i've discovered a most handy thing, which i will share :-) (my apologies if
the entire world has already thought of this ;-)

you can get old aluminium-window fly screens at 2nd-hand builders', etc, for
almost nothing. you can then use them to lay over the top of seedlings in a
veggie bed to keep THINGS off.

next, i think i shall make some tall frames for them with screen over the
sides too, so taller plants can be blocked all around from THINGS.

anyone whose garden is free from THINGS, of course, need not concern
themselves. g the screens are good for drying as well - lay your fruit etc
on the wire, cover with muslin or other fine fabric, & leave in the sun
(elevated off the ground). also good to put your taties on for a couple of
days to dry after harvesting. i could go on - i am loving my old
fly-screens! and they're fully washable. g

does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie

0tterbot wrote:
i've discovered a most handy thing, which i will share :-) (my apologies if
the entire world has already thought of this ;-)

you can get old aluminium-window fly screens at 2nd-hand builders', etc, for
almost nothing. you can then use them to lay over the top of seedlings in a
veggie bed to keep THINGS off.

next, i think i shall make some tall frames for them with screen over the
sides too, so taller plants can be blocked all around from THINGS.

anyone whose garden is free from THINGS, of course, need not concern
themselves. g the screens are good for drying as well - lay your fruit etc
on the wire, cover with muslin or other fine fabric, & leave in the sun
(elevated off the ground). also good to put your taties on for a couple of
days to dry after harvesting. i could go on - i am loving my old
fly-screens! and they're fully washable. g

does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie


Here you go. A years upply on hot tips. Some my own, others from the Net.

The plastic trellis used to support climbing plants are also a good way
to stop tomatoes from trailing in the ground, if your'e too lazy to trim
them. Plamt your tomatoes, when they are around a foot high, trim the
lower branches, then, just put a few short stakes on the ground, cut any
branches below the supported trellis, now mounted like a carpet on the
short stakes, asd let the tomatoes grow off the ground. This will help
stop ground borne diseases. Tall stakes after a few years rot and get
too short and this is another good way to use them. Chicken wire would
also be usefull. Also when watering this can prevent bacteria laden
water ground splash which causes problems. Another way of doing this is
to use hay underneath the tomatoes. See milk tip also

When preparing your garden dont leave it all level, have some low spots
to gather or pool water into, so plants can use this instead of water
running off your garden. If placed strategically you will be amazed at
the results. The water stays long enough to soak in properly.

Leftover Milk: You might be interested to know that regular milk is an
incredible fungus and virus fighter in the garden. Some plants such as
tomatoes and roses are notorious for contracting nasty diseases that can
kill the plant or limit fruit and flower production. Start adding a
tablespoon of powdered milk to the soil around your plants early in the
season BEFORE problems happen. Or make a spray that can be applied to
infected leaves using leftover or spoiled milk diluted with water.

Aquarium Water: Aquarium owners know that every few weeks a small
percentage of the water must be drained and replaced with fresh water.
You can use the discarded water to water your plants. This is not only a
good conservation method, but a good fertlizer too!

"Jonno" wrote in message
...
0tterbot wrote:
i've discovered a most handy thing, which i will share :-) (my apologies
if the entire world has already thought of this ;-)

you can get old aluminium-window fly screens at 2nd-hand builders', etc,
for almost nothing. you can then use them to lay over the top of
seedlings in a veggie bed to keep THINGS off.

next, i think i shall make some tall frames for them with screen over the
sides too, so taller plants can be blocked all around from THINGS.

anyone whose garden is free from THINGS, of course, need not concern
themselves. g the screens are good for drying as well - lay your fruit
etc on the wire, cover with muslin or other fine fabric, & leave in the
sun (elevated off the ground). also good to put your taties on for a
couple of days to dry after harvesting. i could go on - i am loving my
old fly-screens! and they're fully washable. g

does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie
Here you go. A years upply on hot tips. Some my own, others from the Net.

