images via bliss by nick brandt
Friday, July 23, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
glamping
I need to win the lottery soon so I can stay here.
images via four seasons.com
stumbled across via wide open spaces
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
garden progress
We got our first batch of sprouts!
After the first layer of seeds went in the sprouter, I waited two days and added a second level. The third level was added yesterday. One tray of sprouts is enough for two (fairly big) sandwiches, so we'll have to continuously rotate the trays.
While it's pretty easy to use, my biggest problem seems to be the siphoning action of the water dripping from the top to each tray level. The first day it seemed to flow quite easily, and even making sure there aren't seeds or sprouts blocking the siphon, I still have a laggy water flow. I've taken to popping open the top of the water tray to keep the water flowing, though I'm sure that's not the best thing to do.
In other news I've done some redecorating in terms of the containers on the balcony. Here's what it looked like before:
Our office is reducing the size of the space we're renting and so we've been having major purges of stuff. I was able to score these file/milk crates and I figured I could transform them into planters and create a cleaner looking balcony garden.
I had looked on Google to see if there was a cheap way to line by containers, and some sites were talking about peat moss or landscape fabric. I went super cheap by digging up old cardboard boxes and newspaper.
I ran out of potting soil halfway through so after a quick run to the store I was able to complete three of them.
Everything fits nicely now along that south rail and I was able to gain more space and depth! Can't wait to plant more things in them!
After the first layer of seeds went in the sprouter, I waited two days and added a second level. The third level was added yesterday. One tray of sprouts is enough for two (fairly big) sandwiches, so we'll have to continuously rotate the trays.
While it's pretty easy to use, my biggest problem seems to be the siphoning action of the water dripping from the top to each tray level. The first day it seemed to flow quite easily, and even making sure there aren't seeds or sprouts blocking the siphon, I still have a laggy water flow. I've taken to popping open the top of the water tray to keep the water flowing, though I'm sure that's not the best thing to do.
In other news I've done some redecorating in terms of the containers on the balcony. Here's what it looked like before:
Our office is reducing the size of the space we're renting and so we've been having major purges of stuff. I was able to score these file/milk crates and I figured I could transform them into planters and create a cleaner looking balcony garden.
I had looked on Google to see if there was a cheap way to line by containers, and some sites were talking about peat moss or landscape fabric. I went super cheap by digging up old cardboard boxes and newspaper.
I ran out of potting soil halfway through so after a quick run to the store I was able to complete three of them.
Everything fits nicely now along that south rail and I was able to gain more space and depth! Can't wait to plant more things in them!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
sprouts
We've been trying to be better about bringing home lunches, and usually it ends up being a sandwich. We've used fancier breads (baguettes, rolls, etc) and regular sliced bread and we've tried to fancy them up with lots of veggies too. We like to add sprouts to our sandwiches and I thought maybe we should try to grow them. I was online shopping for wheat grass seeds (more on that to come) and the website I was on (wheatgrasskits.com) sold sprout seeds and sprouters.
On Monday we received in the mail our sprouter and seeds. I finally had some time last night to read the instructions and started some seeds this morning before work.
Here's what the sprouter looks like:
On Monday we received in the mail our sprouter and seeds. I finally had some time last night to read the instructions and started some seeds this morning before work.
Here's what the sprouter looks like:
And here are the seeds we got. I chose the 5 part salad seed mix.
The instructions with the sprouter says 1 tablespoon of seeds will fill one tray so that's what I did.
You put the top level on with water in it and it drips down to each level then to the bottom catcher. You change the water ever 12 hours and in a few days we should have sprouts!
I started one tray this morning and will start the second one in a couple days and the third tray a couple days after that so we have a continuous supply of sprouts for our sandwiches or salads.
Stay tuned for results!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
.strawberries.
Jason thought I wouldn't be able to get strawberries with them planted in a rail box.... but lookie here!
I think I may eat it soon!
The first row of carrots are growing as well.
I think I need to thin them out as some of the sprouts look pretty close together. I think I'll plant another row too.
This is probably a big no-no in the gardening world, but in one of the rail boxes I wasn't sure what to plant, but wanted to plant something, and we had a ziplock bag of mixed seeds from seeds that had fallen out of their pouches (they have since been moved to glass jars). I figured they were mostly salad greens (spinach, lettuce and arugula) but they could be lavender seeds as well. hehehe. Well, things have sprouted and for the most part they look like I was right with the salad green guess.
Me + Basil doesn't seem to be a good combination. I've tried basil from seeds, and basil from two different starters and they all seem to be struggling. Any advice?
My peas are quickly growing, but I think it's time to pull out some green onions and even the spinach that is sharing the container as it's all looking a bit cozy.
I've got some new things in the mail today and more container ideas in the works. Stay tuned for more updates to my balcony garden!
I think I may eat it soon!
The first row of carrots are growing as well.
I think I need to thin them out as some of the sprouts look pretty close together. I think I'll plant another row too.
This is probably a big no-no in the gardening world, but in one of the rail boxes I wasn't sure what to plant, but wanted to plant something, and we had a ziplock bag of mixed seeds from seeds that had fallen out of their pouches (they have since been moved to glass jars). I figured they were mostly salad greens (spinach, lettuce and arugula) but they could be lavender seeds as well. hehehe. Well, things have sprouted and for the most part they look like I was right with the salad green guess.
Me + Basil doesn't seem to be a good combination. I've tried basil from seeds, and basil from two different starters and they all seem to be struggling. Any advice?
My peas are quickly growing, but I think it's time to pull out some green onions and even the spinach that is sharing the container as it's all looking a bit cozy.
I've got some new things in the mail today and more container ideas in the works. Stay tuned for more updates to my balcony garden!
Monday, June 21, 2010
garden progress
One of these things just doesn't belong here. One of these things just isn't the same. Can you spot something amiss in the garden?!
If you said "what are those drumsticks doing in your garden?" I asked myself the same thing when I saw them.
The timing of them sprouting was perfect because I had just picked up a nasturtium plant and transplanted it into other containers and the drumstick became a perfect stick in case the nasturtium wants to climb!
See those broccoli and cauliflower plants. We've got a problem. Caterpillars are infesting both!
Oh and slugs too!
DANGIT!
But I do have little strawberries growing!
As full as our balcony is getting with pots, I've figured out another way to get deep containers to use to grow plants that need more root depth. I'll have a post up as soon as I get all together!
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