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Tip of the Week         December 24, 2001

Save money on pet treats:

I discovered a money saver that just might work for you if you have pets.  Both my dog and cat like treats.  In the past I would buy those expensive (for the amount you get) little bags of treats that come in the foil zip lock bags or the ones in the little canisters.  The treats for my cat would always dry out a little before he finished the container and then he wouldn't eat anymore.  It was getting very frustrating that all he wanted was half of an expensive container of treats.

By accident I discovered that all my cat requires to be happy for a treat is a different kind of dry food than what is in his automatic feeder.  So now I keep his little treat bag filled with a different dry food and he is content.  In fact he begs for his 'treats'!

My dog, Alex, thinks 'Kibbles n' Bits' are the greatest but he doesn't get "Kibbles", as we call them, for his regular food.  So I put some in a small zip lock bag and keep the large bag closed so they remain soft.  His regular food is a hard dry food so he just loves these soft 'treats.'  Alex is a very good dog but sometimes when he smells something enticing outside it can be difficult to get him to obey.  We have been able to train him to come inside, even when the 'smells' outside are 'calling' him, using these treats; he likes them so much.  If your dog eats Kibbles n' Bits for regular food this won't work but maybe there is another soft dry food that will.

If you have a pet that gets 'treats' try this and let us know if your pet is as easy to please.  Silly animals!!

Stains on carpeting        December 17, 2001

After we got a new puppy we ended up with some yellow spots on the living room carpeting that never seemed to go away, no matter how well I cleaned them.  The spots would look like they were gone until they dried.  Once they dried they were back.  After many attempts I mentioned this problem to my father who had spent most of his years running a Carpet Cleaning and Repair Company.  He started cleaning carpets before many of us were born.

He explained to me that I was cleaning the top of the carpeting but as the carpet dried it would 'wick' the stain back up into the top of the carpet from down below.  I needed to draw any remaining stain out of the carpet backing and lower fibers.

To do this was a simple trick that hasn't failed me since, Cornstarch!  Not baking soda but cornstarch.  This is how it is done:

Clean the area with a mild soapy solution, don't use too much soap.  Liquid dish soap diluted in plenty of water works if you don't have a favorite carpet cleaner.  You need the area to be clean and moist.  After you have cleaned the spot, sprinkle cornstarch onto the wet area.  Cover completely with cornstarch.  Allow this to dry totally; it will take a day or two.  You will actually see the 'stain' wick up into the cornstarch.

Vacuum with a hose end attachment until all the cornstarch is gone.  It is amazing how well this works.  I always make sure there is cornstarch in the house now that I know how special it is.

For more information about cleaning stains on carpeting go to the Home Question and Discussion page and then click 'contents' and check out the question, 'Powdered eye shadow... on carpeting'.

Save your receipts      December 10, 2001

Most stores require receipts for any gift returns or you will be stuck with a store credit at the lowest sale price.  Many stores now ask if you want a gift receipt for a purchase, which is a good idea to get.  Find a nice good size envelope and write on the outside 'Christmas receipts' or 'gift receipts'.  Keep any receipts for gifts in this envelope and when you need to find one it will be easy to locate.  I have a red envelope that came from a Christmas card that is easy to keep track off.

Buy an accordion folder for your other purchases.  The size of a large business envelope is a good size for receipts.  Label the sections with different type purchases such as: grocery, clothing, auto, hardware, etc.  We have a couple stores that we shop at frequently so they get their own sections.  When we need to return an item the receipts are easy to locate.  We (you and me) all make purchases that we find out later we can't use or don't want.  You can help keep your budget in control when you return these items.  Don't just keep items you aren't going to use, it would surprise you how much money you can get back over a year by returning things you aren't going to use.

When our girls were teenagers we had to set a rule that tags couldn't be removed from clothing until the day they were going to wear it for the first time.  I can't tell you how many times we returned clothing that they liked in the store but changed their minds about once they were home.  When I explained to them that to keep clothing they weren't going to wear was just like taking money, throwing in on the ground and walking away from it I started to see cooperation on this new "rule".

