A two liter clear pop bottle will make a quick, inexpensive greenhouse, perfect for starting a few seeds or propagating a plant cutting. I really like these for cuttings. They create a perfect starting climate for cuttings.

photo credit: yugenro

Start the project by using a clean two liter pop bottle. Use a serrated knife and cut near the bottom of the bottle. Most plastic bottles have a clear line about two inches from the bottom, where the straight sides begin to taper down.

Make the cut at least an inch above this line, so you’ll be able to fit the two sections back together. The pop bottle may want to move or pop on you so use extreme care when cutting.

Finish the cut either with the serrated knife or with scissors. I find scissors are easier for me to use.

You can place potting soil directly in the bottle bottom or use min pots. Little peat pots will work well. Some people make pots from toilet paper rolls cut down to 3 inches in height.

Plant your seeds or cuttings. If you use a rooting liquid or powder on the cutting they will root much quicker.

If needed, water the pots, and then fit the top of the bottle in place. There’s a trick to this – slide most of the top inside the base, then press your fingers against the last section to make an indent; this will enable you to slide the rest of the top inside the base. When you release the indent, that section should spring back out, creating a close seal all around. But if you don’t get a good seal, don’t worry – the plants won’t mind a little fresh air.

Set the bottle greenhouse in a sunny windowsill and observe the humidity level over the next few days. I also like to set the bottle on a TV or refrigerator if the area gets sunlight. You get bottom heat this way, which is beneficial to many plants.

A slight film of moisture collecting on the sides of the bottle will add humidity to the air in the bottle, which is good. But if water starts to run down the sides, open the top of the bottle for a while to reduce the humidity. Too much liquid will cause soggy soil and possibly soil mold.

When the last frost date approaches, you can begin setting the bottle outside on warm days. This will allow the plants to adjust to full sunlight. For the last week or so before planting, you should also remove the top of the bottle. This will let the seedlings harden off and acclimate to the sunlight and wind. This is a very important step and overlooked my many gardeners.

I also use clear pop bottle in the garden in early spring to cover small seedlings at night for protection form the cold and even insects.

Technorati Tags: gardening tips, make a mini greenhouse, mini pop bottle greenhouse, starting cuttings, starting seeds

There are many silly garden mistakes you can make in gardening. I know I have made most of them. My philosophy is as long as the plant did not unduly suffer, my yard is still in one piece and as long I can laugh later I guess, “It’s live and learn.”

photo credit: lostash

And I must admit I have killed a few amazing plants and trees.

Here is  my list of top 5 silly garden mistakes.

1.   Not having a landscape plan. I know its sounds boring but a garden plan lets you know what you planted and where. This is important if you are growing a new plant. You will know to leave it there and not pull it as a weed! It will also save a new small shrub or tree placed in a yard if someone else is mowing.

2.   Not addressing drainage issues. If you plant on a slope, in a hollow in the yard or in an area that may have a flash flood, you could have a problem. These issues may not show up in a normal summer, but a soggy cold summer will cause water to puddle in area you would never think of.

I remember one year I let my nephew play with a toy backhoe at the lower edge of my garden. It had been a wet summer and I knew the drainage here was not as good at it could be. But I never expected him to hit water. I had a mini fountain at the bottom of the garden.

He was having fun so I just dug a few mini trenches around the plants and let him play. The next year I put raised beds in that area.

3.  Not properly preparing the soil. Your garden is only as good as your soil. All plants, trees and shrubs need nutrients and if they are not in the soil the plant will either grow slowly or die. Adding compost, fresh soil or fertilizer will improve you soil drastically. Take a soil test (available at garden centers) and find out if your soil is good or needs help.

4.  Not spacing plants properly. Plants need a certain amount of space to grow. If they are crowded they will either not produce or flower or they will be sickly and prone to disease. Seed packets have direction for spacing and other plants will have planting instructions. If in doubt look the information up online or at your local library.

5.  Overestimating your gardening skills. Gardening should be fun. If you take on a large yard or garden and it’s all work you will begin to avoid the backyard and garden areas. And if you have high maintenance plants they will take away from other yard tasks and even family time.

If you’re a first time gardener my recommendation is to keep it simple. Have a small garden and a few flowers and vegetable and go from there.

And if you find you have a gardening problem contact the local Extension Office or find a source for reliable information online or in a gardening book.

There are many different garden challenges and mistakes we can make. Lighting, maintenance and costs are just a few more. Your garden challenges will vary with your location, gardening knowledge and skills.

But overall, my best advice is to keep your gardening fun. Knowledge and a green thumb will soon follow

Technorati Tags: common gardening mistakes, gardening mistakes, gardening tips

Whiteflies are tiny, flying insects that feed off plants. If your plant looks unhealthy or is yellow this may be the reason, whiteflies. If you do not rid the plant of this insect the plant will be more prone to any plant disease and eventually die.

photo credit: Kel and Val

Whiteflies eat strawberries, cotton plants, vegetable plants and many houseplants.

The whitefly actually sucks out plant juices and sap from a plant which will slowly kill the plant. Even worse, whiteflies transmit diseases like sooty mold; due to the sticky honeydew the insects exude.

For whiteflies, look for tiny white flying insects.  Being very small they are hard to see with the human eye. They look more like tiny, flying, flakes of snow.

I usually see their eggs before I see the insect. Whiteflies will lay tiny eggs in crescent or circular patterns on the bottom of leaves.

Whiteflies also excrete a sticky substance called “honeydew” on the top and underside of plants’ leaves.

If you notice a sudden swarm of tiny, white, insects hovering over garden plants, they are probably whiteflies. Check for eggs and treat accordingly

Tips:

If you identify whiteflies in your garden, use seaweed spray on the garden plants. Whiteflies do not like to reproduce on plants treated with seaweed spray. The spray is also environmentally friendly.

Spray affected plants with insect soap. It’s best to use insect soap when temperatures are below 80 degrees, as this natural pesticide can burn tender foliage in hot weather.

Repel whiteflies with fine horticultural oil. You can apply a light mist of this oil to plants in the early spring, when it will smother the eggs and developing whitefly larvae. This is available at most garden centers.

Plant a Nicotiana plant in the garden. These plants attract and then trap whiteflies. Nicotiana is a pretty plant and again makes use of natural environmental insect control.

Use a vacuum to remove whiteflies from houseplants. Agitate the foliage on the plants to cause the whiteflies to swarm around the plants, and then use your vacuum before they resettle to resume feeding.

Another popular form of control is using yellow sticky traps. Distribute 4 cards evenly in every 1000 feet of garden or greenhouse space. Hang the cards among the tender new growth whiteflies enjoy feeding on.

With a little care, you can spot whiteflies before they cause damage to plants. If you woudl like more information on indoor plant disease you may want to read this article, Indoor Plant Diseases.

Technorati Tags: gardening tips, how to control whiteflies, indoor plants, insect identification, plant disease, whiteflies