I must admit this has been a long summer, one I have not balanced well. I had not anticipated the difficulty of balancing full time employment, full time school, and full time single mommy duties. By the looks of it, my blog and my home has suffered massive neglect!!! Yikes!!
I am ready for much cooler weather, and some much needed projects to be accomplished. I am up for a promotion at work that will allow for some funds to go to more things other than bills...YEAH!!!!
I have a rather long list of TO-DO's growing and I am attempting to decide which receive top priority. Let us just say the top ten things to do keep rotating on the list depending on my mood or wants.
One of the many things I want to complete is a rather long planter bench. I have a covered porch that is about 20 feet long and I want a planter bench to run the length of the porch separating the yard with the porch. I just cannot decide on what kind.
There it is my porch...ignore the surroundings. I know, I know what a sad looking back yard. I have done nothing to it. I have had high hopes for it when I moved in...well life got in the way, things happened. Things are looking better and soon my yard will too.
See where my porch ends then there is a no-mans land running end to end then the curb edge where my "grass" would be if I believed in planting grass in a desert. I have not found a ground cover that withstands kids and dogs yet. Anyway that 3' x 20' no-mans land is where I want the planter bench to live.
I want to use as little virgin material as possible by using eco-friendly, recycled products instead like products by design recycle inc timber or Turn Green Solutions NuChoob Timber. Both companies use recycled material to produce timber like products. However I love the look of brick and cement too. That maybe a bit more challenging to find eco-friendly versions of brick or cement. I have not looked into it yet. Here are some different designs I am tossing around.
Well here we are at the end of my garden by calendar. I started this last year the first of September for fall gardening. Now I have completed all twelve months.
For most of the United States, it was a warmer than usual winter, warm spring and really warm summer. It isn't over yet....some states are still pretty darn warm.
Let's see what is up with August gardening!
Here are some gardening and landscaping tips:
Water: more of the same....water deeply and infrequently, 2 to 3 times a week at 20 to 30 minutes at a time no more than that is required. If you are watering during daylight hours you are wasting water via evaporation and running the risk of burning what you are watering since water acts like a magnifying glass to the sun...
Prune: get rid of dead limbs, dead flowers and damaged wood, even thin out to promote more growth.
Fertilize: again fertilize only as a last resort if you have not been amending your soil through compost mulching. If you must fertilize go organic, synthetic chemicals do more damage than good.
Pest control: release ladybugs, green lacewings and praying mantids these are beneficial bugs they will get rid of pests you do not want in your garden. If you are dealing with grub worms, water that area a lot to drown them and buy beneficial nematodes to kill them. Of course my all time favorite thing to use, food grade diatomaceous earth, not the kind used in pools, put them in ant mounds, great to rub on your dogs for fleas and ticks, dust around base of trees especially fruit trees.
Plant: tomatoes, wildflower seeds, mums, marigolds, fall flowering bulbs, plant fall vegetables
Extras: again be sure to leave grass clippings on your yard do not rake them.
What are you doing with your summer yard to prepare it for fall? Trying a new vegetable garden? What about fruit trees?
I would love to hear from you......enjoy the outdoors!!! Deanne
Phew...we are in the middle of the heat now with our gardens and landscaping taking a beating. Let's take a look at some summer gardening tips to get us through.
Here are some tips and suggestions:
Water: deeply and infrequently. You should only be watering 2 to 3 times per week for 20 to 30 minutes maximum between the hours of 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM. If you are watering after 5:00 am and on you are losing water due to evaporation, so you are just wasting water.
Prune: Now I have not done a good job with pruning this summer. Trying to find a time of day that the temperature is not blazing hot has been a struggle. However, try to get out a prune dead limbs or branches, remove dead flower heads and trim roses.
Fertilize: If you think you have not amended your soil enough with compost then get an organic fertilizer because chemical fertilizers are too potent and pollute our water ways.
Pest Control: ant mounds can be suppressed with citrus pulp, dust everywhere with food grade diatomaceous earth, beneficial nematodes helps rid fleas, ticks and chiggers, spray spider mites with a garlic pepper tea or a liquid seaweed. Pull weeds by hands or hula hoe.
Plant: start seeds indoors for seasonal vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, melons.
Extras: remember leave grass clippings on the grass, throw mulch on bare soil, put liquid seaweed on plants to reduce heat stress.
Remember keep your head covered with a great fantastic hat that provides enough cover to your ears and face. Wear sunscreen, protective breathable clothing and drink lots of water. Believe it or not long sleeve shirts that is tightly woven made with natural material not synthetic will keep you cooler than shorts and short sleeved shirts.
