1. Avoid spraying edible flowers with pesticide: they are destined to
be eaten.
2. Don't use pesticide when you can simply pick off few harmful insects. A blast of water can strip aphids from plants.
Prune off tent caterpillars.
3. To deter deer try placing strongly scented bar soap, or human hair,
around plants. Hair can be "recycled" from a salon.
4. Black spot on roses thrives in warm, damp weather. Rake and remove all
diseased leaves under the plants. Mulch in the spring, water in the
morning, keep foliage dry, and space plants for good air flow.
5. If new plants were not in full-sun when you bought them, place the
containers in an area that receives only partial sunlight for a day or
two Gradually expose them to increased amounts of
sunlight for a few days before planting.
6. A five percent increase in organic material will quadruple the soil's
ability to store water; a significant amount in hot, dry landscapes.
7. Don't feed your tomato plants - it encourages a weedy habit at the
expense of fruit. Dig a hole, set the plant to the lowest pair of healthy
leaves, and water.
8. Wash edible blossoms thoroughly to remove dirt and tiny insects before
eating; first in salt water, and then in cold water.
9. Some leaves
contain substances that can be harmful to plants, and should not be used
for mulch without composting them first. These include: acacia, cypress,
oak, pine, pittosporum, red cedar, and walnut.
10. If planting seeds in clay soil, cover them with vermiculite instead
of soil. Clay absorbs heat and can get too hot for seeds to germinate.
Clay also tends to crust over, making it difficult for seedlings to
emerge.
11. When seeds are planted in a shallow bed, it may be necessary to
gently sprinkle with water once or twice a day until the seedlings have
emerged. A seed that dries out after sprouting dies.
12. Water in the early morning or just at dusk. The temperature and rate
of evaporation will have abated.
13. In the spring, you need a soaking
rain every 10-14 days. If you don't get it, begin deep watering your
trees and shrubs.
14. Barriers don't kill pests, but keep them out. This includes netting
for keeping birds off fruiting plants and trees and protective collars,
made from a 3" piece of stiff paper of plastic pressed into the ground
around seedlings to prevent cutworms.
15. For continual blooms,
container plants need a lot of fertilizer. Water almost every, day, but
since watering washes out nutrients, this can present a problem. Use your
own compost as a top-dressing.
16. To sow tiny seeds, such as poppys, mix them with sand, then broadcast them thinly over
a prepared bed. Cover lightly with
mulch or rake them in.
17. Coreopsis, feverfew, and sweet alyssum
attract beneficial insects, which in turn feast on pests such as aphids
and whiteflies. Planted them in your vegetable bed.
18. Safe herbal
pest repellents include garlic and hot-pepper sprays, which can be made
by processing these herbs with water in a blender, straining out the
pulp, and diluting heavily with water. Keep handy to spray with a pump
sprayer as needed.
19. Some plants are good butterfly "feeders",
meaning butterflies lay their eggs on them and the larvae then eat the
plants before maturing. These include the leaves of Queen-Anne's lace,
dill weed, and fennel. Growing these in your garden will attract
butterflies.
20. Weeds are normally unwelcome in gardens, but
many of them attract lots of birds and butterflies with their seeds,
nectar, and insects they attract.
21. If possible, keep a brush pile in your yard. Birds love deadfalls,
the tangle of branches and twigs provides protection from cats or hawks.
22. Take advantage of the benefits of
compost whenever
possible.