Is Recession Preparing a New Breed of Survivalist? [Survival Today

Yahoo ran an interesting article this morning indicating a rise in the number of survivalist communities cropping up around the country. I have been wondering myself how much of the recent energy crisis is causing people to do things like stockpile food and water, grow their own vegetables, etc. Could it be that there are many people out there stockpiling and their increased buying has caused food prices to increase? It’s an interesting theory, but I believe increased food prices have more to do with rising fuel prices as cost-to-market costs have increased and grocers are simply passing those increases along to the consumer. A recent stroll through the camping section of Wal-Mart did give me pause - what kinds of things are prudent to have on hand in the event of a worldwide shortage of food and/or fuel? Survivalist in Training

I’ve been interested in survival stories since I was a kid, which is funny considering I grew up in a city. Maybe that’s why the idea of living off the land appealed to me. My grandfather and I frequently took camping trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway and around the Smoky Mountains. Looking back, some of the best times we had were when we stayed at campgrounds without electricity hookups, because it forced us to use what we had to get by. My grandfather was well-prepared with a camp stove and lanterns (which ran off propane), and when the sun went to bed we usually did along with it. We played cards for entertainment, and in the absence of televisions, games, etc. we shared many great conversations. Survivalist in the Neighborhood

Recipe Hit List: 20 Things To Make With Potatoes

Posted By TipNut On February 26, 2009 @ 1:09 pm In Recipes | 2 Comments

Potatoes are a staple for many meals since they’re cheap, tasty & filling–making this vegetable a budget dinner favorite. There are so many different ways to prepare them, but a lot of times we can fall into the old easy stand-bys: mashed, boiled & baked. This week’s Recipe Hit List offers 20 different recipes for potato dishes found around the ‘net (including twists to traditional favorites) that will bring some variety to your dinner table.

20 Things To Make With Potatoes

*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. Herb & Garlic Potatoes [thegoodmoodfoodblog.com] - Tipnut.comFork Crushed Herb and Roast Garlic Potatoes [1]: This recipe always has my mouth watering at the thoughts of it. Roast garlic has to be one of my absolute favourite roast ingredients. The process takes the pungent cloves and transforms them into a smoky, sweet and wonderfully creamy mush. This is a super side dish which goes really well with any main course, or even on its own as a tasty belly filler! Recipe found at The Good Mood Food Blog.

2. Potato Stuffed Corn Bread [2]: What happpens when you have a whole bag of cornmeal sitting idle in the pantry & you see an easy & quick corn bread recipe? You get inspired!! I had this whole morning to myself & i was browsing thru’ a book when I came across this recipe of Bob Beauchamp.. who says this bread reminds him of his grandmother who lived in the deep woods of East Texas- well that is not very far from where we live now! This bread needed no rising, so it would be ideal for the lunch which I had to cook. I decided to stuff in some potatoes in it. Recipe found at eCurry.

3. Homemade Potato Soup [3]: Another recipe from the wonder known as “Chris’s Mom.” Oh yes. Before the first time she plonked a bowl of potato soup down in front of me, I didn’t even know you could make soup with potatoes. But then I had some of her potato soup. And then I got the recipe from her, and made it every night for the next month. No joke. Recipe found at Tiny Korean Cooking.

4. Chunky Potato Cheddar Soup with Canadian Bacon (and Broccoli) [4]: Serve with a good hunk of bread, or in a home-made breadbowl. Recipe found at Al Dente.

5. Sour Cream & Onion Mashed Potatoes [5]: You probably only want to eat these once a year. 300 calories and 15 grams of fat per serving. And you’re going to want seconds. Recipe found at My Oven Hates Me.

6. Fancy Mashed Potatoes With Cheese [6]: Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes? This creamy comfort food is the perfect accompaniment to most any meal. This recipe of my mothers takes them up just a notch and makes them suitable for our “fancy” meal that I am featuring this week. Recipe found at Southern Plate.

7. Potato Salad Recipe [7]: My SIL Bobbie-jo has always raved over my potato salad and I was more than happy to make it. I know she occasionally reads my blog so I will post it here for her. With summer just around the corner this salad is great served with sliced ham or any dinner for that matter. Recpe found at Canadian Crafter.

8. Sausage-Stuffed Potatoes [8]: What also drew me to this dish is how budget-friendly it is — and really, I made every effort to make it more expensive, with futsy Whole Foods fresh chicken breakfast sausages, organic and locally grown potatoes because I wanted to prove to myself that good food doesn’t need to cost much. Recipe found at Smitten Kitchen.

9. Parmesan Roasted Potatoes [9]: I wanted a simple side dish for a roasted chicken. I had some baby Dutch yellow potatoes and Parmesan cheese so I decided to roast them together. Not only was this extremely easy to make it tasted great. The Parmesan was salty and crisp and made these little potatoes taste wonderful. Recipe found at For The Love Of Cooking.

10. Gremolata Potatoes [10]: Perfumed with citrus zests and browned garlic and all those herbs, these are special potatoes, dinner-party potatoes, potatoes that will have the people at your dinner table asking you how you made them and what is in them and are there any more no seriously are there any more and can they please please please have the recipe. Recipe found at The Wednesday Chef.

11. Asiago Potatoes [11]: The recipe is a bit decadent and Deen-esque, incorporating both 1/2 cup of cheese AND a cup of mayonnaise. But the ingredients pay off with huge flavors and delicious, tender cheese-stuffed potatoes. Recipe found at The Bitten Word.

12. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Onions, Rosemary, and Parmesan [12]: In case you need help with the mental image, think golden roasted tan sweet potatoes, crispy carmelized red onions, a hint of rosemary, parmesan cheese, and just a touch of parsley for a bit of flavor contrast. This recipe was outstanding. Recipe found at Kalyn’s Kitchen.

13. Roasted Aioli Potatoes Recipe [13]: This roasted aioli potato side is so popular that every time I make it, I end up having to double or even triple the recipe. Also, I always get requests for the recipe so here it is finally! Recipe found at House of Annie.

14. YaYa’s Potatoes [14]: Dotted with rich, caramelized onions, the potatoes are roasted in a lemon-spiked broth to a deep golden finish. You’ve never had roasted potatoes until you’ve had these. And if you don’t have a Greek best friend now, I suggest you find one. Recipe found at Buff Chickpea.

15. Jamie’s Blackened Potatoes [15]: I can tell you that this potato and onion dish is so tasty. The potatoes look burnt, but they are actually just coloured by balsamic vinegar. Recipe found at Tinned Tomatoes.

16. Twice-Baked Potatoes [16]: It’s also just the thing for the indecisive cook who’s got a few spuds on her hands. Can’t decide whether to bake or mash your potatoes? Do both! That’s essentially what this recipe instructs you to do. Recipe found at The Kitchen Sink.

