Lettuce in rain gutters

Hmmm….  I think the first one that the water can drain from the top on all the way down is a good idea.  Another idea I thought of was to take a fence panel and attach it to the house on the deck.  Then make a pull up blind of sorts with plastic to lower when it needs to be covered and it will act as a temporary greenhouse.

I’m starting to like the idea of hanging them like the second on the right.  It would involve plant hangers and potentially be more creative than permanently attaching them….  and if it didn’t work.. I could hang flowers on the hangers.

How long do seeds last?

Apples

Another way to extend the growing season!

Greens…maybe with some red…

Another idea….

Don’t think I would do it but it IS interesting!     

Underground greenhouse

 

Trellis

 

Seeds….

An idea…  put window on porch and hang seed packets like photos are hung
on these window frames.

     

 

.

Another raised bed…

A Bookshelf!

Need one...

Salad boxes!

Grow your own greens with salad tables and salad boxes!

Indoor Seed Starting

Equipment Supplies Order & Unboxing from Greenhouse

Published on Dec 18, 2012 by Brandon Marshall

Here you will see the setup of supplies to start our seeds this year.Serious Gardener and Chef found this company online that seemed to have very reasonable prices. We ordered the following..
* Seed Propagation Heat Mat
* Agrosun Florescent Lamp 48"
* Agrosun 48" Light Tube 2450 Lumens, 40 watt each
* Standard 1020 Trays w/ no holes
* 2" Vented Humidity Dome for 1020 Trays
* 7 " Vented Humidity Dome for 1020 Trays
* Traditional Inserts #2401, 4 open packs per insert (10 pack)

Here is our seed order from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIEOdJDcVUY
See the construction of our Raised Vegetable Gardens Bed here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRhEpOb0Al0

 

 

http://www.thelifeandtimesofthemarshalls.com/2012/12/planning-starting-of-our-spring.html

How to Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors

in Winter for Spring Planting!

Published on Dec 22, 2012 by Brandon Marshall

Serious Gardener and Chef show you how to start your own seeds at home allowing you to grow a greater diversity of vegetables! Start with the right pots, soil, and seeds and then follow Chef Brandon's detailed steps to grow healthy, successful seedlings indoors for the next Spring to transplant in your garden. The setup that we have includes using a Seed Heat Mat, Garden trays, Inserts, & Domes and 48" Grow Light. Once finished we will have 96 vegetables to transplant in our Spring Vegetable Garden!

It’s December 16th….

……and I’m working outside!  I need to put blocks along the back of the raised bed and
I thought maybe dividing it in parts would be a good thing…. 
In case I forget what it was like I included a picture of it with all the tomatoes last year….
and a picture of how I want it eventually!

     

It's December - what is this??

Egg Cartons

I’m saving egg cartons and getting these silverware containers at thrift shops for no more than $1.00!

Winter Squash

Very nutritious -Mostly carbs, with some protein, they are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They are also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium and Magnesium, and a VERY good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese. They also contain some Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

Stores REALLY well - Winter squashes have a hard rind on them that really helps them keep their shelf quality.  Some actually improve in flavor after curing and storing. The Banana types and the Hubbards are huge and can feed quite a crowd from a single squash.  Most will tolerate chunks being cut out of them over a few days without any noticeable loss in flavor or taste.

• Table Queen (acorn type) 1 to 2 months
• Butternut 2 to 3 months
• Hubbard types 3 to 6 months
• Banana 3 to 6 months
• Buttercup (turban type) 3 to 6 months
• Sweet Meat 4 to 6 months

Easy to grow - because of how fast they sprout and how quickly the long vines grow.  You do need some room for them to roam though. 

Easy to harvest – Harvest all types of squash and pumpkin before frost begins. Squash are ready for harvest when the rind is hard enough to resist fingernail scratches. Cut the stem 2 to 4 inches from the fruit. Pumpkins without stems do not store well. Hubbard-type squash stores best with the stems completely removed. Handle fruit carefully to keep them in good condition.

Cure for best storage. Nearly all mature squash, except acorn types, will benefit from a short period of curing. Curing is holding squash and pumpkin at a temperature favorable for healing cuts and scratches and for forming a protective corky layer over injuries and cut surfaces of the stem. Cure squash and pumpkin for 10 days at temperatures of 80 to 85°F.

Storing your bounty – Squash and pumpkin deteriorate rapidly if stored at temperatures below 50°F. The best storage temperature is between 50 and 55°F.  Fruit that has been exposed to freezing before harvest also will deteriorate rapidly.

TASTE DELICIOUS?! Roasted, pureed and in soups!

WOW....cool!

Still green!

…well sort of… Nov. 24th .  … the forsythia I transplanted in the front and my blackberry bush! oh yes and there’s the cauliflower that I never got cauliflower from…  hhmmm….  or maybe it’s not… 

 

Seeds for 2013…. maybe….

 

From Botanical Interests

 

Squash Winter Lakota Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Melon Muskmelon/Cantaloupe Minnesota Midget Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Eggplant Black Beauty Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Kale Red Winter Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Lettuce Leaf Red Velvet Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Pepper Sweet California Wonder Orange Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Pepper Sweet California Wonder Organic HEIRLOOM Seed

Pumpkin Sugar Pie Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Squash Summer Black Beauty Zucchini Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Squash Winter Vegetable Spaghetti HEIRLOOM Seeds

Tomatillo Toma Verde HEIRLOOM Seeds

Tomato Pole Beefsteak Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

Watermelon Sugar Baby Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds

blackberries and forsythia…

Nov. 11th..  maybe it will be a short winter…
  

Strawberries planted!!

….and covered for the season 

More greenhouse ideas!

    

Peppers–omg!

Have you ever seen such a variety??  Next year for me!

Apples and apple cider vinegar

Bowling ball art!

Cool stuff…  you can see how far we’ve gotten with this… 
We found our bowling ball in the yard and put it on a hanging basket hanging upside down. 
So many possibilities, so little time!

    

          

Blueberries

So I had to protect them from dogs and people walking over them but the tomato cages clearly weren’t bright enough since I almost fell over one while walking through the yard.  So…  what else…  green fencing with leftover green Christmas greenery…  remember it going to snow!!!

   

The one and only squash….

the size of my fist…

the pine tree

I found it interesting that there was new growth where other had died off…  and then I found the hook embedded in the branch.