Archive | April, 2012

Homemade Play Dough – The Best Recipe I Found Thus Far…

30 Apr

There are a lot of play dough recipes out there and I have tried a few. This one is, so far, my favorite:

Homemade Play Dough

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 Tbs cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 Tbs vegetable oil

Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a saucepan. Combine water and oil in a small bowl. Stir into flour mixture gradually. Cook over medium heat for approx. 5 minutes or until very thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Knead until smooth. Add food coloring of choice. Store in Container.

If you would like more detailed directions (with pictures!) Keep reading!

 

First, take out a sauce pan or stove-top pot of choice and add a cup of flour:

Next, add 1/2 cup of salt:

Then, add 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar and mix all the dry ingredients together:

 

Now, in a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil:

Add the water/oil combination to the flour/salt/cream of tartar mix and stir:
NOTE: I mixed in a little tumeric to give it a yellow color.

Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until you see the mixture start to get really thick:

 

Now, take it off the heat, let it cool for a few minutes and knead it until it is smooth:

Finally, Let the kids try it out!
It is officially Lemon Drop Approved! :)

I also saved the old Play doh containers we had to store our new homemade play dough:

Gardening Tip #2

29 Apr

Q-tips…Let me explain…

Ever have vegetable plants in your garden that have all these beautiful blossoms but never really produce anything beyond that?

Your plants may need help with cross-pollination. Many plants have male and female flowers. The flowers need to exchange pollen in order for the plant to produce any fruit (or vegetables).

If you do not have enough pollinating insects in your garden (ex. honey bees, bumble bees, etc.) then you may have to help your plants exchange pollen.

Take a Q-tip and lightly touch the center of the flower where to pollen is. Go from flower to flower to help spread the pollen and increase the cross-pollination possibilities.

If you do this, should find that you have a bit more growing than just flowers :)

Happy Pollinating! ;)

Garden Update – April 25

25 Apr

The rain this past weekend really helped things pick up in the garden!

The spinach, kale and collards are growing well…

The carrots and lettuce sprouted up…

And, for the first time, the tiny wild Blueberry plant that I salvaged in Maine (It was struggling to grow between two large boulders) is flowering!

We are looking forward to our first, very small handful of Maine-style blueberries … if the birds do not get to them first!

In the meantime, the jerusalem artichokes, potatoes and onions have been planted in the grow bags I purchased last year.

Watching Lemon Drop grow as he watches the plants grow.

Current forecast: More rain and Cooler (Mid 40′s – 50′s)

As the end of April approaches, it is finally starting to feel like April!

Until next time! ;)

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Frost Free Date

22 Apr

This year’s frost free date for planting outside is Tuesday May 15, 2012 for Southern Connecticut.

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Notes on the Organics vs. Synthetics by Rick Stecher at Gilberties in Westport, CT

22 Apr

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen to Rick Stecher, owner of Country Fare LLC and master gardener extraordinaire, talk about why an organic approach to gardening and yard maintenance is preferable to a conventional synthetic approach.

Organic gardening has its advantages over synthetic gardening because you will save money in the long run, have better looking yards and healthier plants and properties. Rick has taught these unique methods for some twenty-five years and offered a free lecture at Gilbertie’s Herb Garden in Westport, Connecticut.

If you live in the area or you don’t mind taking a quick drive to Westport, Gilbertie’s offers a variety of wonderful workshops and lectures throughout the year, almost all of them for free! Here is a link to their Calendar of Events.

They also have a great sale on plants and herbs at the end of June!

Here are my notes from the lecture:

