DIY Wine Box Vegetable Garden

If you’re going to be doing some gardening this year where space is at a premium, then try planting your vegetables in old wine cases!

Vegetables Growing in Wine Crates

Planting a vegetable garden in wine crates made out of chipboard may also suit those people who are wanting to reduce their green-house gases.

Where to Get Wine Crates

Well this is the best place to start, go on Freecycle.org and see what you can get:  There are also a number of places locally where people could be getting rid of them for free, like liquor stores, clubs or bars in your area – just make sure that they are clean and not moldy.

If your neighborhood or city has a Facebook page, you can ask there. Someone might have some, or know of someone or some place, that does and would be willing to give them away.

In my experience, I have found that most people are happy to let you have them for free just to get rid of the cases and if not, then they will usually let you have them for a few dollars.

Benefits of Wine Crate Gardening

Growing plants in wine crates can help you save a great deal of space when compared with traditional gardening. Typically, people plant in rows in traditional gardening, so half of their garden space is devoted to the paths between rows!

A lot of space is being wasted there. With wine crates, you can plant a greater number of plants per square foot than if you planted in rows. Therefore, you will be able to harvest a lot more produce per square foot.

It is also possible to cultivate good soil more easily than with a traditional garden. Traditionally, compost is mixed with soil that has been tilled. 

Wine crate gardening also provides the benefit of not having to deal with as many weeds. You should not find as many weed seeds in the soil you place on top as there would be if it had been tilled. Fresh compost or soil mix usually doesn’t have as many weed seeds as tilled soil does. It is easy to spot and remove any weeds that do find their way into your crate garden.

Easier and More Productive

It is often much easier to maintain a vegetable garden grown in wine crates. Gardening becomes more enjoyable and more efficient when there are fewer weeds and plants are closer together. There is no better way to get more produce out of your available space, and it is generally much easier, too.

A Greener Lawn With Epsom Salt

Remember for Spring ~ Add 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt to a gallon of water and spray your lawn for a lusher, greener lawn. Epsom salt is loaded with magnesium!

Epsom Salts for the lawn

Epsom salt can be used to improve the green color of grass, making your lawn more attractive. How Epsom salt helps your lawn become greener:

  • Magnesium deficiency is a common symptom in grass that fails to thrive or turns yellow.
  • The epsom salts provide magnesium to help the blades turn green.

Green Lawn

Epsom salts are easily dissolved to make a brine solution which can be sprayed on your lawn. I’d recommend you test the spray on a small portion of your lawn to make sure it has no negative effects before treating the whole lawn.

DIY Rotating Composter

DIY rotating composter. A good idea, turn handle instead of pitch fork turning!

This would be so much easier than pitching the composter to turn it. Plus, you can compost large items like small tree limbs and sticks easier than with a pitch fork too!

DIY Rotating Composter

It would be nice to find something like this for sale – but I don’t know of anything like that. But I think it would be easy enough to build it yourself.

Corner Garden

A Landscaped Corner Garden is a good choice when you have limited space in your yard, but still want it to look lush.

Corner Garden

This garden has a water feature as it’s “centerpiece” which is surrounded by evergreen shrubs, hostas, and a few well-thought out and placed plants and flowers.

The sun plaque on the fence, the statuette on the column, and the stepping stones add interest and whimsy. There is even a hanging plant attached to the brick wall.

Who wouldn’t enjoy looking out the window and seeing this garden?

All Natural Green Ant Killer For Pennies

All natural green ant killer. Costs just pennies and it works just as well as expensive poison! This natural ant killer can be used in a garden to sustain an organic environment. If you mix in a little sugar, it will help attract the ants even more. They will eat it and return to their colonies and the ants will die. I use it in my kitchen, during the summer, when those pesky kitchen ants start to appear.

Natural Ant Killer

However, too much borax can be toxic to dogs and cats. Many commercial flea treatments and insecticides contain borax. Animals ingesting large amounts of borax or boric acid may experience vomiting, swelling of the throat, and may need hospitalization. Because of this, it is recommended for use it sparingly around pets and children. 

Raised Beds Inside Fence

This could be a fun project that would get you outside more, and create a great looking and easily accessible garden. The backend of your garden “boxes” is already provided by the privacy fence. All you have to do is provide the front and the sides – easy enough!

Raised Beds inside fence

Raised Beds inside fence…love the look of this!!!

Old Home Remedy Makes Mosquitoes Disappear

I will need to try this… Swarms of Mosquitoes on my patio led me to an old home remedy – Did you know that chopped up garlic makes mosquitoes disappear? I buy minced, dried garlic at local Fiesta grocery stores and sprinkle it around on my patio. I have to stand back as I am using it – mosquitoes will literally swarm out of your plants and bushes to get away from the smell. Works like a charm!!

Garlic Bulbs According to this old home remedy, garlic will keep the mosquitos away! Garlic contains a compound called allicin which gives it its characteristic smell. In fact, allicin is also what makes garlic such an effective antibiotic and antifungal agent. Several studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of keeping mosquitos away by placing raw garlic cloves near indoor entryways and outdoor areas.

Mosquito on Arm

Many claim that it has worked for them when they either placed a few cloves in their home or rubbed fresh minced garlic on their skin every evening before going outdoors. One study found that a clove was sufficient to keep mosquitos from entering the area around the door. The effectiveness of garlic as a repellant depends on how much allicin is released from the clove, and whether or not it has been diluted by other odors.

Chicken Breeds – Chick And Egg Identification

Chicken Breeds

 

When it comes to backyard chickens, there are many different chicken breeds to choose from. However, sometimes it can be difficult to tell which breed your chicken is. This is where chick and egg identification comes in handy!

There are a few things you can look for when trying to identify a chicken breed. First, take a look at the size of the bird. Some chicken breeds are larger than others, so this can be a helpful clue. Second, look at the color of the plumage. Each chicken breed has its own unique color pattern. Finally, pay attention to the shape of the eggs that the chicken lays. Again, each breed lays eggs that are a different shape and size.

If you’re still having trouble identifying your chicken’s breed, don’t worry! There are many resources available to help you out. You can always consult a chicken expert or even look online for more information. Or check on this handy chart.

Now that you know a little bit more about chick and egg identification, you’ll be able to tell which chicken breed you have in no time!

Brilliant Idea For Outdoor Sun Shades

When the sun is out, it can be uncomfortable to sit in direct sunlight. Some people are more affected by the sun than others, so if you are very sensitive to the bright light, or are concerned about sun exposure, then you may want to consider adding some form of outdoor shade when you are outside in the summer.

Sun Shades are usually bought ready-made, but can be a do-it-yourself project, as shown.

 

DIY Outdoor Sunshade

Brilliant idea for outdoor sun shades! My neighbor did this a few years ago and i have always loved it.