Showing posts with label garden projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden projects. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Nice Weather
The nice weather continues and it is going to make going back to winter all the harder. But if you are a gardener, it is a nice break to get out and do a little quick clean up or even some transplanting. Now is the perfect time of year to put in some trees or bushes or to do some transplanting. It is also nice to have a break in the weather in order to get out and do a quick clean up of needles or other debris that has been left strewn about by the winds of the previous weeks. So get outside, get some fresh air, some exercise and some vitamin D and a clean yard in the process.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Cold Frames & Greenhouses
The early snows this year have given me serious greenhouse envy. I had a lot of tomatoes still on the vines when the first snow hit and killed everything off. I can't help but think that if I had some sort of a greenhouse, I could have saved those tomatoes. Now when I pass a yard with a greenhouse in it, I get seriously jealous.
Mother Nature sure likes to give us gardening challenges here in Pine Cove. And each year I try to outsmart her just a little more, with varying degrees of success. At my current residence, I have large, in the ground gardens so building green houses over them would be very expensive and time consuming. Plus they get the hot afternoon sun and in the summer it would be a constant battle to keep them from frying the plants. If they were portable, they would be so big that storing them would be a problem. But as luck would have it, I will be moving shortly and starting all over with a new garden. So this time I am going to garden smarter, not harder.
Being a tad over 40, my knees and various other joints now protest when I spend too much time bent over or kneeling down tending to garden chores. So in order to continue gardening well into my fast approaching golden years, I have decided to make all raised bed gardens at my new house. What doesn't fit in the raised beds will go into containers (on platforms with wheels for easy moving) or window boxes.
But of course, it doesn't stop there. My greenhouse envy now has me pondering how to make either greenhouses or cold frames to fit over the raised beds. If I am going to go to all the trouble of building raised beds, I might as well install some sort of greenhouse protection as well. I am going to do some research and report back here. I am not sure what exactly I will come up with, but I will also post pictures when my projects get underway. In the meantime, I have to go out and dig up my now frozen and dead tomato plants out of my current garden.
Mother Nature sure likes to give us gardening challenges here in Pine Cove. And each year I try to outsmart her just a little more, with varying degrees of success. At my current residence, I have large, in the ground gardens so building green houses over them would be very expensive and time consuming. Plus they get the hot afternoon sun and in the summer it would be a constant battle to keep them from frying the plants. If they were portable, they would be so big that storing them would be a problem. But as luck would have it, I will be moving shortly and starting all over with a new garden. So this time I am going to garden smarter, not harder.
Being a tad over 40, my knees and various other joints now protest when I spend too much time bent over or kneeling down tending to garden chores. So in order to continue gardening well into my fast approaching golden years, I have decided to make all raised bed gardens at my new house. What doesn't fit in the raised beds will go into containers (on platforms with wheels for easy moving) or window boxes.
But of course, it doesn't stop there. My greenhouse envy now has me pondering how to make either greenhouses or cold frames to fit over the raised beds. If I am going to go to all the trouble of building raised beds, I might as well install some sort of greenhouse protection as well. I am going to do some research and report back here. I am not sure what exactly I will come up with, but I will also post pictures when my projects get underway. In the meantime, I have to go out and dig up my now frozen and dead tomato plants out of my current garden.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Olla Update
As you all know, I put ollas in my garden this year around my tomatoes. However, I made one crucial mistake. I didn't allow enough room to get to them easily. As the tomato plants grew bigger and bigger, it quickly became like crawling through a jungle when trying to get to the ollas to fill them with water and developed into quite the unpleasant chore.
Since I was still harvesting tomatoes, up until last Friday, I have not yet dug them up to see if the roots of the plants had grown towards or around the ollas. Unfortunately, they are now buried under all this snow and my tomato plants are goners. So when I am able, I will go out and dig them up and try to see how the roots were growing and try to get a few pictures for the blog. You dont' even want to see my poor frozen tomato plants.
What I learned this summer was that if you make ollas out of clay pots like I did, it would be wise to to do a couple of things differently than what I did. The first thing you could do would be to place them along the edge of your garden where they will remain easy to access for filling. Don't bury them in between lots of plants that are going to get very big in a couple of months.
