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News
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"Clippings"
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Hi,
Back again. Somehow, August and
September got past me, and here we
are in October. I've even noticed a
few trees around my garden changing
colors, but there is no time to
relax. Even with the gardening
season winding down, the experienced
organic gardeners know that fall is
no time to slack off. It is time to
collect seeds, divide perennials and
biennials. And, most of all, adding
finished compost. Below we have some
tips for you. Enjoy!
Happy Gardening!
Barbara |
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Flower of the Month
Zinnias have been part of my family
garden as long as I can remember.
The most common and colorful group
of plants belongs to the common
zinnia, Zinnia elegans. They are
easy to germinate, easy to grow, and
easy to love. Foliar diseases are
the biggest problems with all types
of common zinnia, and if you see
enough plant shriveling up or leaves
turning white or brown, you could
...click
here to read on
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The
Good, Bad, and Buggy
Groundhogs - Good luck!
Chicken wire works well, but you have to
bury it as least 10-12 inches deep.
Since they can climb as well as eat,
make a floppy baffle of at least 12-18
inches of wire at the top of the fence
to discourage a groundhog from climbing
up and over the fence.
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Groundhogs do not like spicy
food, so sprinkling some
ground-up hot peppers of regular
pepper by their favorite dishes
will sometimes work.
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Stuff ammonia-soaked rags into
their tunnels if they have taken
up residence in your yard.
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Stuff human or dog hair into
their tunnels.
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Use a box trap baited with food
and if you should happen
to catch them, transport them
far far away.
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You can try using commercial Fox
Urine found at your local garden
center.
My husband used all these tricks when we
had a ground hog last year under our
shed. In desperation he finally dug a
two foot by two foot trench and piled
cinder blocks on top of chicken wire. I
think the ground hog finally got tired
of digging and moved under my neighbors
shed. Guess what? I just spotted a young
one in my garden last week. Here we go
again.
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Tip -Flower
gardens also need compost! As you begin cutting
back and cleaning up your perennial beds, keep a
good supply of compost at hand. Dig in some
compost wherever you've pulled out annuals and
whenever you're planting bulbs.
Pile on a good
2" to 3" layer around the base of established
perennials and shrubs (keeping it back an inch
or so from the stems). Planting new shrubs,
trees or other landscape plants? Opinions vary,
but I always mix a few shovels of compost with
the soil that goes back into the planting hole.. |
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