Automotive Care

Natural Engine Degreaser:  Dissolve one-quarter cup of washing soda into one gallon of warm water, pour on engine areas that need degreasing.  Rinse thoroughly.  Excess should not be stored – discard all leftovers.

Battery Cleaner (Removes built-up acid):  Sprinkle baking soda on the battery terminals.  Spritz with water to dampen.  Let sit for about one hour.  Sponge off with water.  Air dry.

Winter Windshield Solution:  When you leave your car outside in winter, mix three parts vinegar to one part water and coat your windshield with the solution.  This will keep your windshield free of frost and ice.

Bathroom

Bathroom Mirrors:  Clean mirrors with rubbing alcohol to prevent fogging.

Bathtub Stains:  Scrub with a paste made from cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide.

Drain Cleaner:  For slow drains, use this cleaner once a week to keep drains fresh and clog-free.  One-half cup of baking soda, one cup of white vinegar, with one gallon of boiling water.  Pour the baking soda down the drain, followed by the vinegar.  Allow the mixture to foam for several minutes before flushing the drain with boiling water.

Plumbing Fixtures:  To clean chrome, stainless steel, fiberglass, ceramic, porcelain, or enamel fixtures, dissolve two tablespoons of baking soda in one quart of water.  Wipe on fixtures, then rinse.

Remove hard lime deposits around faucets by covering the deposits with vinegar-soaked paper towels.  Leave the paper towels on for approximately one hour before cleaning.  Leaves chrome shiny and clean.

Scouring Bathroom Cleaner:   One-half cup liquid Castile soap, one teaspoon of Borax, two teaspoons of baking soda, one and three-quarters cup of very hot water, and four drops of essential oil of your choice.  Pour the water into a stainless steel mixing bowl and add the liquid soap.  Stir well, then add the dry ingredients.  Add the four drops of essential oil.  Stir until well blended.  Store in a squeeze bottle (old ketchup bottle works well) and stir or shake before using.  Store the cleaner in a cool, dry place.  Shelf life is three to four months.  If you have a stubborn stain on fiberglass or plastic surface, add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to the mixture for extra stain-fighting power.

Shower Heads:

Metal – To remove mineral deposits that may be clogging your metal shower head, combine one-half cup of white vinegar with one quart of water.  Then completely submerge the shower head and boil fifteen minutes.

Plastic – Combine one pint white vinegar with one pint of hot water.  Completely submerge the shower head for one hour.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner:  (CAUTION!  If you do use bleach to clean your toilet bowl, never mix bleach with vinegar, toilet bowl cleaner, or ammonia.  The combination of bleach with any of these substances produces a toxic gas.)

Baking soda and vinegar – Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then drizzle with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush.  This combination both cleans and deodorizes.

Borax and Lemon Juice – For removing a stubborn stain, like toilet bowl ring, mix enough Borax and lemon juice into a paste cover the ring.  Flush toilet to wet the sides, then rub on paste.  Let sit for 2 hours and scrub thoroughly.  For less stubborn toilet bowl rings, sprinkle baking soda around the rim and scrub with a toilet brush.

Tub And Tile Cleaners:

Baking soda – Sprinkle baking soda like you would scouring powder.  Rub with a damp sponge.  Rinse thoroughly.

Vinegar and baking soda – To remove film buildup on bathtubs, apply vinegar full-strength to a sponge and wipe.  Next, use baking soda as you would scouring powder.  Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Porcelain Cleaner:  To clean porcelain surfaces, rub with cream of tartar, sprinkled on a damp cloth.

Kitchen Cleaners

Baking Dishes:  Enamel, Ceramic or Glass – Soak in hot soapy water, then scour with salt or baking soda and rinse thoroughly.

Basic Kitchen Cleaner:  Keep a bottle of vinegar within easy reach.  When your stove, countertops, walls, or anything else becomes spattered with grease, spray and wipe clean with a dry rag.  Vinegar cuts the grease and leaves a nice shine, and has antibacterial properties.

Coffee/Tea Stains:  To remove coffee stains from cups or counters, rub with baking soda paste.

Dishes:

Use liquid or powdered soap instead of detergents, which are petroleum-based.  In dishwashers, use equal parts Borax and washing soda.

Use baking soda and liquid soap.

Drinking Glasses:

Occasionally soak drinking glasses in a solution of vinegar and water to really get them clean.  Makes them sparkle!

When a quick dip for crystal glassware is needed, prepare a solution of baking soda in tepid-cool water (one level teaspoon to one quart) and brush with a soft toothbrush.  Very good for glass coffee makers and thermos jugs too.

Dishwasher Detergent:  Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with two tablespoons of Borax, put the mixture in the dishwasher.

