Flowers from the garden

We planted these lilies a few years back. They started as artisan lilies which were bright yellow and orange. I cross-pollenated with a larger pink day lily and this was the result!

After four years of growing and no blooms, we finally have a blooming prickly pear cactus! Beautiful flowers!

Drying Herbs in 5 Minutes

So, last summer I read on pinterest that it is possible to dry herbs (in small portions) in just five minutes. I'm happy to say I tried to and it IS possible! Who would have thought that it could be so simple.

Just line out a small portion of whichever herb you need dried on a paper towel and place in the microwave. Heat in 30 second intervals, checking on them each time, and arrange on the paper towel. It usually only takes a minute to a minute and a half to dry small batches. Once the herb is completely dried and crispy, it is ready to be stored!

It's really simple and works great for those climates that are extremely humid. I've tried this method with rosemary, basil, parsley, and mint and it has worked every time!

Mosquito Control

Take back your patio by planting some mosquito repellant plants! These plants are sure to repel those pesky little bugs!! Place planter in middle of deck or sitting area and be mosquito free all summer long!!

Companion Planting 101

Grow a bigger crop with more produce than ever before by simply planting veggies with their "companion plants".

Growing produce from kitchen scraps.

Did you know that there are plenty of different veggies that will regrow from the scraps that you usually throw away? Simply place roots in a shallow dish of water and place in a window seal. Before you know it you will have new produce. It's just that simple!

Growing an avocado tree from a pit

This is a great activity to do with the kids! Chances are the tree will not produce avocados, but it is a great addition to any garden or patio garden. Tree will produce beautiful foliage!

Guide to Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables

A great little guide to seasonal fruit and veggies.

Upcycling for the Garden

Upcycling in the Garden

Instead of throwing away old items lying around your house, why not try to upcycle them to create something for the garden. These are just a few of the great ideas I have run across on pinterest.

UPCYCLED YARD ART

These awesome dragonflies are made out of old table legs and old ceiling fan blades. This is a pretty simple project that you could even add to by sanding and painting the old wood to brighten up the dragonfly. J

 

HOMEMADE BIRDBATH FROM TERRA COTTA POTS

Another great idea is simply taking a large terra cotta pot and turning it upside down and glue a large flat terra cotta water dish on top. Presto!! Homemade birdbath! You can even paint it to spruce it up a bit!

RECYCLED ANTIQUE WINDOW AS YARD ART

This is a really cute idea! Just hang an old window frame from a tree and nail or tie a ledge the set some small potted plants! I love this idea!

 

Plates, platters, and bottle caps turned to yard art

All of these garden owls are a little different and each made out of different material but is really easy to make. Try using an old silver platter with a branch glued to the bottom. For the feet you can wrap a small piece of wire around the branch. You can even paint it orange to resemble feet more. For the eyes try different shaped bottle caps, canned veggie lids, and glass jar lids!

Blossom Rot on Tomatoes

Plant Growing: Full Sun or Partial Shade

Fairy Garden

I've been addicted to Pinterest recently and have been trying out lots of new ideas that I've seen. Yesterday, I ran across an adorable fairy garden, complete with a tiny log cabin and lots of little nick knacks repurposed as fairy furniture. So, I pulled out my wood carving kit and started digging through my craft chest and found many little items to use.

I used little key charms from old necklaces, lots of glass beads, colored wire, and lots of other little junk that I've been collecting for no apparent reason. I strung up the little keys, tiny silver rings, and little colored bead resembling gems on some wire collected to two tiny pieces of dried bamboo I had laying around the yard to create some fairy treasure.

I then collected some sticks out of the yard all around the same size, as straight as possible and removed all the bark with a small wood carving knife. After I figured out the design I wanted to use (not very difficult, just a basic Lincoln log type house) and cut down all the twigs to the exact size, I then began constructing. Using hot glue and gluing only on the inside of the house to keep all the glue from showing I stacked all the logs and created an high arc type roof. Then hot glued some square colored beads for the windows, doors, and chimney.

I crunched up all the bark taken off the twigs and used it to create a path from one side of the flower box to the other then used flat white beads (buttons would work as well) as stepping stones on top of the bark path.

I found some colored beads in the shape of leaves and flowers so I used those with the wire to create tiny flowers lining the path as well. Small sticks stuck in the dirt would also make a very cute little fence to line the path or create a yard around the cabin.

On the opposite side of the flower box from the little cabin I made I campfire and sitting area complete with a mini fire! I simply half buried a tea light citronella candle and placed a bark path around the candle. I also made some little benches that I put around the fire..

I thought this was such a great idea and the possibilities for it are endless!!

Gardening Uses for Epsom Salt

By adding two tablespoon of Epsom salt to a gallon of water that you use for your garden, flowers, and grass, you will be adding a substantial amount of fertilizer to your plants. It's loaded with magnesium which stimulates new growth in plants, flowers, and even grass which in return will give you lusher, greener plants. The salt will encourage flowering plants to bloom more often, as well.