Tip of the Week         December 3, 2001

Amaryllis bulb:

Amaryllis bulbs need to have a rest during the winter months.  Hopefully your bulb has had plenty of sunshine, water and fertilizer during the spring and summer.  If it has stored enough energy reserves, it will reward you with a beautiful show in the spring.  It is very nice to have an Amaryllis blooming in the spring or even late winter but when you have brought the bulb through the past year(s) it is all the more special to experience.  Maybe you have all ready put the potted bulb to sleep but if you haven't yet, do so now.  Stop watering and put into a cool dark place.  The leaves need to die back and the bulb needs to go dormant.  They need to remain dormant for a period of 3 to 4 months before you water them and bring them back into a sunny place.

For more information to help you take care of an Amaryllis check out the tip dated 3/19/01 on the More Helpful Tips page. (this page takes longer to load because there is a lot of information on it)

Christmas trees:

If you are decorating with a fresh Christmas tree this Holiday Season, be sure to make a fresh cut (take about 1" off) on the tree trunk right before you put it into the tree stand.  The sap forms a seal that will keep the trunk from taking up water.  Using warm water (especially in the beginning) will help the tree absorb the water faster.  Never allow the tree to go without water.  It will need to be checked daily, sometimes twice a day for the first week.  Keep your tree away from any sources of heat; registers, fireplaces, etc.  Unplug tree lights when you are sleeping or away from home.

Some people like to try to bring a live evergreen into the house to decorate it for Christmas.  If you would like to try this please put a question on the 'Garden Question and Discussion' page and I will tell you how to do this.  The directions are longer than I want to publish here if no one is interested, so just let me know.

Anti-transpirants:

Holly bushes can suffer from cold winter winds.  In the spring a damaged bush will have brown leaves and dead branches and will need severe pruning.  To minimize this problem spray them with an anti-transpirant (like Wilt Pruf) when temperatures are at least 40 degrees or higher.  Many of our subscribers will be experiencing temps high enough to perform this job if done soon, very soon, like THIS WEEK for some of you!  Most garden centers sell this product.  It is well worth the cost.  You can even spray a Christmas tree or greens with it to prevent them from drying out too early.  Don't use on cedars, junipers, cypress or arborvitae; they usually survive winters just fine, it isn't good for them, and it would be a waste of time and money.  But your Holly bush will reward you with lush growth come spring if you spray them.

The bottle of anti-transpirant has a list of other bushes (rhododendron, azalea, laurel, boxwood) that may need this treatment.  If you have a bush that doesn't fair well during the winter but it is properly matched with your zone you should give an anti-transpirant a try.  Boxwoods perform just fine in our zone 5, I'm not sure if they need an anti-transpirant further north.  If you live in a zone less than 5 and grow any of these bushes write to us and let us know how they perform for you.

Feeding Wild Birds      November 26, 2001

Attracting and feeding wild birds is an entertaining hobby, which is growing by leaps and bounds here in North America.  We started with one feeder many years ago and now have several types for different situations and birds.  Last year I joined Project Feeder Watch (sponsored by Cornell) and not only did I learn more about birds but found it fun during the cold winter days to participate.  If you want more information about Project Feeder Watch go to the October 1, 2001 Tip of the Week.

Black oil sunflower seed is the most universal seed you can purchase for feeding wild birds.  It is higher in fat content than other sunflower seeds and easy for the birds to crack.  In the winter birds need extra fat and a food source that supplies them with more energy.  'Black Oilers', as they are sometimes referred to, is an excellent pick for most of your birds.

Small songbirds enjoy Niger (thistle) seed and a good choice to offer them.  This seed is so small that you need a special feeder for it.

Cardinals really like Safflower seed and an added plus is that squirrels don't.

