HomeAboutEtsyHomemakingGarden
AnimalsHandiworkFoodGreenDIY

Monday, April 30, 2018

The Eggshells Worked!

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say they worked and are still working.
The most difficult part was writing on eggshells.
What I really love is that there are no plastic containers to deal with.
The entire set up aside from my trays is compostable.
Though that was also a plus as there were no markers getting in the way 
or getting smudged.
I have started my seeds in "rounds."
The more cold tolerant things I started first,
then as they began growing and I could move them out, 
and I found morsels of time,
I began the more delicate things (like tomatoes.)
Someday when I have a greenhouse, 
maybe I will be able to do more all at once.
For now, in my kitchen, this is what I do.
In order to plant the plants, 
I just use the corner of the spade and crack the shell
making sure to break the inner skin of the shell too.
Yes, it's early, and I certainly don't want to jinx myself,
but so far what I've planted has lived.
 (Sweetpea vine)

Funny little note~
Mr. LB suggested that next time, I plant the faster growing, larger things all together so that the one tray could be dealt with as they grew.
I then explained to him that it's meee he married, and that
they were planted in alphabetical order.

It always looks so pretty all dug up and planted - before the weeds arrive.
We were given some tomatoes that are pretty big so they are in the ground.
Mine are still pretty small so will wait a while before introducing them to the outdoors.
Again, I'm a rebel.  I use tomato cages upside down. 
They always seem to hit a rock and be crooked then tip when the plant grows.
This way they are wider at the bottom so don't tip as easily.
I should put some sort of decorations on the tips so folks can think
I'm whimsical rather than just goofy.
One other thing I've done this year that's new (to me) is to use burlap in the baskets rather than purchasing the nest things.
I don't like paying for those things so I usually just don't use the baskets.
I had quite a bit of burlap on hand as I had bought some to make a hooked rug
then found out how awful it is to work with and on for rug making.
I will see if I can make it last a couple years.
I actually like it better so far because I was able to fit more dirt in the baskets.
With the nests, it seems like they don't come up over the edge of the basket
and their thickness makes the growing space rather shallow.
As things grow, I'll share.
It feels so good to play in the dirt.
And I can hardly wait for that first green salad 
if we can keep the deer out this year.

10 comments:

  1. I just LOVE this! I can't stand using the plastic seed trays....yet, they are just too easy and I end up turning to them. Using eggshells (of which we have a TON) is SO much better. Thanks for this green living tip!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really like burlap as lining in the baskets. They look pretty too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have been a busy little bee. It is nice that your seeds liked their little round starting points. I love your garden with the brick walkways. It does look fab. I like the idea of an upside down tomato cage. How do you keep them from shifting around? Spring is really here. Actually it feels like summer today. I figured that is what would happen. Still better than snow in April. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. OH, that's amazing! I'm so impressed. Can't wait to see the photos of your harvest.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You are going to have a beautiful garden this summer! I've heard about the egg shells to start seeds and wondered how well it would work. I see it works very well! I'll have to try that too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for sharing and I love your tomato cage idea - I have the same problem and now I know what to do. Thanks for sharing on To Grandma's House We Go!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ha ha, I never thought about planting them alphabetical! You get things DONE :-) Thanks for sharing with us over at the Homestead Blog Hop. I hope we see more this Wednesday.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love your garden. It is so pretty. Only my luffa's seeds came up. I think it is too hot in the greenhouse for them. I love your egg idea. I will try that next year. I am excited to see how your garden progresses.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I use cylinders made of livestock fence for tomato cages. I use them in the greenhouse so that by summer's end I can still walk through there. I tether them to the wall with twine, and just cut them loose in the fall when I clear out. They are much heavier duty than tomato cages and I use them year after year. I even sort of like how they look. A person could take heavy wire and make "tent stakes" to hold them in place.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello I wonder if you just cracked them. The roots wood just grow out like in peat pots . Then it wood add calcium to the soil also if you use them fresh. Wood the plant get any nutrients from the left over egg just thinking

    ReplyDelete