Volume 2, Number 22, May 31, 2007 (Read It Online) We have tons of new request this week. Please look them over and see if you have any advice to offer. Do you have a plant, planter or something else in your garden that you are proud of? Share it with the ThriftyFun community. Snap a picture and submit it here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_photocontest.ldml Thanks for reading, Susan Send to a Friend! Submit Your Gardening Tips Submit Photos of Your Garden Submit a Gardening Request Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter. Today's newsletter contains: Photos: Tussy Mussy Geranium Tips and Articles: Keeping Deer Out of a Container Garden Homemade Spray for Rose Bushes Growing Strawberries In A Wheelbarrow Tips for Repotting Plants Watering Plants While You Are Away Making a Climbing Plant Trellis With a Clothes Hanger Make Your Cut Flowers Last Longer Starting Trees (and other plants) From Slips Saving Plant Tags Plastic Garbage Can Compost Container Coffee Can Ash Applicator New Requests: What is this plant? Conserving Water While Maintaining My Lawn Brown Spots on Tomato Leaves What bug is eating my plants? Clover Flowers Harvesting Dill Often Pruning a Root Stock Branch on a Weeping Cherry Sunblock on Plants Spindly Rhododendrons What is this plant? (Hosta) What type of flower is this? Controlling "Snow on the Mountain" Ground Cover Need Help For My Bromeliad Red Bugs Eating My Lilies How deep do peonies have to be planted? Growing Rosemary From Seeds Growing in a Bag of Top Soil Need Help Growing Basil Blooming Glads What's the Name of This Bloom? (Spiderwort) Rooting Lilac Bushes Problems Growing Zucchini Today's Sponsor: Get "The Complete Budget and Bill Organizer" Free When you subscribe to my newsletter "The Budget Stretcher" you will receive this easy guide to effectively organizing and managing your money absolutely free. Get all of the Budget Forms and Worksheets you need to make it work for you. Click the below link to learn more: More Information: Click Here: http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/confirmsubs.html Photos: Tussy Mussy Geranium Here is a picture of a single geranium flower and leaf. It reminds me of a "Tussy Mussy" Or is it Tussy Mussie? By Great Granny Vi from Moorpark, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35178813.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips and Articles: Keeping Deer Out of a Container Garden Tips for keeping deer out of gardens without fences. Post your own ideas here. Human Hair I've heard that if you put human hair around your plants that the deer will stay away. I guess they think that a person is there because they smell the human scent on the hair. My friend does this and it keeps out the deer. By luv2craft Egg Water Solution Mix a solution of 1 egg to 4 litres of water. Spray on the plants. Needs to be reapplied after each rain. Deer do not like the smell of the proteins in the eggs. A simple and cheap way of controlling the deer. (We did this for years until last year when we put up a 8' fence). By valleyrimgirl Marigolds Or Electric Fencing I recently read if you plant marigolds all around your garden, deer (along with other critters) can't stand the smell. My sister and family, keep the critters out of their garden with a couple strands of electric fencing around their garden. It's the best that's worked for them. Best of luck on your garden! By badwater Fishing Line Put a few short posts, about 2 to 3 foot, at corners and string nylon fish line from post to post, they cannot see it and will not want to go through it. You may need to put 2 rows a couple of feet apart around the garden. By Anna from Maine Fishing Line Or Jalapenos I've read to string a row of fishing line around the plants and then to string one lower down around the plants. The deer will learn not to go to your house because they can't see what is stopping them from their treats. I don't know if this works or not-just read it recently. If it doesn't work, try buying a big jar of jalapeno peppers and grind them up in the blender or food processor with the juice. Spread it all around the plants. It won't hurt any plants and it keeps the cats away from us. They don't like the smell and don't get close enough for it to harm them. Perhaps it will work with deer also. Jeane in Texas Dogs Or Irish Spring Soap Dogs work real well to keep deer out of your yard, but if you don't have one, try shaving Irish Spring soap around your plants. My SIL used this and they stayed away, but you do have to replace the shavings occassionally. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf937793.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Homemade Spray for Rose Bushes Mix a capful of ammonia in a gallon of water then put into a spray bottle. This will kill the bugs on your rose bushes and make the roses bloom more healthily. By Kelly from Bend, OR Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35267840.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Growing Strawberries In A Wheelbarrow If you love strawberries I have found that the best place to grow them so nothing eats them and they get the best sun all day is in an old wheelbarrow. The strawberries stay clean, they can live on the back verandah or wherever you can keep an eye on the birds etc. It's also easy to keep the ants away from them. My grandchildren love to come and pick strawberries from my 'special' wheelbarrow of sweetness. By Trish Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf524931.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips for Repotting Plants Here are some tips for repotting plants. Coffee Filter When repotting plants, use a coffee filter in the bottom to keep the soil from coming out the drainage holes. By Linda Newspaper When repotting plants, I always hated how the soil fell through the drainage holes. I then discovered placing cut a circle of old newspaper the same size as the bottom of your pot. By Sue from MN Shipping Peanuts When I pot starter plants I use shipping peanuts in the bottom of the pot. It gives a nice drainage and extra room for roots. By Jacensgramma Tissue I buy CHEAP tissues the put them in the holes, usually two will do the trick. By Greeneyesmom Feel free to post your ideas below. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf754675.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Watering Plants While You Are Away Submerge plastic jugs, bottles, etc. with a few small pinholes in the bottom between plants or rows of your garden. When you're away, just fill the bottles with water. The water will disperse slowly over the days and get to the roots of your plants. Palma Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf558397.