Gardenging Tips, Techniques, and Advice

Anyone want to share their gardening tips, techniques and/or advice?

I keep a gallon of bleech in the greenhouse. Use 1 part bleech to 9 parts water solution to wash any pots before reusing them.

Use it to sterilize all gardening tools and greenhouse benches.

There are so many other tips, tech's and advice. Lets hear some of yours.

Avoid mosquitos, by keeping fresh water in birdbaths and
pet containers' Mosquito dunks can be purchased and put into water to prevent mosquito larvae from hatching,it is harmless to other animals'

Stagnant water in old tires,toys left outside, trash containers(without covers)are breeding grounds for mosquitos too' Anywhere water is allowed to collect can become a problem'

I picked up a Rural style mailbox at a garage sale for 50 cents. I mounted it in the garden and I store hand trowels. hose nozzles and other small garden tools in it so they are handy all the time.

Paul

Does a Marigold perimeter around seeded areas really help to deter certain creatures (bunnies) from eating new sprouts or other garden growing flowers & veggies? Also, is there any recommended mixture for detering the smaller variety creatures like slugs, snails, ants? Preferably non-industrial strength chemicals, but willing to explore all possibilities...

Morph; Sometimes,no guarantees'

Might check the Pest/Disease Forum for further info on deterring critters' Tons of info to explore' Good luck'

paulgrow what a neat idea, I love it! Thanks for sharing.

I love that idea too!! I can't tell you how many tools I've lost over the years!! (you'd think I would find them out there somewhere!)

Jody, do you have running water in your greenhouse? If not, what do you use as a container for washing up your pots? (My DH would LOVE to keep everything outside, although now I have a big laundry sink that at least keeps the mess out of the kitchen :)

Terry
Currently I've got a big ole bucket. Though for my small 3 1/2" pots that I reuse the most, (and have 300 of)I bring them in the house. DH has been looking at old sinks for me and hopefully be next year will have running water in there.

I tried to help him...found a great potting bench complete with sink, unfortunately, he did't want to pay that much, hehehe. If he complains about the mess(so far he hasn't) then he'd better get with it and get me my sink and running water! :)

Seed borne diseases can be avoided by soaking seeds for 15 minutes in a bleach soak prior to sowing
(1t.per 1qt. water).

For a good seed starting mix use equal parts of peat,perlite,vermiculite.

Since Wal*Mart no longer carries vermiculite what can I use as a replacement? Help need some advice'''TIA Sis'

Sis, can you get perlite at your WalMart (I can at mine.) As I understand it, they serve the same purpose, which is to lighten the planting medium (soil or peat) and provide better aeration and water flow.

That's true GV but with the vermiculite,it's the mica in it that helps to heat the mix for germinating'

The perlite does lighten but don't think it is a heat source'

I use peat,perlite and vermiculite together always'

At the risk of hijacking Jody's thread, I'll ask a dumb question: Sis, do you mean that it actually produces heat, or transfers it? I thought perlite and vermiculite were both inorganic, which (in my limited knowledge) I would think means they don't decompose. If vermiculite can produce heat, I wonder how. Hmmmm.

I saw recently where it will be much harder to purchase vermiculite because it poses a health risk if it's inhaled :(

Okay, now to get us back on thread: Jody, my tip to myself and everybody else: This is the time of year to clean your tools! Move over Martha Stewart, I have actually possessed an old bucket filled with sand and a quart of motor oil to clean and sharpen my shovels, although I don't always dip 'em when I'm done with them. But it does work and definitely needs to be done before I put them away for the winter. Smaller hand tools should be thoroughly cleaned and sprayed with WD-40 or similar lubricant.

Vermiculite has many ingredients. One being mica,a mineral(natural not manmade)Vermiculite; Any of various complex hydrous silicates formed by alteration of the common micas, and used chiefly in thermal insulation.

Perlite is nothing but pumice stone,ground volcanic lava'

Depending on the size of the minerals also determines the length of time it takes for deterioration'

Weather deteriates natural materials in time unless otherwise they have become petrified previously through other natural conditions of nature. Hope this helps'

This message was edited Friday, Apr 5th 3:24 PM

I bought and painted and old milk box and use it for my garden tools. It keeps them all in one place and dry. Looks good on the patio too. Lou

I am experimenting with the gelatin germination idea posted by JanetR in the propagation forum. Here's the link she provided, http://www.canadiangardening.com/HTML/regions_pr2.html . Anyway, I halved the recipe and then filled about six of the small, clear plastic containers that are popular now (great for reuse, but not a huge budget loss if they're lost, ruined or whatever). I just prepared this recipe over the weekend and placed the seeds into the clear, jello consistency mixture. I'm really excited about this because you can watch the seeds almost like watching an ant farm (because I placed the mixture into those clear containers & the mixture is clear even with the added Miracle Grow). They haven't begun to root yet, but when they do, I'll be able to watch what's going on underneath as well as what's preparing to emerge from above. I wanted to use this approach next Spring and so I'm experimenting now to see how viable it is. Sure is fun to play and I think this will be fun for my kids as well :)

Morph that sounds neat. You'll have to keep us posted how the experiment goes, and post some pics too.