Ground feeding birds such as the lovely Morning Dove, Juncos and others will appreciate cracked corn.  They also tend to clean up the mixed seed that other birds throw to the ground.

If you don't like the mess that cracked seed hulls leave behind then use sunflower meat pieces or chips.  You won't have a messy porch or deck to clean up; the birds will do all the work.

If you have a particular bird you want feed and want to know what it likes to eat put a question on our 'Question and Discussion' page and I will tell you.

Suet is another source of fat for the birds in the winter that shouldn't be overlooked.  We have a hardware store in the area called ACO that sells suet cakes very cheaply; maybe you can find a source like this near you.  Many different birds eat suet with woodpeckers being one of my favorites.  We have had 5 different woodpeckers come to our suet cakes.

Make sure you clean your feeders periodically with a solution of bleach and water; dry thoroughly before refilling with seed.

Place feeders near some bushes or trees so the birds can hide when predators come.  We placed our discarded Christmas tree near the feeders last year and the birds loved it.  When a hawk came flying by, ZOOM!!!  They all flew into the tree; it was amazing to watch.  If you weren't watching just at the right time you would miss it, it happened so fast.  They seemed to like it best if the tree was laying on it's side and they could fly into it from the bottom side, although it was nicer looking for us when it was upright and looked like a planted tree.

If you have problems with squirrels there are so many types of feeders to keep them from eating the seed that I couldn't begin to describe them all.  We were having problems with the bigger more aggressive birds taking all the food and set up a platform feeder with a cage over the top that allows only smaller birds to enter.  Using this feeder also solved the problem with the squirrels.  (I was going to say, "Killed two birds with one stone," but decided this wasn't a good topic to say that in.)  My dad wasn't able to get small birds to come to his feeder because of the larger aggressive birds so we got him one of these types of feeders for Christmas last year and now he has chickadees, cardinals, gold finches and nuthatches, to mention a few.

Water is important to supply the birds with and will increase the bird activity.  If you live where water freezes then a water heater, electric birdbath, etc. will solve this problem.  The most inexpensive way I found last year was to get an electric birdbath de-icer, run an outdoor extension cord along the ground and put the de-icer in a large plastic saucer for plant pots.  Birds don't want water too deep so something like a dishpan won't work.  I put large size rocks around it for looks.  Actually I set it up where our well top comes out of the ground with an old pitcher pump on top, rocks around it and the birdbath on the ground.  It looks nice.  I considered adding some perennials but finally decided I didn't need somewhere else to maintain, but maybe the perennial idea would work for you.

If you have snowstorm don't forget that the birds are looking for food in the morning.  They have gone through a hard cold night and need food as soon as possible.  I will clear off the feeders before I even make coffee the morning after a snowstorm.

If you have someone asking you what you want for Christmas and don't know what to tell them, consider something for feeding wild birds.  Or perhaps you can't think of what to buy for someone who has everything.  Bird feeding and watching is a favorite pastime for thousands of people. 

I have purchased many supplies for birds from Audubon Workshop and can highly recommend them to you.  You can find their web site by going to our 'Home' page and clicking on 'Market Place.'  The orders come quickly and I have never had a problem with them.  I got my and my Dad's platform feeders and top cage from them.  John added a flange to the bottom and mounted it to a pole, which made it possible to put it right in front of a window.  The pole is available from them also but we could get the pipe and floor flange from the hardware store for less money.  They will even cut it the length you need.  Don't forget to get extra length for the portion that goes into the ground.

Forcing Bulbs    November 19, 2001

You can force most spring blooming bulbs. You will need a container with drainage holes and that is at least as twice as deep as the bulbs.

Place some broken clay shards, stones or an old piece of screen in the bottom of the pot to keep the soil from washing out when watered. Fill the pot half way up with good potting soil. Don't use soil from your garden; garden soil tends to get compacted in pots.

