Sherri's Helpful Hints

More Gardening Tips

• When taking cuttings use one of the cheap plastic cups which you can buy 25 at a time in whatever size you want. Fill it with vermiculite, dip cuttings in rooting powder and put several in the cup. Water in but only until the water reaches halfway and leave in a warm place. This method enables you to see if cuttings have rooted and you do not need to tug them to check.
• If you start your own seeds put them between some wet coffee filters to check the germination rate. Then when planting in pots, put a wet coffee filter in the bottom of the pot, this will hold in the dirt yet let the water seep out gently.
• Clear plastic soup and pasta sauce containers are ideal for putting over new cuttings to keep the moisture in. The writing is on stick on labels which simply pull off and then you will find that the container is an excellent fit over the plant pot.
• A small length of hosepipe wound between plants helps keep off cats and birds as they don't like snakes.
• Protect tender plants during winter by lining hanging baskets with straw then turn over and place over plant.
• A piece of wood placed upright in a plastic water barrel will prevent the barrel splitting when it freezes.
• To "age" new garden statues, smear with natural yogurt. Algae will quickly cover the item making it look older.
• If you don't have a spreader for dry fertilizer etc., use an old coffee jar. Drill holes into the plastic lid, fill with fertilizer which can then be shaken as and when required.
• If you have problems with moles in the garden, find the run and place a small piece of gorse in the bottom. The prickles on the gorse will stop them from returning.
• Alternatively, a child's "windmill" (the sort you get at the seaside) poked into the ground above the run causes vibrations which deters moles.
• Cut top and bottom off large plastic bottles to use as sleeve and arm protectors when pruning or hedging.
• Banana skins placed around rose bushes will rot down and provide nutrients.
• Line flower pots with damp paper when planting as this will help preserve moisture.
• A natural way of removing flying insects/eggs etc. in greenhouses is by using a vacuum cleaner.
• Wipe tools with an oily rag before putting them away to keep them in good order for next time.
• Plant bulbs in a buried flower pot which can then be lifted when bulbs have finished flowering.
• When feeding tomatoes with liquid plant food, this can scorch the leaves. To avoid this from happening pour from the watering can using a piece of 1.25 inch drain pipe as a funnel directing the feed straight to the base of the plant, away from the leaves.
• To prevent peas being eaten by pests, fill a short length of guttering with compost and sow peas along the length as normal. Hang guttering out of reach of pests. When seedlings are 1"-2" tall, dig a trench in the garden and transfer whole length containing compost and seedlings into this trench.
• Put broken egg shells into a watering can, fill with water and leave overnight. This will extract the nutrients making an excellent and cheap plant feed.
• Bake egg shells in an oven to harden and then place around plants to prevent slugs damaging them. The slugs cannot get over the hardened shells.
• Fill a small tub (low enough for the slugs to climb into) with beer and place it next to the plants. Alternatively the container can be buried in the soil.
• I have found the ultimate eco-friendly answer to slug and snail infestation in my garden. 100% safe for pets and garden wildlife. It is called SLUG-X and can be purchased online at http://thetinpot.co.uk .
• To get rid of ants, locate their hill and sprinkle a liberal amount of talcum powder around and on it. The ants dislike the talc and will move their colony several feet. Just continue sprinkling with the talc until the ants are moved to where you want them. Boiling water poured into/onto the nest also works quite well.
• When planting morning glory seeds, the package directions indicate that you need to nick each one of the seeds to enhance germination. A quick and easy way to accomplish this is with a pair of fingernail clippers. Then place the seeds on a lightly dampened paper towel, fold the towel over and place inside a plastic zipper bag for a day or so before planting.