Plant a Spring Container Garden . . . Lettuces

It is never too early in the season to start thinking about spring plantings, especially if you live in a subtropical climate as I do.  

I found the following article very interesting since I love container gardening and have been meaning to give growing lettuces a try.  You may want to try growing lettuces this spring after reading this article!

Growing Gourmet Greens

Of all the planting I do each year, I think my spring container kitchen garden is my favorite. Maybe it’s because the containers are conveniently placed right outside the kitchen door or maybe it’s because it’s so easy to plant, maintain and harvest.

Whatever the reason, I look forward to the first cutting of container-grown spring greens. I prefer to plant and grow baby lettuce mixes because they grow quickly and a packet of seeds yields enough for many salads or sandwich toppings. They’re also inexpensive, too. These are the same pricey gourmet blends found in up-scale grocery stores, specialty produce markets and farmers’ markets.

I buy packets of mesclun which are mixes of small salad greens that vary in color, textures and flavors. Traditional mesclun salad mixes include chervil, arugula, lettuces and endive, but they can also include dandelion, mizuna, mâche, radicchio and sorrel.

Look for salad mixes that offer assorted colors, textures and flavors. I like combinations that include bronze and lime-green leaves, curley and leafy textures and flavors that are tangy or peppery. Baby leaf spinach is also a good choice.

The tender leaves will grow quickly and can be cut and recut several times. For a continuous harvest, sow successive batches until the weather gets too hot.

In addition to planting from seed, consider adding small transplants, like chives. The chives in my container are perennial, so they’re the first greens to appear in my container garden each year.

Planting is Super Simple

One of the advantages of planting in containers is that you can plant 4-6 weeks before the last killing frost in your area. Another advantage is that you don’t have to wait for the soil to warm before planting. Just fill a container with new potting soil and you’re ready to plant.

Planting Instructions

1. Fill a container with soil to within 2 inches of the rim.
2. Tear open a small corner of the seed packet.
3. Sprinkle seeds lightly over the top of soil, with seeds landing about a half inch apart.
4. Cover with a thin layer (about 1/4 inch) of soil.
5. Pat down the soil gently.
6. Water with a fine spray to keep seeds in their place.

Grow the plants by placing the container in a sunny spot and keeping the soil moist. When leaves are about 5 inches tall, grab a small section and use scissors to make a clean cut; leave several inches of plant remaining. New leaves will sprout from the roots you’ve left behind.

Wash greens carefully and blot dry. Use immediately in a spring salad or to top sandwiches. Refrigerated greens can be stored in a plastic bag for several days.

Disclaimer about photo and article source . . . In the past, I have given websites the courtesy of not cutting and pasting their articles into my blog posts and just providing a link to the article.  In going back through all of my blogs, it occurs to me that most websites reconfigure their websites often and wipe out articles all together or change the url, making it impossible to find the article again.  That is a major waste of time and lots of valuable information lost!

I would prefer to preserve the entire article and give the website credit for the article and promotion for their website.  In the case of this article, it comes from VegetableGardener.com, one of my favorite blogs.  An email subscription is available for their newsletters which is the source of this article.

Photo and article by Jodi Torpey

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Tin Can Man . . . trash to treasure project

Trash to treasure yard art is one of my favorite crafts.

This little guy is so cute and seems like a relatively easy project to put together.

Here are the materials used in the project:

• 1 medium vegetable, fruit or coffee can (head)
• 1 large can (torso)
• 2 medium cans (upper arms)
• 6 small vegetable or fruit cans (forearms & legs)
• 5 lids cut from cans (ears, nose, hands)
• 4 tomato paste cans (ankles, feet)
• 5 round bottle caps (eyes, buttons)
• 11 screws with bolt backings
• heavy gauge wire
• Epoxy glue or clear-drying caulk

Tools needed include drill, hole punch, hammer or mallet, metal cutters, “church key” can opener, duct tape, screwdriver.

Click here for instructions

Please note!

The original instructions are no longer available, however, I will leave the information up in case the page becomes available again.

Some other pages that include instructions for a tin can man:

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf43267298.tip.html

http://worththewhisk.com/2009/09/24/how-to-make-a-tin-can-man/

http://www.hometalk.com/4126480/craft-tin-man-upcycle

http://serenityinthegarden.blogspot.com/2012/11/make-tin-can-man-in-your-garden.html

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DIY Stepping Stones and Paths

One of my favorite outdoor projects is playing in concrete and making my own stepping stones.  Your creativity mixed with some basic knowledge is all you need to come up with some awesome and unusual paths for your garden.

