Brooklyn Queens Land Trust

GARDEN TIPS

This information has been collected from various sources: magazine articles, garden websites, gardening programs on television, fellow gardeners with beautiful plants and observations. Much of this information is not scientifically tested or proven BUT THEY'VE WORKED FOR GARDENERS. TRY THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK.




- Don't plant in the same spot for two consecutive years. However, if you plant African Marigolds where Tulips have flowered, the balance in the soil will be restored and you can plant bulbs in the same spot year after year.

- English Bluebells are invasive so for a less rampant variety choose the Spanish type, Hyacinthoides hispanica.

- Never plant these together as they suffer from the same diseases.

- To give bulbs a boost, apply a light feed of a general fertiliser, eg liquid seaweed once they have flowered and the leaves have started to die down.

- Keep track of rare varieties by planting in aquatic planters and plunging in the ground.

- After flowering, pull away leaves as soon as they are yellow and withered. This helps to prevent disease entering the bulbs. Then apply a liquid fertiliser to build the bulbs up ready for next season. Feed once a week for a month or so.


Containers and Hanging Baskets


Rounded pots suit spiky plants such as Yuccas, Agaves and Phormiums.

Tall chimney pots suit busy billowing plants like Bidens, Gypsophila or other cascading plants such as Amaranthus.

Plant succulents such as sedums and sempervirens in shallow pots.

For an attractive wooden trough, build a wooden framework and surround it with log roll. Insert a plastic trough inside the wooden frame and plant away !!

If you are using whicker baskets outside, give them 3 coats of yacht varnish to protect them.

To make brand new containers look immediately old, coat them in natural yoghurt and leave in the sun.

If soil in hanging baskets becomes too dry, add a squirt of washing up liquid to the water. This helps the water to enter the compost instead of just running off.





Pellets based on metaldehyde are less effective in damp conditions as Slugs/Snails can recover - they lose the chemical through their slime. Better to use pellets based on methiocarb as it has an anti-sliming agent.

To stop slugs and snails nibbling your container plants, place a layer of vaseline around the edge of the pot. They can't get over it.

Try growing Garlic close to susceptible plants to help deter vine weevil.

Rosemary and Sage deter Carrot Fly.

Nettle Spray is great as a general insect repellent and plant food. Fill a bucket with fresh nettles and water, cover and leave to ferment for a few weeks. Strain and spray on your plants.


Marigolds, limnanthes, calendula and poppies attract hoverflies whose larvae eat greenfly and other aphids.

Grow chives with roses to protect them against aphids.


Place mothballs in containers to deter Earwigs and Ants.

Elder and Mint discourage Caterpillars.

To prevent whitefly on tomatoes, underplant with basil and marigolds.

Marjoram and Mint help to repel ants.

When you've boiled eggs, use the leftover water to pour between the cracks in the path to prevent weeds growing.


** Place fruits like pumpkin and squash on a bed of sand. Snails and slugs do not like sand and will not cross over it. You will not need to use slug and snail poisons.

** Use Companion plants that repel
insects. See Companion Plants




- Don't feed too much as it can make plants flop over after heavy rain.

- To produce outstanding blooms, plants need a steady supply of moisture at the roots during the growing season. Mulch to keep in moisture.

- If plants have pale tips they may be suffering from a shortage of magnesium. Mix 1 oz of Epsom Salts to 1 gallon of water and water each plant.


- Plant variegated forms next to terracotta water features for a fresh look.

- Plants can disappear into surrounding soil as it is dark. Plant next to pale stone or grow amongst silver-leaved sempervivums.






Acid Lovers - Feed with Sequestrene in June. Water around Rhododendrons, Camellias, Azaleas, Pieris and all other acid loving plants to prevent yellow leaves and encourage strong growth.

Camellias - Flowerbuds are formed in the Summer, so ensure plants are kept moist during July and August. Drought will cause flower buds to drop off in Spring.

Garrya - A handful of pelleted chicken manure in April and a monthly feed of tomato fertiliser between June and September will help promote growth and catkins.

Hedges - Use Thuja plicata instead of Leylandii as it has the ability to throw new shoots out of old wood, unlike Leylandii.

Hedges - When trimming a hedge, the base should be wider than the top.

