The Great $1 Gerber Daisy Experiment

Can it really be this easy??

The only thing better than a New plant is a 

deal on a New plant.  All specimens in this experiment 

were bought for 1/3 or less of their marked retail price.   

A quick trim, removal from very cramped pot, regular

 watering, top dressing of compost and TaDa their Back! 

Step 1-Fill one 3-inch potting container with potting soil

 for each stem cutting.

Step 2-Find healthy and vibrant gerbera daisies in the 

summer during the peak of growth. Clip off a stem just

 above soil level and then cut the stem again so that you 

have a 6-inch stem piece. 

Step 3-Dip the bottom end of the stem into rooting

 hormone and place the stem into the potting soil.

Step 4-Keep the containers where they receive 

indirect sunlight, and watch for the stems to show

 signs of growth. This will indicate that the stems

 are taking root. Continue to keep them evenly watered.

Step 5-Transplant your new super discounted gerbera 

daisies to larger containers when they are established 

and growing well. 

5/15/14

Good Squirrels do not need garden laws to tell them to act
responsibly,While bad Squirrels will find a way around the
garden laws. ~Plato & OldSchoolBill 

Starting Over

Please do not tell the Squirrels where they are!!

Red Coleus Cup

Now red coleus cup is the best receptacle
To start coleus for garden fairs and festivals

And you sir do not have a pair of tes------

If you prefer growing coleus in ceramic vestabowls

 

Hey red coleus cup is cheap and disposable
In fourteen years they are decomposable

And unlike my home they are not foreclosable

Freddie Mac can kiss my a--, woo!

Red coleus cup, I fill you with dirt
Let's have a garden party, 

I love you red coleus cup, I lift you up,

 As I go on my evening #gardenwalk

Now I've seen you in blue and I've seen you in yellow
But only you red will do for this fellow

Cause you are the Abbott into my Costello

And you are the Fruit to my Loom

Red coleus cup, you're more than just plastic
More than amazing, you're more than fantastic

And believe me that I'm not the least bit sarcastic

When I look at you and say:

"Red coleus cup, you're not just a cup
 (No, no, God no)
You're my friend, yea (Lifelong)
Thank you for being my #gardenchat friend"

The Many Uses of Vinegar In My Garden

Kill weeds and unwanted grass by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. Spray bottle works especially well in crevices and cracks of walkways and driveways.

Ants take off the other way when you pour vinegar on their playground.

Discourage those $%^&*^%$# cats from getting into the kids’ sandbox with white distilled vinegar.

Preserve cut flowers by adding 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase.

Clean stains in clay, glazed and plastic pots by soaking them for an hour in a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar.

Gets rust off spigots, tools, screws or bolts by soaking the items overnight or for several days in undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Avoid skin problems after working in the garden by rinsing your hands in white distilled vinegar.

Sanitize outdoor furniture and picnic tables with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar.

Kill *&@#$% slugs by spraying them with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part white distilled vinegar.

Clean plastic patio furniture with a solution of 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water.

#WW #gardenchat 6-26-13

Wolfgang Von WineBottleStopper's Guide to Avoiding Dehydration in Your Summer Garden

The best way to beat dehydration in your summer garden is to drink before you get thirsty. If you wait until after you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated.

Water is important to the body at all times, but especially in the summer garden. It keeps the body from overheating. When you work in your garden , your muscles generate heat. To keep from burning up, your body needs to get rid of that heat. The main way the body discards heat in warm weather is through sweat. As sweat evaporates, it cools the tissues beneath. Lots of sweating reduces the body's water level, and this loss of fluid affects normal bodily functions.

If you suspect that you or someone is dehydrated, seek immediate medical attention.

Signs of dehydration include:

fatigue

loss of appetite

flushed skin

heat intolerance

light-headedness

dark-colored urine

dry cough

How to avoid dehydration

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, to avoid dehydration, active people should drink at least 16- 20 ounces of fluid one to two hours before an outdoor activity. After that, you should consume 6 to 12 ounces of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes that you are outside. When you are finished with the activity, you should drink more. How much more? To replace what you have lost: at least another 16 to 24 ounces (2- 3 cups) .  One way to make sure you are properly hydrated is to check your urine. If it's clear, pale or straw-colored, it's OK. If it's darker than that, keep drinking!

Beverages: some hydrate, others dehydrate

Some beverages are better than others at preventing dehydration. Water is all you need if you are planning to be active in the garden, for only an hour or less. If you plan to be gardening longer than that, or if you anticipate being out in the sun for more than a few hours, you may want to hydrate with some kind of sports drink. These replace not only fluid, but also chemicals like sodium and potassium, which are lost through perspiration. Too much or too little sodium and potassium in the body can cause trouble. Muscle cramping may be due to a deficiency of electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium.

Alcoholic and caffeinated beverages

 such as coffee, teas, and colas, are not recommended for optimal hydration. These fluids tend to pull water from the body and promote dehydration. Fruit juice and fruit drinks may have too many carbohydrates, too little sodium, and may upset the stomach. If you're going to drink fruit juices while exercising, you may try diluting them with 50% fruit juice and 50% water first.

Adequate hydration 

will keep your summer garden safer and much more enjoyable. If you need to increase your fluid intake, keep an extra pitcher of water with your fresh garden summer herbs in the refrigerator.