Place bulbs on top of soil as close together as possible.  Fill the remainder of the pot with soil leaving the tips of the bulbs exposed and enough room for watering.

Mark pot with type of bulbs and date planted; place in a paper or plastic bag with holes for ventilation. Paper bag is best because the pot needs to be in the dark but plastic is o.k.  Place in a refrigerator, root cellar or another cool place where it doesn't freeze.  Temperature should be approximately 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 weeks.

You shouldn't store fruit with the pots of bulbs.  Some fruit gives off ethylene gas which could damage the bulbs.

After 12 weeks check for root growth.  You may see roots growing out of the bottom or find resistance when gently pulled.

Bring out into a dim cool room for 4 to 7 days. Move to a sunny but still cool location. Once the blooms start you can move to any location unless they start to get leggy. Bright sunlight will help them if leggy. Cool temps will lengthen the life of the blooms, move to cool temps at night.

Some people throw away forced bulbs but I prefer to plant them outdoors.  I don't like to waste things especially beautiful flowers.  To successfully move them outdoors cut off the stem once the petals die.  If you leave the seedpod energy will be diverted to the formation of seeds instead of energy to the bulb.  Keep watering and fertilizing the green leaves.  Once the ground has thawed you can plant them in good soil outdoors.  They will need to be planted deeper than they were in the pot so keep the directions that came with the bulbs for outdoor planting.  Different types of bulbs are planted at different depths.  Keep them growing as long as possible to feed the bulbs for next spring's flowers.

Paperwhites are the easiest of any bulbs to force.  They are so easy that it can be a fun family project.  They grow very quickly so children don't have to wait 3 months to see growth.  Directions for forcing paperwhites are on the 'Kid's Site'.  To find the 'Kid's Site' go our 'Home' page.  Once you get to the 'Kid's Site' click on 'More Projects' and then click on 'Flower Surprise in Rocks'.

Tip of the Week   November 12, 2001

Garden tools are an investment that should be taken care of properly.  Clean all metal tools of dirt and any sticky substances.  Stickiness can be removed with oil or products like WD-40.  After cleaning wipe metal, parts such as shovel heads, with oil.  This will prevent rust.  Any oil will do.  Oil any moving parts such as pruners or loopers.  Use boiled linseed oil on wood handles.  This will help keep the wood from cracking and splintering.  Any rags used for this should be air-dried and disposed of.  Don't store them in closed containers or leave in a heap.  They can ignite from spontaneous combustion.  Many people have lost their homes from spontaneous combustion.

Sharpen edges of shovels, hoes, and any tools that perform better with a sharp edge.  If you don't know how to sharpen pruners or loopers get out the yellow pages and find someone who does.  If you use them dull they will cause tearing or crushing and be hard to use which is bad for you and the tree or bush.

Wash your patio furniture before storing.  Not only will it keep the stains from becoming embedded but they will also be ready for use in the spring.  Springtime is an incredibly busy time for outdoor projects so anything you can do to cut down on them now will benefit you greatly.

To prevent an air conditioner from accidentally being turned on in the winter turn off any power to it.  Look for a switch in the vicinity of the unit to do this.  If an air conditioner is turned on in the winter it can damage the compressor, which is big money to repair. 

We received a tip from a reader named Holly that was absolutely amazing.  You can go to www.translate.google.com and get words, short phrases or whole web sites translated into another language for free.  It translates your request while you are sitting there; it is so neat!  I tried homeandgardensite from English to Dutch and it worked!  (This is in response to the person who emailed us to say they really liked the web site and it should be translated into Dutch.)

Some of you might have great ideas also like this or tips for helping making our lives easier.  Please send them in to the 'Question and Discussion' pages.  We enjoy your ideas.

Next week we will discuss forcing bulbs for indoor enjoyment during the bleak late winter or early spring.  So if you have ever wanted to try this, purchase some bulbs while they are still available and watch for next week's 'Tip'.

