There may still be a lot of snow on the ground, but the weather forecast for this weekend is very nice. After some wind tonight, they are calling for highs in the 50s and 60s for Saturday and Sunday. Can you say spring? I hate to get too excited though, because just about the time I get to really enjoying the warmer weather, winter generally comes back with a sneak attack. We have had a very mild winter this year, so I can't really complain, but those 50 and 60 degree days just make you long for spring to arrive and for winter to be gone.
Visions of gardening start dancing in my head and with all the talk this past week of a possible community garden here on the hill, it makes it even all the more exciting. This is one community project that I hope does come into being. Community gardens are such a wonderful addition to a neighborhood. In addition to the food they can produce for those who garden in them, they are also very good for meeting and getting to know other people and help to establish a real feeling of community and connectedness to others who live here.
I have found when I am in my own yard gardening, most everyone who walks by, stops to chat. I have met the majority of my neighbors while out working in my garden. Gardening is an activity that most every one, young or old can enjoy and participate in and the fruits of your labors are edible. Teaching children to garden provides them with skills that will last them a lifetime. Many times more is grown than can be used and so is shared with others in the community, providing nutritious, fresh fruits and veggies to those who might not otherwise be able to afford them. Gardening is so much more than just a hobby and I for one will be hoping this comes to fruition.
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Friday, March 2, 2012
Thursday, October 20, 2011
IGC Discover Mountian Gardening
Don't forget that this Saturday, starting at 8:30 a.m., the Idyllwild Garden Club is having their annual bulb sale as well as presenting two speakers. We are hoping that many of our Pine Cove neighbors will take advantage of this presentation because there will be some good information presented on water wise plants as well as some fire resistant plants. I think it will be very informative and the Pine Cove Water District is happy would could be a part of it.
I will be attending and taking notes and pictures and will post here about what I learned. Hopefully the information will help everyone here in Pine Cove who would like to garden with natives or incorporate some fire resistant plants into their landscape or garden.
If you would like more information, you can visit the Idyllwild Garden Clubs website at http://www.idyllwildgardenclub.net/
Hope to see you there!
I will be attending and taking notes and pictures and will post here about what I learned. Hopefully the information will help everyone here in Pine Cove who would like to garden with natives or incorporate some fire resistant plants into their landscape or garden.
If you would like more information, you can visit the Idyllwild Garden Clubs website at http://www.idyllwildgardenclub.net/
Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Autumn Chores
Now that it is October, winter can't be far behind. Now is the perfect time to get out into the garden and get it ready for next spring. Autumn is a great time to add compost to your soil and to mulch in plants and trees that are already established. When you use a natural mulch material such as wood chips, they will slowly decompose over time and provide compost to your soil as well as helping it retain moisture. Well composted soil retains water much better than unamended soil. So adding compost and mulch to the plants already in your yard, will help them become healthier and stronger and in turn you will use less water in your garden.
So before fall turns to winter, get out there in the yard and add compost and mulch and let nature do it's work over the winter while you are inside enjoying a toasty warm fire and a hot cup of cocoa. Remember that we have free wood chips available to anyone here on the hill.
So before fall turns to winter, get out there in the yard and add compost and mulch and let nature do it's work over the winter while you are inside enjoying a toasty warm fire and a hot cup of cocoa. Remember that we have free wood chips available to anyone here on the hill.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Frugal Friday
OK, let's be honest here. How many times have you gone out and turned your hose on to water something in the garden, only to get involved in another project and forget all about the hose that is running? I know I have done it. I just did it the other day and I was outside the whole time and still I forgot it was on. I just got involved it another task and the running hose slipped my mind. It is easy to do, especially if you are trying to multi task and get other chores done while the hose is running. I have been trying to think of a way to solve this problem. Since I just did this a couple days ago, it is fresh in my mind, but other than putting sticky notes all over the place, including on myself, I didn't really come up with a good solution.
So imagine my surprise when I came in this morning, logged onto the blog, and saw the answer right there in front of me. On the left side of the blog is a daily water saving tip widget. Most of the tips I have already seen and I know about them. However, today's tip was one I hadn't seen before. It said to set a kitchen timer when watering with a hose so you don't forget about it. How simple, easy and cheap is that? And it is such a simple thing that I am sitting here scratching my head and wondering why the heck didn't I think of that?
Most everyone has a kitchen timer and if you don't, they are easily obtainable at a hardware store, kitchen store, grocery store or discount store and are very inexpensive. You can take it outside with you and put it in your pocket if you are working in the yard. If you are working inside, just take it with you and put it in what ever room you are working in. When it goes off, you will be reminded to go turn off your hose. If you are like me and wear an old apron when working in the yard, just stick it in your apron pocket and you are good to go. Which brings us back to the whole point of Frugal Friday anyway. By watering our gardens in the most efficient way possible, we will not only save water, which is good for our water table, but it will keep our water bills down as well, thereby saving us money. And who doesn't want to save money as well as the environment?
So there you have it. If you are like me and tend to forget the hose is running, invest in a kitchen timer and get in the habit of setting it each and every time you turn the hose on and soon forgotten hoses will be a thing of the past.
So imagine my surprise when I came in this morning, logged onto the blog, and saw the answer right there in front of me. On the left side of the blog is a daily water saving tip widget. Most of the tips I have already seen and I know about them. However, today's tip was one I hadn't seen before. It said to set a kitchen timer when watering with a hose so you don't forget about it. How simple, easy and cheap is that? And it is such a simple thing that I am sitting here scratching my head and wondering why the heck didn't I think of that?
Most everyone has a kitchen timer and if you don't, they are easily obtainable at a hardware store, kitchen store, grocery store or discount store and are very inexpensive. You can take it outside with you and put it in your pocket if you are working in the yard. If you are working inside, just take it with you and put it in what ever room you are working in. When it goes off, you will be reminded to go turn off your hose. If you are like me and wear an old apron when working in the yard, just stick it in your apron pocket and you are good to go. Which brings us back to the whole point of Frugal Friday anyway. By watering our gardens in the most efficient way possible, we will not only save water, which is good for our water table, but it will keep our water bills down as well, thereby saving us money. And who doesn't want to save money as well as the environment?
So there you have it. If you are like me and tend to forget the hose is running, invest in a kitchen timer and get in the habit of setting it each and every time you turn the hose on and soon forgotten hoses will be a thing of the past.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Olla Update!
When I planted my tomatoes several weeks ago, I also put in some ollas made out of clay pots. While the plants were small, they seemed to hold water for a couple of days before going dry. Of course the temperatures weren't as high then as they are now either. Now that the tomatoes are well over 3 feet tall and the temperatures are higher, I am finding the ollas are drying out daily. So this tells me two things. One, that they must be working and two, that maybe they aren't large enough. I still have to water the tomatoes as well, but I am trying to do it every other day and let the ollas water them on the off days. Since most of them now either have tomatoes on them or flowers, I am assuming my watering is sufficient. I was hoping to only use the ollas, but the tomatoes were wilting, so I have had to do some additional watering.
Anyone who gardens knows that it is a constant learning experience with lots of experimenting going on. Especially with vegetables. Lots of trial and error. But each year you can put that knowledge to use and have a better garden than you did the year before. So next year I will make ollas that are double the size of the ones I am currently using and see how that works. I will then take the ones I am using now and put them in another location. Perhaps around some zucchini plants or in the spaces between the green beans.
I am also wondering if I perhaps I didn't bury deep enough. Traditionally made ollas have a neck and you bury them up to the neck. Since I used clay pots, mine have no neck and so I had to make sure the top of the pot was accessible, which means some of the pot is sticking out above the soil line. So now I am wondering if I could attach a small piece of PVC pipe into the hole on the top of each olla and fill it through the pipe. This would enable me to bury the whole pot well below the soil line and just leave the PVC pipe sticking up. This would actually be helpful because I could make the pipe any length I want and eliminate bending and kneeling in order to reach the olla to fill it. So stay tuned for my olla modifications next spring!