Dishwashing Liquid:  This inexpensive soap does not suds-up very much, but it cleans so well!  Use with hot water.  Do not use it in automatic dishwashers.  One-fourth cup of soap flakes, two cups of hot water, one-fourth cup of glycerin, and one-half teaspoon of lemon essential oil.  In a bowl, combine soap flakes and water and stir until the soap is dissolved.  Cool to luke-warm.  Stir in the glycerin and the essential oil, leave to cool.  As it cools, it will form a loose gel.  Stir with a fork and break up the gel and then pour into a narrow-necked bottle.  An old shampoo bottle makes an excellent container. To use, squirt three teaspoonfuls into hot running water.

Oven Cleaners:

The first step is prevention.  Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the floor of the oven, underneath but not touching the heating element.

Clean up the spill as soon as it occurs.

While the oven is still warm, sprinkle salt or baking soda on the spill.  If the spill is completely dry, wet the spill lightly before sprinkling on salt.  When the oven cools, scrape away the spill and wash the area clean.

Baking soda, water, salt, and vegetable oil-based liquid soap.  Sprinkle water on oven bottom.  Cover with baking soda.  Let sit overnight.  Wipe off and apply liquid soap with scouring pad.  Rinse.

Retard grease buildup in your oven by dampening your cleaning rag in vinegar and water before wiping out your oven.

Sprinkle/spray water followed by a layer of baking soda.  Rub gently with a very fine steel wool pad for tough spots.  Wipe off scum with dry paper towels or sponge.  Rinse well and wipe dry

Two tablespoons vegetable oil-based liquid soap, two tablespoons Borax: mix the soap and Borax in a spray bottle.  Fill the bottle with hot water and shake well.  Spray on oven and leave for twenty minutes.  Scrub off.

Refrigerators:

To clean exterior and interior walls, dissolve two tablespoons of baking soda in one quart of warm water and wipe all surfaces.  For stubborn spots, rub with baking soda paste.  Be sure to rinse with a clean, wet cloth. This works well on other enamel-finished appliances as well.

To clean interior fixtures, such as vegetable bins and shelves, wash in hot soapy water, rinse well and dry.

Spot-free Dishwasher Rinse:  Add one cup of white vinegar to the rinse compartment of your automatic dishwasher.   Wash dishes as usual

When cleaning stainless steel countertops, ranges or sinks, use club soda.  You can buy a small bottle of generic or store-brand club soda.  It cleans like a charm and dries to a gleam without streaks or spots.  Don’t throw away flat club soda; even flat, it still works to clean stainless steel or spots spilled on the carpet.

Laundry Cleaners

All-purpose Laundry Soap:  One-half cup of baking soda, one-half cup of powered Castile soap, one-fourth cup of washing soda (sodium carbonate), one-fourth cup of Borax, and four drops essential oil of choice.  Mix all the dry ingredients together.  If you are going to add an essential oil, divide the dry soap mixture into four equal parts.  Add one drop essential oil to one part soap, and put through a hand sifter to mix.  Repeat with each of the four parts.  Mix the parts back together and put the entire mixture through the sifter one or two more times.  Store in a tightly closed container and let sit for a few days before using so the essential oils can permeate the mixture.  Add about one-half cup of this soap to a load of laundry as you would with any commercial detergent. (Shelf life: twelve months.) Note: To remove extra-heavy odors from clothes and soften them as well, add one-half cup baking soda to the rinse water.

Bleach Alternative:  Add one cup of hydrogen peroxide to the wash cycle after washing machine has filled with water.

Fabric Softener:  Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener.  This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add one-half cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of commercial fabric softener.  Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively (a plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent).

Hard-water Gel Fabric Soap:  Two cups soap flakes, one and one-half cups of Borax, one-half cup of glycerin, and two teaspoons essential oil, either lavender, lemon, or eucalyptus.  In a medium saucepan, stir together the soap flakes, Borax, and water.  Heat slowly and stir until the mixture is clear.  Add the glycerin and set aside to cool.  When cool, add the essential oil and stir thoroughly.  Pour into a mason jar or other container and cover until needed.  To use, add one cup of gel per load of clothes, making sure the soap is dissolved well before adding clothes to the water.  This gel works best with warm water, or dissolve it in a quart of warm water before adding it to the wash water.

Oil Stains:   To remove oil stains from clothing, rub white chalk over the oil stain before washing.

Whitener:  Hard water minerals can turn your clothes grey and dull.  If you have hard water, add one-half cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle.

Miscellaneous Products

Air Freshener:  Vinegar and baking soda are great room fresheners.  Vinegar deodorizes, while baking soda absorbs odors.  A simple recipe of one teaspoon baking soda, one teaspoon vinegar (or lemon juice) and two cups hot water in a spray bottle can be spritzed in the air to remove odors.

