Tips for Protecting Plants

Winning tip:Contain flying soil while drilling for bulbs

I have garden bed on both sides of a turf way . After years of test to keep barque mulch in the beds both uninfected and tidy — despite squirrel , feral cats , strong Iowa winds , and sess — my hubby and I replaced the bark with a oceanic abyss satiate with river sway leave over from another projection . esthetically it was a bit abrasive , but the look softened as the time of year progressed and both perennials and yearbook begin to talk over the edges . One problem remained , however . Every autumn we put in a few hundred tulips along the edges of this way of life , and it was difficult to keep soil from spilling into the stones when my married man drilled holes for the electric-light bulb . He solved that job by removing the bottom from a nursery mess and then operating his practice within that confined distance .

— Kathy Schreurs , Sheldon , Iowa

Flavor your pizza and your plants

I have discovered that deer hate garlic . That ’s probably a well - know fact to more old stager gardeners , but it has proven a secret plan record changer for us as we have tried to discourage wanton browsing by the cervid . I shake a couple of tablespoons of pulverized garlic into my best-loved watering can , replete with water supply , and apply to any plant the cervid have consume a liking to . This mix endure and warn deer for about five days or until the first rain , at which clip I reapply . This method acting is not recommend for vegetable , however , as the garlic taints the flavor .

— Scott Johnson , Bremerton , Washington

Repurpose election-sign wire frames

With the fall election over , I took my front yard campaign signs and removed the plastic advertizement from the frame . I have a problem with deer eating my blossoming tulip bulb in the spring , so I lay a row of volaille conducting wire and used the conducting wire frames to withstand the telegram in place for the winter and early spring . It was the perfect answer ; the wire frames take the chicken wire securely in place . I will enjoy my tulip next spring !

— Caroline Storrs , Cornish , New Hampshire

Keep critters away from new plants

With the increment in rabbits , chipmunks , and squirrels nibbling on our greenery in the Midwest , keeping vernal plants alive has become a challenge . This springiness I was bring down a friend ’s garden and saw that she was protecting her plant with wire garden cloche . She pointed out that although her fancier unity cost $ 60 , the smaller ones were only $ 1.25 each . I decided to adopt her method and purchased my own small wire wastebasket from a local dollar mark computer storage to protect my young plants .

— Jane School , DeKalb , Illinois

Reuse Christmas trees and wreaths as winter garden decorations

Winter affords the greedy nurseryman an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful season by carpeting the efflorescence beds with outgrowth from conifers . An comfortable room to do this is to take a Christmas tree and/or wreath from the recycling pile , sheer the branches into 1- to 2 - infantry sections , and place them over your perennial beds . Once the nose candy fall , it creates a magical wintery fit . I add a smorgasbord of pine cone shape as an emphasis . This project costs nothing and allow for the nurseryman with a wonderful , creative job during the winter months .

— Madeline M. Spurck , Blue Island , Illinois

photograph : courtesy of the contributor

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