If you are using ollas in your garden this year, let us know about it. We would love to hear how our customers as using them in their gardens and what their experiences are. I think they are a great alternative to overhead watering and I am determined to use them in my vegetable gardens as much as possible.
Anyone who gardens knows that it is a constant learning experience with lots of experimenting going on. Especially with vegetables. Lots of trial and error. But each year you can put that knowledge to use and have a better garden than you did the year before. So next year I will make ollas that are double the size of the ones I am currently using and see how that works. I will then take the ones I am using now and put them in another location. Perhaps around some zucchini plants or in the spaces between the green beans.
I am also wondering if I perhaps I didn't bury deep enough. Traditionally made ollas have a neck and you bury them up to the neck. Since I used clay pots, mine have no neck and so I had to make sure the top of the pot was accessible, which means some of the pot is sticking out above the soil line. So now I am wondering if I could attach a small piece of PVC pipe into the hole on the top of each olla and fill it through the pipe. This would enable me to bury the whole pot well below the soil line and just leave the PVC pipe sticking up. This would actually be helpful because I could make the pipe any length I want and eliminate bending and kneeling in order to reach the olla to fill it. So stay tuned for my olla modifications next spring!
If you are using ollas in your garden this year, let us know about it. We would love to hear how our customers as using them in their gardens and what their experiences are. I think they are a great alternative to overhead watering and I am determined to use them in my vegetable gardens as much as possible.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Sustainable Thursday
With the summer season upon us and in full swing, watering the garden or your trees and bushes becomes a frequent chore. During last weeks rain storm, I stood and watched where the water was going and I was shocked to see a good portion of it running right off my property and down the street. I have amended the soil in my garden beds and have been slowly trying to stop the water from leaving my property, however, it was clear that a lot of it was still running off. So the question is how can I stop that and retain that water in my garden?
Since my house sits way at the back of my property, the majority of my yard is in the front of my house and gently slopes toward the road, which encourages all the rain to run right off my property. So how could I keep more of the water on my property? Rain barrels? Sure, they are great, but once they are full, you are right back to square one with all the excess running off. So I decided to do a little research.
I found Brad Lancaster's website, books and videos. He lives in Arizona and is passionate about rainwater harvesting. Here is a little blurb about him from his website, www.harvestingrainwater.com.
Since 1993 I’ve run a successful permaculture consulting, design, and education business focused on integrated and sustainable approaches to landscape design, planning, and living. And as I live in the dryland environment, rainwater harvesting has long been one of my specialties and a passion. Through my business I’ve been able to share this passion and many of the fun innovations and daily adventures that come about from striving to live more sustainably and comfortably in the Sonoran Desert. At home my brother and I harvest over 100,000 gallons of rainwater a year on a 1/8-acre urban lot and adjoining right-of-way.
I found his website and the work he has done, to be fascinating and I ended up reading his website and watching several of his videos. I plan to read his books in the near future as well. He has a really good video about getting your soil to absorb water more like a sponge and retain it instead of letting it all run off. You can save a whole lot more water by having your land absorb water like a sponge, then by adding rain barrels. Here is a link to that video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wbyUz4IkjM It is well worth the 5 minutes it takes to watch it.
Since I am in the process of creating a garden in my front yard, now is the perfect time for me to start implementing some of these ideas and incorporating them into my garden landscaping. Imagine when it rained or snowed, if all or the majority of that moisture stayed right in your yard instead of running off down the street. By implementing some of Brad's ideas, I will not only create a better water situation for my new garden, but for the plants and trees that are all ready established there as well. So take a few a minutes to either watch his videos or read his website. I think it is really full of helpful rainwater harvesting and he has ideas we can all implement without going to the expense of adding huge rainwater collection tanks.
Since my house sits way at the back of my property, the majority of my yard is in the front of my house and gently slopes toward the road, which encourages all the rain to run right off my property. So how could I keep more of the water on my property? Rain barrels? Sure, they are great, but once they are full, you are right back to square one with all the excess running off. So I decided to do a little research.
I found Brad Lancaster's website, books and videos. He lives in Arizona and is passionate about rainwater harvesting. Here is a little blurb about him from his website, www.harvestingrainwater.com.
Since 1993 I’ve run a successful permaculture consulting, design, and education business focused on integrated and sustainable approaches to landscape design, planning, and living. And as I live in the dryland environment, rainwater harvesting has long been one of my specialties and a passion. Through my business I’ve been able to share this passion and many of the fun innovations and daily adventures that come about from striving to live more sustainably and comfortably in the Sonoran Desert. At home my brother and I harvest over 100,000 gallons of rainwater a year on a 1/8-acre urban lot and adjoining right-of-way.
I found his website and the work he has done, to be fascinating and I ended up reading his website and watching several of his videos. I plan to read his books in the near future as well. He has a really good video about getting your soil to absorb water more like a sponge and retain it instead of letting it all run off. You can save a whole lot more water by having your land absorb water like a sponge, then by adding rain barrels. Here is a link to that video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wbyUz4IkjM It is well worth the 5 minutes it takes to watch it.
Since I am in the process of creating a garden in my front yard, now is the perfect time for me to start implementing some of these ideas and incorporating them into my garden landscaping. Imagine when it rained or snowed, if all or the majority of that moisture stayed right in your yard instead of running off down the street. By implementing some of Brad's ideas, I will not only create a better water situation for my new garden, but for the plants and trees that are all ready established there as well. So take a few a minutes to either watch his videos or read his website. I think it is really full of helpful rainwater harvesting and he has ideas we can all implement without going to the expense of adding huge rainwater collection tanks.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday Musings
It's Monday again folks and the weather is still cold! Why is it that these cold spells come along on the weekends? I have long wondered this. It seems as if Mother Nature is out to get those of us that work Monday through Friday and only have the weekends off. As of today, I only have lettuce and asparagus planted. I keep putting off planting my garden due to the weather. For once, my procrastinating is paying off. I don't know about you, but I am ready for some 60 or 70 degree days. Gardening here in Pine Cove is definitely a challenge. But each year I get a little smarter about it and hopefully one day, I will have it all figured out.
In the meantime, I will start making some ollas for the garden and keep working in some compost. Fire abatement can be done anytime and is a big one on the To Do List. Luckily, mine is done. So I am anxious to get on with the fun stuff. It seems we have such a small window of time to be out in the garden, so it always seems like a rush to get everything done each summer. But that is life here in Pine Cove and if I wanted summer year round, I would move to the desert. I think living up here does make us appreciate the nice weather a little more, since we don't get it as much of it as they do off the hill. So I will keep waiting and when it turns warm for good, I will plant my garden and hope that there is enough time for it to grow and flourish.
In the meantime, I will start making some ollas for the garden and keep working in some compost. Fire abatement can be done anytime and is a big one on the To Do List. Luckily, mine is done. So I am anxious to get on with the fun stuff. It seems we have such a small window of time to be out in the garden, so it always seems like a rush to get everything done each summer. But that is life here in Pine Cove and if I wanted summer year round, I would move to the desert. I think living up here does make us appreciate the nice weather a little more, since we don't get it as much of it as they do off the hill. So I will keep waiting and when it turns warm for good, I will plant my garden and hope that there is enough time for it to grow and flourish.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Frugal Friday!
It's time for Frugal Friday again folks. I wanted to share a little story with everyone today. I admit, I am a lazy composter. I read and read and read about it, I know it is good to do and I know how to do it. However, I find at my home it is easier to just pile it up and let nature take it's course regardless of how long it takes. So my pile has been sitting there for a couple of years now. I just keep piling stuff in on top and it seemed to be just sitting there doing nothing.
