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Tag Archives: garden

Money-saving gardening tips

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

Last night my mom sent me this picture of her herb garden. I love that she said Take #1. Green thumbs don’t run in this family!

Mom's herb garden

 

This week’s blog is for my mother.

 

Here are some cute and handy ideas for your garden:

 

1.)                Use an old ladder as a growing support for cucumbers, beans, and tomatoes.

plants growing on ladder

2.)                Check out these cool plant potters! Use glow in the dark paint and place the potters around the edge of your patio or garden.

glow in the dark planter

3.)                Speaking of paint, paint a few rocks to look like strawberries. Place the rocks near your berry patch to chase the birds away. They hate pecking on stones and they will assume all the berries are hard.

rock paint like strawberry

4.)                Use left-over coffee grounds to acidify the soil of acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, gardenias and blueberries. A light sprinkling of a quarter-inch applied once a month will keep the pH of the soil on the acidic side.

coffee as odor eliminator

5.)                Another awesome use of coffee filters are to use them in the bottom of your potted plants to keep the dirt from leaking out of the drainage hole.

coffee filters bottom planters

6.)                Turn a rake or other long-handled tool into a measuring stick. Use a permanent marker and a tape measurer to write inch and foot marks on the handle. Perfect for those plants that need space!

measuring stick rake

7.)                Create natural markers by writing the names of plants on flat faces of stones of various sizes and place them at the base of your plants.

rocks to identify plants

8.)                Keep your garden twine handy by placing it in a small clay pot and pull the end of the twine through the drainage hole and set the pot upside-down in the garden.

twine in pot

9.)                Dry your herbs by arranging them on a sheet of newspaper on the seat of your car. Roll up your windows and close the door and they will be perfectly dry. Plus, your car will smell great!

dry herbs on newspaper

10.)            Next time you boil or steam veggies, let the water cool and use it to water your potted plants. You’ll be amazed at how the plants respond to the veggie soup!

Boiled potato and carrot

 

Do you have tips to add? Tell us about it at www.facebook.com/Miraclean.

Tags: clean, garden, gardening, green, herbs, miraclean, money-saving, natural, tips .

Easy tips to help you in the garden

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Kristin Posted in Cleaning Tips .

Last week, we discussed the chemistry of vinegar. We discussed how it can be used as a cleaning product because it naturally deodorizes, disinfects and cuts grease. Click here to check it out!

 

Vinegar is such a versatile ingredient. Not only can it be used in food and cleaning recipes, it can also be used around your garden. Since the weather is getting warmer, try using these vinegar tips outside.

 

1.)    Remove berry stains from your hands by washing your hands with 1 cup vinegar.

  • Berry stains are organic. Organic stains, like blood and food, respond better to natural, acidic products like vinegar and lemon juice. It’s all about the chemical reaction between a base and an acid.

2.)    Keep rabbits from eating your plants. Put cotton balls soaked in white distilled vinegar in a 35mm film container. Poke a hole in the top and place in the garden.
*  Rabbits also dislike pepper, garlic, chili powder and mint. You could also plant some flowers and herbs that are natural deterrents like foxgloves, digitalis, aconitum, catnip plants, or lavender.

3.)    Get rid of rust on spigots, tools, screws or bolts by soaking the items overnight or for several days in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
*Rust forms when moisture on metal begins to oxidize. Even a small amount of moisture, such as sweat, can cause rust to form. Over time, rust will eat away at the metal deteriorating it beyond repair. Vinegar is naturally acidic and will dissolve the rust from the metal without harsh chemicals.

4.)    Clean a hummingbird feeder/bird bath with white distilled vinegar—soap or detergent can leave behind harmful residue.

  • Hummingbirds will starve themselves before eating spoiled food, so be sure to clean your feeders often. At least once a month, clean the feeder thoroughly with ¼ cup of vinegar to one gallon water. Soak for one hour, then clean with a bottle brush.

5.)    Make your own mosquito and moth repellant by combining 2 cups vinegar and 1 cup molasses in a tin can and hang from a tree branch or place on a picnic table.

  • Mosquitoes are a food source for bats, frogs, and birds; but they are also pests when you are trying to enjoy the outdoors. If you’ve got clogged gutters, uncovered rain barrels, bird baths, etc., you’ve got a nesting ground for these blood-suckers. But there is a solution! Mosquitoes hate strong smells like lemon, vinegar, lavender, citronella or geranium. That’s why the recipe mentioned above works so well. Another way to naturally keep mosquitoes at bay is to plant marigolds, basil, tansy and rosemary in your garden. The herbs and flowers give off a smell that helps ward off bugs without using insecticides.

6.)    Avoid skin problems after working in the garden by rinsing your hands with 1 cup vinegar.

* Harsh lotions can strip away your skin’s natural acidity. Vinegar can help restore the natural acidity, which can clear up skin problems like dryness, itching, flaking and acne. Vinegar is a natural antiseptic and antifungal, so it helps reduce and destroy harmful irritants and germs.

 

There you have it. A few ideas about how vinegar can help you outside. If you haven’t checked out our cleaning recipes posted last week, click here. Vinegar is such an amazing, versatile ingredient. Thank goodness they sell it cheap and by the gallon!

 

Do you have vinegar tips? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: all natural, berry stains, clean, garden, green, healthy, miraclean, mosquitos, natural, natural deterrents, outside, rabbits, safe, skin care, vinegar .

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