Lawn & Garden Tips
Ever heard of growing potatoes in a garbage bag? I had read where someone used this same method using a plastic garbage container, but then I found this. It’s a great way to grow your own potatoes when you don’t have the garden space, or just want a neat, clean way to grow them.
All you need is a sturdy garbage bag, some compost or garden soil (even potting soil should work), some leaves or straw, and seed potatoes.
Be sure to get certified seed potatoes from a nursery or farm supply to ensure they are free from pests and disease. You can find many different varieties (and colors) of potatoes.
If the potatoes are large, you can cut them into pieces, but be sure they have two or three eyes each. Let potato pieces sit out to dry overnight.
When ready to plant, cut some small holes into the bottom of the garbage bag to allow for drainage, and fill garbage bag four to six inches deep with compost or potting soil. Roll down sides of bag until just above the level of the soil. Poke holes with the point of a pair of scissors around the exterior of the bag just below the soil line. Place the bag where it will get at least 6 hours of full sun every day.
Plant three seed potato chunks, with eyes pointed up, into the soil and cover shallowly. Water lightly.
When the plants have grown 6 to 8 inches tall, pour more dirt or straw on top, leaving only the very top leaves peeking through. Repeat this layering, unrolling the bag each time, until the foliage has reached the top of the bag. Continue to water until fall, or when the leaves turn yellow.
Allow the potatoes to “cure” for a couple of weeks, then cut the bag down the side and watch the potatoes fall out!
I’m told you can dig down into the soil with your hands while the potatoes are growing and pull out handfulls of new potatoes. I love new potatoes, but think I’d rather just wait for them to grow into large potatoes.
Has anyone tried this method for growing other root crops – sweet potatoes, turnips, etc.?
Here are some tips to help you decide where and what you want to plant in your flower garden….
- Use colored pencils to sketch out your garden design. This will help you to get a better idea of the color scheme.
- Try a variety of shapes and colors based on your personal preferences. Don’t just plant in rows.
- Be creative with your color combinations. Using a color wheel makes choosing colors easier. You can get a color wheel at any art store.
- Choose plants and bulbs that bloom at different times so you’ll have a spectacular show all year long.
- The more the merrier! More plants and bulbs always look better than a few sparse ones.
- Mix bulbs in with summer-blooming perennials. They will help hide the dying foliage of spring blooms.
Blueberries prefer an acidic, well-drained soil. Mulching with acidic materials is beneficial. Fir sawdust, or bark dust, applied to a depth of about 2-4 inches conserves moisture and also eliminates most of the need for cultivation. Apply an organic fertilizer in the early spring. Adding phosphorus or potassium will also stimulate fruiting. Remember, blueberries become sweeter the longer they remain on the bush.
Many gardeners feel adding specific plants to their gardens helps ward off uninvited guests. If you find yourself with creepy company that just won’t leave, try adding some of these plants:
Aphids: Anise, catnip, chives, coriander, eucalyptus, fennel, garlic, larkspur, marigold, mint, mustard, nasturtium, onion, oregano, petunia, sunflower
Cucumber beetles: Catnip, marigold, nasturtium, radish, rue, tansy
Cutworms: Spiny amaranth
Japanese beetles: Ageratum, arborvitae, artemisia, ash, begonia, boxwood, caladium, catnip, chives, cockscomb, garlic, hydrangea, juniper, pansy, tansy, white geranium, yew
Mosquitoes: Basil, garlic, geranium, pennyroyal
Slugs and snails: Artemisia, fennel, garlic, rosemary
Spider mites: Coriander
Squash bugs: Catnip, mint, nasturtium, petunia, radish, tansy
Tomato hornworms: Borage, dill, marigold, opal basil, petunia, pot marigold
Whiteflies: Basil, marigold, mint, nasturtium, oregano, peppermint, thyme, wormwood
To visualize what your bulb, flower or vegetable garden will look like, use this method. Take a clean plastic beverage bottle with a pull-up “sipper” opening, and fill it halfway with white flour. Squeeze a bit of flour wherever you intend to place your plants. You’ll see at a glance exactly how many you need to buy—and where to dig. So quick and easy!
Landscape USA is a retail garden store that sells landscape supplies, herbs, perennials, bulbs, hand tools, irrigation, drip irrigation, gardena, and more. They also offer a wide variety of planting mixes, fertilizer, soil, geraniums, and pest control products.
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Gardeners Supply Company has the gardening tools and supplies you need, including composters, seed starting equipment, greenhouses, fertilizers, and more. High-quality and innovative gardening expertise. Environmentally friendly functional solutions. Be sure to check out their outlet section for some great bargains.
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Dutch Gardens offers alliums, crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, irises, lilies, perennials, specialty bulbs, & tulips, and they offer 100% customer satisfaction. Their bulbs are the best quality, the best variety all for the best value. This is backed by a staff of knowledgable gardeners, who are eager to help their customers have the gardens of their dreams. In addition to quality bulbs, they offer an extensive line of perennials – something for every gardener!
Click Here to Shop at Dutch Gardens!
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