So last week my daughter decided she wanted to add some new soil to her pot of chives. Well, I didn't have any bags of top soil around, so she went out to the compost pile, dug around and low and behold, what did she find? Black Gold! That's right, the whole bottom half of my compost pile has now turned to black gold, or compost. She was so excited as she was in the same camp as my husband as far as my so called compost pile, aka, garbage pile goes. I kept telling them it would turn to compost, but I think they were skeptical as nothing much seemed to be happening.
So this weekend I will be removing all the compost from my pile and turning what is left and adding more to it! It is so exciting to have free compost to use. The best thing about making your own compost is that it comes from stuff you were going to throw out anyway. So why not put it to good use?
Speaking of composting, I have mentioned this before, but I think it bears repeating. If you aren't into having a compost pile and don't want to buy a composter, you can use what is called the trench method. Simply go out into your yard or garden, dig a hole or a trench, what ever you have room for, and bury your kitchen scraps in the dirt. Just be sure to dig down deep enough that it isn't easily dug up by the critters. Your done. It will decompose and turn to compost and enrich the soil right where you buried it. You don't have to do anything. This is an excellent way to provide extra nutrients to your existing plants and trees.
I would like to encourage everyone to try composting. It doesn't matter if you do it actively or passively, just do it! It keeps a lot of waste out of the landfills and is good the the soil and the vegetation growing there. Plus, soil that is amended with compost retains moisture much better than uncomposted soil. So there is no down side to being a composter. Stop by our booth at the Earth Fair on May 21st to find out more about composting.
So last week my daughter decided she wanted to add some new soil to her pot of chives. Well, I didn't have any bags of top soil around, so she went out to the compost pile, dug around and low and behold, what did she find? Black Gold! That's right, the whole bottom half of my compost pile has now turned to black gold, or compost. She was so excited as she was in the same camp as my husband as far as my so called compost pile, aka, garbage pile goes. I kept telling them it would turn to compost, but I think they were skeptical as nothing much seemed to be happening.
So this weekend I will be removing all the compost from my pile and turning what is left and adding more to it! It is so exciting to have free compost to use. The best thing about making your own compost is that it comes from stuff you were going to throw out anyway. So why not put it to good use?
Speaking of composting, I have mentioned this before, but I think it bears repeating. If you aren't into having a compost pile and don't want to buy a composter, you can use what is called the trench method. Simply go out into your yard or garden, dig a hole or a trench, what ever you have room for, and bury your kitchen scraps in the dirt. Just be sure to dig down deep enough that it isn't easily dug up by the critters. Your done. It will decompose and turn to compost and enrich the soil right where you buried it. You don't have to do anything. This is an excellent way to provide extra nutrients to your existing plants and trees.
I would like to encourage everyone to try composting. It doesn't matter if you do it actively or passively, just do it! It keeps a lot of waste out of the landfills and is good the the soil and the vegetation growing there. Plus, soil that is amended with compost retains moisture much better than uncomposted soil. So there is no down side to being a composter. Stop by our booth at the Earth Fair on May 21st to find out more about composting.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday Musings a day late!
Well I didn't get to post yesterday, so here I am today. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the holiday, if you celebrate. The weather was not so good, but at least there was no snow! For some reason, snow just seems really wrong at Easter time. But the rest of the week looks pretty good. Hopefully it won't be long until spring is here in full swing.
Next month will bring the Earth Fair and Pine Cove Water District will again have a booth there. I would encourage you to stop by and say hi and see what we have to show you. As you all know already, we are leaving Stage I, however, that doesn't mean you should stop conserving water. So part of our focus at the Earth Fair will be on how to conserve water in the garden. If we get into good habits of conserving water, then even when we have dry years, we will be able to still enjoy our gardens.
There are a few tricks we can all do to help make our gardens retain water throughout the summer months. We will be demonstrating examples of how to do this at the Earth Fair. We hope you can stop buy and say hi.
Next month will bring the Earth Fair and Pine Cove Water District will again have a booth there. I would encourage you to stop by and say hi and see what we have to show you. As you all know already, we are leaving Stage I, however, that doesn't mean you should stop conserving water. So part of our focus at the Earth Fair will be on how to conserve water in the garden. If we get into good habits of conserving water, then even when we have dry years, we will be able to still enjoy our gardens.
There are a few tricks we can all do to help make our gardens retain water throughout the summer months. We will be demonstrating examples of how to do this at the Earth Fair. We hope you can stop buy and say hi.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday Musings
I am so happy to see some sunshine today! Do you ever notice how the weather affects your mood and energy levels? It seems that during the snowy, rainy & foggy weather, I don't function very well. My brain seems to be foggy and I have no desire or energy to do much of anything but lay around and drink hot tea. But once the sun comes out, it is like someone changed my batteries. I am re-energized and ready to tackle projects that I have let slide for months.
This week promises the arrival of spring like weather and I for one, am very happy about that. I know we need the snow, but I really am anxious to get back to outdoor activities. I hope by the end of this week, that I can see the ground in my garden again. I have lots to do out there and it is time to get started. Here at the water district, we will be working on some projects such as using ollas for conserving water when watering the garden, composting for soil improvement and water retention and rain water harvesting for making use of the moisture that falls from the sky. All of these things are key to conserving water while still enjoying the delightful benefits of a home garden.
Some of these projects will be done at my personal garden. Since I was planning to do them anyway, I am more than happy to report the results back here on the blog so that everyone can benefit from what learn. I am also looking forward to touring a local garden that uses rain water harvesting in their garden. Rain water is so much better for plants and between using that for the landscape and ollas for the veggie garden, I am hoping to reduce my outside water use drastically. Of course you can put rain water in your ollas as well.
It is my hope that by using a variety of gardening methods, I can show people how to use water wisely and efficiently, thereby enabling everyone to have a garden they can enjoy while doing what is right for the earth and conserving our precious water resources. It is easy to get lax about water use when we have had a wet winter, but just remember that we never know if we will receive abundant moisture or not during any given winter,so it is best to use as many water conserving techniques as possible, no matter what the moisture situation is like. Conserving today, provides for tomorrow!
So here is hoping for springs arrival and getting started on some of my garden projects!
This week promises the arrival of spring like weather and I for one, am very happy about that. I know we need the snow, but I really am anxious to get back to outdoor activities. I hope by the end of this week, that I can see the ground in my garden again. I have lots to do out there and it is time to get started. Here at the water district, we will be working on some projects such as using ollas for conserving water when watering the garden, composting for soil improvement and water retention and rain water harvesting for making use of the moisture that falls from the sky. All of these things are key to conserving water while still enjoying the delightful benefits of a home garden.
Some of these projects will be done at my personal garden. Since I was planning to do them anyway, I am more than happy to report the results back here on the blog so that everyone can benefit from what learn. I am also looking forward to touring a local garden that uses rain water harvesting in their garden. Rain water is so much better for plants and between using that for the landscape and ollas for the veggie garden, I am hoping to reduce my outside water use drastically. Of course you can put rain water in your ollas as well.
It is my hope that by using a variety of gardening methods, I can show people how to use water wisely and efficiently, thereby enabling everyone to have a garden they can enjoy while doing what is right for the earth and conserving our precious water resources. It is easy to get lax about water use when we have had a wet winter, but just remember that we never know if we will receive abundant moisture or not during any given winter,so it is best to use as many water conserving techniques as possible, no matter what the moisture situation is like. Conserving today, provides for tomorrow!
So here is hoping for springs arrival and getting started on some of my garden projects!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Frugal Friday
Even though the weather is rainy, foggy and cold today, I decided to post a Frugal Friday garden tip anyway!
