Home & Garden: Page 40

This video demonstrates how to use plastic row covers and wall of water to start plants early. A lot of gardeners want to start their planting early if the weather is nice. But they may be subject to some frost still yet. How can they protect their plants? First is a demonstration of how to use a spun bond polyester like material. It is breathable, rather than using clear plastic, so the plants don't cook on warmer days. Then the video shows how to use a wall of water to start a few plants...

Southwest Yard and Garden shows viewers how to use recycled paper in compost! In order to compost paper you should first shred up the paper into pieces. Then you need to work in the paper into the soil or sand. You should work the paper into the soil in equal parts. Make sure you mix nitrogen into this composting paper. You need to mix nitrogen into it or it will not decompose and the process will not be fed. So first mix your paper with soil and sprinkle in nitrogen. You also need to water...

Southwest Yard and Garden teaches viewers how to plant asparagus! First, in your garden you need to dig a trench that is about 8 inches deep. You should mix up some compost into this trench. Choose an asparagus that has a fern and make sure you choose a variety that is a male hybrid. These are more tolerant of other problems such as wilt. Simply, plant these 8 inches deep but do not cover them fully. Cover them gradually and cover it as it grows highly. Make sure your roots are laying...

John White, a Doña Ana County Extension Agent, highlights a new section on the show - a monthly checklist for the garden. This time, he talks about what to do in your garden in the month of February. The checklist includes planting dormant plants, pruning with a purpose and applying herbicides and pesticides. He shows us various types of dormant plants that can be purchased from nurseries in February for planting such as potted, bare-root or root-balled plants wrapped in burlap. As for pruning...

Learn how to choose and care for poinsettias with Southwest Yard and Garden's John White. You will be taken through the typical height and specifications for poinsettias, as well as what to look for in the leaves and flowers. One of the most important parts of growing poinsettias is keeping to a specific schedule. Measuring the plants is also important as plants that are too tall or too short are undesirable. Remember to frequently water the plants, but be careful not to overwater. Also, keep...

In this how-to video, you will learn how to install a lawn irrigation system. You must have a digital controller with an AV program. This controls the zones at which the water comes on. These can save you a lot on water use. The controller controls the valve which accesses the water. Make sure all your sprinkler heads are all the same. There are different types of heads, each serving for different situations. Backflow preventers are needed as well, as they prevent contaminants from going back...

This video illustrate us how to identify problems with ground covering junipers .Here are the following steps .step 1: First of all look through the whole plant and see whether there is any browning or fall of leaf, if so then this may be due to water logging as these plants are good for soil with well seepage and lots of sun.Step 2: Look whether the leafs are free of all the bacterial and fungal infection.Step 3: Look whether there are any spider mites present, if so remove them.Step 4: Look...

This video shows viewers how to remove permanent marker from the top of a compact disc without damaging it. In order to do this, you will need some hand sanitizing gel and some facial tissues. Apply some gel onto the marks you want to remove by squeezing the gel out from the bottle. Rub the gel in a bit with your fingers. Take a facial tissue and wipe it gently around the CD, using it to remove the gel and the marker from the top of the CD. The marker will now be entirely removed from the top...

Curtis Smith (Extension Horticulturist) and Rick Daniell (Bernalillo Co. Horticulture Agent) examine the bark of a poplar tree. The young bark is smooth and will furrow as it grows older. There are straight horizontal lines on the bark that look like sap-sucker damage but in this case, the markings on the poplar is the normal bark development of the poplar. They also look at and discuss Fall Web Worm cocoons which look like bird nests on a tree. Web worms do not do as much damage to the tree as...

In this tutorial, we learn how to install a gutter guard. First, clean out your gutters of any rocks or leaves that may be inside of them. Next, gran the gutter guard and place it between your roof and the gutter. Gutter guard is a mesh type of metal that is flexible and easy to use. Now, take your gutter guard and place it on a long and thin piece of wood so it gets to be the same shape as the wood. Now, take the gutter guard and place it into your gutter. This is a great way to keep your...

