By Jena Luthovski

The more that plants are getting damaged and become missing, the more that the damage slowly gets worse before there’s total destruction. This is after all the diligent work that you set in your garden. The squirrel is dogged as well as consistent when it comes to feeding from your [...]]]>

By Jena Luthovski

The more that plants are getting damaged and become missing,
the more that the damage slowly gets worse before there’s total
destruction. This is after all the diligent work that you set in
your garden. The squirrel is dogged as well as consistent when
it comes to feeding from your lovely garden. It’s almost
impossible to get of them forever, but there are more than a
few ways for the avid gardener to repel a squirrel from the
outdoor garden.

Plant species such as phlox, day lilies and hostas are examples
of what attracts squirrels to our gardens. Unfortunately, no
matter how decorative a fence around the garden is, most fences
are not able to keep out squirrels. However, most gardeners can
go ahead and relax a little easier when they find profitable
methods for repelling squirrels.

You can keep unwelcomed critters away from your garden,
fountain and fresh pond. Nobody wants to have their hard work
overrun by pesky squirrels. A combination of plants, with
strong aroma combined via the landscape, confuses the
squirrel’s keenest radar for discovering favorite foods.

I know they are a real pleasure to see in the wild, but not in
your back yard. These squirrels can do plenty of damage. You
can keep your lawn looking green and leveled by abolishing
moles from digging.
Most of us that work in the yard outside don’t want to use
unsafe chemicals. There are other ways to keep animals away
from different regions without hurting them.

Sometimes even the best-qualified pets wander in to areas as we
wish they would stop. These products will not necessarily harm
humans, wildlife or pets as they keep squirrels out of your
garden.

You can provide a long term garden obstacle putting an end to
future pillaging as you use an audio repellent or snatch the
food source that lures them to the location in the best time to
reap squirrels because newly-made surface disasters are easy to
spot.

Squirrels, as adorable as they are, still pose a problem in our
gardens and around the yard. These traps are not just to get rid
of them but also to protect you from harmful pesticides sprayed
on plants. This also protects the cats and dogs harming them.

You can safely capture squirrels, rodents and hare.

The first rule of the green thumb: gardens are for people, not
the plants. That should be a must indeed for the lucrative
garden.

About the Author: Jena Luthowski writes about
http://www.homegardencoupons.com/Coupons/Wayside%20Gardens.html,
http://www.homegardencoupons.com/Coupons/Gardens%20Alive!.html
and http://www.hardwaretoolsonsale.com.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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Jackie French says that is an insult, not a category. Weeds are mostly good for your garden. As Jackie says, it’s easier to have your organic [...]]]> Organic gardening for beginners should start with native soil if you are lucky. Before you buy a property have the soil analyzed for long-term poisons such as DDT.

Jackie French says that is an insult, not a category. Weeds are mostly good for your garden. As Jackie says, it’s easier to have your organic garden looking like a jungle than looking like a desert, and jungles are more productive than deserts.

In an experiment with potatoes they divided fields into four treatments.

Conventional bare earth heaped up round the plants, weeds allowed to grow, lawn clippings, compost. The composted potatoes were best, but almost as good were those with weeds, followed by those with grass clippings, and last was the bare soil.

The only really bad weeds are grasses that spread with runners and give off chemicals to discourage the growth of other plants. So you have to exterminate Kikuyu grass and couch grass in Australia, but couch grass won’t take over in countries like the UK.

If you only have a couple of square yards infested with kikuyu or couch, water it well and cover it with heavy-duty clear polythene sheeting with the edges held down with bricks and covered with soil to prevent moisture escaping. The sun will cook the soil under the transparent plastic, but leave it there all summer to make sure that you have killed the runners of the grass.

If your proposed sustainable garden is widely infested with runner grasses you should forget about growing anything there the first year. Mow the weeds then cover them with overlapping layers of newspapers three or four sheets deep. Examine the cover every day and every time you see any green showing through, cover it with three sheets of newspaper with all the edges overlapped by a ring of three-sheets deep newspaper.

Even kikuyu needs some light to survive for a year. After six months you should no longer have any green appearing.

About the Author: Are you growing your own vegetables? Have you heared about organic gardening? Find out how to be healthy at naturalorganicgardening.com/

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2 c. mashed potatoes 2 Tb. chopped parsley 1 Tb. onion juice 1 tsp. celery salt 2 eggs Dry bread crumbs

To the mashed potatoes, add the parsley, onion juice, and celery salt and mix thoroughly. Beat the eggs slightly, reserve a small amount to be diluted with water or [...]]]> (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 c. mashed potatoes
2 Tb. chopped parsley
1 Tb. onion juice
1 tsp. celery salt
2 eggs
Dry bread crumbs

To the mashed potatoes, add the parsley, onion juice, and celery salt
and mix thoroughly. Beat the eggs slightly, reserve a small amount to be
diluted with water or milk for dipping the croquettes, and add the rest
to the potatoes. Shape the mixture into oblong croquettes of uniform
size and shape. Roll each in the crumbs, then in the diluted egg, and
again in the crumbs. Fry in deep hot fat until an even brown in color.
Remove from the fat, drain, and serve.

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If you’re tired of the same old plants and vegetables in your garden, here are a few new varieties to try.

Begonia Eureka–This plant is designed for superior garden performance and is available in several colors ranging from green to bronze. These grow especially well in heat and humidity.

Begonia “Super Olympia” Series–The [...]]]>

If you’re tired of the same old plants and vegetables in your garden, here are a few new varieties to try.

Begonia Eureka–This plant is designed for superior garden performance and is available in several colors ranging from green to bronze. These grow especially well in heat and humidity.