Click here for some inspiration, ideas and tutorials.

Click here for more inspiration!

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Secret garden

This part of Westbury Gardens in Vermont reminds me of a secret garden.  I've always wanted a little pathway that leads to a secret garden in my garden and in my mind, it looks very similar to this one . . . except mine would have more color and maybe a water feature along the side.

Very cool idea for a large property!

For more photos featured on the Fine Gardening website click here.

Click here to visit Westbury Gardens' website.

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Around the garden world in 365 days

Container gardens like the one in the photo is what we are striving to do in our garden that includes lots of concrete and container plantings.  Much easier maintenance than the wild look we currently have.  Love the tropical feel of this colorful garden vignette!

This photo was taken at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Day #32 in "Around The Garden World in 365 Days," Barbara's fabulous blog series that takes you on a trip to a different garden every time with lots of photos and inspiration for your garden.  Click here for Day #32 where you will find many more photos from the gorgeous and inspirational Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Barbara Peake Wise describes herself as a plant nerd who works for Landscape Service, Inc.  You can also follow her on Twitter.  She is one of my favorite garden enthusiasts on the internet!

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Containers in the garden

Daniela Baloi's vegetable garden in Hudson, Ohio was recently featured on Fine Gardening's website.   All I can say is that I'm jealous and would love the fenced garden area in my own yard.

Although the garden is awesome and innovating, what caught my attention was this little sitting area with the awesome container planting.  What a great pairing of the container with the red handle and red flowers.  I love a garden with lots of different colorful and pretty spots to relax and enjoy nature happening in the garden.  Container plants are excellent for these areas!

I love those large coffee cup bowls for serving pasta or salad, but it is super cute in the garden!  I've seen them at closeout stores and they are very inexpensive.  Don't forget to drill holes or add lots of rocks to the bottom of the container for good drainage.

Click here to check out Daniela's newly fenced veggie garden.

Photo source is FineGardening.com

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What to do with a fallen tree?

When nature hands you lemons . . . thank God you and your family are safe and you still have a roof over your head.

I don't remember such a rainy summer with fierce lightening that travels with the thunderstorms.

These thunderstorms were too much for our huge oak tree that is dangerously close to the house.  One of the monsterously huge limbs must have gotten too heavy from all the rain and old age.  The trunk is as big around as a normal oak tree.  I always wanted to hang a swing from it, figuring it was sturdy and never going anywhere.  Wrong!  

The casualty is the back storage shed and outdoor patio.  The building itself and the patio roof looks crumpled like an accordion.  My heart is broken . . . I love that outdoor patio, not to mention we don't know what is going on inside, where so many of my treasures and memories live.  We are still dealing with the shock of that huge tree limb falling . . . the damage that has been done inside is already done, so I guess it has to be one shock at a time.  

I'm so grateful it did not fall on the house and we are safe.

Photos of the fallen tree and damage will be posted on the blog "My Florida Paradise" . . . this post is about solutions.  

We plan on using as much of the wood as we can on various projects and lots of material for the compost pile.  I went on an internet search expedition and found the most awesome path I have ever seen!  Along with lots of tables and benches, this will be one of the projects for sure.  I'll be listing more projects as I find them so we will have the instructions and ideas handy and hopefully help someone else who was handed lemons from nature.

Click here for the original blog post

Click here for an update a year later

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Outdoor shower

When it comes to the garden, there are many projects that are still dreams and ideas in my head . . . an outdoor shower is on the top of that list!

From Sunset Magazine . . .

This weekend project has three basic parts: two wing walls and a center pole with the plumbing attached. 

Time: One weekend (4 hours of labor, plus drying time for sealer)

Difficulty: 3 (on a scale of 1–10; requires modest woodworking skills)

Cost: About $170

Click here for the full article, including instructions and material list.

Awesome collection of backyard projects!  

Click here

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Gardening tips from a master gardener

As a long time fan of Home and Garden Television (HGTV), the programming changes that have pushed my favorite gardening shows off the air continue to upset me.  Apparently, ratings for gardening shows fall short of the television executives' expectations and shows geared toward the real estate market have taken over the majority of their programming schedule.  Oh well, who am I to question the television experts?

