Danny Lipford

Egg Planting

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:24:19 +0000

Starting your own plants from seed is a great idea and here’s a trick for simplifying the process of transplanting them to the garden. Save your old eggshells and situate the empty half shells in an egg carton. Fill them with quality potting soil, plant your seed and mist them with water. After a few weeks when they’re ready to transplant simply dig a small hole and set the shell and all in it. You can gently break apart the eggshell as you fill the dirt around the plant. The eggshell will not only decompose in the soil but deliver useful nutrients to the plant as well.

Painting Clay Pots

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 16:23:09 +0000

For a quick and easy way to paint clay pots give them a spin! Before you begin, you’ll need to cut a wooden disk with a hole saw. Place a carriage bolt in a drill (one with a speed adjustment knob works best) and attach the wooden disk on top of the bolt. Position the drill in a vice so that the carriage bolt and disc are upright. In order to make the pot fit snugly over the wooden disk we filled the pot with a couple pieces of bubble wrap. Situate the clay pot on the wooden disc by lightly tapping into place. Turn on the drill and the pot will spin (you may have to adjust the speed so that its not spinning too fast). Apply a small amount of paint to your paintbrush so that the paint doesn’t spin off, and hold the paintbrush against the pot. The spinning motion will distribute the paint, giving you a quick and cleaner way to get a nice even coat all the way around and down to the rim of the pot.

Humidity Helper

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 20:10:12 +0000

A good way to increase humidity around potted seedlings is to set a couple of seedling pots in a larger container of pebbles. The pebbles should be about fingernail size, and there should be just a small amount of water in the pebble container- enough to create humid conditions but not enough to touch the bottom of the pots. (If potted seedlings are left in standing water all the time, the roots will rot.) You’ll want to place the seedlings in a shady area that will get a hint of sunlight. As the water evaporates you simply add more water.

Plant with Care

Thu, 23 Nov 2006 15:39:16 +0000

Helping your plants make the transition from the pots or containers you buy them in to the garden is an important step to developing a healthy landscape. Begin by digging a hole large enough to accommodate the plant, its root ball and some additional material. That additional material is organic, something like compost or humus, and forms a mound at the bottom of the hole. Set the plant in being careful not to let it set any deeper or too much higher than it set in the pot. Mix more organic material with the dirt from the hole and pack it back in snugly. Form a small moat around the plant with the soil. This will help retain the water around the plant as it is getting started.

Mossy Pots

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:18:53 +0000

Moss covered planting pots can give your garden an old world charm. But if you live in a dry climate you may be out of luck. Here’s a trick to help out Mother Nature. Wet down an unglazed clay pot and then brush on a generous coating of plain unsweetened yogurt. If you keep the pot damp and in a shaded spot you will soon have the mossy patina your looking for.

Soda Bottle Seed Starter

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 18:07:31 +0000

Looking for a place to start your seeds? How about in 2-liter plastic bottles? To keep the roots from being exposed to direct sunlight use colored bottles. Measure up 6-inches from the bottom of a 2-liter bottle and make a mark. Placing a rubber band around the bottle on your mark and using it as a guide will ensure an even cut. Cut along the rubber band and detach the top of the bottle. Make a 2 ½” cut in the top piece so that it can be compressed and inserted into the bottom part of the bottle. Invert the top piece into the bottom so the spout becomes a drain Fill the part of the bottle that has the spout with potting mix, and plant your seeds. You might want to insert a piece of paper towel or mesh before you add your potting mix so that the soil does not wash away.

Patio Table Planter

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 20:00:37 +0000

Take an old angel food cake pan and cut it about an inch from the top of the center tube and rolled edges. Slip the umbrella pole of your patio table through the angel food cake pan. The container can then be filled with fresh plants. To keep the plants from getting water logged, drill a few holes in the bottom of the pan for drainage. If this causes the container to leak on the table too much you can easily remove the planter and place it on the patio floor, when it’s finished dripping, put it back in place on the patio table. If you like you can spray paint the cake pan first to decorate as desired.