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Sunday, April 20, 2014

~*Garden Good Things*~

Like so many others over the past week or so,
we have been playing in the garden.
For the past several years,
I have collected old rail road spikes
with the intent of using them as garden markers.
(Even though I had no garden)
We had a garden last year,
but I guess I just forgot about them.
This year I remembered:)
I wiped off the top,
used craft paint with a very fine brush to write,
then sprayed a clear sealant over it so it won't wash away.
It simply pushes into the end of the row 
and
I don't have to try to read something that has washed or worn away,
or try to revive and make sense of a popsicle stick 
that is already decomposing. 
Mr. LB is having entirely too much fun.
After he had raked through one of the plots,
he went and got the wheel barrows and screen.
He said, "I want to see how many rocks are in here."
The soil is looking just beautiful.
There really weren't too many rocks in this plot.
I had amended it with bunny poo, 
and sending it through the screen breaks it all up,
smooths it all out, and sifts any weeds or roots.
And last but not least,
I FINALLY figured out something to organize my seeds.
I had them in a regular little recipe box that was way too small.
I have had this keeping box for some time, 
and just like the light bulb lighting in the cartoons,
it came to me.

I used the alphabetical cards from the little box
and glued them between two larger index cards
with the lined sides out so I can add notes.
I did have to trim the cards about 3/4 inch in width
so that they fit in the box.
 There is now plenty of room for seeds of all kinds.
So far it is working splendidly.
(never mind my red fingers from humming bird food:)

And the last bit of garden information I would like to share:
I hear different accounts and advise all the time as to when one should begin planting,
depending upon what zone and moon phase to specific dates.
It never makes 'real' sense to me.
What I recently read came from an old-timer who was interviewed back in the 70's.
The advise was:
Plant underground things like beets, radishes, carrots etc. when the daffodils bloom.
Plant squashes and legumes like cucumbers and beans when the apple blossoms fall.
Transplant tomatoes, melons, eggplants etc,
when the locust trees bloom.
These things make sense to me.

Nature knows when it is time far better than a calendar
that was made by man and has changed a number of times.
If you have any similar advise, 
I would love to hear it.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

7 comments:

  1. best of luck with your planting, the old man`s advice sounds good to me. Afraid the nearest I get to eats in the garden are the fruit trees and I pop dried peas just under the soil and they produce lovely pea shoots which I have with salad.

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  2. Love the rail road spikes - so clever !
    The advice on planting times is wonderful. I also remember to trim my rose bushes when the forsythia blooms.
    Rose

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  3. I love the idea of rail road spikes to identify what is planted where........they can be used year after year.
    Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop! I hope you’ll join us again next week!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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  4. Love how organized your seed box is - I must try this idea.
    Love the row markers too!
    Thanks for sharing such wise gardening advice.

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  5. The rail road spikes are an excellent idea... I will have to keep my eyes open next time I'm at the thrift and antique stores.

    I also love your box.... I'm doing something similar in a couple of open-topped cardboard boxes, but your solution is much nicer.

    Happy Spring!

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  6. Thank you,
    Sometimes it takes a while for a good solution/idea to hit me, but it's sure nice when it does:)

    ReplyDelete