At Least 10 Uses For Wood Ash 1 - Dust Baths - place cold ashes where your birds can get to them, the dust baths will control bugs 2 - Ring Around the Rosie - spread a low ring around individual plants are gardens to deter slugs/snails 3 - Mix into your Compost - in the north, this is the perfect thing! 4 - Lawn Fertilizer - Wood ash contains 10-25% calcium, 1-4% magnesium, 5-15% potassium and 1-3% phosphorus. 5 - Cleaning Agent - mix with water to form a paste and use on the glass in your wood stove or fireplace. 6 - Great Fertlizer for Tomatoes and other nightshade veggies 7 - Sprinkle on Slippery Walks - it takes very little! 8 - GREAT Ice Melt! 9 - Algae Deterrent. 10 - Odor Control - Put in t-shirt material to insert in stored shoes. 11 - Make Lye - takes some work and old timers only use hickory ash, but it can be done.
DID YOU KNOW… You’ve probably heard all about the amazing uses of distilled vinegar, using olive oil to condition leather and even that nifty trick of using a potato to loosen a broken light bulb. But today, we are going to talk about some of the not-so-known uses for everyday items like coffee filters, marshmallows and dryer sheets. COFFEE FILTERS – The little paper-like liners that make your morning cup of joe possible have many more uses than just getting your morning started. Because coffee filters are lint-free and absorb oil very well, there are many, many uses for these little guys. Did you know… You can use coffee filters to clean glass, CD’s/DVD’s, computer monitors and even your iPad. DRYER SHEETS – Speaking of dryer sheets, did you know… If you plan on storing your luggage for a long period of time, stashing a dryer sheet inside each piece can help prevent musty odors.Going camping this Spring? MARSHMALLOWS - Yes, it’s true. CLEAR NAIL POLISH – Handy for more than runs in your hose.
Are Coffee Grounds Good For Plants? You only need to walk past a coffee shop in any American city to see that our country loves java. With so much coffee being consumed on a daily basis, it’s encouraging to learn that there is a productive use for all those grinds. Next time you make a cup, save your coffee grounds and add them to the soil in your garden. For best results, use organic coffee if you will be consuming the fruits or vegetables you fertilize. In case you didn’t know, approximately 60% of the worlds coffee beans are sprayed with potentially harmful pesticides. Coffee Grounds as a Mulching Agent Coffee’s breakdown materials can be used as a mulching agent, as well as a fertilizing agent, for gardens. Coffee Grounds as a Compost Addition Adding coffee to your compost or worm bin is a great idea. Coffee as a Fertilizer As a fertilizer, used coffee grounds are slightly acidic and full of nitrogen, a mineral that aids vegetable and plant growth. Coffee as a Pesticide How to Use Coffee Grounds in Your Garden - Dr.
Top 10 Most Dangerous Plants in the World 1. Most likely to eat a rat Giant Pitcher Plant: Nepenthes attenboroughii Discovered more than 5000 feet above sea level on Mount Victoria in the Philippines, the giant, carnivorous pitcher plant secretes a nectar-like substance to lure unsuspecting prey into a pool of enzymes and acid. 2. Castor Bean Plant: Ricinus communis Castor-bean plants can be purchased at just about any garden center, despite containing the deadly poison ricin. 3. Western Water Hemlock: Cicuta douglasii Deemed the most "violently toxic plant that grows in North America" by the USDA, the water hemlock contains the toxin cicutoxin, which wreaks havoc on the central nervous system, causing grand mal seizures--which include loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions--and eventually death, if ingested. 4. White snakeroot: Eupatorium rugosum Drinking milk from a cow that decided to chow down on white snakeroot could lead to deadly milk sickness, as was the case with Abraham Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks. 5. 6.