I have been looking through some gardening blogs this past week for some inspiration. Wow, there a lot of fabulous gardeners across our country. There are more blogs than I could ever read and they are extremely inspirational. And even though I can't even see my garden right now due to the 3 feet of snow that is covering it, it is still fun to plan ahead. Next week promises spring like temperatures so perhaps we will be able to get out and start gardening sometime next week.
It never fails to amaze me at the amazing ways people find to re-purpose items. Yes, we have all seen people plant flowers in old boots or old sinks and things along those lines, but when I was over at Garden Fresh Living yesterday, I took the time to watch some of the videos that Theresa Loe, the owner of the blog and the Associate Producer of the PBS show Growing a Greener World, has posted. You can actually watch the shows from her blog and so I decided to watch the one that featured her garden on less than 1/5th of an acre in Los Angeles. Since I too live on about 1/5th of an acre, I am always very interested in seeing how other people create sustainable gardens in such a small space.
Her garden is a lovely cottage style garden and has a mix of flowers and vegetables and she even has a chicken coop with several backyard chickens. A girl after my own heart! While she has a lot of re-purposed items throughout her entire garden, the one thing that really caught my eye, was the old glass doorknobs that she had attached to the top of metal pipes and put into the ground to use as a hose guards. I thought that was very clever and I am definitely going to use that tip in my garden this summer. How many times have you smashed down a plant when the hose got drug over it? I have done it plenty! Her re-purposed hose guards kept the hose out of the flower beds and they looked adorable as well. I am going to write to her and see if she will tell me how she attached the door knobs to the metal pipes. Perhaps you can find a piece of pipe that fits right into them. I am not sure. But I will be sure to let you all know.
I hope you will return often to our blog because as summer approaches because I will be posting lots of pictures of the projects I undertake here at the office, as well as at my home garden in hopes of helping and inspiring others here in Pine Cove to garden more. Ideas will include re-purposing items, water saving ideas, composting, mulch, plants that do well up here, natives and many other things along the way.
I have been looking through some gardening blogs this past week for some inspiration. Wow, there a lot of fabulous gardeners across our country. There are more blogs than I could ever read and they are extremely inspirational. And even though I can't even see my garden right now due to the 3 feet of snow that is covering it, it is still fun to plan ahead. Next week promises spring like temperatures so perhaps we will be able to get out and start gardening sometime next week.
It never fails to amaze me at the amazing ways people find to re-purpose items. Yes, we have all seen people plant flowers in old boots or old sinks and things along those lines, but when I was over at Garden Fresh Living yesterday, I took the time to watch some of the videos that Theresa Loe, the owner of the blog and the Associate Producer of the PBS show Growing a Greener World, has posted. You can actually watch the shows from her blog and so I decided to watch the one that featured her garden on less than 1/5th of an acre in Los Angeles. Since I too live on about 1/5th of an acre, I am always very interested in seeing how other people create sustainable gardens in such a small space.
Her garden is a lovely cottage style garden and has a mix of flowers and vegetables and she even has a chicken coop with several backyard chickens. A girl after my own heart! While she has a lot of re-purposed items throughout her entire garden, the one thing that really caught my eye, was the old glass doorknobs that she had attached to the top of metal pipes and put into the ground to use as a hose guards. I thought that was very clever and I am definitely going to use that tip in my garden this summer. How many times have you smashed down a plant when the hose got drug over it? I have done it plenty! Her re-purposed hose guards kept the hose out of the flower beds and they looked adorable as well. I am going to write to her and see if she will tell me how she attached the door knobs to the metal pipes. Perhaps you can find a piece of pipe that fits right into them. I am not sure. But I will be sure to let you all know.
I hope you will return often to our blog because as summer approaches because I will be posting lots of pictures of the projects I undertake here at the office, as well as at my home garden in hopes of helping and inspiring others here in Pine Cove to garden more. Ideas will include re-purposing items, water saving ideas, composting, mulch, plants that do well up here, natives and many other things along the way.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
March is here!
March has arrived and even though there is a lot of snow on the ground, it is fairly nice out. So I guess that means that March has come in like a lamb. The rest of the week doesn't look too bad weather wise. Hopefully some of this snow will melt before we get any more.
As we enter into March, it seems like winter will soon be a distant memory. March 20th is the day spring officially arrives. Hopefully, the arrival of spring won't mean the end of our moisture for the season. I am hoping that we receive more moisture for several months yet.
In the meanwhile, it is nice to start thinking about the garden. I will be heading off the hill soon in search of clay pots for my olla project. I will be posting my progress on that project, here on the blog. Olla's shouldn't be used around trees or any type of bush or plant with woody roots, as the roots will break the pot. But they will work great in the veggie garden, in flower boxes, raised bed gardens, containers and hanging baskets. From the research I have done, it seems they are a very good way to water outside and conserve water at the same time. There is virtually no waste involved since the pots are buried underground. Much more efficient than even drip irrigation. So I am going to give it a try!
Those of us that like to eat organically and grow our own food are in a kind of catch 22. Growing food takes water, there is no way around that. So when you are trying to conserve water, do you forgo vegetable gardening? I hope not. That is why I will be doing this experiment with the ollas. It is my goal to grow my own vegetables as well as conserve water. Down the road., I will also be working on a rain water harvesting system and will post that project as well once I get to it. My eventual goal is to harvest enough rain water that I can water outside all summer long without tapping into my hose. Since plants do better on rain water anyway, this would be a win win situation. But one project at a time.
It should be an interesting summer. I am anxious to see how the ollas work and how much water it saves. So stay tuned!
As we enter into March, it seems like winter will soon be a distant memory. March 20th is the day spring officially arrives. Hopefully, the arrival of spring won't mean the end of our moisture for the season. I am hoping that we receive more moisture for several months yet.
In the meanwhile, it is nice to start thinking about the garden. I will be heading off the hill soon in search of clay pots for my olla project. I will be posting my progress on that project, here on the blog. Olla's shouldn't be used around trees or any type of bush or plant with woody roots, as the roots will break the pot. But they will work great in the veggie garden, in flower boxes, raised bed gardens, containers and hanging baskets. From the research I have done, it seems they are a very good way to water outside and conserve water at the same time. There is virtually no waste involved since the pots are buried underground. Much more efficient than even drip irrigation. So I am going to give it a try!
Those of us that like to eat organically and grow our own food are in a kind of catch 22. Growing food takes water, there is no way around that. So when you are trying to conserve water, do you forgo vegetable gardening? I hope not. That is why I will be doing this experiment with the ollas. It is my goal to grow my own vegetables as well as conserve water. Down the road., I will also be working on a rain water harvesting system and will post that project as well once I get to it. My eventual goal is to harvest enough rain water that I can water outside all summer long without tapping into my hose. Since plants do better on rain water anyway, this would be a win win situation. But one project at a time.
It should be an interesting summer. I am anxious to see how the ollas work and how much water it saves. So stay tuned!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Frugal Friday!
I know it is only February and winter could be far from over, but perhaps we will get an early spring this year. So we might as well be ready, just in case. It is time to get our creative thinking caps on and figure out some great ways to re-use things in our gardens that would probably end up in the land fill other wise.
Since I am not all that creative myself, I looked for some new inspiration online. And I found it. Check out this great website. They not only have great garden recycling and project ideas, but they also have sections for many other things like Christmas, doors, shutters and so on. I am always amazed at other people's creativity. The great thing is that they are kind enough to share these ideas with us, the less creative so that we too might do some good and recyle or re-use something.
I was particularly inspired by one of the projects in the yard art section. Since I love chickens, I am particulary fond of the planter made out of an old set of nest boxes. Since a nest box is generally about 12" to 15" wide, deep and high, this makes for a nice planting area. Six together would give you a good amount of space to plant in. This could be hung on the side of a house, shed or put on top of an old table or bench. You could attach some small legs or feet to it and sit it on the ground. Or how about sitting it on some stumps in your garden. And just think of all the ways you could paint one of these up.