Ivy - The secret of getting a new ivy to cling to your walls is to cut it hard back after planting. New shoots get a grip straight away - old ones never do.





Houseplants - If you have an aquarium, save the water each time you change it to water your house plants with. You'll be amazed at the results.

Ponds - When building a new pond, remember that siting it in full sun will encourage the growth of algae, so position it in the shade.

Weeds - When hoeing the ground, only disturb the top 1/2" of soil. Going deeper than this will cause more weed seeds to germinate.


Greenhouse


Begonias - If you have difficulty in telling which way up a tuber should be planted, place in a plastic bag with enough moist, peat based compost to cover it, seal top, put in a warm place such as the airing cupboard and gently shake bag every day to disturb it. Once you see signs of growth, take it out and pot up with shoots uppermost.

Cucumbers - Avoid watering with cold or chlorinated water, leave to stand for a few hours before use.

Heating - Place a few dustbins filled with water under greenhouse staging. The water heats up during the day, releasing its warmth slowly at night. Concrete floors also provide the same benefit.

Tomatoes - Try Epson Salt (1tsp) around tomato plants to green up the foliage.

Watering - Use a cork on a cane to see if a plant is in need of watering. If the plant is thirsty, the pot will ring like a bell when tapped otherwise it will sound like a dull thud.


Watering - Never use water collected from water butts to water seedlings. Use tap water, but allow it to stand for a couple of hours before use to ensure the chlorine disappears.
The best time to plant Bearded Iris is July through September. This allows enough time for the flowers to become established before winter. In a well-cultivated bed, dig a shallow hole large enough for the rhizome clump. Create a mound of soil in the center of the hole. Make sure the mound is high enough to allow the top of the rhizome to poke out slightly above the soil level. Spread the roots around the mound, fill it with soil and water. For a colorful group planting, plant at least three rhizomes (about 8-10" apart) or plant undivided clumps. Be sure to point each fan of leaves away from the center of the group. Before flowering, water plants often enough to keep the soil moist but not soaked. Apply mulch to fall-planted irises to reduce winter heaving.

Used with permission from Spring Hill Nurseries. © 2003 Spring Hill Nurseries LLC. All Rights Reserved. Spring Hill Nurseries trademarks are registered trademarks of Spring Hill Nurseries LLC


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Garden Tips

If you are planning to grow a giant sunflower for competition or fun, then now is a good time start. Sow the seeds into individual pots of multipurpose compost in the greenhouse or on a warm windowsill. If you are trying to grow the tallest plant try Sunflower Russian Giant - there is no better variety to grow.

1. Now the days are getting warmer, aphids are becoming more active. Check under the leaves of winter-flowering pansies and bellis as this is where these troublesome pests will probably be hiding, waiting to pounce on to your young, succulent summer bedding seedlings. If seen, I recommend that you spray them with a organic soft-soap.
2. Back in February we sowed some hanging basket tomatoes called Tumbler or Gartenperle. Well, these plants are now big enough to plant into the hanging baskets. Use a good potting compost or buy a growbag and use this compost in the baskets. I like to plant 3 tomatoes to a 40cm (16 in) basket. Once planted, hang up in the greenhouse, porch or conservatory to grow on until they can be hung outside at the end of May. They can also be planted in tall containers for displays on the patio later.
3. If, like mine, your vegetable plot has dried out sufficiently and the soil has warmed up, it is now all systems go with sowing some of the smaller vegetable seeds such as carrots, parsnips, beetroot, radishes, squash, pumpkin, cucumbers, melons, okra, beans and spring onions. You can also make further sowings of peas & broad beans. There is also still time to plant onion sets and potatoes.

It's warm enough to plant when the soil temperature is 60F at midday when measured four inches deep.

Vining crops such as squash and pumpkin do best in clay soils when planted in hills. Create a raised circular area about 2 feet (60cm) in diameter. Smooth the top and plant five to six seeds spread around the circle. Once they germinate, thin the seedlings to the healthiest 2 or 3. Fertilize with compost or a balanced fertilizer when the squash start vining and you'll reap a bountiful harvest by summer.