The second thing you could try is to enlarge the hole on the top pot and install a piece of PVC pipe up to a height that would be easy to fill. Not sure on the specifics of this, but you could probably drill some holes in the part of the PVC pipe that will go down into the olla to allow the water to come out and fill the olla. They you could just walk around and fill them from the top of the PVC pipe. Of course, I have not tried this yet, so it is all theory at this point.
The third thing you could do is to purchase ready made ollas that have the the tall spout on the top that sticks up out of the ground making them easier to fill. This is really the only problem I have found with using the clay pots. Since they are flat and at just about at ground level when buried, you have figure out a way to fill them easily. Each year is a learning experience and eventually I will get this down pat. If anyone out there has any ideas or knowledge about watering with ollas, I would love to hear your thoughts, experiences or ideas.
In addition to the above mentioned improvements, I also plan to try them in some raised bed gardens. I have decided that raised beds and container gardens will replace my in the ground gardens as I did not enjoy crawling on my hands and knees through the tomato plants with a hose to fill the ollas. Plus they are just so hard to work in with all the bending, stooping, kneeling and digging there is to do. There has to be an easier way and I am going to find it!
But using smaller, raised beds, I may be able to keep the ollas at the perimeter of the raised bed, thereby making filling them much easier. Or at the very least, eliminating the crawling on my hands and knees part. It would not have been so bad getting between the tomato plants had I not had to get on my hands and knees to do it.
I feel that gardening should be an enjoyable past time. While it is hard work and challenging at times, why not incorporate things that make it easier and more pleasant, like raised beds. I will be making mine tall enough that I can sit on the edge of them and do my gardening chores either standing or sitting. I think that will make gardening much more enjoyable and much less of a chore and perhaps some water saving methods, such as ollas, will be easier to incorporate into raised bed gardens than they are into the ground.
One thing I will report is that I was shocked at how often the ollas went dry. I was filling them daily until the last 6 weeks or so when I gave up and just watered the tomatoes normally. So I feel that they must have been doing their job superbly. The water was definitely seeping out and I am pretty sure I am going to find lots of tomato plant roots around each one once I can get to them.
All in all I would say that my olla experiment was a success and with some tweaking next year, I think it can be even a greater success. I will also work on some posts on raised bed, container and window box gardening in the near future.
Since I was still harvesting tomatoes, up until last Friday, I have not yet dug them up to see if the roots of the plants had grown towards or around the ollas. Unfortunately, they are now buried under all this snow and my tomato plants are goners. So when I am able, I will go out and dig them up and try to see how the roots were growing and try to get a few pictures for the blog. You dont' even want to see my poor frozen tomato plants.
What I learned this summer was that if you make ollas out of clay pots like I did, it would be wise to to do a couple of things differently than what I did. The first thing you could do would be to place them along the edge of your garden where they will remain easy to access for filling. Don't bury them in between lots of plants that are going to get very big in a couple of months.
The second thing you could try is to enlarge the hole on the top pot and install a piece of PVC pipe up to a height that would be easy to fill. Not sure on the specifics of this, but you could probably drill some holes in the part of the PVC pipe that will go down into the olla to allow the water to come out and fill the olla. They you could just walk around and fill them from the top of the PVC pipe. Of course, I have not tried this yet, so it is all theory at this point.
The third thing you could do is to purchase ready made ollas that have the the tall spout on the top that sticks up out of the ground making them easier to fill. This is really the only problem I have found with using the clay pots. Since they are flat and at just about at ground level when buried, you have figure out a way to fill them easily. Each year is a learning experience and eventually I will get this down pat. If anyone out there has any ideas or knowledge about watering with ollas, I would love to hear your thoughts, experiences or ideas.
In addition to the above mentioned improvements, I also plan to try them in some raised bed gardens. I have decided that raised beds and container gardens will replace my in the ground gardens as I did not enjoy crawling on my hands and knees through the tomato plants with a hose to fill the ollas. Plus they are just so hard to work in with all the bending, stooping, kneeling and digging there is to do. There has to be an easier way and I am going to find it!
