I live in Texas. Things get hot fast and our springs are usually very hot, windy and dry. Putting out transplants is tough. If you are using grow lights and have sprouted your seed indoors (or if you bought from a nursery that grew inside a greenhouse): your plants are not going to like immediate … Continue reading Planting In A Raised Bed: Getting Around Hardening Off
I got a call the other day from a neighbor. "I have seven bricks, do you want them?" "Yes! Yes, I do!" I have plans for bricks, and free ones are the best kind! These plans were sparked by regularly spending hours on Pinterest (Can't sleep? It's Pinterest time!) and randomly remembering a few pins … Continue reading Painting Pavers To Look Like Books
Elderberry syrup (also called sambucus) is a fantastic home remedy for colds! The syrup is really tasty (if it's done right) but it's very expensive. The brand we have at the moment. We have a middle schooler and an elementary school student in our home. They both had their tonsils out last year because we … Continue reading Are You Interested In Growing Elderberries?
This Easter we went to our family's low country shrimp boil in San Antonio. I love the food every year! This year though, was a bit different. I discovered last year that I can't eat wheat. I've developed an allergy to it, and it's pretty serious. I'm not gluten intolerant, either. I can eat other … Continue reading Best Damn Rainbow Fruit Skewers And Dip Out There!
Last year our summer was baking hot: 100+ degrees for months and no rain. It was hard on my trees, especially my pear tree. My pear gets iron chlorosis (many fruit trees do) and also I had calcium deficiency in the fruit, causing corkey spots. For both of these to develop you need high ph … Continue reading An Update On My Pear Tree Iron Implants
I have a confession: I am a messy gardener. I have been gardening for decades and I have been collecting seeds all along my journey. I have attempted to organize before. But invariably, half way through the season my carefully cataloged seed packets are a big honking mess. I have tried different ways to organize … Continue reading Conquering Seed Packet Clutter
Hidden uses of your spring garden!
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
As an update to this post: spread mulch where you would have put rock. Read along about how taking permanent action against a short term problem, creates even more problems and stops permanent solutions. While we were in Colorado there was a trend to rip out anything that was growing and replace it with a … Continue reading Please Don’t Rock Your Yard!
I have a bunch of recordable storybooks that my kid's grandparents recorded for them. We knew my father-in-law was terminally ill, when we asked all of the grandparents to record themselves reading these books. We wanted my kids to have the opportunity to always hear their grandparent's voices. It was a fantastic idea and I'm … Continue reading Cleaning Alkaline Battery Compartments Using The Power Of pH
It's Halloween time again! I'm trying something new this year! Silver Faceless Aliens! I instantly had the idea after looking at this mask. So much fun! Like all of my projects: it's super cheap and has a big impact. I'm making four. Here are the supplies you'll need: 59 inch silver cape. These are available … Continue reading Silver Faceless Aliens
As an update to this post: spread mulch where you would have put rock. Read along about how taking permanent action against a short term problem, creates even more problems and stops permanent solutions. While we were in Colorado there was a trend to rip out anything that was growing and replace it with a … Continue reading Please Don’t Rock Your Yard!
This Easter we went to our family's low country shrimp boil in San Antonio. I love the food every year! This year though, was a bit different. I discovered last year that I can't eat wheat. I've developed an allergy to it, and it's pretty serious. I'm not gluten intolerant, either. I can eat other … Continue reading Best Damn Rainbow Fruit Skewers And Dip Out There!
Hidden uses of your spring garden!
This is a great time of year to plan and build raised beds. This is how I built my raised beds and I have given them no supplemental watering in the last two years of San Antonio heat and I've had bumper crops with almost no input outside of planting and occasional weeding! This has … Continue reading Mother’s Day Raised Hugelkultur Bed!
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
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 
