grass doesn't compete well with weeds, has less surface area for taking in sunlight, and has weak roots. And tall grass looks thicker. Drop those clippings. Leave the grass clippings where they fall. They provide half of your lawn's nitrogen needs. And they add organic matter to your soil, which keeps important beneficial microbes in the soil active and well-nourished. Don't overfeed. Many people fertilize their lawn too much, too often. That makes the grass susceptible to disease. Most lawn grasses require 3 to 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet annually. Grass clippings left on the lawn return about 2 pounds of nitrogen to the soil. Spread a quarter-inch layer of compost on the lawn and you add another pound. (Simply fan the compost onto the yard with a shovel and rake it out evenly.) For many lawns, that's enough fertilizing for the year. If you dont have/can't get enough compost, apply organic fertilizers made of plant residues and by-products of animal processing—blood meal or feather meal. Look for a product with an NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) ratio of approximately 3-1-2. Apply no more than 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet during each application. Be aware that organic fertilizers are release their nutrients slowly, so you get gradual, but sustained "green up" for your lawn. Resist the urge to sprinkle each evening. Frequent watering promotes shallow roots. Instead, give the lawn one good soaking per week and take rainfall into consideration. Dandelions Dandelions send down a taproot as deep as 1 foot. To kill an established dandelion, you have to remove at least 4 to 5 inches of the root. You can use a sharp trowel or knife to do the job, or buy one of those nifty weed-extraction tools. After you remove a dandelion or other weed, mmediately sow grass seed onto bare spots to discourage other weeds from moving in. Rough up the soil with a rake, broadcast the seed, and cover it with sifted compost or topsoil. Keep the area moist until the grass sprouts From Organic Gardening |
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| "He who plants a garden, Plants happiness." |
| ~ Chinese Proverb |
| "Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas." ~ Elizabeth Murray |
| City Gardening Page Photos, Gardening Topics, Info & shopping links. |
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| The best time to water is in the morning, but the warnings against mid-day watering are over done. Late evening is probably the worst time to water, as it leaves the foliage damp at night when molds and fungi are most active. But never let a bone-dry garden go without watering simply because you can't do it at the optimum time of day. -- Sesbania Tripeti |
| Attracting Birds to Your Yard LANDSCAPING FOR MIGRANT BIRDS (From Saving Migratory Birds: A Project for the Private Landowner, by Jamie K. Doyle, Bird Conservation Specialist, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center) Birds need WATER, FOOD and SHELTER. Whatever size your property - and your budget - you can help meet their needs and enliven your yard. These are some of the ways you can provide, WATER, FOOD and SHELTER in the natural surroundings of your yard. WATER Birds need water for drinking and bathing. If your resources are unlimited, you can add a pond to your landscape. Short of that, you can buy a bird bath or put a shallow dish of water in your yard. A large plastic plant saucer works well. Here are some things to remember. The water should be less than 2" deep, at least in part, so the birds can bathe. Birds will drink at ground level, but putting their water up on a pedestal or stump, or hanging it from a tree limb, gives them a better view of predators. A quick escape route from predators - such as an overhanging branch or a nearby bush - is essential. The water should always be clean; regular scrubbing is required. Ponds should be placed in sunny locations, bird baths in shady ones. Birds are attracted to running water. If you can, hand a dripping hose or bucket over the water source, and conserve water with a recirculating pump. FOOD Birds need a variety of foods depending on the season. Migratory birds arrive with the first spring caterpillars, and find them a succulent source of protein. Berries provide carbohydrates and fats, especially in the late summer and fall. Try to: · Plant a wide variety of fruiting and flowering plants, plants that bloom or bear fruit from early spring through late fall. · Include plants that attract insects. Oaks, hickories and maples are good choices, as well as any type of rotting wood. · Go native. Native plants are well-adapted to local soils and climates and require less water, fertilizer and pest control. The also offer the best overall food sources, and birds will help to disperse their seeds. SHELTER Shelter includes nesting places that protect birds from predators such as hawks and cats, and from harsh weather. Evergreen trees, shrubs and thick brush piles provide good cover. Cluster plants, taking into account their full-grown size and need for light. Value trees, including some dead trees, and take a long-range view. Some small, quickly accomplished projects such as adding a bird bath to the garden will make a big difference, but landscaping for wildlife can become a rewarding, life-long project. You need to be able to find the birds. To do this, you should learn about the habitat each species of bird prefers. Do they like to spend their time at the top of a tree or on the ground or on a lake? Bring the birds to you. You can attract birds to your yard with just a little work. Planting the right flowers will attract hummingbirds. Sunflower seeds will bring lots of new birds to your house. You might even want to build a bluebird house. |
| Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like falling leaves. - John Muir |
