Clean as a Whistle. Gloria Oxford
make it airtight and leave for several hours. The aphids suffocate and can easily be shaken from the clothes. Putting the washing into a tumble dryer also rids the clothing of aphids, but contain it in a pillowslip or the tumble dryer will be full of dead insects.
AZALEAS
If azaleas are to be planted in a cement tub, the container needs to be treated before planting. Put 125 grams (⅓ oz) of alum into the tub, then fill the tub with cold water and leave for three days to neutralise the lime in the cement.
BANANA SKINS
Don’t throw the skins away. They are good food for staghorn ferns tucked in at the back of the plant. For potted maidenhair ferns, chop up banana skins and mix with the potting mix.
BEANS TO GROW
Seeds won’t germinate if the ground is too cold, but if you want an early crop, sow them indoors in peat moss then plant out when the weather is warmer. In the springtime the seeds will need to be planted only about 2 cm below the surface, but as the hot sun penetrates the soil in summer, plant the seeds 3 cm down. Beans need plenty of water and fertiliser, and yield more if you keep picking when young and succulent.
BIRDS NESTING
Birds can be nuisances, particularly under the eaves of verandahs. To frighten the birds away from the nesting area, strips of aluminium foil can be tied on string and put up. The strips tinkle together as the birds flutter about. The combination of glittering tinsel and the noise will often scare the birds away. Chinese or Japanese “windsongs” can also be used as bird chasers or spray with a bird repellent. For bird droppings on the car, or other paintwork, get it off quickly, with plenty of hot soapy water. Bird droppings can damage paintwork.
BROOM HANDLE
Don’t throw away that old broom. Remove the head and drive a 7.5 centimetre nail firmly into the end of the handle. Walk around the lawn pushing it into the grass. The holes will not be noticeable and will allow the water to penetrate instead of running off the top.
CANVAS MILDEW
Mildew on canvas should be scrubbed with two cups of salt dissolved in about half a bucket of water. If lemons are available put the juice of five or six lemons into the water with the salt. Moss, mildew and rust can all cause disintegration of the fabric which may not be noticeable until the fibres break, so proceed carefully.
CATS
Keep cats away from favourite plants by splashing a little kerosene or cloudy ammonia on a cloth and leaving it on the garden. Another tip that works well is chilli sauce. Sprinkle it around where cats like to go. One sniff and they’ll quickly go somewhere else. Or, hose the cats with the garden hose; it won’t hurt them but they will go elsewhere. Or, spray with a commercial product, available from nurseries and some hardware stores.
CONCRETE
To prepare concrete tubs for plants that may be allergic to lime, put in about 125 grams (4 oz) of alum and fill the tubs with water. Leave for about three days. Empty the tubs and wash them thoroughly before adding soil to plant azaleas, or other plants that don’t tolerate lime.
Moss on concrete can be slippery and very dangerous. To kill moss, use 30 grams (1 oz) of sulphate of iron (available from hardware stores or nurserymen) to 4½ litres (152 fl oz) of water and scrub with a hard broom. Another way to rid paths of moss is to rub crushed butchers salt into the moss. Leave it until the moss dies then sweep with a stiff broom.
For rust on concrete use spirits of salts (obtainable from hardware shops or pharmacists). Cover the rust with spirits of salts, then with sawdust and leave about 12 hours. Use gloves to avoid burning your hands.
Strange but true! Kitty Litter will clean concrete. Dampen the concrete. Spread the litter, leave overnight then brush with a very hard yard broom.
To remove an oil spill on concrete, buy some chalk powder from a hardware store. The amount needed is dependent upon the size of the oil spill. Mix the chalk to a creamy paste with white spirits, or shellite (naptha). Spread the paste over the oil stain, cover it with plastic and leave for a week before brushing it on to a shovel and discarding it. If there is any residual staining, repeat the process. Finally, scrub the area with very hot water and disinfectent liquid. Use about two tablespoons of disinfectent liquid to a quarter bucket of water.
DOG FLEAS
There are a number of herbs that are said to repel fleas. Fennel can be planted around the dog’s kennel if it is an outdoors dog. If the dog lives indoors, fennel can be rubbed into its coat. Pennyroyal rubbed into the skin of the dog, or used in pets bedding is also said to be a good repellent. Commercial products have been tested by experts who add herbal chemicals in amounts that are unlikely to harm your pets, so do take care to watch your dog’s reaction to the herbs you use. It is a good idea to check any herbal remedy with your vet before using it.
DOG PLANT
Coleus canis is a name used in nurseries for an unpleasant smelling, blue-flowered, succulent herb with a reputation for repelling dogs. The specific epithet canis is a misspelling as the species name should be Coleus caninus.
DOOR SCREENS
Sometimes impurities in the atmosphere eat into the finish of a security door. If the door is painted, repaint it, and once the paint is thoroughly dry, spray it regularly with a good silicone car polish. If the door has a metal finish, use a matching colour like a wax colour, available from car accessory shops. If you don’t want to go to that expense, try a matching shoe polish.
EARWIGS
Earwigs come out at night and an easy way to get rid of them is to use folded newspaper or a cardboard box in the garden. Put the newspaper or box in the garden at night, the earwigs will swarm into the paper for their daily rest. When daylight comes, gather the paper or box and burn it, along with the earwigs. Another method is to put pieces of garden hose, about 20 centimetres long where earwigs gather. They will go into the hose and can be knocked out into the incinerator. Burn immediately or use boiling water to kill the insects.
FENNEL
This herb has an aniseed-type flavour and is ideal with fish, salad and spaghetti sauces.
FERNS
Potted ferns are most attractive indoor plants and are also an effective deterrent to flies. Place a hanging basket, or a pot, containing ferns near the door or window where flies come in. It may not stop a really determined fly, but the timid ones will go elsewhere.
GARDEN FURNITURE
White, plastic garden furniture is best cleaned with very hot water, a scrubbing brush and woollen mix. The plastic will not come back to its former, pristine white because heat, cold, rain and sun all cause changes in the plastic. Yellowing will certainly take place, and sometimes, the plastic will become brittle and crack. After cleaning, a softener should be applied. Any good, cream car polish is suitable. If at all possible, store plastic garden furniture indoors, or at least under cover, during the winter months when it is not in use.
GARDEN SPRAYS
• In a bucket of water, put 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt and 1 teaspoon of Condy’s crystals (obtainable from pharmacists). Use as a garden spray for plants, shrubs and vegetables. This spray is non-toxic.
• Garlic spray. Four hot peppers, four big onions, two bulbs of garlic. Crush the peppers, onions and garlic and cover with water, leave up to 24 hours. Strain, and add water to make up 4 litres (135 fl oz). This spray is non-toxic.
• The leaves of rhubarb can be used as a garden