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.

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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

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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.

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It can seem daunting to begin with an organic vegetable or herbal garden for the first time, but there are few better ways to be good to the planet while also being good to yourself and enjoying yourself.
photo credit: themissiah

As you may know organic herbs and vegetables are a better alternative than industrially grown ones, but they can be quite expensive.

By setting up your own organic garden you will be able to have a fresh supply for a fraction of the price!

Te first thing that you should do, as it will take a little while for this to be ready, is to separate your kitchen waste from the rest and build a compost heap. This can also be done indoors. Compost will prove a great boon as it is the best natural fertilizer for an organic garden and its vegetables and herbs.

Besides eliminating the need for fertilizer, compost retains moisture and therefore allows you to use less water on your organic garden. You can put all kind of kitchen refuse and garden cuttings on your compost heap, just make sure to avoid big quantities of meat or fish, and don’t add human or pet dung! These are too acidic and also the wrong kind of bacteria.

You’ll also need to source organic seeds or sprouts for your organic vegetable and herbal gardening project. In most cases, commercial seeds are not organic so you will have to make doubly sure to get the right starters.

There probably are specialized shops that sell organic seeds for gardening in your area, but you can also buy them through an online shop and have them mailed to you. Online is probably better for most users, as you get the convenience of choosing from home from a bigger catalogue, and as for all mailed products you can return organic gardening supplies if they are not up to your expectation.

To begin seeding, don’t start your organic garden outdoors right away! Use a glasshouse or put your seeds inside the house, where it’s warm. Let them sprout on a piece of damp cotton or paper and then transfer them to small pots and let them grow a bit.
photo credit: Aka Hige

Once there are two little leaflets on your seedlings, put them into bigger containers. The best are pots made of plant material, as you can plant these straight into soil and let them biodegrade. If you are planting organic herbs, you can put them outside or in window pots next to your kitchen.

Vigorous, organic soil is fundamental for organic vegetable and herbal gardening. Like compost, good organic soil will not only grow healthier plants that taste better, but will also act as a natural pest controller. If you’ve had a non-organic garden before, it may take some time to clean the chemical laden soil, or you can dig it all out and start anew with organic soil.

Once you have some good compost, spread it over your soil. The layer should be about two inches thick. If done correctly, the compost alone will contribute all the necessary nutrients and minerals that your organic vegetable and herbal garden needs to grow and flourish.

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potting shed.

photo credit: Nadya Peek

Here are a few ideas for gardening tips and tools that I have not seen before and they look like ideas I should use in my gardening.

I also don’t have a potting shed but after seeing this shed I think it’s a must add to my backyard and garden area.

I don’t think it will be quite as neat and tidy though!

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photo credit: chidorian

Nature usually keeps insects in line with birds and other predators but sometimes certain creatures get out of control. Weather, over-population, and disease can cause unbalance in nature.

You also need to make sure there is not place for insects to hide and no diseases decaying matter for bugs to hide in. I you notice you have an insect problems and you plants are suffering, you can hand pick the insects of any plant and destroy them. You can also dislodge them with a strong spray of water.

But if you have an all out attack on your garden plants there is an insect spray you can make that will handle the problem quickly.

And yes, it sounds a bit strange.

Bug Juice Insect Spray

Collect a trowel of the damage-causing pests, and liquefy them in a blender with 1-cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) water. (I keep an old blender on hand to use for such purposes) Strain and dilute the mixture with 1-gallon (4 l) water, and pour the juice into a spray bottle.

Select plants that are infected with insects and spray. This mixture will not harm the plants. This is effective on nearly all pests, including beetles, squash and stink bugs, cutworms, army worms and even slugs

NOTE: Do not use bug juice on fleas, mosquitoes, or other blood-sucking insects that transmit disease.

Provide habitats for predators.

A single toad, frog, bird or bat consumes hundreds of insects a day. Toads and frogs are fun to watch in the garden areas and are harmless.
photo credit: Stryker W@SP

I had a toad that lived in my garden near the cumber patch for years. He either hid under the cucumber leaves or used the clay terra cotta planter I placed in the garden in a shady area. I also had a saucer of water sitting nearby for him. I enjoyed watching him in my garden areas.

