Saving water in the garden is easy, economical and prevents future spikes in your water bill.
Before you start watering, estimate how much water you need to use. Usually it is enough to water your garden one way or another in a typical day, but in hot dry spells or drought periods, your garden may need to be watered twice a day. One long session of otherwise continuous watering prolongs the inevitable drought. Install some type of rain barrel under your sprinkler heads or in a myriad of other ways.
The amount of water necessary to make watering your garden successful is harder to calculate. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that the concept of “starting with mint” is not true – more mint will lead to rotting of the roots. Mint, left to its own devices, will create havoc with your watering schedule.
As a rule of thumb, try to multiply the quantity of mint by the cube of mint it is grown in. Once you have the starting amount, multiply it by the cube size of water to calculate the approximate number of mint cubes needed to water your garden thoroughly. If two cups of mint are growing in a gallon of water, then there will bectionimuminthecontainer (in the growing season) to replace the mint.
(In general, a 12-inch container or so will accommodate 2-3 plants. However, it is better to tighten the plants when they grow so they will not need to be moved as you progress. If using pots, space the plants 2 to 3 inches apart so the stems do not wrap around the sides.)
It takes about a week to get a good start (as will be described later) with the water. There are five basic ways to harvest the lovely green foliage and the pale flowers.
1. Squeeze the water out of the container as you empty it. Then, using a hand trowel, squeeze the mint leaves and pick out the ones that are damaged or diseased.
2. Using a knife, cut off the tops of the mint roots. Be careful to not cut off the entire plant – just enough to separate the growing tips.
3. discolour the affected leaves very carefully with melted paraffin or an lump of paraffin. paraffin works best if you can colour-free get it into the leaves.
4. discolour the diseased leaves with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and olive oil – to foist onto the cuts.
5. Store cut herbs in a plastic bag away from sunlight in a dry place.
6. Also, do not place cut herbs in direct sunlight until the cuttings have rooted.
7. Select a potting mix with free draining properties. Ideal is a potting mix derived from peat, leaf mould or well-rotted manure.
8. Transplant the cuttings when they are 2 to 4 inches high.
9. Find a warm spot in front of a window where the position will be seen. Basil does not like the colder temperatures so be sparing.
10. Make a wigwam of canes to support the cutting during growth. Support the ‘wives’ with stakes tied in half-inch pieces of wood or wire. Tie in an elastic band.
11. Sow the herb seed if you are making your own dressing. Put the seeds on a tray and cover with some freshly dug soil. Leave in a warm place for about 10 days until they have germinated. Then harden off the plants.
12. Transplant the young plants when they have a little experience of natural growth.
13. Remember to feed the plants at regular intervals. Also, begin feeding the plants once a month to encourage superior growth.
14. Examine the leaves of your crop regularly for signs of disease and pests. Control these at the first sign of infection. You can use chemical insecticides for example, or, successfully, you can introduce friendly insects such as ladybirds into the garden.
15. In the garden, cucumbers once set foot, generally do not need much attention. Pick them in June. They don’t need much else, so be sure to harvest before the end of the month.
16. In the kitchen, it is usual to slice the fruit to remove the skin. Instead of peeling the skin off, put the cucumber flesh into a hot oil bath.
17. There are so many wonderful recipes for salad that include cucumber. Salad spng is a good dish. Try out this combination of cucumber and celery.
18. Spinach and lettuce are two leafy green vegetables that are relatively easy-to-grow. A tasty combination consists of spinach tossed with lettuce, and perhaps a bit of dill.
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