tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23515305522918323102024-02-18T20:36:38.172-06:00Urban Garden HoeA DIY gardening blog, kept by an urban girl with a taste for green.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-46042918007797577582014-04-19T20:31:00.001-05:002014-04-19T20:31:47.253-05:00My Gardening Sidekick!Long time no see! I'm not one for ceremony, so let's jump in.<div><br></div><div>I've done pretty much no gardening in the past few years. Chronic disease, babies, new home... I had a lot going on. </div><div><br></div><div>But now our first son is old enough to find plants interesting, so it's like a whole new world!!!</div><div><br></div><div>Simple is good when you're a mother of two little boys, and simple is good for toddlers. So we're doing potted tomatoes. Yay container gardening!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxWikLvyDutZk5jshHOFTnZq7Ufms-F7Ugnj9zZWSxRSbqtY7GwuFcIh4SUCNDIEKTOHQg36eAeyegqoBCOexDGzKAW3ZZEgXMfsqM8CXXNTC591_6NVhAqnKpIwownrve65l84KfXM7v/s640/blogger-image--1732171629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxWikLvyDutZk5jshHOFTnZq7Ufms-F7Ugnj9zZWSxRSbqtY7GwuFcIh4SUCNDIEKTOHQg36eAeyegqoBCOexDGzKAW3ZZEgXMfsqM8CXXNTC591_6NVhAqnKpIwownrve65l84KfXM7v/s640/blogger-image--1732171629.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>I had him help me get the old (REALLY old!) soil out of the pots, fill them with new soil, and then plant and water the tomatoes. He's very involved and a great helper, so he happily wielded his own little plastic shovel and gleefully buried the plants up to their necks in dirt. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It's such a wonderful teaching opportunity! I've told him about where food comes from, but now he'll <i>experience</i> the process. He'll get to pluck a cherry tomato and eat it right there in our back yard!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIQcKMd4kTBo9aPUpMCn64XhBFTkeHSOz5hx65Y6ua7qjjaMkSahfws9fS-fhGKiroYcSYXn_DYJzXa264pYkiqHLvoaRCzOarCWvO0V1-LVBbQGsGal2iT8NtjsF5tqs9bOpeQb5ZP1Z/s640/blogger-image-1048833906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIQcKMd4kTBo9aPUpMCn64XhBFTkeHSOz5hx65Y6ua7qjjaMkSahfws9fS-fhGKiroYcSYXn_DYJzXa264pYkiqHLvoaRCzOarCWvO0V1-LVBbQGsGal2iT8NtjsF5tqs9bOpeQb5ZP1Z/s640/blogger-image-1048833906.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I stuck with two "patio" tomato plants and a super sweet one million, which I've successfully grown in pots before. I ordered them through the food coop, which I much prefer to store-bought seedlings. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Since he can't read yet, I made special plant markers: the plants that will grow the slicing tomatoes are marked with a big red "tomato" dot, and the one that will grow cherry tomatoes is marked with a cluster of little "tomato" dots.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlX1sCpkXRpSC_GY2MjAjPnF_A9CymFeN1HxJuLg49YK6LEi13-lxK4x1qLZEcBY4boa6HDVFlMO2gKrpF6uCeNAEWxShTPnRu2X8XxB0GxflzN6x5mZjVFD0_7s-FaZWAqMBRl9kk5dH/s640/blogger-image--663917275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlX1sCpkXRpSC_GY2MjAjPnF_A9CymFeN1HxJuLg49YK6LEi13-lxK4x1qLZEcBY4boa6HDVFlMO2gKrpF6uCeNAEWxShTPnRu2X8XxB0GxflzN6x5mZjVFD0_7s-FaZWAqMBRl9kk5dH/s640/blogger-image--663917275.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipFg0GPVCtARMzBhkrvJsBsY2B7HPlrzimGpYF5x66vQfiCupP6hCQeSts2RVZUks7O2Hje3dCnuqjYd5C4rtIM3F_51P22RY1z2wgG__GHKxdJwwlfU3vcy8TaUYg9iOvNHmk8sz0i2v/s640/blogger-image-1952298270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipFg0GPVCtARMzBhkrvJsBsY2B7HPlrzimGpYF5x66vQfiCupP6hCQeSts2RVZUks7O2Hje3dCnuqjYd5C4rtIM3F_51P22RY1z2wgG__GHKxdJwwlfU3vcy8TaUYg9iOvNHmk8sz0i2v/s640/blogger-image-1952298270.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Such fun!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-24855481977227016852011-04-17T10:21:00.002-05:002011-04-17T10:25:34.730-05:00Spring Flower Fever!We are right around the average last frost date in the Oklahoma City area (you can put your seedlings outside, if you've hardened them off!). This past Thursday was also our fourth wedding anniversary, and Chad knows me so well. Aside from sending beautiful flowers to work, he also gave me a $40 gift certificate to Lowe's intended for flowers around the house and yard.<br />
<br />
Normally, I'd be spending it on all things related to vegetable gardening. But this year, vegetables will be limited to a few pots, due to the fact that growing a baby and having a giant belly in late summer kinda takes some fun away from things like bending over to weed, harvest, and prune.<br />
<br />
We were drawn to bold colors and selected a pot of red and orange daisies, petunias (a basket of deep purple, two six-packs of red and white striped), multicolored celosia, and a red variety and white variety of some low, small, slightly bushy looking flower whose name can't recall at the moment. I got so excited about this and all of the flower pots we have (between our own and several this house's last occupants left behind), that I've been fishing through our seed stash pulling out all of the flowers and herbs that can be successfully sown outdoors around the last frost date. It also comes to mind that we have a bare spot in our front flower bed... though I'm tempted to grow a few little baby sized heads of lettuce there instead of flowers, until the weather is too hot to easily grow lettuce.<br />
<br />
One pot I'm particularly excited about is the one full of striped petunias. I placed them in a circle near the rim of the pot, leaving a bare patch of soil in the middle where I seeded a burgundy okra plant. I don't know how long the petunias will have their pretty blossoms, but if they last a good amount of time the okra will grow up above them and have a pretty little border. (If they don't last very long, I'll just remove them to give the okra a little more room.) It may not have enough room to really thrive and fruit in a pot, but I've been curious to see this burgundy okra plant since I first got the seeds. I'm hoping it'll at least be healthy enough to put forth blooms.<br />
<br />
I still really love vegetable gardening, but this is a fun change of pace for me, too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-50836658573359765002011-02-02T12:00:00.001-06:002011-02-02T23:13:28.817-06:00Snow Day Seedlings!Yesterday morning was officially a blizzard here in the Oklahoma City area (and much of the Midwest!). Chad took a lot of pictures, all from the warm safety of the inside of our house... which is much warmer than our last one!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elmofromok/5410032212/" title="IMG_1825 by elmofromok, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1825" height="374" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5410032212_0a2591023a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Even our covered, screened in back porch was covered with snow!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elmofromok/5409419813/" title="IMG_1831 by elmofromok, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1831" height="374" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/5409419813_8ca924c7f4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
That meant that Ali, our indoor princess of a cat, got to walk in snow for the first time ever! She's been pretty excited about it but won't stay out there freezing her paws for too long.<br />
<br />
This doesn't keep me from thinking about warmer months. I moved my seedlings away from the cold windowsill and decided to take a quick snap of them to share.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmp7x7jPkfgfh-uY5277a0H5c9MOfI5GNdUq0MZhxhDjPrkC8cG_nvQe-sN5nVspnIoonxqKd-EDEC7vTWp2rH6kuYq6MVB6CS9yynjoz7jrtwAe8Q-6ispDqP2iKEBV3pl7KbOYDiZ5U7/s1600/photo%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmp7x7jPkfgfh-uY5277a0H5c9MOfI5GNdUq0MZhxhDjPrkC8cG_nvQe-sN5nVspnIoonxqKd-EDEC7vTWp2rH6kuYq6MVB6CS9yynjoz7jrtwAe8Q-6ispDqP2iKEBV3pl7KbOYDiZ5U7/s320/photo%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From bottom to top: Yellow Tumbling Tom tomatoes, Red Tumbling Tom tomatoes, globe basil, genovese basil, and Red Robin tomatoes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqIV5G4jn3W63c_imJHTqaIb1c0UCTEkwV6FBwL2Qbs7pNFBcnxc50WyI6XtaQJ-beAL_l1W8N95WtH7QQTbpbiCMcvWU0KJnrMqB531UxIWCdqscdhbtYs3wECyZqJtCJCMb5y-551ev/s1600/photo%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqIV5G4jn3W63c_imJHTqaIb1c0UCTEkwV6FBwL2Qbs7pNFBcnxc50WyI6XtaQJ-beAL_l1W8N95WtH7QQTbpbiCMcvWU0KJnrMqB531UxIWCdqscdhbtYs3wECyZqJtCJCMb5y-551ev/s320/photo%25283%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny Alpine strawberry seedlings in a Jiffy pot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>All of these varieties are ideal for containers, since that's pretty much all I'm going to do this year. I'll probably also grow one larger determinate tomato plant and maybe some baby-sized lettuce varieties. Simple is my motto this year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-37054028338281842232011-01-22T12:40:00.000-06:002011-01-22T12:40:21.140-06:00Diabetes Killed My Plants!It's been months... last growing season wasn't blogged my me <i>at all</i>. I'm afraid I had a rather large issue that overshadowed everything. I was diagnosed with <a href="https://health.google.com/health/ref/Type+1+diabetes">type 1 diabetes</a> in early May.<br />
