Peppermint planter

Spring is sprung! And so are new ideas for containers for planting! I like to re-use things in my garden like a peppermint tea tin to plant peppermint in....

Does anyone else have unusual planters in their gardens? Please Comment!

BLOG REPOST FROM 6/29/2009: HOW TO MAKE A SWP!

Since I demonstrated how to make a SWP (Self Watering Planter) over the weekend, I thought I would repost this post. Good info to know if you want to grow some of your own food and don't have room for a garden! A few have commented on my SWP's, and a few more have sent me emails askinf how I make them. Well luckily I had one more Pepper to transplant so I needed to make one. The actual idea comes from Gary Ibsen's Tomatofest website, where they are called EarthTainers™. He and his friend Ray,(the original inventor of the EarthTainer™) ask that if you use their design that you simply make a donation to Feed the Children. Since I basically use the same directions- no problem. I just wanted a free or cheaper way of making the SWP's instead of buying roughneck totes to make them. Cheap Veggie Gardner should appreciate this stinginess thriftiness.
Anyway if you don't want to look at the videos, here is how I make SWP's
First I get 2 buckets in this case a 5 gallon and a 3 gallon bucket. You can get these from restaurant type places- just ask! (Thanks Wah Kue Café!)

Then in one bucket cut a hole big enough for a plastic planter or a tomato can to fit in this case I am using a galvanized steel planter I had laying around. If you have access to hole saws this is easy. Or use a jig saw. A jab saw or drywall saw will work as well, This time I used a jigsaw.

Then make a hole towards the side of the same bucket big enough to fit a piece of PVC Tubing through.

Then drill some holes in your tomato can or planter.

Most buckets will fit together leaving about 2" of room between the two buckets- I don't have to worry here as I am using a 3 gallon and a 5 gallon This is good as the bucket will have some room between the upper bucket –or planter and the 2nd bucket or “reservoir”. If it doesn’t HAve this lip or the top bucket goes all the way down simply insert a brick or a couple of rocks in the bottom bucket to raise the top bucket.

That done, drill a hole in the bottom bucket, taking note where the top bucket’s bottom is. Drill the hole just below the bottom of the top bucket. Put the PVC tubing in the hole you made for it.

. . Now fill it with about two cups of soil into your tomato can/planter, fill with water.
Fill the rest of the top bucket with soil and make sure to water a bit between layers of soil or compost. Until it is full and wet. Some times I rip up old t-shirts and make a “wick” throughout the planter. But I have seen no evidence yet in the planters I have done this to that it is any better than letting the soil “wick” the planters. Then plant your plant or seeds in it. When watering fill the bottom bucket through the PVC tube until water comes out the drain hole you drilled. You now have a Self watering planter! Very nice if your forget for a day to water or you go out of town for a weekend. Saves on water as well. If you like you can cut the lid to the bucket, leaving only a ring, then take a garbage bag or you can use a plastic shopping bag put over the bucket and snap your ring on- works as a mulch cover!

Aquaponic sandwich!

My Aqua farm is working! For lunch tonight I had a BLT- with artisan bread from a local bakery, tomato grown in my garden at home, organic Mayonnaise, uncured pre-cooked bacon and lettuce from the Aqua farm! Pretty tasty experiment!

White Trash Gardening

A little white trash gardening for y'all... I could've painted the Big Gulp containers, but didn't. Maybe this fall. They are the perfect size for these hanger rings though!

Aqua Man

Meet MacDonald, the newest member to the Rob's World family. Old Mac,unlike his canine counterparts, has a job. To make doo doo in this tank!
My AquaFarm from Back to the roots came in. Back To The Roots is where I buy my mushroom kits and supplies, so I know their quality, so when I saw they had these "AquaFarms" coming out I signed up for one! An AquaFarm is a home aquaponics planter/aquarium.
The Idea is that your fish's waste and such, gets pumped up to the reservoir on top of the tank, where it supplies the plants and seeds with a fish nutrient rich supply of water, the plant roots in turn ""filter the water before returning it to the tank. BTTR suggests a betta, such as Mac, as the ideal fish for my little farm, all though I envision someday doing this with a large tank and tilapia!

Setting up the Aqua Farm 

Seeds are planted. I started with the seeds that came with the kit... Wheat grass, Lettuce and Genovese Basil. After I figure out what the hell I am doing, I will try other herbs.

Building a bottle tower for container gardening

DIY SPRINKLER for Running through, Watering yard and garden!

D.I.Y. Garden Hod

Garden Hod- A basket designed as a harvest basket but can be used for everything from a picnic basket to a knitting basket to a place to store kindling at the fireplace. We love the fact that we can rinse our veggies, including carrots, beets, potatoes, turnips etc., right in the hod.

I always wanted a garden hod… But the price kept me away (They range anywhere from $35 to $75!). So one day I decided to make my own. I made mine from a 

pine Plaque from Michaels, some 1” X 2” ‘s cut into 16” pieces, some Hardware cloth (Fencing) and reused 2 of the pickets I had on hand from remaking my POANG chair into a patio chair. And 1 piece of doweling I had on hand.

 The end result: A nice wooden garden hod. I am going to be so ready for harvesting this year!

TIPSY PLANTER

What to get Mom for Mother's Day? Well Mom mentioned she saw a tipsy planter on the news from the Northwest Flower and Garden Show... I went to the show but could not find the vendor so I made one myself...