The plastic trellis used to support climbing plants are also a good way to
stop tomatoes from trailing in the ground, if your'e too lazy to trim
them. Plamt your tomatoes, when they are around a foot high, trim the
lower branches, then, just put a few short stakes on the ground, cut any
branches below the supported trellis, now mounted like a carpet on the
short stakes, asd let the tomatoes grow off the ground. This will help
stop ground borne diseases. Tall stakes after a few years rot and get too
short and this is another good way to use them. Chicken wire would also be
usefull. Also when watering this can prevent bacteria laden water ground
splash which causes problems. Another way of doing this is to use hay
underneath the tomatoes. See milk tip also

When preparing your garden dont leave it all level, have some low spots to
gather or pool water into, so plants can use this instead of water running
off your garden. If placed strategically you will be amazed at the
results. The water stays long enough to soak in properly.

Leftover Milk: You might be interested to know that regular milk is an
incredible fungus and virus fighter in the garden. Some plants such as
tomatoes and roses are notorious for contracting nasty diseases that can
kill the plant or limit fruit and flower production. Start adding a
tablespoon of powdered milk to the soil around your plants early in the
season BEFORE problems happen. Or make a spray that can be applied to
infected leaves using leftover or spoiled milk diluted with water.

Aquarium Water: Aquarium owners know that every few weeks a small
percentage of the water must be drained and replaced with fresh water. You
can use the discarded water to water your plants. This is not only a good
conservation method, but a good fertlizer too!

Using aquarium water - this may NOT be a good idea if you have a salt water
(tropical fish) aquarium (as my friend pointed out when I told her about
your tip Johnno )

Roberta Bagshaw wrote:
"Jonno" wrote in message
...
0tterbot wrote:
i've discovered a most handy thing, which i will share :-) (my apologies
if the entire world has already thought of this ;-)

you can get old aluminium-window fly screens at 2nd-hand builders', etc,
for almost nothing. you can then use them to lay over the top of
seedlings in a veggie bed to keep THINGS off.

next, i think i shall make some tall frames for them with screen over the
sides too, so taller plants can be blocked all around from THINGS.

anyone whose garden is free from THINGS, of course, need not concern
themselves. g the screens are good for drying as well - lay your fruit
etc on the wire, cover with muslin or other fine fabric, & leave in the
sun (elevated off the ground). also good to put your taties on for a
couple of days to dry after harvesting. i could go on - i am loving my
old fly-screens! and they're fully washable. g

does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie
Here you go. A years upply on hot tips. Some my own, others from the Net.

The plastic trellis used to support climbing plants are also a good way to
stop tomatoes from trailing in the ground, if your'e too lazy to trim
them. Plamt your tomatoes, when they are around a foot high, trim the
lower branches, then, just put a few short stakes on the ground, cut any
branches below the supported trellis, now mounted like a carpet on the
short stakes, asd let the tomatoes grow off the ground. This will help
stop ground borne diseases. Tall stakes after a few years rot and get too
short and this is another good way to use them. Chicken wire would also be
usefull. Also when watering this can prevent bacteria laden water ground
splash which causes problems. Another way of doing this is to use hay
underneath the tomatoes. See milk tip also

When preparing your garden dont leave it all level, have some low spots to
gather or pool water into, so plants can use this instead of water running
off your garden. If placed strategically you will be amazed at the
results. The water stays long enough to soak in properly.

Leftover Milk: You might be interested to know that regular milk is an
incredible fungus and virus fighter in the garden. Some plants such as
tomatoes and roses are notorious for contracting nasty diseases that can
kill the plant or limit fruit and flower production. Start adding a
tablespoon of powdered milk to the soil around your plants early in the
season BEFORE problems happen. Or make a spray that can be applied to
infected leaves using leftover or spoiled milk diluted with water.

Aquarium Water: Aquarium owners know that every few weeks a small
percentage of the water must be drained and replaced with fresh water. You
can use the discarded water to water your plants. This is not only a good
conservation method, but a good fertlizer too!

Using aquarium water - this may NOT be a good idea if you have a salt water
(tropical fish) aquarium (as my friend pointed out when I told her about
your tip Johnno )


If you are a salt water aquarium owner you would know that.
So if you're that silly you couldn't even run a salt water aquarium as
they're highly specialised.

0tterbot wrote:


does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie



One tip I read somewhere years ago is one I always do even though it's
not a particularly 'hot' tip.

Before potting/gardening I run my fingernails over the base of a soft
cake of soap coz I hate the soil getting under my nails. Easy n' clean
to get out.

I know, bit boring but I really like hearing tips. Thanks for starting
this thread, Kylie.

"Linda H" wrote in message
u...