One of my favorite gardening shows was Gardening by the Yard with Paul James.  He's a quirky guy with lots of gardening knowledge.  I sure do miss his shows and decided to do a search on him and found his website.  Of special interest was an article about the demise of Gardening by the Yard, according to Paul James.  Click here to go to the article.  Check out his website while you are there . . . although it does not seem to be updated regularly.

I found another article on the HGTV website featuring gardening tips from my favorite gardening guy . . . the link appears at the end of the article if you care to read more of the older articles from Paul James.

1. To remove the salt deposits that form on clay pots, combine equal parts white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle. Apply the mixture to the pot and scrub with a plastic brush. Let the pot dry before you plant anything in it.

2. To prevent accumulating dirt under your fingernails while you work in the garden, draw your fingernails across a bar of soap and you'll effectively seal the undersides of your nails so dirt can't collect beneath them. Then, after you've finished in the garden, use a nailbrush to remove the soap and your nails will be sparkling clean.

3. To prevent the line on your string trimmer from jamming or breaking, treat with a spray vegetable oil before installing it in the trimmer.

4. Turn a long-handled tool into a measuring stick! Lay a long-handled garden tool on the ground, and next to it place a tape measure. Using a permanent marker, write inch and foot marks on the handle. When you need to space plants a certain distance apart (from just an inch to several feet) you'll already have a measuring device in your hand.

5. To have garden twine handy when you need it, just stick a ball of twine in a small clay pot, pull the end of the twine through the drainage hole, and set the pot upside down in the garden. Do that, and you'll never go looking for twine again.

6. Little clay pots make great cloches for protecting young plants from sudden, overnight frosts and freezes.

7. To turn a clay pot into a hose guide, just stab a roughly one-foot length of steel reinforcing bar into the ground at the corner of a bed and slip two clay pots over it: one facing down, the other facing up. The guides will prevent damage to your plants as you drag the hose along the bed.

8. To create perfectly natural markers, write the names of plants (using a permanent marker) on the flat faces of stones of various sizes and place them at or near the base of your plants.

9. Got aphids? You can control them with a strong blast of water from the hose or with insecticidal soap. But here's another suggestion, one that's a lot more fun; get some tape! Wrap a wide strip of tape around your hand, sticky side out, and pat the leaves of plants infested with aphids. Concentrate on the undersides of leaves, because that's where the little buggers like to hide.

10. The next time you boil or steam vegetables, don't pour the water down the drain, use it to water potted patio plants, and you'll be amazed at how the plants respond to the "vegetable soup."

11. Use leftover tea and coffee grounds to acidify the soil of acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, gardenias and even blueberries. A light sprinkling of about one-quarter of an inch applied once a month will keep the pH of the soil on the acidic side.

12. Use chamomile tea to control damping-off fungus, which often attacks young seedlings quite suddenly. Just add a spot of tea to the soil around the base of seedlings once a week or use it as a foliar spray.

13. If you need an instant table for tea service, look no farther than your collection of clay pots and saucers. Just flip a good-sized pot over, and top it off with a large saucer. And when you've had your share of tea, fill the saucer with water, and your "table" is now a birdbath.

14. The quickest way in the world to dry herbs: just lay a sheet of newspaper on the seat of your car, arrange the herbs in a single layer, then roll up the windows and close the doors. Your herbs will be quickly dried to perfection. What's more, your car will smell great.

Source

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Fabulous Water Features

This type of water feature is way on top of my wish list . . . and has been for many years.  

Water features can be a large, elaborate and expensive set up or can be very simple and inexpensive.  The possibilities are endless, but where do you start?

Cost has been a huge inhibitor since my ideas tend to be very elaborate.  We have a very large city property that used to be very wild and natural, yet well maintained that has grown into an urban jungle due to pesky health problems getting in the way, it seems to me that a larger water feature, once constructed, should prove to be just what we need.  Much research needs to be done and it isn't a project slated for this year, but the planning stage for the back yard needs to get started.

In the meantime, our front yard is a clean slate begging for something special.  A very simple and inexpensive water feature would be perfect, combined with raised beds with large paths.  The object of the project is awesome curb appeal with little maintenance.  

My plan is to document the before and after transformation on my website.  We are getting a late start this season, but it is never too late to transform a landscape in Florida.

This website, The Family Handyman, is where I am starting . . . it has lots of inspiration and instructions.

Click here for my photo source . . . more inspiration!

HGTV and DIY Network are excellent resources for ideas and instructions.

Feeling overwhelmed like me?  Start with a small project and work into the larger projects as you gain expertise. 

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