But using smaller, raised beds, I may be able to keep the ollas at the perimeter of the raised bed, thereby making filling them much easier. Or at the very least, eliminating the crawling on my hands and knees part. It would not have been so bad getting between the tomato plants had I not had to get on my hands and knees to do it.
I feel that gardening should be an enjoyable past time. While it is hard work and challenging at times, why not incorporate things that make it easier and more pleasant, like raised beds. I will be making mine tall enough that I can sit on the edge of them and do my gardening chores either standing or sitting. I think that will make gardening much more enjoyable and much less of a chore and perhaps some water saving methods, such as ollas, will be easier to incorporate into raised bed gardens than they are into the ground.
One thing I will report is that I was shocked at how often the ollas went dry. I was filling them daily until the last 6 weeks or so when I gave up and just watered the tomatoes normally. So I feel that they must have been doing their job superbly. The water was definitely seeping out and I am pretty sure I am going to find lots of tomato plant roots around each one once I can get to them.
All in all I would say that my olla experiment was a success and with some tweaking next year, I think it can be even a greater success. I will also work on some posts on raised bed, container and window box gardening in the near future.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Fugal Friday
Since summer got off to such a slow start, it seems I am currently in a planting frenzy now that it has warmed up. Since this is Frugal Friday, it wouldnt' be right of me to say I was at the nursery "buying" things to plant. That isn't very frugal, now is it? No, I was actually transplanting things from around my yard that self sow. Specifically I have been transplanting lambs ear. About 5 years ago, my friend gave me half a dozen or so plants from her garden that were growing everywhere. At the time, I was just getting started on my current garden and a lack of funds was making for a frustrating gardening experience. So being the avid gardener that she is, she was happy to share her over flow of plants with me. So I took my little starts, went home and planted them all in a row in a small garden I had created in my front yard.
Fast forward 5 years and those 6 plant are probably now abut 50. They pop up everywhere! Of course, the gardener in me could never just rip them out of the ground and dispose of them. They grow like gangbusters up here and when you find something that grows well, you stick with it. That is my theory anyway.
Since they self sow and pop up in the most unusual or inconvenient places, I just wait until they get a few inches tall and then I dig them out and plant them somewhere else. The majority of them survive and I have the feeling that in about 10 years time, I will be living in a sea of lambs ear. Which is fine. I think they are very pretty.
So on this Frugal Friday, I would like to suggest that instead of making a trip to the nursery, look around your own yard and see what you could transplant, divide or share with friend. Maybe an afternoon plant swapping tea would be fun. I came home one day to find 6 asparagus plants on my doorstep from a neighbor who gardens. What a fun surprise that was. Personally, I am going to try to learn how to propagate roses so that I can expand my rose collection and share with others as well. Many other plants such as hostas, can be divided up to provide more plants for your yard or to share with others.
Perhaps you need to remove a plant for whatever reason. Why not give it to someone else? My neighbor just did that. He didn't like a certain bush he had and so he came over and asked me if I wanted it. You bet I did! There are lots of ways to get out there and add to the garden without spending any money.
Fast forward 5 years and those 6 plant are probably now abut 50. They pop up everywhere! Of course, the gardener in me could never just rip them out of the ground and dispose of them. They grow like gangbusters up here and when you find something that grows well, you stick with it. That is my theory anyway.
Since they self sow and pop up in the most unusual or inconvenient places, I just wait until they get a few inches tall and then I dig them out and plant them somewhere else. The majority of them survive and I have the feeling that in about 10 years time, I will be living in a sea of lambs ear. Which is fine. I think they are very pretty.
So on this Frugal Friday, I would like to suggest that instead of making a trip to the nursery, look around your own yard and see what you could transplant, divide or share with friend. Maybe an afternoon plant swapping tea would be fun. I came home one day to find 6 asparagus plants on my doorstep from a neighbor who gardens. What a fun surprise that was. Personally, I am going to try to learn how to propagate roses so that I can expand my rose collection and share with others as well. Many other plants such as hostas, can be divided up to provide more plants for your yard or to share with others.