| Nature has been for me, for as long as I remember, a source of solace, inspiration, adventure, and delight; a home, a teacher, a companion. -Lorraine Anderson The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. ~Unknown |
| Planting the Plant into that Hole It is a good idea to do your planting on a cloudy day or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat of the midday sun and prevent undue shock to the plant. A hole is then dug, three times the width of the pot, and twice as deep. A generous amount of compost, peat moss and 1/2 cup of all-purpose (10-10-10) fertilizer should be mixed with the original soil from the hole. The soil was blended thoroughly, then returned to the planting hole, leaving enough room in the center for the root ball. It is necessary to 'feather the roots' out. Using your fingers to gently pull the surface roots away from the root ball will induce the roots to once again grow outward. If the roots are seriously compacted, you may find it easier to make a few shallow cuts through the roots on the side and bottom of the root ball. Cut off any severely damaged roots prior to planting. Avoid damaging the plants! Never remove them from the pot by pulling them out by their leaves or stems. Water the plant thoroughly to insure that the soil fills in completely around each root. Mulch your new transplants with compost or some other organic matter to keep the roots cool and the soil moist. |
| Compost your leaves and yard debris or take them to a yard debris recycler. Burning them creates air pollution, and putting them out with the trash wastes landfill space. Composting You can make your own rich dark humus with nothing more than fallen leaves, grass clippings, and the plant prunings DO NOT COMPOST meat, fish, bones, dairy products, fats or oils, pet waste, diseased plant materials, hardy weeds, or grass clippings which have been treated with herbicides or 'weed and feed' type products. Don't let your compost pile dry out Your compost area should be set in full sun. Although stems and branches will eventually decompose, you wouldn't want them added to your compost pile. Smaller is better, with the optimum being material which has been chopped or shredded into small pieces. The process is speeded up even further by keeping the pile moist and turning it regularly to expose all of the material to the air. Turning or stirring the pile frequently puts more oxygen into the pile and the heat will build again, speeding the process along. The pile should be kept moist, but never soggy. |
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| Gardening Tips & Tricks A golf cart also makes a good tool caddie. You can put a shovel, rake, and pitchfork in the bag. Smaller tools and gloves can be stored in the pockets. Keep weeds out of your garden by putting untreated paper feed sacks or B&W newspapers between rows. Weight down with hay, grass or manure. By next spring, the paper will be decomposed. Herbs are nature's insecticides. Be sure to include a variety of them in your garden. Make an effective and natural insecticide by adding onions and garlic to a jar of water. Let it stand for a week and then spray your plants. Plant basil near tomatoes, as it will repel worms and flies. To protect cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and brussell sprouts from the cabbage moth, use mint, sage, dill and thyme. Anise and coriander will discourage aphids. The potato beetle hates horseradish so be sure to plant horseradish near potatoes. Plant radishes near cabbage to repel maggots. Onions and garlic protect your plants from Japanese beetles, carrot flies and aphids on lettuce and beans. Onions should be planted near carrots and beets. Don't plant cabbage near strawberries or garlic near peas as they do not like each other. Throw crushed egg shell on your garden for plant growth. To add acid to the ground, use dried coffee grounds. Fertilize with ashes once in awhile. Ashes will help control pH levels in soil as they contain about 50 to 75 percent lime. Pour boiling water on any ant hills near your garden. Beer in a shallow pie pan will attract slugs and drown them. Soap suds are a fantastic insecticide. Spray suds liberally on plants. To discourage rabbits & other pests from feasting in your garden, scatter mothballs around it. Make an additional fence around your garden with a row of vegetables. The roots secrete oil which many pests refuse to cross. To help baby tomatoes to get off to a good start, mix fireplace ashes into the surrounding soil. Place a coffee can (remove top and bottom cover) over each plant. Step firmly on top of the can to set it in the ground. Remove can when plants are a few weeks old. Make a miniature greenhouse out of plastic gallon milk jugs. Cut off the bottom on the milk jug and leave the cap off. Place over young plants until they outgrow the jug. When starting plants indoors, place trays of seeds on top of your refrigerator. The extra heat radiating from the fridge helps the seeds to germinate. Rinse vegetables and fruits outside before bringing them indoors. Place chicken wire over a wooden box that the bottom has been cut out of. Rinse the vegetables with your garden hose. The dirt and bugs will stay outdoors and your kitchen will stay clean. In flower boxes, place a layer of gravel on top the of soil to keep the soil from spattering on windows during a rain. Kill poison ivy with a solution of 2 gallons of soapy water and 3 pounds of salt. Spray areas. A few dousings will kill it. If your ferns are infested with worms, let them meet their match by placing stick matches into the soil. On an ordinary size plant, place 4 matches sulphur side down. In larger plants place six matches in soil. |
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| "Roots nourish, give us life and bind us safely to earth. Plant them well." ~ Anonymous |
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