Candles/Wax:  Sponge with a piece of cotton dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Carpet Cleaner:  Sprinkle carpet with two parts cornmeal and one part Borax, leave on one hour, then vacuum thoroughly.  For small spills, clean with white vinegar and soapy water.

Decals/Gummed Labels/Price Tag Remover:  Use vinegar.  To remove non-slip appliqués and strips from bathtubs, saturate a cloth or sponge and squeeze hot vinegar over decals.  Vinegar also removes stick-on hooks from painted walls.  Saturate a cloth or sponge with vinegar and squeeze the liquid behind the hook so that the vinegar comes in contact with the adhesive.  In addition, vinegar can be used to remove price labels and other decals from glass, wood, and china.  Paint the label or decal with several coats of white vinegar.  Give the vinegar time to soak in and after several minutes the decal can be rubbed off (NOTE: Use these methods only on washable surfaces and washable paint).

Eyeglass Cleaner:  Mix eight ounces of ammonia with 32 ounces of rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle.  Spray eyeglasses and rub clean with a soft cloth

Furniture Polish:  Mix one part white vinegar together with three parts olive oil in a bottle.  Shake well before using.  The vinegar will pull the dirt out of the wood, and the oil will lubricate the wood, preventing from drying out.

Glue:  Never run out of glue again, make your own by combining three tablespoons of cornstarch with four tablespoons of cold water and make a smooth paste.  Stir paste into two cups of boiling water, continue to stir until mixture becomes translucent.  Use when cold.

Grease Cutters: Use lemon juice, vinegar, or sprinkle with Borax and scrub with a scrub brush.

One-half teaspoon of washing soda, one-half teaspoon of vegetable oil-based liquid soap, three tablespoons of vinegar, and two cups hot water.  Mix in spray bottle, spray and scrub, wipe clean.

Ink Stains:  Use a non-aerosol hairspray to remove ink stains.

Jewelry Cleaner:  Baking soda is safe and effective when it comes to cleaning jewelry.  Use a paste of baking soda and peroxide to clean build-up and dirt off or your jewelry.  It gets rid of dirt, grime and body oils to leave your jewelry shining and looking new.

Metal Cleaner:  Clean copper, brass, pewter, or bronze easily with a simple mixture.  Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in one cup of vinegar, add enough flour to make a paste.  Apply the paste to the metal and allow it to sit for fifteen minutes to one hour.  Rinse with warm water and polish dry.

Paintbrushes:  Soften hard paintbrushes in hot vinegar for a few minutes.  Then wash paintbrush in soap and warm water and let air-dry.

Polished Wood Furniture:  To remove a watermark mix a few flicks of ash with olive oil, rub it in and leave for thirty minutes, then buff with a soft cloth; a mixture of salt and vegetable oil, left on for an hour, then removed and rubbed with a soft cloth, also helps remove marks.  Remove sticky marks with a little vinegar and water, then apply some beeswax or linseed oil.

Rust Remover:  Sprinkle a little bit of salt on the rust, squeeze a lime over the salt until it is nicely soaked in lime juice. Leave the mixture on for two or three hours.  Use the leftover rind as a handy scrubber.  Rust is gone

Silver Cleaner:  Aluminum pan, boiling water, one tablespoon of baking soda, and one tablespoon of salt.  Bring this mixture to boil in the pan.  Drop your flatware into it as it boils, doing only a few pieces at a time.  Let them boil for three minutes, then take them out and let them drain on a soft cloth, drying them to a shine with a second cloth.  Do not overcrowd the pot–it can be confusing to remember which pieces have already done their three minutes and which ones still have time to go; also, it can lower the temperature of the liquid, thereby lowering its efficiency.  Intricately patterned or pieces that are glued should probably be cleaned with a commercial cleaner.  A minute layer of the silver is removed each time you use this method, however, the conventional method of polishing silver rubs off the same small layer.

Silver Polish:  If you have a small job, the best silver polish is white toothpaste.  Dab some on your finger, and rub into the tarnish.  For bigger pieces, use baking soda and a clean, damp sponge.  Make a paste of baking soda and water.  Scoop the paste onto the sponge, and rub the paste into the silver.  Rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft, clean cloth.  For badly tarnished silver, leave the baking soda paste on the silver for an hour or so, before cleaning off with the help of the sponge and hot water.

Concrete Grease Spot Remover:  To remove grease from concrete flooring sprinkle dry cement over grease. Allow it to absorb the grease, then sweep up.