  • Get a pH test done on the soil in your garden by collecting a soil sample and sending it out to be tested.
  • Ideal pH levels for soil is 6.5 – 6.7
  • Connecticut Soil is naturally acidic – Connecticut rain is acidic (acid rain) – A fun science experiment for kids: Collect rain water and test the pH levels of the rain water with the pH testers you can buy for aquariums in a pet store.
  • You want your soil to be slightly acidic – if it is too alkalin, the metals in the soil are not readily available to the plants, if it is too acidic it is bad for the microbes in the soil.
  • Early spring or autumn is the best time to apply lime to your soil or lawn.
  • Cut weeds below the soil line – In an organic garden, the microbes will attack the exposed root top and kill off the plant.
  • Mulch helps hold in moisture and keeps soil cool. Too much mulch can cause yellowing of ornamental plants because of nitrogen deficiency in soil. The decomposing mulch is taking is away from the plants. It also inhibits gas exchange in the soil. Re-mulch when you really cannot see the mulch anymore (it already decomposed).
  • Peat Moss is not good for organic gardening – it is acidic, holds on to water too much, Does not decompose well – Use compost instead.
  • Coast of Maine compost is good – Does NOT have to be applied every year.
  • Most common garden mistake – having too much organic compost, not enough soil. Your garden soil should consist of 10″% organic matter.
  • If you have too much organic matter in your soil, add some coarse sand.
  • Raised beds are great but do not separate the soil underneath, utilize it! 12″ – 16″ tall is ideal for raised beds.
  • The no-till method works IF you have good, established, balanced soil. If you do, do not turn over soil. It destroys the structure.
  • There is no organic “selective” herbicide. However, Lemon juice and vinegar are a great “non-selective” organic herbicide. Spray lemon juice and vinegar of weeds to help kill them off. Just be aware where you spray it because it can kill your good plants too if you spray them with it.
  • Fertilizer is NOT food, it is a mineral supplement. Plant food only comes from photosynthesis. Fertilizer can help provide the plant with the minerals needed to perform photosynthesis.
  • Blueberries and mountain laurel like very acidic soil.
  • Separate blueberry roots from rest of garden by digging a barrier in the ground around the blueberries. Add Garden Sulfur or Aluminum Sulfate to soil to increase acidity.
  • Seaweed is good for compost – Just be sure to rinse it off well to remove the salt water before you add it to the compost.
  • Another cool science experiment for kids – Get a clear jar and collect soil samples from your garden. Add water and Shake Shake Shake! Put the jar on a counter and let it sit still for several days. watch all the contents of the soil separates. sand will break out of suspension first, then the silt, then the clay. Organic matter will float. Measure off on a piece of paper and figure out what percentage of sand/silt/clay/organic matter you have in your soil.

Rain Barrels and Other Water Conservation Tips

19 Apr

Before spring arrived this year I had a bad feeling this season would be the season for drought. We had a ridiculously mild winter and now, our rainy month of April, where the ground is usually saturated with the spring thaw and fresh rain fall, is proving to be a dud.

In recognition of this, and the fact that every time our dog runs in the back yard he is kicking up big clouds of dirt, I thought it would be a good time to post about water conservation.

In one of my previous posts, I commented on how you should save your water when you make hard boiled eggs and give the water to your plants because there is extra nutrients in the water that leeches out of the egg shells. Another tip is when you are washing the dishes, keep a bin in your sink to give your dishes a quick rinse. Any food particles can go right in the water. Take the bin and carry it out to your garden or compost pile (if it isn’t too far) and water your plants or your compost with your pre-wash sink water. The food particles will serve as a compost tea of sorts for your plants or you will be adding a very necessary ingredient to your compost pile in a dry spell – water.

If you are into gardening at all, you have probably heard of rain barrels before… and how ridiculously expensive they can be. If you are new to this, rain barrels are just that – barrels that catch the rain fall so you can water your plants with it as needed. They come in all shapes and sizes, with spouts, without spouts, etc. If it also pretty easy to make your own, and cheaper! I found a good tutorial on Pinterest about how to make a rain barrel out of a garbage can HERE.

Just a couple things to keep in mind if you do decide to create your own rain barrel:

1. Make sure you have a lid that snaps on securely so if you have any little ones running around, they do not get curious and fall in (HUGE CAUTION ALERT HERE!!!!!!)

2. Make sure you have a lid because mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water and unless you want to raise a swarm of mosquitoes, keep that rain barrel covered!

If you are really, REALLY dedicated, I have hear of people in the Permaculture world who hook their “gray water” system (laundry, shower, sink water) from their homes up to a drain that pours out into a pond in their backyard. The idea is to wash some clothes or take a shower and then watch the water flow into your little pond in the backyard where you can raise ducks, water loving plant-life, AND water your garden.

That is a little too involved for me but it works for some people! I have seen people growing mini jungles in the middle of the desert with that system set-up.

I read a great book about Permaculture called Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemanway  if you are interested in finding out more about the Permaculture world.

In the meantime, keep those little seedling plants watered! Especially if you have anything planted in a container.

Until next time! ;)

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Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory, South Deerfield, MA

12 Apr

Last week I had the opportunity to take a family trip up to South Deerfield, MA. to visit Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens. If you love butterflies, especially photographing butterflies, you have to check this place out!

There are hundreds of  butterflies that fly around the garden area as you walk through the conservatory. If you wear bright colors and sit still, you have a pretty good chance of one landing on you.

…or several…

There is an assortment of different butterflies along with a butterfly hatchery where you can watch young butterflies hatch out of their chrysalis. There is also a  beautiful pond area with huge Koi fish:

Young quail that scurry around your feet as you walk:

A beautiful variety of tropical plant life and flowers:

And an assortment of reptiles and amphibians hanging around:

In addition to the butterfly conservatory, The Yankee Candle Village is right down the street. They have every candle scent you can imagine along with an assortment of gifts and items for your home and garden.

