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sunnibel7

Interesting Olde Time-y Garden Tips

sunnibel7 Md 7
14 years ago

So, my Mom got me this cool little book on Old Time Gardening Wisdom (I'd go get it and tell you the exact title, but the cat is currently sound asleep on my lap...) and there are a couple of interesting tips I thought I'd share.

The first one is that instead of timing your succession plantings every two weeks, sow your 2nd planting when the first has shown 3 inches above ground. That way you can avoid having multiple sowings sprout all at once if germination is delayed by a cold snap (and probably get a more evenly spaced harvest if growth is speeded by a warm spell).

The second is to remove a few leaves from leggy seedlings when they are transplanted out. This will allow the stems to stay straight and unbroken and the roots won't have to support as many leaves all at once in the new, brighter surroundings.

And the third, and to me most risky yet exciting, is to get rid of insect infestations with a hot-water shower. This is recommended for several different pests including aphids, spider mites, cabbage loopers and other caterpillars, and some beetles. Use water that is between 135 and 140 degrees F and only expose the plant for 1-3 seconds- the thicker the leaf, the longer it can handle the water.

The first two seem like good common sense to me, and the third I will try. Probably on something I won't miss if I do parboil it by accident. Personally, I would be beside myself if I could get rid of the horrible spidermites with nothing more than hot water. And the tomatoes would get a little extra water, too!

Just thought I would share!

Sunni

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