July 28, 2011

Acute How-To: The Anti Green Thumb’s Garden

I am not sure what the opposite of a green thumb is {perhaps a black thumb?} but it is what I have.  Over the years I have bought planted herbs and flowers only to watch them quickly wither away and die. 

This summer I wanted to re-do my patio, so I decided to create the “anti-green thumb” garden with a few simple planters, some seed bombs, and an eco friendly weed remover.

All of what you will see was done for less than $40 and I love it – it is all so simple and green and I am crossing my fingers {err, thumbs?} that I can keep it all alive….at least until the fall.

What you will need

{feel free to switch this up based on your own level of gardening expertise}

  • Seed bombs {can be bought via the company’s Etsy shop}
  • Planting soil
  • A few succulents {or other low maintenance plants}
  • Inexpensive pots or planters – I bought metal drink buckets on sale for $3 each
  • White vinegar
  • Dish soap
  • Spray bottle

Eco-Friendly Weed Remover

This is such a simple and impressive little concoction I discovered.   All you do is fill a spray bottle up with white vinegar and add in a few squirts of dish soap.  Shake to mix all together.

Spray this mixture over any weeds and the next day, they are dead – vinegar is a miracle worker!

Simple Planters

If you are not a huge gardening fan, then VisuaLingual Seed Bombs will be your new best friend. Simply fill a pot or planter half way with some potting soil, spread out the seed bombs and cover with potting soil.

I bought drink buckets that were marked down to $3, drilled holes in the bottom, and filled with potting soil.  I put wild flowers in one bucket and herbs in the other.  I am so excited for my little bombs to turn into beautiful plants.

The last step of my little garden was a few low maintenance succulents.  I bought a few of them and planted them in small plastic planters.  They are super cute and so far they have been hard to kill!

What tips do you have for an easy and low maintenance summer garden?

Filed Under: Acute How-To, tutorials Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 7 Comments
July 19, 2010

get some dirt under your nails

Most of my creative action is focused on writing. Well, writing & code – but to me, they are often two sides of the same coin. Like WordPress says, code is poetry. And I’m often asked how I got started with this whole blogging/writing/coding career.

It’s quite simple, I just did it.

On Saturday, I was listening to my local NPR station, as I am want to do, and caught a piece of the weekly organic gardening program. A caller said to the host something to the effect of, “I just have no idea how you know all the things you know.” And the host explained that he was self-taught and also did a stint as the editor of an organic gardening magazine.

He said the best way to learn about organic gardening is to “to get some dirt under your nails.”

If you ask me, this is the best way to learn just about anything.

For me, it meant setting up a few blogs, writing on a daily basis, watching others write & blog & code, and taking it all in. When I’d learned enough to be competent (and no more), I took a big leap – dove head first into the deep end of the pool. Each time I became competent at a skill or technique, I moved on to the next thing – all the while honing & perfecting the skills that came before.

Whatever your goal, get some dirt under your nails.

So often, I see people buy seed packets, gather the garden equipment, prep the hose, and learn what needs sun & what needs shade but never start to dig. You have to turn the dirt, plant the seeds, water the garden, dig up the weeds – and start all over again. Each season, you learn more & more. Your garden becomes thicker, more productive, more beautiful.

You cannot confuse preparation for action.

You cannot create something without getting dirt under your nails.

Want to learn how to paint? Paint. Want to make jewelry? Make jewelry. Want to write? Write. Want to climb a mountain? Climb.

When was the last time your played in the dirt?

{white ceramic planter & succulent garden kit by monkeysalwayslook}

Filed Under: ceramics, creativity, garden Tagged With: , , , 29 Comments
April 19, 2010

weekly welcome :: how does your garden grow?

6 april. 9:30 am
6 april. 9:30 am by ethanollie via the indie fixx gardening flickr group

happy monday – and welcome back to scoutie girl! this week, in collaboration with crafting an mba, we’re going to explore the different aspects of growth: personal, business, creative, literal, figurative… you name it!

i’m going to be back in just a little bit with something i’ve been thinking about lately: growing from single woman to wife to mother and how that growth has shaped me as a woman.

but first, i’d like to know:

how does your garden grow?

i’m planning on getting some seeds and those magical little seed starter pots that expand when you put water on them (i’m sorry, people, i’m lazy!) either today or tomorrow. i’m definitely not looking to do anything extensive because we’ll be moving in a month or two. but i though a nice little pot o’ herbs would be a lovely way to start showing lola how plants work. and probably how plants die.

cause i have that kind of thumb.

so – share you gardening advice, posts, links, and pics in the comments below! talk to you soon!

p.s. have you written your door kicking story yet? when did you decide to kick ass? don’t forget to post your link here.

Filed Under: garden, monday morning welcome Tagged With: , , , 11 Comments