Matting...er...mapping out your lettuce

I love spring veggies.  Lettuce, beets, carrots, radishes.  There's nothing like stepping out to your garden and grabbing a handful of green goodness.

Spring veggies can be some of the easiest plants to grow when you're itching to start a garden.  As soon as the soil warms up to 40-50 degrees, then spring seeds are ready to go into the ground. 

But, wait!  Don't just throw those tiny seeds into the ground.  Itty-bitty seeds can be really hard to put into nice little rows, and throwing these seeds into the dirt means that when the seeds sprout and start to grow, you're stuck with clumps of plants that either won't grow as well or won't produce like they should.

Beets, I'm talkin' to you. 

Trust me on this.  I speak from experience.

To make planting--and harvesting--much easier, you can make seed mats for plants that have tiny seeds.  (Or of course, you could buy seed mats...but why buy when you can make it for pennies?)

For this post, we'll be talking about lettuce, but this method works just as well for beets, spinach, carrots or any other little tiny seeds.

Okay, grab your pen and paper, because here's the list of stuff you'll need.

• Lettuce seeds (you could make seed mats for nearly any plant, but today we're talkin' lettuce, baby!)
• paper towels, paper napkins, or even the cheap little napkins you'd get at a fast food place if you ever ate fast food (but you never do that, right?).  The paper towels can be the generic knock-off brand--no need to use the heavy duty good ones.  (The thinner ones are actually better for this!)
• ruler or measuring tape (not pictured)
• marker or pen
• water
• flour, like the kind you would use to make gravy, or bread or cookies...ooohhh, cookies... 

Sorry, I got distracted.

I'm back.

About that flour.  Some directions for seed mats will call for the use of glue, but I've heard from gardeners with more experience than me that using flour paste (that's what we'll be making) works better for the seeds.  We'll see.

So, to start, take your napkins and unfold them.  If you're using paper towels, then grab a few and you're ready to go.

On the back of your lettuce seed packet, you'll find directions on how far apart to plant the seeds. Those directions, believe it or not, are usually a pretty good indicator of what you need to do to get your stuff growing most successfully.

I never thought I'd be one to say, "Follow the instructions!", but here I am saying just that.  These are the instructions you'll be following when it says how far apart to plant the seeds.

Grab your ruler or measuring tape and your marker and measure out the distance on your napkin/paper towel.  The instructions on the back of my seed packet say seeds should be half an inch apart, so that's what I'll do.

Now, we're going to make the flour paste.  Pay attention now--this is where it gets real complicated.

Just kidding. 

In a container of your choice, mix one part water to two parts flour.  For all those math-phobes out there like me, that means if you use one tablespoon of water, use two tablespoons of flour.  I would suggest starting out with the tablespoon measurements, as you really don't need a ton of flour paste. 

Add a little (and I mean little) dab of flour paste to each dot you made on your napkin/paper towel.

Then add a seed.  To get those tiny seeds onto the end of the toothpick, dampen the toothpick first, then tap it onto a seed.  To get the seed off of the end of the toothpick, just gently touch the seed to the flour paste.

I'd recommend doing a couple of dabs, followed by a couple of seeds.  Too many dabs and not enough seeds means your dabs may dry before you can get your seeds in them.

Set aside your napkin/paper towel until the flour paste dabs are dry.  Since I was doing more than just lettuce on this day, I marked my mats.

When your soil is warm enough, you're ready to plant your napkin!  I mean, your seed mats!

What you'll do is lay your seed mat on soil where you'll want it to grow. The planting depth listed on my seed packet says 1/8 of an inch, which is just a slight covering of soil.

Water lightly, then wait.  Keep the soil moist and in about six weeks, you'll have lettuce!

To harvest most leaf lettuce, you can cut the leaves towards the base, then they will regrow.  (Unless it gets too warm--lettuces like the cooler temps.)

I have plans for a nifty trellis to grow my peas that will shade the lettuce and keep it out of the heat of the afternoon, but that's another post!

Using seed mats to plant tiny seeds?  I think I figured it out!

PA Garden Show of York

It's almost here--the 2012 Pennsylvania Garden Show of York!