Perhaps you need to remove a plant for whatever reason. Why not give it to someone else? My neighbor just did that. He didn't like a certain bush he had and so he came over and asked me if I wanted it. You bet I did! There are lots of ways to get out there and add to the garden without spending any money.
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.
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.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Frugal Friday
As this latest batch of snow melts away, my thoughts are turning to spring. Thinking of spring naturally makes one think of the garden. An what does one need for a garden? Seeds of course. Well plants are nice, but they are expensive, so since we are being frugal here, seeds are the way to go.
Now, I will admit I have not had as much success with starting seeds as I would like to have. However, since they are so inexpensive, I feel it is an area I can afford to have failures and keep trying. After all a $2 pack of seeds doesn't break the bank like a $50 plant would.
My biggest problems is that I have no where to start seeds indoors. So on a few select things, like tomatoes and basil, I will still by the plants. However, I am going to do some early seed sowing in the garden and make some mini green houses to cover the seeds and see how that method works out.
If anyone out there is good at this, I, and many others, would appreciate any advice you can give us regarding starting seeds. It all seems easy enough, but last year my morning glories never got past 2" tall. That is correct. 2 inches tall. How is that possible? What am I doing wrong? I see pictures of morning glories that grow like weeds and envelope a trellis or arbor with glorious green leaves and flowers. Yet mine, after all summer never really grew at all.
Hollyhocks are the other plant that elude me. I see them growing practically wild up in Big Bear. They are in parking lots, coming up through sidewalk cracks and invading yards. So of course I thought they would do well here and would need a minimum of water and care. Wrong. I got 2 plants out of about 50 seeds I planted last year. My friend, who lives in Big Bear, was good enough to go around one fall and harvest seeds for me from different hollyhocks and I still do not have hollyhocks growing in my yard.
So as spring begins to come to Pine Cove, I will again attempt to plant seeds and get them to grow. After all, spring is a time of renewal and who knows, perhaps one day I will get lucky and something will actually grow!
Now, I will admit I have not had as much success with starting seeds as I would like to have. However, since they are so inexpensive, I feel it is an area I can afford to have failures and keep trying. After all a $2 pack of seeds doesn't break the bank like a $50 plant would.
My biggest problems is that I have no where to start seeds indoors. So on a few select things, like tomatoes and basil, I will still by the plants. However, I am going to do some early seed sowing in the garden and make some mini green houses to cover the seeds and see how that method works out.
If anyone out there is good at this, I, and many others, would appreciate any advice you can give us regarding starting seeds. It all seems easy enough, but last year my morning glories never got past 2" tall. That is correct. 2 inches tall. How is that possible? What am I doing wrong? I see pictures of morning glories that grow like weeds and envelope a trellis or arbor with glorious green leaves and flowers. Yet mine, after all summer never really grew at all.
Hollyhocks are the other plant that elude me. I see them growing practically wild up in Big Bear. They are in parking lots, coming up through sidewalk cracks and invading yards. So of course I thought they would do well here and would need a minimum of water and care. Wrong. I got 2 plants out of about 50 seeds I planted last year. My friend, who lives in Big Bear, was good enough to go around one fall and harvest seeds for me from different hollyhocks and I still do not have hollyhocks growing in my yard.
So as spring begins to come to Pine Cove, I will again attempt to plant seeds and get them to grow. After all, spring is a time of renewal and who knows, perhaps one day I will get lucky and something will actually grow!
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.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Blue Bird Houses
We now have blue bird houses back in stock! If you missed out on getting yours the last time, stop on by the district office, located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd and ask for your FREE blue bird house. The boys, Jerry and Jeremy, make them out of old fence boards. It is a great way to do some recycling and provide shelter for our feathered friends all at one time. Be quick as they usually go fast! If you pick one up now and hang it up, it will be all ready for the birds to move in come spring.
We also have free wood chips if you are still in need of those. They are behind the workshop on Marion Ridge and you can just help yourself. If you need an exceptionally large amount, please check in at the office first.
