Build a gardener's portfolio.
Keep
tabs on your garden. Create a scrapbook using an inexpensive photo album and
add your plant tags and sticks to it each season. Then, make it as detailed as
you'd like by adding information as to where the plants were purchased and
where the plant was located in your garden. Add your own artistic flair with
sketches of your garden or photographs.
Create a no-stick shovel
Spray
your favorite garden shovel with a silicone or Teflon lubricant to make
shoveling a breeze. A good coating of this spray will make any type of soil
slip right off the shovel without a mess.
Lighten those heavy pots.
Take the strain out of lifting
large planters and pots by filling the pot one-third to one-half full with
packing peanuts. Be sure to place a piece of landscape fabric on top of the
packing peanuts and then layer on your potting soil. To reduce the weight of the
pot further, use a potting mix with lots of vermiculite and peat moss.
Transport your plants.
Before your next trip to the local
nursery, line the back of your car with a plastic tarp and place a small step
ladder on top of the tarp. The slots between the rungs of the ladder serve as
perfect compartments to protect your fragile plants during the drive home. You
will no longer have to worry about spilled plants or a messy car!
Easy-read rain gauge.
Spruce up your rain gauge by
adding a few drops of food coloring to the bottom. During the next rainfall,
the water will combine with the dye and the water level will be bright red and
easy to read.
Restrict an aggressive plant.
Prevent plants such as gooseneck
loosestrife from taking over your garden by planting them in a plastic
container. To ensure that these plants' underground roots don't quickly crowd
your entire garden, cut out the bottom of with a knife—the roots can grown
directly down into the soil.
Assist your root-bound plants.
One woe associated with buying
potting plants is that they are often root-bound. In other words, as the plant
grows in the pot, the roots run out of room to grow--so they begin to form
tight circles of roots in the pot. The problem is that these roots can prevent
water and other essential nutrients from traveling to the leaves and the rest
of the plant. For a quick fix, gently guide the roots outward using your
fingers. If they are really tough, carefully make vertical cuts in the
root-ball with a knife.
Protect your bulbs.
Sick of creatures munching on your
just planted flower bulbs? Keep them out by staking netting over the bed of
flowers. Come springtime, simply remove the netting or cut holes in the cloth
and let the plants grow through.
Portable potting.
Upgrade your wheelbarrow by
fitting a piece of plywood to the back end with wood cleats. This creates a
flat surface that is perfect for potting. Now you can wheel your soil and
plants to the garden all in one easy trip.
Blemish-free roses.
When planting roses, pruning is
crucial to keep the center of the flower open, so sunshine can shine in.
Careful pruning will keep the moisture out, and will prevent black spots and
other blights from forming.
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