Frontier Fridays: Cut Flowers Tips from the Past

Got beautiful flowers? Bring them indoors!  Here are some ways to keep them fresh...

Cut flowers keep longer in leftover tea weakened with water.

Short-stemmed flowers stay fresh in vase of sand kept moist.

Cut roses and gladiolas at mid-day.

Tablespoon of household bleach added to water in vase of zinnas will keep stems fresh and flowers last longer.

Marigolds - teaspoon of sugar in vase eliminates odors.

Cut flowers last longer in hot water.

Cut flowers last longer with an aspirin in the water

Peonies - split stems at bottom with knife before putting in water.

To keep flowers from fading, clip stems about 1 inch and let stand in mild solution of glycerin water.

Cut flowers last longer with camphor in the water.


I can't attest to any of these - I have used some of them before.  Happy Spring!

Frontier Fridays: Gardening Tips from Our Ancestors

It's SPRING!  Perfect time for some gardening tips from those pioneers. 

*When planting carrot seeds which are so fine, mix with radish seeds.  The radish will be ready to pull before the carrots. 

*Plant radish and cucumbers seeds together to keep bugs off the cucumbers.

*Two tablespoons of Epsom Salts and 1 tablespoon soda to a gallon of water as a spray for the bean beetle.

*To keep worms off cabbages - 1 pint saltpeter and 3 pints of salt.  Dissolve in 6 gallons of water.  Sprinkle on cabbage as needed as a never fail proof against cabbage vermin.

*Before working in the garden or doing other rough work rub your finger nails over a piece of soap.  This will prevent earth getting in under your nails and the soap will help clean your hands more easily.

*If dogs prowl across your flower bed, stamp a few moth balls into the ground around your favorite bed and they will avoid it.

*Turn fruit jars oover earliest planted vegetables.  The will come up quicker.

Try some in your garden!  Happy Spring :)