Welcome to Modern Agriculture!
I recently made a cold frame to extend our gardening season in Alaska but knew I would need an automatic vent opener on those rare sunny days. Rigidly fastening the opener to the cover, as is common in greenhouses, would prevent opening the cover. Instead, I secured a small aluminum angle to the upper arm using the supplied hardware, and it bears on a block on the lid. When the opener expands, the angle catches on the block and opens the cover. Otherwise the lid can be opened freely because the opener is not fixed to the lid.
—Tim Doggett, Sitka, Alaska
I’ve been using a small plastic paint pail when I deadhead my roses. The pail has a convenient handhold, is very lightweight, and is small enough to get under the deadhead in pretty tight areas. Then with one snip, the deadhead drops into the pail. This cuts in half or more the number of movements. (With a cut-and-hold clipper, you still have to move the cut piece to wherever you set the bucket down.) You don’t have to worry about where to put down a big bucket or trug, or to try catching the deadhead in your other hand to transport to a bucket. It is wide enough to catch petals, which can shatter during deadheading, and the few inches of stem. The pail does not catch on the thorns. The volume is enough that I can usually deadhead at least half to a whole bush at a time, then bring it to a full-size bucket that I leave in the pathway. It holds much more than I can fit in my hand alone. Using this method, I have cut my deadheading time down nearly in half.
—Peter Wong, Albuquerque, New Mexico
In my former southeast Pennsylvania garden, canna lily rhizomes froze and rotted if left over winter in the soil, so each year I cleaned, wrapped, and stored the rhizomes indoors until the following spring. One year, tired of that routine, I threw freshly dug canna rhizomes into a leaf pile I had made over a bed in my vegetable garden. The following spring when I excavated the bed for planting I was surprised to find that each rhizome had sprouted and was in excellent condition. The roots had been insulated from the cold by a 2-foot-deep, 3-foot-wide pile of tree leaves.
—Mary Crum, Bonita Springs, Florida
I garden on a balcony (first floor but not at ground level) and about half a mile from Lake Ontario. The wind comes down the side of the building off a very cold lake in winter. I leave my large pots with perennials out over winter with various coverings, burlap, Styrofoam chips, etc. I repurposed my old foam yoga mat as a wind shear and insulator, leaning it lengthwise against the pots next to the wall.
—Kim Lewis, Hamilton, Ontario
Here’s an excellent and cost-effective alternative for the weak plastic stakes available in garden centers. To make these stakes you will need:
Because the PVC sleeves and finials aren’t attached to the rebar, you can pull them off the rebar for the winter and store them until the next growing season.
—Francis Kovago, Worcester, Massachusetts
If you have a gardening tip, send it to [email protected]. The prize for the winning tip is a one-year subscription to Fine Gardening with an All Access membership!
Photos: courtesy of the contributors
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Medium Nut Wizard 14" for English Walnuts, Chestnuts, Golf Balls
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For nuts 3/4" to 4". For English Walnuts, Chestnuts, Red Oak, Buckeye, Large Pecans, Shotgun Shells, Golf Balls. For larger items (black walnuts) consider larger style.
Greenworks 40V 14" Chainsaw, 2.5Ah USB Battery and Charger Included
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14'' CHAIN AND BAR : great performance for tree cutting and get up to 75 cuts on 4x4 lumber on a single charge. TRUBRUSHLESS MOTOR TECHNOLOGY: 2 x more torque. Provides more power, longer runtimes, quiet operation, and extended motor life. AUTOMATIC OILER: delivers proper chain lubrication and increased productivity. EASY ADJUST TENSIONING: for easy bar and chain maintenance. EASY TO USE : push button start, no gas or fumes, no carburetor, no spark plug, and no starter rope WHAT IS INCLUDED: 40V 14-Inch chainsaw, scabbard, 2.5 Ah batteries, fast charger, operator's manual.
Lee Valley Garden Knife
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These knives have a trowel-like blade with a sharp edge to let you use the same tool for digging, planting and cutting. The blade is sharpened on both sides, with serrations on one edge to help with cutting tough roots or dividing perennials. Deeply stamped markings on the blade (in 1/2" and 5mm increments) help you set the correct planting depth for seeds and bulbs.
