GARDENING TIPS YOU CAN USE

#10 If you have naturalized bulbs in your lawn, don't cut foliage or the bulbs will deteriorate rapidly.

#11 To start up to 12 plants at a time, use a clean egg carton as a seed starter container. Punch holes in the bottom of each section for drainage, and fill with professional potting mix.

#12 For no mess watering of your hanging plants, let a few ice cubes slowly melt into the soil.

#13 A dose of caster oil saves ferns: add 1 tbsp. castor oil and 1 tbsp. children's shampoo to a quart of warm water, and give each plant a 1/4 cup of the mixture.

#14 A drop of mineral oil added to the silk of corn will prevent the worms from eating your corn. Has worked well for me.

#15 Always mix your plant food with very warm water because plants will take it up faster.

#16 A cedar stake the size of a pencil placed in th soil of your house plants will discourage soil insects.

#17 Place egg shells in the microwave for three minutes, remove, crush into a fine powder, and place them in a cloth sachet. Then drop the sachet into your house plant watering can.

#18 To keep bugs out of the soil of your house plants, simply sprinkle pencil sharpening shavings on top of the soil.

#19 The best indoor insect repellent for house plants is pieces of moth ball crystals applied directly to the surface of the soil.

#20 To kill snails and slugs, fill an old pie tin with beer and 3 drops of vinegar, and bury it at ground level. The little critters will drown themselves.

#21 The best mouse trap bait is pumpkin seeds; you'll find that mice can't resist them.

#22 When planting early vegetables, put on south side of house or shed.This will protect from northern winds, and allow walls to absorb heat and then release that heat at night.

#23 Test for pH of soil by mixing the soil with distilled water into a slurry and let stand one hour. Place a piece of litmus paper into the slurry for 1 minute, remove, and rinse with distilled water and match against pH color chart. Alkaline or acid.

#24 Don't throw away those extra seeds left over from planting. Most seeds will last in a dry cool place for about 3-4 years.

#25 Always check the soil before assuming plant is wilting because of lack of water. May not be.

#26 It is now thought that using railroad ties are harmful in or around vegetable gardens. The toxic material in the ties may leach out into the ground and end up in plants. Be careful.

#27 Don't put a garden over septic tanks, sitting water areas, buried utility lines. Don't put crop plants near old buildings that may give off chipped paint containing lead.

#28 When making a garden leave strips of the lawn with grass alone to make paths between the beds. Make the paths wide enough for the lawn mower and when you mow the clippings fall on the bed as grass mulch.

#29 For the compost pile - high carbon browns are nutshells, aged sawdust, chopped cornstalks, hay, straw, dry leaves, weeds, cover crops and moderate amount of paper.

#30 For the compost pile - high nitrogen greens are pet and human hair, seaweed, green manure crops, fresh grass clippings, tea bags, vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, coffee grounds, fresh leaves, weeds, milk and manure from cows, fowls, horses, pigs, sheep.

#31 Plant only proven crops that will grow in your area, check with county extension office or neighbors.

#32 Avoid planting related crops in the same spot year after year, for example in the tomato family the related crops are eggplant, pepper, potato and tomato.

#33 Don't throw away half full seed packets, most seeds stay good for years usually from 1 year to 6 years. Examples are beans - 3 years, carrots - 3 years, corn - 2 years. Remember to store in cool dry spot.

#34 When transplanting tomato plants try adding a blend of liquid seaweed and fish emulsion 2-3 days before you transplant.

#35 Do not soak bean seeds in water before planting, this will cause cracking and they will be brittle. Plant in warm soil only.

#36 Foliage spray rose plants with a mixture of 1 tablespoon liquid molasses with 1 ounce liquid seaweed in 1 gallon of water every 2-3 weeks. Many rose centers use this secret recipe.

#37 Thin bean plants when two true leaves are formed. thinning will give good circulation to plant which is needed for disease prevention.

#38 When adding mulch to any garden try using a living mulch which is aged mulch that is basically mulch that turning to compost and mulch together. You get the best of both worlds.

#39 Since carrot seeds may be slow to germinate try spreading seeds on damp paper towels then put in refrigerator, when root tips appear mix with dry sand and plant outside.

#40 A strong spray of water directed on plants can blast away many pests like aphids and spider mites.

#41 Be careful if you are buying BT(Bacillus thuringiensis) to control pest caterpillars, cabbage loopers and codling moth larvae, remember they also attack butterfly caterpillars.

#42 Healthy garden soil is just one step in growing great vegetables. Do you know what else is needed? Learn more at your-vegetable-gardening-helper

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