In fact, why keep this just outside? Wouldn't this would make a cute storage unit inside your house as well? Think of all the things you could stash in there. Winter gear like hats and gloves, how about books, magazines, newspapers. Or if you have kids, this make a great organization unit. Just paint each child's name on each nest box and when they get home from school you could corral all their papers from school in this.
After seeing this, my mind is just reeling with ideas. Sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration to get your own creative juices flowing. So check out some of the garden projects and then let you mind run wild. If we all save one thing from going into the landfill, just think how much trash that saves. It is amazing what we throw away, so lets stop and think twice before we throw something out. Is there another use for it? Could it be re-purposed? Anyone with a lot of money can have a beatuiful garden, but it takes an extremely creative person to create a garden on a budget or with recycled items.
Let's hear from you. If you have a garden project that you used recycled items or re-purposed something, let us know. I would love to post a picture of it so that we can inspire others as well.
Since I am not all that creative myself, I looked for some new inspiration online. And I found it. Check out this great website. They not only have great garden recycling and project ideas, but they also have sections for many other things like Christmas, doors, shutters and so on. I am always amazed at other people's creativity. The great thing is that they are kind enough to share these ideas with us, the less creative so that we too might do some good and recyle or re-use something.
I was particularly inspired by one of the projects in the yard art section. Since I love chickens, I am particulary fond of the planter made out of an old set of nest boxes. Since a nest box is generally about 12" to 15" wide, deep and high, this makes for a nice planting area. Six together would give you a good amount of space to plant in. This could be hung on the side of a house, shed or put on top of an old table or bench. You could attach some small legs or feet to it and sit it on the ground. Or how about sitting it on some stumps in your garden. And just think of all the ways you could paint one of these up.
In fact, why keep this just outside? Wouldn't this would make a cute storage unit inside your house as well? Think of all the things you could stash in there. Winter gear like hats and gloves, how about books, magazines, newspapers. Or if you have kids, this make a great organization unit. Just paint each child's name on each nest box and when they get home from school you could corral all their papers from school in this.
After seeing this, my mind is just reeling with ideas. Sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration to get your own creative juices flowing. So check out some of the garden projects and then let you mind run wild. If we all save one thing from going into the landfill, just think how much trash that saves. It is amazing what we throw away, so lets stop and think twice before we throw something out. Is there another use for it? Could it be re-purposed? Anyone with a lot of money can have a beatuiful garden, but it takes an extremely creative person to create a garden on a budget or with recycled items.
Let's hear from you. If you have a garden project that you used recycled items or re-purposed something, let us know. I would love to post a picture of it so that we can inspire others as well.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday Musings
Now that it is February, it is time to start thinking about our gardens. I harp on gardens here a lot because that is the one place where the most water is used and it can be difficult to cut back on outside watering and expect things to live. And yes we can plant natives, but what if you want to grow your own vegetables?
It is my goal to find a compromise between using excessive amounts of water outdoors and landscaping with gravel. There has to be a happy medium I think. Most of us move here because of the outstanding beauty of the forest only to find out we can't plant much in our gardens because we don't want to use water unnecessarily.
So how do we combine water conservation and gardening? Both are important. Gardens add beauty and give us a place to relax. They can provide food for us and nourish our souls as well. They provide food and shelter for the local wildlife as well. I do not know anyone who doesn't enjoy sitting out in the garden reading, snoozing or sipping iced tea. I love to just sit outside and watching the comings and goings of the birds and the squirrels. It is very relaxing and I think necessary to our mental health.
Last year I tried a product in my own garden called Dri Water. I have varying results with it. I used it according to their instructions. Some plants did well with it and others did not. So I am not sure I would invest in it. It would probably be good for someone going on vacation, but to use it regularly, I am not sold.
So now I am on a quest to find another way to save water while still having a garden here in the mountains. I am constantly adding compost to my garden so the soil will be able to absorb as much water as possible. I am mulching to keep the moisture in the soil from evaporating out. So what is the next step?
I thought about installing a drip irrigation system, but frankly it is a lot of work and I have seen the damage the squirrels do to other peoples systems and I don't want to be out there repairing it all the time. Add to the the cost and work of installing it and I don't think this is for me.
Option two would be soaker hoses. They can be put under the mulch and work pretty well. But I have personally found that if you have a lot of plantings, it can be a challenge to get them around each plant that needs watered. I end up running it longer to make sure that enough water is soaking in to the ground to reach the plants furthest from the hose. So, I don't think this is the greatest option either.
Hand watering can be effective, but it is very time consuming and hard to judge if you watering too much or not enough. So what is the solution? I will tell you in my next post.
It is my goal to find a compromise between using excessive amounts of water outdoors and landscaping with gravel. There has to be a happy medium I think. Most of us move here because of the outstanding beauty of the forest only to find out we can't plant much in our gardens because we don't want to use water unnecessarily.
So how do we combine water conservation and gardening? Both are important. Gardens add beauty and give us a place to relax. They can provide food for us and nourish our souls as well. They provide food and shelter for the local wildlife as well. I do not know anyone who doesn't enjoy sitting out in the garden reading, snoozing or sipping iced tea. I love to just sit outside and watching the comings and goings of the birds and the squirrels. It is very relaxing and I think necessary to our mental health.
Last year I tried a product in my own garden called Dri Water. I have varying results with it. I used it according to their instructions. Some plants did well with it and others did not. So I am not sure I would invest in it. It would probably be good for someone going on vacation, but to use it regularly, I am not sold.
So now I am on a quest to find another way to save water while still having a garden here in the mountains. I am constantly adding compost to my garden so the soil will be able to absorb as much water as possible. I am mulching to keep the moisture in the soil from evaporating out. So what is the next step?
I thought about installing a drip irrigation system, but frankly it is a lot of work and I have seen the damage the squirrels do to other peoples systems and I don't want to be out there repairing it all the time. Add to the the cost and work of installing it and I don't think this is for me.
Option two would be soaker hoses. They can be put under the mulch and work pretty well. But I have personally found that if you have a lot of plantings, it can be a challenge to get them around each plant that needs watered. I end up running it longer to make sure that enough water is soaking in to the ground to reach the plants furthest from the hose. So, I don't think this is the greatest option either.
Hand watering can be effective, but it is very time consuming and hard to judge if you watering too much or not enough. So what is the solution? I will tell you in my next post.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Monday Musings
Welcome to the last week of January 2011. Time is whizzing on by as per usual. Before you know it, spring will be here. All this nice weather isn't helping either as it is really giving me a whopping case of spring fever. I am trying to control my gardening urges as I know winter is not over and I would be fool hardy to even thing about starting to planting things right now. So I console myself with cleaning out the beds, removing fallen branches and needles and planning what I want to do in the garden this spring. It will be hard to go back to winter after several weeks of such nice, mild weather, but I know we aren't done just yet.
If you really can't resist the urge to get out there plant something, bare root trees can be planted during the winter, however, I do not fancy having to go out and water them in the cold, so I stick to fall or spring for my tree planting. But, if you are brave and don't mind doing a little winter watering, you can go ahead and plant a tree right now. Just be mindful that if you do and we do not receive a generous amount of snow or rain, you will have to go out and water that tree in the cold!
At my house, this creates a problem because I have disconnected my hose to prevent my pipes from freezing. Of course, I could always hook it back up, however, the snow from my metal roof slides off right in front of the hose and it doesn't take long until I have a 4 foot high mountain of snow there. I also do not want to be caught with my hose hooked up during a storm and have to scale that mountain to try to disconnect it after it has frozen. So no hose would mean toting buckets of water out into the yard and frankly, it just doesn't seem worth the effort when I can just wait a few more weeks and not have to deal with the snow and cold in the garden. Once I think the worst is over, then I will do some tree planting.