<br />
No, not type 2. Type 1. (I <i>know</i> at least<i> one</i> of you was like, "She must mean type 2." :p )<br />
<br />
Yes, that's the autoimmune variety that used to be called "juvenile diabetes," which <i>is</i> more commonly developed in children, and which requires lifelong insulin therapy. But at the age of 30, I got it. I won't go into detail about that here, but you can check out the blog I've been keeping about it, <a href="http://type1at30.blogspot.com/">Type 1 at 30</a>, if you're curious. The <a href="http://type1at30.blogspot.com/2010/05/introductions-of-all-kinds.html">earliest post</a> gives the story of my diagnosis.<br />
<br />
I suppose the one other thing I'll say about that for now, because it's actually gardening related:<br />
<br />
Diabetes killed my plants!!!<br />
<br />
OK, really, it made me so preoccupied and focused that every last seedling I'd started died from neglect. I had no garden, no potted plants, nothing. Sometimes, your energy just has to be focused on other things... like learning how to survive without a properly functioning pancreas.<br />
<br />
Oh, priorities!<br />
<br />
But this year, I'm starting again... on a small scale because, again, I have something else demanding my energy: a baby due in August!<br />
<br />
Oh, and we also moved to a new home, and I got a new job. Can we <i>possibly</i> pack any more life changing events into these two years?<br />
<br />
There's no way I'm going to be bending over to pull weeds as a great big pregnant lady, so I'm keeping it simple with potted plants and early-fruiting varieties. Honestly, this is back to my favorite kind of gardening: small scale, simple, creative, <i>container</i> gardening. *love*Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-7499804791276703402010-04-24T18:50:00.005-05:002010-04-24T19:08:21.715-05:00Year-old OnionsSo I had some green onions that I never used last year, and I just left them in the garden to do their thing. They came back after winter, but I was too skeptical to try eating them... But scapes are another story!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6-RYg8J7ZDXQr3H3J9gP9Vp3qSAcNe9EIsfhXzrIimyIALGu7HSXHgzRPifxS1IjI7mjfL315G_iyt3458wUQIRogRsoa3_PFQoiHaKBDhgjw8s-k5Dl079g6pNQ3PKJqoHYFvuMuUKa/s1600/ScapesWide.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6-RYg8J7ZDXQr3H3J9gP9Vp3qSAcNe9EIsfhXzrIimyIALGu7HSXHgzRPifxS1IjI7mjfL315G_iyt3458wUQIRogRsoa3_PFQoiHaKBDhgjw8s-k5Dl079g6pNQ3PKJqoHYFvuMuUKa/s320/ScapesWide.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463856158947387826" border="0" /></a>A scape is what happens when an onion (or garlic!) "goes to seed." These huge ones you see in these photos probably aren't tender enough to eat, so I'll leave them and experiment with collecting their seeds.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyftdU96lumCX7VZGH7yjoT7TE0ICgYzB-uimXqRX9hNxQKv7fbU8z7ZGFHApcKBDOazEDBquExU5MihZYRvKR6HHa5ShXoSNoKDal1AmkQaLlLtzBRxkhmi86V7z_fsugL6ASGHStN8d/s1600/Scapes+up+close.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyftdU96lumCX7VZGH7yjoT7TE0ICgYzB-uimXqRX9hNxQKv7fbU8z7ZGFHApcKBDOazEDBquExU5MihZYRvKR6HHa5ShXoSNoKDal1AmkQaLlLtzBRxkhmi86V7z_fsugL6ASGHStN8d/s320/Scapes+up+close.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463856402976823826" border="0" /></a><br />There were several smaller scapes that seemed nice and tender, and a few more that should be perfect in a couple days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1ihBa81UeMYcDljmYrTNzfbf42UxDHxcwH-rZMMgJPqxa9YXKgGK5kUQdncAJOCYdcbT_cZNxmzpOJG9EXrfjpwuKlPdpfDRioUCz0ZMspsUVkBO778Hnq4kdzm_JW8OWXj0ouB9FTB6/s1600/ScapesPicked.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1ihBa81UeMYcDljmYrTNzfbf42UxDHxcwH-rZMMgJPqxa9YXKgGK5kUQdncAJOCYdcbT_cZNxmzpOJG9EXrfjpwuKlPdpfDRioUCz0ZMspsUVkBO778Hnq4kdzm_JW8OWXj0ouB9FTB6/s320/ScapesPicked.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463856409199726962" border="0" /></a><br />You could cut them up for a stir-fry. I'll probably cut them into very small pieces and saute them to add to a rice dish.<br /><br />It just goes to show that, in the right climate, nature keeps doing her thing. Volunteer tomatoes appear, plants survive harsh conditions, and a neglected onion offers forth new bounty past its prime.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-38757189893498860002010-04-18T13:31:00.003-05:002010-04-18T13:44:48.965-05:00Hardening OffOklahoma City's last-frost date has passed! You can put most of your plants into the garden now, if they've been hardened off. If they've not been hardened off, and you're not sure how, here's my usual process:<br /><br />Day 1: Put plants outside, in the shade and away from the wind, for about an hour.<br />Day 2: As above, for a couple hours... and letting them get a few minutes of sun before bringing them in.<br />Day 3: Put the plants in <span style="font-style: italic;">partial</span> shade for a couple hours, in an area where the wind won't hit them full-blast. (Be careful of that Oklahoma wind!)<br />Day 4: Similar to day 3, but for about half the day.<br />Day 5: Similar to day 4, but for about the length of a work-day.<br />Day 6: Similar to day 5, but with more exposure to to sun and wind.<br />Day 7: If the plants are doing well, give them full-sun most of the day... but check on them periodically.<br />Day 8: If all is well, transplant them.<br /><br />Pay attention to your plants during this process. If they start looking wilty when you put them in the sun, then back off a bit and take smaller steps! And check the forecast before you put them in the ground. Freezes <span style="font-style: italic;">can</span> happen after the last-frost date.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-86731722228471539172010-02-09T22:16:00.005-06:002010-02-09T22:35:35.697-06:00Seedy Saturday and Baby ChivesThis past Saturday, some friends and I got together for a seed exchange. We each brought whatever extra seeds we had, which amounted to a lot since we are all just backyard gardeners. Each person put their seed packets in a bowl and I set out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Coin-Envelope-Manila-Kraft-Open/dp/B002AGLZ3S">coin envelopes</a> to serve as our new seed packets (along with pencils for labeling). We then passed around the bowls and took samples of the seeds that interested us. Everyone seemed to feel like they came out a winner. We could all have variety in our gardens without going broke!<br /><br />Give it a try. It's a great way to expand your garden and try new varieties on a budget. Throw in a veggie tray and some tea, and you'll have a pleasant afternoon of seeds and conversation!<br /><br /><hr /><br />I've started a few seeds lately. It may seem a bit early to traditional gardeners in this area, but that's one advantage of being a container gardener! You can put your plants outside on nice, sunny days (not that we have any just yet!) and bring them inside whenever they need protection from the cold.<br /><br />I'm particularly tickled by my pretty chives pushing their way out of their soil.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPP_HO9W5kQ9qWB5e25cN8zIrDp6gSvY99I6jpckVGekZHmUeQ-KdXNDY9IXF9DPcykKGWzHjSeugizbCMpEiLjEyZWsULdIJ_UqjdoAs0CCKZMgehGK0meVpRYqnu5uWXl_IrVt825sw/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPP_HO9W5kQ9qWB5e25cN8zIrDp6gSvY99I6jpckVGekZHmUeQ-KdXNDY9IXF9DPcykKGWzHjSeugizbCMpEiLjEyZWsULdIJ_UqjdoAs0CCKZMgehGK0meVpRYqnu5uWXl_IrVt825sw/s320/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436464822667073378" border="0" /></a><br />I also have tomato, strawberry, parsley, and basil seedlings that I'll share pictures of when they get a little larger.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-79658176995752157922010-01-30T13:37:00.010-06:002010-01-30T14:53:41.371-06:00Alpine Strawberries from Seed (Kit)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMgdIa3eiMbilwSHI_ianHnyhqzNk-_1JtAYh7nxtesiZohtBoERQE7kPFVpLbsN7eHe4DD78tu74GUyfpIEPlo4HFYn9v6HNjVw3qps5EEzRXWDg7SUXMtjWJHKif3PX97Qy_8GXBuP3/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMgdIa3eiMbilwSHI_ianHnyhqzNk-_1JtAYh7nxtesiZohtBoERQE7kPFVpLbsN7eHe4DD78tu74GUyfpIEPlo4HFYn9v6HNjVw3qps5EEzRXWDg7SUXMtjWJHKif3PX97Qy_8GXBuP3/s320/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432626778669357058" border="0" /></a>Speaking of cute kits, Target has these adorable little strawberry growing kits (as well as flower kits) in their dollar section for Valentine's Day. I've picked these up a couple years in a row, and they're pretty cool... but they're also an example of how a kit could result in frustration for a first-time gardener.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dLJ2sZihc3JrV0iuL3rg21zWsbpDCBeM1TFr6WlyImC6FV4lBH7l_Oo6ndlDKm4biUnQgyy7fzZ4UFKg5AfBi7SbN-R08yX5ps-ueLAZhXPjbpuHYU1bOxr12J1hvHriDxOv4J00E4WX/s1600-h/photo(2).jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dLJ2sZihc3JrV0iuL3rg21zWsbpDCBeM1TFr6WlyImC6FV4lBH7l_Oo6ndlDKm4biUnQgyy7fzZ4UFKg5AfBi7SbN-R08yX5ps-ueLAZhXPjbpuHYU1bOxr12J1hvHriDxOv4J00E4WX/s320/photo(2).