Okra will germinate faster if the seeds are soaked in water overnight, or if the seed coats are nicked with a file before planting. The plants need full sun, and will thrive in a location where a nitrogen-fixing crop such as beans and peas grew last year. In warm climates you can get an early and late crop by planting once in spring and again in June. In cooler climates, you may want to start your seeds indoors three or four weeks before setting them out. Plant the seeds an inch deep and six inches (15cm) apart. You will eventually thin them to two feet apart.

The recommended spacing for beans varies with the variety you are planting, so follow the directions on the package. Most are planted twice as deep as the seed is long. If the soil is heavy or doesn't drain well, work in some compost. If you're wondering how much to plant, plan on 10-15 bush bean plants or 3-5 hills of pole beans per person. A 100-foot row will produce about 50 quarts.

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4. After the wet winter weather a lot of nutrients will have been leached out of the soil around trees, shrubs and perennials so at this time of year it is a good idea to try and replace some of those lost nutrients. Sprinkle some fish, blood & bone fertiliser around your plants and lightly work into the soil with a border fork. I prefer to use a fork because whilst working in the fertiliser you will also be letting air into the soil as well as tidying up the overall appearance of the border.
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TRIM LAVENDER NOW

5. If you have lavender plants or a lavender hedge in your garden, now is a good time to give it a trim. If you trim a lavender plant each spring, cutting back the growth by about 5cm (2 ins) all over the plant, you will keep plants looking neat and tidy. It is important to prune lavender regularly as it doesn't like being cut back into old wood, and once lavender plants get old, woody and out of shape there is no bringing them back to their former glory. So go on, give them a regular haircut each spring.

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Planting Lilies

6. You'll get a better first year of flowers from your lilies if you plant them in the fall, but once the soil dries out in spring, you have another chance to get the bulbs in the ground. Choose a site that gets at least half a day of sun, and if the soil is not rich in humus, amend it with compost. Plant the bulbs 4-6 inches deep, and add some bone meal or rock phosphate to each hole as you plant. Mark the spot where you plant your bulbs. If you damage the emerging shoot while cultivating or working in your garden there will be no flowers this year.
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La GUARDERIA INFANTIL NOTA

El mejor tiempo de plantar el Iris con barba es julio por septiembre. Esto permite que suficiente vez para las flores llegue a ser establecido antes de invierno. En una cama cultivada del pozo, cave un hoyo superficial suficiente grande para el grupo del rizoma. Cree un tenido incoveniente en de tierra en el centro del hoyo. Cerci?³rese el tenido incoveniente en suficiente alto deber?¡ permitir que la cima del rizoma meta fuera levemente encima del nivel de tierra. Esparza las ra?­ces alrededor del tenido incoveniente en, lo llenan con tierra y agua. Para un grupo colorado que planta, la planta por lo menos tres rizomas (acerca de 8-10" aparte) o planta los grupos indivisos. Est?© seguro se?±alar cada ventilador de hojas lejos del centro del grupo. Antes florecer, plantas de agua a menudo mantener bastante la tierra h?ºmeda pero no empapados. Aplique pajote para caer los irises plantados para reducir tirar de invierno.


Utilizado con el permiso de Guarder?­as Infantiles de Colina de Primavera. © 2003 Guarder?­as Infantiles de la Colina del Primavera LLC. Bien Reservado. Las Guarder?­as Infantiles de la Colina del primavera registraron marcas registradas marcas registradas de Guarder?­as Infantiles de
Colina de Primavera LLC

El JARDIN INCLINA


- No planta en el mismo lugar por dos a?±os consecutivos. Sin embargo, si usted planta las Maravillas africanas donde Tulipanes han florecido, el equilibrio en la tierra se restaurar?¡ y usted puede plantar bombillas en el mismo lugar a?±o tras a?±o.



- Bluebells ingl?©s es invasivo tan para una variedad menos desenfrenada escoge el tipo espa?±ol, hispanica de Hyacinthoides.



- Nunca planta estos junto como ellos sufren de las mismas enfermedades.



- Dar bombillas un empujo, aplique una comida ligera de un fertilizante general, p.e. la alga l?­quida una vez ellos han florecido y las hojas han comenzado a apagarse.



- Sigue a las variedades raras plantando en plantadores y hunde acu?¡ticos en el suelo.