Bats and birds are also helpful in keeping insects under control so provide houses for them to encourage them to stay in you backyard. The bat houses I place down by my creek. I am not fond of bats but they love mosquitoes and I don’t.
photo credit: Wagner Machado Carlos Lemes

Overall the best way to control insects is to notice the problems as soon as possible and take immediate action.

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Orchids are one of the most beautiful plants in the world and it is upsetting if they are not flourishing in your care.
photo credit: travlinman43

Below are three important areas of care for your orchid. Following these will not guarantee you perfect blooms, but it will keep your plant healthy so you can work on getting the flowers next.

1. Orchids And Water - It is very easy to over water an orchid, and your orchid will soon show that it is unhappy. An orchid does not need watering daily, once every five days will probably be sufficient, and they can survive for up to two weeks without water. Different orchids will however have different requirements, so make sure you know as much as possible about your plant.

When the days are shorter and darker your orchid will probably not need as much water, so expect to change your orchid care with the seasons.

2. The Sun Can Harm Your Orchid – Orchids need sun, but it’s easy for them to get too much direct sunlight. Direct sunlight may cause dark spots to appear on the leaves of the plant or it is possible that the leaf will still look healthy, but the deep green tone will start to fade.

Think bright sunlight rather than direct sunlight, the difference may seem slight to you, but to an orchid we are talking life or death.

3. Orchids And Infestations - Seeing your beautiful orchid covered in small insects is upsetting. Although they may seem to have appeared overnight the reality is that they have been around for some time. By taking good daily care of your orchid you should be able to avoid pests.

Dead leaves can be a cause of pests. The pests will breed in the leaves as they start to go damp on the soil. Maintenance of the environment of your orchid is important.
photo credit: FlowersByMeredith

Overall, if you can provide the correct environment for your orchid you will be able to help it to grow and flourish.

An orchid is like a child, once you have the right surroundings you will then be able to bring out the best in it.

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photo credit: aresauburn™

Rainfall every other day creates the perfect setup for foliar fungal diseases on vegetables.

Many fungal diseases thrive and spread in a humid climate where plants stay wet for long periods of time.

Other fungi prefer cooler wet weather.

Whichever situation you are facing in your area, these conditions will create plant disease unless extra steps are taken to help.

Good air circulation will help plants stay healthy. Remove any sickly leaves and keep weeds down.  You may also decide to plant disease resistant vegetable varieties as a precaution for humid or wet weather conditions.

Fungicides such as Daconil can be used to help combat these diseases. Always make sure you diagnosis the plants problem before spraying a fungicide.

Many fungal diseases appear first as leaf spots. Common plant diseases in the garden are early blight and late blight on tomatoes and Irish potatoes, rust on snap and pole beans, and powdery mildew on squash, cucumbers and watermelons.

Another weather condition that affects the vegetable garden is fluctuations in day and night temperatures.

Stunted growth and dieback may occur and about the only way to correct this is to replant the plants. It may seem drastic but unhealthy plants do not produce well and may spread disease to healthy plants

Deformed tomatoes or catfacing are common problems if the weather is cool and cloudy at the time of bloom. And tomatoes tend to crack during rainy periods when the temperature is relatively high. This happens more when rains follow a long, dry period.

Many of the cosmetic flaws found on fruit may be attributed to drastic changes in temperature and moisture levels during the flowering sage and even during the first stages of fruit developing.

Lack of pollination, petal drop, or no fruit in some vegetables may also be attributed to drastic changes in weather patterns or abnormal temperatures.

Sprays will help any disease from plants that are stressed from bad weather conditions but poor fruit or vegetable crops really cant be controlled unless you grow you crops in containers, which can be moved indoors or into a greenhouse or if you can cover your crops.

Poor weather conditions can affect any area and my NW Pennsylvania garden has seen a few too many unpredictable gardens seasons in the last few years.