Begonia “Super Olympia” Series–The Olympia series has a reputation for superior greenhouse and garden performance. The new F1 hybrid grows bigger flowers in brighter red, more beautiful pink and a whiter white.

Dianthus “Floral Lace Light Pink”–These flowers are also growing bigger with enhanced color and are extremely heat- resistant.

Fuchsia hybrid “Fete Floral”–This free-flowering plant blooms endlessly in bright fuchsia clusters.

Impatiens “Cajun Series”–These make beautiful hanging baskets and grow well in heat and humidity. New colors are watermelon, neon rose and salmon.

Impatiens “Wild Blue Yonder”–This shrub-like plant has long narrow leaves and lavender flowers, similar to rhododendrons. They look excellent in shady gardens or containers.

Carrot “Sweet Sunshine”–A lemon-yellow carrot with all the nutrients of orange ones.

Pepper “Mucho Nacho” Hybrid–This hybrid is jumbo-sized and jumbo-hot.

Squash “Starship”–This new medium-to dark-green hybrid consistently produces high yields of eye-catching, flavorful fruit for home gardeners.

###
SOURCE: DR. DAVE WILLIAMS, Extension horticulturist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System (334) 844-3032.

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Vines can be used to enhance landscapes in several ways according to Dr. Dave Williams, a horticulturist with [...]]]> Mention the word vine in the South and most people think kudzu or honeysuckle.  However, all vines are not wicked like these two.  Vines can provide shade, cover and color in Alabama landscapes.

Vines can be used to enhance landscapes in several ways according to Dr. Dave Williams, a horticulturist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.  “Vines can cascade over walls, mailboxes, fences, terraces, trellises, arbors, rock piles, tree stumps or the ground.”

When selecting vines for the home landscape, there are a number of factors to consider, such as intended use, location in the landscape, plant hardiness, soil adaptability, type of support needed, color of blooms or foliage and maintenance requirements.  Some fast-growing vines require a lot of routine pruning to prevent profuse growth than can cover trees and shrubs, reducing light and aeration. Other vines can disperse seeds after flowering and may pop up in areas where they are not wanted.

Popular annual vines such as moonvine, sweet pea, purple hyacinth bean and morning glory, are grown from seed each year.  Perennial vine favorites include trumpet creeper, clematis, wisteria and carolina jessamine.

Moonvine has a wonderful fragrance with an evening bloom.

Clematis is a thin vine that produces beautiful flowers and has a long-blooming season. Many different species of clematis are available — some are large-flowering types and others are small-flowering types.  Clematis may be planted in the spring or fall.  Roots should be shaded and kept cool, while the top should be in sun for at least six hours a day.

Climbing hydrangea is a woody vine that climbs using root-like holdfasts.  In the landscape, this vine can be used as ground cover for large areas or to cover walls and other structures.  Like clematis, this plant is poisonous, so do not use it where children or pets are likely to eat it.  Flowers are white and fragrant and produce an excellent display in early summer. It prefers moist soil but is drought tolerant once established.  To keep this vine within bounds, it will need to be regularly pruned.

Creeping fig, another woody, evergreen vine, will cement itself to a structure with disk-like feet.  It can be slow starting but is fast growing once it is established.  Creeping fig is used in the landscape as a low ground cover, in elevated planters or along supports in columns or arches. It is generally not hardy in North Alabama.

Climbing roses are also popular.  If given support, they will grow fast and offer fragrance and color to the landscape.  Some popular varieties include Lady Banks rose, which grows well on a trellis, and Scotch rose, which is outstanding ground cover for slopes.  Roses grow best in rich, well-drained soil.

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2 Tb. butter or ham or bacon fat 1/2 tsp. salt 1 medium-sized onion, chopped Dash of pepper 2 Tb. parsley 3 c. diced cooked potatoes

Melt the fat in a frying pan, and add the onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. When the fat is hot, add the potatoes, which [...]]]> (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 Tb. butter or ham or bacon fat
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
Dash of pepper
2 Tb. parsley
3 c. diced cooked potatoes

Melt the fat in a frying pan, and add the onion, parsley, salt, and
pepper. When the fat is hot, add the potatoes, which should be diced,
and allow them to saute until slightly
brown. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Serve hot.

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Fruits and Nuts – Planting season continues for dormant trees. Fertilize fruit trees. Apply half of the fertilizer recommended for grapes now; apply the other half soon after fruit sets. Continue dormant pruning and grafting. Start strawberry plantings.

Fruits and Nuts – Planting season continues for dormant trees. Fertilize fruit trees. Apply half of the fertilizer recommended for grapes now; apply the other half soon after fruit sets. Continue dormant pruning and grafting. Start strawberry plantings.

Shrubs – Planting season continues. Visit camellia shows to learn of hardy varieties in your area. Graft camellias in Central and South Alabama. Spray all shrubs with a fungicide before new growth starts. Good time to prune all shrubs before new growth starts. Donʼt prune early-blooming species because flower buds will be removed.

Roses – Prune hybrid tea roses in South Alabama; delay pruning for a few weeks in North Alabama. Continue planting.

Annuals and Perennials – Replant early plantings of hardy annuals. Prepare beds for summer annuals.

Bulbs – Plant cannas, amaryllis, gladiolus, and zephyranthes in South Alabama; delay planting for a few weeks in North Alabama.

Miscellaneous – Houseplants are beginning to show signs of activity. Fertilize with liquid or soluble fertilizer according to manufacturerʼs directions. Remember Valentineʼs Day Why not send roses or a potted plant?

Vegetable Seed – Plant some vegetables listed for January in Central Alabama plus collards, salsify, and Swiss chard. Add tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts to coldframes.

Vegetable Plants – Plant cabbage, onions, lettuce, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

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