- Despu?©s que florecer, estira lejos hojas tan pronto como ellos son amarillos y marchitados. Esto ayuda a prevenir entrar de enfermedad las bombillas. Entonces aplique un fertilizante l?­quido para construir las bombillas arriba se prepara para pr?³xima temporada. Alimente una vez a la semana por un mes por ah?­.









Las pastillas de moldeo basadas en el metaldehyde son menos efectivas en condiciones h?ºmedas como Postas/los Caracoles pueden recuperar - ellos pierden la sustancia qu?­mica por su limo. Utilizar mejor las pastillas de moldeo basadas en el methiocarb como tienen un anti enfangando a agente.



Para parar las postas y los caracoles mordiscar sus plantas de contenedor, colocan una capa de vaselina alrededor de la orilla de la olla. Ellos no pueden obtener sobre lo.



Trate Ajo creciente plantas cerca de susceptibles de ayudar disuade gorgojo de vid.



Rosemary y Sabio disuaden Mosca de Zanahoria.



El Roc?­o de ortiga es grande como un insecto general repelente y alimento de planta. Llene un cubo con ortigas y agua frescas, la cubierta y la hoja para fermentar para unos pocas semanas. Esfuerce y roc?­e en sus plantas.



Las maravillas, limnanthes, calendula y amapolas atraen hoverflies cuyas larvas comen pulg?³n y otro aphids.



Crezca hojas de cebolleta con rosas para protegerlos contra aphids.



Las bolas de alcanfor del lugar en contenedores para disuadir Tijeretas y Hormigas.



El anciano y la Menta desalientan las Orugas.



Para prevenir whitefly en tomates, underplant con albahaca y maravillas.



La ayuda de la mejorana y la Menta para repeler hormigas.



Cu?¡ndo usted se ha hervido los huevos, utiliza el agua sobrante vertir entre las grietas en el sendero para prevenir hierbas que crecen.









Las ollas redondeadas acomodan plantas puntiagudas tal como Yuccas, Agaves y Phormiums.



La chimenea alta conserva el juicio plantas hinchadas ocupadas como Bidens, Gypsophila u otro cascading plantan tal como Amaranthus.



Plante suculenta tal como sedums y sempervirens en ollas superficiales.



Para una depresi?³n de madera atractiva, construya una armaz?³n de madera y lo rodea con rollo de tronco. ¡Meta una depresi?³n pl?¡stica dentro del marco y la planta de madera lejos!



Si usted utiliza cestas de whicker afuera, les dan 3 abrigo de barniz de yate para protegerlos.



Para hacer contenedores nov?­simos miran inmediatamente viejo, los reviste en yoghurt y hoja naturales en el sol.



Si tierra en cestos colgante para plantas llega a ser seca tambi?©n, agrega un arroja un chorro de de lavar arriba l?­quido al agua. Esto ayuda el agua a entrar el abono en vez de apenas correr.













- No alimenta demasiado como puede hacer el fracaso de plantas sobre despu?©s de aguacero recio.



- Producir las flores sobresalientes, las plantas necesitan un suministro constante de la humedad en las ra?­ces durante la temporada creciente. El pajote para mantener en la humedad.



- Si plantas tienen puntas p?¡lidas que ellos pueden estar sufriendo de una escasez de magnesio. Mezcle 1 oz de Sales de Epsom a de 1 galones de agua y rege cada planta.




- Planta formas abigarradas luego al agua terracota representan para una mirada fresca.



- Plantas pueden desaparecer en la tierra circundante como es oscuro. La planta luego a la piedra p?¡lida o crece entre plata sali?³ sempervivums.









Los Amantes ?¡cidos - Comida con Sequestrene en junio. El agua alrededor de Rhododendrons, Camelias, las Azaleas, Pieris y todo el otro ?¡cido plantas que aman prevenir las hojas amarillas y alentar el crecimiento fuerte.



Camelias - Flowerbuds se forma en el Verano, as?­ que asegura que plantas se mantengan h?ºmedo durante julio y agosto. La sequ?­a causar?¡ que brotes de flor dejar?¡n caer lejos en Primavera.



