It’s a beautiful summer day and we’re kicking off our new blog today with 10 gardening tips!

• To grow ivy in water, add a teaspoon of liquid plant food to each pint of water. Never change the water, just add more to it as needed.
• When retiring the garden tools after a hard summer’s work, place a teaspoon of tea leaves in the container. These magic leaves will guard your tools against rust and corrosion. Your silverware, guns and other metal pieces can be protected too.
• Cut flowers keep longer if placed in leftover tea, weakened with water. This is good also for house plants.
• Short-stemmed flowers can be kept fresh by placing them in a bowl or vase of sand that is well moistened.
• Midday or afternoon is the best time to cut roses and gladiolus.
• A tablespoon of household bleach added to the water in a vase of zinnias will keep the stems from rotting and you will have fresh flowers longer.
• To keep flowers from fading, clip the stems off about an inch and let stand in mild solution of glycerin water. They will stay pretty for two or three weeks.
• Put a teaspoon of sugar in vase of marigolds and it will help to eliminate the odor.
• Cut flowers will last long if you put the flowers in hot water.
• Peonies last longer if the stems are split at the bottom with a sharp knife before they are placed in water.

Enjoy your day!