Streak-free Glass Cleaner:  Combine one-quarter cup vinegar, one tablespoon cornstarch, one quart warm water.  Mix the ingredients and pour into a spray bottle and spray on.  Wipe dry with crumpled newspaper, buff to a shine.

Tar Remover:  Food grade linseed oil.  Wet rag with linseed oil and rub hard.

Vinegar:  Paint adheres better to galvanized metal that has been wiped with vinegar.

Vinegar of the Four Thieves:  Place a small handful each of dried lavender, rosemary, sage, rue, and mint in a large jar, and cover completely with organic apple cider vinegar.  Cover tightly and let sit for six weeks.  Strain into a spray bottle.  Whereas no home can be made to be sterile, spray the powerfully antiseptic Vinegar of Four Thieves recipe in areas of concern, such as on cutting boards and door knobs, always making sure to avoid your eyes.

Vinyl Cleaner:  One teaspoon to one-fourth cup of washing soda, and one cup boiling water.  Dissolve the washing soda in the boiling water.  Apply with sponge, wipe off with a damp cloth.

The post Natural Alternatives to Costly, Chemical, Household Products appeared first on Homestead.org.

Well, I laughed then, but I got a big payback from Mother Nature after the eggs hatched.  At first, it was just so hilarious to see Momma Chicken with her brood of baby chicks and one baby duck and Momma Goose with her babies including one turkey… but it wasn’t hilarious for long.  I soon discovered that the joke was on me.

When the baby geese got big enough to start going for their swims, baby turkey also went for his swim—big problem since turkeys can’t, and therefore don’t, swim.  My Mother firmly told me that since I was the bright one who put the turkey egg under Momma Goose, it was my responsibility to make sure my “turkey goose” did not drown.  Seems like every time I found something fun or interesting to do, Momma Goose decided it was time for her and the kids to go for a swim.  Off I’d have to go, trekking after them, to the pond, wading in and pulling out Mister Turkey Goose.

While Mister Turkey Goose was little and cute, it was just an inconvenience, but as he grew into full turkey-hood, he got to be rather hard to rescue, not to mention rather mad that I keep pulling him out of the pond every time he and his brother and sister geese went swimming.  For a turkey-goose, he got pretty smart about finding different ways to sneak off when my back was turned, and for a big, fat turkey, he sure could run.  It also apparently really cheesed-off Momma Goose when I wrestled with her turkey boy, cheesed-off to the point that she would start honking, calling the whole goose family—all 16 of them—to her defense.  Being flogged by the entire goose clan, several times each day, had me looking like I had gotten the worst of a bad fight, all the time.

Now, what kid didn’t love any reason to jump in the pond in the middle of the scorching hot summer days?  Me, for one; wrestling with some mad-hatter geese, wallowing in the pond ooze with one big, mad turkey-goose, on those scorching hot days made the smell of pond muck, and wet feathers fairly unpleasant.  Of course, Momma Goose went for more swims on hot days, so most of my twelfth summer was spent running to the pond, pulling out a fighting-mad turkey and being on the wrong end of a flock of mad-geese relatives.  This had become a full-time job, on top of my regular chores, and if I live to be one hundred, I will never forget the sight of this huge turkey wadding out to the middle of the pond, only to sink like a lead brick, time, after time, after time.

I’d be in the middle of milking one of our dairy goats, when I’d see Momma Goose, and family, headed for a swim, so off I’d have to run.  Then when I’d return all muddy and smelly, I’d have to deal with the big mess Miss Goat created while waiting for me to finish milking her.  These messes ranged from tearing open every feed-bag in sight, to eating the radio cord, to leaving out the front door and finding my mother’s favorite flowers to eat or, worse yet, finding all those garden goodies.  Neither of my parents found even an ounce of sympathy for me, in fact, these little mishaps only fueled their lectures about how this was all my fault and all my responsibility, adding more and more things to my list of chores.

When we started haying, it took me three times as long with the drowning turkey trying to go for a swim.  I tried penning Mister Turkey Goose in with some single, good -looking turkey-gals hoping he might find true love with one of them, but no, he did not even like to be near another turkey, instead he fell in love with a young goose-girl, strutting his fully-fanned turkey-butt around her and rubbing his turkey-neck against hers.  Guess what, Miss Goose fell in love with Mister Turkey Goose and they became a pair of lovers who liked to sneak off together for a little skinny-dipping without the goose family, so this meant more trips a day to drag out a big, stinky, mad, male turkey out of the water while a very, very angry Miss-Goose-girlfriend honked, hissed, and flogged me.  Geesh, this was not so funny anymore, in fact, this was just plain sad.  Seemed like the lovers knew when my back was turned for even only a second, they would giggle in their fowl way and head straight for the water.

