Frontier Fridays: Plantings and Potted Flowers Tips

Here are some ideas from the past for caring for plants and flowers:

Use the ribs of an old umbrella for morning glories to grow on


Repot ferns in May in shade on northside.

Fertilize potted plants with chimney soot.

To grow good ferns - put 2 raw oysters under soil near the roots.

Plant daffodils on Armistice Day (in May) to bloom on Christmas Day

Water plants every 2 weeks with 5 drops of ammonia plus 1 teaspoon of soda in 1 quart of water.

Mix coffee grounds with dirt to set geraniums.  Increases growth and bloom.

Eggshells - crush and add to water to water plants.

Thick leafed plants - teaspoon of sweet oil around roots once a month.

To water tiny seedlings dip whisk broom in water and sprinkle over seedlings.

2 T castor oil around roots of Christmas cactus in October ensures blooms in December.

Insert a few rusty nails in soil around African Violets gives you larger blooms, more blooms and more vivid blooms.

Use bottle caps in bottom of pots over hole for good drainage.

Never take in old geranium plants - in August break off new parts and start.

To make geraniums blooms use bloody chicken water.

On vacation?  Fold newspaper, put under pots in tub of 2" of water.  No worries. 


Next time: Cut Flower Tips