7 Ways To Get Rid of Ants Naturally It’s a compliment, I’m sure . . . The way ants are descending on my kitchen. The sticky sweet smell of homemade strawberry jam is irresistible if I do say so myself. But after watching them take an afternoon dip in my coconut oil I’m not feeling very hospitable. I draw the line at coconut oil, y’all. There are certain spices, such as cinnamon and turmeric, that are thought to repel ants, but I haven’t had much luck with them. 7 Ways To Get Rid Of Ants Naturally 1. When a forager and goes out and discovers food, it marks the path from the food to the nest using a pheromone trail. Peppermint Essential Oil Not only does this one really work, it smells great to boot! To use: Place a few drops on a cotton ball and wipe on baseboards and other entry points. (Where to find peppermint oil) Tea Tree Essential Oil Tea tree is a great all-purpose oil to have around. To use: Place a few drops on a cotton ball and wipe on baseboards and other entry points. (Where to find tea tree oil) Clove Essential Oil
14 Genius Ways To Recycle Used Coffee Grounds Coffee is good for more than just waking you up in the morning! Take a look at this list and find the perfect recycling tips and tricks so you can enjoy your coffee again – even after you’ve finished enjoying your morning cup of Joe! You’ll never throw your away your used coffee grounds again after seeing just how many things you can do with them! How To Use Old Coffee Grounds In the Garden: 1. Sprinkle used coffee grounds around your plants to protect them against destructive garden pests like ants, snails, and slugs. 2. If you grow azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, camellias, roses, or other acid-loving plants, then used coffee is the fertilizer for you! Just remember that this fertilizer lacks phosphorus and calcium so it isn’t ideal for encouraging blooms and fruiting. 3. If you don’t have a use for coffee ground fertilizer right away, go ahead and throw it on the compost heap. 4. If you love carrots and you love coffee, then you’re in business! 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
Using Milk As A Natural, Homemade Pesticide Spraying your plants with milk won't drive bugs away from your garden, but the dairy product can be used to culture Bacillus thuriugiensis Berliner, a well-known bacterial pesticide sold under such brand names as Dipel, Thuricide and Biotrol. The agent is quite effective in controlling — among a number of insect problems — infestations of loopers, which are those pesky little worms (they're actually moth larvae) that attack broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and other members of the cole family. Once eaten, the bacteria paralyze the larvae's intestinal tracts and bring about their death in two to four days.Before you spray your garden with thuringiensis, though, be aware that this bacterial-warfare weapon is fatal to the caterpillars of all Lepidoptera (an order of insects that includes many lovely, and relatively harmless, moths and butterflies) . . . so please don't employ the remedy in cases where simply handpicking the loopers off your plants will do the job. Using Milk as a Pesticide
Non-Toxic Bug Repellent Recipe with Coconut Oil NOTE: A few weeks back, my recipe for bug repellent was featured on the CoconutOil.com website. Since there are still some high days of summer left and the bugs are in full swing, I wanted to share my recipe for bug repellent on here too! by Jessica Espinoza CoconutOil.com Looking for an all-natural, non-toxic insect repellent that doesn’t contain the chemicals (like DEET) that most of the commercial brands do? There are many natural, non-toxic ingredients that can be used to make a bug repellent that won’t harm you and your family. Catnip Cedarwood Cinnamon Citronella Clove Eucalyptus Geranium Lavender Lemongrass Patchouli Peppermint Rosemary Tea Tree Note: Some citrus oils, like lemon, also have strong bug repellent properties, but are also considered “phototoxic”, meaning that the skin could damage or burn easily if those oils are applied to the skin and then exposed to any source of ultraviolet (UV) light. Bug Balm Recipe This recipe makes approximately 4oz (1/2 cup) of bug balm.
10 Homemade Organic Pesticides - My Gardening Stories Ever wonder what farmers did hundreds of years ago to fight off crop pests? Long before the invention of harmful chemical pesticides (yes, the kind that is linked to cancerous cellular activity), farmers and householders came up with multiple remedies for removing insect infestations from their garden plants. The following list will offer some of our favorite, all-natural, inexpensive, organic methods for making bug-busting pesticides for your home garden. 1. Neem Ancient Indians highly revered neem oil as a powerful, all-natural plant for warding off pests. 2. For treating plants infested with spider mites, mix 2 tablespoons of Himalayan Crystal Salt into one gallon of warm water and spray on infected areas. 3. Mix 10-30 ml of high-grade oil with one liter of water. 4. This is another great organic pesticide that works well on ants. 5. To make this natural pesticide, simply mix 3 tablespoons of liquid Organic Castile soap with 1 ounce of Orange oil to one gallon of water. 6. 7. 8. 9.
82 Sustainable Gardening Tips - Organic Gardening Most gardeners have sustainability on their minds. After all, growing your own food is a huge step toward leading a sustainable lifestyle. Organic, chemical-free methods are inherently more sustainable — for human health, wildlife, the soil and the water supply — than non-organic techniques. But sustainable gardening goes beyond just using organic methods. From water and energy conservation to waste reduction and smart seed-sourcing, there are infinite ways we can make our practices more sustainable. To find out what’s going on in sustainable gardens across the United States and Canada, we surveyed the thousands of members of MOTHER’s Garden Advisory Group. Reusing and Recycling Materials in the Garden 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Saving Water and Conserving Energy 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Zero-Waste Gardening 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Integrating Livestock in Your Gardening 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. Sustainable Gardening Tools, Supplies and Amendments 34. 35. 36. 37. 38.
Natural air fresheners: 9 nontoxic options that really work Chemical air fresheners are not just a problem for people with chemical sensitivities; they are a problem for everyone. Inhaling petro-chemicals, dyes, and perfumes can cause long-term health problems. Time magazine reported that many chemical air fresheners contain phthalates, a type of chemical that causes cancer. Aura Cacia grapefruit oil I spent way too much time sniffing this essential oil when I bought it. Aura Cacia olive candle lamp I avoided buying an essential oil candle diffuser for a long time, because most of them look too hippie for my taste. JR Watkins Aloe and Green Tea Room Spray Have you ever noticed that chemical bathroom sprays actually make the bathroom smell worse than the original offending odor? Clean Air Room Spray Some people's answer to everything is "Febreeze it!” Zeofresh Carpet Deodorizer Zeolite is a volcanic mineral that doesn't cover odors, it traps them. OmniZorb Liquid Odor Eliminator Eucalyptus bunch Essential Cedar Sachets by Woodlore