I must admit that as bad as my summer seemed to turn out, it was better than when cold weather set in.  The water was no longer cool, but downright frigid, the only time I got a break was when the pond was completely frozen-over, but of course, that didn’t last very long since I had to break the ice for the goats and pigs to drink.  Just a small hole in the frozen ice was enough of an opportunity for Mister Turkey Goose to show off to his girlfriend.  He’d just jump right in that hole, feet first, and the promptly began to sink, so here I’d go, pulling out this half frozen, stinking turkey out.  Miss Goose cut me no slack just because it was freezing cold.  Nope, she’d just bite me even harder.  I then had to herd the extremely angry lovers to the barn so Mister Turkey Goose could dry off and warm up, so his little toes didn’t freeze off.

Many times my mother would see the lovebirds headed over the hill, through the snow, to the pond, even when the wind-chill was below zero.  This meant I didn’t have time to dress warmly and run after them, but rather I had to run out into the cold in whatever I was wearing at the time.  I soon began staying fully and warmly dressed during all daylight hours.  My only relief was at night when all the birds, including the lovers, were nestled in and sleeping.  It never mattered if it was pouring buckets and buckets of rain, it never mattered if the snow was blowing.  It never mattered if the wind was howling, wind-chills below zero, and it didn’t even matter when it was too hot to even breathe.  Mister Turkey Goose was more determined than any postal carrier—he did not care what the weather was, he always was ready to head to the pond for a dip.

When Saturdays rolled around, that was my chance to go to town, but before I could go, I had to corral Mister Turkey Goose and his lovely Missus into their small fenced-in pen.  When I suggested to my folks that we should leave them in their small pen all the time, I was informed that while penning the two up for a short time was acceptable, to keep them constantly penned-up in their small yard, was just cruel.  And maybe the next time I decided to fool with Mother Nature, I would remember this valuable lesson.

My social life was impacted dramatically; sleepovers were few and far between unless my friends were staying here with me.  Seldom could I talk my mom or dad into turkey-sitting for me so I could go off and have fun.  My sidekick and partner in crime, Lonesome, the Bassett Hound, couldn’t understand why we didn’t get to run through the fields chasing bunnies as often, or head off to the woods to spend a cool day by the creek.  Nor do I think she ever understood why I would chase that dumb turkey and why wrestling that turkey in the smelly pond mud was what, to her, seemed like my new favorite thing to do.  But like the faithful buddy she was, she was always with me, although more than a few times she would look at me with her head cocked to one side, a bewildered look on her face.

Now, let us not forget there is also a duck who believes he is a chicken that I had to contend with.  Mister Chicken Duck, or “Chuck”, was not as much trouble as Mister Turkey Goose, but he had his problems, too.  For one, he would pick fights with the big, bad, mean rooster who was boss over all the chickens.  Mister Chuck, while tough in his own mind, was no match for a big, cocky rooster with sharp, deadly spurs and the knowledge of how to use them.  My parents again explained to me that since this was my “joke” it was my job to keep Mister Chuck from fighting and getting hurt.  Yeah, that was an easy one… NOT!  Mister Chuck soon found himself a lovely chick of his own and felt the need to always protect her from the roosters, which meant constantly picking fights.  The fighting was almost nonstop during egg laying time, how ironic was that?  And while egg-laying time for Miss Goose and Mister Turkey Goose meant less swimming time, Mister Chuck picked up any slack with his fighting.

As a sort of peace gesture for Mother Nature, I slipped some chicken eggs under Mister Chucks’ woman so they could hatch out a family and I slipped some goose eggs under Miss Goose so her and Mister Turkey Goose could also have a family.  While these gestures may or may not have won me any points with Mother Nature, it did win a few points with my Dad.  He offered to help me build a big, nice pen for Miss Goose and Mister Turkey Goose and family, building them a cement pond.  Big enough for the entire family, including Mister Turkey Goose, but shallow enough that he couldn’t drown.  Mister Turkey Goose lived happily as a goose for 8 years while Missus Goose lived to the ripe old age of 11 years, but she never found another boyfriend, her heart belonged to a goofy turkey who thought he was a goose.  Mister Chuck lived a good long life with his significant other, learning eventually to steer clear of the rooster bullies, so very rarely did he encounter the Boss Rooster’s angry spurs.

At the ripe old age of 12 years, I learned one of life’s most valuable lessons, which was: think twice about your actions and the consequences that might come from them; what might seem funny could possibly end up biting you in the butt.

