Dryer Days Ahead!

Took a break from gardening prep and Saved $500 this week with the click of a few buttons and a little manual labor!

Who wants to wear dirty laundry? Not I! Who enjoys spending $500 for something that is for everyday work? Not I! Who could think of spending that money a thousand other ways? I Could! Think of the gardening supplies you could buy with 500 + dollars. 

 Never been a great repair man but thought I would give it a try by Googleing, May Tag Dryer not working. To my surprise it gave me multiple things to check and videos to go with it. Thought how hard could this be and went to work. Through process of illumination and and taking (not difficult, 6 small screws, video describes everything step by step) few panels off and found the problem. Went to the appliance store and purchased the part for $8 and a few hours later had our dryer up and running again. Thats a 500 + savings for a little research and a little manual labor and yes, if you are wondering I have a Very full time job!

Next time you have trouble with your washer or dryer consider saving a few dollars and see if there is a part you may be able to just simply replace yourself. 

* Needless to say blogging was not a priority the last couple days!

Thanks For Reading!

Winter Sowing Update

Photo's by my iPhone

Photo's by my iPhone

Not a a whole lot going on in there as it has been one week since the official project kick off. Winter has been roaring in like a Lion as Phil our groundhog Predicted a Lambs start to spring however that couldn't be further from the truth. No worries for the mini green house as that's why they call it winter sowing. A little snow on the first day out, a warm up of around 30 to 40 degrees for a few days and then back to 20's and 5 more inches of snow.

Sweet Pepper Myth...

Recently saw this posted on face book and had to do some research to see if it was fact or fiction... 

FYI: Male over female? Flip the peppers over to check their gender. The ones with four bumps are female. The ones with three bumps are male. The female peppers are full of seeds. You can save yourself some money by getting the male?

Truth Be Told:

ANSWER. Peppers have complete flowers, that is both male and female parts in the same flower. *
Male and female fruit can only come from plant types that have separate male and female flowers, and with a few exceptions, only the female flowers produce fruit. (one of the exceptions -  some papaya male flowers will set fruit).

The number of lobes is related to the specific variety of pepper.  There are varieties of peppers that produce 2, 3-4, or 3-5 lobed peppers.  The 4 lobed 'bell' pepper was (and is) more popular in the U.S., so plants have been breed for this characteristic.

Answer compliments of, foodreference.com

TGIF Posts

Nobody wants to be the neighbor on the other end of that but I have a sneaky suspicion that he did something to deserve it! :)

barelyhangingon.com

Happy Friday Everyone! 

Winter Sowing Odds and Ends...

Questions you may have about Winter Sowing

Can you use containers other than milk containers?
Yes, but they need to have at least 4" of depth, and an air whole to breath at the top. Also the container  needs to be clear to get good sunlight.

I noticed you said nothing about the lid, do I need it?
No, the lid is useless for this project.

Is a clean container important?
Yes, rinse out container thoroughly. 

When should I start planting?
You can start as early as January especially for early season cold weather garden plants.March - April for warmer weather garden plants. Will vary a little according to your zone.

Do I ever need to water my mini-green house?
No need to ever water during Winter months, during Spring warm up keep an eye on them till planted as you may need to add a little if you are not seeing condensation on the side of your container.

Will my plants need more air than the container provides?
Your in good shape during the winter months however, plants may need a little more air closer to planting season.

* You may have many more questions in mind please feel free to ask and I would be glad to assist you.

Planting in the Snow?

Winter Sowing Made Easy...

Photo captured by: in wonder

It's that time of year again when I get the "Planting Itch"! Having now seen more than enough snow my mind gets busy planning for the planting season soon to begin. After a previous year of starting so early that my plants were lost to premature planting and no garden to transplant to I was determined to find another method. To my surprise I happened to come across an article by Ashley Cotter that caught my attention.
Come join me and give it a try yourself as I begin my Winter Sowing adventure.

My plan is to take you through an economical step by step process of how to achieve Winter Sowing. So first things first, head for the fridge and lay claims on your half used clear gallon milk jug!


Winter Sowing  Supplies Needed
You will need a drill, knife, scissors, duct tape and marker to get you started.

                     

Drilling Water Drain Holes 
Mark and Drill 4-1/4" holes in the bottom of your milk container. They will serve as drainage for your minigreenhouse.

Marking and Cutting your Jug
 Measure from the bottom up approximately 4" and if desired draw a line around the  container to assist in  keeping your cut straight. Cut out leaving one side of the jug intact.

             

 


Soil Filling and Planting
Fill container bottom with soil (I prefer Miracle Grow Soil for planting) leaving room to top off with soil after seeds are planted. Wet soil with sprinkler setting of your hose. Let drain and prepare for planting. Simply scatter seed of choice over the top of the soil, no rows or order. I am planting pepper seeds due to my having the most trouble with spring planting from seed in years past. When seeds are scattered press down into soil lightly and cover with a thin layer of soil. 

           

Sealing the Container

Wrap container with a layer of duct tape to seal. You will also want to add the type of plant you have planted and I like to add the date as well which you can record in your planting journal and will aid you in years ahead.

      

Placement 

Find a location outdoors where your plants will not be disturbed by dogs, children... You will also want to place your mini green house where it will get a good amount of sunlight. 

Final Words

In my following posts I will be sharing with you tips and additional information to winter sowing. My goal was to keep this post simple and not cluttered with extra details that I will cover in the days to come. Please feel free to ask questions that I would be glad to field for you. Good luck to you on building your mini green house!

* Photos from this post were taken from my iPhone

Mammoth Earth Worms to Big for the Garden!

It's no secret that earthworms supply multiple benefits to your gardens health and nutrition. They do the job of tilling, fertilizing, and improving soil quality. A local friend has had great success using earthworms and would tell you earth worms are definitely one of a gardeners best friends. My aim  is to share more information in future posts on the benefits of earthworms as well as some of the cautions, however today's post is for pure enjoyment as I found this email from my friend Abes Giant Gippsland Earthworm pics. Never though of mounting a trophy earthworm to my wall, but finding a massive worm like this in the garden one might actually consider it!

 

(via Trasyy)

BBC's:  Life in the Underground Series

Planting Project Derailed, Sleepless Nights, Friends Who Care!

        

                                                

Decided not to post the explosion pics that you or anyone else in their right mind would not want to see however, a true friend and gentlemen who will remain nameless covered in my family's "Raw Sewage" may have amused you but to humbled to take his picture after the explosion. Had a company in to bid on the repair job and excavating which literally was the price of a new car and led to a sleepless night. Light bulbs finally went on for me and stress began to diminish as I was reminded that I'm from the country and surrounded by friends with skill's and with that in mind the phone calls began and 7 days later a new septic system professionally in and done for less than the cost of your average refrigerator.

Apologies, quick iPhone pictures, work was in progress

  

Now ready more than ever to get back to Winter Sowing and preparing for the planting season ahead!