TIPSY PLANTER:
1 piece of rebar
1 10" clay pot
4 8" clay pots
plants
potting soil

Take 10" clay planter, set in desired place, take a piece of rebar (I used 4' but think 8' would be better, provide more stability) pound the rebar into the ground through the drain hole
Fill the bottom planter with dirt:

then start stacking 8" planters through thr drain holes of each, filling each with dirt as you climb up the rebar:

The end result is a tipsy looking conversation piece in the garden.

Just fill with plants and enjoy!

What to do with old hateful tree stumps...

Some times, in container gardening, You have to let Nature guide you. This tree stump in my front yard, finally hollowed out enough to become a planter for this Artichoke and some petunias!

Better looking Planter

You know I love to use 5 gallon buckets as planters, but they can look a bit white trashy (Even too White trashy for moi), So, never hoping to not use 100% of something up-cycled for another project, this case my "squash planter", I used the remaining boards from the Gorm Shelving I took apart and set them around this bucket to give it a "Wood" look. Turned out well, I think.

Making a Squash Ladder

My neighbors, (the like minded ones) who like me put out stuff the no longer want on the side of the street, put out a broken Gorm shelf unit. Bless their hearts. You know who scooped it up. And since it was missing two of the support posts, I decided to hack the hell out of it and make a "trellis" for my pumpkins this year at the Community Garden. I took the shelves apart, used an old 2X2's for the back "legs", and re used some of the shelving material for supports (The rest I am going to use for a bucket project- using 100% instead of sending to the landfill!) I am hoping to get them (the pumpkins) to climb up the trellis, or ladder as I call it, making a bit more room. And I can hang my lettuce bowl in the middle! No slugs! Or if they make it that far more power to them!

Making my own Lettuce Basket

I posted the instructions on making a "Lettuce Basket" last week. Well the oppurtunity came to make my own! I was at dollar tree and they had hanging cage basket that match up with coco- fibre. Know ing a bit about using coco- fibre, I bought two. That is one difference between the Original and mine- they had used moss.

I soaked the coco fibre liner for about a half hour (seems to make it more pliable and "mold-able" and easier to poke holes in. Now one thing about coco fiber liners--- the are extremely porous, so I put a liner inside the liner- a plastic shopping bag. The holes you poke in the liner and the bag should allow enough drainage. So I proceeded to put eight lettuce plants in the sides at random, then filled with dirt (planting mix) and plant 4 more lettuce plants on top. This is the finished product:

Will it look like this?

Only time will tell- keep your fingers crossed!

Pea Tendrils... An Early Season treat!

As your peas start growing and you start thinning, don't dispose of the thinnings! You can use the thinnings in the kitchen!
Pea shoots are the tiny, tender leaves and vines of young pea plants. Any type of pea will suffice, but sugar pod peas are the easiest types to grow for shoots and tendrils, since they tend to shoot up faster and stay light and crisp. Pea shoots and tendrils are tender enough to serve with no or minimal cooking. They are often tossed into salads or on top of soups. You can always add a few curls as an edible garnish. Pea shoots and tendrils are also a tangy addition to stir-fired dishes or simply steamed or sautéed as a side dish.
Wondering how to cook pea shoots? Here's an easy, quick and tasty pea shoots and tendrils recipe from Kim Knox Beckius, a blogger at About.com

Easy to grow Lettuce Basket

pic Rainyside.com

I am so going try this this year. Before too long, my entire garden will be hanging if I want. This is so easy to do, according to the instructions posted HERE, that a person has to try it to believe it! So maybe I will post some pics when I do it.

Ron Finley: Gangsta Gardener

Been a while since I posted a TED talk, but I found Ron Finley so inspriational, I felt his message need to be shared...Ron plants vegetable gardens in South Central LA — in abandoned lots, traffic medians, along the curbs. Why? For fun, for defiance, for beauty and to offer some alternative to fast food in a community where “the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys.”

It all started here... the Seattle P-Patch Story

I thought I would share a little bit of Seattle History. This Video, explains the start of the first P-Patch (community) garden. Today the city of Seattle has over 80 P-patches, King county has two or three  Burien has one official Community garden, set by the same guidlines as Seattle's, and a couple of "unofficial" gardens in private areas.
 

How to handle a peach harvest!

I was wondering what to do with my peach harvest… One measly peach! SO how to maximize this one sparse yet delicious and sweet peach? I decided to make a peach shortcake! Easy to prepare just like strawberry short cake, except substitute sliced peaches for the strawberry’s!

Fill 'er Up!

You know sometimes inspiration just comes to you. A guy at work was getting rid of this gas tank for a hog, (Big Motorcycle) it was really dented on the top. So I cut a bigger hole in the top and a drain in the bottom, and a 2" hole on the side opposite the fill side hole. I may add a few more holes along the side and turn it into a strawberry planter in the fall. But I like the look, and I think it makes a great conversation piece in the garden

Can you "DIGGIT"?

My new Diggit tool and Diggit Hori knife

I am such a tool geek. At last weeks farmers' market in Burien, there was a vendor selling Digg It's- a garden tool that easily uproots taproot weeds like dandelions. And a Hori Hori knife that she claimed was an improvement over other Hori's. Anyway I was interested and let continue her spiel... The Hori knife is stainless hardened stainless steel, and the (strong selling point if you are me)blade wont rust if you leave it outdoors. In fact the way to store the tool, by her suggestion is to leave it in the ground! Wow a tool designed for me! The diggit tool and I are familiar acquaintances,  And it is really a great tool. But the HORI will dig, cut roots, and act as an ad hoc weapon in a pinch. And the great things about these tools they are made right in Seattle, Washington. USA
Check out the DIGGIT website!-