I also learned that old commercial about fooling Mother Nature was right on, maybe there weren’t any lightning bolts flying thru the sky, but there were much worse consequences from fooling her: Mother Nature turned out to be a lot like karma—a bitch when poked.  Another lesson I learned was, in the animal families, looks didn’t matter, family is family even if your kid looks like the neighbor more than yourself, it is still your little baby.  None of the brothers and sisters ever doubted whether they were related or not—if you were hatched with the bunch, you were one of them.  Finally, love is blind.  It doesn’t matter that you don’t look like the rest of the flock, it’s how you see yourself that the ladies will see you.  Believe you’re a young, handsome goose who can swim, the girls will believe you’re a handsome goose.  Even if you’re a duck who could never crow, if you believe you’re a chicken and you scratch with the chickens, the hens will find you irresistible.

The post What I Learned From Poultry appeared first on Homestead.org.

When using weeds as soil indicators, observe several of the most prevalent types of weeds to get an accurate soil assessment. For example, the dandelion and common mullein both indicate an acidic soil, but common mullein can also mean a low fertility soil, so if you see it alone, it could mean several things, but seeing it along with dandelions would indicate an acidic soil.

Pay attention also to the health of the weeds, a healthy stand of clover could indicate soil that lacks nitrogen, while the same weed will grow in soil that had sufficient nitrogen, but will appear much less vigorous. It should be noted that some weeds like purple nettle (Lamium purpureum) and Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursapastoris) will grow on most soil types and so are not reliable indicators. Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus), and Hydrangeas are excellent indicators for a soil’s pH, the flowers will be pink in acidic soil and blue in alkaline soil.

Specifics on Using Weeds as Soil Indicators

An acidic soil is soil with a pH below 7.0. Look for these weeds as an indicator of acidic soil: eastern Bracken (Pteridium aquifolium), Buggenum buttercup (Ranunculus spp.), Chamomile-German (Chamomilla pecutita), Curly Dock (Rumex crispus), English Daisy (Bellis perennis), Ox-Eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Hawkweeds (Hieracium aurantiacum and pratense), Knapweeds (Centaurea species), Lady’s-Thumb (Polygonum persicaria), Mayweed (Arthemis cotula), Mosses (Musci class), common Mullein (Verbascum thapsis), Nettles (Urtica dioica), Wild Pansy (Viola sp.), Pineapple Weed (Matricria matricariodes), Pinks (Dianthus sp.), Plantain (Plantago major), Prostrate Knotweed (Poly-aviculare), Wild Radish (Bapranus raphanistrum), Rough Cinquefoil (Potentilla monspeliensis), Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Silvery Cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea), Sow Thistle (Sonchus species), Corn Spurry (Spergula arvensis), and Wild Strawberries (Fragaria species). Plants that grow well in an acidic soil are azaleas, blueberries, endive, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, rhubarb, potatoes, shallots, sweet potatoes, and watermelons. Adding lime or using woodstove or fireplace ashes can raise the soil’s pH to the desirable pH range.

Alkaline soil has a pH higher than 7.0. Weeds that indicate an alkaline soil are: Bellflower (Campanula sp.), Bladder Campion (Silene iatifolia), Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), Field Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum), Goosefoot (Chenopodium species), Gromwell (Lithospermum officinale), black Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), white Mustard (Brassica hirta), Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), Salad Burnett (Poterium sanguisorba), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Stinkweed (Thlaspi arvense), Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans), and True Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis). Asparagus, broccoli, beets, lettuce, muskmelons, onions, and spinach do well in alkaline soil. Sulfur can be added to an overly alkaline soil to lower its pH.

A healthy, fertile soil will have a pH of 6.2 to 7.0. Weeds indicating a fertile soil are: Burdock (Arctium minus), Butter Print (Abutilon theophrasti), Chickweed (stellaria media), Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Fat Hen ( Atriplex hastata), Groundsel ( Senecio vulgaris), Lamb’s-Quarters (Chenopodium album), Pigweeds (family Amaranth), Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), and Velvetleaf (Abutilon thoephrasti). Broccoli, corn, lettuce, melons, peppers, squash, and tomatoes are all heavy feeders and will thrive in a fertile soil.

A poor or depleted soil will have weeds such as: Broom sedge (Adropogon virginicus), Dog fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), Wild Radish (Bapranus raphanistrum), Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Wild Parsnip (Sium suave), Biennial Wormwood (Artemisia bennis) and Yellow toadflax (Lindaia vulgaris). Beans, beets, carrots, legumes, parsnips, peas, radishes, sage, and thyme will tolerate poor soil conditions and perform well in depleted soil.

A heavy or clay soil will have Bradleaf Dock (Rumex obtusifolius), Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Creeping Buttercup ( Ranunculus repens), English Daisy (Bellis perennis), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Mayweed (Arthemis cotula), Milkweed (Asclepius syriaca), Plantain (Plantago major), Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense), and Wild Garlic (Allium vineale).

