Excerpt: 'Joey Green's Gardening Magic'

Oct. 8 -- Joey Green, the man who touted the benefits of shaving with Jif peanut butter and using Reddi-wip as a hair conditioner has turned his attention to everyday household items that can help you in the garden.

Here is an excerpt of his new book, Joey Green's Gardening Magic.

Houseplants

Alberto VO5 Conditioning Hairdressing. Clean houseplant leaves by applying a small dab of Alberto VO5 Conditioning Hairdressing to the leaves with a soft cloth.

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Neutralize the acidity of potting soil by watering the soil once with a mixture of four tablespoons Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and one quart water. Aunt Jemima Original Syrup. Revive an ailing houseplant by adding two tablespoons Aunt Jemima Original Syrup at the base of the plant once a month.

Bounce. To prevent the soil from leaking out of a planter, line the bottom of the planter with a used sheet of Bounce Classic. Water can drain through the dryer sheet without the sheet breaking down in the pot.

Canada Dry Club Soda. Feed flat Canada Dry Club Soda to your houseplants. The minerals found in club soda are beneficial to plants.

Carnation NonFat Dry Milk. Mix three ounces Carnation NonFat Dry Milk with two cups water and, using a soft cloth, wipe the milky solution on houseplant leaves to give them a fine gloss.

Castor Oil. Rejuvenate a houseplant ailing from a nutrient deficiency by dribbling one tablespoon castor oil into the soil and then watering well.

Cool Whip. Clean houseplant leaves by using a soft cloth to wipe Cool Whip on the leaves.

Depends. If a planter is leaking excess water, set the pot inside a pair of Depends, creating a diaper for the plant. Conceal the Depends diaper by placing the pot inside a second, larger pot.