As a fairly new (and still very much learning) gardener, this will be my first garden show and I'm so excited!

I'm hoping to come back with lots of ideas that I can use in my own garden.  I'll keep you posted!

Painted backsplash

I will be the first to admit, I change my mind.  What I decided yesterday may not be what I decide today or tomorrow.  It's not that I'm wishy-washy, it's just that I like to go where my ideas take me.  As a result, I like to keep my options open and flexible. 

Plus, I don't always have the cha-ching in the budget to make my BIG ideas into BIG reality, which means I have to come up with other ways to make my BIG ideas into BIG reality.

Okay, get to the point, you may be thinking. 

The point is, that I love the beautiful tiled back splashes I've seen in magazines.  But, because I like to change my mind (which sometimes also translates into changing the decor in my home) and because I don't have big bucks to drop on a different back splash every couple of years (or more), then I had to come up with an alternate way of getting those fancy-schmancy back splashes for my kitchen.

This is why I love Pinterest.  (For those of you who don't know, Pinterest is like computer crack.  Seriously.)

When I saw this from Sawdust and Embryos via Pinterest, I heard angels singing.  Can you hear them too?

Source

They've painted tile.  Not painted ON tile, but painted the tile!

This, I thought to myself, I could do.  So, with the help of my wonderful daughter (who is completely used to her mom calling her up and saying, "Hey, I have this idea and need your help!") and her understanding boyfriend (who is getting used to his girlfriend's mom calling him and saying, "Hey, I have this idea and need your help!"), I tried my own version of creating a painted black splash in my kitchen.

First, I needed to paint what would be the "grout lines" in between the tiles.  Since my walls (and originally the wall behind the sink) is yellow, that meant that I needed to paint the area white.  Also, since this was to be our first attempt, and if I decided that I didn't like it, I could paint over it, I decided to do only the section directly behind the counter.

You can see the blue painters tape I used to mark off the edges.

Next, we needed to tape off the "grout lines".  To do this, we had to first cut the tape into the appropriate width.  I got a roll of one inch painters tape, which we then marked at the half inch width, then carefully cut with a sharp blade.

Cutting very carefully!

Next, was the most painstaking part--laying the tape.  We had a template (sorry--no pics of the template!) that I created from the side of macaroni and cheese box that we used to mark the first row and used a light pencil mark to help guide the tape placement. 

Eventually, we had the entire area taped.

Next, came the painting part.

For painting, I used the acrylic paints that can be found at nearly every hobby store (like Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc.).  Mine, I bought for about 69 cents on sale.

I mixed the colors and did the "tiles" one by one.  Each color is painted on approximately four to five "tiles".  I had a painting in my kitchen and a rug on my floor which had similar colors to the ones I mixed and used. 

To add a bit of visual texture to each "tile", I dabbed the paint on with a small paint brush. 

Here's a section of what it looked like when all the "tiles" were painted (before we removed the tape).

There were mixed opinions as to if we should remove the tape while everything was still somewhat tacky (slightly wet and not completely dry), or if we should remove it right away.  We decided to VERY CAREFULLY remove it right away.

And, ta-dah!  Here's the final product!

Just to remind you of where we started...

Before

And after!

My final thoughts...

When we first pulled off all the tape, I wasn't sure if I liked it.  Both my daughter and the boyfriend were also not sure if they liked it.  However, throughout the evening, I found myself drawn to it and it made me smile. I think it gives my plain-Jane kitchen a bit of spice and personality, which is what I was looking for. 

Once the weather gets warmer (and I can open some windows), I'll add a coat of clear polyurethane to protect the surface from water and other splashy things that might be on the counter.  Until then, I'll be very, very careful. 

This project (not including painting the "grout" background or installing the new lighting--see below) took a complete afternoon--about three or four hours--with three people.  While my daughter and the boyfriend did most of the taping, I did all of the painting, while they provided their suggestions as to the shades, colors and placement of the paints.  Although this could be a one person project, having an extra set of hands makes it much easier and faster.  Plus, having someone to provide their thoughts and suggestions also helps.