For this reason I have learned to always grow a few tomato and pepper plants on the patio or in a greenhouse. I also grow strawberries year round in hanging baskets. I also keep row cover handy for covering my plants against rain and cooler nights.
photo credit: quinn.anya

If your garden is suffering from poor climate conditions these ideas may help and your weather may also improve.

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Gourds can vary from the small decorative gourds most popular for fall decorations and to the dishrag gourds used for cleaning. And who can forget the larger gourds that are used for canteens or even tables or toy boxes.  
photo credit: timlewisnm

I have grown almost every variety of gourd there is and in my zone 5 climate this can be a challenge.  Many of the larger gourds can take 125 to 130 days to mature.

This year in my crafting garden I am growing the smaller decorative gourds, two other small gourd varieties and the dishrag gourd.

In my swing set garden I have nine gourd varieties growing and near the barn I have the bushel gourd and two rare gourds that are new to me this year. I separated them from my other gourds so they would not cross-pollinate and I would be able to save seeds.
photo credit: Otto Phokus

My swing set garden is exactly what I named it. I like to grow my gourds vertical so that insects do not bother them and so they grow evenly. Since they are very heavy I needed strong support so I use an old swing set.

By placing a heavy layer of rotted manure in the triangular section of the set, I create a barrier against weeds and also supply a source of nutrition for the gourds, which are heavy feeders.

I place heavy twine from the top of the swing set to stakes in the ground to supply support for the gourd to grow on.

I also include flowers and sunflowers mixed in with the gourds to help attract bees for the gourds pollination. The flowers also add color and interest to the garden area.

Growing gourds on a swing set has improved the quality and production. And later in the year I can cover the swing set with clear plastic if I need to extend the season for a week or two.
photo credit: Aunt Owwee

I use the gourds I grow for small furniture, gourd instruments, wall decorations, birdhouses and ornaments.

Gourds are a fun crop to grow because you never know exactly what you will get and the gourd has so many uses.

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photo credit: Lorri37

Both drought conditions in gardening and cool damp weather creates their own growing problems but with planning you can head off possible challenges that would slow down your crop production and beauty in the flower gardens.

This year my growing climate started out dry and warmer than normal, now I have moved into nights that are too cool and damp weather. I also live in a zone 5 growing zone so my growing season is shorter than most to begin with.

Here are a few ideas that have helped me keep my gardens warmer and drier in those cool summers.

Grow you crops and flowers in raised beds. Raised beds dry out faster, warm up quicker in the spring and can be built in such a way as to place a cover over the garden to keep rain off the plants and soil if you really are suffering from too much rain. (Plants that have too much rain will start to have yellow leaves, thin out and look unhealthy)

If your garden is already planted you may want to add a raised bed for plants and crops that are not doing well and replant or plant container planters. Container gardens can be moved onto porches if there is too much rain. I also have made mini tents to cover my containers when I have had wet cold summers.

Cover your crops with plastic or if you growing zone is short you may want to consider using a mini greenhouse for certain plants. I grow a few tomatoes, peppers, most of my gourds and a variety of flowers in a greenhouse n the summer. I can start these plants earlier and grow them late into the fall.

If your garden has a problem draining put in a small drainage channel with a hoe or spade to re-direst water. One year we had too much rain in the summer and I put in mini ditches in the garden. It helped.

I also let my nephew have a section on the lower garden for playing with his farming toys. It tended to be a little moister in that area and one day after a heavy rain while he was playing he hit water with his toy backhoe, which he thought was funny. I wasn’t quite as impressed at the time.

Black plastic will keep the soil warmer and will keep some of the water off the soil. I am not that much of a fan or plastic on soil but my neighbors have used it and seem to like the results.

The main thing to remember if you have too much water is to try and keep the soil dry and additional rain off if possible. And if cool temperatures exist at the same time covering with clear plastic to hold in heat in the evening and to keep additional rain off will help.

Usually a cool wet spell will pass in a few weeks and if you can keep the plants healthy during this time they will flourish later.

Also with flowers, make sure to deadhead the old blossoms. In cool weather they will get wet and rot which may lead to plant disease.

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