Garrya - UNA pu?±ado de abono de pollo de pelleted en abril y una comida mensual de fertilizante de tomate entre junio y septiembre ayudar?¡ promueve el crecimiento y catkins.



Los cercados - plicata de Uso Thuja en vez de Leylandii como tiene la habilidad de tirar nuevo sale con fuerza de madera vieja, Leylandii desemejante.



Los cercados - Cu?¡ndo recortar un cercado, la base debe ser m?¡s ancha que la cima.



La hiedra - El secreto de que obtiene una hiedra nueva adherirse a sus paredes lo deber?¡ cortar apoya duramente despu?©s plantar. Los renuevos nuevos obtienen un pu?±o derecho lejos - viejos nunca hacen.









Las plantas dom?©sticas - Si usted tiene un acuario, salve el agua cada vez que usted cambia para regar sus plantas de la casa con. Usted ser?¡ asombrado en los resultados.



Las charcas - Cu?¡ndo construir una charca nueva, recuerda ese sentarlo en sol repleto alentar?¡ el crecimiento de algas, as?­ que lo posiciona en la sombra.



Las hierbas - Cu?¡ndo azadonar el suelo, s?³lo perturba el primero 1/2" de tierra. Ir m?¡s profundo que esto causar?¡ que m?¡s hierba sembrar?¡ para germinar.









Las begonias - Si usted tiene dificultad a decir cu?¡l manera arriba un tub?©rculo se debe plantar, el lugar en una bolsa pl?¡stica con suficiente h?ºmedo, turba abono basado para cubrirlo, la cima del sello, puso en un entibiar el lugar tal como el ventilando alacena y sacude suavemente bolsa para perturbarlo todos los d?­as. Una vez que usted ve los signos del crecimiento, t?³melo fuera y fuera la olla arriba con renuevos m?¡s altos.



Los pepinos - Evita regar con agua de resfriado o chlorinated, la hoja para significar unos pocas horas antes del uso.



La calefacci?³n - Coloca unos pocos zafacones llenaron con agua bajo preparar de invernadero. El agua calienta durante el d?­a, liberando su calor lentamente de noche. Los pisos concretos proporcionan tambi?©n el mismo beneficio.



Los tomates - Sal de Prueba Epson (1 cucharitas) alrededor de tomates a verde arriba el follaje.



Regar - Utiliza un corcho en una ca?±a para ver si una planta es necesitada de regar. Si la planta tiene sed, la olla sonar?¡ como una campana cuando utiliz?³ de otro modo sonar?¡ como un ruido sordo l?¡nguido.



Regar - nunca agua de uso reuni?³ de extremos de agua para regar semilleros. El agua de la canilla del uso, pero permite significar una pareja de horas antes uso para asegurar que el cloro desaparezca.






By Barbara Martin - Mid-Atlantic - May 29 to June 12, 2003

Spread Bug Blankets

Outsmart cucumber beetles by blocking access to your plants. Cover cukes and squashes at planting time with a floating row cover to keep the beetles out. Use a summer-weight cover designed for warm weather, and make sure to remove it daily when the plants bloom to allow for pollination, or else hand pollinate your crop.


Give Peppers the Heat They Need

Peppers need sunshine and warmth, meaning warm soil and warm nights (lows in the 50s) to grow well. If planted too early, they sulk and fail to thrive, the foliage may yellow, and leaves and early flowers may fall off. A sheltered location, quicker-to-warm raised beds, and floating row cover/night time frost blankets can help keep them snug and warm until the weather settles.

Control Black Spot

Use products containing sulfur to control black spot on roses (read and follow the label instructions carefully), or try one containing the plant-based insecticide neem. Or, try a homemade spray containing one part milk and two to three parts water. A baking soda-based spray, while potentially helpful especially as a preventive, may burn the foliage on some sensitive roses. Always test spray a few leaves several days before spraying the whole plant with anything.

Start Compost

It's never too early to begin accumulating materials for the compost heap, pile, or bin. Pulled weeds (seed free, please) and grass clippings (herbicide free, please) can be tossed in along with the trimmings and gleanings from spring cleanup. Smaller particles will compost faster, so shred or chop larger stems, if possible.