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432626935121874418" border="0" /></a>First of all, keep in mind that growing strawberries from seed isn't the easiest task for a beginning gardener. The seeds are minuscule, the seedlings dry out so easily, and they're <span style="font-style: italic;">delicate</span>. It can be done, but you <span style="font-style: italic;">have</span> to check on them daily and handle them carefully. Second, the kit suggests that 10 seedlings would flourish in virtually no space at all! It comes with a <span style="font-style: italic;">teeny tiny</span> pot, a small packet of about 20 Alpine Strawberry seeds, and a pellet of growing medium. But <span style="font-style: italic;">trust me</span>, you don't want to put 10 seeds in that teeny pot! It's not nearly enough room.<br /><br />Instead:<br /><ul><li>Use something like peat pods (or my budget version: <a href="http://www.urbangardenhoe.com/2009/01/gardening-on-budget-seed-starting.html">toilet paper roll pods</a>) or seedling cells with seed-starter mix.</li><li>Put only one or two strawberry seeds in each pod/cell.</li><li>Water from the BOTTOM by pouring water in the seedlings' tray, because those tiny seeds could wash right away if you water from the top. </li><li>Keep everything consistently moist! These plants are so tiny that they dry out FAST when mere seedlings.</li><li>Later, you can harden them off and put the plants in hanging baskets or a strawberry planter... or maybe along the edges of your flower bed, as they are quite lovely little plants.<br /></li></ul>But let's not waste that gowing medium pellet and teeny pot. If you want, you can use them as directed but sow only one or two seeds in the little pot. Just don't over-water, because the pot has no drainage hole. You can also use the pot as a cute container to give away one of the seedlings when they're almost grown. I did this as <a href="http://www.urbangardenhoe.com/search/label/gifts">a gift to a gardening friend of mine</a>, a couple years ago. (In this case, you can hydrate the growing medium pellet and mix it into the rest of your seed-starting mix for another seedling project.)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Alpine strawberries are a small, everbearing variety. That means that, instead of one large harvest at once, it'll give you several small harvests. It's one of the easier varieties to grow from seed, and it's less likely to take over your garden if you put them in the ground. They're about as close to a "wild strawberry" as you'll get in a domesticated plant. They're fairly similar to Alexandria strawberries.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-23275190196152650872010-01-25T19:56:00.006-06:002010-01-30T14:24:19.682-06:00Cute KitsI'm such a sucker for cute kits and convenience. If I were planning an in-ground garden this year, I totally would have snatched up one of these baskets at Lowe's the other day:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTRy0yI6kye1ynSEWgL8XHdSWfcaChcN2pQSXAcLWn2b37faB3g0fuCG8rfzmHQmEiU_NJFi5YBCfMp9IlFzXjswJ7TSwBiPZ5b0IKn1uNxpxb6-4fplrfg0kzFmaCP9jylcVId6qevrV/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTRy0yI6kye1ynSEWgL8XHdSWfcaChcN2pQSXAcLWn2b37faB3g0fuCG8rfzmHQmEiU_NJFi5YBCfMp9IlFzXjswJ7TSwBiPZ5b0IKn1uNxpxb6-4fplrfg0kzFmaCP9jylcVId6qevrV/s320/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430863230657885474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVKbJ3X_jwQTW84jjnk6EHqquKgrlSYPPXC2iPYKTD4MkMtY-4l5HzeGh5LnBS2T0yjlJehjRNY31DmsF22fasglAJNfeA4SL72VgIiVBaYlDDAhxgmw_DVSoR110K5Fbq2-q0XV3DOCS/s1600-h/photo(2).jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVKbJ3X_jwQTW84jjnk6EHqquKgrlSYPPXC2iPYKTD4MkMtY-4l5HzeGh5LnBS2T0yjlJehjRNY31DmsF22fasglAJNfeA4SL72VgIiVBaYlDDAhxgmw_DVSoR110K5Fbq2-q0XV3DOCS/s320/photo(2).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430864152317245874" border="0" /></a>I mean, how perfect would this be for a small in-ground garden? And it comes in an adorable basket that's perfect for small harvests!<br /><br />Could you get all of the contents cheaper? Yes, probably. Especially if you make a deal with other backyard gardeners and split that bundle of onions or bag of seed potatoes. But for the convenience, $10 isn't so bad. In fact, I think this could be the way to go if you're a new gardener or are growing these plants for the first time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-33147808133867993552010-01-16T15:50:00.005-06:002010-01-16T16:25:33.336-06:00A Portable GardenBecause we might be buying a new house in the next few months (yikes!), this year's gardening plans focus on the <span style="font-style: italic;">portable</span>. Everything I'm choosing must either be able to survive in a pot (like not-too-big determinate tomato plants), or it must be something that could be harvested early (like lettuce).<br /><br />It feels good to simplify. This is why I love container gardening in the first place!<span style="font-style: italic;"></span> There are ants all over the basket of strawberries? Well, brush them off and move the strawberries to the front porch! There's an unexpected spring freeze on its way? Just move everything inside to the utilities room! We're moving? No big deal! Put those pots of Red Robin Tomatoes in the back of the car and <span style="font-style: italic;">let's go!</span><br /><br />With this in mind, I just ordered most of my (very few) "new" seeds for this season:<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5351/">Tumbling Tom Tomatoes</a> (one packet of red and one packet of yellow)</li><li><a href="http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5387/">Fabulous Hybrid Tomato</a></li><li><a href="http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5137/">Little Gem Lettuce</a></li></ul><br />The Tumbling Toms are perfect for hanging baskets, and I have a pot large enough for a determinate like the Fabulous Hybrid. Lettuce is no problem at all, as it can be harvested and enjoyed even when it's still very small.<br /><br />I will still most likely buy some parsley seeds, and maybe spinach. Everything else will come from my existing stash or from seed-swaps.<br /><br />I feel good about this upcoming season, and I'm so happy next month is February! We'll soon be starting winter vegetables!!!<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-36467680329358091592009-12-24T10:31:00.002-06:002009-12-24T10:51:09.108-06:00Listening to the sleet and ice at the windows, my thoughts are already turning to Spring.<br /><br />Last gardening season was a dud... and it was mostly my fault. My garden tends to reflect what's going on in my life, and things weren't so great emotionally. When I start neglecting myself because of depression or stress, I also start neglecting my plants.<br /><br />Life is better now, partly because I realized I couldn't pull myself out of depression alone, and partly because I'm taking initiative to change the parts of my life that make me unhappy. As I brim with anticipation there, I find myself brimming with anticipation over next year's garden.<br /><br />I will keep things simple this year. Last year's plans were complex and varied, which I believe overwhelmed me, so I will stick to the reliable basics this year. I'll allow myself a small section of the garden for experimental plants, but I will do my best to direct most of my emotional investment elsewhere.<br /><br />I also think I'll invest in a little extra lighting for my seedlings. Tomatoes do just fine if they're a bit leggy, but broccoli, not so much. I'm fortunate enough to have a sunny southern room, so I think a couple lamps rigged up with grow bulbs will be sufficient.<br /><br />I'll also make my life easier by setting up the drip irrigation system we purchased last year. How silly is it to let something like that got to waste?!<br /><br />I'll also invest in some of those watering bulbs for when we take weekend trips. The garden itself does OK if it misses a watering, but the container plants are another story.<br /><br />Time to sort through my existing seeds and do a couple germination tests.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-38974140694436625202009-10-02T08:33:00.002-05:002009-10-02T08:38:42.618-05:00Throw Your Voice tomorrow!I know I've been on hiatus this season, but I wanted to let my fellow Oklahoma bloggers know about Throw Your Voice TOMORROW, October 3rd. It's a blogging and podcasting conference in Oklahoma City. <a href="http://www.throwyourvoice.com">Check it out!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-27592907931480197292009-06-16T21:51:00.010-05:002009-06-16T22:35:05.464-05:00Gardening with Children; a Guest Post<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is a special post for Urban Garden Hoe: a guest post on gardening with children from a good friend of mine, Sara. Sara is fairly new to gardening and had a fair number of questions this Spring, but she has really taken to square foot gardening... and she does it with far more style than I!