Morph
Yes I am very interested too on how they do; keep us posted.

Paul

Will do ~ good idea. This is day 4 & on this batch the jello has started to liquify a bit & is growing some mold. I'm going to restart with a little more gelatin added & try to find something I could add to kill germs, but not harm the seeds. Any ideas? Lemon juice maybe?

Bleach...if seedlings are not above the surface. Lemon juice if they are
Sandy

Bleach it is... This ought to be interesting on the second attempt. Boy, did those gelatin containers stink! I hope the bleach will keep the germs at bay but not impede the seedling growth. Science & gardening, what fun ;)

I have 3 old mailboxes that I have gotten for 50 cents each and when I have the time,they will be turned into birhouses. One mailbox,I plan to mount on a pole and with the lid open,plan on planting a small plant in it,something that may trail downward; on the order of a hanging basket,only the mailbox will be mounted down on top of a pole and have some sort of vine planted in the ground to climb up on to cover the pole that way,hence eventually the mailbox will look like it's coming out of the top of the vine.

Sis & go_vols,

from basic knowledge, nothing scientific, perlite aerates the soil. whereas vermiculate retains moistures and nutrient we supply the soil in form of liquid fertilizer. both ingredients allows the roots of the plant to move freely. without either or, the soil have the tendency to be compact... which is the reason why they are added to regular garden soil.

i buy perlite in big bulk at Home Depot. if not mistaken as i do not exactly remember the size, i think is about 1 or 2 cu. ft. in huge light green bag for $10.00 + tax.

i mix my own garden soil - depending on the specific needs of the plant. i premix ahead of time, place the mix soil in white buckets [also available at Home Depot]. i prepare the mix soil ahead of time so it is availabe whenever i need it. when i ran low, i do the mixing all over again.

i also buy peat moss and vermiculite in bulk. price gets cheaper in the long ran, rather than buy in small bags.

years ago, i found a good substitute for perlite - it is called pumice rock - a by product of volcanic rock. unlike lava rock, it is greyish in color. it is extremely light but never floats or deteriorate! pumice rock also retain some moisture. great product but hard to find. from my last research, i understand Whitney Farms & Armstrong Nurseries sells them. one small bag, about a 1 gal. is $1.89. i used to buy it in 2 cu.ft bags for $15.00, but my source moved and lost track of them. pumice rock is the best soil aerator ever there is - commonly use by succulent,cacti, orchids, and tropical plant nurseries.

once upon a time, i did have rare collections of cacti, succulents, orchids and other rare tropical plants. i used pumice rock on all my potting soil. check this link http://www.growingedge.com/basics/growingtips.html ... scroll down & see the growing medium.

Morp,

u can use horticultural charcoal to prevent mold on any of ur planting medium. it keeps the water/soil sweet & fresh. it is a bit pricy and hard to find, but it does the trick. i used horticultural charcoal on some special plants like orchids or bromiliads and other tropical plants too. sometimes they are available at WalMart.

wood by products like red wood compost do attract ants. one natural herb that deters ants is woodworm herb, but if u have to result in using woodworm [Artemisia absinthium], be sure not to plant it near anything edible as the leaves are poisonous. i plant them on 3 corners of my garden away from other plants. they are very hardy, do not need so much watering or looking after, once stablished. if u want to result in using pesticides, use Diazinon granules. to use - spread a thin line about an inch in width. ants are known not to cross lines. may sound funny but true. But be careful using Diazinon where there are children, animals or birds --- extremely poisonous, but does the job! u can also use old cinnamon powder u no longer use for cooking. another alternative which is very common in all household is cleanser. yes, u heard me right! cleanser as in Ajax or Dutch cleanser. try it and prove me wrong. hehehehehehe.

for snails and slugs, use either builder's sand or egg shells. gather enough eggshell. dry in the oven for 20 minutes. grind in blender and spread in thin row. sand and eggshell are too harsh for the delicate 'skin'? of the snail.

u can also use eggshell for cats - hate the feel of the eggshell on their paws. another alternative to deter cat from ur garden is any plants that has thorns... like roses twigs. cats do not like to be prick by the thorns. hope that help u some.

