6 Handy Gardening Tips to Try

For the larger home and garden projects on your wish list, you’ll want to call on one of the professionals profiled on the pages that follow. But, for those who are looking to dabble in, or do a bit of gardening work themselves, here are some tips that may come in handy…

1. Goodbye dirty fingernails. Prevent clumps of dirt from sticking underneath your nailbeds by drawing them across a bar of soap first. You’ll seal the undersides of your nails so dirt can’t collect there. When you’re done, use a nailbrush to remove the soap and you’ll be set.

2. Grab vegetable oil. Doing some trimming? Keep the line on your trimmer from jamming or breaking by treating it with vegetable oil before installing it in the trimmer.

3. Freeze protection. Small clay pots make excellent cloches for protecting young plants from unexpected overnight frosts and freezes.

4. Banish aphids. Control them with a strong blast of water from the hose or with insecticidal soap.

5. Save your vegetable water. The next time you boil or steam vegetables, let the water cool and use it to water potted patio plants. Just wait until you see how they respond.

6. Dry herbs quickly. The best way is to lay a sheet of newspaper on the seat of your car, arrange the herbs in a single layer and then roll up your windows and close the doors. It will dry herbs quickly and your car will smell great, too.