Fall Tips                  November 5, 2001

Last week we discussed how to put your vegetable garden to bed for the winter.  There are still some things that need to be done before winter sets in so don't relax just yet.

Drain and coil your hoses.  This will help them last longer and good hoses aren't cheap.  John mounted two hose holders on the inside wall of the garage last year and it was one of the best ways we have found to store hoses.  This gets them up out of the way and they aren't hanging on one small point putting stress on that spot.  Unless you have freeze free spigots turn off the outside water lines and drain them.  Completely dry out any sprinklers, hose adapters (extenders, Y connectors, etc) and similar items if you live in a zone that has freezing weather; or bring them indoors.  Any moisture left in items such as these will freeze, expand and could cause damage.

Bring in any terra cotta pots or porous garden art before a hard freeze.  Due to the nature of porous material, moisture can remain in the item, freeze, expand and break it.  Plastic (resin) items aren't sensitive to this kind of damage but plastic does become brittle when temperatures drop so do remember to be gentle with them in freezing weather.  I have a little girl statue that I accidentally hit with a broom while brushing snow away and she ended up missing the top of her head.  (My sister gave me a hat for her so I could cover up the poor thing's head!)

Gutters need to be clean for winter or you could increase the possibility of ice damming in the worst case scenario or your gutters won't perform well in the lest.  Ice damming is very destructive to your house and one cause can be gutters that don't flow properly.  Ice damming can also occur from inadequate insulation or improper roof ventilation.  Leaves and pine needles wreak havoc on gutters so get up there and clean them out.

If you haven't had your fireplace chimney cleaned yet for the coming heating season make plans to get it done.  Ask any fireman about dirty chimneys and you will get an ear full about how dangerous they can be.  I talked to a woman just today that lost her whole house due to a chimney fire.

Make sure pines, shrubs and trees have had enough water before the ground freezes.  They need to be storing adequate moisture before freezing weather.

Either run gas powered lawn tools out of gas or put a fuel stabilizer such as 'Sta-Bil' in the remaining gas using directions on the bottle.  Clean them before you put them away and sharpen any blades.  Air intakes need to be checked and cleaned thoroughly.  We lost a leaf blower once because the cooling fins were clogged.  You will be so pleased come springtime when your lawn tools are ready for use.  

We are almost ready for winter, maybe just one more week of chores to mention to be prepared for it; although I'm not promising anything. 

Putting your vegetable garden to bed.   October 29, 2001

It is important that your garden be prepared for the winter and more importantly for next year.  What chores you tend to now will pay off big time next spring.  In the spring there are so many things to do outside; if you prepare now it will cut down on the work in the spring and will also improve your soil for next year's crops.

In the beginning of our vegetable gardening years we didn't really understand how useful all organic matter was for replenishing the soil so we would burn (in the garden) dead vegetable vines and plants.  The ashes did help some but now that we have more knowledge we understand how important all the dead matter is for improving the soil.  There is the problem of how to incorporate dead plant material into the soil.  Vines tend to get wound up around the rototiller's blades and stalks and stems don't decompose very fast.  So now we take the mower (with the blade set high) out to the garden and chop everything up.  We have found the mower works quicker and easier than the shredder for this job.  Don't use any plants that had diseases, either burn them or send them off to the dump.  After everything is chopped up the garden is tilled.  I love my vegetable garden full of green healthy plants but I must admit a freshly tilled garden is nice looking also.  I love to see the dark loamy soil all smoothed out.

Even the newspapers we used for mulching, with organic material on top, get tilled into the soil.  They will be almost all decomposed by next spring and they help improve the soil also; they were also plant material at one time.  If you have leaves they can be turned in also, shredded is best but not critical if you don't have a shredder.

