Mina


 * //how to prune roses. //**

pruning a **standard rose**, start in the middle, where the branches are growing into the centre and take out the branches that are growing towards the middle. Prune the rest back by about a third. Don't worry about which bud to cut to because they will flourish even if you don't cut to an outward or inward pointing bud.

When pruning a large flowering **bush rose**, or a **hybrid tea rose**, be brutal. And that means getting stuck into it with a saw. These roses are tough. Open up the middle of the plant to stimulate masses of new shoots, which is what you want. And simply cut the rest of it back - just cut all the new branches back by about a third. It doesn't matter if you make a mistake. If you see any dead looking ones, cut them off.


 * miniature roses**? They’re quite small, with small, miniature leaves and the small flowers appear for month after glorious month. To prune them is no problem, and it's a brutal, beautiful business. Just imagine a wandering cow has got in and is munching away quite happily. It’s brutal, and yet they love it. So what happens next? Well you get this marvellous stimulated sprouting new wood and that means even more flowers. But here's the good news, the little prunings strike easily. Just shove them in the soil and they strike to perfection and you have some new plants. (a note from Mina- bush roses will also strike from cuttings- do it in winter when they will stay moist)

But what about the **ground cover roses**? They're marvellous. And you can even cut these with brush cutters. Just prune them to a stubble and then they will re-sprout.

And climbers? The great rule is to cut out the oldest branches, about a third of them, every year, so that every three years the entire climber is actually renewed. **But don’t cut back the long whippy branches because that's where all the roses appear.** Cut back some whiskery branches, and the job is done and when you have finished get rid of the debris because it's full of disease.

Now, for feeding. I use a slow release fertiliser. My favourite is blood and bone. It’s lovely stuff. But it also needs potash, and if you're feeling organic, don't worry, it's just another mineral, just sulphur and potassium. Mix it in, a brilliant, complete fertiliser, and sprinkle it around the **roses**. And they love it. Boil in water, garlic and chillies; let it chill and strain. In a spray bottle pour one part of chilly and garlic water to ten parts of plain water and five drops of dish washing detergent. Spray your garden in the morning once a week. Swim Control of disease in roses the use of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3) and potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) to control powdery mildew and other fungal diseases of plants. The recipe is made of using one ounce of baking soda per gallon of water to control powdery mildew (PM) on climbing roses. low fat milk diluted 1-10 w/water and sprayed on roses kills the black spot. Others concur. ever used milk, but hey, I will give it a go myself, maybe something in the fat content of the milk does the trick, Corn meal is used for this also. A Hand full at the base is good for the spotts on roses.
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 * __ Mina’s recipe for a perfect garden:  __**

Got yellow leaves on your photinia, brown patch in your St. Augustine grass or algae in your pond or water feature? You don’t have to use toxic chemicals like the synthetic fungicides or heavy metal products like copper sulfate. There’s a terrific solution to these problems that is totally natural. Cornmeal – and it’s now available from the garden centers and feed stores in 25 pound bags. Cornmeal controls diseases better than any of the toxic chemical pesticides.

In general, cornmeal is the natural fungal disease fighter that is especially good for use on brown patch in St Augustine grass, damping off in seedlings and fungal leaf spots on roses, Indian hawthorn, photinia and other susceptible plants. Corn gluten meal is the natural “weed and feed” product. That milk recipe is very good however it must be full fat ...it works on mildew and most fungus...and won't hurt anything (bees...or us) great in the veg patch Don't know what it is in the milk that does it, but it is a natural fungicide. Not sure if you absolutely have to use high fat milk/whole milk since you dilute it - dilution recipes vary - I guess it depends **Homemade Pesticide For Snails and Slugs**

Diatomaceous earth is a powder-like dust made of tiny marine organisms called diatoms. It is effective on soft-bodied insects as well as snails and slugs. Just spread it on top of the soil and it works by cutting and irritating these soft organisms yet is harmless to other organisms. You can also put out shallow dishes of beer to trap snails and slugs.


 * To Keep Bugs Away From Houseplants**

This is the safest natural pesticide for any home gardner and is effective on a variety of bugs and insects. Mix 3 tablespoons of liquid detergent into a gallon of water. Use in a sprayer bottle for houseplants.


 * Another Bugs Away From Houseplants Mix**

To keep bugs away from houseplants, mix 1 clove garlic, 1 small hot pepper and 1 quart water in a blender. Pour into a spray bottle and apply to plants. Putting hot sauce on a cotton ball in a house plant pot will also repel pests.


 * Cabbageworms and Spider Mites Mix**

For garden pests like cabbageworms and spider mites, mix 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 gallon of water and use in a sprayer bottle.


 * To Control Garden Pests**

Gather together a collection of dead bugs, crush them up and mix with water. Strain the mix until it will come out of a spray bottle. Only use this mix outside.


 * Spearmint Hot Pepper Horseradish Spray**

This is effective on many different kinds of outside bugs and insects and should be an outside spray.

1/4 cup of hot red peppers

1/2 gallon water

1/4 cup of fresh spearmint

1/4 cup horseradish, both root and leaves

1 tablespoons of liquid detergent

1/4 cup green onion tops

Mix the spearmint leaves, horseradish, onion tops and peppers together with enough water to cover everything. Then strain the solution. Add a half-gallon of water and the detergent. You can use this to spray almost any plant safely. Store the mixture for a few days in a cool place.


 * Natural Pesticide for Aphids and Whiteflies**

Mix a few drops of dishwashing detergent with water and spray on plants leaves. This is extremely effective in controlling many soft-bodied insects such as aphids and whiteflies.


 * Homemade Pesticide For Roses**

In your blender make a solution of leaves from a tomato plant 4 pints of water and a tablespoon of cornstarch. Strain the mix and spray on roses as a natural pesticide. Keep any unused spray refrigerated.

Natural pesticides can work well for any home gardner and are much safer for you and your family. After you try a few of these recipes you'll understand that they really work. If you want to control pests naturally instead of chemically, homemade pesticides may be the ideal choice. [] []  