Be Prepared for Slug Attacks

Slugs work at night, leaving a trail of slug slime at the scene of the crime: devoured hosta foliage or seedlings. Lightly rake mulched areas to disturb them, hand pick them at night, use beer-baited traps, encircle your plants with a sprinkling of diatomaceous earth, or try one of the new iron phosphate-based products.

Measuring Fertilizer

Most fertilizing instructions tell you how many pounds of fertilizer to use per 100 square feet, but most gardeners don’t have a scale handy in the garden. Here’s an easier way. Two cups of all-purpose fertilizer weighs about a pound, so measure two cups of fertilizer for every pound required.
Measuring Fertilizer

Most fertilizing instructions tell you how many pounds of fertilizer to use per 100 square feet, but most gardeners don’t have a scale handy in the garden. Here’s an easier way. Two cups of all-purpose fertilizer weighs about a pound, so measure two cups of fertilizer for every pound required.
Measuring Fertilizer

Most fertilizing instructions tell you how many pounds of fertilizer to use per 100 square feet, but most gardeners don’t have a scale handy in the garden. Here’s an easier way. Two cups of all-purpose fertilizer weighs about a pound, so measure two cups of fertilizer for every pound required.

Measuring Fertilizer

Most fertilizing instructions tell you how many pounds of fertilizer to use per 100 square feet, but most gardeners don’t have a scale handy in the garden. Here’s an easier way. Two cups of all-purpose fertilizer weighs about a pound, so measure two cups of fertilizer for every pound required.

El Abono que mide



La mayor?­a de las instrucciones que fertilizan le dice cu?¡ntas libras de abono para utilizar por 100 pies cuadrados, pero por la mayor?­a de Los jardinero ’T tiene una escala cercana en el jard?­n. Aqu?­?’s una manera m?¡s f?¡cil. Dos copas de abono multiuso pesan acerca de una libra, as?­ que miden dos copas de abono para cada libra requerida.


Garden Tips Continued

How Much Mulch?

Mulch is usually sold by the cubic yard, and that can leave gardeners scratching their head when trying to figure out how much to buy. Here’s the easiest way:

1. First, find out the size of the area you want to cover in square feet. This is easy; just multiply the length of your garden by the width.

2. Next, decide how deep you want your mulch to be, in inches. A couple of inches are usually sufficient.

3. Now multiply the size of your garden in square feet (#1) by the depth of your mulch in inches (#2). Divide this number by 324. This is the number of cubic feet of mulch you will need to cover your garden.

Although perennials are not woody, some do require "pruning." You can increase branching and get a more compact, dense plant by pinching off tips during the growing period. Removing spent blooms (deadheading) will keep plants looking neat and prolong flowering. Some perennials will naturally sprawl, lean or fall over prior to flowering. Plan some simple, discreet supports to keep them orderly and looking their best.
El jard?­n Inclina

¿Cu?¡nto Pajote? El pajote es vendido generalmente por la yarda c?ºbica, y eso les puede salir a jardineros que rasgu?±an la cabeza cuando tratar de resolver cu?¡nto comprar. Aqu?­?’s de manera f?¡cil:

1. Primero, averigua el tama?±o del ?¡rea que usted quiere para cubrir en pies cuadrados. Esto es f?¡cil; multiplica apenas la longitud de su jard?­n por la anchura.

2. Pr?³ximo, decide cu?¡n profundo usted quiere que su pajote sea, en pulgadas. Una pareja de pulgadas es generalmente suficiente.

3. Ahora multiplique el tama?±o de su jard?­n en pies (#1 cuadrados) por la profundidad de su pajote en pulgadas (#2). Divida este n?ºmero por 324. Esto es el n?ºmero de pies c?ºbicos de pajote que usted necesitar?¡ de cubrir su jard?­n.

Aunque las plantas perennes no sean lle?±osas, algunos requieren "podar." Usted puede aumentar ramificar y obtener un m?¡s comprime, planta densa pellizcando de puntas durante el per?­odo creciente. Quitar las flores (deadheading) gastadas mantendr?¡n plantas pareciendo ordenado y prolongan florecer. Algunas plantas perennes extender?¡n naturalmente, se inclinar?¡n o se caer?¡n antes de florecer. Planee algunos apoyos sencillos y discretos mantenerlos ordenado y mirar su mejor.