Curtis Smith, Extension Horticulturist with Southwest Yard and Garden, and Rick Daniell, Bernalillo County Horticultural Agent, discuss how to identify problems with vegetable plants in your garden. Gray or white spots on a squash leaf are natural if they do not rub off. Blossom end rot can afflict tomatoes, squash, chilies and melons. Blossom end rot indicates a calcium deficiency during times of vigorous growing during uneven watering. Fertilize when the plants are young. Sun scald can...

Curtis Smith provides information on how to use chickens to control garden pests. Using chickens keeps the use of pesticides to a minimum and keeps plants healthier. In the organic garden, chickens are used because they'll eat any insect as well. The process is known as Integrated Pest Management, Curtis explains that its basically knowing your pest. It also reduces the amount of feed that has to be purchased for the chickens because they're eating the insects in the garden. It also controls...

This video explains how to make an inexpensive compost roller. The video begins with a composed pile shown covered with a tarp to keep rain away from. The materials needed for this project consists of 3" barrel nuts(2), 3" hinges(3) and machine screws(3pk) from a local Wall-Mart. The tools needed for this project consist of an electric drill with drill bit, screw driver, wrench, jig saw or key saw and a heavy duty utility knife. The compost roller made was just a simple plastic drum with a...

In this video you will learn how to get your potato plant growing using a 5 gallon bucket. Start by taking your 5 gallon bucket and drilling a series of small holes at the bottom for draining. Next line the bottom of your bucket with about 2 inches of rocks to help with drainage and top with a layer of weed block and a couple inches of soil. Now your bucket is ready to add a budded potato. To make your potatoes bud out simply leave them in a bag and place them in the dark for about a month...

The first thing you have to understand is that the damage that comes to the spruce is mainly from the weather, moths, and caterpillars. The caterpillars and moths dry out the tree slowly, sometimes it is not noticed until the tree is on the verge of dying. One way to make sure this doesn't happen is to look under the spruce branches and the underside of the plant. You will be able to notice when it is getting withered by caterpillar accumulation. If there is a lot of caterpillars of the...

Master Gardener Valois Pearce advises how to identify problems with pecans. 1. Look for webworms. One control is to cut the branch off if you can. You can break the web with a strong blast of water. 2. Shiny leaves indicate there may be a problem with Aphids. 3. Check for Pecan-nut Casebearer. Should you decide to use insecticide for any of these problems, please check with your local county extension office to confirm spray dates. Even with these precautions trees normally do not give a...

In this how-to video, you will learn how to remove permanent marker sharpie marks off a whiteboard. This is useful if someone accidentally used one on the dry erase board. To erase the marks, you will need a regular dry erase marker. Color over the top of the permanent marker thoroughly with the dry erase marker. Next, take a rag and wipe the marks off the board. Both markers will come off easily. The color of the markers do not matter at all. This video shows you a simple way to deal with the...

Arthur Cavallin demonstrates how to pick a door lock. To pick a lock, you will need to push up the pins and align them so that the mechanism will open. You will need a tension wrench which you can make with an alan key. You will also need a lock pick which you can make out of a hacksaw blade. Use the tension wrench to apply pressure to the front pin. Then, use the lock pick to push up the back pins. You can also use a quick raking technique to push the pins in. Insert the tension wrench into...

In this how-to video, you will learn how to indicate if tree damage has occurred due to a natural gas leak. In this example, a Mexican Elder tree has been damaged by the gas leak. You can tell by the brown leaves. The plastic around the soil has trapped the gas in the soil, cutting off the oxygen from the tree. The Indian Hawthorne in this example has also been damaged. There is some foliage burn on the leaves. The bush will have to be trimmed back in order to save it. There are several plants...

This shows viewers how to remove permanent marker stains using toothpaste. First, you will want to do this in a bathroom or kitchen. Fill up a cup just barely with water. This should only be about 1 cm deep or full in the cup. Next, you will need to different kinds of toothpaste, preferably one a gel and another the average paste. Now, put the toothpaste into the cup, about quarter size, and use your finger or any tool to mix this with the water. Next, you'll want to put this mixture onto the...

