square rectangle

I finally had some time to plant seeds in my raised bed today! I am attempting to use a method of gardening recommended to me by our friend Joey, who is an urban gardener in Los Angeles. I admit I didn't get the book, but if you go online to Square Foot Gardening Foundation they have a comprehensive tutorial right on their website. Joey uses this method and swears by it... I guessed on the planting by reading the back of the seed packets and using the online tutorial. I also used less seeds. Now that I am a graduated novice, I realize using 3-4 seeds in every hole is unnecessary. The Square Foot method says to use 1 seed... I used 1-2 seeds but should have to thin less with this method. As you can see, I also do not have a square box, but I like to break the rules a little.

I used twine to mark off my square feet, hammering nails in to tie the twine to the side. I hammered the nails in halfway and then hammered them up to bend the nail in half. This way, the twine shouldn't slid off the nail. 

Pictured above: Making measurements; tying off the twine; diy Garden Marker for Summerlong Basil; Sowing seeds; Atomic Red carrot seeds - you can see little flecks of pink on the seed.

blue curly dwarfs... smurfs?

Today marks the end of record rainfall for New York - yay!! I hauled my purchased bags of dirt to the backyard, gathered up my cigar box-o-seeds, broke in my new birthday gloves (thanks Mom!) and started some container plantings! I only planted in one container - dwarf blue curly kale (code for smurf food) and tomorrow morning I'll plant seeds in the remaining containers while the sun is out and warming up the dirt for the little seeds. 

Big thanks to the neighbors mom for giving us the containers! Coming up this week - planter boxes!!

pound + poke: diy hanging planter

I made a hanging planter out of an aluminum cans, a nail, fishing line, organic seed starter, honey bee seed mix, scissors and a hammer. 

Poke holes in the side as well as the bottom. Make 2 holes close to the lip of the can parallel to one another. This will be where you string the fishing line through for your "handle." Fill with your seed starter or potting soil and plant your seeds. Water and hang in the window!

I am planting my honey bee mix so that I can move my planter around the garden when it's time.

starting basil

I am waaaaaay too anxious to start gardening. There is a thunderstorm outside right now and it won't be time to plant for several more weeks. Basil, however, can be started indoors 6-8 weeks before planting, giving me something to do while it's raining out! We (Ethan, the two neighbors and myself) are all very excited about growing, and eating, basil. 

Basil is a staple item in our cooking. We use it when making raw pesto, thai dishes and Ethan's delicious sweet potato sandwich.

sow what

Sowing is the process of planting seeds.

In looking at seeds there is the option to start your seeds indoors or plant direct and sow. I decided, to buy my Kitazawa seed's direct to sow. I don't totally trust my umm... greenish thumb. Plus, my apartment's heat is regulated by the building and my succulents have been hating me this winter. I refuse to say I have a black thumb because succulents are very tricky. My aloe is still kickin' and so are the spiky guys. My favorites - the donkey tails - have been dropping dead just this past month. They made it all winter and within a month of spring they all shriveled up and dropped away.  Sounds more like a gecko than a donkey. They will be so happy to go back to living outside.