Veggie Garden Tidbits, Volume I

Here’s the first volume of random, yet helpful tips and thoughts to feed your garden brain.

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As we pass the “ halfway breaker point ” of the season ( a.k.a . summertime ) down in my cervix of the wood , much of what I ’ve planted is either : 1 . Already harvested , 2 . Been yank out for not performing , 3 . Been ignored or neglected ( oops ) , or 4 . Has been destroyed by pests , diseases , or heating . The garden is pretty much out there baking in the Texas heat until autumn planting time arrives .

So what is a nurseryman to do ( other than remain inside and remain cool ) ? Part of me is always thinking of cool and unusual things that could be used for or in the garden , repurposed or otherwise . I ’ve derive up with a list of “ tidbit ” or thought of random wisdom . Here lead …

•Gloves – no more inquire where the other one went . It ’s bad enough that I go through several light - responsibility cloth garden glove each year , but it ’s evenmoreembarrassing that half the time I ca n’t keep them together . These gloves are often straw about my G , garden , greenhouse or service department , often without their “ collaborator ” . former star sign of forgetfulness due to getting erstwhile ? I desire not . Lazyness ? in all probability . The solution is so simple it’sstupid . I ca n’t , however , take credit for this one . I got this one by being a community nurseryman . Solution ? Stick one glove inside the other when your done using it . Told you it was childlike . BONUS TIP : If you are trying to forbid blisters , and your heavy - obligation glove are n’t thick enough , simply have on your tripping - duty gloves inside your expectant - responsibility gloves .

•Chopsticks – pencil - sized “ moisture meters” . The next time you eat take out , do n’t throw away those chopsticks with the fortune biscuit that had the cheezy musing and lottery number on it . Since they have a porous structure to them , wood chopstick will “ wick ” or show moisture if stuck in the soil . It ’s a quick room to see how wet the soil is in your garden bed . Remember to take the chopsticks out and lease them dry off when you ’re done checking .

•Hose pathfinder – your respectable helper when lacrimation . I use a 75 - foot - long hose to water my garden , and must maneuver it all over to get all the veg thoroughly watered . Down one side of the garden , back up , along the front , then down the other side . Then back . If you ’re like me , you ’re always trying to avoid damaging your plants with a segment of hose that ’s either cohere in a box , or has decided to leap up into the raised layer . I ’ve fixed this trouble for the most part with shaping hose guides . Available at most garden and home center , these are only a plastic “ hair curler ” that ’s impound to a stakes pound off into the primer . The hose slides along the usher and does n’t bounce around . Quite helpful .

•Turn the wand over for longer mountain chain . Speaking of watering , I ’ve noticed that when I irrigate with my watering verge , the H2O seems to go further when I turn the wand over . In other words , the end of the wand is point upward , not downward . At least itseemsto .

•Don’t cry over cut onion . When I have to slice up or cut up onions , I do n’t squall anymore . Why ? Because I ’m wear my swimming goggles . It may make me look goofy , but ittotallyworks .

•A 2nd life-time for laundry detergent container . Need a scooper for compost or soil ? Use an empty washing detergent container as a scooper . Cut off the top and side area of the container opposite the hold . The container ’s handle is now the grip of the scooper , and the lower part of the container halt the soil . You ’ll obviously require to wash it well before function .

•A string spindle . If you habituate string in your garden , and are tired of having it bounce all over the property , you could employ an empty , blank CD / DVD disc spindle as a dispenser . Simply set down the ball of twine onto the halfway part of the spindle , skip a small hole in the top clear part of the spindle , then prey one end of the bowed stringed instrument through it . Voila !

•Best tools to chop up up plants for compost ? … head up to the kitchen . I’ve expose that two of the most effective instrument for quickly chopping up plants go in the compost pile are a sum meat cleaver and serrated bread knife . just place to score a nice but cheap cleaver ? Try your local oriental grocery store .

•The egg carton entrepot container . Are eggs part of your family ’s breakfast selections ? you could repurpose the carton to put in or sort dissimilar varieties of garlic bulbs , onion start , flowers , etc .

•The weeding window . I’ve learned that one of the well times to weed is correct after a big rain . lease the muddiness stage pass , which may be a few hour to the next day . But right after that , it ’s a great time to pull weeds , as they seem to come out easy . For me , this chiefly applies to lawn weeds more than my garden locoweed .

•Root for your pumpkins . As I have mentioned in other mail service , the squash vine borer can induce severe equipment casualty to pumpkin and crush plants . One of the things you’re able to do to ensure the endurance of the plants is to make multiple “ root zone ” . pumpkin have the ability to create roots along their stems or runner vine . Take advantage of this . As your plants start to send out moon curser vines , bury the runner in the land or encompass them with a few in of soil and/or compost . Do this every 3 or 4 feet . The runner vines will form roots . That way , if the borers take out the main shank of the plant , the piece of the plant fed by the newly - take root areas have a upright chance of survive .

•Dumpsters for cardboard . If you demand sheets or loge of cardboard to thwart smoke or pasture , get an other start . Whenever I ’ve driven by business areas where I can see the back or side areas of the construction , the Dumpster seem to have cardboard in them on a regular base . No diving necessary . If you belong to a membership shopping club / storage , be on the scout when you ’re there . Where I rat , they have declamatory bins filled with cardboard all the time , free for the taking in most cases .

•Gas ’ “ born on dating” . Not a garden tip per se , but a helpful one when using natural gas - powered lawn equipment . As you credibly have it off , stimulate and leaving old gaseous state in your lawn equipment is a recipe for starting foiling . It is commend that you replenish the fuel on a regular basis , but how do you remember when you filled the army tank up ? wide-eyed . When you satiate it , write the date you fulfil it on a piece of masking tapeline . No more guesses .

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Swim goggles prevent you from crying when you’re cutting onions. Buy a pair now while the summer stuff’s still on the store shelves.Photo/Illustration: Greg Holdsworth (All photos)

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