Is Vinegar Good For Tomato Plants?
Vinegar is good for tomato plants in specific, limited ways, though some folk traditions — such as using it as a fertilizer — don't help. Instead, use it as an herbicide, pesticide or fungicide.
Read MoreFred Decker
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Stories By Fred Decker
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Is Lucky Bamboo Poisonous?
The plant you know as "lucky bamboo" isn't a bamboo at all but a completely unrelated species. It's not dangerously toxic, though it contains substances (saponins) that can cause mild to moderate illness in pets.
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How To Use Sevin Dust On Tomato Plants
Sevin dust is a potent and effective pesticide. In its popular dust form, it can be used on your tomato plants as late as a day before harvest. That being said, it's a powerful toxin, and you may wish to try less harmful measures before you use Sevin dust on tomato plants.
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How To Transplant Potato Plants
It's relatively rare to transplant potato plants instead of planting directly in the garden bed, but it can be done if you have specific reasons to do so.
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How To Prune Rose Hips
Pruning rose hips, or removing spent rose blossoms, is like deadheading any other flower. It encourages the plant to keep blossoming and prevents it from diverting its resources to fruit and seed production.
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How To Grow A Potato In A Jar
Growing a potato to maturity in a jar isn't especially practical, but you can certainly start one that way. It's a good science project for kids and a way to test whether your store-bought potatoes will grow.
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Natural Bug Spray For Potato Plants
If your potato patch is invaded by potato beetles, leafhoppers, aphids or other pests, there are low-toxicity alternatives to the usual harsh insecticides.
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How To Get A Stuck Lid Off A Pressure Cooker
If your pressure cooker lid is stuck, it's usually because there's either still pressure inside the pot or a partial vacuum. Loosening the lid isn't usually difficult if you know how.
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How To Mix Vinegar To Get Rid Of White Powdery Mold In Plants
The best fungicide for plants, in the home context, is the least-toxic one that will get the job done. For light to moderate outbreaks, spraying with a vinegar solution will often do the trick.
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What Fruit Trees Can Grow In Pennsylvania?
The best fruits to grow in Pennsylvania are those that will flourish in its moderate (but sometimes cold) environment. As a rule, pomes (the apple family) will grow in most locations, while stone fruit do best in the state's southern regions.
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How To Use Tide Bar Soap
Tide bar soap isn't sold in the U.S. by Proctor & Gamble, but the Asian-made detergent bar is available from online retailers. It's a good choice for handwashing clothes, and doubles as a good stain pretreatment.
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How To Grow Shallots From The Grocery Store
Planting sprouted shallots from the store (or nonsprouted shallots, for that matter) is one way to bring this aromatic onion relative to your home garden. The bulbs you buy are essentially the same as "shallot sets" from the garden center.
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How To Remove The Cover Plate On A Bathtub Drain Overflow With No Hole In The Faceplate
To remove a no-hole cover plate from your bathtub's overflow drain, your best bet is to identify the existing plate by searching images online. Once you've learned the brand, you should be able to find instructions for removing it.
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What Effect Does Vegetable Oil Have On Plants?
Vegetable oil doesn't have a significant effect on plants directly, but it does work well as a low-toxicity treatment for insect pests. To use it, mix a cup of oil into a gallon of water and spray your plants thoroughly.
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How Long Does It Take Bean Plants To Germinate?
Bean germination time varies according to conditions at the time of planting, but you can usually expect to see sprouts in eight to 10 days. If the soil is cold, it can take longer.
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How To Regrow Cilantro
If you run out of cilantro seeds for planting, you can regrow the existing plants in your garden after harvesting the leaves. You can also regrow store-bought cilantro indoors, if you wish.
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Types Of White Fungus On Citrus Fruits
White powder on the outside of an orange peel is a sign that you're about to have a problem with a fungal pathogen. Whichever citrus fruit you grow, it's a clear warning and requires immediate treatment.
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How To Kill Aphids On A Hibiscus Tree Naturally
Aphids on hibiscus need to be addressed, because they'll weaken your plants, but that doesn't necessarily mean bombing them with pesticides. There are safe and effective natural methods you should try first.
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How To Propagate A Mexican Bird Of Paradise Plant
Bird of paradise type plants fall into two categories: "true" (Strelitzia spp.) and the unrelated Mexican Bird of Paradise and its cousins. Propagating the Mexican Bird of Paradise is easiest from seed, but cuttings also work.
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When Should I Plant Fall Potatoes?
Potatoes are commonly planted in spring, but if your growing season is long enough, you can also plant a second crop for harvesting later in the fall. Count back 90 to 110 days from your expected frost date, depending on your specific potato cultivar.
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Microwave Hood Venting Options
If you have limited space to work with, an over-the-range microwave venting kit may be your best option. These can exhaust air to the outside or recirculate it.
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How Thick Is Ceramic Tile?
The thickness of ceramic tile varies with its purpose — floor, wall, decorative — but in general, it ranges from as little as 1/8 inch up to 1/2 inch. You'll also need to allow for the thickness of your thinset and underlayment.
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Thawing A Frozen Hose Bib
Ideally, you'd remember to remove your hose and drain the hose bib before cold weather hits, but sometimes, life gets in the way. Thawing a frozen hose bib after the fact is inconvenient, but it's not difficult.
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How To Remove Wax From Flooring
Many types of flooring can be waxed, both as a form of protectant and for aesthetic reasons, but the wax can become discolored over time and adversely affect the way a floor looks. Rather than replacing the whole floor, removal of wax can be a cost-effective way to improve your floor's appearance.
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How Much Weight Can Wall Anchors Support?
Wall anchors are available in a range of sizes and types, supporting weights from just a few pounds to 100 pounds or more. Match your anchor to the weight you're hanging for best results.
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What Causes A Microwave Oven's Fuses To Blow?
If your microwave fuse blows, and especially if it keeps blowing, you'll need to do a bit of troubleshooting. Some repairs are DIY-appropriate, others are not.
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How To Remove A GE Microwave Door
It can be hard to find good information on how to remove a GE microwave door, because service manuals are hard to find online. Luckily, the process is simple.
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