<br /><br /><hr /><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5AjLlNnIpjOELTNgRWUsNuCSUHSCqhHBENVl6YpqEH78Jm-Wl_0QceTnssjZhDw8OdwroS3TWu5L95UH61b1lBNCxAu9GWDqf2B1WcafcI6xJEdaDcP8j-rzn1viyw9_qaw2CEiKuZYv/s1600-h/DSC_1150.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5AjLlNnIpjOELTNgRWUsNuCSUHSCqhHBENVl6YpqEH78Jm-Wl_0QceTnssjZhDw8OdwroS3TWu5L95UH61b1lBNCxAu9GWDqf2B1WcafcI6xJEdaDcP8j-rzn1viyw9_qaw2CEiKuZYv/s320/DSC_1150.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348130429560681346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It’s never too early to learn to garden. And lucky for me, it’s never too late, either.<br /><br />Because I’m a creative person who has a short attention span and doesn’t always fully research things before jumping in, my previous attempts at vegetable gardening were massive failures. For example, throwing broccoli seeds into red dirt in June in full sun was not the best plan, even though the seed packet recommended full sun. Oh, and I kind of forgot to water them.<br /><br />Then there was the time I tried to accidentally poison myself, thinking I was eating little black tomatoes which were really something like nightshade berries. I could have sworn I had planted some cherry tomatoes in that spot!<br /><br />After those embarrassments, I swore off gardening and admitted defeat. My other interests would keep me plenty busy, not to mention raising a toddler and keeping him entertained.<br /><br />But this DIY craze runs deep and wide, and growing your own is worth reconsidering.<br /><br />This year’s garden was a spur-of-the-moment decision, inspired by a simple Tweet from Elizabeth: something along the lines of “getting ready to plant another Square Foot Garden.” I was intrigued – it sounded simple yet fun.<br /><br />A quick perusal of http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ had me thinking in grids and making lists of vegetables we love. I bought the book at Full Circle (our local bookstore) and built my own garden box with lumber and a drill, which made me feel empowered and self-sufficient. I also built a small 2’x2’ for my son, who was very interested in digging, as a way to keep him out of trouble and to share the excitement.<br /><br />We started seeds indoors, and every morning he’d wake up and want to look at the baby plants. He began to understand they were delicate and growing, and learned to be careful when touching them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9UUpHiU_gG9pCaHt3qbPS85XGPv_aUmFffIgPgJSMkwRv5H8UJgoSFRJea6D5SSW6FkigY2DKRmVPuE0YzYf8yMqCid5t-9gMlDCV4R7kRRlZHwnbZV74Keb9IGXBzbTlqRWP7z2P0FD/s1600-h/DSC_0782.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9UUpHiU_gG9pCaHt3qbPS85XGPv_aUmFffIgPgJSMkwRv5H8UJgoSFRJea6D5SSW6FkigY2DKRmVPuE0YzYf8yMqCid5t-9gMlDCV4R7kRRlZHwnbZV74Keb9IGXBzbTlqRWP7z2P0FD/s320/DSC_0782.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348127590507869186" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Little did I know how educational this project would prove. My son has started learning about broad concepts such as patience, sustainability and farming while trying new things and spending time in the backyard.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06EculJZJjUBQqdcV20VSaQymnD14DRtfxhvIg9fF4tdDpg09x1wkWZnseo0BMNnf4Rd4ECsNM_0s307dC9wLClwnTGnnu9LADjGg7ZqGnwO6bqHIcB0_Qkd7bkNiIy7SB2sSGhGLbCha/s1600-h/DSC_1491.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06EculJZJjUBQqdcV20VSaQymnD14DRtfxhvIg9fF4tdDpg09x1wkWZnseo0BMNnf4Rd4ECsNM_0s307dC9wLClwnTGnnu9LADjGg7ZqGnwO6bqHIcB0_Qkd7bkNiIy7SB2sSGhGLbCha/s320/DSC_1491.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348128474336578674" border="0" /></a><br /><br />He’s getting dirty and watching bugs crawl and working up the courage to hold worms in his hand. He’s learning about compost, about being gentle to plants and waiting for produce to ripen. He’s learning to snack on sugar snap peas and beet greens right there in the garden. This experience is one we can share and enjoy, and we are rewarded for the work we do.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht20OrtAggcHb62YcjvTVNkmpzwGsJ6MKYCx7RCPMnFdgvD0iMWT4bXhnST00ItzAPegAq1p1hSbPOXq7Cj0efi5GCFC4Gi1mgONr0GKBMGhiGfv9sRnWgUcxTkFp-JXM3vJE3oFqWIOWr/s1600-h/DSC_1509.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht20OrtAggcHb62YcjvTVNkmpzwGsJ6MKYCx7RCPMnFdgvD0iMWT4bXhnST00ItzAPegAq1p1hSbPOXq7Cj0efi5GCFC4Gi1mgONr0GKBMGhiGfv9sRnWgUcxTkFp-JXM3vJE3oFqWIOWr/s320/DSC_1509.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348129848559316114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fun plants to grow with kids:</span><br /><ul><li>Sugar snap peas – sweet and ready to eat</li><li>Mint – great for putting in ice water</li><li>Onions - the tops are irresistible to my young farmer straight out of the garden</li><li>Beets - even if you don’t like them, they make great natural food coloring, and the greens cook up just like spinach.</li><li>Cherry tomatoes - fast-growing, snackable and yummy</li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-65017363165912674102009-05-20T12:15:00.002-05:002009-05-20T12:17:43.494-05:00GazetteCheck out this <a href="http://www.okgazette.com/p/13047/a/305/Default.aspx">small article</a> about my garden and blog in the (Oklahoma City) Gazette!<br /><br />This means I need to start updating more frequently again. :) I'll sit down and do a full post tonight!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-31152297128346283432009-05-05T12:26:00.004-05:002009-05-05T12:37:38.243-05:00Rain, Rain, Go Away...It has been insanely rainy for the past week or so, totally preventing me from being able to harden off my last remaining seedlings. I will have to take pictures of some of my plants when it calms down, however, because some of them are just HUGE!!!!<br /><br />I do have something pretty exciting coming up this weekend, though: A SEED EXCHANGE AT the Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.deluxeok.net/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDE176-DS20Zy1HXVJ_gC7EOP2jK6WHYE0ZXzBaLr0W0h_UPb53K2UCHDSGWotycw-fP75XvhuapOoiBAMGdZoAEN7L_-uyPiKUBsF18Y1yezk5mrcY24EpojkDHUHqxv6xv5G0jl-z8Zp/s200/ComeSeeMe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332393551952992482" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:6;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">Free Admission</span></span><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;">May 9, 2009 <span> </span>12-6 </span><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:6;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">in Oklahoma City</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:6;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">at the</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:6;" ><span style="font-size:180%;"> State Fairgrounds Centennial Building</span></span></div></div></div><br />We'll be exchanging seeds and seedlings at 4pm (envelopes and envelope supplies will be provided), and I'll probably talk about gardening and try to answer people's questions. So bring your extra seeds and seedlings and join us!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-76109133472410495062009-04-11T13:51:00.002-05:002009-04-11T14:01:22.113-05:00New Tomato PlantsIt's a beautiful day for gardening! Cool air, warm sun, mild wind... So unlike the gusts and gales that swept fire across Oklahoma and Texas a couple days ago. How horrible that was!<br /><br />I actually came home to my seedlings strewn across the backyard, despite the shelter the back corner should have provided them. The damage wasn't too horrible though, and I'm certainly bearing in mind that a few lost seedlings is nothing compared to the homes people lost that night.<br /><br />But today is another matter, for us at least. We took a trip to the farmer's market to replace the stunted Pink Brandywine seedlings. I picked up a traditional Brandywine and a <a href="http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/552/">Cherokee Purple</a>. I'm especially excited about the Cherokee Purple since it's my first time trying it at all.<br /><br />So I put those and most of my other seedlings on the back steps to harden off then went about seeding and watering the garden. I have to take and post pictures soon, as the garlic plants are huge and the spinach is starting to look like spinach (cool!).<br /><br />For now though, I'm going to enjoy my iced green tea then start cleaning up the house. Goodness, it's a mess...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-1630269073763332652009-04-07T16:03:00.006-05:002009-04-07T16:56:47.669-05:00Gardening on a Budget: ContainersThis topic could turn into a <span style="font-style: italic;">huge</span> post, but I'll try and keep it simple. The most basic commandment of container gardening on a budget is: Try and view <span style="font-style: italic;">everything</span> you come across as a potential container.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Everything.