For making the "stalk" of the stamen, as accurate as possible, I rolled the stripes in the shape of a tight spiral, then rolled transparent duct tape over it to keep it stiff.I made several stylized stamens, then stuck a few together in a clump, with...
Local Farm Supply Stores A great time to pick up chickens at your local farm and garden supply centers is early spring. Pullets are young hens under a year old. Many hatcheries will ship as few as three chicks to your post office during the warmer months.
Online florists such as 1800Flowers.com and Flowers-to-Send.com allow you to write a personal message to accompany your flower. You can find your closest florist by looking in your yellow pages or performing an Internet search.
“Those,” I thought to myself, “would delight the students and look great in the red brick planter.” I bought the tray of plants, took them to school the next day, and the students and I planted them.First we cleaned out the planter, added some...
Refrigeration of roots at just above freezing is method used by commercial seed growers of biennial root crops, because it preserves their quality and subjects them to an extended cold period.
The weedy strip is ground that hasn't been mulched, while the clear ground either side beautifully demonstrates how a thick layer of mulch keeps weeds away and the ground nice and clean.
Sawdust should be used with care, as if used fresh it can mat together and make it hard for water to permeate. Of course, if you have any trees in or near your garden you may find that you have a ready supply.
Measuring a slope's rise and run is a first step in creating a hillside garden Don't take on too much at first, because most terraced vegetable gardens are tended by hand, which requires slogging up and down a slope in addition to the usual stooping,...
I like to collect some to replant or share at my community seed swap, but I also dump many seed-bearing poppies, calendulas, cosmos, marigolds, nasturtiums and zinnias onto a bed where I'll know to look for seedlings in the spring.
Remove the cover during the day or leave it in place if it is forecast to remain cold. Simply pop the fruit(s) into a paper bag then loosely close it at the top. What tricks do you use?
Choose a point just above a bud. Silver leaf and bacterial canker can weaken or even kill plum trees. It's harder for the trees to resist the disease in winter, so again summer pruning is the safer option.
Well, after plenty of careful nurturing and a recent run of fine, warm weather, I'm delighted to say my first chilies are ready for picking. Gloves will shield your hands from the fiery fruits, so once you're done harvesting you can whip them off and...
Here are a few ideas to help. Allow plants to soak up the water they need to avoid wastage Use a Timer An automatic irrigation system, connected to a timer, will take the strain out of watering.
The seeds are exactly the same as those sold for spring planting, only these ones have been held back in a cold store to stop them developing any further; they're literally in suspended animation.
Apples generally produce clusters of between two to six fruits. Additional thinning of tree fruits ensures there's less chance of fruits rubbing together, which can lead to diseases like rot.
The first frost will put paid to their plans for crop-wide domination but, be warned, in mild areas or in warm greenhouses they can happily remain active throughout the winter. Encarsia formosa may sound like the Latin name of a beautiful vine, but it's...
Aim to water regularly for consistent soil moisture, which will translate into plenty of well-formed fruits and pods, free of problems such as blossom end rot or cracking. None of these techniques are exactly rocket science, but by applying each you'll...
For more targeted protection, cabbage collars are used to prevent cabbage root flies from laying their eggs. And don't forget to report any pests you see at BigBugHunt.com . Despite my tongue-in-cheek warfare references, it's important to remember that...
Seedlings transplanted from a seedbed should be lifted up with as much soil around their roots as possible. Savoy cabbages have a long harvest period stretching from autumn all the way through winter to early spring.
Avid gardeners are busy gardeners. Position it somewhere you can easily hear it so it becomes a relaxing backdrop as you go about your business. Consider the look and feel of the bench, which will become a feature in its own right.
The fall growing season has many attractions, including fewer weeds, milder temperatures, and the opportunity to try special radishes that are happiest growing at the season's tail end.
Simmer until thick (this should take anywhere from one to three hours) then decant into sterilized jars. Follow the steps above. Chutneys are simply magnificent, capable of storing in the cupboard for many months.
The most stalwart members of the turnip tribe, rutabagas are a rustic cross between wild turnip and cultivated cabbage that came about in Scandinavia, Russia or perhaps Lithuania in the late Middle Ages.
Only save seeds from heirloom varieties Saving Bean & Pea Seeds OK, so let's begin with the easiest of the lot: peas and beans! As the end of the season approaches leave some pods to dry out on the plant.
I love the David Austin English style blooming shrub roses, a couple of favorites are Mary Rose (pink) and Golden Celebration (rich yellow). I have found them to take far more TLC and many times with no reward at all.
A lawn aerator is pretty much what its name suggests—a tool designed to aerate the soil in your yard, allowing oxygen and nutrients to enter the soil while also improving drainage.
Let's make a "me" place to do just that. First you have to decide how big you want the bed to be and where you want your bed to be located. Now mind you this is only a suggestion the possibilities are endless.