This message was edited Friday, Apr 5th 3:26 PM

unfortunately Sis, i have not have the opportunity to move around. the ink refill business of the couple i live with have kept us busy, not to mention the gardening i do around here. the only time i get out to get a break is when i visit my son in Menlo Park, Ca.

the pumice rock i mentioned are little pebbles like thingy, slightly bigger than the size of perlite. it is almost the size of expanded vermiculite soaked in water.

i read sometime ago, there is a mine of pumice rock somewhere around, but not too familiar where it is. am sure if u experience using it, u won't go back to perlite. another site that mines pumice rock is somewhere in Oregon.

Thanks,MVR'

This message was edited Friday, Apr 5th 3:27 PM

Thanks for the advice, MaVieRose ~ for everything! I think these ideas will go a long way in the Spring when I plant seeds directly into the soil. I've got several varieties of flowers that just don't like to be transplanted & if I couldn't figure out how to stop the "disappearing act" of the seedlings, I didn't know what I was going to do. I'm glad I got a head start so I can be prepared with your ideas for combating my slug/snail/ant buffet preferences :) Also, thanks on the horticultural charcoal reco. I'm on my second go around with my "gelatin experiment" and if the mold persists, this will be my next approach.

u're very welcome Morph. here is a link that have lots of tips on seeds... http://www.gardenguides.com/TipsandTechniques/starting.htm i personally printed the tips, place the printed copy in a plastic jacket. each spring time, i have it placed next to the seed box - handy to check which seed need extra handling.
good luck on ur experiment. will be watching this thread to see ur progress. if i have another idea or experienced that will be able to recall... i will post that too.
btw... save those 2 liter plastic bottles. cut it in half - use the lower portion to place some seed starting soil. of course u need to put a hole at the bottom of the bottle. i use some stero foam peanuts inside the bottom of the plastic prior to filling with soil [help for extra drainage]. plant ur seed in accdg to specification of their size or width. use the top portion of the plastic bottle to cover. voila... u got an instant cloiche or a mini portable green house. i place the bottle in a dark cool place like underneath the kitchen sink. check from time to time if extra moisture is needed. in no time i have a new plant growing nicely.
last April, i tested this technique on some Myer Lemon seeds ... sort of an experiment. i placed 3 lemon seeds inside the bottle. got the surprise of my life... all 3 seeds are now about a foot high and growing strong. another thought that pop out of head... good luck!

Great site & good tips ~ thanks, MVR! I will keep this thread updated with my progress (or maybe maintain another so not to clog this one with the other good ideas). Again, thanks for the link & your ideas ~ can never have enough of those ;)

For Sis - here's a link with more information on perlite and vermiculite than I could ever read, let alone understand: http://www.schundler.com/hort.htm

Found it when I was searching for something else, and remembered this thread and the questions raised. Happy Reading!

For Everyone- should read GV's hyperlink,(above post)good info'

Question about seed starting in gelatin. I was told that some seeds require dark for germination. planting in a clear mediun and a clear container like that how do you know which seeds will do ok in the light and which will not?

Zany:
There are several links on the net to get information.
The seed packets will usually tell you.
The link below has that information also.
Hope this helps.

Paul


http://www.chestnut-sw.com/seedhp.htm

Yes, Zany, I would follow the lead on Paulgrow's advice & link. Here's what happened in round two of my gelatin experiment. I made enough for just four clear ziploc clear containers. Since the heat from the lamp melted the top layer in experiment #1, I added extra gelatin to the entire batch in experiment #2 to help maintain the gelatin firmness. I also put the containers about six inches further away from the bulb for the same reason. I sterilized everything and more to help prevent the mold growth. The two containers without any bleach added grew mold on top and in pockets of the gelatin within just several days. I pitched those. The remaining two containers didn't show mold growth until about a week later and when the mold began to grow, it was only on the surface. I sprayed the surface with a bleach/water mix, but this didn't seem to help the mold and it contributed to yet another softened top layer ~ about 2 to 3 millimeters of liquid mold. In the midst of this, one seed did sprout above the liquid mess. Also, I could see other seeds roots & first sprouts emerging which I think is way cool. I think it may be more worthwhile to start seedls in gelatin if they prefer darkness. But, I am still going to persist with my experiments with seeds that generally prefer warmth/light. I just don't know what my next approach will be yet. Happy gardening...

Thanks for the link Paulgrow. I will be watching thi thread to see how your next experiment does Morph so please keep us updated!

Thanks Morph
Keep us posted om how its going

Paul

With winter coming, for those of you with fireplaces-
Ever wonder what to do with all those wonderful ashes? Mix them into the soil. I do this with my roses and get great results. I also "wilt-pruf" my roses and rhodies.I'm zone 7,so water-loving plants get a special LOW-DOSE of "soil-moist" cultivated deep,deep into the ground for them. Just enough to reduce some of the stress. Lastly, praying mantis' egg sacks. Every winter, I bring them into the garage till spring. Then place one sac in each garden area for excelllent pest control. =D