0tterbot wrote:


does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie



One tip I read somewhere years ago is one I always do even though it's not
a particularly 'hot' tip.

Before potting/gardening I run my fingernails over the base of a soft cake
of soap coz I hate the soil getting under my nails. Easy n' clean to get
out.

i tried that once but i found the soap felt even more disturbing than dirt
does! :-D

I know, bit boring but I really like hearing tips. Thanks for starting
this thread, Kylie.

you're welcome! i wonder where our other hot tipsters are, for the benefit
of more and hotter hot tips? clearly jonno's now involved in handbags at 10
paces with the Landscaper Who Spread The Rumour, so that's him done.
kylie

0tterbot wrote:
"Linda H" wrote in message
u...
0tterbot wrote:


does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie


One tip I read somewhere years ago is one I always do even though it's not
a particularly 'hot' tip.

Before potting/gardening I run my fingernails over the base of a soft cake
of soap coz I hate the soil getting under my nails. Easy n' clean to get
out.

i tried that once but i found the soap felt even more disturbing than dirt
does! :-D

I know, bit boring but I really like hearing tips. Thanks for starting
this thread, Kylie.

you're welcome! i wonder where our other hot tipsters are, for the benefit
of more and hotter hot tips? clearly jonno's now involved in handbags at 10
paces with the Landscaper Who Spread The Rumour, so that's him done.
kylie


Yeah steroids will do this for a landscaper. Cop Jim Dury in Sunday Sun
Herald. Mr Muscles himself.

Jonno wrote:
0tterbot wrote:
"Linda H" wrote in message
u...
0tterbot wrote:


does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie


One tip I read somewhere years ago is one I always do even though
it's not a particularly 'hot' tip.

Before potting/gardening I run my fingernails over the base of a soft
cake of soap coz I hate the soil getting under my nails. Easy n'
clean to get out.

i tried that once but i found the soap felt even more disturbing than
dirt does! :-D

I know, bit boring but I really like hearing tips. Thanks for
starting this thread, Kylie.

you're welcome! i wonder where our other hot tipsters are, for the
benefit of more and hotter hot tips? clearly jonno's now involved in
handbags at 10 paces with the Landscaper Who Spread The Rumour, so
that's him done.
kylie

Yeah steroids will do this for a landscaper. Cop Jim Dury in Sunday Sun
Herald. Mr Muscles himself.
Another hot tip This week at
http://aldi.com.au/index.php?p=produ...roduct_91.html

Mix a few radish seeds with carrots when planting. The radishes germinate
in 4 days and quickly grow up to provide shade for the emerging delicate
carrots, they also break any surface crust that may form - especially in hot
weather. By the time the radishes are ready to pull out, the carrots are
well established and pulling the radishes out loosens the soil a bit a give
the carrots room to grow.

Geoff


"Jonno" wrote in message
...
Jonno wrote:
0tterbot wrote:
"Linda H" wrote in message
u...
0tterbot wrote:


does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie


One tip I read somewhere years ago is one I always do even though it's
not a particularly 'hot' tip.

Before potting/gardening I run my fingernails over the base of a soft
cake of soap coz I hate the soil getting under my nails. Easy n' clean
to get out.

i tried that once but i found the soap felt even more disturbing than
dirt does! :-D

I know, bit boring but I really like hearing tips. Thanks for starting
this thread, Kylie.

you're welcome! i wonder where our other hot tipsters are, for the
benefit of more and hotter hot tips? clearly jonno's now involved in
handbags at 10 paces with the Landscaper Who Spread The Rumour, so
that's him done.
kylie

Yeah steroids will do this for a landscaper. Cop Jim Dury in Sunday Sun
Herald. Mr Muscles himself.
Another hot tip This week at
http://aldi.com.au/index.php?p=produ...roduct_91.html

Geoff & Heather wrote:
Mix a few radish seeds with carrots when planting. The radishes germinate
in 4 days and quickly grow up to provide shade for the emerging delicate
carrots, they also break any surface crust that may form - especially in hot
weather. By the time the radishes are ready to pull out, the carrots are
well established and pulling the radishes out loosens the soil a bit a give
the carrots room to grow.

Geoff


Top tip! Four golden stars for you!

