| Helpful Hints |
Plant markers - I take old venitian blinds, cut off the cords and take the slats and cut them into 6" to 7" pcs with one end pointed - then I write the name of the plant on both ends - stickthe pointed end into the ground - the top fades during the year but the part in the ground stays - have been duing it for 2 years.......Marge Churuti |
| Pantyhose Save those Pantyhose! Don't throw pantyhose out when they get a run. Wash and dry them, then cut the legs off. Next summer, they can be used for tying up tomatoes and other heavily-fruiting plants. Each "leg" will make several "ties".The pantyhose stretches and won't cut into the stem. You can also slip them over pond plant pots to keep the soil from leaking out the bottom.....Judi Milar Garden Magazines This tip isn't about the garden itself--but all the garden catalogs that accumulate throughout the winter. When I am finished with them, I save them for decoupage projects. You can buy decoupage glue, or simply dilute white glue until it's easily spreadable, but not drippy. Cut out the pictures that please you. You can overlap edges and cover an entire bottle or flower pot, or, just feature one special picture. Brush glue on thinly with a small flat paint brush, lay pic over the glue. When you have all the pics pasted on, let dry. Then go over the whole thing with a top coat. If you want to make it waterproof, you'll need to spray on a sealer coat...Judi Milar |
| Winter Gardening Tips |
Here are a few links that offer advise on what to do during the cold winter days in the Catskills
| Christmas Tree Now that the holidays are over, don't burn or throw out that Christmas tree. Put it nearby your bird feeder. It will give the birds security from predators as they feed. I also entertain children by covering pine cones with peanut butter and then rolling them in birdseed. Hang them on the tree for your feathered friends to enjoy! Also, take the branches off your Christmas tree and place them over your bulb plantings to give them extra protection this winter against the ground heaving during thaw and freezing!................Lucci Kelly |
| General Garden Tips |
| Solutions for the shade (ideas taken from a seed catalogue) |
| Moss will spread quickly when a leaf blower is used to keep the area clear of debris. Just take a few patches of moss and transplant them in a shady area. Then blow over it as needed. |
| An easy way to create a rock garden on a shady porch is to poke holes in potting soil bags (add some for drainage too) and plant impatiens in them. Then place rocks around the bags. There are no weeds to contend with, and you can garden even on rainy days without getting wet. |
| Moss |
| Rock garden |
| We took a weeping willow down a few weeks ago. The skin of the soft branches on the ground are very attractive to rabbits and deer. I looked up what they liked about it . There appears to be Salicine under the skin of the branches which works like aspirin. I have attached a picture of the branches. Of course now I don't see a rabbit or deer to prove my story....Gerda Van Leeuwen |
| Interesting Fact..............Salicine |
| webmaster's note: I have checked for a link related to this and found an interesting discussion of the benefits of willow bark. I'm sure that Judi Millar can give us lots more information about this as well. Click either photo to go to the web site. |
| Consider Going Topsy Turvy this Spring |
| Last spring I planted one tomato plant but used a Topsy Turvy planter. This was a total success! The photos that you see here were taken toward the end of July. On the left, you can see the planter hanging from my deck (sorry that I dont have a closer view of the entire support or the ripened tomatoes ). It is suspended by a very strong bracket since it tends to get heavy when watered. At harvest it almost reached the ground. Aside from the fact that the tomatoes don't have to be staked, if you plant a bit early and have a frost, you can take the whole plant indoors as it is still fairly light. It is a snap to water also. This one Early Girl plant yielded well over 50 tomatoes. I was told that because I live in a relatively isolated area, my plant was not affected by the virus that killed all of the mass produced seedlings. Just hang it in a sunny spot and enjoy the benefits. submitted by Art Martello |
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