I would love to see your oasis from the heat in your yard!
May has arrived, time for spring gardening! My son above says he wants this water feature in our backyard attached to a pool! Lofty ideas he has for our backyard.
May Gardening Tips:
Water: Continue to water deeply and infrequently.
Prune: after blooming dead head roses, then trees, shrubs, flowering vines after bloom.
Fertilize: citrus, lawns. choose an organic fertilizer synthetic fertilizer can be too harmful and toxic.
Plant: trees, shrubs, hibiscus, bougainvillea, hot weather vegetables and ground covers.
Extras: leave lawn clippings on your lawn best for protection and feeds the lawn. Add mulch to all bare soil you will have to use less and less fertilizer if you are adding mulch regularly to your soil, flower beds and garden.
Enjoy spring gardening...hopefully you are not already in the 100 degree weather such as the Southwest. If so protect those plant roots and moisture retention with a healthy dose of compost mulch!!! Protect your skin with sunscreen, drink lots of water and get some exercise by pulling some weeds by hand...
Sorry the quality of my picture, it lacks quality and pizazz. In it the picture are two huge trucks with large containers of chemical pesticide spray. They transfer it into several smaller ATV's (which is great because the wheels just spread the chemicals and weeds everywhere they go) with containers on the back end, drive around the complex, flower beds and grassy areas spraying every hint of weeds they can find.
What I find interesting is the fact they tell us it is safe yet the men are putting on white spray suits and air ventilators. Why the concern? Why all the protection if these pesticides are safe?
Pesticides are not insect or weed specific as we are told over and over by every chemical manufacturer. They infect, destroy and eventually kill all that it comes in contact with insect, animal, or human. Besides the onslaught of diseases that humans are contracting one of our biggest threat to our civilization...death of bees.
As I mentioned, chemicals don't care if you are a weed or pest or bee. Bees are feeling the destruction of our need for perfect lawns, perfect flower beds and laziness to use less invasive more natural and organic means to handle pest we do not want in our homes or in our gardens. Bees are dying from the chemicals we keep spraying in our landscaping. What happens when we don't have bees? No pollination... No pollination means no flowers, no fruit, no food.... Remember the kids movie The Bee Movie, there is a hint of reality in that kids cartoon tale!
It isn't about being an alarmist, environmentalist or fear mongering...it is about remembering our decisions have impact far greater than the boundary lines of our yard. Think twice about what you and your landscapers in your communities are using. All of these pesticides run off into our water, our drinking water and into the air. These are chemicals that are getting into our food, our water increasing diseases such as allergies, cancers and loads of behavioral issues. A friend said to me once when we were eating dinner. The news came on discussing something that is increasing cancer and she said "seems everything these days are causing cancer." I mention this because yes it seems that way because all of these chemicals were put out on the market with claims of safety. Remember DDT (agent orange), that was said to be safe and a company called Monsanto is releasing another version of DDT for farmers to use.
So again I question. If it is safe for humans and animals why cover up? Why the concern for their health?
Next time you see a weed...bend over pull it out the exercise will do you good. Or still feel the need to spray check out Earth Easy and Arbico Organics they have or will find you everything you need to make your lawn green without weeds or pests. What we are doing to our environment today is not borrowing from our kids in the future it is robbing them of an environment in the future.
Hopefully April will bring us plenty of rain for our plants, our animals and of course our own drinking water.
Not much in the way of a real winter this year. Many of us received a warmer than normal season, I am hoping for rain during the spring and summer months.
Here are some tips for April gardening:
water: deeply and infrequently
prune: thin out branches it will bring in more light and thicker growth
fertilize: if you do not have a thick layer of mulch and compost feeding your soil and plants grab an organic fertilizer in small amounts to stimulate roots.
pest control: you can release green lacewings or spray with neem oil a natural insecticide, natural food grade diatomaceous earth for ticks, fleas, chiggers and others, beneficial nematodes, trichogramma wasps control caterpillars, use a combination of cedar flakes, hot pepper, food grade diatomaceous earth, garlic pepper tea or beer traps for snails, pill bugs or slugs. Got aphids blast with water mixed with molasses (2 oz per gallon of water)
plant: container roses, fruit trees, grass, warm season vegetables, warm season flowers, flowering perennials, summer herbs.
extras: add a layer of mulch and compost to beds and any bare soil it is a natural way to retain water, prevent weeds and add nutrients
The enjoyment I get from gardening and landscaping isn't for my house to have curb appeal that all will want to drive by and comment on or be approved by my HOA. It is because I love being outdoors, love the smell of dirt, love color and the magnificent creations nature provides. My goal is to add life to my yard, my home and provide food for my family with sustainability.
