New Garden Tips for Spring

Winning Tip: Prevent ornamental grasses from becoming a kitty lounge chair

My neighbor ’s cats like to visit when I ’m gardening . While I have it away their party , I do n’t enjoy their warmness for lounging in my ornamental grasses , so I put wire hanging basket upside down over the industrial plant . The blades of the grass spring up through the wire orifice , and the domed stadium shape of the hoop shit it unsufferable for the big cat to lie on and crush the plants . The hanging handbasket can be found cheaply at dollar store .

— Lydia Rapalyea , Fort Thomas , Kentucky

Repurposing volunteer sunflowers

I delight regain worthy volunteer plants in my landscape painting , especially sunflowers , which are much taller and strong than any that I ’ve tried planting from seed . The problem is that I do n’t always apprise their pick of position , which is often in the front of a bottom or among shorter plants . If I entrust them in place , I am demented at myself for doing so when they are towering over everything else in the bed in late summertime . Weeding them out feel ungrateful . So after some test , I have add up up with a way to transplant these exceptional flora successfully .

First , dig up the seedlings on a cloudy day when they are 6 to 8 column inch magniloquent . By this point , the root should be the diameter of your finger . transfer them to a localization that will get full sun . link up them to a keep that is 10 to 12 inches tall . As they grow , you will need to leave a tall stake . The plants will appreciate some spook for the first few days . A theme bag or pet food udder with the end disregard out works well . check that to secure it in the ground so it does n’t blow aside . weewee day by day for at least four Day . Do n’t be surprised if the plants are wilted initially . The staking will serve their posture until they can adapt and rehydrate .

The particular of this procedure are there to correct the mistake that I have made over the yr . I hope your experience will be in force on the very first effort .

— Beth Clark , Hudsonville , Michigan

Super-clean hummingbird feeders

I unremarkably cleanse my hummingbird tributary with a rickety bleach solution and a soup-strainer ; however , there always seem to be little region of cast that I can never give . With the increase use of metal straws to decrease plastic straw use , I hump that they now make small brushes to clean them . I can practice these small brushes , flex them at any slant , and get into all the nooks and crannies of my hummingbird bird feeder .

— Stephanie Fried , Covington , Louisiana

What’s good for books can also work for seeds

slight loose library boxwood share the making love of literacy and spare Bible with a neighborhood community . They are popping up everywhere . In some position , they have also become vehicle for encouraging a lovemaking of gardening by providing free seed and the exchanging and share-out of resources . I was so glad to find one in my neighborhood .

— Pat Cochran , Frederick , Maryland

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