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making a Climbing Plant Trellis With a Clothes Hanger Make a trellis for your climbing plant (indoor or out). Shape the triangular part of a clothes hanger into any shape you like, then straighten the hook. Stick the straightened hook into the soil then train your plant around the the wire. I also use tomato cages for my ivy and either wrap them up and down or around and around. By ElectricChameleon Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf442941.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Make Your Cut Flowers Last Longer By Colleen Moulding Nothing lifts a room like fresh flowers, but they can be expensive. Here are ten tips to help you get the best out of your arrangements. View This Article: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000761.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Starting Trees (and other plants) From Slips I have used several methods for starting plants for my own use. I once moved on to property that had no trees. Early the next spring, with the blessing of a neighbor, I clipped very thin branches that where long and straight and more then 3 ft long and had buds barely cracked. I put them in 5 gal pails with warm water to which I add willow starter tea. I then changed the water daily by overflowing the pail (not letting the tree slips out into the air). I continued to watch them and eventually about 30-40% sprouted roots (which is good for free). This method works best with the soft wood trees I found. Organic Willow Starter Tea (must be fresh) It is made by boiling about a quart of water on the stove for about 15 minutes, then adding at least one heaping measuring cup of soft willow branches. The branches are prepared by stripping the leaves and cutting them into about one-inch lengths. The point is to get the branches from the current years' growth that has a thin bark. Also, recommended is to smash them with a hammer. The willow branch clippings are dumped into the boiling water; the heat turned off; stirring occasionally; and left covered to cool overnight. DO NOT BOIL THE WILLOW ITSELF. This steeps out the chemicals that are beneath the bark. When cool (overnight or longer) the woody clippings may be strained off. The solution put into a clean quart jar and capped. It is best if it is used up within three days. This solution is then used for soaking the cutting ends in overnight before planting them in starter medium. By Muslimaleila Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf469952.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Saving Plant Tags I save all of my plant tags and information about where I bought them so that I can purchase the best producing annuals again from the same merchant for the following spring. By Sue Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf376291.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Plastic Garbage Can Compost Container For a quick compost container. An old garbage can with the bottom cut out will do the trick. Just toss in fruit peels, vegetable scraps and the like, and pop on the lid. When the compost is ready to put on your garden, just pull the lid off the can and start spreading. By Tracey Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf106264.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Coffee Can Ash Applicator A coffee can makes a handy shaker for applying ashes to your garden. Simply punch holes in the plastic lid with a leather punch, fill the can with ashes, and you're ready to go. Keep an extra, unpunched lid to use as a cover when storing the ashes. By Joesgirl Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf456302.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Contest! Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! New Requests: What is this plant? My mom found this seed/plant/fruit thing in the backyard of a house she was selling and I have no idea what it is! Its stem keeps growing, at first it was 5 inches, now its like a foot, which grew over a week and the stem moves constantly! Please help me, I need to know what it is! Ashley from Jacksonville Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59653162.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Conserving Water While Maintaining My Lawn Our well is very low this year due to a lack of rain. We are trying to keep the lawn alive. We put shower water on it and so forth in addition to once in awhile using the sprinklers. Would the lawn be healthier if I fertilize it or would that simply stress it out? I know I would need to water in the fertilizer. Hardiness Zone: 8a Rae Ann from California Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16353593.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Brown Spots on Tomato Leaves The leaves on my recently planted tomato plants are developing brown spots on them and some of the leaves are starting to curl inward, however there is new growth since I planted them, which I find encouraging. Have I watered too much, not enough? Used too much Miracle Gro? Should I add something to the soil? Help please, they are like my babies. Hardiness Zone: 6a Eileen from Springfield, MA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf11308349.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print What bug is eating my plants? What can I do to keep rabbits and bugs away from watermelons, cucumbers and muskmelon? And what kind of bug is eating my plants? Hardiness Zone: 4a Sue from MN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96897674.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Clover Flowers I have millions of clover flowers (I guess you would call them that) on my yard. How do I get rid of them? Round up eats the grass. Hardiness Zone: 7a Helen from Baltimore Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92266635.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Harvesting Dill Often Can dill be kept small and bushy by harvesting often? I scattered the seeds in a 18"x36" area and right now, at about 2" tall, it looks like a green carpet. I have a lot of seeds left from last year, so I would rather have leaves this year. Thanks for any help! Hardiness Zone: 5a Kelly from Wisconsin Rapids, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31999022.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Pruning a Root Stock Branch on a Weeping Cherry We have a weeping cherry tree with a huge root stock branch shooting straight up, starting from below the canopy. We did not realize that it should be cut off and now it's draining the life out of the weeping branches, which barely have any leaves. The tall root stock branch has tons of leaves and even bloomed this year. Can we cut this branch off now or must we wait until fall to prevent "bleed out"? We want to save this tree. Please advise asap. Hardiness Zone: 5a Thanks, Lori from Chicago, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf57634154.