I hope you decide to plant something wonderful or beautiful to enjoy watching it bloom and grow.
I have been trying to decide on composter. I considered building my own out of used pallets but then I found my dogs like to dig and roll in it....they smell awful when I get them out. This type of composter would work for me if I wasn't going to throw kitchen scraps, which attracts my dogs. I will probably keep that design for larger scale composting if need be. But then I remembered how much I love worms....yes I said it! Worms are awesome!
I really find composting one of the best ways to reduce the amount of trash being sent to landfills which just adds to our loss of natural resources such as land for the use of a dump! Not only is composting a fantastic option for reducing landfill waste it also saves you $$$ by no longer needing to buy fertilizer to enrich your soil. Yes you need to add nutrients to your soil. As you plants whether they are edible or non-edible plants they use the nutrients from the soil to grow. To keep your plants (edible and non-edible alike) healthy, disease resistant and growing, use your own fertilizer made from your own yard waste and kitchen scraps. At least you will know exactly what is going into your soil, chemicals or no chemicals...it comes from your home.
Okay, back on topic! I may have found a company who I will buy this fantastic worm composter unit from because of what they offer when you buy it and it is
And it has been
Here are some facts and features straight from their page:
Description:
Composting with worms allows you to turn kitchen scraps, paper waste and cardboard into nutrient-rich soil for your plants. The Worm Factory® 360 composting system makes the entire process quick and easy.
With a thermo siphon air flow design, the Worm Factory 360 increases the composting speed. Now you can produce compost much faster than traditional composting methods. Master Gardeners agree, worm castings are one of the richest forms of fertilizer that you can use.
The Worm Factory® 360 can be used indoors or outdoors allowing year round production. Now composting is no longer limited to backyards. The Worm Factory® 360 is odorless making it great for apartments, kitchens, garages, porches and more.
Unique Features:
New Thermo Siphon Design
How it works:
Air enters the base on all four sides
Worms burrow through the compost creating air passages
Rising heat and compost gases create a thermo siphon, pulling the air upwards through the trays
Air exits under all four sides of the lid
Allows 10 times more air circulation than similar composters.
The Worm Factory® 360 has a standard 4-Tray size which is expandable up to 8 trays, giving it the largest volume of any home composter.
Now only 1 step assembly out of the box.
The redesigned lid converts to a handy stand for trays while harvesting the compost
Included instructional DVD with step-by-step guide for managing your Worm Factory® 360.
The accessory kit provides basic tools to make managing the Worm Factory® 360 easier.
20 year warranty.
How It Works:
Simply add a handful of worms and your organic waste to the bottom tray. The worms will start processing the food. Once the bottom tray is filled add another tray. The worms migrate upward to the newest food source leaving the bottom tray full of nutrient-rich compost.
As waste is broken down, moisture filters through the system, taking nutrient-rich particles with it. This makes it possible to harvest organic liquid fertilizer right from the spigot.
Features:
Year-round production
Odor free operation
Small footprint at 18x18x14"
Expandable up to 8 trays
Easy to assemble and manage
Built in "worm tea" collector tray and spigot for easy draining
Includes a 16-page easy-to-use instructional booklet with photos and illustrations
Comes with "Quick-Tips" lid for easy reference
Houses eight to twelve thousand worms that consume 5-8lbs of food per week
20 year warranty on parts and workmanship
Made in the U.S.A.
Made with post consumer recycled materials.
30 year life expectancy.
Included:
4 Stacking Trays
Collection Base
16-Page Instruction Book
Ventilation "Quick Tips" Lid
Coir Brick
Worm Bedding
Spigot
Accessory Kit
Instructional DVD
Great information....Right? I think so! If you are interested in saving money, have rich yummy soil your plants will thank you for get yourself as many or as few as you like depending on your needs. I know that I will buy two for sure!
Above all have fun, get some dirt under your nails and experiment with your yard. what is the worst thing that could happen....something not grow? Oh well failure succeeded...try try again!!!
Happy Gardening
~Deanne
What composting ideas are you trying? Leave me a comment I would love to hear all about them!!
If we look to the calendar Spring begins March 20th, however for most of the country Winter has mimicked Spring like weather thanks to La Nina. La Nina is a weather phenomenon nicknames "the diva of drought". When we are in a La Nina year we typically see warmer winters, less snow and less rain. So many of the states in the US may not have flowers trying to bust through the melting snow during the month of March.