We also have free wood chips if you are still in need of those. They are behind the workshop on Marion Ridge and you can just help yourself. If you need an exceptionally large amount, please check in at the office first.
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!
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 25, 2010
Chickens and Salmonella
We have all heard of the recent egg recall due to a salmonella outbreak. Personally I haven't followed this story very closely because I do not buy eggs from the store. I have my own flock of backyard chickens and have since 2001. I cannot bear to think of how these factory farms keep their chickens cooped up 4 to a cage, de-beak them and never let them out into the sunshine. The spend their whole, miserable lives in a cage and their feet never touch the earth. To me, this is just not acceptable. Now with this latest news of salmonella, it makes you wonder if eggs are even safe to eat.
So what is the solution? Well, it is quite simple really. Raise your own chickens. I know, many people have an aversion to livestock, especially in residential areas, however, chickens are really quite easy to care for, do not have to be an eyesore, are quieter than dogs and are a lot of fun to watch. Plus they earn their keep by providing you with wonderful, fresh, healthy, delicious eggs.
If you do not keep a rooster, then there will not be that much noise from the chickens. Yes, they make some noise when laying an egg, but if you had to go through labor and delivery every day or so, you would yell too! The only other time they make a fuss, is if they feel threatened by a dog or coyote, which is actually a good thing as it alerts me that something is outside the coop. They are much nicer to listen to than a barking dog and when they do make noise it is for a reason. Normally they just go about their business looking for bugs, eating, drinking and taking dirt baths,
Chickens are pretty self sufficient and just need a little care from their human each day. They need fresh, clean water, food and a safe, fenced in place they can stratch around outside. The amount of space needed depends on how many chickens you have. Of course, the more chickens you have, the more space you will need for them.
You will need a shelter for them. If you search online, you will find some pretty imaginative set ups. These can be simple or elaborate. Some communities now have a chicken coop tour each summer and some chicken owners take this whole coop buisiness very seriously. If you are only going to have a few chickens, a dog house would work. Just make sure it has good ventilation and protects them from predators and the elements.
Daily care consists of feeding them, giving them water, gathering the eggs and I try to clean out the nest boxes ever day or two. There is always one or two chickens who decide the nest boxes make great beds and settle in one each evening. A couple times a year you will need to clean out the entire coop. A clean coop makes for healthy chickens. This takes and hour or two to accomplish and I usually do it in the spring after winter is over and in the fall right before it begins again. When I clean out the coop in the spring, the droppings and shavings all go into to the compost bin. When I clean it out in the winter, it goes directly into the garden to compost over the winter months. You can also hose down the walls and the floor once the coop is all cleaned out.
In the evening, the chickens will put themselves to bed with no coaxing from you. Just be sure they have a place to go that is secure from preditors. Chickens like to perch at night and it is easy to provide them a place to perch. Wooden closet rods work very well as perches as do tree branches. What you use will depend on your coop set up and what sort of materials you have available to you
They will need a good chicken food formulated for laying chickens and some scratch, which is just cracked corn. You can also provide grit and oyster shell for them. The great thing about chickens though is that they can eat your kitchen scraps. They will eat a wide variety of food from your kitchen, there by eliminating a lot of wasted food. Just don't give them any meat, potato peels or citrus. Fruits, veggies, salad, bread, pasta, they love it all. Even certain plants from the garden are safe to give them. I keep a chicken bowl in my fridge and that is where I put all my scraps throughout the day. Come dinner time, they get their treat. The means there is almost no waste in my kitchen.
Keeping chickens has been such a wonderful and rewarding hobby for my family. There is nothing like going out to the coop and gathering the eggs. I never will tire of that ever. It is still so amazing to me that they do that. The eggs from your chickens will taste so much better than the ones from the store and you will wonder how you ever ate the store bought eggs. You will notice that the yolks are a bright orange rather than a pale yellow. The more fruits and veggies you feed them, the darker and more flavorful the yolks will be come. You can also add flax seed to their diet and there by increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Eggs from a backyard flock of chickens that are well cared for can be extremely healthy for you.
