GOOD GARDENING TECHNIQUES FROM THE FELLS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

Tried and True Gardening Hints, from "The Fells"

Planting: distress the root ball; superphosphate; first week, water every day with lightly fertilized water; create a dam around the plant

Transplant: cut back; manure; shade with milk crate; water the same as above

Fluffing soil: use a “soft claw”; looks great; retains water; avoids washouts

Stepping stones: every 30” for ease in weeding

Composting: the most important thing you can do!

Sprays: dish detergent&water: caterpillars can’t breathe; hand-pick red beetles; beer for slugs; buy prepared sprays for small gardens

Staking; Manure makes stronger scapes: avoid staking; peonies and delphiniums must be staked

Deadheading: Take your morning coffee out and do it!; leave those you would like seed from; if you don’t deadhead, plant’s energy goes into making seed;

cut scapes to the ground and they may bloom again.

Weeding: The single most important job to make the garden look its best, and so plants will get all the food and be healthy, hardy, and gorgeous.

Tools: try soft claw, “L” claw, little rake, knee pads, scissors, clippers

Clean Tools: Take pride in shiny tools!; longer lasting; Tie with a piece of brlght ribbon to make hunting for them easily.

Dry Leaves & Twigs: Rub between hands and/or break them up and return them to soil then & there!

I took these from the Lyme Gardeners email list. They sounded just too good to pass up! I'm hoping they don't mind that I'm sharing them. Credit also goes to "The Fells" in New Hampshire.