Weeds that indicate a wet, poorly draining soil are: Hedge Bindweed (Convolvulus Sepium), Bull sedge (Carex lasiocarpa), Canada goldenrod (Solidago graminifolia) Cattail (Typha latifolia), Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara), Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), Curly dock (Rumex crispus), Ox-Eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), Docks (Rumex sp.), Foxtail (Hordeum jubatum), Goldenrods (Solidago sp.), Groundnut (Apios americana), Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum), Horsetail (Equisetum arvense), Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida), Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium purpereum), Lady’s thumb (Polygonum persicaria), Marsh Mallow (Althaea Officinalis), May apple (Podophyllum peltatum), Meadow pink (Lychnis floscuculi), Meadow Sweet (Astilbe sp), Mosses (all species), Stinging Nettles (Urtica urens), Pennsylvania smartweed (Polygonum pensylvanicum), Ragwort, Tansy (Senecio jacobaea), Sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea), Sweet flag (Acorus calamus), Tall buttercup (Ranuculus acris), Thyme-leafed speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia), Black Willow (Salix sp.) If you see Dock, Horsetail, Foxtails, Willows, Ox-eye Daisy, Goldenrod, Poison Hemlock, Rushes, Sedges and Joe-pye you can expect soil in that area to experience soggy or swampy conditions at some time of the year. Wet spots are obvious during the rainy season but could appear fairly dry at other times. These weeds are excellent indicators that the area will be soggy at some time during the year.

Weeds that grow in sandy soils are: Arrow-leafed Wild Lettuce (Lactuca pulchella), Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), White Cockle (Lychnis alba), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), Dog Fennel (Eupatorium capillidolium), Goldenrods (Solidago sp.), Maltese Thistle (Centaurea melitensis), Sandbur (Cenchrus species), Small Nettle (Urtica urens), and Yellow Toadflax (Linania vulgaris).

Weeds that indicate a hardpan soil are: Field Mustard (Brassica nigra), Horse Nettle (Solanum carolinense), Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea), Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), Pineapple Weed (Matricria matricariodes), and Quack Grass (Agropyron repens). Bok choi, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and mustards grow well in this type of soil.

Previously cultivated soil will have these weeds predominately: Carpet Weed (Mullugo verticillata), Chickweed (Stellaria media), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinate), Lamb’s Quarter (Chenopodium album), Plantain (Plantago major), Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), and Rough Pigweed (Aramanth family).

Individual weeds that indicate a soil’s nutrient values are useful in determining if the soil is unbalanced. Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua) indicates very low calcium, low humus, low bacterial count, and high magnesium levels. Burdock grows in soils very high in iron and sulfate, and very low levels of calcium and manganese. Buckhorn Plantain indicate very low levels of calcium, low humus levels, and very high in chlorine, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Common Chickweed and Mouse Ear Chickweed indicate very low calcium and phosphorus levels, and very high potassium and sodium levels. Crabgrass indicates very low levels of calcium and phosphorus, low pH, low humus, very high chlorine levels, and high levels of magnesium and potassium.

Dallisgrass indicates low calcium, very high magnesium, and high potassium levels. Dandelions indicate very low levels of calcium, and very high levels of chlorine and potassium. Hop Clover and Oxalis indicate very low levels of calcium and high levels of magnesium. Prostrate Spurge indicates low calcium levels and very high levels of chlorine, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Purslane and Mustard indicate an abundance of phosphorus. Red Clover indicates an excess of potassium. Redroot Pigweed indicates an abundance of nitrogen. White Clover indicates very high levels in chlorine, magnesium, and sodium. Wild Garlic indicates very low calcium and bacterial count, and very high levels of chlorine, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) indicates low potassium.

Soil can be depleted of a needed mineral or have an excessive amount of a mineral and need to become more balanced, eliminating many growing problems. Calcium doesn’t move freely within the plant, so the first symptoms of low calcium will appear in new growth. Chlorosis begins first at the leaf edges and then moves inward. Terminal buds become distorted. Young leaves will first turn yellow, then brown. Low calcium levels cause tomatoes to develop blossom-end rot and lettuce tip-burn. Low calcium is found in acidic soils, sandy soils, and soils that contain excessive levels of magnesium or potassium. Temporary problems may be due to drought or excessive moisture. Eggshells or oyster shells will strengthen plants in low-calcium areas.

Low copper levels will cause young leaves to become chlorite in a strange way. Leaf center yellows while the veins and leaf margins remain green for a while. Shoot tips die, terminal leaves become brown or leaves may fail to develop. Common in muck or peat soils, soils with too much lime, nitrogen, phosphate, phosphorus, or zinc.