"Geoff & Heather" wrote in message
...
Mix a few radish seeds with carrots when planting. The radishes germinate
in 4 days and quickly grow up to provide shade for the emerging delicate
carrots, they also break any surface crust that may form - especially in
hot weather. By the time the radishes are ready to pull out, the carrots
are well established and pulling the radishes out loosens the soil a bit a
give the carrots room to grow.

Geoff


"Jonno" wrote in message
...
Jonno wrote:
0tterbot wrote:
"Linda H" wrote in message
u...
0tterbot wrote:


does anyone else have any hot tips?
kylie


One tip I read somewhere years ago is one I always do even though it's
not a particularly 'hot' tip.

Before potting/gardening I run my fingernails over the base of a soft
cake of soap coz I hate the soil getting under my nails. Easy n'
clean to get out.

i tried that once but i found the soap felt even more disturbing than
dirt does! :-D

I know, bit boring but I really like hearing tips. Thanks for
starting this thread, Kylie.

you're welcome! i wonder where our other hot tipsters are, for the
benefit of more and hotter hot tips? clearly jonno's now involved in
handbags at 10 paces with the Landscaper Who Spread The Rumour, so
that's him done.
kylie

Yeah steroids will do this for a landscaper. Cop Jim Dury in Sunday Sun
Herald. Mr Muscles himself.
Another hot tip This week at
http://aldi.com.au/index.php?p=produ...roduct_91.html




An altenative (and useable for any small seeds such as carrot, cabbage,
radish etc) place some dry sand (NOT brickies sand) in a jar, add your
seeds, put the lid on and shake well, put a 5mm or so hole in the jar, make
the furrow and pour the sand and seed mix into the furrow. The seeds will be
evenly distributed and the sand doesn't cake like soil does.

While the water restrictions are on it may be smart to try hydroponics
for growing various vegetables. Hydroponics doesn't require much in the
way of materials if you are smart. Look at the sites below for easy ways
to grow things this way.
It is possible to grow things in pots using cheap scoria, easily
available in Melbourne, or any inert materials as a medium, to hold
roots suspended can be used and an old kiddies bath which can be
periodically flooded with the biological "chemicals" used. Pots are
stood in the bath and the plant return large amounts of produce for the
small amount of space used.

Its also easy to make a 5 inch tube from pvc, insert a light weight
growing medium into it and grow strawberries or flowers like petunias
from the sides, only using a watering can with the hydophonic solution
to keep it wet twice or more times a day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics


The chemicals are not chemicals as such, as they are found in all soils.

They are salts which dissolve in water which plants take up into the
root system.I,ve done some research and these sites are fairly easy to
understand.


http://www.autopot.com.au/

http://www.foothillhydroponics.com/booklet/booklet.pdf

As I'm into electronics it is quite easy for me to adopt various
automatic watering systems etc to do this sort of stuff.
But to keep it simple it is as easy as using your own head to work out
what is required.

Jonno wrote:

While the water restrictions are on it may be smart to try hydroponics
for growing various vegetables. Hydroponics doesn't require much in the
way of materials if you are smart. Look at the sites below for easy ways
to grow things this way.
It is possible to grow things in pots using cheap scoria, easily
available in Melbourne, or any inert materials as a medium, to hold
roots suspended can be used and an old kiddies bath which can be
periodically flooded with the biological "chemicals" used. Pots are
stood in the bath and the plant return large amounts of produce for the
small amount of space used.

Its also easy to make a 5 inch tube from pvc, insert a light weight
growing medium into it and grow strawberries or flowers like petunias
from the sides, only using a watering can with the hydophonic solution
to keep it wet twice or more times a day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics


The chemicals are not chemicals as such, as they are found in all soils.

They are salts which dissolve in water which plants take up into the
root system.I,ve done some research and these sites are fairly easy to
understand.


http://www.autopot.com.au/

http://www.foothillhydroponics.com/booklet/booklet.pdf

As I'm into electronics it is quite easy for me to adopt various
automatic watering systems etc to do this sort of stuff.
But to keep it simple it is as easy as using your own head to work out
what is required.


There is also Aquaponics , which allows you to grow fish or yabbies to
eat as well as some really nice veggies

it takes a bit to set up by the looks of things but is extremely saleable

one place to start for info is http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/ they
have a Forum there with heaps of info

is should point out that i have never done aquaponics but that's mostly
because i've only just found out about it and we are moving in a few
months so i thought it would be better to wait till then

cheers
Pete