It is like a mall of candles, home goods, little treasures, fresh-made chocolate fudge and popcorn, and if you have kids there is a huge toy store (where santa hangs out during the off-season). The decor of the village is beautiful and includes a waterfall and fresh snow fall every 4 minutes:

It is so easy to make a day trip of the whole area. We like to start off at Magic Wings in the morning, drive down the street to the Yankee Candle Village to eat lunch at Chandler’s restaurant and then browse through the Village stores.

Depending on what time of year you go, the front gardens of the village are always well landscaped with whatever beautiful flowers are common for the time of year you go.

So, if you are looking for a fun little day trip to take with your little ones, Magic Wings and the Yankee Candle Village is definitely a must!

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April means ASPARAGUS!

9 Apr

Garden Update:

The rest of the seeds were planted yesterday!

  • The heirloom, ox heart-shaped tomatoes from Italy
  • Cucumber
  • Zucchini
  • Yellow Squash
  • Watermelon
  • Hubbard Squash

I’m going to plant the beans and the lettuce directly into the soil in a few more weeks.

In the meantime, the collard, kale, spinach and leek seedlings are doing well outside. The seeds I planted directly outdoors are sprouting up and the seedlings I started indoors are getting acclimated to the outdoors and ready to go into the garden.

The grow bags were filled with garden soil and the seed potatoes are planted! I am waiting on some Jerusalem Artichoke roots to plant in another grow bag so they don’t grow out of hand like they did a couple of years ago :p

I also planted a couple rhubarb roots to see how they do.

But, hands down, the best thing to happen in the garden recently is….

…the asparagus is sprouting!

Asparagus is a very easy vegetable to grow but they take patience. You need to give them at least 2 years to establish themselves before you harvest them. This is their 2-3 year in our garden and there where a few ready to harvest. I let lemon drop try out the first one and, to my delight, he LOVED it!

If you want to plant asparagus this year, buy the roots, plant them in your garden and let them do their thing for two years. The first couple of years you will see them sprout but they will be very thin. Just let them grow out. They will turn into these stalks with bushy tops. Let the stalks die off and dry out, then cut them back to the soil level in late winter/ early spring. The second or third year, you will see the asparagus sprout up larger, more like the size asparagus you see in the store. Once they reach that size, they will be large enough to pick.

It is a bit of a wait but it is so worth it to be able to go out and pick fresh asparagus in early spring! And the best part is, they will grow back every year, you do not have to keep replanting them.

Happy Gardening! ;)

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*this moment*

7 Apr

Meet the House Centipede

5 Apr

GOOD BUG!

…that is… if you don’t mind sharing your home with them…

BAD BUG!

…if these freak you out too much and they eat too many “good bugs”

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WARNING!

IF YOU ARE SQUIMISH ABOUT LOOKING A PICTURES OF FREAKY LOOKING INSECTS, DO NOT SCROLL DOWN!

IF YOU CAN HANDLE IT, CONTINUE :)

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READY?

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The House Centipede is an insectivore; it kills and feeds on spiders, bedbugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and other household arthropods. They administer venom through modified legs by stinging/biting their prey. Technically, yes, they are a house bug but I have seen them hiding under rocks along the stone foundation by our garden enough to find them worthy of a post.

House Centipedes can live its entire life inside a building, usually the ground levels of homes and they LOVE damp basements. They are generally considered harmless to humans. Bites (stings) are not common. Stings are generally no worse than a bee’s sting, with its venom causing redness and mild to severe swelling.

I can vouch for the mild side effects of their bites/stings because I had the unfortunate opportunity of getting bit by one on my neck… in my sleep… yeah…

I woke up to a mildly swollen, red, itchy neck and saw a tiny puncture mark… yeah…

After I got over freaking out at the fact that one of these things was crawling on me in my sleep, the final assessment was that the side effects were not all that bad. I probably swatted at it in my sleep and it tried to defend itself…

On a side note, I am very happy to say our bedroom is now upstairs (far from where they like to hang out) and there are no more constructions holes in the ceiling of our bedroom RIGHT over our bed that they can fall through (which is pretty much what happened).

SO! Technically, house centipedes are good at ridding your house of other insect pests but you can be the judge as to whether it is worth it. Around the garden they can probably prove to be pretty useful as well to help get rid of pests… but they may want to eat some of the “good bugs” as well…

I’ll let you make the call if you think they are good or bad and if you want to keep them around.

As for myself, I keep them around just for the entertainment of watching our 100lb, ungraceful dog try to chase them as they dart across the floor.

:D

Happy Pest Controlling! ;)

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