Comments for The Easy Garden

Comment on Tips On How To Get Better Gardening Supplies by chickenfortress

chickenfortress — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:21:35 +0000

Where are the tips? There’s no information on acquisition of supplies at all. I was hoping to find a good source, especially for a good grub hoe.

I disagree with most of what was in the piece as it stands. While I am an advocate of tool care the reasons given for doing so are laughable. Rust should not be considered an impurity, it’s a nutrient. Both iron and manganese oxides, the most prevalent byproducts of the oxidation of modern steel, and necessary nutrients in plants and those who eat the plants. If your tools get rusty, work them, clean the remainder, and then oil. As to oiling, wd40 and light oils like 3 in 1 are commonly used, but these are toxic. I use vegetable oil for daily use and linseed for storage. Also, rust isn’t “oxidizing” to anything but a more electronegative material like zinc or aluminum. Rust is the result of oxidation. It also does not cause infection. It can, however, harbor microorganisms that will promote festering.

And, as a final note, don’t purchase your supplies in single use containers! Seal them correctly and they can’t react with fumes from volatile hydrocarbons. Gallon pickle jars are great for sealing away bagged materials while retaining proper labeling. Screw down lids on materials that can in polyethylene containers and you get neither an influx of tainting fumes or loss of efficacy due to volatilization of your chemicals. An added benefit is that there will be fewer packages being dumped than if you had purchased small containers instead of a seasons supply.

Comment on Tips On How To Choose Garden Flowers by Melinda Greenwell

Melinda Greenwell — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 17:18:44 +0000

I planted a Jatropha tree recently, approx 6 weeks ago. We got a good frost one night and all of the leave have turned brown and dropped. How can I tell if it is still alive. I have been watering it but no new buds that I can see.

Comment on New TheEasyGarden Website by Beth

Beth — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:32:14 +0000

See if you have some local beekeepers who can take care of them for you.

Comment on New TheEasyGarden Website by Gary Salisbury

Gary Salisbury — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:28:50 +0000

Help ! I have bees swarming in my garden. They are hanging from a redbud tree next to the path to the chicken pen. I don’t want to kill them I just want them to leave. Any suggestions ? Thanks.

Comment on New TheEasyGarden Website by Erik Bledsoe

Erik Bledsoe — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:44:55 +0000

I really like the new layout. It looks great. I hope you get to add more articles soon because I love reading them. I personally like the articles about indoor gardening because I live in an urban area and do not have an outside garden of my own! I have been blogging and documenting my success and failures with growing my Alpinia Purpurata or Hawaii Red Ginger plant. I look forward to more updates and keep up the great work!

Comment on Things to Remember in Indoor Gardening by Erik Bledsoe

Erik Bledsoe — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:37:02 +0000

My Alpinia Purpurata, Hawaii Red Ginger plant has not done well this year inside. I think I may have brought it inside too late this year. I haven’t updated the pictures on my photo gallery on my blog yet, but it isn’t pretty! I have moved it to where it will get more sun and am going to fertilize it and cross my fingers. I can’t wait till spring so I can get it back outside and looking good! My house is full of plants just waiting for Spring and warmer weather!

Comment on How To Start A Vegetable Garden by mrs mimi daud

mrs mimi daud — Sat, 16 May 2009 04:53:10 +0000

i am just resigning from my job and i wish to start on hydrphonic plants. ls advise me what equipment i need or what i should look into first. thanks,

regards,
mimi

Comment on Tips On How To Make Your Gardening Seeds Really Fruitful by DaniGirl

DaniGirl — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:22:29 +0000

I did a little experiment this year with my seeds. I had about 10 bags of seeds that were unopened and had moved with me each time I moved. Now that I’m in my own house I decided I’d try to finally plant them. The seeds were from 2005! I bought a peat pot starter, a plastic starter that you add soil to, and a regular old trough like container. Also, I used a fish tank method in which you take a piece of plexiglass cut small enough to stand inside the fish tank, drill pinholes in rows and columns, take poster board and make corresponding holes, place seeds on holes in poster board, cover with 2-ply toilet paper and wet. Then you put the poster board backed with the plexiglass for support (no glue, just stand back to back) on a holder in a fish tank. Put about an inch of water into the tank and turn the light (100 watt bulb) on 24/7 and wait.
The results? In the two seed starters with lids that are supposed to act like mini green houses, nothing grew! In the plain old trough container (that I kinda forgot about and just assumed it was weeds growing…) I have dill and radishes but no flowers. In the fish tank, I planted over 300 seeds on Wednesday and by Saturday I had sprouts! I planted many varieties of seeds ranging from pumpkin, squash, and zucchini, to cabbage, lettuce, and carrots. I also put in some herbs and things, but the point is, I have sprouts on everything! I guess this worked because the amount of water, temperature, and light remained constant, plus there was no soil to push through, but it worked great. I couldn’t believe that such old seeds could sprout at all let alone all of them would. Now the only question is: How am I going to eat 60 romaine lettuce and 20 cabbage among everything else?!

Comment on Things to Remember in Indoor Gardening by Laminated Garden Guide

Laminated Garden Guide — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:11:59 +0000

Indoor plants crave consistency: consistent watering and feeding schedule, consistent light, and consistent temperature. The more you can do to give your plants a stable environment, the better off they will be. Your plants will also flourish with a little extra attention

Comment on New TheEasyGarden Website by Sunbury Chick(old hen)

Sunbury Chick(old hen) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:23:35 +0000

I love this new format…