It is easy to forget that even though the weather isn't hot, that sometimes our trees and plants need watered during the winter. A lot depends on how much snow and rain we get and how good your soil is and how well you have mulched. Now is a good time to do that since the snow is gone and the daytime temps are pretty nice. Just remember to water around late morning or early afternoon so the water has a chance to soak in before any freezing could occur. And remember to disconnect your hose when you are done. Covering you outside faucet is a really good idea as well.
Try to avoid planting trees during the heat of the summer. This is probably the worst time to plant, as they will need an excessive amount of water just to stay alive. If you are like me and don't want to brave doing it in the cold, then just opt for spring or fall planting. While you will still have to water, it won't be as frequently since the temperatures won't be as hot. If you plant in the fall, which is really the best time in my opinion, then it isn't long before the snow and the rain helps you along and you don't have to do so much work. Just be sure to check on them and make sure they are getting enough water and supplement them if they need it.
With a little care, we can help our trees make it through the winter months, nice and health. Healthy trees are better able to fight off diseases and make it through the long, dry summer. Now is also a good time to add some compost to the soil and put on a layer of mulch if you haven't already done so. We still have FREE MULCH just for the taking, so stop buy and pick some up. It will slowly decompose and enrich the soil by making a lovely compost and you won't have to do a thing. Mother Nature will take care of it for you. What could be easier?
If you really can't resist the urge to get out there plant something, bare root trees can be planted during the winter, however, I do not fancy having to go out and water them in the cold, so I stick to fall or spring for my tree planting. But, if you are brave and don't mind doing a little winter watering, you can go ahead and plant a tree right now. Just be mindful that if you do and we do not receive a generous amount of snow or rain, you will have to go out and water that tree in the cold!
At my house, this creates a problem because I have disconnected my hose to prevent my pipes from freezing. Of course, I could always hook it back up, however, the snow from my metal roof slides off right in front of the hose and it doesn't take long until I have a 4 foot high mountain of snow there. I also do not want to be caught with my hose hooked up during a storm and have to scale that mountain to try to disconnect it after it has frozen. So no hose would mean toting buckets of water out into the yard and frankly, it just doesn't seem worth the effort when I can just wait a few more weeks and not have to deal with the snow and cold in the garden. Once I think the worst is over, then I will do some tree planting.
It is easy to forget that even though the weather isn't hot, that sometimes our trees and plants need watered during the winter. A lot depends on how much snow and rain we get and how good your soil is and how well you have mulched. Now is a good time to do that since the snow is gone and the daytime temps are pretty nice. Just remember to water around late morning or early afternoon so the water has a chance to soak in before any freezing could occur. And remember to disconnect your hose when you are done. Covering you outside faucet is a really good idea as well.
Try to avoid planting trees during the heat of the summer. This is probably the worst time to plant, as they will need an excessive amount of water just to stay alive. If you are like me and don't want to brave doing it in the cold, then just opt for spring or fall planting. While you will still have to water, it won't be as frequently since the temperatures won't be as hot. If you plant in the fall, which is really the best time in my opinion, then it isn't long before the snow and the rain helps you along and you don't have to do so much work. Just be sure to check on them and make sure they are getting enough water and supplement them if they need it.
With a little care, we can help our trees make it through the winter months, nice and health. Healthy trees are better able to fight off diseases and make it through the long, dry summer. Now is also a good time to add some compost to the soil and put on a layer of mulch if you haven't already done so. We still have FREE MULCH just for the taking, so stop buy and pick some up. It will slowly decompose and enrich the soil by making a lovely compost and you won't have to do a thing. Mother Nature will take care of it for you. What could be easier?
Monday, November 1, 2010
Monday Musings
Well, another month has gone by. What a beautiful weekend we had to end October with. Rain on Saturday then giving way to the most beautiful autumn day on Sunday. Very pleasant weather for trick or treaters to prowl around Idyllwild. With weather predictions being sunny and mild for the next few days, I am looking forward to getting out into the garden and finishing up my end of summer chores.
One thing I always try to do at this time of year is to add compost and/or manure to the garden so it can sit all winter long. I have noticed that sometimes when I add it in the spring, it is a little to potent and by letting it sit all winter, it mellows out just a little and my little seedlings love it.
With winter fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get the garden ready to go to sleep for the long winter months ahead. With predictions of a dryer than normal winter ahead, it is also the perfect time to get your trees and plants all mulched in as well. This not only protects the roots, but helps the soil to retain what ever moisture we do happen to get. We have to make the most of the moisture we do receive, so being that we have FREE mulch available, why not take advantage of the situation and do your garden a favor?
You can also mulch down your veggie garden, even though there is nothing growing in it right now. This helps prevent it from getting water logged through out the winter. The snow will gently melt down through the mulch and into the soil, rather than sitting on top of it and melting and creating mud puddles.
Remember we have FREE mulch for anyone to help themselves too and we also have bags of manure available for Pine Cove Water District customers as well. Each customer can have one bag for free. Just come in and ask for it!
One thing I always try to do at this time of year is to add compost and/or manure to the garden so it can sit all winter long. I have noticed that sometimes when I add it in the spring, it is a little to potent and by letting it sit all winter, it mellows out just a little and my little seedlings love it.
With winter fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get the garden ready to go to sleep for the long winter months ahead. With predictions of a dryer than normal winter ahead, it is also the perfect time to get your trees and plants all mulched in as well. This not only protects the roots, but helps the soil to retain what ever moisture we do happen to get. We have to make the most of the moisture we do receive, so being that we have FREE mulch available, why not take advantage of the situation and do your garden a favor?
You can also mulch down your veggie garden, even though there is nothing growing in it right now. This helps prevent it from getting water logged through out the winter. The snow will gently melt down through the mulch and into the soil, rather than sitting on top of it and melting and creating mud puddles.
Remember we have FREE mulch for anyone to help themselves too and we also have bags of manure available for Pine Cove Water District customers as well. Each customer can have one bag for free. Just come in and ask for it!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Therapeutic Gardening
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.
~ John Burroughs
This is one of the truest statements I have ever read. And considering where we live, this does not come as a surprise. There is something extremely therapeutic about being here in the forest. I also think it is why so many people come up from below to visit. To be soothed and healed and have their senses put in order. Living off the hill will definitely mess up your senses. At least it did mine!
After doing a little research, I found out that gardening can actually be classified as therapeutic. Of course, those of us who garden, already know this. It is probably what draws people out into the garden. A need to get back to basics, to nature, to put their hands into the dirt and to grow something.
Gardens have been around since Adam and Eve. God chose to put the first man and woman in a garden, so perhaps that should be our first clue as to how wonderful gardens are for us. I think gardens and outdoor spaces are essential to the well being of us humans. Gardening is therapeutic not only for the person doing it, but for everyone who comes in contact with the garden. A garden touches everyone.
My garden at home is in it's very early stages. When we bought our house, there was nothing there but a few pine trees. My new plants are small and sparse. The trees still look like bushes and at times I wonder if I will live to see them get big and provide the shade and privacy I desire in my garden. But I keep working at it any way. I keep expanding it, planning it and caring for it. While it is starting to take shape, I only see what is left to be done and not how much I have accomplished so far. I forget how it used to look before I started. However, I am constantly reminded by others how wonderful it is. This really makes me stop and think how much a garden is appreciated, even though it doesn't yet look the way I want it to.