</span><br /><br />I've seen <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23437487@N00/457197125/">old boots</a>, <a href="http://www.tallmouse.com/projects/spring/denim/index.htm">blue jeans</a>, and <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/at-austin/look-an-old-car-planter-austin-058262">broken down cars</a> turned into containers. Practically <span style="font-style: italic;">anything</span> could work if you get creative enough!<br /><br />Funkiness aside, there are some pretty good standbys that thrifty container gardeners fall back on often...<br /><br /><ul><li>Food grade buckets. Sometimes you can get these for free from food establishments, and they're a good size for plants that need a little more room to spread their roots.</li><li>Big plastic tubs. Again, these can come in good sizes for plants that need legroom. Some people have also <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-your-own-Earth-Box/">converted them</a> into DIY <a href="http://www.earthbox.com/">Earthboxes</a>.</li><li>Trashcans as <span style="font-style: italic;">huge</span> planters. Some of the larger tomato plants could even flourish in a big enough trashcan.<br /></li><li>Two-liter bottles. Check out <a href="http://www.urbangardenhoe.com/2008/01/soda-bottle-pots.html">this older post wherein I illustrate how to turn one into a pot with drainage</a>.</li><li>Plastic butter/spreadable cheese/yogurt containers, for smaller plants. Reserve the lids to use as water trays, but be sure to water slowly to avoid overflow.</li><li><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Go_Green_Upside_Down_Hanging_Planters/">Soda bottle, upside-down</a>, as a DIY <a href="http://topsyturvys.com/">Topsy Turvy</a>. Is there nothing these plastic beauties can't do?!</li><li>Really ugly pots that you already have or find free/cheap.... just turn them upside down and spray paint the pots to spiff them up. (Avoid getting paint inside the pots.)<br /></li></ul>There are so many other options, but these tend to be fairly accessible and easy. Just remember to avoid anything that held chemicals, clean everything out before planting, and drill holes in the bottoms for drainage when necessary.<br /><br />If you want to find "real" pots at good prices, there are usually plenty of cheap options at discount stores like Big Lots and Wal-Mart. The dollar tree often has really cute little pots, but they usually need to have drainage holes drilled in them. End-of-season sales are a great way to find deals at local businesses, which we should all support whenever we can.<br /><br />Plastic is usually the cheapeast option... But if you'd like to avoid plastic, terra cotta is probably the cheapest way to go.<br /><br />And take care of your pots so you don't have to spend money replacing them. Put them away when not in use (especially over winter) and treat even the plastic ones as breakable.<br /><br />I know there are a million and one other tips out there, so please share yours!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-16842092776518664302009-03-29T13:06:00.002-05:002009-03-29T13:12:25.180-05:00Today is a beautiful spring day despite yesterday's cold and snow.<br /><br />I finally seeded some carrots and will continue to seed a bit more for the next three weekends. I seeded them all at once last year and had one giant harvest that I didn't use up. It's a lesson I learned for this year, as I seed my lettuce, chard, spinach, and carrots a little at a time.<br /><br />It's so exciting to see seedlings coming up in the garden. I'm most excited about the sugar snap peas, and I need to fix the trellis before they're tall enough to start climbing. I'm also thrilled to see the spinach doing well, as last year's fall spinach crop was foiled by the burglar breaking the window right above their pots. Even after picking them over, I just wasn't confident there were no tiny shards of glass on/in the seedlings.<br /><br />I definitely need to take photos to post.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-39946677221036661742009-03-16T20:29:00.007-05:002009-03-16T21:50:47.007-05:00Repotting Seedlings: Reader QuestionA reader, and good friend, emailed me to ask about steps to take with her seedlings. Here are her questions:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I've started most of my herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary) and a few flowering plants (dianthus and forget-me-nots) indoors. My seeds are all sprouting and doing well. So, I'm thinking now what? How long can they survive in those tiny little seed-starting pods? Do I transplant them into a larger container before hardening them and putting them in the ground or is that an extra step that'll stress them out? What should I be looking for to know when they're ready to go into the ground? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Since this is my first time doing anything from seed, I feel like I need some guidance with knowing when and how to take the next step and would greatly appreciate you sharing any of your wisdom on the subject! :)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Liz</span><br /><br />First of all, all plants are different and any special directions on seed packets should be followed. However, there are general guidelines that I've found work most of the time.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Repotting Seedlings</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">When:</span> If you start your seeds in something very small, like a peat pod or those small cell packs, you'll usually need to repot the seedlings before they go in the ground. I try to do so when the seedlings have a couple true leaves (the second set of leaves, not the first set that emerge from the soil). Until then, the plant doesn't really need the nutrition of potting soil because the first set of leaves are actually a food source for the seedling. Another sign to watch for is roots growing out of the pod/container. Repot as soon as you start seeing roots. Waiting too long can result in a root-bound plant or roots that have gotten tangled in the netting of your peat pod.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How:</span> Be gentle with your seedlings as you repot and you should be able to avoid stressing them out too much.<br /><br />For peat pods, gently tear or cut away the netting that surrounds the peat. If the roots have gotten tangled in the netting, cut away as much netting as you can without damaging the roots. You don't want the netting to restrict new root growth, but it's perfectly fine to leave a little if it's tangled in roots.<br /><br />For seedlings in plastic containers, very gently massage the plastic in order to loosen the seedling from its little home. Then, place your hand over the soil and grasp the very base of the seedling, turn the whole container upside down, and let gravity help you as you <span style="font-style: italic;">gently gently gently</span> pull the seedling out of the plastic.<br /><br />If you've used something biodegradable, like a <a href="http://www.urbangardenhoe.com/2009/01/gardening-on-budget-seed-starting.html">toilet paper tube</a>, small <a href="http://www.urbangardenhoe.com/2008/01/onion-sprouts-and-newspaper-pots.html">newspaper pot</a>, or small Jiffy Pot <span style="font-size:85%;">(though, Jiffy Pots are usually big enough to last a while)</span>, then this is going to be easy-peasy. These can just be gently placed right into the next container. Unless you can tell it's already breaking apart, it can also help to "open" the old biodegradable container first so your plant's roots can spread more easily. With the toilet paper tubes, I usually pull back the bottom folds so that it's open. With Jiffy pots, gently cut or tear away the bottom. Newspaper is probably less of an issue, unless you've made a very thick paper pot. Note that if you know a plant you're growing doesn't handle transplants very well (like cucumbers or peppers), it'll probably be easiest to opt for one of these biodegradable options for the least amount of stress.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exceptions:</span> Sometimes I'll keep small plants in their toilet paper tube or peat pods until transplant, usually if they're small plants in the first place. Strawberries from seed, for example, tend to stay small until they're outside in the sun. I just watch the roots to make sure they aren't outgrowing their homes. However, I also add some extra nutrition by occasionally spritzing them with <a href="http://www.terracycle.net/all_purpose.htm">liquid Terracycle</a>.<br /><br />Also, if you're determined to jumpstart a plant that is so sensitive to transplanting that they're supposed to be direct seeded into the garden, you should at least start them in a sizable biodegradable container so there's only one simple transplantation to be done.