There are a couple of schools of thought on how to store eggs once you gather them from the coop. Some wash and refrigerate others do not. That is a decision you will have to make for yourself. Do some research and see which method is right for you. Eggs do have a protective coating on them when they are laid and washing them will remove that coating. I do minimal washing and follow this rule. If there is poo on them they get washed and if there isn't, they do not. I do refrigerate my eggs, although others do not.
If you haven't considered raising your own chickens, think about it. Here is a wonderful link to start your research with.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx
There are many sites online that have a wealth of information about raising chickens and what the benefits are. In this day and age, it might be wise to go back to some of the old ways, because apparently the new ways are working out so well, but don't get me started on that!
So what is the solution? Well, it is quite simple really. Raise your own chickens. I know, many people have an aversion to livestock, especially in residential areas, however, chickens are really quite easy to care for, do not have to be an eyesore, are quieter than dogs and are a lot of fun to watch. Plus they earn their keep by providing you with wonderful, fresh, healthy, delicious eggs.
If you do not keep a rooster, then there will not be that much noise from the chickens. Yes, they make some noise when laying an egg, but if you had to go through labor and delivery every day or so, you would yell too! The only other time they make a fuss, is if they feel threatened by a dog or coyote, which is actually a good thing as it alerts me that something is outside the coop. They are much nicer to listen to than a barking dog and when they do make noise it is for a reason. Normally they just go about their business looking for bugs, eating, drinking and taking dirt baths,
Chickens are pretty self sufficient and just need a little care from their human each day. They need fresh, clean water, food and a safe, fenced in place they can stratch around outside. The amount of space needed depends on how many chickens you have. Of course, the more chickens you have, the more space you will need for them.
You will need a shelter for them. If you search online, you will find some pretty imaginative set ups. These can be simple or elaborate. Some communities now have a chicken coop tour each summer and some chicken owners take this whole coop buisiness very seriously. If you are only going to have a few chickens, a dog house would work. Just make sure it has good ventilation and protects them from predators and the elements.
Daily care consists of feeding them, giving them water, gathering the eggs and I try to clean out the nest boxes ever day or two. There is always one or two chickens who decide the nest boxes make great beds and settle in one each evening. A couple times a year you will need to clean out the entire coop. A clean coop makes for healthy chickens. This takes and hour or two to accomplish and I usually do it in the spring after winter is over and in the fall right before it begins again. When I clean out the coop in the spring, the droppings and shavings all go into to the compost bin. When I clean it out in the winter, it goes directly into the garden to compost over the winter months. You can also hose down the walls and the floor once the coop is all cleaned out.
In the evening, the chickens will put themselves to bed with no coaxing from you. Just be sure they have a place to go that is secure from preditors. Chickens like to perch at night and it is easy to provide them a place to perch. Wooden closet rods work very well as perches as do tree branches. What you use will depend on your coop set up and what sort of materials you have available to you
They will need a good chicken food formulated for laying chickens and some scratch, which is just cracked corn. You can also provide grit and oyster shell for them. The great thing about chickens though is that they can eat your kitchen scraps. They will eat a wide variety of food from your kitchen, there by eliminating a lot of wasted food. Just don't give them any meat, potato peels or citrus. Fruits, veggies, salad, bread, pasta, they love it all. Even certain plants from the garden are safe to give them. I keep a chicken bowl in my fridge and that is where I put all my scraps throughout the day. Come dinner time, they get their treat. The means there is almost no waste in my kitchen.
Keeping chickens has been such a wonderful and rewarding hobby for my family. There is nothing like going out to the coop and gathering the eggs. I never will tire of that ever. It is still so amazing to me that they do that. The eggs from your chickens will taste so much better than the ones from the store and you will wonder how you ever ate the store bought eggs. You will notice that the yolks are a bright orange rather than a pale yellow. The more fruits and veggies you feed them, the darker and more flavorful the yolks will be come. You can also add flax seed to their diet and there by increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Eggs from a backyard flock of chickens that are well cared for can be extremely healthy for you.