When I am working in the garden, it is rare that a passerby does not stop to chat and talk about the garden. I have been given compliments on it, asked questions about how I get things to grow, how to amend the soil and what my future plans for the garden are. My garden opens up lines of conversation that probably would go unspoken other wise. Working in the garden gets you outside and into your neighborhood. As other pass by either walking or in their cars, they feel comfortable stopping to say hi and chat about the garden. It allows me to get to know neighbors that otherwise I might not ever meet! My garden is not only good for my soul, it is good for other people's souls as well. It helps me to socialize as well and get back to the days when everyone sat out on their front porches and watched the world go by.
continued in the next post
~ John Burroughs
This is one of the truest statements I have ever read. And considering where we live, this does not come as a surprise. There is something extremely therapeutic about being here in the forest. I also think it is why so many people come up from below to visit. To be soothed and healed and have their senses put in order. Living off the hill will definitely mess up your senses. At least it did mine!
After doing a little research, I found out that gardening can actually be classified as therapeutic. Of course, those of us who garden, already know this. It is probably what draws people out into the garden. A need to get back to basics, to nature, to put their hands into the dirt and to grow something.
Gardens have been around since Adam and Eve. God chose to put the first man and woman in a garden, so perhaps that should be our first clue as to how wonderful gardens are for us. I think gardens and outdoor spaces are essential to the well being of us humans. Gardening is therapeutic not only for the person doing it, but for everyone who comes in contact with the garden. A garden touches everyone.
My garden at home is in it's very early stages. When we bought our house, there was nothing there but a few pine trees. My new plants are small and sparse. The trees still look like bushes and at times I wonder if I will live to see them get big and provide the shade and privacy I desire in my garden. But I keep working at it any way. I keep expanding it, planning it and caring for it. While it is starting to take shape, I only see what is left to be done and not how much I have accomplished so far. I forget how it used to look before I started. However, I am constantly reminded by others how wonderful it is. This really makes me stop and think how much a garden is appreciated, even though it doesn't yet look the way I want it to.
When I am working in the garden, it is rare that a passerby does not stop to chat and talk about the garden. I have been given compliments on it, asked questions about how I get things to grow, how to amend the soil and what my future plans for the garden are. My garden opens up lines of conversation that probably would go unspoken other wise. Working in the garden gets you outside and into your neighborhood. As other pass by either walking or in their cars, they feel comfortable stopping to say hi and chat about the garden. It allows me to get to know neighbors that otherwise I might not ever meet! My garden is not only good for my soul, it is good for other people's souls as well. It helps me to socialize as well and get back to the days when everyone sat out on their front porches and watched the world go by.
continued in the next post
Friday, October 15, 2010
It's Frugal Friday!
Ok, here we are in the middle of October and the weather has been beautiful so far. This is wonderful news for gardeners and their gardens. Working in this beautiful weather makes even garden chores seem pleasant. This is also a great time to plant trees, bare root roses or shrubs and bulbs. Fall planting gives plants a chance to establish roots and eliminates the need to water during the winter months. Come spring, your plants have had a head start and reward you by springing to life.
Since we are trying to be frugal while gardening, now is the time to clean, oil, sharpen and put away those garden tools. By taking care of them, they will last much longer than if you don't. Who wants to keep spending money on the same things over and over again just because you let them sit outside all winter long?
If you do have some tools that have seen their better days, why not recycle them into the garden? Even household items that have outlived their usefulness indoors, can find their way into the garden to continue being useful. Old tool handles can become stakes for vines. Metal headboards can also be used as supports for climbing plants. Clam shell contains, like the kind muffins come in, can be re-purposed into mini greenhouses for winter seed sowing.
Old pantyhose and T-shirts can be used to tie up plants and old shower curtains can find a new use as tarps out in the yard. They are great to lay out on the ground when you are raking leaves and need to move them to the compost pile. Simply pile them up on top of the shower curtain and then pull it over to the compost pile. If you use your imagination, I am sure you can come up with lots of uses.
Now is also a perfect time to add a layer of mulch to your garden if you haven't already done so. And guess what? We are giving it away, free of charge! What could be more frugal than getting something great for your garden for free? Adding mulch to your garden will help it retain moisture over the winter months as well as protect plant roots from harsh winds and freeze and thaw cycles. The mulch will also slowly decompose over time, enriching your soil with wonderful compost. Compost rich soil retains water better as well, thereby reducing your need to water as often come summer.
So get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather and get some autumn gardening done before it is too late!
Since we are trying to be frugal while gardening, now is the time to clean, oil, sharpen and put away those garden tools. By taking care of them, they will last much longer than if you don't. Who wants to keep spending money on the same things over and over again just because you let them sit outside all winter long?
If you do have some tools that have seen their better days, why not recycle them into the garden? Even household items that have outlived their usefulness indoors, can find their way into the garden to continue being useful. Old tool handles can become stakes for vines. Metal headboards can also be used as supports for climbing plants. Clam shell contains, like the kind muffins come in, can be re-purposed into mini greenhouses for winter seed sowing.
Old pantyhose and T-shirts can be used to tie up plants and old shower curtains can find a new use as tarps out in the yard. They are great to lay out on the ground when you are raking leaves and need to move them to the compost pile. Simply pile them up on top of the shower curtain and then pull it over to the compost pile. If you use your imagination, I am sure you can come up with lots of uses.
Now is also a perfect time to add a layer of mulch to your garden if you haven't already done so. And guess what? We are giving it away, free of charge! What could be more frugal than getting something great for your garden for free? Adding mulch to your garden will help it retain moisture over the winter months as well as protect plant roots from harsh winds and freeze and thaw cycles. The mulch will also slowly decompose over time, enriching your soil with wonderful compost. Compost rich soil retains water better as well, thereby reducing your need to water as often come summer.
So get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather and get some autumn gardening done before it is too late!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Garden chores
Hopefully, autumn will soon be upon us. With that in mind it is time to get out into the garden an get going on autumn chores. Any work you do now will be less you have to do come spring. While there is a lot to be done in the fall, the cooler temps make working outside pleasureable once again.
Now is an excellent time to add compost to your soil. It helps the soil retain moisture and this in turn conserves water. If you have oak trees in your yard, you can rake up the leaves and add them to your compost pile. Don't have a compost pile? Make one. You can be very low tech and just make a pile in the corner of the yard somewhere. Pile you leaves up, wet them down and Mother Nature will quietly work to turn those leaves into compost.
Once your soil is amended with compost you will want to add a layer of mulch to help protect it. This is esepcially beneficially to plants and trees as it helps reduce water loss. Plants transpire water through their leaves and evergreens will continue to lose water this way during the winter. Moisture must then be taken up by the plants' roots. The roots will will continue to absorb moisture when it is available, but when you aren't watering, when the ground is frozen or there is a dry spell, the necessary moisture is not availabe. The plants will continue to transpire water but at this time it draws moisture from living cells. If too much water is give off from this source, the cell dies leaving brown out. Adding compost to the soil and then a layer of mulch, helps retain moisture in the soil enabling the plant to continue to absorb moisture through it's roots and give it off through it's leaves or needles. This will result in healthier, better looking plants and trees come spring.
Of course, you can take that one step further and get a compost bin and compost not only your leaves, but your kitchen scraps as well. You can get fancy composters that spin around, 3 section composters or a basic bin that you toss your thinks into. No matter how you go about it, composting is a good thing to be doing.
Now is a good time to trim up your hardwoods and plant bulbs, bare root roses, shrubs and trees. A little effort now will be rewarded come spring as everything you planted in the fall burts to life in the spring. Plus it will give you peace of mind all through the winter knowing that you prepared your garden for winter and will not be faced with a garden mess come spring.
It is also the perfect time to clean out your rain gutters or add them if you don't already have them. You can set up a rain harvesting system now as well. The more snow and rain you collect over the winter months, the less water you will have to use to irrigate your garden come summer.