Here are some tips for March:
Water: continue to water deeply and infrequently
Prune: vines, flowering shrubs after they are done blooming
Fertilize: use some worm castings or other naturally organic mixture on all planting, growing plants
Pest Control: Aphids; spray with water + 2 oz of molasses per gallon of H2O + ladybugs and lacewings. dust around plants with a mix of hot pepper, cedar flakes and natural food grade diatomaceous earth for slugs and snails. Personal note I try everything thing organic before giving into any kind of synthetic chemical, I just do not want my pets, my kid or myself in contact with the stuff.
Plant: melons, squash, peppers, cucumber, corn, shrubs, trees, citrus, finish planting cool season annuals, then after last freeze plant warm season crops, annuals, sage, oregano, mint, lavender, thyme, lemon verbena, salad burnet, etc.
Extras: thin fruit trees, remove frost damage, more mulch of course, turn your compost pile, prepare your beds with compost soil and of course a thick layer of compost mulch will retain moisture and keep your soil cool for the plants.
Have fun in your yard and garden because it brings beauty to your home and makes a little closer to nature. Try your best to avoid synthetic chemicals because we are so overloaded with it everywhere else in our lives...
Up next April because hopefully we will have enough showers to bring May flowers!
Well if your backyard looks like this....I hope you have been following my tips for your garden and yard by the Calendar. We are now into February so lets look at some simple things to protect our garden and yard.
February Yard Tips
Water: just as before water deeply and infrequently
Prune: roses, dead, diseased trees/limbs
Fertilize: citrus, roses, lawns, grapes and deciduous fruit trees use a natural/organic fertilizer, use worm castings or fish meal and/or bat guano for cool season flowers
Pest Control: use beneficial nematodes to control grub worms, fire ants, fleas, and most other pests, more serious infestations use horticultural oil
Plant: annual color, blackberries, fruit trees, glads, cannas, daylilies, alyssum, calendulas, snapdragons, petunias, pansies, onions, asparagus, peas, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts and other cold tolerant vegetables
Extras: check the sprinkler system for breaks due to freeze, continually turn compost, add mulch to beds and soil, check garden equipment for repair needs or replacement, check covers on your plants to make sure they are protecting your precious beautiful plants and shrubs
Next up is March....
Enjoy the snow if you can, if you live in an area that has it, be safe when you drive in it!
Yes it is a new year but keeping with our garden by season January is smack dab in the middle of winter. Although some places have winter weather far earlier and last far longer, this season typical resides in December, January and February. I personally think seasons are changing but that is another topic altogether.
Let's get into some tips for this month: January.
water: again deeply and infrequently
prune: remove dead or damaged limbs, flowers etc.
fertilize: lawns and flower beds
pest control: keep eye out for aphids, inside spray with liquid seaweed, mild soap and a biostimulant to control mealy bugs, scale and spider mites
plant: trees, shrubs and vines, bare root roses, berries, grapes, asparagus, onions, English peas, fruit, pecan trees, anemones and ranunculus. get vegetable seeds growing indoors
mulch: get compost and mulch to cover bare soil adding a layer of warmth and protection.
Get out there in that cooler weather to burn off that Christmas treats that may have found a home on your waistline.
You know it is coming....the cooler days, really cold nights, snow for many locations. YES!
Our yards and garden may not be so happy but winter months are time for hibernation and renewal. The environment needs a time to take a break, naturally rid itself of pesky pests but for us we need to protect our yards and gardens that we have worked hard to grow.
Here are some general winterizing tips:
water carefully: protect against freezing so only water when absolutely necessary and mulch mulch mulch to protect the roots and retain water
prune: look for any dead limbs, branches, leaves...get rid of it.
fertilize: use earthworm castings and lava sand for indoor plants and greenhouse plants once or twice
plant: trees, shrubs, spring bulbs, if you used a living Christmas tree for the holiday it will be good to plant after the holiday. make sure any new plants receive a thick covering of mulch.
garden: mulch your entire garden pick any last remaining tomatoes then clean and oil any garden tools prior to storage.
Next up in gardening by the calendar...January tips!
We have made it to November! I know the call of the holidays are ringing in your ears so yard work is not on the mind.
Here are some tips for November
reduce watering on established plants, water accordingly for newly planted items
prune dead limbs and dead flowers plus this is the time for heavy tree pruning
fertilize with worm castings
pest control: check roots of plants & if grass is loose on top easy to pull they might have grubs use the beneficial nematods and use biostimulants for regeneration. use organic pest control methods.
plant trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs like hyacinths, daffodils etc.
mulch, mulch, mulch: put mulch around the base of plants, cover everything that needs protecting and helps retain water/nutrients. put all clippings except for weeds in your compost.
Enjoy the cooler days, time with family....there is always time to enjoy the outdoors!
