How does your Garden Grow???

 

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Linking up with ~ Feathered Nest Friday

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I don’t have much of a garden going yet this year, but I thought I would share a few tips I have always used in gardening. I also have a few pics to share from the past years. My favorite flowers to grow are

Pansy

Hollyhocks

Gladiolas

and of course Sunflowers

and my most favorite that I love to grow for cutting in the summer are Cosmos

I have always had some kind of a garden and everyone should.

You will reap the benefits in the Fall….. the pic below is my old potting shed covered in bittersweet.(aaaahhhhh Such happy memories)

Victory gardens were very much encouraged for years.~ Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. In addition to indirectly aiding the war effort these gardens were also considered a civil "morale booster" — in that gardeners could feel empowered by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce grown. This made victory gardens become a part of daily life on the home front. Magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post and Life printed stories about victory gardens, and women's magazines gave instructions on how to grow and preserve garden produce. Families were encouraged to can their own vegetables to save commercial canned goods for the troops. If you don’t have space for a large garden, you can always use containers or planters outside you door or on a patio or deck. Also how about a pot of herbs on your kitchen window sill??

add a few plants outside your door

use containers

add a bird bath

add some folk art; especially in the Spring, before things start to bloom

 

add bird houses or bird feeders

This was a bird house and feeder that we made with our son when he was younger. It was a bed and breakfast.

Composting!! I have always done this as much as I could. Just start a pile in the corner of your yard. A list of items that you can compost is below. If you would like more detailed info you can go here:

http://www.compostinstructions.com/what-you-can-and-cannot-compost/

Do compost~ fruit and vegetable scraps and skins (no citrus), coffee grounds(and filter), egg shells, grass clippings(no deadly weeds), hair; tea bags; deadheaded flowers etc from the garden. Cover with a bag of topsoil and mix and water regularly. (Again, just the basics) This will help nourish your plants.(do not compost any meats or grease)

Feed plants~I use Jerry Bakers tips. You can find him here: http://www.jerrybaker.net/garden/homepage.aspx  He has lots of great ideas for organic gardening. I used to listen to his radio show  all of the time  while driving.

All purpose Tonic~

1 can of beer; 1 can of coke; 1cup of soap(mixture of baby shampoo, lemon dish soap- not antibacterial, murphy's oil soap); 1 cup of ammonia; 1 cup of miracle grow plant food Mix together and add 1/4 cup to a gallon of water and feed plants every three weeks after the temp stays above 40 degrees at night(keep out of reach of children as it will be bluish and look like something to drink)

For insect control~ mix - 1 cup Soap Solution ; 1 cup chewing tobacco juice- make this- 2 Tbsps. chewing tobacco wrapped in cheesecloth and leave soaking in a gallon of hot    water.                                                                    1 cup antiseptic mouthwash~ use 1/4 a cup of this in a gallon of water and wash plants every 2 weeks

 

 

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
~Robert Frost

Children love to help….

Another tip~ add cut hair(haircuts,cleaning your hair brush etc.) and oatmeal when planting bulbs in the fall.

Fall……when you reap most of the benefits of your hard work!

….and then you can relax

Through the open door a drowsy smell of flowers.

—John Greenleaf Whittier

 

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That’s all for now, I know I said this next post would be the giveaway. I will put that in the next post so it is a separate one. I am not sure exactly what the giveaway will be, but it will be something to do with Americana. Becky has received her box of goodies from the sweet liberty swap and has posted some pics of what I sent her.The giveaway may resemble what I sent her…..maybe…..You can visit her by clicking the pic below. 

These are a few things that were included.

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The pics below are a few things that have been added to my etsy.

American Girls Doll Furniture

 

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check back! I have a sale going on on my blog as well~ http://salmonfallsprims.blogspot.com/2012/06/almost-time.html

Blessings ~Sara