FAQ: Slugs and Beer
- On May 16, 2010
- By Meleah
- In FAQ
0
Q: Is it true I can kill slugs by putting out beer traps?
A: I’ve had mixed results with this so I did some research on the subject and discovered two important things thanks to Jeff Gillman’s great book, “The Truth About Garden Remedies: What Works, What Doesn’t & Why.”
First, not all species of slugs are attracted to beer. Second, as Gillman so aptly puts it, “a poorly designed beer trap will attract a slug without actually trapping it.” Ah-ha! Turns out, I was setting my little dishes of beer on the ground, which meant the slugs probably couldn’t climb up the side to have a drink (and die, of course). If you want this to work, you have to make sure the lip of your cup or dish is even with the surface of the soil. Gillman also suggests that the beer be about an inch below the top of the cup so slugs have to lean out a bit to get it, ensuring that they’ll lose their balance and tumble in. (I know this sounds horrible. I go back and forth all the time on letting the poor things live and wanting to commit mass slug murder.)
FAQ: Disease resistant plants
- On May 08, 2010
- By Meleah
- In FAQ
- 0
Q: What does it mean when a plant is labeled as “disease resistant?”
A: Contrary to what the name suggests, plants labeled “disease resistant” are not actually immune to a particular disease or diseases. Instead, they are able to tolerate some diseases and overcome the harmful effects of the fungi, bacteria or other pathogen that might be attacking it. While no plant is resistant to all diseases, seeking out disease resistant varieties is a good idea.
Bad Seeds
- On April 22, 2010
- By Meleah
- In Seeds
- 0
There probably isn’t a gardener alive who doesn’t have at least a small pile of half-empty seed packets, seeds in jars, or seeds in envelopes lying around. We always mean to plant the seeds we save, but time gets away from us and at some point we find ourselves wondering whether it’s too late. And it may be. Seeds don’t last forever, but it’s surprising how often you’ll find that seeds are still good long after the expiration date on the packet.
Before you plant seeds and hope for the best, do a germination test like you did in school as a kid. Note, though, that this test is best for annual and vegetable seeds because many perennial seeds require special treatment before they’ll sprout.
Place the seeds you want to test on a moist (not soggy) paper towel and cover them with another moist paper towel. Put your seed-towel sandwich inside a sealed plastic bag or between sheets of plastic wrap. Label the bag and store it in a warm spot out of direct sunlight—on top of the fridge is usually a good choice.
Check the seeds daily and use a spray bottle to moisten them if they’re drying out. Depending on the seeds you’re testing, sprouting could take a few days or a few weeks. (If you have commercial seed packets, check those for germination times.) Once your seeds have sprouted you’ll be able to calculate their germination rate, so if just 50 percent sprouted, say, you’ll want to sow them more heavily in the garden to ensure you get the number of plants you want.
Mulch
- On April 18, 2010
- By Meleah
- In Turf Grass
- 0
When we think about gardening, admittedly, mulch isn’t the fun part, the part that you just can’t wait to dig into come spring. But mulch is worth giving some thought to and there are lots of reasons why. Not thinking about mulch, for instance, could easily lead you to make the dreadful mistake of picking any old thing like, say, gravel or decorative rock — possibly even white rock —which, as I may have ranted about before, is definitely the most hideous mulch imaginable.
Rock not only makes an ugly, completely unnatural-looking mulch, it also creates an inhospitable environment for plants since it’s usually spread on top of a sheet of black plastic. The plastic is there to keep the weeds out, but it also ensures that water and air don’t reach the soil so you can say goodbye to earthworms and all of the microorganisms that help keep soil healthy. Even if more porous fabric is used, it doesn’t solve the problems caused by all those rocks heating up in the hot sun and baking the plants and surrounding soil.
Read More»Growing Cacti and Other Succulents Indoors
- On March 26, 2010
- By Meleah
- In Indoor Gardening
- 0
I grew up in Phoenix, so I thought I’d had my fill of cactus. (Picture being a Girl Scout and taking camping trips in a desert filled with inhospitable plants covered with spines and barbs.) But this past year I’ve really gotten into growing cacti and succulents indoors. Maybe that’s partially due to the fact that the mere sight of them makes me think of warmth and vacations. If you’ve always wanted try growing houseplants but needed something incredibly easy to care for, these are the plants for you.
Before I jump into how to care for cacti and succulents, let me first explain what these plants are. Simply put, succulents are plants that are good at storing moisture in their stems, leaves and/or roots so they do well in hot, dry conditions. All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. A few succulents you’ll probably recognize right away are jade (Crassula arborescens), aloe (Aloe barbadensis), flowering Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) and, of course, the Christmas cactus, which is both a cactus and a succulent. (FYI: Christmas cacti have very different needs than other cacti and succulents, so don’t go by what I say in this article when caring for them.)
Read More»Start Veggies Early With Black Plastic
- On February 09, 2010
- By Meleah
- In Veggies
- 0
Normally I would deter people from rolling out black plastic in the garden for any reason. But the truth is, black plastic sure comes in handy when you want to get heat-loving crops in the ground a little early. You can plant tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, and eggplants about three weeks to a month early when you warm the ground with black plastic sheeting.
Before you put plastic down, lay down some soaker hoses or drip irrigation lines, since overhead water won’t penetrate the material. Roll out and stretch the plastic before securing it with stakes or with a few shovelfuls of soil all along the edges. Use your fingers to poke holes for your plants. After the seedlings are in place, spread some soil over the plastic at each plant’s base to keep the plastic from ballooning up over the stems and leaves.
As the weather warms up, the plastic will retain the day’s heat and help keep the soil warm on cool spring nights. Remove the plastic once temps have warmed up so you won’t damage plant roots with high heat.
