March 2013

Re-grow Romaine Lettuce Hearts

Re-grow Romaine Lettuce Hearts - just cut, place in water, and watch them grow back in days...

Lentils help cleanse and stimulate the kidneys and adrenal system, strengthen the heart and circulation and boost energy and vitality. When lentils are germinated, their nourishment become more easily digestible, and after just 3-4 days of sprouting, their soluble fiber, which helps lower LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar and regulate insulin levels, increases 300 percent!

First you’ll need to measure about a cup of lentils and inspect them for stones. Then rinse them really well in cool water and place them in a large bowl of water to soak overnight 8-12 hours. The next morning. You can strain out the excess water, rinse and strain again and then transfer the seeds into a large jar, filling it no more than 1/3 of the way with seeds so that there’s adequate space for growth.

Now, cover the opening of the jar with some cheesecloth and hold it in place with a snug rubber band. For the next few days all you’ll have to do is rinse the seeds with fresh water by filling the jar and draining through the cheesecloth twice a day. If you start to notice any slime, just give a few extra rinses and get it all out.

Keep giving them the fresh rinses + draining for 4-5 days. Once that green leaf pokes out and starts to unfold, they’re ready to harvest. You can use this process to sprout many other seeds and beans (alfalfa, clover, mung, garbanzo, lentil, sunflower).

Keep this in mind if you start seeing lots of spiders around your place. Natural spider killer or preventer... take one cup of vingar, one cup of pepper, a teaspoon of oil and liquid soap. Put it into a spray bottle and spray along the outside of your outside door and along windows; refresh after it rains.

All of Pigeon Toe Ceramics vessels are thrown on the wheel in porcelain, then embellished by hand to form their unique, organic shapes and designs.

Collect all grass clipping and yard trash but be certain to mix with the "brown" materials like leaves and shredded paper to add carbon. Do not compost meats or pet dropping. Stick with food scraps and yard waste only. Avoid all pesticides or herbicide treated material. Keep your compost damp but not wet. Turnover the pile as often as you can. every time you turn it will speed up the procedure. worms and most bugs are ok. No need to go crazy trying to keep bugs out of your compost. Add compost to your garden a few weeks before you plant.

First, Firmly twist the crown off. It will come off fairly easily. Then take the crown and pull off the lower leaves until you have about an inch or more of the core. You don't need them and they will get in the way of rooting the pineapple. Fill a jar with water and plop your crown into the jar. Place your pineapple jar in an area that gets decent light. then Within two weeks, some nice roots should develop. Then you can plant the pineapple whenever you're ready.

If you want fruit, you'll have to keep it in a sunny location. Otherwise, the pineapple will develop long slender leaves but will not fruit.

The materials for a the raised bed:
One 6-foot-long 4-by-4
Six 8-foot-long 2-by-6s
One 10-foot-long 1-inch PVC pipe
Two 10-foot-long ½-inch PVC pipes
32 3½-inch #14 wood screws and 16 ½-inch #8 wood screws
One 4- by 10-foot roll of ¼-inch-mesh hardware cloth
Eight 1-inch galvanized tube straps
32 cubic feet (1 1/5 cu. yd.) soil mix (look for combination of topsoil, compost, and potting soil).

Got Weeds? Use Vinegar: Homemade Weed Killer 1 gallon of white vinegar 1/2 cup salt Liquid dish soap (any brand) Empty spray bottle Put salt in the empty spray bottle and fill it the rest of the way up with white vinegar. Add a squirt of liquid dish soap. This solution works best if you use it on a hot day. Spray it on the weeds in the morning, and as it heats up it will do its work.

We have a large dog and have had our first and only Water Dog in operation since 2005.

We had to install a newer style exterior faucet on the house so it could seat properly initially, and we pull it in the house every time the temperature goes below 35 degrees. Needless to say, it is in most of the winter. However, we've had the same one in operation for 6 years, changing the batteries every Summer, and reinstalling it every Spring.

Our dog loves it and so do we. He's taught other dogs to use it as well. He figured out how to avoid the hot water in the pipes on hot days, by going up to it and letting it run for a minute before he takes a drink. Before we got the Water Dog, he would tip his bowl over, or it would get full of dirt and mud. This removes the bowl from being a play toy, and assures him of fresh, cool, available water everytime he wants it. He gets excited every Spring when it goes back up. It is starting to give us problems this year, by not always sensing his presence, but we believe if we pull the sensor screens and clean them, it might solve the problem. If not, we will definitely buy another one.
No standing water, no bothering you, no dehydrated dogs, no cleaning of pet bowls, no worries.

In a bucket or pail, mix two cups of cement with 1 cup of water to create a thick paste. spread the cement mixture onto each leaf. Allow the cement to dry then Flip the mold over, and remove each leaf.