This video shows you how to make compost from organic debris in the garden and leftover food.To make compost, you must add organic debris or scraps of food to such as pine needles, leaves or fruits to your compost bin. You should use horse or cow manure to speed up the process. You can also use nitrogen fertilizers as long as they do not contain herbicides. Then add water to the whole mixture.It is recommended that the compost bin should be about 3 feet high and 3 feet wide in order to insulate...

An associate from Garden Years discusses the danger frost poses to small, outdoor plants. Since you don't have a lot of control over the weather, there are a few tips you can follow to try an avoid any unwanted damage to existing plants. The host examines a peach tree to identify when a plant is blooming and thus very delicate. If a plant is fully blooming, then any temperature below freezing (32 f) can damage the blossoms. Aside from putting cloth over the plant, mulch is also very helpful in...

In this video Rich explains how to maintain a grout and tile floor. He uses a chemical cleaner which he describes as a "grout-smart type product." For regular maintenance of the floor Rich recommends using only 1oz of the product per gallon of warm water but for really badly stained floors using up to 12oz per gallon of warm water. Rich mixes the chemical into his water then applies the mixture to the tile using an ordinary deck scrubber, he then uses an angled scrubber which has bristles that...

First of all you have to need a bonsai and scissors. In the type of the tree shown in the tutorial which is a fifteen year old, once you have got the branch structure established then you can prune the leaves over it. Start from the bottom branch chop of the leaves that are out of symmetry with your scissors. Cut from the outside to the inside. Now move towards the upper branches. Chop off extra new branches which are coming out from the main branches. Reduce the leaves in a fine length all...

Ken Alston shows how to germinate Japanese maple tree seeds. The most important thing is to always buy fresh seeds. Seeds that are bought on eBay or other unreliable sellers are dry and lifeless and the chances of germination are not very good. The video shows the huge difference between the dry seeds and the fresh seeds. On the fresh seeds you can see that the roots are already out and in some cases the leaves are out, so from this point the rest is easy. Have little seed pots ready, make...

If you have never dealt with wire color-coding then Old64goat takes you through a very elementary tutorial that will give you the helpful aid needed to deal with common household wires. The first cord that is reviewed is the three pronged cord. The color wires contained within it is the green wire which is the ground prong, the white wire which is neutral, and the black wire which is the heat. Old64goat then demonstrates where the wires are connected to on the prong. He even gives out helpful...

In this how-to video, you will learn how to make a simple cost-saving planter for a small kitchen garden. First you will need a plastic milk jug. Cut at the opening of the jug and split it in half vertically. Next, place soil inside the half of the jug. Water this part well, but do not have a standing puddle underneath the jug. Use a chopstick to poke holes into the soil. This will allow you to plant about 35 seeds in the plastic planter. Viewing this video will show you the easiest way to make...

How to sharpen a knife using a sharpening stoneIn this video we are about to see how to sharpen a knife using a sharpening stone. First of all we need to know the faults and the damages on the edges of the knife where it is to be repaired. Then get a sharpening stone to make a sharp knife. Now rub the knife at a 45 degree angle with a fair amount of pressure. Now repeat the process by changing the positions of the knife on either hand. This is done to get the knife cutting towards the stone to...

This is a how to video on making dried flower arrangements. It is presented by John white along with Virginia podmenik, Master Gardener from southwest yard and garden show. John white and Virginia podmenik, Master Gardener from the Dona Ana co. walk us through the various types of plants used for dried floral arrangements. Virginia podmenik shares her garden collections for the dried floral arrangements. Mexican sage is an excellent plant to choose for dried floral arrangements. These are...

In this video Bob describes how to plant bulbs. Bulbs are among the easiest flowers to grow. They don't like "wet feet" so always plant your bulbs where it's sunny. In the Spring the trees don't have their leaves yet so you will have a lot of different places to plant your bulbs. Your bulbs, depending on the size will go in to the soil at different depths. You can plant them singly or plant a bunch of them at once in one hole, just space them and cover them well. Make sure to mix compost or...