Once done with your garden chores, clean off your tools, oil them or have them sharpened if necessary and put them away. It would be a good idea to dig out your snow shovels and put them where they can be easily reached. If you have a snow blower, check it over and make sure it is in good operating condition and that you have gas for it if it is gas powered. Waiting until the snow is falling fast to find your cold weather equipment is never a good idea.
Fall seems to come and go quickly some years and there is much to be done before winter settles over us. As your garden sleeps you can rest easy knowing you prepared it for it's long nap and come spring you will already be one step ahead of the gardening game.
Now is an excellent time to add compost to your soil. It helps the soil retain moisture and this in turn conserves water. If you have oak trees in your yard, you can rake up the leaves and add them to your compost pile. Don't have a compost pile? Make one. You can be very low tech and just make a pile in the corner of the yard somewhere. Pile you leaves up, wet them down and Mother Nature will quietly work to turn those leaves into compost.
Once your soil is amended with compost you will want to add a layer of mulch to help protect it. This is esepcially beneficially to plants and trees as it helps reduce water loss. Plants transpire water through their leaves and evergreens will continue to lose water this way during the winter. Moisture must then be taken up by the plants' roots. The roots will will continue to absorb moisture when it is available, but when you aren't watering, when the ground is frozen or there is a dry spell, the necessary moisture is not availabe. The plants will continue to transpire water but at this time it draws moisture from living cells. If too much water is give off from this source, the cell dies leaving brown out. Adding compost to the soil and then a layer of mulch, helps retain moisture in the soil enabling the plant to continue to absorb moisture through it's roots and give it off through it's leaves or needles. This will result in healthier, better looking plants and trees come spring.
Of course, you can take that one step further and get a compost bin and compost not only your leaves, but your kitchen scraps as well. You can get fancy composters that spin around, 3 section composters or a basic bin that you toss your thinks into. No matter how you go about it, composting is a good thing to be doing.
Now is a good time to trim up your hardwoods and plant bulbs, bare root roses, shrubs and trees. A little effort now will be rewarded come spring as everything you planted in the fall burts to life in the spring. Plus it will give you peace of mind all through the winter knowing that you prepared your garden for winter and will not be faced with a garden mess come spring.
It is also the perfect time to clean out your rain gutters or add them if you don't already have them. You can set up a rain harvesting system now as well. The more snow and rain you collect over the winter months, the less water you will have to use to irrigate your garden come summer.
Once done with your garden chores, clean off your tools, oil them or have them sharpened if necessary and put them away. It would be a good idea to dig out your snow shovels and put them where they can be easily reached. If you have a snow blower, check it over and make sure it is in good operating condition and that you have gas for it if it is gas powered. Waiting until the snow is falling fast to find your cold weather equipment is never a good idea.
Fall seems to come and go quickly some years and there is much to be done before winter settles over us. As your garden sleeps you can rest easy knowing you prepared it for it's long nap and come spring you will already be one step ahead of the gardening game.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A Kitchen Garden
When I hear the term Kitchen Garden, it conjurs up all sorts of images of a lovely, large picket fenced garden which sits right outside the kitchen door of a quaint little cottage and is just teeming with all sorts of herbs and vegetables. A large willow baskest sits at the ready just outside the garden gate and when I arrive back inside the kitchen, the basket is overflowing with just picked goodies.
But then I wake up and I realize I am still in Pine Cove and that gardening just isn't that easy. While gardening here in the mountains can be challenging for sure, it is not impossible. A lot of gardening success or failure depends on what you are trying to grow. Obviously there are always going to be certain plants that we can't grow due to their water requirements, light requirements or other things that perhaps can't be provided during out short growing season. But there are some things that will grow well up here given the right care and conditions.
I, personally have noticed that herbs seem to do fairly well up here. So that leads me to believe that a Kitchen Garden might be a really great way to start gardening, since it pretty much guarantees some gardening success. While herbs do require sun, they also do great in pots, making it easy to put the garden where the sun is. So instead of saying my yard is too shady to grow anything, you can put a container garden where ever you have some sun. That problem is solved.
Over the past several years I have noticed in my own garden, that rosemary and lavender seem almost indestructable. They pop up in the spring no matter how much snow has been piled on them over the winter and they seem to grow no matter how sporadically I water them. Since both rosemary and lavender like more arid conditions than some other plants in the garden, it makes them an idea choice for here in Pine Cove. It also makes them good to plant in the same area since they have similiar sun and water requirements.
Plus you may not realize that rosemary can be used for more things than just flavoring that chicken you are making for dinner tonight. It can actually be used as ground cover or for topiaries. This makes it not only a fragrant, edible addition to your garden, but a decorative one as well. There is no need to keep this herb only in the kitchen garden. It can go anywhere it will get a fair amount of sun and it will thrive.
Some other things I have had success with is basil, parsely, oregano and sage. These all grow fairly well and I have been able to harvest them and dry them for use throughout the winter. If you have ever stopped to figure out the cost per pound of those little jars of herbs they sell in the grocery stores, you would be flaberghasted at the price. For a few dollars spent on plants and seeds, you can create a wonderful, organic herb garden for all your cooking needs.
A Kitchen Garden can can be as small as a few herbs in pots or as large as a vegetable garden or anything in between. How about a salad garden? A few varieties of leaf lettuce, a couple cherry tomatoe plants and a cucumber vine set the stage for some really yummy summer salads. Remember that a lot of things can be grown in containers making gardening much more portable and attainable for a larger amount of people. So when next spring rolls around, why not give a Kitchen Garden a try?
But then I wake up and I realize I am still in Pine Cove and that gardening just isn't that easy. While gardening here in the mountains can be challenging for sure, it is not impossible. A lot of gardening success or failure depends on what you are trying to grow. Obviously there are always going to be certain plants that we can't grow due to their water requirements, light requirements or other things that perhaps can't be provided during out short growing season. But there are some things that will grow well up here given the right care and conditions.
I, personally have noticed that herbs seem to do fairly well up here. So that leads me to believe that a Kitchen Garden might be a really great way to start gardening, since it pretty much guarantees some gardening success. While herbs do require sun, they also do great in pots, making it easy to put the garden where the sun is. So instead of saying my yard is too shady to grow anything, you can put a container garden where ever you have some sun. That problem is solved.
Over the past several years I have noticed in my own garden, that rosemary and lavender seem almost indestructable. They pop up in the spring no matter how much snow has been piled on them over the winter and they seem to grow no matter how sporadically I water them. Since both rosemary and lavender like more arid conditions than some other plants in the garden, it makes them an idea choice for here in Pine Cove. It also makes them good to plant in the same area since they have similiar sun and water requirements.
Plus you may not realize that rosemary can be used for more things than just flavoring that chicken you are making for dinner tonight. It can actually be used as ground cover or for topiaries. This makes it not only a fragrant, edible addition to your garden, but a decorative one as well. There is no need to keep this herb only in the kitchen garden. It can go anywhere it will get a fair amount of sun and it will thrive.
Some other things I have had success with is basil, parsely, oregano and sage. These all grow fairly well and I have been able to harvest them and dry them for use throughout the winter. If you have ever stopped to figure out the cost per pound of those little jars of herbs they sell in the grocery stores, you would be flaberghasted at the price. For a few dollars spent on plants and seeds, you can create a wonderful, organic herb garden for all your cooking needs.
A Kitchen Garden can can be as small as a few herbs in pots or as large as a vegetable garden or anything in between. How about a salad garden? A few varieties of leaf lettuce, a couple cherry tomatoe plants and a cucumber vine set the stage for some really yummy summer salads. Remember that a lot of things can be grown in containers making gardening much more portable and attainable for a larger amount of people. So when next spring rolls around, why not give a Kitchen Garden a try?
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