Peas are a prime example of the difference between shop purchased vegetables and those fresh from the garden. Fresh peas win every time, on taste, texture and food value.
How To Plant:>
If your garden soil is workable and not too wet, you can get the seeds in the ground. After planting, keep the seeds well watered. when the seedlings are a couple of inches tall, give them support so that they don't tumble down into a tangled snarl. bind your pea vines into their supports with strips cut from old stockings or pantyhose. It's smart recycling, and it stretches as the vine grows.
When to Harvest:
At peak ripeness the outer shell will be bright green, if you wait too long the peas will lose their sweetness and turn hard. Morning is the best time to peak, because the sugar content is highest then. pick the vines as the peas ripen. If you do that, the plants will keep flowering and continue to produce.

The idea of an herb garden is a good one, especially for those looking for low maintenance gardens. That said, the idea of a bunch of little pots all over your deck, stoop, or balcony aren't always appealing. Instead of keeping it under foot, check out this wall mounted version instead!

Indigo Crossing

This public park in Lima was created in the middle of the the city, and incorporates recycled tires for planters and a children’s playground. A few rolling hills and grass-cushioned benches complete Lima’s urban public garden.

I've always loved the look of pavers with grass or ground cover growing between them.

house and garden, city gardens

Emerald Green, or most greens for that matter, are difficult to use in your home. Unless you want everything around the green walls, carpets, sofas or whatever, to appear pink, you either stay away from green or know how to match it. The safest way is to leave the green shades outside like they have here.

Beautiful Topiary Gardens

Steps :
Select a bowl-shaped container at least 18 inches wide and 8 to 10 inches deep.
Fill the pot with a fast-draining potting soil; mix in an organic granular fertilizer.
Before seeding, moisten the soil using a fine spray from the hose. Because the seeds are fairly small, mix them in a bowl with sand (3 parts sand to 1 part seed) so they'll disperse more evenly. Sow the seeds, then cover lightly with soil.
Gently mist the soil so as not to displace the seeds.
Place containers in full sun or, if you live in a hot climate, light shade. Seeds should germinate in 7 to 10 days.
Harvest at least weekly to keep leaves coming. Using this method, it's possible to harvest four crops of cilantro from a single pot.

Can't get enough of them, and no garden is complete without a few,(or who am I kidding, ... dozens), of succulents, as well as some complementary bromeliads such as Dyckias and Aechmea recurvata cultivars that can handle full hot sun. Again, even if nothing ever bloomed here, the color contrasts and variations on a theme complement each other. Echeverias, Sedums, Aloes, I could actually design a garden only using these 3 plant groups, but not being a real minimalist, I've never tried such a limited plant composition. Certainly the textural, color and seasonal variation of these 3 is sufficient that it could be done...

These plantings are also a good example of flow in a garden, and how it gives a sense of movement, leading the eye to the final platform at the seat/bench.

In a glass container, make a bed of polished stones or glass beads. Orient each bulb with its flat side down and position it atop the stone bed. After each bulb has been seated, fill the spaces between the bulbs with more stones. Fill the container with water to slightly below the base of the bulbs. and Enjoy.

stunning wisteria path

Moth orchids are some of the least expensive, most common, and longest-blooming orchids available. In fact, one bloom spike can look great for four months or more. The flowers appear in shades of white, pink, red, green, yellow, orange, and purple.
How to Grow Them: Give moth orchids (Phalaenopsis selections) a spot in low, medium, or bright light and water weekly or every other week. Promote more and larger blooms by feeding moth orchids monthly with a fertilizer formulated for orchids. The plants do best in temperatures from 50 to 75F.
Here's a Hint: A drop in temperatures helps encourage them to bloom.

Make little planters for a windowsill garden from old tea tins

Great idea to attract butterflies

Make your own potato tower

How to make your own stone flower pot

Terra Cotta Pot Flower Tower with Annuals

curly succulent "Moraea Tortilis" commonly known as "spiral grass"

Gardening Green

Re-grow Romaine Lettuce Hearts

Sprouting Green Lentils

How to control spiders naturally

Green Home Ideas : Pigeon Toe Ceramics

Good Composting Tips

Growing a Pineapple in Water From a Pineapple Top

building a perfect raised bed

curly succulent "Moraea Tortilis"

Automatic Outdoor Pet Drinking Fountain

How to make a Leaf Stepping Stones

How to plant peas in a garden

Hanging Trellis Herb Garden

Indigo Crossing

This public park in Lima

Grass and Stone

house and garden, city gardens

IF YOU DON'T LIKE PINK - STAY AWAY FROM GREEN!

Beautiful Topiary Gardens

Continuous cilantro growing method

Can you tell I am addicted to succulents?

Forcing bulbs in water and rocks

stunning wisteria path

Easy Way to Grow Moth Orchids