Make your own homemade newspaper pots
16.8 years ago cheap, indoor seed starting
As you probably know we shouldn’t be using peat pots due to environmental concerns, buying terra cotta pots is too expensive, what is a cheap gardener to do? Make your own homeade pots out of newspaper of course. Muddy Clogs describes how to exactly do this on her blog. My only complaint is that I didn’t think of it first.
Tags: cheap, garden seeds
Harvesting seeds from the grocery store – Update
16.8 years ago garlic bulbs, growing challenge, potatoes
I definitely can’t complain about the current results of the garlic and potatoes I planted from my original post Harvesting seeds from the grocery store Every clove of garlic I planted has come up and seems to compliment the onions well and is supposed to keep the slugs away which I can always use help on. The potatoes have finished developing above ground just hope my soil is not too nitrogen rich and they keep growing foliage and forget to complete work below ground making some actual potatoes.
Tags: cheap, garden seeds, garlic bulbs, outdoor plants, vegetables
Harvesting your own seeds
16.8 years ago seed saving
This past fall I made my first attempt to harvest my own seeds. If you can’t tell from the picture I chose cilantro (or coriander if you eat the seeds) and seem to be worth the minimal effort. Just as a warning, if the plant you are dealing with happens to be a hybrid (parents of different species) what you get the next year may not be the same as it was the previous year. In the end this could be disappointment or a pleasant surprise so the risk might be worth it. This next year I am planning letting some of my other vegetables finish going to seed to save a couple bucks but also the flowers don’t look half bad.
Tags: cheap, cilantro, garden seeds, outdoor plants, vegetables
My Lettuce seeds have sprouted
16.8 years ago indoor seed starting
My lettuce seeds sprouted faster than usual this year, I expected to have some problems since I have saved the seeds for 3 years now. I don’t have a heating pad (yeah I’m cheap) so just put them on top of the refrigerator in a makeshift greenhouse out of an old strawberry container. They would have still germinated in my mid-60 degree house, but the extra heat gained from being on top of the refrigerator will allow my cucumbers to sprout about 10 days sooner.
I will have to give coconut coir my two green thumbs up, my only complaint is that it retains water a little too well. I would recommend 1 part perlite to 2 parts coconut coir
to let the roots dry out a little more. For now I am just watering from the bottom so guess I am doing some cheap hydroponics. I have also added them to my PC case grow box.
Tags: cheap, garden seeds, growbox, strawberry plants, vegetables
Strawberries in the PC grow box (UPDATE)
16.8 years ago indoor growbox
Well the strawberry plant seems to be doing great in the $20 PC grow box. Can’t wait to try it out on my recently planted seedlings.
Tags: cheap, garden seeds, growbox, outdoor plants, strawberry plants, vegetables
Gardening with kids
16.8 years ago kids
The appeal of working in the garden has always been natural to my daughters. But then again what could be better than going outside playing with dirt and water. I do have a few tips I have picked up that might make it a little extra fun for the young ones:
- Let them have their own garden, not only does this give them their own space to play but also protects your own garden from their desire to keep digging. I made a little 2 foot square garden with one 8 foot length of 4X4 and a few long screws. Was the perfect size where she could reach everything from any side.
- Buy them their own gardening tools. Otherwise you might be fighting to get your claw and trowel away from them and also that little plastic watering can works great for gently watering those newly planted seedlings.
- Pick seed that work well with their little fingers. Some of my favorite seeds are peas, radishes, sunflowers, pumpkins, and cilantro.
- Start some seeds indoors. A little Dixie cup and some coconut coir works great and they can keep a close eye on it several times a day.
- Go to the nursery and buy some flowers. It is hard to be patient a $0.99 primrose can definitely hold the sprouts over while wait for their own to grow.
Not only can this be fun activity to together but also can be educational. I recall during a preschool planting activity where many parents were very impressed as my daughter teased the roots before she carefully placed her plant in her very well loosened soil.
Tags: cheap, cilantro, garden seeds, outdoor plants, vegetables
