More Gardening Hints Tips(1)

My Garden Shed Diary

Last year, I did a whole series of post with gardening tips and helpful hints, but I stopped that when it got too cold here in Ohio for gardening. But since you all live all over the world, I guess something like that is useful all year, right?

So I will try and contribute more that I have learn in my time in the garden.

My Garden Shed diary - Garden Hints and Tips

Save the Potting Soil !  Don’t get rid of it! Rejuvenate it!

Do you have any old hanging baskets full of the dead plant and its “lighter than air” soil still in it? Or any leftover pot from last year with that hard crusty soil still in it. Usually it is so light that it is almost like dust. And impenetrable.

It is so simple and easy, and that soil still has a lot of life left in it. Pull it out of its containers, all of them, and place the stiff, light, shapes into a larger container or tub.

Then boil about 2 quarts of water on the stove or just use your faucet water but let it run until it is very hot.

Pour this hot water into the tub of soil shapes and wait about 10 minutes to cool.

Stir it up and there you have all new soil! It’s moist and crumbly like brand new straight from the bag. Add your Osmocote if you like to have the time release feed, or just to put back nutrients which were used last year. Add maybe a teaspoon of cinnamon to ward off any bad fungus and you are back to planting.

Planting Seeds?

If you are planting seeds, soak them overnight in tea. The tannins in tea will help to soften the seed case. If you have Chamomile tea, it is said to have anti-fungal properties to help ward off “damping off.”

tea-time-hypertufa-gardener

Get Rid of Skunks with This!

If you have any problems with skunks or other nocturnal animal wanting to set up housekeeping in your sheds or under the deck, just place a floodlight out there for several nights. It will light up the area and he or she will move on to find a darker space. Problem solved.

Starting Great Tomato Plants

tomato-hypertufa-gardener

Using an old concrete block can give your tomato plant a great start in spring. Just place the block over the small plant when you first plant it out in the spring. This concrete block will shade the base of the plant reducing the water needs, but also will warm the plant on cool spring nights and shield the base from winds and maybe even foraging animals.

This is an oldie but goodie that your grandparents probably used. There are concrete blocks available at the Big Box stores that are 8x8x8″ and have a single opening.

Enjoy your Wednesday, and if you are lucky enough to have some good weather, get outside in the garden. Here in Ohio we are supposed to be very cold in February, but the weather is delightful. Warm and overcast with some sun, but makes you want to get out in the garden.

I have to restrain myself from uncovering the peonies and some of the sedum that is sprouting. I want to allow the leaves to remain covering the bases of these plants so that they will have some protection when the cold and snow comes back. And it will, believe me. This is Ohio.

Meanwhile, I can do a little work in the garden shed since that warms up in the sun. So maybe I will go out and take care of some clean up and sharpening.  Don’t you just love the idea of Spring approaching?

What are you doing in the garden today?

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