At this point you can seed a cover crop if you have enough growing season left.  Cover crops will add more organic matter for next year improving the soil further.  They also prevent soil erosion.  Common cover crops are clovers, legumes, vetches (not crown vetch*), grains and many more.  If you want more information about types of cover crops you can go to www.groworganic.com (Peaceful Valley Farm Supply) or call for a catalog at 888-784-1722.  The varieties they offer are too numerous to list.  There are different types for different zones with even some for colder zones that have hard winters.

You don't have to use cover crops; since we keep picking our broccoli as long as we can we never seem to have any growing season left after tilling to get a cover crop growing.  Broccoli doesn't mind cold weather and it is nice to not have to spray Bt for cabbage loppers.  We have used warm weather cover crops but not the cool weather cover crops used over the wintertime.  I have done a lot of reading about cover crops and the reports about cool weather types rate them highly for improving soils. 

If you have access to manure this is a good time to apply it and work into the garden also. 

If you don't have a rototiller you can get good results with using a good old fashion shovel and your strong back and arms.  Raised beds will benefit from this type of turning the soil.  Unless you have one of those little tillers you aren't going to want to use a large tiller in a raised bed.

Now that you have turned all that organic matter into the soil chances are you got some garden soil onto the grass surrounding your vegetable garden.  Rake it back into the garden where it belongs so you don't smother the grass.  Stand back and admire all your hard work.  Don't get too comfortable though, next week we will talk some more about getting ready for winter, the work isn't over just yet, soon, very soon.

*Crown Vetch:  While crown vetch is beautiful when in bloom and does a great job of covering a hillside it should NEVER be invited into a garden area or near other desirable plants.  It is very invasive and needs LOTS of room to roam.

Tips of the Week         October 22, 2001

Fruit Trees

Pick up fallen fruit and debris under your fruit trees to help keep pests under control next year.  The worms and insects that burrow into the fruit during the spring and summer are living in fallen fruit and debris.  When you discard the spoiled fruit, (which is good for your compost pile as long as it isn't close to your fruit tree), you cut down on the pests for next year.

Consider using a new organic spray for next year made out of clay (kaolin) on your fruit trees.  Take the next few months to check this new product out and locate where you will buy it.  Sprays for fruit trees need to be used before fruit starts to develop.  So you need to be prepared.  We have had apple trees (from a previous orchard) around our house but were not willing to go through the spraying program of several poisons throughout the season.  I tested the new clay product this past summer for Garden's Alive and was pleased with the results; it helps control many pests on trees and vegetables also.  The Gardens Alive product is called 'Surround' and you can read about it by going to their web site at Gardens Alive.

More Fall Clean-up

It is important to clean up your asparagus and iris beds.  Pests also hibernate in the debris around these plants and can cause you plenty of grief next year.  Iris borers are known to cause a lot of problems and clean up is essential to keep them under control.

If you want winter interest in your perennial beds you can leave many dead plants standing.  The dead foliage will often collect snow and help insulate the crown of perennials.  Birds love the seed from coneflowers.  Coneflowers can look very pretty in the winter with snow on their large seed heads.  I wanted to clean up the dead cosmos (an annual) the other day but noticed little birds eating the seeds and insects from them.  I didn't have the heart to take away a food source from them, so they are still in my garden looking ratty.  

If you don't like the look of all that dead foliage you can cut perennials back and add the trimmings to your compost pile.  Many hardy perennials will do just fine but some of the tender perennials will need to be mulched with something like shredded leaves (whole ones tend to mat down too much and smother things), straw, pine needles or pine boughs.  I personally like pine boughs and since I have been using them on the hardy mums I haven't lost any from winter kill.  They are easy to apply (just lay them over top) and easy to clean up in the spring.  We got all we needed from a Christmas tree lot in their discard pile from tree trimming.  Don't mulch until the ground is frozen.

Tips of the Week    October 15, 2001

Geraniums

Geraniums are beautiful garden plants and worth the effort to bring them through the winter if space is available to do so.  There are several methods to do this and I will share them with you so next spring you can save some money.

All the methods need to be done before frost kills your geraniums: