I have often seen bars of laundry soap on store shelves and wondered what they were for. I have Laura Ingalls Wilder images of a happy washerwoman skipping through a field of daisies down to the creek with a basket of laundry, and whacking a dirndl against a rock, furiously rubbing it with an oversized chuck of soap and rinsing it in the bubbling brook. Or maybe the bar of laundry soap is used as a pre-wash; applying a vigorous rub with the soap on a stubborn stain before throwing it in the machine. Continue »
Tips & Tricks With Potted Spring Bulbs
These grape hyacinths were purchased almost a month ago, and still blooming outdoors.
Those divine potted flowering spring bulbs in the grocery store and garden centre! We plunk them on our dining room tables, and they look beautiful for three days then kack out, (that’s a thing, right?) from dry indoor heat. I will still use bulbs this way, especially in January or February, but there are better alternatives now that it’s April.
1. You can plant your bulbs inground in spring, it’s almost a better time than the fall. Buy multiple pots of the same variety, dig holes in your garden, and plunk them in, while they are in full bloom. The great thing about this is you actually see how they look, unlike burying dry bulbs in the ground in the fall. You’ll enjoy the flowers for weeks. Don’t worry about the cold weather; bulbs are hardy and can take a light freeze. This works best with daffodils, crocuses and grape hyacinths, as they multiply rather than run down.
Lawn’s Got Bare Spots? Time to Seed
A mixed turf lawn of grass, clover and the odd dandelion is the most eco-friendly one.
It’s the perfect time to spruce up any bare patches in your lawn. Grass seed likes the cool weather of April for germination, plus there’s ample rain.
Success with lawn revitalisation starts with soil preparation. Sowing grass seed onto hard, dry, packed-down earth just won’t do. Follow these steps for best results.
- Give the lawn a good raking, to lift dead leaves and twigs. Raking also helps to ruffle up the surface of the soil a little.
- Sprinkle the bare patches with a good garden soil mix, from the garden centre.
Grow It From Seed With Easy Sowing Tips
Your budget-friendly garden includes growing at least some of it from seed every spring. Not only does a three dollar packet of seed give you multiple plants, but it’s fun and ridiculously easy to do. Share extras with friends and neighbours, while you humbly brag the phrase, “I grew it from seed.”
The video above shows just how casual you can be about sowing. No need to be finicky about carefully spacing out seeds, as you can thin extras out later. Use scissors. A seed needs the basics: pot, soil, water and sun. They are very forgiving. Most seed packets have germination tips on the packet to help you out.
Hints for easy seed sowing:
• Use a loose soil-less mix for seed starting, like Pro-Mix.
• Water your mix in a tub or bucket before you add it to your growing container. Use warm water, it helps to absorb the water by breaking the surface tension of the mix. Get the mix damp, but not sopping wet.
Inspiration for Your Holiday Decorating
It’s time to rub elbows with the greenery. We’re chock full of Christmas trees, grape-vine orbs, evergreen fronds, pine cones, bright red berries, elegant coloured twigs and garlands. Pop over to the garden centre and we’ll inspire your holiday spirit. “Let the festooning begin!”.
