funny, stinky fertilizer story and keeping hints handy

Yesterday I hit WM and found the broken bag corner,  40% off manure, compost, and some mulch.  I love a bargain!  So I brought it home, made a mix and potted some pansies, and broccoli.  I potted the broccoli in a tall pot so it has a chance to get going before the rabbits nibble it off. 

THEN, I found a bottle of fish emulsion in the garage and mixed that up, poured on new plantings in flower bed, I'm telling you folks, I reaked!  I  went in, had a snack, and broke part of a tooth.  that's what I get for breaking my fast,,, harrumph.  So, had to go to the dentist, smelling of dead fish and cow poo.   Wonderful,  good thing the dentist gardens.  At least I took off the trousers, and put on clean!!!

I found a wonderful new gardening hint book at the library.  Trowel and Error:  Over 700 Shortcuts, Tips, and Remedies for the Gardener.
http://www.amazon.com/Trowel-Error-Remedies-Shortcuts-Gardener/dp/0761126325/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Here are some I found that I already use:
Boiling water or vinegar poured over weeds to kill them-----this works.   Great along cracks in sidewalk, or in the driveway.   When I'm canning, I always pour my boiled canner water out on the driveway.

I keep Aloe Vera in the kitchen for burn treatment. 

I mulch with grass clippings, shedded tree stuff I get from the tree trimmer guy when he's in my neighborhood,  straw,  newspaper.  I sometimes purchase broken bags of mulch for the front yard flower beds. 

A great idea for keeping handy gardening hints available while gardening would be to find a picture album that would let you slide in index cards,  write down your hints, keep them categorized, and keep the album in the potting shed, near the back door, or a nook in your garage.  Then you don't have to tramp dirt into the house looking for it.   Keep extra cards for record keeping on planting and harvest dates.  I'm going to have to get some spray bottles for mixing up sprays for the garden, and mark them clearly ONLY for the garden.

Mother Earth News --Living on Less , Sussex Publishers,  1997.  That one is getting a thorough going over by me.  It has chapters on building your own house, growing food, livestock, foraging, alternative energy, harvest keeping.  

I walked the dogs in the backyard this morning, and made some decisions about the garden. Last year I expanded to the back, but found that I couldn't get my hose back there easily, so I'm going to have to plant closer together and put more in front beds, which are more accessible with the hose.  I lost a whole raspberry bed because I just didn't get back there enough to water.    My black currant plants aren't dead, they  must leaf out later than the red currants.  I have lost all but one apple tree. just can't keep deer out of them.  My lilac have tiny purple flower buds, waiting for a few rains to pop open, I LOVE them!  Yesterday I raked out the asparagus patch, mixed up a bucket of poo and some bone meal and raked that in lightly over the patch. I noticed about three tiny spears trying to peak out at me.   I usually have several temporary fences that I grow "up" on , for tomatoes, beans, peas.  I'll need to move them around.  I need to get into the black raspberries and clean out old canes.  I highly recommend the thornless type.  HUGE berries, and not a danger to pick from.  BUT the grape arbor is next to it, and has tried to invade its space, so that will have to be trimmed back, also.

We burn wood  and Bill has a huge pile of bark just sitting there, I think last year I used it as mulch around the currant bushes.  I try not to let anything like that go to waste.  

I planted potatoes this morning, in a prepared mulchy bed, made from last fall's leaves and garden detritus, and this spring's raked leaves and old plant bits.  I just dug down in, scratched up the soil a bit, laid down the potato, and covered it back up.  Waiting on rain in the next few days.

I threw a bag of manure onto the compost heap and then turned the whole thing with a garden fork. 

If you buy big , deep pots, you don't have to fill them completely with potting mix.  I usually have a few broken clay pots, or packing peanuts, anything that will allow water to pass through.  I fill up about a third, then add the potting mix on top.  NEVER use just plain garden soil in a pot, it will turn to concrete, especially our Indiana clay soil. 
OH, one last thing,   I am highly allergic to poison ivy and have been cleaning out a fence row.  So, the signal for help is mom standing at the door, kicking it, and yelling, "someone open the door"  as I hold my hands up, don't want it on the knob.    I run to the bathroom, use special soap, scrub everything I can, carefully remove my clothes and put immediately into the washer.  Gloves and all.   Poison ivy oil can stay potent on clothing for up to 5 years.  Be very careful when working in areas new to you,  it can be poisonous even without leaves.

Dianne, dirt and all