To hold either a round or square post plumb inside a post hole while you pack dirt around it, make up a couple of wedges of 2×6 about 30 in. long. Cut to length, then make an angled cut from a corner of one end to the center of the other end. Insert a wedge on each side of the post; they will adjust in the hole for either post size or hole size.
Water new trees once a week, regularly, during the first season, with l0 gallons of water. More for large trees. Pour the water down the trunks so it goes into the root ball, not along the top of the ground. In addition, whenever the leaves droop down or it is very hot, water again and mist the tops with the hose. Do not fertilize the first year.
Nitrogen encourages leafy growth, often at the expense of flowers and fruit. Don’t use high-nitrogen fertilizers on tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants prior to flowering.
Trees that lose their leaves in the fall (i.e., deciduous) are the most effective at reducing heating and cooling energy costs. When selectively placed around a house, they provide excellent protection from the summer sun but permit winter sunlight to reach and warm your house. The height, growth rate, branch spread, and shape are all factors to consider in choosing a tree.
When water flows backward through the water supply system, it is called backsiphonage or backflow. When that water is accidentally mixed with hazardous chemicals or bacteria, it is called dangerous! For this reason, never use spray attachments without a backflow prevention device. The chemicals used on your lawn are toxic and can be fatal if ingested.
The chemicals used in swimming pools can injure plants when the filter is backwashed and the water is dumped in the root zones of plants. The foliage will turn brown as the plants die from repeated doses of the chemicals.
For fast results, try hydroseeding your lawn. Hydroseed is prepared in a mixing tank. As the tank is filling with water, a cellulose fiber is added, as well as the seed mixture. Once the tank is full, a growth stimulant and fertilizer are added and then mixed for about ten minutes. Once it’s ready, the mixture is sprayed evenly across the soil.
Want to check for surface feeding insects? Cut out both ends of a coffee can, screw it into the suspected area of infestation, fill it with water and a tablespoon of dish washing soap. As the water soaks into the soil the insects will float to the top.
When used incorrectly, pesticides can pollute water. They also kill beneficial as well as harmful insects. Natural alternatives prevent both of these events from occurring and save you money. Consider using natural alternatives for chemical pesticides: Non-detergent insecticidal soaps, garlic, hot pepper sprays, 1 teaspoon of liquid soap in a gallon of water, used dishwater, or forceful stream of water to dislodge insects.
Removal of old flowers prolongs the blooming period, reduces self seeding which leads to volunteer plants, and promotes flowering on side shoots. Cut off spent flower spikes just below the lowest floret. To be effective, removal must be done soon after the flowers fade.