This video describes problems with fruit trees and how to deal with them. One problem is Chlorosis, identified by yellowing leaves with green veins between the sections of the leaf. This is caused by a micronutrient deficiency (usually iron) that results when the tree roots are unable to absorb all the nutrients from the soil. This problem can be temporarily treated with a foliar spray of iron. Another problem is pruning wounds with decay that results when trees are not pruned correctly. They...

In this video from nmsuaces we learn how to identify problems with weevils and leaf cutter bees. Weevils attack all kinds of plants in a J shape on leaves. To tell a difference between a weevil and leaf cutter bee is the bee will make a perfect round cut, whereas a weevil makes more of a J shape. If it starts doing serious damage you may need to control them. The weevil works at night. In this video she also discusses vines. A potato vine needs to be tied up as it grows. It's good for around a...

This is a great way to learn how to upgrade your small house plants into bigger ones. Start over plants once a year. Put rocks on the bottom for drainage. Bugs help your plants to grow. Do not use Pesticides on your house plants. Water weekly. Compost bins make great soil. Sweet potatoes that have roots growing off of them put in a glass of water and wait for them to grow roots. Give you plants at least six hours of sunlight daily. They also like when you talk to them and touch them you can...

Install a pond skimmerThe most critical steps to installing a skimmer are the water level and attaching the liner to the face plate with a water tight seal. The pond should be rocked in. The skimmer needs to be level from front to back and side to side. That's critical. Optimum water level is approximately 3/4 inch down from the top of the steel face. Use the level (tool) to determine the water level on the face plate. It's important to have the weir door work effectively. Prepare the area for...

This is a "Southwest Yard and Garden" episode that details the proper selection of gardening tools for fighting seasonal weeds. Horticulturist and host Curtis Smith takes us to meet with Ron Jobe, an Albuquerque Master Gardener, to discuss the options available for such a task. Ron covers the various conditions a gardener is faced with, including the soil and the weeds themselves. Some suggested tools are: the Wing Hoe, Skimming Hoe, Raker, Pointed Hoe, and Stirrup Hoe. The use of each is...

How to spackle a crack or a hole Use spackling paste that is water based. Open up the can and take out a little bit of spackle using a 2 inch knife. Make sure that you put the lid back on the can so that the spackle does not dry out. Put the spackle onto a 5 inch knife. The 5 inch knife will serve as a pallet for the spackle. Take a little bit of the spackle off of the 5 inch knife with your 2 inch knife. Make sure the hole or crack is completely cleaned out ahead of time. Take the knife and...

This video is a tutorial on how to start growing tomato plants from seeds. The instructor first explains that it is important to make sure your seeds are fresh and within the proper date frame and that you pick a good artificial soil mix for proper growth. The tutorial goes over a few different fertilizer products that you can choose from, yet they are not completely necessary for growth if the soil is of a high quality. The instructor then fills plastic mini pots with soil and then uses a...

According to Outer Banks, cleaning coins found on the beach is an easy job. First of all he doesn't clean pennies as he doesn't think its worth the time. First use a rock tumbler. They're not expensive and cost under $100.00. Toss the coins in a tumbler with small rocks or gravel as this helps clean and separate the coins. Use a couple of squirts of dishwashing liquid and water about 3/4 full. Let it tumble about three to four hours. Using a colander rinse your coins once tumbling is completed....

Martyn Cox show us how to plant spring bulbs. You want to begin with bulbs that are firm, with intact skin. You don't need a garden to grow these; you can put them in a pot. If using a terracotta pot, you need to cover the hole in the bottom with another piece of terracotta, to prevent leakage. Next, you add in the compost, breaking up any lumps. For most bulbs, plant them about three times their depth. The flat side is the bottom. You can plant a few together, but make sure they aren't...

When picking a padlock, the only part you need to worry about is the part where the key goes into the lock. The locking mechanism has pins attached to springs. The key pins are on the bottom and the driver pins are on the top. The key turns when the pins of different heights are separated, flush and aligned. Stick a tension wrench into the keyway and put pressure on it. Take a pick to push the rest of the pins up until they are flush with the shear line. Stick the tension wrench into the bottom...