17. Comforting Sage Scalloped Potatoes [17]: It’s cheesy, creamy, smooth and warming from inside out. And it’s very simple to boot. Recipe found at Two Spoons.

18. The Best Scalloped Potatoes EVER! [18]: There are a few things that makes this different from the way my mother scalloped her potatoes: 1) The potato slices are parboiled to reduce cooking time and assure evenness of cooking, 2) thyme and bay leaf are added to the stove top cooking for flavor not found in many traditional recipes, and 3) the parboiliong liquid is half chicken broth to reduce the amount of fat. Recipe found at A Fridge Full Of Food.

19. Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes [19]: It’s so yummy and you don’t have to pre-cook the potatoes. Recipe found at Real Mom Kitchen.

20. Blue Cheese Potatoes [20]: It’s incredibly tasty yet quick to fix because you don’t need to peel the potatoes. Recipe found at Taste Of Home.

Also See These Tips:

* Mashed Potatoes Tip List [21]
* Recipe Hit List: 12 Veggie Sides To Try [22]
* Recipe Hit List - Tasty Main Dishes [23]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/make-potatoes/

URLs in this post:

[1] Fork Crushed Herb and Roast Garlic Potatoes: http://www.thegoodmoodfoodblog.com/2009/01/fork-crushed-herb-and-roast-garlic.html

[2] Potato Stuffed Corn Bread: http://www.ecurry.com/blog/breads/potato-stuffed-corn-bread/

[3] Homemade Potato Soup: http://tinykorean.com/2009/02/24/tiny-korean-cooking-potato-soup/

[4] Chunky Potato Cheddar Soup with Canadian Bacon (and Broccoli): http://www.aldenteblog.com/2009/02/chunky-potato-cheddar-soup-recipe.html

[5] Sour Cream & Onion Mashed Potatoes: http://myovenhatesme.com/2008/12/02/sour-cream-onion-mashed-*potatoes*/

[6] Fancy Mashed Potatoes With Cheese: http://www.southernplate.com/2008/09/fancy-mashed-potatoes-with-cheese.html

[7] Potato Salad Recipe: http://kansasa.blogspot.com/2008/05/potato-salad-recipe.html

[8] Sausage-Stuffed Potatoes: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/12/sausage-stuffed-potatoes-a-green-salad/

[9] Parmesan Roasted Potatoes: http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2008/11/parmesan-roasted-potatoes.html

[10] Gremolata Potatoes: http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2007/02/tim_kelleys_gre.html

[11] Asiago Potatoes: http://thebittenword.typepad.com/thebittenword/2008/04/asiago-potatoes.html

[12] Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Onions, Rosemary, and Parmesan: http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/11/roasted-sweet-potatoes-recipe-with-red.html

[13] Roasted Aioli Potatoes Recipe: http://chezannies.blogspot.com/2009/02/roasted-aioli-potatoes-recipe.html

[14] YaYa’s Potatoes: http://www.buffchickpea.com/2009/01/yayas-potatoes.html

[15] Jamie’s Blackened Potatoes: http://www.tinnedtomatoes.com/2008/06/jamies-blackened-potatoes.html

[16] Twice-Baked Potatoes: http://ourkitchensink.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/straight-to-the-top/

[17] Comforting Sage Scalloped Potatoes: http://twospoons.wordpress.com/2008/12/26/comforting-sage-scalloped-potatoe/

[18] The Best Scalloped Potatoes EVER!: http://afridgefulloffood.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/11/the_best_scallo.html

[19] Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes: http://realmomkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/cheesy-scalloped-potatoes.html

[20] Blue Cheese Potatoes: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Blue-Cheese-Potatoes

[21] Mashed Potatoes Tip List: http://tipnut.com/mashed-potatoes/

[22] Recipe Hit List: 12 Veggie Sides To Try: http://tipnut.com/veggie-sides/

[23] Recipe Hit List - Tasty Main Dishes: http://tipnut.com/tasty-main-dishes/

Tips on Baking Homemade Breads

Posted By TipNut On May 22, 2007 @ 6:10 am In Baking Tips, Food | 1 Comment

Picture of Homemade Bread Dough & Ingredients - Tipnut.comThere are two main types of yeast:

Active Dry Yeast:

* Can be kept without refrigeration; note expiration date on package to ensure best results. This yeast is usually added to the part of the liquid in the recipe and allowed to stand before adding to the other liquid mixture. The liquid must be at 110° - 115° F. as this is the temperature at which yeast works best. Liquid at 110° - 115° F. will feel warm when placed on the wrist.

Compressed Yeast:

* Not used as much as the dry yeast. It is a perishable yeast but can be stored in the refrigerator 1 to 2 weeks. This yeast is crumbled into part of the liquid called for in the recipe. The liquid should be lukewarm, that is feel neither warm nor cool when tested on the wrist.

Tips On Baking Homemade Breads

* Rinse out mixing bowl in hot water before mixing doughs in an effort to keep the active dry yeast mixture at the temperature at which it works best.

* During rising, dough should be kept at approximately 85° F. If kitchen is cold, place dough in a closed cupboard with a pan of hot water beside it. If dough is too cold it will not rise well and the bread will be heavy and solid with less volume than it should have. If dough is too warm the bread will have a “yeasty” flavor, and have a coarse, dry texture.

* Do not let yeast doughs rise more than double after shaping. They will fall, become coarse and very dry when baked.

* Use pans of the specified size to ensure best results. Changes in texture occur when pan sizes are not correct.

* Bake at specified temperature. In too ht an oven the loaf will be small with a hard crust often cracked along the side and the inside will be soggy. If the oven is too slow, the loaf will be too high with coarse dry texture and tough colorless crust.

* To prevent overbrowning, cover loaf or coffee cake with brown wrapping paper the last 25 minutes of baking.

*Tip sheet from an old cookbook page, dated 1960
Also See These Tips:

* Baking Homemade Bread: Troubleshooting Tips [1]
* How To Make Homemade Bread Plus Recipe [2]
* Quick Tips: Baking Short Cuts [3]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/tips-on-baking-breads/

URLs in this post:

[1] Baking Homemade Bread: Troubleshooting Tips: http://tipnut.com/homemade-bread-tips/

[2] How To Make Homemade Bread Plus Recipe: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-bread-white-bread-recipe/

[3] Quick Tips: Baking Short Cuts: http://tipnut.com/baking-short-cuts/

How To Make Homemade Bread Plus Recipe

Posted By TipNut On May 23, 2007 @ 6:12 am In Baking Tips, Food, Recipes | No Comments

Picture of Bread Dough & Ingredients - Tipnut.com

White Bread Recipe

Yield: 4 loaves

Ingredients

2 cups milk
2 cups water
2 pkg. active dry yeast OR 2 compressed yeast cakes
1 TBS salt
4 TBS sugar
4 TBS shortening or oil
About 12 cups sifted flour

*Note — You may make this white bread recipe with less yeast, if longer rising periods are allowed. Use 1 pkg. dry yeast or 1 yeast cake instead of 2. Allow dough to rise for 3 hours and loaves for 2 hours.
Directions For Making Homemade Bread

* Have all ingredients at warm room temperature.

* Scald milk. Add boiling water. Measure 1 cup of liquid into small bowl. Allow to cool to luke warm (test on wrist for warmth). Add dry yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar and let stand 15 minutes. If compressed yeast is used crumble it into lukewarm water and blend. Let stand 15 minutes. Add remaining sugar and salt to remaining 3 cups of liquid. Mix. Let stand until lukewarm.

* Add shortening and dissolved yeast to lukewarm liquid, then add half the sifted flour (6 cups) and mix with spoon. Add almost all the rest of the flour (about 5 1/2 cups) and mix with hand. Using one hand mix dough in bowl by using a rotary motion. At first dough will be sticky but by the end of about 5 minutes mixing it should be smooth and come away readily from inside of bowl. If it does not, add some of the reserved flour until it does come away from the bowl readily.

* Turn out on greased board. Knead by folding dough over toward you. Then press down away from you with heel of hand. Give dough quarter turn, repeat until it’s smooth, elastic and doesn’t stick to board. (Takes 5 - 8 minutes).

* Place dough in warm, lightly greased bowl, turning once to bring greased side up. Cover with lightweight damp cloth and let rise at warm room temperature 75° - 85° F. away from draughts for 2 hours or until double in bulk.

* Punch down (thrust fist into dough to allow gas bubbles to escape). Turn out on lightly greased board. Cut into four even pieces. Form each into a ball. Cover and let rest 15 minutes. Grease loaf pans.

* Shape balls of dough into loaves; first roll dough out to even thickness, using hands, pat and stretch it to form rectangle about 9 x 12 inches. Be sure no gas bubbles remain in edge of dough. From upper edge, roll dough towards you, sealing dough with heel of hand after each roll of dough. (It will take about four turns.) Seal well the final seam on bottom of loaf. Seal ends of loaf by using the side of the hand. Using fingers fold sealed ends of loaf under.

* Place loaf, sealed edge down, in well greased bread pan. Cover. Let rise at warm room temperature 1 1/2 hours or until double in bulk. Bake at 400° F. about 55-60 minutes until brown. To test, tap loaf, tip gently out of pan and tap bottom. It should sound hollow. If not, bake a few more minutes.

*Loose page from an old cookbook (1960), “Very Good” written on top corner of recipe. Be sure to read the tips from yesterday for bread baking tips [1].
Also See These Tips:

* Baking Homemade Bread: Troubleshooting Tips [2]
* Tips on Baking Homemade Breads [1]
* Lucile’s Favorite Refrigerator Rolls Recipe (1952) [3]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-bread-white-bread-recipe/

URLs in this post:

[1] bread baking tips: http://tipnut.com/tips-on-baking-breads/

[2] Baking Homemade Bread: Troubleshooting Tips: http://tipnut.com/homemade-bread-tips/

[3] Lucile’s Favorite Refrigerator Rolls Recipe (1952): http://tipnut.com/luciles-favorite-refrigerator-rolls-recipe-1952/

How To Freeze Bread Dough

Posted By TipNut On January 29, 2009 @ 6:27 am In Baking Tips | 1 Comment

Picture of Bread Dough - Tipnut.comYou love homemade bread but you don’t have the amount of time it takes to make. You can buy a bread maker, but if you prefer baking bread in an oven, here’s a way you can enjoy freshly baked homemade bread each and every day.

It’s cheap to do and much healthier since your family isn’t consuming all those preservatives found in many commercial breads.

Tip:

* Make batches of bread one day a month and freeze the dough to take out as you need.

Here’s what you do…
How To Freeze Ahead Bread Dough

* Use your favorite bread recipe, but double the amount of yeast required.

* Follow recipe directions for mixing and kneading, allow the dough to rise once (double in size).

* Punch down the dough.

* Shape loaves so they are no more than 2 inches deep (they need to thaw quickly once out of the freezer).

* Place shaped loaves in a ziploc freezer bag (remove the air) and freeze.

Unbaked bread dough can be frozen up to four weeks.
How To Thaw & Prepare Frozen Dough

* Remove dough loaf from freezer bag and place in a greased loaf pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap. It will rise while it thaws.

* When the dough has fully thawed, bake it as the recipe dictates.

* The dough likely will not rise until it’s double in bulk, but it will continue rising when you bake it.

* Some doughs perform best with an additional rise and punch down before baking, test to see which gives you best results.

Also see How To Make Bread, White Bread Recipe [1] and Tips on Baking Breads [2].
Also See These Tips:

* Freeze Bananas Plus Banana Bread Recipe [3]
* How To Make Homemade Bread Plus Recipe [1]
* Baking Homemade Bread: Troubleshooting Tips [4]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/freeze-bread-dough/

URLs in this post:

[1] How To Make Bread, White Bread Recipe: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-bread-white-bread-recipe/

[2] Tips on Baking Breads: http://tipnut.com/tips-on-baking-breads/

[3] Freeze Bananas Plus Banana Bread Recipe: http://tipnut.com/freeze-bananas-plus-banana-bread-recipe/

[4] Baking Homemade Bread: Troubleshooting Tips: http://tipnut.com/homemade-bread-tips/

Baking Homemade Bread: Troubleshooting Tips

Posted By TipNut On February 26, 2009 @ 6:03 am In Baking Tips | No Comments

Picture of Baking Bread - Tipnut.com

Bread Is Too Small

* Reason Why: The oven was too hot or the dough was too cold

* What To Do: Check the temperature of the oven and place the pans in the oven so they are not touching to assure a good circulation of warm air. The dough should rise at room temperature (between 75° and 85° F.).

Bread Becomes Dry

* Reason Why: The dough has risen at too high a temperature or there is not enough shortening in the dough.

* What To Do: Let the dough rise in a warm place but not on a radiator or too near a hot register or stove. At least 4 tablespoons shortening should be used for four loaves made from 10 cups of flour.

Bread Has A Coarse Texture And Is Crumbly

* Reason Why: a) Bread was allowed to rise too long; or b) Too much kneading

* What To Do: a) Let dough rise just until it is double in volume, at each rising; b) Knead until dough is smooth and elastic only.

Bread Does Not Rise In The Oven

* Reason Why: a) The rising period was too long; or b) The oven was too hot and a crust formed on the bread before it had finished rising.

* What To Do: a) Do not let bread rise any more than double in volume; and b) Make sure the oven temperature is correct.

Dough Does Not Rise Or Rises Too Slowly

* Reason Why: a) The yeast is not active; or b) The dough is cold; or C) The ingredients used are too cold.

* What To Do: Use fresh yeast and test the water in which it is dissolved to make sure it is lukewarm. Water which is too hot will kill the yeast and that which is too cold will retard its action. Make sure that the dough rises in a warm place–between 75° and 85°F, away from drafts but not overheated. Make sure all ingredients used are at room temperature.

Loaf Is Too Big & Poorly Shaped

* Reason Why: a) The Bread was allowed to rise too long in pan or too much dough was used for the size of the pan; or b) Oven temperature too low.

* What To Do: a) The bread should not be allowed to rise more than double in volume; and b) Check oven temperature.

Texture Of The Bread Is Close & The Bread Is Heavy

* Reason Why: The bread did not rise enough before it was baked or rose too much and the cells collapsed.

* What To Do: The bread should rise until double in volume.

Top Of The Baked Bread Wrinkles & Cracks

* Reason Why: The bread has been cooled in a draft.

* What To Do: When the bread has baked, turn out of the pans and cool on a wire rack, away from drafts.

There Are Heavy Brown Particles In The Bread

* Reason Why: A crust formed on the dough while it was rising and was mixed in when the dough was formed into loaves.

* What To Do: Grease the top of the dough and cover during the rising period.

There Are Yellow Streaks In The Bread

* Reason Why: Too much grease was put on top of the dough while it was rising which was later mixed in.

* What To Do: Grease the dough very lightly. The bowl may be greased lightly and then the dough may be put in and turned over so the dough picks up just a little grease from the bowl. Cover the dough with waxed paper and a damp cloth to prevent a crust forming or the cloth sticking.

Bread Loses Its Shape While Cooling

* Reason Why: a) Not baked long enough; or b) Oven temperature too low.

* What To Do: Test bread by turning out of pan and wrapping bottom of loaf with knuckles. It should sound hollow and bottom and sides of loaf should be nicely browned.

Source: From the booklet Robin Hood Breads & Rolls
Also See These Tips:

* Tips on Baking Homemade Breads [1]
* How To Freeze Bread Dough [2]
* How To Make Homemade Bread Plus Recipe [3]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/homemade-bread-tips/

URLs in this post:

[1] Tips on Baking Homemade Breads: http://tipnut.com/tips-on-baking-breads/

[2] How To Freeze Bread Dough: http://tipnut.com/freeze-bread-dough/

[3] How To Make Homemade Bread Plus Recipe: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-bread-white-bread-recipe/

How to Build a PVC Hoop House - Gardening Tip

Posted By TipNut On March 4, 2008 @ 1:22 pm In DIY Projects, Garden & Plants | No Comments

Picture of Hoop House - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature is from Westside Gardener with instructions for How to Build A PVC Hoophouse For Your Garden [1]:

An unheated PVC hoophouse can be a useful addition to your garden. It keeps excessive rain off the plants, blocks the wind, raises daytime temperatures 5-10 degrees (and often much more), and keeps frosts and heavy dew off the leaves. This can extend your warm-season gardening a month or more at both ends, and makes it possible for year-round gardeners to grow a wider variety of plants through the winter.

PVC hoophouses are inexpensive to build, and can be put up in about an hour. Take a look, and decide for yourself!

Where I live there are plenty of things that don’t grow well because the season’s too short. My yard’s a bit small for a hoop house, but I do have good success with cold frames [2], it’s a temporary solution for holding bedding plants and seedlings. When the weather turns nice, just take them out and plant in your garden and containers.

A cold frame’s not as great as a hoop house (where you could grow large amounts of plants directly in the ground, protected), but it’s a nice perk.

For more DIY greenhouse and gardening projects, see Sherry’s Greenhouse Projects List [3], that’s where I found the hoop house plans.
Also See These Tips:

* How To Build A Cold Frame With An Old Window [2]
* How To Build A Raised Garden Bed - Cheap [4]
* How to Build a $15 Compost Bin [5]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-pvc-hoophouse-gardening-tip/

URLs in this post:

[1] How to Build A PVC Hoophouse For Your Garden: http://westsidegardener.com/howto/hoophouse.html

[2] cold frames: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-cold-frame-with-an-old-window/

[3] Sherry’s Greenhouse Projects List: http://www.sherrysgreenhouse.com/pages/structures/greenhouses-build.html

[4] How To Build A Raised Garden Bed - Cheap: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-raised-garden-bed-cheap/

[5] How to Build a $15 Compost Bin: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-15-compost-bin/

Click here to print.

Plant A Sunflower & Help Bees Thrive

Posted By TipNut On March 27, 2008 @ 1:15 pm In Garden & Plants | No Comments

Picture of Sunflower - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature is from The Great Sunflower Project [1], they’re giving away free sunflower seeds and hoping you’ll help them out a bit in return (and bees too):

By watching and recording the bees at sunflowers in your garden, you can help us understand the challenges that bees are facing.

* It takes less than 30 minutes.
* It’s easy.
* Free Sunflower seeds for planting.
* No knowledge of bees required!
* Enter your bee counts online or send us your paper form.
* We would love to have you join us; let’s help our most important pollinators together!

I think the free sunflower kits are available for U.S. residents only (I couldn’t see anything specific so I could be wrong), but once you learn how beneficial sunflowers are to bees–you might want to plant a few regardless of where you live.

Make sure to check the FAQ section [2], not just any sunflower will do–you need to plant one that will produce pollen for the bees. You’ll also find instructions for how to plant and grow sunflowers here [3].

There is a lot of information on the site, but you can also read this article by Sunset Magazine about the project - Grow Sunflowers, Support Bees [4]:

The Great Sunflower Project is looking for citizen scientists all over the U.S. to plant sunflowers and then observe how many and what kind of bees buzz by them. (All they’re asking for is for you to take a look for 30 minutes twice a month and record what you see.) They’re looking for folks to plant in urban, suburban, and rural environments. Participants can be any age.

When all the data is in, San Francisco State University scientists will use it to make a coast-to-coast pollination map, showing where bees are and aren’t throughout the United States.

Nice summer project for the kids too!
Also See These Tips:

* Aloe Vera Plant Growing & Usage Tips [5]
* How To Grow Your Own Pineapple [6]
* Plant Related Gifts You Can Make [7]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/plant-a-sunflower-help-bees-thrive/

URLs in this post:

[1] The Great Sunflower Project: http://www.greatsunflower.org/

[2] check the FAQ section: http://www.greatsunflower.org/en/frequently-asked-questions

[3] how to plant and grow sunflowers here: http://www.greatsunflower.org/en/growing-sunflowers

[4] Grow Sunflowers, Support Bees: http://freshdirt.sunset.com/2008/03/grow-sunflowers.html

[5] Aloe Vera Plant Growing & Usage Tips: http://tipnut.com/aloe-vera-plant-growing-usage-tips/

[6] How To Grow Your Own Pineapple: http://tipnut.com/how-to-grow-your-own-pineapple/

[7] Plant Related Gifts You Can Make: http://tipnut.com/plant-related-gifts-you-can-make/

Never Pay For Onions Again: How To

Posted By TipNut On May 16, 2008 @ 1:07 pm In Garden & Plants | 11 Comments

Picture of Green Onions - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature is from MyByrdHouse with this Onion

Recycling Tutorial [1]:

I learned this tip a couple of years ago and have tried it and found that it works and is quite marvelous. I love to use fresh green onions but am always out or there is a slimy little bag of them in the bottom of the fridge.

Here is my marvelous tip for growing them yourself and recycling a bit.

The trick is to take the cut end (root side) and plant it in a pot or directly in your garden, give it some time and voila! You have fresh (and free!) onions at your disposal. This will work for a variety of different onions and the beauty of this tip is that as you use the onions, you replant the cut root ends to grow more.

You can use a tub just for onions and haul it indoors during winter months (will need lots of sun) or if it’s just green onions you’re interested in growing, a large flower pot will do. Please visit the site for complete details, great tip!

Also see the one pot herb garden [2] to grow your favorite herbs for another grocery bill busting [3] tip.
Also See These Tips:

* Growing Lavender: Tips [4]
* How To Make A One-Pot Indoor Herb Garden [2]
* How To Make & Grow A Loofah Sponge [5]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/never-pay-for-onions-again-how-to/

URLs in this post:

[1] Onion Recycling Tutorial: http://mybyrdhouse.blogspot.com/2008/05/onion-recycling-tutorial.html

[2] one pot herb garden: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-a-one-pot-indoor-herb-garden/

[3] grocery bill busting: http://tipnut.com/how-to-save-money-on-groceries/

[4] Growing Lavender: Tips: http://tipnut.com/growing-lavender-tips/

[5] How To Make & Grow A Loofah Sponge: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-grow-a-loofah-sponge/

25 Tips For Plants & Flowers - Timeless Wisdom Collection

Posted By TipNut On August 1, 2008 @ 7:54 am In Garden & Plants | No Comments

Picture of Hat & Gardening Tools - Tipnut.com

These tips were collected from a variety of books and magazines from the 1940s and 1950s.

There are a couple treatments suggested that raised my eyebrows (lol), but I included them in the list because they do reflect well the time these were written. Women tried finding uses for everything they had at their disposal.

Enjoy!

25 Tips For Plants & Flowers

1. To grow ivy in water, add a teaspoon of liquid plant food to each pint of water. Never change the water, just add more to it as needed.

2. When retiring the garden tools after a hard summer’s work, place a teaspoon of tea leaves in the container. These magic leaves will guard your tools against rust and corrosion. Your silverware, guns and other metal pieces can be protected too.

3. Cut flowers keep longer if placed in leftover tea, weakened with water. This is good also for house plants.

4. Short-stemmed flowers can be kept fresh by placing them in a bowl or vase of sand that is well moistened.

5. Midday or afternoon is the best time to cut roses and gladiolus.

6. A tablespoon of household bleach added to the water in a vase of zinnias will keep the stems from rotting and you will have fresh flowers longer.

7. To keep flowers from fading, clip the stems off about an inch and let stand in mild solution of glycerin water. They will stay pretty for two or three weeks.

8. Put a teaspoon of sugar in vase of marigolds and it will help to eliminate the odor.

9. Cut flowers will last long if you put the flowers in hot water.

10. Peonies last longer if the stems are split at the bottom with a sharp knife before they are placed in water.

11. To keep flowers from dying when leaving home for several days, fold a newspaper and put under each pot in a tub of water. Place about two inches of water in the tub. Soil will stay moist and plant will be all right.

12. Cut flowers last well with camphor in the water.

13. To keep flowers fresh for cemetery: Mix wet sand in container and place flowers in it. Will keep them fresh for a week.

14. Ice water should never be used on house plants as it checks their growth. Add enough hot water to the cold to make it tepid before putting on the plants.

15. To make geraniums bloom, use bloody chicken water.

16. Never take in old geranium plants and expect blooms; break off new parts and start, they will bloom.

17. Use a bottle cap in the bottom of flower pots over hole before putting in the soil. This makes drainage successful. Broken pieces of pottery or pebbles also provide drainage.

18. For quick dusting of your house fern, set it outdoors and sprinkle with the garden hose after adjust nozzle to a fine spray.

19. Insert a few rusty nails in the soil around your African violets. The blossoms will be larger, more profuse and will have a brighter color. Keep in north window and water from the bottom.

20. Rose bush slips will take root if you stick the stem in a white potato.

21. Repot ferns in May, just before setting out in the garden. Choose a shady part of the garden, away from drafts and wind, and preferable on the north. Ferns thrive in a cool, even temperature, with moisture.

22. Did you know that if you pour 2 tablespoons of castor oil around the roots of your Christmas cactus in October it will bloom in December?

23. Gloxinia or African Violet leaves may be rooted by putting the stem through an empty spool and floating in a glass of water.

24. One of the best fertilizers for potted plants is chimney soot, provided it is free from salt.

25. To make a fern healthy and grow fast, put a piece of fresh meat in the pot every few weeks; must not be salty.

Here are more tips from the Timeless Wisdom Collection to enjoy:

* 50 Tips For Sewing [1]
* 50 Laundry & Mending Tips [2]
* 32 Household Tips [3]
* 35 Kitchen Tips [4]
* 45 Cooking & Baking Tips [5]

Also See These Tips:

* How To Dry Flowers: A Collection of Tips [6]
* How To Make Flowers Last [7]
* 25 Cooking & Baking Tips - Timeless Wisdom Collection [8]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/tips-for-plants-flowers/

URLs in this post:

[1] 50 Tips For Sewing: http://tipnut.com/50-tips-for-sewing/

[2] 50 Laundry & Mending Tips: http://tipnut.com/laundry-mending-tips/

[3] 32 Household Tips: http://tipnut.com/32-household-tips-a-collection-of-timeless-wisdom/

[4] 35 Kitchen Tips: http://tipnut.com/35-kitchen-tips-a-collection-of-timeless-wisdom/

[5] 45 Cooking & Baking Tips: http://tipnut.com/45-cooking-baking-tips-a-collection-of-timeless-wisdom/

[6] How To Dry Flowers: A Collection of Tips: http://tipnut.com/how-to-dry-flowers-a-collection-of-tips/

[7] How To Make Flowers Last: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-flowers-last/

[8] 25 Cooking & Baking Tips - Timeless Wisdom Collection: http://tipnut.com/25-cooking-baking-tips/

Organic Insect Repellent For Plants

Posted By TipNut On May 18, 2007 @ 7:04 am In Garden & Plants | 2 Comments

Picture of House Plants - Tipnut.com

This is a free method to use in pest control around the home and garden since you’re just using scraps of onions.