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Deciding When to Put Them in the Ground</span><br /><br />This has more to do with temperature and seasons than anything else, so read your seed packets. They will usually say something along the lines of, "Transplant outside after the last frost date" or "Transplant after danger of frost has passed." In Oklahoma City, that's April 15th... but you still need to check the weather forecast and use common sense, because the "last frost date" is an <span style="font-style: italic;">estimate</span>. <a href="http://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/">Learn more about that date here</a>.<br /><br />Aside from that, I don't like to transplant seedlings until they have at least 3 or 4 true leaves (or are strong looking, if true leaves aren't a consideration such as with green onions). And you should <span style="font-style: italic;">never</span> transplant without hardening off first. You can google for detailed instructions on hardening off, but the basic idea is to expose your plants to an outdoor environment little by little. I start with an hour, then a couple hours the next day, then a few hours, then all morning or afternoon, then all day a couple times in a row. Just make sure you pick mild days and keep them out of the wind until they're strong.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-70148690508510401692009-03-15T12:11:00.003-05:002009-03-15T12:16:07.666-05:00Gardening on a Budget: SoilEspecially if you're a container gardener who wants to grow organically, the cost of soil can start looking pretty high. So let's look at a few ways to cut back on that cost.<br /><br /><ol><li>Screw the fancy "organic" soil that companies like Miracle Grow sell, because it's <span style="font-style: italic;">way</span> expensive (and not all that great, in my experience). Instead, pick up those 40 pound bags of cheap soil with "compost" in the ingredients rather than "fertilizer." They're sometimes cheaper than that small bag of "organic" soil, and I've had great luck with them.</li><li>If you're growing in-ground or in a raised bed, you don't need to add new soil every year. Compost is usually all you need to add.</li><li>If you're a container gardener, you can often reuse your potting soil. The most important rule is to never reuse soil from diseased plants -- that stuff needs to be thrown into the deepest darkest corner of land where you won't grow anything you care about. If, however, your plants were healthy and strong, you can take out the old plant, mix in some compost, and reuse. Some people feel it's necessary to bake the soil (yeah, as in <span style="font-style: italic;">baking it in an oven</span>), but I've never bothered. When I'm not 100% confident about reusing a pot of soil (often because a cat used it as a litter box!), I'll use it for non-edible plants just to be safe... or I'll use it to fill in holes in the backyard.</li><li>Don't use containers any bigger than your plant will actually need.</li><li>Use companion planting in you container garden. For example, why put basil plants into their own little pots if you're also growing potted tomatoes? Basil and tomatoes love each other, so go ahead and tuck that basil plant into the corner of the tomato's pot.<br /></li></ol>As a side-note, I don't recommend just sticking yard dirt into a container, <span style="font-style: italic;">especially</span> if you plan on bringing it inside. Part of the benefits of container gardening is reduced pests and weeds, and yard dirt is full of them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-83985580069964003882009-03-14T13:53:00.003-05:002009-03-14T14:04:19.190-05:00Beautiful DayIt's a beautiful day after all of the wintery mess we had this week. I spent a couple hours working on the garden and seedlings. I seeded radishes, spinach, and lettuce directly into the garden and I have most of the seedlings on the back steps for sun and hardening. It's a perfect, mild day for it.<br /><br />It's also time to put broccoli and lettuce plants directly into the ground, but I just don't think mine are ready yet. None of them have anymore than one true leaf, so I'm just going to get them good and hardened off until they have a couple more.<br /><br />If you're in Oklahoma City, get out there and enjoy today!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-78821969645473816782009-03-07T14:06:00.013-06:002009-03-07T14:41:42.263-06:00Seedlings and Strawberries!I just had to share pictures of my seedlings and new strawberry plants....<br /><br />This is my primary vegetable seedling setup. It's an overcast day, but these guys normally get a pretty good amount of sun in the south-facing windows of the laundry room.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvwhjBKQ0ZDV0sEdS7r1wr8OdtBKTNnA3iRcmJmsWYlpP_ZwifeImctF5_5544FIrrcQn0obKkuP52gWaJFtMnd4voW1DzRDcg9S8e_9lU550-M8hoPe2Pjh9aTJk-FvCQAyX4AQUSWjC/s1600-h/P3070070.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvwhjBKQ0ZDV0sEdS7r1wr8OdtBKTNnA3iRcmJmsWYlpP_ZwifeImctF5_5544FIrrcQn0obKkuP52gWaJFtMnd4voW1DzRDcg9S8e_9lU550-M8hoPe2Pjh9aTJk-FvCQAyX4AQUSWjC/s200/P3070070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310542774890696850" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDXqjF-Ysz5zHXRZlo6ikkqlkockSfTckxJgRYjTZDIPEFOOpoqY9B2GjabMH5Tf2llx3I010Da43nvoWrMfQFrFvIGwoY5aaZ_w4PI5t0FBt9cTNfDQ__RSU1fE9UGCk9gCCD2sVdcz8/s1600-h/P3070069.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDXqjF-Ysz5zHXRZlo6ikkqlkockSfTckxJgRYjTZDIPEFOOpoqY9B2GjabMH5Tf2llx3I010Da43nvoWrMfQFrFvIGwoY5aaZ_w4PI5t0FBt9cTNfDQ__RSU1fE9UGCk9gCCD2sVdcz8/s200/P3070069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310542781936269634" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I also have a shelf in the laundry room where I usually put my seeds when I first start them, until they actually emerge.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-qff6uku7d0Mk4rQWG15OyX1sxVj_qnJnQdT98D43NjwwR2-GqsRxCf6qi7jw0KF4RWjX-nq0eT6enGJ0DK27aoc8EQ5G9CZiUioZxkDlcJNM9SWeoSwG0ZiN-Bbdncgk1FByBmBc5Vq/s1600-h/P3070081.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-qff6uku7d0Mk4rQWG15OyX1sxVj_qnJnQdT98D43NjwwR2-GqsRxCf6qi7jw0KF4RWjX-nq0eT6enGJ0DK27aoc8EQ5G9CZiUioZxkDlcJNM9SWeoSwG0ZiN-Bbdncgk1FByBmBc5Vq/s200/P3070081.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310543663027834530" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBL-Y_HskTrs0qJXnPQEGNg1_Nm4wx4KLMObeqhhbDhhBxM1TJfd3AqsNZQY8Nk56t9x3vgXzQwEJcYjMSpA_IuHU8EERLHf8c1krFFRsByALePykFMxR2RcdsCrGpkRqORZQKiyLlFHof/s1600-h/P3070085.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBL-Y_HskTrs0qJXnPQEGNg1_Nm4wx4KLMObeqhhbDhhBxM1TJfd3AqsNZQY8Nk56t9x3vgXzQwEJcYjMSpA_IuHU8EERLHf8c1krFFRsByALePykFMxR2RcdsCrGpkRqORZQKiyLlFHof/s200/P3070085.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310544447074398386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Some of the more interesting seedlings I've been watching daily are...<br /><br />The Alpine Strawberries, which are still teeny tiny:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQhCDX5prpsLMbtmnCA2kO_-7F7yYCTa6fDvNpX5rPl0GOA-UCYjZxVlGz8B6n_A3RTonRxJGxl-3j1TMWJsywtpP9rdZS40m8RJpIgW-RhnqH6rBwHpTkqcxsN9j5HZzRvvcnjmsh-Km/s1600-h/P3070073.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQhCDX5prpsLMbtmnCA2kO_-7F7yYCTa6fDvNpX5rPl0GOA-UCYjZxVlGz8B6n_A3RTonRxJGxl-3j1TMWJsywtpP9rdZS40m8RJpIgW-RhnqH6rBwHpTkqcxsN9j5HZzRvvcnjmsh-Km/s200/P3070073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310544426389791250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Burgundy okra, which has <span style="font-style: italic;">huge</span> baby leaves and a touch of burgundy color on the stem:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mWLEjjJ3x55Xlt9RmkEOSWrBDdEQ1ImOoXmHWg6FCoAX_nhbtE3PLP6-kF57NpLzr72SD6QZ6Ulp1a8z4OtA1M6MPMoBKPrlW9_sVHtB7jANBMcqBjc1Bj0I_zliTzzn2Y_I-15xGdMd/s1600-h/P3070075.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mWLEjjJ3x55Xlt9RmkEOSWrBDdEQ1ImOoXmHWg6FCoAX_nhbtE3PLP6-kF57NpLzr72SD6QZ6Ulp1a8z4OtA1M6MPMoBKPrlW9_sVHtB7jANBMcqBjc1Bj0I_zliTzzn2Y_I-15xGdMd/s200/P3070075.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310544437350626178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The first of the Rainbow Swiss Chard, which I was surprised to discover is <span style="font-style: italic;">immediate</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgmtLFNXsfsK86Uo7a__Qt_m5898q70-QwxB3GpQIyY8Jcn_UWi4JFlH21HG7YY87GkQgZptywT_ftML_cRyTDrVYN_CPvgODyz3cEL6f2vtHmK3S9oLrpZ-zhjMEFwMn7-bu92Ps4Rra/s1600-h/P3070083.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgmtLFNXsfsK86Uo7a__Qt_m5898q70-QwxB3GpQIyY8Jcn_UWi4JFlH21HG7YY87GkQgZptywT_ftML_cRyTDrVYN_CPvgODyz3cEL6f2vtHmK3S9oLrpZ-zhjMEFwMn7-bu92Ps4Rra/s200/P3070083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310544579011201186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">ly</span> colorful:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I also picked up two mature Junebearing strawberry plants at the Farmer's Market today. As much as I enjoy growing everbearing plants from seed, it's just nice to have a couple Junebearers for a little instant gratification. I went ahead and put them in a hanging basket that I can bring inside at night and on colder days:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8C5Zs6F8bnw1rTYR0Cd_L2KF5nHpkNJUKkcGEeLFhG2IpZNQrPAoGUyKaK5OsFSoZDKILM121KdpAF2wf6MVPVn3YVEYInBGIuEpre2QNdhxSrggvtnCGXNelxMouKJMNFhBUAPTnr1WH/s1600-h/P3070061.