Garden Friday

 

Welcome to Garden Friday!

Our weather has been absolutely spectacular,

with daytime temperatures in the 60's and 70's.

We're hoping for a bit of rain early next week,

we sure could use it.

We have a burn ban in over 30 counties in NC,

and some folks are having trouble with wells being dry.

I think one of the reasons we've had such brilliant autumn color

is because of the lack of precipitation.

As much as I love the seasonal palette,

I'd rather have the rain!

The garden has been bundled up for a while,

and the brassicas have been safe from the coldest nights,

as well as wandering chooks.

The pansies that grow in the washtub

add a bit of color to the landscape.

The raised beds will be rearranged this winter,

creating a more cohesive design (hopefully).

After a Master Gardener session on propagation,

cuttings were taken from Autumn Sedum

for next spring's plant sale.

We are trying a new technique

to raise money for the Master Gardener program.

The members will be growing seedlings

or taking cuttings from their own gardens

to sell at the event.

Also started a few weeks ago,

were kale and lettuce seedlings using the winter sowing method.

Some were recently transplanted to garden beds.

That'll keep me in greens for a few months.

Seeds continue to be saved.

This is the seed pod from the black-eyed Susan vine.

They were left to dry out on the stems before harvesting.

Seeds will be one of the items for sale

at the fundraiser.

I enjoy this vine every summer,

and will continue to harvest seed to ensure

that it's always in my garden.

Some progress was made on the woodchip pile.

C helped me by driving the trailer behind

the lawnmower to move the chips where

they were needed.

There should still be enough to spread

throughout the winter in order to establish 

a few new planting areas.

Thankfully, the lettuce that was purchased as seedlings

is still coming in,

and we are able to enjoy their fresh, crisp leaves

right from the raised beds.

Earlier this week, the asparagus was cut back

 and I will be adding compost for next season.

It's always such a treat to be able to sample

fresh asparagus in the springtime.

Our mild autumn weather has given me the luxury

of spending ample time in the garden.

What a blessing.

How's your autumn garden doing?

Homemade Living Series

We're back to share our homemade living ideas with you.

Hop on over to Life at Cobble Hill Farm

and see what Staci has going on.
Our newest series contributor, Sue,
writes over at The Little Acre That Could.
Enjoy!

Today I'd like to share homemade seed packets.
Here's a YouTube video, if you need more instruction.

We enjoy saving not only crop seeds,

but also some of our favorite flowers.

These little packets keep them dry

and are a great way to share them as well.

For the paper packet, we use scrap paper.

Fold the paper so that you make a large triangle with two sides.

It should look something like this.

Cut off the leftover flap.

Make as many as you need.

Fold one corner over straight across 

until the point of the triangle is touching the opposite side.

Do the same thing on the other side,

so that the remaining point lines up with the opposite side.

It should look somewhat like a Chinese take-out box.

The flap that rests on top is tucked into the front part

that you just folded over.

This secures the packet and holds it together.

After adding seeds, the back flap can be tucked into the same spot,

which keeps seeds where you want them-inside!

Ready for filling!

These packets were so easy to do,

and they only take a few minutes once you get the hang of it.

  This little ditty came to me because I remembered
that I had some scraps of screen to be used up.
All you need is screen, scissors and dental floss (or string).

I simply cut the screen into a rectangle

and "sewed" together the open ends with the floss.

Betsy Ross I ain't, but it'll do.

A pouch was the result.

To make the drawstring at the top,

I used the dental floss to stitch across

every few holes in the screen,

and did that all the way around the open end of the pouch.

Leave a loop of floss and then secure it with a knot,

so that you'll be able to open and close the bag.

This would be a great project for kids

who need practice with fine motor skills.

They could store all kinds of treasures in them.

We used them for seed storage to bring to a swap.

Seeds, anyone?

Saving seeds is a fun and educational activity.
Plants amaze me with their ability to keep themselves going
with these lovely little gems.
Share some seeds today!



 

Next week Jackie, Mary and Tammy
will add their ideas to the mix!
Join us every Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday

Join Jackie, Mary and Tammy today
for our ongoing Wednesday series.




Next week,  
Staci and I will be posting.

Seeds, Organized

In the last few weeks, the weather's been perfect...

for planting seeds.

Overcast skies lend themselves well to working in the garden.

With the absence of extreme heat and the promise of rain,

I can't think of a better way to spend a weekend morning.

Out comes the basket of goodies.

There are still many flowers that will withstand

the heat and humidity.

I plan to have blooms well into the fall.

Seed saving is simple, easy and very relaxing.

These small jars are perfect for saving

when you have just a plant or two

that you are trying for the first time.

Larger containers come in handy repurposed

from the medicine cabinet.

Most seeds, though, end up in plastic zipper-type bags.

They just work well for volume.

It helps that you can see what's inside too.

Here are some I saved and some from a friend.

Clearly marking with permanent marker will ensure

the intended seeds get sown.

A neighbor was selling this plastic box in a yard sale.

It holds a multitude of seeds and seals

so that there is no worry about moisture.

This one was found at a thrift shop.

It houses our vegetable and fruit seeds.

Keeping the flower and food seeds separate

makes it easier when planting time comes around.

For now, this system works just fine.

As collections continue, it may no longer meet

the size requirements.

Storage is something that I always look for

at yard sales and thrift stores.

Seems you can always use it for something!

Happy planting!!!