Epsom salt also works as an amazing pesticide for all those insects that go after the plants in your garden.

Raised vegetable garden beds

This is such a great use for those old pallets lying around. Simply line the bottoms and sides with newspaper and fill with top soil and compost. The slats keep weeds from growing and keeps other plants from getting out of control.

Natural Weed Killer

1 gallon of white distilled vinegar

½ cup of salt

Good squeeze of dish soap

Mix together in spray bottle and shake. Spray on weeds on hot days for best results.

Vegetable Grow Chart

Vegetable Grow Chart

New flower bed and more flowers added!

We put in a new flower bed yesterday. Hubby brought home a bunch of really awesome new plants.

My hubby, doing all the hard work for me… Thanks babe.

This is called a Persian Shield… very awesome. Should be about 4 foot tall by next spring and an extremely hardy plant that can stand below freezing temperatures of –30 degrees!

Hibiscus shrub that we haven’t decided to put in the ground yet. the hubby was told it would die and not come back the following year but he may have been misinformed, as I’ve seen a few in this area that were in fact in the ground and quite large. Hoping if any of you southerners (Louisiana, Texas, Ark, Miss) may be able to tell me about your experiences growing Hibiscus scrubs.

Heirloom cherry tomatoes.

The gate looks really good, but I think we need a fence..

Yep…. that’s in my front yard!! A gate….. just a gate….. with no fence…yep.

Fresh picked produce…. with toddler teeth marks

This morning my son and I went to pick our first tomato of the year along with a few banana peppers, a couple of bell peppers, and a handful of strawberries. I displayed all of it in a large bamboo bowl as I was very proud, only to pass by a few minutes later and notice it all spread across the kitchen table. As I picked up the pieces I noticed each and every one had a few little nibble marks.

Oh Jaxon had taken a few pieces with him in the living room and was enjoying his little feast. All the strawberries and a banana pepper. *Sigh* At least he had a healthy snack and he likes banana peppers. That’s a plus.

Flowers from my garden

The pink lily is my favorite. I actually planted those about three years ago, before my first son was born but this is the first year that they bloomed! I was so excited to finally see what they looked like. The white flower is from my tiny Gardenia bush. It’s only the size of a basketball but has produced a bunch of flowers.

Activities for kids: Farmer’s market

As a child, this was an activity that my grandmother and I did every weekend during the summer months that it took place. Usually June – September local farmer’s markets began opening around the country. Farmers, 4-H members, homemakers, and even normal people like myself sell their produce, farm raised meats, plants, and really anything hand made or produced item.

Even as a child I learned so much about gardening, seasonal plants, herbs, and still use everything I learned to this day. I of course learned lots of great stuff from my grandparents, and dad but I still got to find out about things as a child that I knew nothing about.

Last year, was the first year that I took my son. At the time he was one and a half so he didn’t really understand what was going on, but he certainly enjoyed all the fresh fruits I bought. So far this year, I’ve taught him about the growing process, gardening care (his favorite because he gets to water garden!), and now he’s getting to see what grows on all the plants! Strawberries and the Tiny Sensation lilies where his favorites!

While you are sampling, it’s a great opportunity to ask questions about how they grow their produce, what they do differently than others, and where they items are grown. All the farmers and sellers are always happy to share their tips and of course their produce. Many offer pamphlets or  their instructions on how to grow high quality produce.

Let your child help you pick out a fruit or veggie and use it in a dish for dinner or desert. While you’re cooking you can teach your child about it! If you only serve your family organic fruits and veggies, don’t worry, everything must be grown without the aid of pesticides.

Fruits and veggies, aren’t the only thing sold at the farmer’s market! A wide variety of herbs and other plants are also sold. You can find out about which plants grow best where you live and basically anything you want to know about herbs. You can find out which herbs are best in what foods, how to grow your own herb garden, and even what can be grown during each growing season. This is where I found out I can have a summer herb garden and a winter herb garden and I no longer pay high prices for fresh herbs!! I can just walk outside and cut whatever I need for what I’m cooking that day. I also learned how to dry and freeze herbs that I harvest so I have them any time of the year.

The famer’s market is also a great place to get fresh, grade A beef, pork, chicken, and of course fresh yard eggs. All livestock is feed organic grains and feed and the meats are never frozen. Rather it is freshly slaughtered and and sold right after it is packaged. Although the meat is VERY expensive, it was the best steaks I’ve ever bought!! I’ve even seen beef jerk and boudin sold here. All grade A quality beef, fresh, and home-made!!

The farmer’s market is a wonderful place for your children and you, to learn and experience new things! It is also a great way to support local farmer’s! These people depend on this as a source of income and take pride in the quality of their products. When I purchase anything from here I know that I am feeding my family the best of the best in my area and I love the fact that it is ALL  grown locally in my community!