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8C5Zs6F8bnw1rTYR0Cd_L2KF5nHpkNJUKkcGEeLFhG2IpZNQrPAoGUyKaK5OsFSoZDKILM121KdpAF2wf6MVPVn3YVEYInBGIuEpre2QNdhxSrggvtnCGXNelxMouKJMNFhBUAPTnr1WH/s200/P3070061.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310545892116699506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiQ5-CiFzZIXPCg8qqjV0aEFBJCaQ8sxE9nL_94DQlrVTRBnw0Y4jCGCyJG-OAGh0i4PH_BivPZFswS2eOAgC14P2kq1HSi9vqD_jbaaqBJVby2NCiFPqyt7BIy9WOBCcpXZDgzwmwd-E/s1600-h/P3070063.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiQ5-CiFzZIXPCg8qqjV0aEFBJCaQ8sxE9nL_94DQlrVTRBnw0Y4jCGCyJG-OAGh0i4PH_BivPZFswS2eOAgC14P2kq1HSi9vqD_jbaaqBJVby2NCiFPqyt7BIy9WOBCcpXZDgzwmwd-E/s200/P3070063.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310545903846882594" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On a sidenote, our kitties reap the benefits of my gardening hobby as well. I often grow cat grass to keep indoors for them. Our indoor-outdoor cat named Oz doesn't care much about it, but our indoor cat named Ali loves it. Though, she was clearly more interested in what my jeans smelled like this afternoon:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpH_Q_PhSjPRHRbct5Y10k-zK9mYTDlEF7Ia3UJgpXhobvbw5CJLI01FVvmdw6omvicRtwJddfPbACWNJD46LWPBHEXuUMtFCKwPo6RpbBPZJGdAYE3cnkIlpIMIv-yfJNFXmyt0OQBwl/s1600-h/P3070068.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 141px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpH_Q_PhSjPRHRbct5Y10k-zK9mYTDlEF7Ia3UJgpXhobvbw5CJLI01FVvmdw6omvicRtwJddfPbACWNJD46LWPBHEXuUMtFCKwPo6RpbBPZJGdAYE3cnkIlpIMIv-yfJNFXmyt0OQBwl/s200/P3070068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310547064574150050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1bvoTuaeJaBWzp-hs_ezoVSBYxcwboY2TNAhQmoOKi4Zg5oZZR4K74nCTviUcSvEsf6KKTkSzVgnPCnb84ZfealnqyMVoEl5D-SQi1aRfGYkWLkGOO9JhKswTBBndhk4-AWcU8QjuLVw/s1600-h/P3070065.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1bvoTuaeJaBWzp-hs_ezoVSBYxcwboY2TNAhQmoOKi4Zg5oZZR4K74nCTviUcSvEsf6KKTkSzVgnPCnb84ZfealnqyMVoEl5D-SQi1aRfGYkWLkGOO9JhKswTBBndhk4-AWcU8QjuLVw/s200/P3070065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310547075724233474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><img src="file:///Volumes/NO%20NAME/DCIM/100OLYMP/P3070070.JPG" alt="" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-16536489769453335752009-03-01T12:31:00.003-06:002009-03-01T12:44:04.762-06:00Seed SwappingRelated to the <a href="http://www.urbangardenhoe.com/2009/01/budget-gardening-seeds.html">recent post on acquiring seeds on a budget</a>, a friend <span style="font-size:85%;">(<a href="http://twitter.com/DeluxeOK">Sara</a>, who happens to be a co-director of the extremely hip Oklahoma City craft bazaar, <a href="http://www.deluxeok.net/">DeluxeOK</a>)</span> and I got together yesterday to talk about her new garden and swap seeds. We were both impressed by how perfect seed swapping is for backyard gardening. We both had <span style="font-style: italic;">way</span> too many seeds for what we actually wanted to grow, and trading those excess seeds allowed us both to plan for a wider variety of plants. I'm most excited about the <span style="font-style: italic;">soybeans</span> I got from her stash!!! (And, amusingly enough, I was able to use up my snail-mail envelopes, which I never <span style="font-style: italic;">ever</span> use anymore, as seed packets.)<br /><br />Seriously, get together with some gardening friends and swap seeds!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-27136262855291213722009-01-31T17:25:00.019-06:002010-01-30T14:34:43.890-06:00Gardening on a Budget: Seed StartingThere are hundreds of fun and fabulous seed starting products out there, but you don't <span style="font-style: italic;">have</span> to spend all that money. If you can at least invest in a bag of Seed Starting Medium or very lightweight potting soil, that alone will get you off to a great start.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheaper Than Peat Pellets/Pods:</span><br />Those seed starting pods or pellets, the kind that come looking like little disks then expand in water to look like a huge brown marshmallow, are admittedly handy. However, you can imitate these will little effort and money:<br /><br />1. Save the tubes from inside your toilet paper rolls.<br />2. Cut a tube in half, resulting in two shorter tubes. <span style="font-size:85%;"><img src="file:///Volumes/NO%20NAME/DCIM/100OLYMP/P2210030.JPG" alt="" /> (Note that this is optional. You could use the entire tube if you feel like the plants you're growing need more room for their roots to stretch out before they are transplanted or moved to a larger container.)</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwL0skb10GK2BSe3P9m26EXkvMeh8CUIUSNTkBbieYvAM9iA7LL1e9dK7aha4oZzRa5Zb3s4MDS1FkTC2WZ0TpYevh6z3egxastleFhnjylw3rto634HzlNnqyjzKs8wJ8xkwJpDsgwb_/s1600-h/P2210030.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwL0skb10GK2BSe3P9m26EXkvMeh8CUIUSNTkBbieYvAM9iA7LL1e9dK7aha4oZzRa5Zb3s4MDS1FkTC2WZ0TpYevh6z3egxastleFhnjylw3rto634HzlNnqyjzKs8wJ8xkwJpDsgwb_/s200/P2210030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307929314319539554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />3. Take one of those half-tubes and decide which end will be the "bottom" of your peat pod. Make a few cuts in the bottom of the tube so that you will be able to fold it in on itself.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhko0skaR_-lxl3Vn9yQ2iGBGg55ftbqXcaNhoLE09yaQiPtzjNzjA9WtYJ_WPV9Kd2hub_1l_5QKCCbKSPsF5TUN89byNffVoYMefHTopPzDcYLAIfhvG4IN5SorZ7H9ST1mgNTOzftQai/s1600-h/P2210035.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhko0skaR_-lxl3Vn9yQ2iGBGg55ftbqXcaNhoLE09yaQiPtzjNzjA9WtYJ_WPV9Kd2hub_1l_5QKCCbKSPsF5TUN89byNffVoYMefHTopPzDcYLAIfhvG4IN5SorZ7H9ST1mgNTOzftQai/s200/P2210035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307930104225449554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />3. Fold in the bottom of the half-tube, making sure the bottom of it is mostly closed. Repeat until you have as many folded half-tubes as needed.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzRoGvE_i4PkrOfA5Qh9fr7wUN9p01_ogOqmbOH9BjrG8AXFmy4M7ghd5U0K3-CqIidbCq1Hh5kWNhNw5nLjTg5JGhUYQ9f6irU9_1vFlpa7h6TZMZnTbOGBrKqmTqJgYtTLl8xpTtmPg/s1600-h/P2210038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 172px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzRoGvE_i4PkrOfA5Qh9fr7wUN9p01_ogOqmbOH9BjrG8AXFmy4M7ghd5U0K3-CqIidbCq1Hh5kWNhNw5nLjTg5JGhUYQ9f6irU9_1vFlpa7h6TZMZnTbOGBrKqmTqJgYtTLl8xpTtmPg/s200/P2210038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307930489143664930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNikvlexDEWNdnRuNCk5zh3aTh4VhDxbAGu-DE6K5-sg9dVq-OY9EoyJibGDXXQrtU-rr-1jwbKZ6gJG-1cKbx7J0OqmWjsfB3M_8Ng8_EwASASaLXDEpUUPfXE2-f_22vp-qEsIjJ4QxG/s1600-h/P2210040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 169px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNikvlexDEWNdnRuNCk5zh3aTh4VhDxbAGu-DE6K5-sg9dVq-OY9EoyJibGDXXQrtU-rr-1jwbKZ6gJG-1cKbx7J0OqmWjsfB3M_8Ng8_EwASASaLXDEpUUPfXE2-f_22vp-qEsIjJ4QxG/s200/P2210040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307930498597177266" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />4. Place these tubes in a water-proof tray of some sort.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdHiDFEvDpF72xufp45NpS_d388a6wRef9pq9FDYyYFLe91geILtHaAW5jfZxrwEfCRG4giZt8dFybGQ_t3BIbpmYEOiWSxhPm0RZr2Yt8Z7o3EUsemokX6yf7Sab57KHPVyxY7rtZGp1/s1600-h/P2210042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdHiDFEvDpF72xufp45NpS_d388a6wRef9pq9FDYyYFLe91geILtHaAW5jfZxrwEfCRG4giZt8dFybGQ_t3BIbpmYEOiWSxhPm0RZr2Yt8Z7o3EUsemokX6yf7Sab57KHPVyxY7rtZGp1/s200/P2210042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307932413751355394" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />5. Fill each with seed starting medium or a lightweight potting soil.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmencS-Ey8Bo9_vNMe3ON8p4-5HTaL7XQJbB9z8bh-Y859SGFUNmERbX0zEtoLtQr5nSU6l_JiHu3DhRq1WXEauUdagynCRatoONsCrZ7GvIlJWHjHKYCPwHUbpWpb3h1BlxqK1HgpI44/s1600-h/P2210043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 111px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmencS-Ey8Bo9_vNMe3ON8p4-5HTaL7XQJbB9z8bh-Y859SGFUNmERbX0zEtoLtQr5nSU6l_JiHu3DhRq1WXEauUdagynCRatoONsCrZ7GvIlJWHjHKYCPwHUbpWpb3h1BlxqK1HgpI44/s200/P2210043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307933316798780482" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_fLp5eNfEzT-PKXlXaIKdAHdbY_rhAttWFHtgkfpYkMZ1Wc3rDzhobsZW4auNsU_z7vp85x1ANxkMxBv6kRmFpUfRI4ZlLaGiSQMNc-ie9FTcM327t7Jd7SHHvHoK16THCn689RGvpX2/s1600-h/P2210045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_fLp5eNfEzT-PKXlXaIKdAHdbY_rhAttWFHtgkfpYkMZ1Wc3rDzhobsZW4auNsU_z7vp85x1ANxkMxBv6kRmFpUfRI4ZlLaGiSQMNc-ie9FTcM327t7Jd7SHHvHoK16THCn689RGvpX2/s200/P2210045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307932948478162850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />6. Plant seeds as directed.