Organic Insect Repellent

* Save onion skins, peels and ends then refrigerate in an empty margarine-sized tub or ziploc bag until the container is full.

* Once you have enough, place the onion pieces in a pail and fill with warm water. Soak for a few days, up to a week. Optional: You can keep this on the patio in the sun to steep.

* After one week, strain the onion bits out and store the onion water in spray bottles. Bury the onion bits around plants that are prone to aphids, spiders and other pests.

* Spray both house and garden plants with the water to fight aphids and pests.

*You could also mix your garlic trimmings in with the onion pieces, bugs hate garlic too [1].
Also See These Tips:

* Quick Tips For Plants & Garden [1]
* 10 Organic Aids & Natural Planting Tips For Gardening [2]
* Cool Backyard Project: Design A Mini-Garden [3]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/organic-insect-repellent-for-plants/

URLs in this post:

[1] bugs hate garlic too: http://tipnut.com/tips-plants-garden/

[2] 10 Organic Aids & Natural Planting Tips For Gardening: http://tipnut.com/organic-aids-natural-planting-tips-for-gardening/

[3] Cool Backyard Project: Design A Mini-Garden: http://tipnut.com/design-a-mini-garden/

Advanced Gardening Tutorial: Pleaching

Posted By TipNut On May 25, 2007 @ 10:44 am In Garden & Plants | No Comments

Picture of Pleached Hedge [englishcottagegardening.com] - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature is from English Cottage Gardening with information and details on Pleaching [1]:

A pleached hedge is one in which branches have been bent down or interwoven to form a living wall. This very ancient technique was known to the Romans and mentioned by Julius Caesar who saw it used as a military obstacle in Flanders. In Much Ado about Nothing, Shakespeare refers to “Walking in a thick pleached alley in my orchard”. In more modern times, it is a technique used by some farmers to make their hedges more secure.

And:

Since pleaching is an activity of farmers, a busy and practical group, it should come as no surprise that it is a straightforward, undemanding process. The tools are simple, a sharp pocketknife, a pair of pruning shears, and hedge clippers.

This one’s a little too much for me, unless there’s a way to pleach evergreens (lol)–I’m out of luck. All my other trees are single species and I’m out of room for more. However, I thought the information and details were really interesting, just had to share with Tipnut readers :).

Please visit the site above for all the details.
Also See These Tips:

* How To Build A Cat Tree: Tutorial [2]
* Newspaper Snowflake Garland: Tutorial [3]
* Hanging Pocket Tool Holder: Vintage Sewing Tutorial [4]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/advanced-gardening-tutorial-pleaching/

URLs in this post:

[1] Pleaching: http://www.englishcottagegardening.com/pleachng/pleach.htm

[2] How To Build A Cat Tree: Tutorial: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-cat-tree/

[3] Newspaper Snowflake Garland: Tutorial: http://tipnut.com/paper-snowflakes-2/

[4] Hanging Pocket Tool Holder: Vintage Sewing Tutorial: http://tipnut.com/hanging-pocket-tool-holder/

10 Organic Aids & Natural Planting Tips For Gardening

Posted By TipNut On June 5, 2007 @ 7:38 am In Garden & Plants | 2 Comments

Picture of Gardening & Veggies - Tipnut.com

Epson Salt Spray: 2 ounces of salt per 2 gallons water.
Benefits: Helps with Black Spot, Mildew, Wilt and Rust

Mineral Oil Spray: 3 parts oil per 100 parts water.
Benefits: Helps with Aphids, Codling Moth, Leaf Roller, Mealybugs, Scaled Insects, White Fly

Beer: Stale or mixed with molasses
Benefits: Helps control Slugs

Tomato Leaves Spray: Crush leaves and soak in water for a couple days. Strain then spray.
Benefits: Grasshopper and White Fly control

Soap Spray: 2 TBS soap flakes dissolved in 1 quart water. *Don’t use detergents.
Benefits: Aphid control

Basil: Plant in pots and place around patio or deck
Benefits: Repels flies and mosquitoes

Rosemary, Mint, Thyme: Plant near cabbage
Benefits: Repels cabbage worms

Nasturtiums: Plant near cucumbers, melons and squashes.
Benefits: Repels squash bugs

Summer Savory: Plant near beans
Benefits: Repels bean beetles

Radishes: Plant near cucumbers
Benefits: Repels cucumber beetles
Also See These Tips:

* Make Your Own Organic Potting Soil [1]
* Homekeeping - A Natural Shine To Cleaning (Recipes) [2]
* Organic Insect Repellent For Plants [3]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/organic-aids-natural-planting-tips-for-gardening/

URLs in this post:

[1] Make Your Own Organic Potting Soil: http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-organic-potting-soil/

[2] Homekeeping - A Natural Shine To Cleaning (Recipes): http://tipnut.com/homekeeping-a-natural-shine-to-cleaning-recipes/

[3] Organic Insect Repellent For Plants: http://tipnut.com/organic-insect-repellent-for-plants/

How To Make & Grow A Loofah Sponge

Posted By TipNut On June 25, 2007 @ 9:30 am In Garden & Plants | No Comments

Picture of Luffa [groovygreen.com] - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature is from Groovy Green with their instructions on how to grow Luffa (or Loofah) and Make Your Own Luffa Sponges [1]:

For the third autumn in a row I am pleased to be harvesting my shower sponge for next year. Now I know that must sound like a strange statement but it’s true. Many people are surprised when they find out I grow my own Luffa sponges. “Don’t those come from the sea?”, is the standard question to which I respond that the Luffa is a vegetable you can grow in your very own garden.

(also check out part two of this series [2])

It’s too late to get this going for this year, but what a handy thing to keep in mind for the next growing season :). I just assumed that Loofah sponges were from the sea and not vegetables from the garden!

Quick Tip: Loofah Sponge Too Rough?: If you find a loofah sponge is too rough on your skin, try boiling it in hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain the water then rinse in cold water to cool down. That should soften it up for you to use.

Please visit the site above for all the loofah growing details.
Also See These Tips:

* How To Grow Roses In Pots [3]
* Grow Your Own Catnip [4]
* How To Grow Your Own Pineapple [5]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-grow-a-loofah-sponge/

URLs in this post:

[1] Make Your Own Luffa Sponges: http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/?p=689

[2] also check out part two of this series: http://groovygreen.com/groove/?p=710

[3] How To Grow Roses In Pots: http://tipnut.com/how-to-grow-roses-in-pots/

[4] Grow Your Own Catnip: http://tipnut.com/grow-your-own-catnip/

[5] How To Grow Your Own Pineapple: http://tipnut.com/how-to-grow-your-own-pineapple/

Pest Prevention Concentrate

Posted By TipNut On February 1, 2008 @ 6:58 am In Garden & Plants | 1 Comment

Picture of Potted Plant - Tipnut.com

Here’s a short and sweet recipe to help with pest control for garden and house plants. You can use this as a preventative spray as well as a bug and pest killer.

