First I want to tell you that I love flowers and I love working in my flowerbeds. But last year as I was making plans for a new and larger flowerbed. I took a good look around my yard and thought just how many flowers does one-person need? That’s when I decided, if I’m going to plant it, weed it, feed and water it, then maybe it’s about time those plants should give something back to me. So with that thought in mind, I planted an edible garden. I Love it!!! Viewers Gardening tips - Connie,Florida - Old pantyhose can be used to tie plants to the plant stakes. Or store bulbs in the legs of old pantyhose for winter storage, section off the bulbs with twist ties, by plant type and color.Tim,Alabama. Water hose has a hole? Add more holes to the hose with a hammer and nail and make your own soaker hose. Make a garden journal to keep track of your gardening. Tools – Gather tools and clean, sharpen, oil and check handles.(Jan. is a good time to replace anything that is rusty or broken.) Start making a checklist of bulbs and seeds you have or will need. In some places you can plant flower bulbs in January. Now the fun part, “Seed Catalogs”. Get those orders ready. If you don’t have any go on line to place orders and many companies offer free catalogs you can have mailed to your mailbox. Michelle,Tenn. Fire Ant problems- pour cornmeal on the ant mound, the ants will take it to the queen and it swells in the stomach and kills the queen. The Seed Store (Supermarket) The next time you go to produce section of your supermarket, think seeds. Save the seeds from the eaten fruit and plant it. Much better then throwing them in your trashcan. It’s also a way to see if your family like a different vegetables and fruit. If they like it plant the seeds.
Save Your Coffee Grounds We drink a lot of coffee at my house. So I keep an empty coffee can under my sink to put use coffee grounds in. When it gets full I take it to my garden and spread them and dig them in. Coffee grounds are a fertile source of organic matter and plant food.
Rose Hip Tea (300mg of vitamin C) Do you know what a rose hip is? If you have roses growing in your yard then you have rose hips. The rose hip is the seedpod that forms after the pedals fall away. To harvest them, pick the hips as soon and they turn red and ripen. Cut them open and remove and discard the seeds, then store what’s left in a freezer bag and freeze. To make Tea, chop a few up and put in tea ball, and steep the ball in a cup of water.
|
Herbs - means all the above ground parts of the plant, stem, leaf, flower.
Basil - is among the most popular annual herb plants. The Basil plant is attractive, and easy to grow. Pinching of flowers or the end of stems will make the plant bushy. The leaves can be harvested throughout the summer to use fresh or dry it to use later in your recipes. Plant in full sun and water weekly. Fast growing, Height 2 feet. To dry basil, harvest just before it blooms, Hang, screen dry, or freeze. Complements all types of tomato dishes.
Chives – is a hardy full sun perennial. Pokes up though the soil in early spring. Mauve blue flower balls bloom on hard green tendrils from mid-summer on. (Cut these to keep the plant growing longer) Harvest chives as soon as the spears are a few inches long. Snipping entire spears encourages tender new growth. Dry or Freeze. Add delicate onion flavor to omelets, soups, cheese, salads or fish.
Sage- – is a hardy full sun perennial. The leaves can be picked anytime but recommended to pick to crops a year, June and Fall. Hang to dry in small bunches. Add to dressing for it’s wonderful flavor.
Other Attractive Plants;
Tomato plants. You would be surprised how handy it is to have a tomato plant right outside your door in your flowerbed. They look pretty planted among your flowers and you don't have to go all the way to the garden just to make a quick sandwich. The cherry tomatoes look pretty too. |
