Homegrown Veggies

Fresh produce just tastes different. Veggies from the store taste dull and watery. These tomatoes are the very first from our garden and they smell amazing and taste even better!

Photos by moi.

Finding joy in the little things

I'm still frequently surprised by things we discover about our home. We've lived here for less than a year and we're still finding all sorts of things. We had no idea that the big tree in our back yard was a pear tree until we saw all the pears.

This weekend we worked in our yard for hours. I usually use a hose at the front of our house to water the plants and fill my watering can. Yesterday Flannel Man pointed out a hose in the very back part of the garden, which meant hauling the watering can a much shorter distance.

I went to use the hose and found this beautiful hummingbird faucet attached to the hose. Even while covered with sweat and bug bites I was simply delighted. It was such a simple thing, but I love it and the best part was the fact that it was so unexpected.

I hope all of you find something unexpected that gives you joy this week.

Photo by moi.

Gardening on a Budget

(Flowers my friend offered me from her garden)

Gardening can quickly become an expensive habit. You need the seeds, the plants, the pots, the tools, the mulch, etc. Before you know it, you're little vegetable garden, which was suppose to help you cut your grocery bills down, has become a pricey hobby.

One great way to avoid this trap is to keep your eye out for gardening tools at yard sales. Another great tip is to ask friends and family if they would let you take cuts from any of their plants. Hostas, lilies, daisies and dozens of other perennial flowers grow quickly. You can take pieces and move them to your own garden without hurting your friends.

Soon your flowerbeds will be full of beautiful plants and your wallet won't be empty. It's especially sweet because when you sit outside and enjoy your flowers, they'll remind you of the wonderful people who made it possible. You'll also be able to pass on the favor and offer your own perennials to friends in the future.

Photos by Ann Lee.

Garden Markers

I first saw these vintage spoon garden markers about a year ago, but at the time I lived in a little apartment with no garden. Now that I finally have a garden I purchased four custom spoons with the names of the herbs I've planted.

I got them from etsy seller Monkeysalwayslook last night and I love them! Each spoon is different. She flattens them and then puts the name of the herb on them. They are already at home in my little herb garden.

Photos by moi.

Gardening Binder

I have a hard time keeping the various rules of different plants straight. When do they grow? How much sun do they need? So I decided to cut the seed packages apart and create a binder with all of the different plants' information.

I have separate sections for vegetables and flowers. It's already been helpful in reminding me how frequently I should water each plant. It also helps me keep track of what is an annual and what's a perennial, so I'll know what to expect next year.

Upside Down Tomato Plants

I've been seeing a lot of tomato planters that hang the vines upside down recently. They make the whole process so simple because you don't have to worry about slugs and other such creatures destroying the fruit of your labor before you can get to it. Flannel Man and I got the version seen above, which allows you to plant and herb garden on the top portion of the planter.

After putting it together I added 4 tomato plants and top soil. The bottom section is filled with sand to give it a solid base. It's made of a similar material as a garbage can, which isn't pretty, but it is durable.

We put the planter just outside of our back door, by our porch. In the herb garden I planted cilantro, green onions, dill and thyme. Those are a few of the spices we use the most while cooking. I also planted an aloe plant in the center. I'm constantly burning myself on hot pans and oven racks and keeping an aloe plant nearby has become a necessity.

Photos by moi.

Garden Beginnings

This morning I woke up with a stomach virus. So, there's not much going on around the house today, inside or out. But in my head I am gearing up for gardening season. Pondering what to plant, where, and how much (not eating it though, that thought makes me nauseous). Last year I had a selection of tomatoes (Roma, Regular and Cherry), zucchinis, hot peppers, green peppers, zinnias, basil, and a tiny amount of cilantro and and lots of baby sunflowers. This coming year I would like to do cherry and regular tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, peas, spinach, a few zinnias, baby sunflowers, basil, lavender (tea garden?), oregano (pizza garden?), and maybe onions.

Here are just a few sites that I have been looking over the last few days doing my "dirty" homework.

• http://www.thegardenhelper.com/vegtips.html
• http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plans/easy/
• http://www.backyardgardener.com/zone/index.html
• http://hoosiergardener.com/?p=73#more-73
• http://awaytogarden.com/
• http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-an-Herbal-Tea-Garden
• http://blog.composters.com/2010/01/13/composting-create-a-feast-for-your-garden-straight-from-your-kitchen/
  

I always use rubber gloves to wash dishes as I do most by hand, they are a must. But the longer they are worn the more leaks and grubbier they get. Setting my older pair by the trash can imagining how I could up-cycle them I came up "empty handed". Later, searching for my gardening tools in the garage, that is a HUGE wintery mess, I couldn't find the box. So, I walked by those gloves two or three times before having a Cinderella moment with them. Slipping them on they fit perfectly (as most gardening gloves do not on small hands), they were easily washable, and they went up high on my arm! Perfect for diggin in the dirt! The tiny holes that were there when washing the dishes did not let any of the dirt in, and did I mention they are pink? Well, pink and brown now.


So, whether you are an expert, a beginner (like me), or just an indoor plant person. There is always going to be a teachable or new learning experience when dealing with plants. They seem to plant the seed of wonder and allow everyone to grow, if only in character.