Cocky Gardening Genius

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

February 8, I began our adventure into container gardening. In the past, every container plant I attempted died a sad and tragic death. It was very sad and very tragic. I could almost hear the plants screaming…”Noooo, Not there. Help, Please! This idiot woman thinks she knows exactly what she is doing. AAAHHH.” Two days later I had dead plants.

I believe they committed suicide.

Plant suicide.

This time I approached the concept of container gardening with less cocky and more intelligence. This spring I was/am determined not to have the same mass exodus of plant life as I did last year. I buckled down and did a full day of mild research of how not to kill container plants and have a thriving container garden.

A full day.

I am practically a genius now.

A gardening genius.

I will make myself a cape later…

One of the truly helpful sites I used was this one: 10 Seed-Starting Tips. Every step is detailed and carefully explained. I read it, liked it, and did about half of it.

I started with something simple. Basil. I love Basil and I know that any respectable herb garden boasts Basil.

I followed the website suggestions. I used an empty and clean sour cream container. Poked holes in the bottom for drainage. (I did NOT clean it with a 10% bleach solution as recommended) I added a small amount of compost and topsoil. (Please don’t buy expensive Topsoil! It is really not necssary.) I lightly mixed the topsoil and compost together and my four year old and I sprinkled some basil seeds along the top.

Fun Fact: Don’t plant seeds IN the soil. Simply sprinkle them on top and lightly press them into the soil with the bottom of a cup. The seeds need to feel the soil but they need a lot of sun as well.

After pushing the seeds add water. Get the soil wet but not soaking. Cover the top of the container with plastic wrap and seal it with a rubber band. Place the container in a sunny spot in your home and walk away.

howtoStartplantsinyourhome

The plant creates its own Eco-system and you should see sprouts within days.

How to start Basil indoors

Ours sprouted in four days after planting. Now the site recommends removing the cover once the plant is past baby stage and then moving it to a place with a fan and giving it a lot of special treatment. I don’t have the space for all that so I am going to wait it out, water it and talk to it nicely.

Hopefully Basil here will enjoy his new home in the herb garden

GM & Star Wars Giveaway – These are not the Cheerios you are looking for

Posted on February 14, 2012 by admin

I am a huge General Mills fan. I love Cheerios and it is practically the only cereal my children eat. So when MyBlogSpark offered me the chance to host a giveaway for two General Mills cereal AND Star Wars goodies, I was quick to accept.

As most of you know, Lucas has decided to add to his gravy train by re-releasing the Phantom Menace in 3D. I adore Star Wars and with two boys and a husband in the house one of the movies is on at least once a week. I know almost all of the words in most of the movies and I don’t need to be watching the screen to know exactly what is going on….We all have movies like that, don’t we? Phantom Menace is no different. In fact, if I am not mistaken, my husband has already made plans for a family date night……Darth Maul is probably even worse looking in 3D. Those lumps on his head will be much more prominent.

To celebrate Star Wars: The Phantom Menace re-entering theaters in all of its 3D glory MyBlogSpark is sponsoring this giveaway:

Two boxes of a General Mills cereal

4 Star Wars Character Pens

Star Wars Sticker Sheet

Star Wars Magnets

My boys went crazy for the pens. They divided them equally with an agreement to share. It was like the Treaty of Versailles on a smaller scale… The cereals have already been devoured. I wasn’t kidding when I said I loved General Mills cereals.

Now you have the opportunity to win prize pack for your family or just yourself.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck and May the Force be with you.

“Disclosure: Prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”

A family of four: Why isn’t two enough?

Posted on February 12, 2012 by admin

When I was pregnant there was always a series of questions I was asked; When are you due? What are you having? Do you have a name? Occasionally I would get a few more thrown in but the majority of the time those were the top three. The questions were fun at first but they lost their charm very quickly.

At the very beginning of my first pregnancy I thought the random stranger questions were sweet. I was pleasantly surprised with how many people were interested in what was growing in my uterus. I remember a complete stranger asking me if my hands were soft or dry. If they were soft I was having a girl and dry meant a boy. Tough luck for that soothsayer, my hands were always soft and I knew I was having a boy. These types of interactions were cute for awhile but once I hit the giant basketball stage of pregnancy I didn’t want to chat with anyone about the “precious” state I was in. I actually contemplated making a t-shirt that had the answers to the top three questions printed on it to avoid all further questioning.

My second pregnancy was very much the same. Same questions, same answers and now I was working so the cycle repeated itself over and over every day. It got old fast. I was relieved after boy #2 was born because I believed the relentless questioning would come to an end. The pregnancy interrogation was complete, I was free!……

Enter Children Interrogation

When are you going to have another baby?

Don’t you want a girl?

When you see others with babies doesn’t it just make you want to have another?

You are so young, don’t you want to give it one more shot?

Doesn’t it feel like someone is missing?

The answer to each of these questions is very easy: NO. No, I do not want another baby, when I see other babies I do NOT have a sudden yearning, I don’t want a girl, we started young so we could be done young, and NO one is missing. One or all of these answers are repeated at least once a week. It is frustrating.

Why? Why is my family of four too small? Why has three become the new two? Why am I always getting hounded by complete strangers to have more children?! (I was interrogated by a staff member at my sons school because I told her I was registering my last kid)

I have decided to counter the questions with my own set. If I am asked if I am having any more children I will politely inquire how many they have and regardless of the number I will ask them if THEY are having anymore kids. I repeat every question to them. I will especially ask any interrogator that has a family stencil picture on the back of their car. The more kids the better.

Our family of four works well and is manageable. I don’t have patience for more children and currently my husband and I are evenly match and aren’t outnumbered. Now, please don’t mis-understand my frustration here today, I have the up-most respect for the mommies and daddies with three of more children. They must have ten times more patience and understanding than I. But to those families, PLEASE stop assuming that everyone wants as many children as you do. A soccer team size of a family is not the goal for everyone.

Container Gardening – A renters solution to a gardening

Posted on February 8, 2012 by admin

This year marks a significant turning point in my gardening life. This spring I am planting in containers. In our home, two years ago, I had a great backyard where I was single handily creating a different ecosystem. In the middle of the desert I had trees, fruit, a great garden and so many bugs that I am surprised they didn’t organize and try to take over the yard. It was insane and I loved it.

Fast forward to present day. We are in our second year of our rental (thank you foreclosure) and I am now ready to start gardening again. I didn’t have the heart last year to start from scratch but thanks to Pinterest and my urge to have food readily available, I have decided to try my hand at container gardening.

Here are the goals (currently)

Strawberries

Tomatoes

Bell Pepper

Herbs

Here is the inspiration

I love the idea of a box that is raised to waist level. Although the color will be white because a black box in the desert will cook the roots. I will be using this box for herbs.

Gardening in a random selection of pots and buckets can look fantastic and it is easy on the wallet. I have an odd fetish for tin containers and I already have one ready for planting!

I am also a great believer in the Topsy Turvy. I was able to get some great cherry tomatoes from my last one and after tasting a few of them I wasn’t embarrassed to admit that Topsy actually works.

I’m really looking forward to this next step. I will, of course, be dragging all of you along for the successes and failures.

Tomorrow we begin.