My Small List of Helpful Hints............

A small list of helpful hints......

1. Make sure onion necks are exposed to the sun and not covered by dirt...by harvest time they will be already be partly dried and ready for your root cellar.

2. Do you have trouble starting lettuce in the heat of summer try placing lettuce seeds in the refrigerator for a few days then plant. Place a little mulch, straw or hay over this and keep watered.

3. Do you have a shaded location in your garden bed? You can plant lettuce,spinach and mustard greens there.

4. When planting carrots add a little coffee to their soil this helps prevent root maggots

5. Are birds pulling out your corn plants? Save those milk and juice jugs cover seedlings until plants are big enough that the birds can't pull them out. I placed a small hole at the top about the size of a dime to vent it..I didn't want my corn to get to hot.

6. When I tie back my tomatoes I always use a piece of nylon stocking never an old rag remember the plant is going to grow and it will need something to be stretchy.

7. I try to plant my corn when my apple blossoms begin to fall (I haven't had time to do this... this year)

8. Cutworms: Protect your plants by adding a ring of cardboard, a tin can that has the top and bottom removed ( be careful doing this) My favorite and cheap way is a bathroom Dixie cup with the bottom removed.

9. Think about building a cold frame we use ours to harden off our plants and to keep lettuce a little longer (through the end of fall)

10. We have added chickens to our homestead this year we use the droppings in our compost bin and we enjoy eggs all year round. We only have 6 chickens on a 1 acre lot....so I think they are a perfect addition for a small gardener.

Happy Gardening.....

Lynn