Ingredients:

1 cup Sunlight dish soap
1 TBS vegetable oil

Directions:

* Mix ingredients together then store in a plastic, airtight container.

* When you’re ready to spray your plants, take 1 to 2 teaspoons of the concentrate and mix with a quart of water. Pour into a spray bottle.

* Spray your plants making sure to get underneath the leaves as well as the flower buds and new shoots.

* In hot weather, repeat every third day (3 applications over 7 days).

* Warm to cool weather, spray once a week for 3 weeks.

I found this recipe in the book: The Joy of Planting [1]
A Step-By-Step Guide To Creative Container Gardening
101 Recipes For Pots & Containers

Author: Arlette Laird

If you are interested in container gardening, I love this book and recommend it–especially for beginner gardeners. There are some gardening tips & tricks as well as 101 recipes for various container arrangements (you can get an idea of what’s offered here on this page [2]). Nice to browse through and plan your Spring gardening activities on a cold winter’s day!

There’s also this Organic Insect Repellent For Plants [3] you might be interested in.
Also See These Tips:

* Organic Insect Repellent For Plants [3]
* How to Build a PVC Hoop House - Gardening Tip [4]
* Cool Backyard Project: Design A Mini-Garden [5]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/pest-prevention-concentrate/

URLs in this post:

[1] The Joy of Planting: http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Planting-Containers-Step-Step/dp/1894022416

[2] here on this page: http://www.joyofplanting.com/recipe.htm

[3] Organic Insect Repellent For Plants: http://tipnut.com/organic-insect-repellent-for-plants/

[4] How to Build a PVC Hoop House - Gardening Tip: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-pvc-hoophouse-gardening-tip/

[5] Cool Backyard Project: Design A Mini-Garden: http://tipnut.com/design-a-mini-garden/

How To Make A Self-Contained Gardening System

Posted By TipNut On February 22, 2008 @ 1:38 pm In Garden & Plants | 1 Comment

Picture of Self-Contained Gardening System [josho.com] - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature is from Josho.com with a tutorial for How To Make A Self-Contained Gardening System [1].

These gardening systems are perfect for apartment dwellers or those who don’t have time to manage a full-sized garden yet wish to enjoy growing some of their favorite herbs and vegetables.

Self-contained gardening systems discourage weed growth and can yield more per plant than growing in a regular garden.

The site also shares a reference from EarthBox - pdf [2] (a commercial alternative) which includes planting and growing instructions.
Also See These Tips:

* Growing Lavender: Tips [3]
* How to Build a PVC Hoop House - Gardening Tip [4]
* 10 Organic Aids & Natural Planting Tips For Gardening [5]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-a-self-contained-gardening-system/

URLs in this post:

[1] How To Make A Self-Contained Gardening System: http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm

[2] EarthBox - pdf: http://www.earthbox.com/pdf/earthbox_planting_instructions.pdf#Earthbox(TM) Planting Guide - PDF

[3] Growing Lavender: Tips: http://tipnut.com/growing-lavender-tips/

[4] How to Build a PVC Hoop House - Gardening Tip: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-pvc-hoophouse-gardening-tip/

[5] 10 Organic Aids & Natural Planting Tips For Gardening: http://tipnut.com/organic-aids-natural-planting-tips-for-gardening/

Make Your Own Cheap & Easy Worm Bin

Posted By TipNut On May 2, 2007 @ 10:57 am In DIY Projects, Garden & Plants | 2 Comments

Handy Tip - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature tip is from Washington State University, Whatcom County Extension, with their instructions for a Cheap and Easy Worm Bin! [1]

Composting with redworms is great for apartment dwellers who don’t have yard space, or for those who don’t want to hike to a backyard compost bin with their food scraps. Some kids like to keep worms for pets! By letting worms eat your food wastes, you’ll end up with one of the best soil amendments available worm castings. This is the cheapest and easiest to manage worm bin system that I’ve seen:

Materials Needed to Make an Easy Harvester Worm Bin:

* Two 8-10 gallon plastic storage boxes (dark, not see through!) as shown in pictures Cost: about $5 each

* Drill (with 1/4 and 1/16 bits) for making drainage & ventilation holes

* Newspaper

* About one pound of redworms

Visit their site for more details and instructions.

In an earlier comment here on Tipnut [2], Kitkat highly recommended vermicomposting [3] kitchen scraps. Quote from Wikipedia:

Vermicompost (also called worm compost, vermicast, worm castings, worm humus or worm manure) is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by some species of earthworm. Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich, natural fertilizer and soil conditioner. The process of producing vermicompost is called vermicomposting .

Thanks Kitkat for the tip, this is a great idea!
Also See These Tips:

* How to Build a $15 Compost Bin [4]
* How To Make Compost Guide [5]
* Composting Leaves Without A Bin: How To [6]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-cheap-easy-worm-bin/

URLs in this post:

[1] Cheap and Easy Worm Bin!: http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/Easywormbin.htm

[2] In an earlier comment here on Tipnut: http://tipnut.com/tips-for-leftovers/

[3] vermicomposting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermicomposting

[4] How to Build a $15 Compost Bin: http://tipnut.com/how-to-build-a-15-compost-bin/

[5] How To Make Compost Guide: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-compost-guide/

[6] Composting Leaves Without A Bin: How To: http://tipnut.com/composting-leaves/

Lawn Care Tip - Secret Lawn Tonic Recipe

Posted By TipNut On May 1, 2007 @ 10:34 am In Garden & Plants | 8 Comments

Picture of Lawn - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature is from two sites with the same lawn care tip.

First Wise Bread with this tip for healthy, green grass: Secret Lawn Tonic Recipe From Golf Course Groundskeeper [1].

You will need:

* One full can of regular pop (any kind-no diet soda)
* One full can of beer (no light beer)
* 1/2 Cup of Liquid dishwashing soap (do NOT use anti-bacterial dishwashing liquid)
* 1/2 Cup of household ammonia
* 1/2 Cup of mouthwash (any brand)

Directions:

* Pour into 10-gallon hose-end sprayer (other sizes will work too)
* In high heat, apply every three weeks

Green Lawn: Pop, beer, dishwashing liquid, mouthwash, etc., … how could you go wrong with a recipe like that! Seriously, I’m handing this one off to my husband. Super Green Lawn here we come! :)

I admit when I first read the tonic recipe, I was a little iffy about it. Beer? Mouthwash? Pop? Lawn maintenance has never been so wacky! The post mentions the groundskeeper’s name, so I did a quick search and found this on a tv station website: KSL TV [2]:

He gets these great results with no sprinkler system and only a little fertilizer.

Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: “I started using it about five years ago– back in Oklahoma– where it’s 100– 100 degrees every day– day in and day out.”

His secret–a formula– a “tonic” made-up of common household ingredients. A pop, a beer, a little liquid dishwashing soap- some mouthwash–and some household ammonia–all mixed in to a 10-gallon hose-end sprayer. The pop and the beer are essentially food for your lawn, and,

Tim Heffron, Lawn Tonic Expert: “The combination of the two will allow the grass–the dead grass in your lawn– help to begin to break down and to compost much quicker.”

Well–looks legit to me! Make sure to visit both sites and read the instructions and details as to why it works, very cool tip! Here’s to happy, healthy (and tipsy) green lawns!
Also See These Tips:

* Quick Tips For Plants & Garden [3]
* Household Degreaser & Cleaner Recipe [4]
* How To Wash & Care For Fine China Dishes [5]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/lawn-care-tip-secret-lawn-tonic-recipe/

URLs in this post:

[1] Secret Lawn Tonic Recipe From Golf Course Groundskeeper: http://www.wisebread.com/secret-lawn-tonic-recipe-from-golf-course-groundskeeper

[2] KSL TV: http://water.ksl.com/index.php?nid=3&sid=92192

[3] Quick Tips For Plants & Garden: http://tipnut.com/tips-plants-garden/

[4] Household Degreaser & Cleaner Recipe: http://tipnut.com/household-degreaser-cleaner-recipe/

[5] How To Wash & Care For Fine China Dishes: http://tipnut.com/how-to-wash-care-for-fine-china-dishes/

Make Your Own Garden Pots With Hypertufa

Posted By TipNut On April 16, 2007 @ 10:47 am In DIY Projects, Garden & Plants | 1 Comment

Handy Tip - Tipnut.com

Today’s feature tip is from TimpyWorks with their instructions on Hypertufa 101 [1] and Hypertufa 201 [2]:

This first lesson will help you learn how to modify a mold and will get you thinking about using the common containers you already have around your home. This lesson will also show you how to make openings in the walls of your hypertufa creations. Once you have those openings mastered you can go on to make lanterns and birdfeeders (THE LATER PROJECTS – HYPERTUFA 301). Believe me, your friends will be amazed at how skilled and artistic you are! You will smile, knowingly and sweetly, and say, “Thank you in response to all the compliments. (And only you and I will know how easy it really is.)

What is hypertufa? TimpyWorks explains [3]:

There are a number of recipes for hypertufa. The basic one is sand or perlite combined with cement and peat moss. The finished products are lighter in weight than concrete and have an ancient look about them, as if they’d been sitting outside for the past couple of hundred years or so just waiting for you to find them and fill them with sedum or hen and chicks or rare alpines or even shade-loving plants, if that’s your choice for wherever you garden.

The first two lessons on how to make hypertufa are free, and they’re all you need to get you well on your way. There are other reports for sale on TimpyWorks for more advanced projects, but I haven’t read them so I can’t say whether or not they’re worth it. The price is very reasonable though and if the intro reports 101 and 201 are an indication, I’m sure they’re excellent as well.

There really is no limit to what you can create with hypertufa and I think the items made grow more interesting as they age. The moss that can grow on them create such an ancient and interesting look.

This is quite a nice garden art hobby to master, feel free to send me some photos if you’ve tried it!
Also See These Tips:

* Create A New Garden Feature FAST With Moss Or Stain [4]
* How To Grow Roses In Pots [5]
* Moss Starter Recipe [6]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-garden-pots-with-hypertufa/

URLs in this post:

[1] Hypertufa 101: http://www.timpyworks.com/pamphlets/hypertufa-101/101.html

[2] Hypertufa 201: http://www.timpyworks.com/pamphlets/hypertufa-201/201.html

[3] TimpyWorks explains: http://www.timpyworks.com/about/what-is-hypertufa.php

[4] Create A New Garden Feature FAST With Moss Or Stain: http://tipnut.com/create-a-new-garden-feature-fast-with-moss-or-stain/

[5] How To Grow Roses In Pots: http://tipnut.com/how-to-grow-roses-in-pots/

[6] Moss Starter Recipe: http://tipnut.com/moss-starter-recipe/

Make Your Own Organic Potting Soil

Posted By TipNut On February 28, 2007 @ 6:42 am In Garden & Plants, Green Living | 1 Comment

Picture of Seedling & Potting Soil - Tipnut.com

If you make your own organic potting mix, you still have to avoid using any prohibited ingredients, and that means checking out all the individual ingredients for their organic acceptability.

It may surprise you to learn that products like peat moss or limestone are sometimes treated with prohibited materials such as wetting or anti-caking agents, so don’t rely on assumptions about purity.

In addition to meeting certification requirements, your final product will also need to provide plant roots with the right amount of air, water and nutrients.

(Source: Potting Mixes For Organic Growers [1]).
Organic Potting Soil Mixes & Recipes

Classic Soil-Based Mix

1/3 mature compost or leaf mold, screened
1/3 garden topsoil
1/3 sharp sand

Seedling Mix for Styrofoam Seedling Flats

2 parts compost
2 parts peat moss
1 part vermiculite, pre-wet

Sowing Mix

5 parts compost
4 parts soil
1-2 parts sand
1-2 parts leaf mold, if available
1 part peat moss, pre-wet and sifted

Note: All ingredients are sifted through a 1/4-inch screen. For every shovelful of peat, add two tablespoons of lime to offset the acidity.

Growing Mixes for Pots and Baskets

30 percent topsoil
60 percent peat
10 percent perlite
5 pounds lime per cubic yard
3 pounds dolomitic lime per cubic yard

Note: The handling of this pot mix is the same as for pack mix.

Bedding Plant Recipe

25% compost
50% peat moss
25% perlite or vermiculite

*Source: National Sustainable Agriculture Information Services [2]
Also See These Tips:

* Composting Leaves Without A Bin: How To [3]
* How To Make Compost Guide [4]
* 10 Organic Aids & Natural Planting Tips For Gardening [5]

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-organic-potting-soil/

URLs in this post:

[1] Potting Mixes For Organic Growers: http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/pottingmix.html

[2] National Sustainable Agriculture Information Services: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/potmix.html#appendix3

[3] Composting Leaves Without A Bin: How To: http://tipnut.com/composting-leaves/

[4] How To Make Compost Guide: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-compost-guide/

[5] 10 Organic Aids & Natural Planting Tips For Gardening: http://tipnut.com/organic-aids-natural-planting-tips-for-gardening/

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.