If I had it to do all over again, I might make the size of the "tiles" and the "grout line" a bit thinner.  The size the "tiles" are now are thicker than typical tiles you might find in a netted sheet at Lowe's, but thinner than typical subway tiles.  The grout (at half an inch) is also thicker than traditional grout lines.  I think 1/4 inch grout might be more "realistic" looking, but I'll not be changing mine anytime soon.

You might notice that the under the counter lighting in the after picture is much brighter.  That's because my wonderfully handy (and always willing to help his mom on her latest ideas) teen son and I installed a set of under the counter lights I got for around $40 at Lowe's that morning.  Before, I had two separate florescent lights, and I really like the look the under the counter lighting provided. 

This back splash will be fairly easy to repaint over if I decided in the future to change my mind and the decor of my kitchen. 

Until then, I've provided interest and personality to my kitchen for a very reasonable investment of paint, tape, time and effort (and a few extra helping hands!). 

Getting the most from gardening seminars

I'm guilty of it, and maybe you are too--attending a seminar, class or one of those huge expos where there is everything under one roof.  Sometimes I get so much information, even if the most simple of seminars, that when I come away, my ideas are big. 

Much bigger than my budget or my reality or my energy level.

So, what's the best way to attend one of these events and walk away with something that is actually useful?

First, go into the situation with an open mind.  I recently attended a Saturday morning seminar, Landscaping Ideas Worth Stealing presented by Central Pennsylvania garden writer and certified horticulturist George Weigel.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I went in with an open mind and came away with some great ideas that I can take back to my own yard.  (More about that later.)

Second, grab all the handout information you can gather.  In George's seminar, he offered a few different fliers--some were tip sheets and some were listings of additional (local) contacts and events.  I've stored these in my reference basket and have come back to them since the event, now that I've had a chance to process some of the information that was presented. 

(My reference basket is simply a basket I purchased at Home Goods where I store my gardening related information.  Yes, I know it would be easier to locate the information if it was stored all nicely and organized in a nifty binder, but I'm not there yet.  It's on my to-do list.)

Third, allow yourself some time to process the information you've heard.  Chances may be good that you'll come up with 101 ideas while you're at the event.  Or maybe not.  (The majority of my processing time happens when I'm driving, and since I have at least a 30 minute drive to work each morning, I get lots of processing time!)  Regardless of the ideas you imagine, you'll most likely be limited on your money, time and energy.  Which brings me to my next point...

Fourth, create an idea or wish list.  You can use paper and pencil method, or even start a board on Pinterest (here's my Pinterest board, Fingers in the dirt, sun on my skin).  Consider why these ideas appeal to you.  Consider the composition, the color, the movement, the shape, the feeling, the atmosphere, etc. that you think of when these ideas come to mind. 

Fifth, be open to alternatives.  Being open to changes on your wish list, or even changes in the original information that was presented in a seminar, may make the difference between your idea becoming reality, or your idea always remaining an idea. 

Let me give an example. 

During George's seminar, he showed dozens of pictures of beautiful, lush gardens.  I don't have beautiful, lush gardens, even though I'd really like to have them. 

I could have gotten hung up on the amount of money all those plants would have cost.  Or the amount of time and energy it would have taken to get my yard looking like those gardens.  But I didn't.

Instead, I focused on what he said about why those gardens were so appealing to the eye.  The varying height differences of the plants, the different colors and textures used, the movement within the gardens, the use of shade and sun...all those ideas which I could use in my own garden. 

And that got me thinking about my own gardens...and here's what I've decided.

In my front garden bed, I have a small garden that last year I edged with bricks.  These are the pics from last summer.  Pretty, no?

But, there were two of these small gardening beds with a patch of grass in between which made mowing there a pain in the you-know-what.

After George's seminar, I realized what was missing with these two beds and why I wasn't really thrilled with them. 

First, they were too small.  Each bed was only about 4 feet depth, which is simply too narrow. 

Second, they were too choppy.  I have absolutely no idea what I was thinking leaving that patch of grass in between.

Third, where's the color, the texture, height, the movement in these small, choppy garden beds? 