There are a couple of schools of thought on how to store eggs once you gather them from the coop. Some wash and refrigerate others do not. That is a decision you will have to make for yourself. Do some research and see which method is right for you. Eggs do have a protective coating on them when they are laid and washing them will remove that coating. I do minimal washing and follow this rule. If there is poo on them they get washed and if there isn't, they do not. I do refrigerate my eggs, although others do not.
If you haven't considered raising your own chickens, think about it. Here is a wonderful link to start your research with.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx
There are many sites online that have a wealth of information about raising chickens and what the benefits are. In this day and age, it might be wise to go back to some of the old ways, because apparently the new ways are working out so well, but don't get me started on that!
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?
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Pine Cove Conservation Cafe
I am announcing a new feature on the blog that I hope will go over well. It is the Pine Cove Conservation Cafe. It is all about water saving tips that our customers are using in their homes and gardens. Do you have a great water saving tip? If so, send it in to us at pcwd2675@yahoo.com and I will post it here on the blog. Have pictures of your garden? Send them in and I will post them also.
Just make sure you send your name, street address and what the picture is of. We love to see what is going on in the gardens around Pine Cove. I will start off by posting some pictures of my garden, which is located at 25150 Marion Ridge Dr. within the next couple of days.
Some things I have been doing in my garden are adding compost to the soil for several years now to improve the soil and it's water retaining abilities. I am also using the free mulch we have availabe here at the water district to reduce watering and help retain moisture. I am watering in the evening or in the early morning to avoid mid day evaportation and I have started adding soaker hoses and will eventually move up to a drip irrigation system. I have also started a compost pile, but I need to be more diligent with it as it is just kind of sitting there. I plan to go out and turn it and add some water to it this week and see if I can get it going. I will try to get some horse manure to add to it as well. That usually helps it heat up.
So get out into your yard and take some pictures and send them in. We look forward
to seeing what is happening the the gardens of Pine Covers.
Just make sure you send your name, street address and what the picture is of. We love to see what is going on in the gardens around Pine Cove. I will start off by posting some pictures of my garden, which is located at 25150 Marion Ridge Dr. within the next couple of days.
Some things I have been doing in my garden are adding compost to the soil for several years now to improve the soil and it's water retaining abilities. I am also using the free mulch we have availabe here at the water district to reduce watering and help retain moisture. I am watering in the evening or in the early morning to avoid mid day evaportation and I have started adding soaker hoses and will eventually move up to a drip irrigation system. I have also started a compost pile, but I need to be more diligent with it as it is just kind of sitting there. I plan to go out and turn it and add some water to it this week and see if I can get it going. I will try to get some horse manure to add to it as well. That usually helps it heat up.
So get out into your yard and take some pictures and send them in. We look forward
to seeing what is happening the the gardens of Pine Covers.
Friday, July 30, 2010
It's Frugal Friday!
I know I have been remiss in my Frugal Friday postings, however, water business before pleasure and I have been keeping busy at the office. So today offered the opportunity to catch up on my blog posts and I am going to take advantage of it.
I know many people think that frugal gardening involves having a lot of junk sitting around in your yard under the auspice of art. But that just isn't the case. I think that frugal gardening is all about re-purposing and recyling things and giving them a new and useful life. And no, I am not talking about toilet planters!
Here's an idea I thought was lovely. Turn an old bird bath or better yet, a two or three tiered fountain, into a planter. Since a bird bath generally isn't very deep, you could set a small planter in the middle of the bird bath and plant some annuals. Then in the bird bath, add soil and plant something like moss, that will provide an carpet of green. If you use a plant in the pot that trails or vines, you will create a lovely, antique, drippy look which goes perfectly in a bird bath.
Use the same method for planting in an old fountain. Check Craigslist, Freecycle, thrift shops and yard sales for fountains that are still beautiful to look at, but perhaps have developed a leak or the owners are just tired of them. I saw one on Craigslist for $10. It had no pump and had 2 tiers. Perfect for planting. These make wonderful, classic additions to a garden. And by using them as a planter instead of a fountain, you will eliminate the need for running electricity and possibly water out to the fountain. This will enable you to locate it any where you like.
