In Case You're Wondering!

I really wanted to blog, but my camera cord won't transfer all the beautiful shots I've taken.

Step-by-step how to soak sweet peas, plant them (with a little helper, too!) and the day they started sprouting and I acted like 2-year old with a birthday present.

The entire flat of Sweet Williams that are sprouting, the exotic nasturtium, of which only 2 sprouted because the seed is 5 years old, and all the cosmos that came up, even though they were 5 years old, too.

The little black Dachshund that we're dog-sitting, and how much we love her.

The Fabulous Organic Potting Soil that I bought, and all the seeds that I can't wait to plant. How my husband is distraugt that I have not yet planted FOOD!!!

I love beauty- he loves to eat.

Somehow me must balance each other out.

Hope your seed sprouting is going well! If you have questions, feel free to ask!

Rachael

Soil Issues

The potting soil that I bought from a large-well-known- superstore for $10 is full of green moss, weed sprouts, twigs, and large roots and leaves. My husband is less than impressed. That could be a recipe for fungus and disease. This is the type of soil that I used in the past. It is a compressed bale of soil with peat moss, coconut coir, perlite, and other amazing stuff. The organic stuff is definitely my preference, but it is also definitely more expensive as well! This stuff is amazing! I want some now....

http://homeharvest.com/pottingmixes.htm

Here is where you can find a great selection!

Seed Sprouts

Seeds are sprouting!

Stock,

Here is the lettuce,


Nasturtiums

An excellent idea that I learned at the greenhouse was to record your planting. It makes a wonderful reference- even for future years.

Here are my new seeds- thanks to Nature's Pantry!!

Almost all heirloom, and 15% off, plus my 5% discount! And it supports a great family seed company that produces excellent quality seeds.

It helped alot when I got my woodstove going abain. It helped get the soil temperature up to 70 degrees. Our homes are usuall around 70, but it has been pretty chilly around here, so the stove helped my plants sprout right on up!!

More Seed Starting Ideas

If you cannot afford a shelf for starting seeds, here are some ideas.


My friends used planks of wood stuck through those cinder blocks that have 2 holes in them.






You can even set the flourescent light fixture on top of the blocks if you don't have a good place to hang.







My husband considered hanging the lights from the ceiling with 4 chains hung screw-in hooks, anchored with sheet-rock anchors. This way you can set your plant trays on a table.

I'm so excited about buying some heirloom tomato seeds to plant. Now there is how to really save money. Buy seeds once and save your own seed so that you never have to buy again.

Unless you get bored and want to add some variety to your garden.

I get bored easily and I love variety!

I am sure to come home from the store with more than just tomato seeds. I can feel it!

Trying to be cheery on a dreary day,

Rachael

Hints of Spring...

There are definitely hints of spring around here! I hear songbirds in the mornings, and the air is beginning to have that wonderful hint of spring freshness.

I do apologize for my long absence from blogland.

I was without internet for a week, and before that, I was selling things on eBay to make money. Now I am gearing up for a new challenge; I am looking forward to it!

There is so much to catch up on, but the first thing is that I have been honored to write a guest post for TheGroceryShrink blog, about starting your own seeds! It will be posted at her websitehttp://www.groceryshrink.com/blog.

Here are some I just planted today- Jerusalem Lettuce and Stock (see 1st pic!)

I'm delighted to be starting my own plants again, and hope some of you check back in for tips and ideas as I document this years' 'adventure'.

First off, I suggested using plastic egg cartons, if you cut a good size 'V' notch in the bottom for watering purposes.

To demonstrate, I stuck my finger through. :)

Here are the 6-packs in a flat

Here are professional strip planters, good for planting lettuce very thickly. At the right size of growth, the whole strip will pull out for replanting, connected by the root mass. Pretty cool!

Here are professional 'plug' seedling trays, with 162 holes. This picture also shows how my lights are longer than the shelve, but it actually provides extra growing room.

Here is the egg carton filled with soil. The lid has holes cut in it as well.

This little roll of stuff

my husband cut into pieces and bent

into brackets to attach the light fixtures to the shelf.

He's pretty handy that way.

This is a picture of the shelf, the potting soil, the light bulb package, and so on.


This picture was to demonstrate how easy it is to use, and the height of it. But since you don't know how tall I am, it's not that informative. Oh, well. Love me anyway. :)

Gardening Bessings to you all!

Rachael

Catching Up and Casting On

Sugar is one of the food groups.

It must be, because I nearly died when I went without it.

I am joking.

Kind of.

I think the lack of sunlight and bitter cold caught up with me and my self imposed sugar fast pushed me over the edge into Seasonal Affected Disorder.

But never fear. During this week when I was not blogging, I was knitting.

I started a sweater and never stopped until I realized that I had messed up. The sweater might be bulletproof, it is so thick, and I do not have enough yarn to finish. The yarn is 5 years old, and the dyelot changed a few times since then! I am so proud of myself. I jumped in and learned alot.

Now it will be either a scarf or a bag.

Here I am modeling it.

And again.

I've noticed that most bloggers do not take pictures of themselves. I think that is odd. I love having my picture taken.


Here is my sleeve now. One of them.

And here is Paul Bunyan.

And you thought he was a tall tale.

Pom Poms

Hi again folks,
sorry to be so long away. I have been busy cleaning off my bookshelves and selling the books on eBay.
I did teach the children how to make pom-poms, and they have had such fun doing it. Here is the video that I used. Even my 4 year-old could do it! I took the idea from Country Living magazine and made Valentines day colors and then hot glued them onto sticks for a fun loving "bouquet".
Have a wonderful day!