How to: Enjoy an indoor rabbit... Hahaha. No. He stinks, will live up to 18 years, digs up the carpet in the corners and kicks out rabbit poo all over the floor from his cage. Unfortunately, (for me anyway) it gets way too hot to cage a rabbit outdoors down here. (There are ways to … Continue reading A How To: On Animals and Life
Oh, I love my milk jugs! I start my seeds in them. I root cuttings in them. I short cut the hardening-off process with them. Yes! That's right you can now be lazy like me and get past the long and annoying process of getting plants into your garden. Hardening off plants is necessary but … Continue reading Short Cut Through The Hardening-Off Process
There is a lot going on in my garden this week: My peas are going crazy. My kohlrabi is looking good. My corn is happy. The peppers I started from seed are closing in on transplanting time. The only issue I am having are super-sized, extra giant grubs. These are not your June bug variety … Continue reading When Life Gives You Grubs, Serve Them Nematode Tea!
One of my favorite plants to grow down here is hibiscus. It is truly a beautiful plant and the flowers are breathtaking. I am not the only one who appreciates hibiscus. We frequently have hummingbirds in the garden sipping hibiscus nectar. My favorite part about the plant though, is that it's edible. Hibiscus is high … Continue reading Ever Had Spiced Hibiscus Flower Tea?
I went to a fair that offered job advice, help with nutrition and health, free haircuts (by cosmetology students...that was interesting!), scalp massages and this: the microwavable rice sock. Oh, have I enjoyed making (and using) these! This is really a simple project and after being out in the yard raking, digging, weeding etc: I … Continue reading Solution For Sore Shoulders: Microwavable Rice Sock
You can spend a lot on garden products like trellises: but you don't have to. Trellising vining plants improves air circulation by getting them off of the ground and letting them grow vertically. Most vining plants suffer from powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that can quickly defoliate and kill your plants. I … Continue reading Simple, Inexpensive Vine Support
This soup makes use of spring garden ingredients: peas, lettuce, spring onions and tarragon. If you have ever grown peas you know shelling peas is a pain. It's a whole lot of work for very little reward. Apparently, I am not learning my lesson from the previous experiences, because I rush out and plant them … Continue reading Cooking With Lettuce?!?! Yes! And It’s Delicious!!!
Spring sprung a while back. I hate to rub it in, but I love where I live! Zone 8b is a spectacular place to call home...for the most part. There are benefits and problems in any location. We stuck our toes into spring, to test the water, almost a month ago. I am consumed by … Continue reading March showers bring April flowers…and the specter of summer drought.
There are very few things I have accepted are just a part of being me and will remain unchanged, here they are: I can't stop Bermuda grass, therefore: I hate it. I am solar powered: sunshine is a necessity for me. The saying: "You are only as happy as your least happy child" is the … Continue reading The Seed Collector’s Insanity (Tips And Tricks For Starting Your Seeds)
"Dig a twenty dollar hole for a ten dollar tree" I grew up listening to my mom repeat this saying every time we'd trudge out the door and start amending soil. Amending soil is hard work. If I hadn't grown up doing this with every new planting bed, every annual, every perennial and every tree … Continue reading Making sense of old sayings
The following list is essential to learn BEFORE you go out into your garden, BEFORE you buy your plants or order your seed. Learn what you need to know to successfully grow: Know your zone. Your USDA zone can be found using your zip code at: http://www.garden.org/zipzone/ This wonderful site not only offers zone information … Continue reading All You Need To Know To Grow
I hate Bermuda grass. You dig it out, it's back within a season. You spray it with herbicide, you just slow it down. Try to smother it (a la lasagna gardening), it laughs at you. This grass is considered an invasive species. Read more about it here: http://www.texasinvasives.org/plant_database/detail.php?symbol=CYDA What I really dislike about it is … Continue reading Beds Over Bermuda grass Or: Landscape Fabric Sandwich.
I do a lot of research before I try new things. There are two ideas floating around right now that I really liked. One is Hugelkultur. The idea is basically a huge, permanent, water retaining, slow composting hill. This is a great site about it: http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/ Down here, anything that saves water is welcome. The … Continue reading Hugelkultur, Keyhole Gardens: Bridging Ideas
Crazy Green Thumbs 