I can't find that either. 

So, that's when I came up with my plans for these beds.

• Make them bigger.  I'll start this by connecting the two beds (and get rid of that funky grass soul patch thing going on in between them) and make them wider.
• Add some height by adding some different plants.  I have a pussy willow bush in the back yard (that will eventually become a pussy willow tree with the right pruning) that's at an awkward spot now, so I'll move it to this bed for some height.
• Add some symmetry.  I'll start by moving one of these shrubs seen in picture one to a place where it's more aligned with the other. 
• Add some variety.  Those hostas need to be divided (which means more hostas in more places), and I even have a couple of rose bushes that are struggling elsewhere in the yard due to not enough sun that I could move here.  I'll also think about what plants would work well here and start them from seed, so when spring finally arrives, I'll have the plants ready to go in the new bed. 

Here's what has happened so far...

My wonderful teen-aged son has already started widening the beds!

We extended the edge to about six feet--enough to give enough depth to the bed. 

We also elected to not only extend it the whole length of the property line, but extend it down to the sidewalk!

The weather lately hasn't been cooperating enough for my son and I to get out there and remove the grass that's in the new bed and dig a small trench to settle in the bricks.  But I'm excited that we have an edge laid out!

I'm still gathering ideas of plants and composition of what will go in this bed.  In the mean time, I'll keep my eyes open for ads on Craigslist and put back a few pennies here and there in case I want to splurge on something nice.  I'll also keep thinking about it, remaining open to opportunities that could come my way, confident in the end, I'll figure it out. 

Is it spring yet? Getting ready to start seeds.

My fingers are itching.  No, I don't have a skin condition, I have spring-itis.  It's main symptoms are a strong desire to pick daffodils, plant seeds, and listen for robins singing outside a window. 

Oh, you have it, too?

There's a treatment for spring-itis, ya' know.  Start some seeds!

Okay, I have a confession to make here.  (Yet, another confession!)  I have a compulsion to buy seeds.  My friend, Amber, says it's a problem, but I think it's only a problem in her eyes because she has to hear about all the seeds I buy. 

I truly don't know how to resist all those little packets with pretty flowers or veggies,or herbs on the front.  So, I do what any other gardener would do, and I buy seeds.

Before any seeds are bought or started, you need to figure out a few things.

1. You need to know in which growning zone you live.  Knowing this zone will help when you starting thinking about what to plant and if it will actually grow in your zone.  You don't want to buy an orange tree (which would do well in Zone 9) if you live in Maine (Zone 3-5).  The USDA has a nifty little map that will tell you in which zone you reside.  Here it is on the National Gardening Association website. 
2. You need to know where you're going to plant your seeds once they actually become plants.  How much space will you have to plant?  Will you be planting in the ground, in a container, or will you be doing vertical planting?  Does your spot get morning sun, afternoon sun, all day sun, or all day shade? 
3. You need to figure out want to plant.  There are many different options, from vegetables to herbs to fruits and flowers.  Deciding what to plant may be the most challenging! My advice is to get a few catalogues from reputable seed companies (like Jung Seed) and start looking. Most experienced gardeners will tell new gardeners (that may be you) to start small--start with a few plants.  I'd say, if you have a burning desire to plant okra (like I did) even if you've never ever in your life planted okra and don't even know what an okra plant looks like (like I did), then you should plant it (like I did).  Do, however, start with just a few of your favorites and don't plant every thing you see in a seed catalogue.  (As a side note, the okra grew beautifully and was very productive, partly because I planted the type of okra that was known to grow in my zone.)

So, you have your zone, you have your spot, and you've selected the plants you want to plant.  You've even bought your seeds.  What next?

Next, let's gather the materials we'll need.

Starting seeds is remarkably easy (and when I say "easy" I mean that nearly anyone can do it and be somewhat successful, even someone who has never started seeds before). 