Low-iron chlorosis begins at the top of the plants and works its way down. Shoots may die back and the fruit become discolored. Alkaline soils or soils with excess aluminum or phosphorus can cause low iron levels. Iron is important in photosynthesis and is a catalyst in plant respiration and iron utilization.

Magnesium moves freely within plants, so a magnesium deficiency will start in the lower leaves, discoloring the veins. First they turn yellow, then orange, and finally brown. Leaves will feel brittle, thin, and sometimes cup upward. Magnesium deficiency is found in wet, acidic, or sandy soils, also in soils with high concentrations of calcium, fertilizers, and potash. Magnesium is vital for photosynthesis, facilitates the use of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. It cleanses the plant of toxins that happen as a by-product of its own metabolism, and it’s needed in the formation of proteins.

Manganese deficiency may be hard to diagnose because it’s similar to iron deficiency. Chlorosis is most severe at the top of the plant, with yellowing of the leaves first appearing near the leaf margins and developing into a V-shaped pattern. Leaves will then develop tan or gray spots. These spots are the major difference between manganese and iron deficiency. Manganese deficiency most often occurs in alkaline soils high in humus or soils with a pH of 6 or more. Manganese is a catalyst in the process of plant nutrition and encourages the growth and maturation of plants.

Nitrogen deficiency will cause plants to turn pale green, then yellow. It begins at the tip of leaves at the bottom of plants, especially older leaves, and works its way in the direction of the main stem. Yellowing gradually spreads up the plant to the top. Found in very sandy soils or soils low in organic material, also excessively wet or leached soil. Nitrogen regulates vital chemical reactions, needed in stem and leaf growth and induces rapid green growth.

In the early stages of phosphorus deficiency, the plants look almost too healthy. Growth is normal but undersized. Plants become dark green frequently changing to purple, especially the undersides of leaves. Sometimes stems also take on this color. Leaves then yellow in the final stages. The plant has poor flowering and fruiting habits. Most common in cold, wet or very acidic (below pH5) soils and very alkaline soils (above pH 7.3). Phosphorus in needed for root formation, flowering, fruiting and ripening.

In potassium deficiency, the older leaves become mottled or spotted, edges become dry and scorched. Dead spots begin to appear, the stems are weak, root systems poor, and fruit ripens unevenly. Potassium deficiency causes a reduction in disease resistance and makes the plant less storable. It is more common in sandy or acidic soils, also where there are excess calcium or magnesium levels in the soil. Potassium is important for the formation of flowers, fruit, leaves and growing tip. Potassium helps with photosynthesis at low light level and in internal water regulation. Potassium improves flavor, fruit, vegetable and flower color. It also provides protection from insect damage, disease, and frost.

Sulfur deficiency closely resembles nitrogen deficiency. The plants turn pale green, the effects show up first in young growth. Leaves turn yellow but they don’t dry out, and stems are weak. Legumes are most affected. Sandy or very wet soils, and soils containing excessive amounts of nitrogen are the most common soil types with a potassium deficiency. Together with nitrogen, it makes protoplasm for plant cells.

A zinc deficiency can be similar to a nitrogen deficiency with rolled leaf margins. Chlorosis shows up first in young leaves, which are also reduced in size. Leaves are closely spaced, forming rosettes, and may be deformed. There is poor nitrogen formation in legumes. Soils that are sandy and acidic or alkaline and rich in humus, or excessively high in phosphates, nitrogen, calcium, or aluminum will most often be zinc deficient. Zinc aids in the formation of growth hormones, protein synthesis, seed and grain production, and plant maturation.

The observant farmer and gardener will notice subtle changes in the weed populations as the soil changes. As the soil improves, chickweed, chicory, common groundsel, common horehound, and lambs quarter become the dominant weeds. However, if the daisy, wild carrot, mugwort, common mullein, wild parsnip, wild radish, and biennial wormwood become dominant, that’s a sign of the soil’s low fertility and can be corrected. The addition of well-balanced compost, organic manures, and other fertilizers together with certain tillage and drainage practices may be required to return the soil back to a healthy, well balanced, and productive soil.

There will always be a battle between man and weed, but knowing that weeds can be used not only as a soil indicator, but also the flowers of many weeds provide essential nectar and pollen, the foods needed by beneficial insects to complete their life cycle. Most insect pests would actually prefer to dine on weeds rather than your deliberately planted crops, if given the choice, so weeds can be good companion plants, and last, but not least, they’re edible. I can never defeat the weed, so I must live with the weed. Now that I’m using weeds as soil indicators, I have an excuse for not spending hours pulling out the weeds in the garden. I can spend time wandering in my blended garden enjoying both plants and weeds. They are rebels, just like me.

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