Save seeds: I have done this with my lupine. Each year I harvest the flowers, hang them to dry and then collect the seeds from the dried pods and replant in the spring. From the magazine article they further state that by saving seeds “you get to grow varieties that have adapted to your conditions.”

Buy small: Purchase perennials small in size – by next year they will have grown to be the size of the big potted plants but save you half the money!

Homemade pest spray: Lisa Gabory of Rodale family farm in PA suggested “add a few cloves of garlic to a half gallon of water, bring to a boil, let cool, and steep overnight. Strain and fill a sprayer and add a few drops of vegetable oil or dish soap to help it stick. Shake and spray to control aphids and Japanese beetles on roses.”

For ways to save water, visit Organic Gardening for the complete article.

Photo courtesy of Dave’s Travel Corner.
05 Apr 2008 GBP