Next we will get some quick tips for the winter months December, January and February.
Continue the tips from September gardening and get started on the following.
water: rinse and repeat! do the same as September water deeply and infrequently
prune: trees and shrubs
fertilize: this time we are mulching. mulch protects your plants from harsh weather, if you have been composting all summer you should have some mulch to throw down
pest control: release trichogamma wasps to control plant/garden pests
plant: cool season vegetables, bulbs in well drained soil, finish wild flower planting, time for cool season grass, trees, shrubs, vines, spring/summer perennials
Remember to keep grass clippings on the yard, mulch mulch mulch!
Look for organic options in pest control and gardening for your climate. It is best to control your little eco-system by using plants that are best for your zone and climate. You want to have plants that are hardy for your climate it will save you watering and $$!
Last of our fall months November, that will be our final post for fall then we will hit the winter months.
September is here, kids are back in school, the days are getting cooler (we hope for us SW states citizens) and the days are getting darker earlier. It means it is time to prepare the yard and garden for fall.
Let us look at September:
look at watering deeply and less frequently: plants should get a deep soaking and far less often in fall and winter months.
prune: cut back or trim trees bushes, remove any dead flowers, cut/remove surface roots of trees but only 20% of the root system
fertilize: get some organic fertilizer for the garden, lawn and plants
pest control: release lady bugs, put diatomaceous earth on ant mounds, use beneficial nematodes (wish I found these earlier in my organic life), 2 oz of molasses to a gallon of water will kill aphids.
plant: wild flower seeds, finish warm season grass planting, perennials, carrots, turnips, beets, transplant iris and day lilies.
extras: leave grass clippings on your yard do not rake up, put all tree clippings and non weed plant material in your compost
October fall gardening tips coming up next:
~Deanne
I am so excited that the weather went from 112 degrees to 99 degrees in a matter of days. That caused me to look outside and think oh no I better get this yard in shape and that means WORK!
I have a to do list or want list that is a mile long, one of the items on my list happens to be planter box bench seats. I have a rather long covered porch that I love in the back yard. It needs some seating. So bench hunting I went.
I am fairly handy but not ready to cut and create bench seating. Of course I wanted to make sure to find seating that was eco-friendly and would be functional.
These little beauties make me so completely happy. They are like little bits of art and color plus eco-friendly because they are made from 100% recycled plastics.....HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH! You can find them at Pure Modern. I love the idea of adding color to my back yard with the furniture. Plus it is functional because it increases seating for when I have some BBQ's or backyard parties and it will give me more options for planting some flowers or more delicate plants I do not want the dogs trampling.
This beautiful eucalyptus planter bench is another option I am thinking of going. If I want color I could opt to paint the bench. One of the reasons I selected eucalyptus is it is eco-friendly due to its fast growing cycle; you could also choose cedar which is a great option too. Of course bamboo would be fantastic and hardy as well. You can find these benches online and in most garden stores.
Well I guess you will just have to wait a few more weeks for the out come of my decision. Hint: I am seriously leaning towards the recycled infinity bench planter seats.
So excited to get started on my garden, my yard and I might even paint/stain my brick wall!!!!
~Deanne
Send me your ideas and pics of your garden projects!
As I prepare my yard for my first garden to produce by next year I have been looking for some seeds and resources. I for sure wanted to make sure to have diversity in my garden. Biodiversity promotes a healthy garden plus a healthy way to ward off pests.
It is becoming a challenge to keep heirloom and organic seeds available to the market with the onslaught of lawsuits by Monsanto so support these growers below. Keep Monsanto from buying them up and altering them genetically!
I know you are thinking "gross composting stinks". There are so many options these days to find indoor and outdoor composts that don't smell. Not only is composting the best for your yard because you are using fresh organic dirt for your garden beds and yard. But composting reduces the amount of waste being driven to landfills. It is the easiest thing to do.
Just make sure that you follow some really easy steps, no meat or grease in the composter (some say it is okay but I have attracted all kinds of icky), equal amounts of dry ingredients (paper, cardboard), and of course yard clippings. You can put even weed clippings if and only if they have not flowered, and do not put diseased plants in it because you will only pass it on!
With all the recycling and composting I do, I only have 1 trash bag a month into my garbage can. I wish my waste management company gave me a discount for not having so much waste for them to manage. But nooooooo! I am trying to figure out the best way of canceling the trash, but keep the recycling. It is a matter of what I do with that one bag!
There it is my porch...ignore the surroundings. I know, I know what a sad looking back yard. I have done nothing to it. I have had high hopes for it when I moved in...well life got in the way, things happened. Things are looking better and soon my yard will too.