<br />7. Water these by pouring water into the <span style="font-style: italic;">tray</span>, not by pouring it directly onto the soil.<br />8. My general rule of thumb is to transplant these, tube and all, into a newspaper/Jiffy pot with potting soil soon after they develop their first set of "true leaves."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheaper Than Those Biodegradable Jiffy Pots:</span> Jiffy pots are also very convenient, but there's a nearly free alternative to these as well. You'll need to make sure you have a tray or tub with sides as high as the pots will be tall, but you can make newspaper pots, the creation of which <a href="http://www.urbangardenhoe.com/2008/01/onion-sprouts-and-newspaper-pots.html">I illustrated last year</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheaper Than Fancy Trays:</span> You can use damn near anything as a water-proof tray to hold your seedlings. I love using plastic food containers that used to hold things like bakery cookies. Plastic dish tubs from the dollar store are useful, especially when seedlings have been moved to larger newspaper or Jiffy pots. On the smaller scale, butter tubs (or a spreadable cheese tub, like I used in the pictures above) do well. Amazingly, <a href="http://www.skinnycow.com/myproducts/sandwiches.php?myflavor=vanilla_nosugadded">Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich</a> containers fit the toilet paper tube "pods" (and actual peat pods) <span style="font-style: italic;">perfectly</span>, and they also fit right onto our windowsills. Just make sure that anything you use that once contained food has been cleaned out properly.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheaper than Grow Lights: </span>Grow lights can help prevent leggy seedlings, but they're also pretty expensive. A cheaper option would be to hang an inexpensive shop light over your seedlings instead. Or, like me, you can simply grow your seedlings on south-facing windowsills and deal with the fact that they'll be a tad bit leggy. (Sunlight is FREE!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheaper than Buying Plastic Seedling Cells:</span> Some people buy the little <a href="http://www.greenhousecatalog.com/72cell-seed-starting-inserts-p-117.html">six-pack plastic cells</a> when, just last year, they might have purchased flowers from the garden center in a nearly identical six-pack. Whenever I buy flowers (or other plants) in cells or small pots sturdy enough to still be in one piece after removal of the flowers, I rinse that sucker out and stash it away in my garage to use for flowers from seed the next year. (They also work for most veggies from seed, unless they have delicate roots.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheaper than <span style="font-style: italic;">Any</span> of That Other Stuff: </span>This won't work with some seeds (read your packets!), but sometimes you <span style="font-style: italic;">can</span> wait until the appropriate time to direct-seed them into the garden. My favorite thing about this method, to be honest, has little to do with money... it's the fact that there's no hardening off to be done <span style="font-style: italic;">at all</span>. How convenient.<br /><br />That's about all I can think of at the moment. Please post and share your ideas!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2351530552291832310.post-84951318053661912422009-01-26T12:43:00.006-06:002009-03-15T11:43:13.761-05:00Budget Gardening: SeedsI have to confess that I occasionally let myself spend a little more on gardening than I need to, but that doesn't change the fact that gardening can be a wonderful way to save money on food. There are so many aspects to this that I'm going to tackle them one at a time. First up, seeds.<br /><br />Seeds save you money in the first place, because they cost so much less than buying seedlings from the garden center. On top of that, there are <span style="font-style: italic;">so</span> many ways to cut corners on seeds. Let's start by considering two general schools of thought on how you can save money, then we'll get to some specific tips.<br /><br />The first school of thought is pretty short-term: buy cheap seeds. You don't have to spend a fortune on heirloom varieties from organic companies to have a nice garden. Just the other day, I saw a small rack of 20 cent packets of seeds for veggies and herbs at Wal-Mart. It was a small selection, but one could have certainly designed a decent vegetable garden from that rack alone... and probably for no more than a couple dollars. I have also seen similar deals at The Dollar Tree and am sure they will have them again this year. It's really nice when you can support small businesses with good philosophies, but sometimes nothing beats a huge discount chain when you're honestly not even sure you'll be able to pay the electricity bill.<br /><br />The second school of thought is more long-term: invest in quality heirloom varieties and save seed from your plants every year. Unlike many of the cheap seeds, the seeds you save from an heirloom variety will usually grow true to type the next year. <span style="font-size:85%;">(Edit: As a commenter pointed out, some of those dirt-cheap seeds will grow true to type when you save seed because most hybrids are in the middle price range rather than the lowest. I recommend you do your research on <a href="http://davesgarden.com/">Dave's Garden</a> before you save seed, to make sure.)</span> They cost more up front (anywhere from $2 to $5 a packet) but, in theory, you won't ever have to buy seeds for the same vegetable again.<br /><br />A lot of gardeners will tell you that the second school of thought is the right school of thought, but I'm here to tell you to do what works best for you. Expensive heirloom or cheap hybrid, it's going to feel wonderful to harvest those veggies no matter what. And even the most "boring" hybrid variety is going to taste 10 times better than the trucked-in vegetables from the grocery store. I think everyone should try heirloom varieties at some point, but if it's not in your budget this year, then it's simply not in your budget.<br /><br />Here are some other important tips on saving with seeds:<br /><ul><li>No matter what kind of seed you purchase, don't throw out your extras. Almost every seed is viable for more than one season, and some are viable for many, many seasons to come. Tape up the packets, put them all into one ziplock bag/tupperware/mason jar, throw in a handful of uncooked rice to absorb moisture, and store them in the back of your refrigerator until the next gardening season.</li><li>Share seeds or seedlings with other gardeners, for free! The cheapest way to do this is to go as local as possible. For example, <a href="http://www.thederyck.com/">a friend</a> who lives a couple blocks from me recently started a Facebook Group for Oklahoma City gardeners. Many of us have already offered up extra seeds and seedlings. (We also plan on exchanging excess produce. There's a <span style="font-style: italic;">lot</span> of potential with something like this!) If you can't find local friends or a similar local group/community for free, then check out non-local options like <a href="http://davesgarden.com/">Dave's Garden</a>.</li><li>Don't over-seed. For seeds that are normally sowed directly into the ground, many gardeners pour out the whole packet down a row then thin them out as they grow. How wasteful! Instead, figure out what the spacing should ultimately be and plant two or three seeds where the plants will need to be. For example, if you're planting a row of carrots and they are supposed to be 3 inches apart when mature, then plant two or three carrot seeds each in tiny holes every three inches. Now you waste far fewer seeds because you only need to thin out one or two per hole. (Share or store what you saved!)</li><li>Shop around. I prefer heirlooms, but they're normally more expensive than I prefer. After doing a little research, I decided that <a href="http://www.victoryseeds.com/">Victory Heirloom Seeds</a> was the best priced company that matched my needs.</li><li>Pay attention to shipping prices! Ordering seeds, as apposed to going directly to the store, is a great way to find interesting varieties at reasonable prices... but sometimes there's a huge Shipping and Handling fee attached to those otherwise reasonable prices. (Again, I feel that Victory Heirloom Seeds has fair S&H fees.)</li><li>Save seeds from the garden vegetables people give you, or experiment with the seeds saved from organic produce at your local health food store.</li><li>If you can't buy all heirloom seeds but want to experiment with saving seeds, then either choose one vegetable (tomatoes are easy!) to buy as an heirloom for seed saving or do some research to see if any of your cheap varieties grow true to seed. (<a href="http://davesgarden.com/">Dave's Garden</a> is a good source for this.)</li></ul>That's all that comes to mind at the moment. Eveyone feel free to comment with your own ideas!<br /><br />Next budget topic, seed starting.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4