Pretty darned handy!
www.liveoriginally.com/kitchen-helpers/
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
A pinch of this, an ounce of that!
Being a huge stumbleupon.com fan, I like to share some of my helpful finds. The link below is called "Kitchen Helpers" and is a really cute conversion chart which you can print and laminate. I printed all of the available charts in color, laminated them, and put them on the fridge where I can see them.
Pretty darned handy!
www.liveoriginally.com/kitchen-helpers/
Pretty darned handy!
www.liveoriginally.com/kitchen-helpers/
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
No Lawn Furniture? No Problem!
You don't need to have lawn furnture when you can grow it! I really enjoyed this article - I dare you to try it!!
20 More Om Noms in a Jar
I LOVE this article, it gives you 20 more ideas for foods to pack in a jar www.thedailybuzz.com.au/2011/12/20-things-to-make-in-a-jar-3/
Wouldn't these be amazing at a picnic??
Lunch in a Jar
I am currently in the process of cleaning out my stumbleupon (www.stumbleupon.com), and thought I would take the time to share some of my favorite ideas.
Here is a fantastic site about the way to pack a healthy lunch. I know I have lots of canning jars in my house due to canning season starting, so I will definately use this! Also, its a great way to recycle used glass jars such as spagetting jars and mayo jars (make sure you clean them out really well first!).
www.thedailymuse.com/health/the-best-new-way-to-bring-your-lunch/
HUGELKULTUR!! Eh?!?
No, I didn't just sneeze, I said "Hugelkultur!". Hugelkultur is a wonderful way of using scrap wood (non coniferous) to bruild raised beds that are highly water efficient.
The idea is to lay down a tall frame of wood and to pile dirt over it. You can plant your veggies and then go without watering for most of the season. However, keep in mind that your second year will be your true baring year.
Here is the wonderful article I found about this fascinating style of gardening http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2beoNc/:VTrX0Tl4:KFZJ!MkA/www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/
Do we have any Hugelkulturists in Vancouver? I would love to hear from you and see some photos of your garden!
Gardening in August
Being fairly "green" when it comes to gardening, I love to know what tasks to perform month to month - thus, at the beginning of each month, I will release a calendar which reviews the varied duties based on the season.
I hope you enjoy!
Perrenials, Annuals, and Bulbs:
Take some time this month to look over your garden and pick off the old dead flowers on your annuals, as well as the dead flowers on your perennials. Spending a little time to groom your plants can make a big difference in the glamorous appearance of your urban garden. By removing the dead flowers, the plants will not go into the seed producing stage and should continue to flower longer into the season.
Perennial and biennial plants can be started from seed sown directly into the garden this month or next.
Container grown perennials, shrubs and trees can be planted this month. Always take time to properly preparte the soil by mixing generous quantities of peat moss, compost and processed manure with your existing soil.
Fall blooming Crocus can be planted this month, to give you an extra week or two of flowers after the main garden plants have finished for the year.
If you have roses, prune them in late August to promote the most fall blossoms. Remove about a third of the vigorous growth. Any stems that cross each other should be removed, as well as those that are in the center of the plant. Weak, spindly canes and any damaged shoots should be removed. Except in colder regions, roses should be fertilized through the end of September.
I hope you enjoy!
Gardening in the month of August
The gardening tasks for August are generally shorter than most months. During this time of year you can relax and enjoy harvesting your crops as the end of summer draws near. The key considerations for August is making certain that your garden receives a good amount of water, and also paying close attention to weed control. Due to frequent watering and the warm weather, weeds easily germinate this time of year and will quickly overtake your garden if you are not careful.
More on August Watering:
When watering during the hottest part of summer, keep in mind that a simple sprinkle will not do! There is no reason to be timid when watering the garden, your plants need the water to thoroughly penetrate the soil, 3 to 4 inches deep to allow the roots to properly soak.
I am aware of the water restrictions in Vancouver, but please keep in mind that these retrictions ONLY apply to lawn care. Vegetable gardens are exempt from the curren bi-laws (for a current update on watering, or to review my source, please see http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/water/conservation/Pages/sprinkling.aspx , scroll down to Exemptions).
One of the absolute BEST sprinklers I have found is also the least expensive, and it comes with a fantastic name! The product is called Dad's Reliable Sprinkler and you can purchase it at Canadian Tire for $5.99 or www.canadiantire.com .The flow of this sprinkler is even and very easily controled to manage a very small or large garden, also the fact that is cast iron means that it will not move when the pressure is increased AND you don't have to worry about it breaking.
Quick Tip: If you want to be certain that your plants are recieving enough water, press your finger down into the soil 2 to 3 inches, if its moist, its good (sorry, that sounded a little pervy).Perrenials, Annuals, and Bulbs:
Take some time this month to look over your garden and pick off the old dead flowers on your annuals, as well as the dead flowers on your perennials. Spending a little time to groom your plants can make a big difference in the glamorous appearance of your urban garden. By removing the dead flowers, the plants will not go into the seed producing stage and should continue to flower longer into the season.
Perennial and biennial plants can be started from seed sown directly into the garden this month or next.
Container grown perennials, shrubs and trees can be planted this month. Always take time to properly preparte the soil by mixing generous quantities of peat moss, compost and processed manure with your existing soil.
Fall blooming Crocus can be planted this month, to give you an extra week or two of flowers after the main garden plants have finished for the year.
If you have roses, prune them in late August to promote the most fall blossoms. Remove about a third of the vigorous growth. Any stems that cross each other should be removed, as well as those that are in the center of the plant. Weak, spindly canes and any damaged shoots should be removed. Except in colder regions, roses should be fertilized through the end of September.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Potting Bench, Eh?
Let it be known that I am a major suporter of repurposing old furniture! Only this last year when we moved from the recording studio to our current location did we really start repurposing older pieces of furniture.
Our repurposing came from necessity, because we needed new bedside tables and did not have the money to spend on new ones. I found an article on the web which gave a tutorial on how to repurpose a desk with drawers into a set of side tables or night stands. Needless to say, I was absolutely hooked! Now when we need "new" furniture we see what's at the local flea markets, garage sales, and of course, we paruse Craig's list.
The attached article is from Better Homes and Gardens and is a tutorial on how to repurpose a china cabinet into a gardening station. I love this and hope to try it in the not too distant future! I will be certain to post some photos when I do!
Our repurposing came from necessity, because we needed new bedside tables and did not have the money to spend on new ones. I found an article on the web which gave a tutorial on how to repurpose a desk with drawers into a set of side tables or night stands. Needless to say, I was absolutely hooked! Now when we need "new" furniture we see what's at the local flea markets, garage sales, and of course, we paruse Craig's list.
The attached article is from Better Homes and Gardens and is a tutorial on how to repurpose a china cabinet into a gardening station. I love this and hope to try it in the not too distant future! I will be certain to post some photos when I do!
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