You'll need the following:

• Your seeds.  Some plants, like tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage and eggplants, do best when seeds are planted in a little pot or container, instead of being planted directly in the ground. This is especially true if your growing season is short, or if the plants take awhile to get to a point to produce fruit or vegetables.
• Little pots or containers or peat pots.  Some people use cleaned yogurt containers, or buy the little starting kits from places like Wal-Mart, Target or Lowes.  I like the pellets and have had good success with those.  I've seen lots of information on the internet about making your own starting pots from toilet rolls, egg crates or newspaper, and for a new gardener, they're incredibly frustrating and they didn't work well at all for me. 
• Starter soil.  This is not potting soil, nor is it dirt!  Starting soil is lighter weight than potting soil or dirt and will allow those young, delicate roots to grow like they need to.  Depending on how many seeds you plant, it's likely you won't need a whole lot of it, so don't go buying it in 10 lb. bags. 
• Labels for the seeds.  You'll need to keep track of what you planted in which pots.  This is easy if you're only planting one type of seed.  You can use anything fancy, or just a sheet of paper with the name of the seeds written on it, tucked under the set of pots.
• Lights for the plants.  I use plain fluorscent shop lights I bought at Lowes for under $15 each.  The fluorescent light bulbs will work fine--you don't need to buy special light bulbs, honest.  (I didn't believe it at first, either.)
• Something to cover the seeds.  Remember those starter kits I was talking about?  One of the things they have are the clear plastic covers that cover the seeds and soil to keep in the humidity while the seeds are trying to sprout.  You can buy the kits or use plastic wrap, the plastic "clam shell" containers (like which comes with a salad at the grocery store salad bar) or even an aquarium turned upside down with the pots in it.  Last summer, I found VCR storage containers at a garage sale for 25 cents each!  They have covers which will be good for starting seeds and retaining the humidity and warmth as the seeds begin to sprout.

So, now you have your supplies.  Get ready, because it's almost time to plant those seeds!

Good bones and a vanity make-over

Have you ever come across a piece of furniture that called out to you?

A piece of furniture that said, "Take me home.  You know you love me.  I am yours." 

Even though you may be thinking, "I have no room for you.  I don't need you.  You are ugly and it will take time to redo you just to get you presentable enough not to wince every time I look at you and I really don't have the energy to haul home another piece of furniture that I do not need right now."

But then you somehow listen to the siren call of the scraggly piece of furniture and haul it home, hoping the neighbors aren't looking out their windows and thinking, "Another piece of furniture?"

Yeah, me, too. 

That was the case with this vanity I scored off of Craigslist.  She was calling my name.

Just a side note here--I am a Craigslist junkie. Seriously, if there was a 12 step program for people addicted to Craigslist, I'd...well, I'd join the Craigslist Fan Club (it doesn't exist, does it?) sooner than I'd join the 12 step program because I love Craigslist. And I can't imagine giving it up, especially when there is so much furniture out there! But I digress. 

She's not pretty, is she?  She struggles with her appearance, but she had something I like to call good bones. 

She was sturdy.  Her drawers worked.  And she had these tiny little wheels on the end of her legs that made me smile. 

So, when she called my name, I listened and brought her home, where my cats promptly set out to investigate this new item.

She sat in my bedroom for several weeks.  I tried to ignore her and her good bones and her tiny little wheels on the end of her legs. 

I tried to decide what color to paint her.  Green, no black, no red, no blue.  And finally, I decided. 

And here she is. 

A lovely chocolate brown chalk paint (which I made myself--more on that later) with a gold glaze to accentuate her beautiful legs and a gold fabric to recover her seat.

I think it fits her, don't you?

Let's figure it out

Welcome to my blog!  I was going to write that this blog is about me, but in reality, it isn't about me.  It's about all the stuff in my life that I'm trying to figure out.  Like what, you might ask.

Okay, maybe you won't ask.

I'll tell you anyway
.
It's about how to figure out all that stuff that I want to know, like how to cook pasta carbonara, or how to plant tomatoes (and get them to grow), or how to use chalk paint (or what the heck is chalk paint anyway).

It's about my fingers in the dirt and the sun in my face.

It's about being in the creative state of mine.

It's about finding yummy eats.

It's about figuring it all out.

So, sit back in your chair or on your sofa, in front of your computer or your phone and let's figure it out.