If you are lucky enough to find a fountain with two or more tiers, you can make a combination planter and bird bath. Having these types of creative features in your garden also helps provide habitat for wildlife. The birds will appreciate the water to bath in and drink and the cool carpet of moss makes a nice place to stop and rest for a minute.
If you have any ideas on re-purposing an item, feel free to let me know. If you have pictures, feel free to send them in and I will post them here on the blog. Let's see how creative we can get!
I know many people think that frugal gardening involves having a lot of junk sitting around in your yard under the auspice of art. But that just isn't the case. I think that frugal gardening is all about re-purposing and recyling things and giving them a new and useful life. And no, I am not talking about toilet planters!
Here's an idea I thought was lovely. Turn an old bird bath or better yet, a two or three tiered fountain, into a planter. Since a bird bath generally isn't very deep, you could set a small planter in the middle of the bird bath and plant some annuals. Then in the bird bath, add soil and plant something like moss, that will provide an carpet of green. If you use a plant in the pot that trails or vines, you will create a lovely, antique, drippy look which goes perfectly in a bird bath.
Use the same method for planting in an old fountain. Check Craigslist, Freecycle, thrift shops and yard sales for fountains that are still beautiful to look at, but perhaps have developed a leak or the owners are just tired of them. I saw one on Craigslist for $10. It had no pump and had 2 tiers. Perfect for planting. These make wonderful, classic additions to a garden. And by using them as a planter instead of a fountain, you will eliminate the need for running electricity and possibly water out to the fountain. This will enable you to locate it any where you like.
If you are lucky enough to find a fountain with two or more tiers, you can make a combination planter and bird bath. Having these types of creative features in your garden also helps provide habitat for wildlife. The birds will appreciate the water to bath in and drink and the cool carpet of moss makes a nice place to stop and rest for a minute.
If you have any ideas on re-purposing an item, feel free to let me know. If you have pictures, feel free to send them in and I will post them here on the blog. Let's see how creative we can get!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Frugal Fridays
It is now after Mother's Day, so I am hoping it is safe to start planting. I have lettuce coming up as well as peas. I put 4 cucumber plants in and one kicked the bucket already, so I am hoping the other 3 hang in there. I have had to cover them several days and nights. I am chomping at the bit to get everything in.
I am also chomping at the bit to get started on some garden projects. My first one is a fairy chair. I found an old wooden chair from the thrift shop in the village. I lined the seat with wire and planted it. I put one strawberry plant in the front and filled the rest with morning glory seeds. I love morning glories and I am hoping they actually grow. The chair is in a sunny spot, but that means the soil is going to dry out very quickly. Once the seeds sprout and are a few inches tall, I will mulch the whole planter to help retain the moisture. Once the morning glories come up, they will grow up and over the chair and down and around the legs and through the garden. It should look very nice.
I did spray paint the chair green prior to planting it. I am hoping that the chair blends in with the plants and it will eventually look like the morning glories are floating in air. Since the garden the chair sits in is full of mint and vinca, there isn't much flower action going on there. So the morning glories will give the mint garden a shot of color all summer long. Stay tuned for pictures.
I am also chomping at the bit to get started on some garden projects. My first one is a fairy chair. I found an old wooden chair from the thrift shop in the village. I lined the seat with wire and planted it. I put one strawberry plant in the front and filled the rest with morning glory seeds. I love morning glories and I am hoping they actually grow. The chair is in a sunny spot, but that means the soil is going to dry out very quickly. Once the seeds sprout and are a few inches tall, I will mulch the whole planter to help retain the moisture. Once the morning glories come up, they will grow up and over the chair and down and around the legs and through the garden. It should look very nice.
I did spray paint the chair green prior to planting it. I am hoping that the chair blends in with the plants and it will eventually look like the morning glories are floating in air. Since the garden the chair sits in is full of mint and vinca, there isn't much flower action going on there. So the morning glories will give the mint garden a shot of color all summer long. Stay tuned for pictures.
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