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Sunblock on Plants My child sprayed my petunias and mums with Sunblock, what should I do? Vickie Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31096588.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Spindly Rhododendrons Last year in early April, we bought a large ranch style home in the countryside outside Molalla in Oregon. It has 40 acres and the area around the house is wooded. We have a horseshoe drive in front of the house which is lined with very old large beautiful rhodies (rhododendrons). This year (with nothing being done to them last year.) their blooms were much later with very spindly branches and the small leaf rhodies, none at all. The small leaf ones have a leaf blight of some kind. The two spindly one are alone in the yard separate. The ones in the drive kind of all run together. I have no way to send a photo. Please HELP! What do I do to save my once lovely drive? Hardiness Zone: 8b katyinyoder56 from Molalla OR Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf20124479.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print What is this plant? (Hosta) A friend of mine just bought a house and was wondering what this plant is? Thanks in advanced, Libby from Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf75931027.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print What type of flower is this? I was wondering the name of this flower. Thanks in advance. Libby from Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50696538.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Controlling "Snow on the Mountain" Ground Cover I purchased a home that was professionally landscaped about 18 years ago but the previous owners did not maintain the beds. A ground cover called "Snow on the Mountain" was used in the largest bed and has taken over. I pulled so much of it out in the fall (including roots) that I thought I'd at least have one spot that was clear but it's back and taking over again! Does anyone have any idea how I can tame this creature? It's a beautiful ground cover so I don't want to kill it entirely but I need to control it. Hardiness Zone: 5a Joanne H. from Weare, NH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17603336.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Need Help For My Bromeliad Need help for my Bromeliad. We have several beautiful green and red bromeliads (indoor) at my house and recently one of them has molded in the center. I am not sure what to do or how to fix it or how it even happened. This bromelaid has another big off shoot in the same pot with little lilac flowers in the middle. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for any help! The picture attached is similar to mine but red instead of the pink. Hardiness Zone: 6a Angela from Painesville, Ohio Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27106692.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Red Bugs Eating My Lilies My Stargazer lilies are beginning to come up but already those red bugs are attacking them. They ate all of the foliage last year. Whenever I see them I knock them off the plant but they are right back on there the next time I walk by. What can I do to protect my lilies from this damage? Hardiness Zone: 5a Roberta from China, ME Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf91579584.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print How deep do peonies have to be planted? How deep do peonies have to be planted? I have them in pots. Hardiness Zone: 8a Thank you, Sherry from Silverdale WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf68470452.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Growing Rosemary From Seeds How hard is it to grow rosemary from seeds? I've grown them from cuttings before but this is the first year I'm trying it from seeds. Hardiness Zone: 8a Thank you, Sherry from Silverdale WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73580363.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Growing in a Bag of Top Soil Please give me some hints or tips on if I did this right. I heard an idea long ago that I could plant some annuals in a bag of top soil. I put these bags where I don't have any flower beds. I bought impatiens and made an "X" for each flower, added some Osmocote and watered. Then the flowers would grow tall and bushy to cover the bag. Did I make a mistake in using topsoil instead of potting mix? I don't think there will be enough nutirents in the top soil for the flowers to thrive. Any help? Hardiness Zone: 5a Thanks, Judy from , OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56391331.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Need Help Growing Basil I consider myself good with plants, and have ZERO luck with Basil. Globe or any other doesn't seem to matter. They get all leggy and I've tried buying them different places, tried larger plants hoping for better luck. No one seems to be able to figure out what I'm doing wrong. What's the secret to good basil? I always plant it alone. My herbs have to grow inside (garden window) or outside balcony, but I have one in front and one back, one AM sun, one PM sun. Hardiness Zone: 9-10 MAnne from CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14702671.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Blooming Glads My glads have blooms and are drying out, will they continue to bloom until the fall, or should they be dug up now, or should I just cut the bloom at this time? Hardiness Zone: 9b Gwen from BATON ROUGE, LA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf25249659.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print What's the Name of This Bloom? (Spiderwort) I planted an new garden last fall, and this spring some new flowers have came up. I am really very good with types of plants but this one I just can't find a name. Does anyone know the name of this bloom? Thanks. Hardiness Zone: 6a Tracy from Battle Creek Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76339601.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Rooting Lilac Bushes How do I root a lilac bush? Hardiness Zone: 7a Helen from Baltimore, MD Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000915.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Problems Growing Zucchini I have had poor success with growing zucchini plants that produce zucchini. There are ants in blossoms and many stems that do not produce zucchini. Should these stems be removed after blossom falls off? What else needs to be done? Hardiness Zone: 9a Carol from Stockton, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf957794.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish. More Information: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml More Stuff Seed Swap! Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users. Submit a Request... Frugal solutions to everyday problems.