Archives for January 2015
Inspirational Quote – Acceptance
How to Plan a Kitchen Garden
Today, I’m sharing gardening advice on how to plan a kitchen garden. Fall and winter is the perfect time to start planing and sowing seeds indoors or outdoors. As a matter of fact, the best time to start planning is when there’s snow on the ground and it’s cold outside. A well planned garden will lead to a successful garden.
If you’re striving to get healthier, there’s nothing better than fresh vegetables. I have been gardening for years and now considered a master gardener. My focus has been on tomatoes, peppers, garlic, green beans, watermelons, and herbs. However, I do add in sunflowers and marigolds. Planting a kitchen garden helps save on the grocery bill, and you will be able to to freeze and preserve your harvest.
Here’s a few steps on how to plan a kitchen garden:
- Plan your garden layout – Will you be using raised beds, row gardening, or containers? Will you plant a small, medium or large garden? The size of your garden will determine how many plants you will need to purchase or need to start from seed. You also need to start thinking about the containers you will be using or pricing material for your raised beds if this is the route you will be taking. How many bags of gardening soil will you need for your pots and raised beds.
- Decide what you want to plant – Do you want to do herbs only or a variety of vegetables? Will you be planting Hybrid or Heirloom seeds/vegetables? How many will you plant. My suggestion is that you plant what you like and will use during the summer and winter months. Will you be canning your harvest or sharing it with food banks or neighbors and friends.
- Order seeds – Browse catalogs and on-line websites to determine what you need to purchase or join seed swaps. You can order seed catalogues and browse them on the cold, snowy days. You will be able to purchase seeds that you won’t find locally. Also, the Dollar Store and Dollar Tree both have a selection of seeds for bargain prices. I’ve purchased from both, and had success with them germinating. I also purchase from Gurney, Johnny’s, Parks Seed, Territorial and Baker Creek seed companies.
- Prepare for indoor sowing – If you indoor sow, set up a schedule for sowing your seeds. Make sure your lights are working properly, you have sufficient containers, potting mix etc.
- Start winter sowing – You can start summer flowers and vegetables in containers and place them outdoors to get a head start on the growing season. I start my sunflowers using the winter sowing method. I have also been successful winter sowing vegetables. I’ve been so successful, that I no longer use the indoor sowing method. But, you decide what works with you. If you decide to winter sow, check your plastic containers supply. Make sure you a variety of sizes and shapes. I love using Gatorade bottles, 2 liter soda bottles, quart or gallon milk jugs work great too.
- Check your inventory – make sure you have everything in working order and you have sufficient supplies for your garden.
Think ahead. For example, I’ve decided to increase my basil plants from 2 to 6. I love using fresh basil in my tomato sauce. But, I also like to share it with my sister and daugher. I also freeze fresh basil for use in dishes throughout the winter. Placing dried herbs in my Christmas gift baskets was a big hit. People love homemade gifts. Especially, if they’re yummy.
I normally put in 10 -15 tomato plants, 3 – 4 belle and hot peppers, 2 squash, 2 zucchini, 6 cucumbers, 24-30 cloves of garlic and a few rows of green beans. Other years, I may take out or put in something different. I will be cutting back on the vegetables that I have an adequate supply stored. I will be replacing some of the plants with cauliflower, cantaloupe, water melons, leaf lettuce, collard greens, and a variety of herbs.
So, I use the direct sowing method for my green beans, cucumbers and lettuce. However, I use the winter sowing for my sunflowers tomatoes, herbs, squash, zucchini, peppers, cauliflower, fruits and flowers.
I will be doing a series of posts on sowing seeds, gardening in containers, row garden preparation, preserving the harvest and everything in between on the blog. Stay tuned.
I hope that you found my steps on how to plan a kitchen garden helpful. If you have a question while planning, starting your seed, implementing your garden or just feel overwhelmed, send an email to The Mail Box using rhonda@mother2motherblog.com, and I will respond to your questions. Lets get healthy together!
Become the Best You: How to Empower Yourself
Here’s 4 tips on how to become the best you:
1. Believe In Yourself – I’ve learned over the years to stop being so hard on myself. I have a type-A personality so I strive for perfection and want things to be done right. I’ve learned that things don’t always go according to planned, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. Tomorrow is another day, and I just need to continue to believe in myself.
In my past life, I would stress when things didn’t go according to plan. That behavior took up a lot of energy and left me feeling exhausted. I would literally sleep through the alarm clock and feel like crap for the remainder of the day. Since I’ve changed my attitude, I no longer set the alarm clock. I wake up refreshed, and I feel good enough to face the day and myself.
2. Turn Things Over to Higher Power – Because some things are beyond my control, I have learned to give it to my higher power. I am a woman of faith, and grow up in the church. Most importantly, I do believe in God. I think it is imperative to believe in someone greater than you and I. Praying, reading the word and than letting things go works for me. I have found peace with myself. Furthermore, I have found peace with the world. It’s not perfect and neither am I.
3. Think Positive – I strive hard to keep negative thoughts out of my head. I’ve learned to surround myself with positive people. Because I surround myself with people that are positive and that I can learn from, my perspective on things have changed.
4. Make Yourself A Priority – I’ve learned over the years that I’m a valuable commodity. And I treat myself as such. No matter what I have on my List Of Things To Do, I make time for me. I book an appointment at a salon for a pedicure, read a good book, playing games on the computer, take a vacations or just sleep. Making myself a priority energizes me and allows me to give freely to others. When you feel good, you do good things.
We hope that you have found our tips on how to become your best self helpful. Download the infographic here, and apply the tips to your life. You will be glad you did. You may also like the following posts:
Self Improvement: Is Your Foundation On Solid Ground
5 Steps To Becoming A Confident Woman
Winter Centerpiece
Looking for a simple winter centerpiece for your table? Look no further than your backyard or a near-by park. I removed the Christmas dinnerware from my breakfast room(below), and needed to replace the center piece. I had these pine cones setting on the kitchen counter in this old wooden bowl, and immediately placed it in the center of the table. I pulled the candle and berries from the Christmas centerpiece below along with an old hurricane globe that I’ve had under the sink , and in less than 5 minutes I had a center piece. To give the candle more height in the bowl, I added a small vase to the bottom of the bowl and placed the candle on top of it before setting the hurricane globe.
Romantic Cash Giveaway – Enter to Win
Giveaway is open worldwide to participants with a verified PayPal account.
First and second entry drawn will win $500 PayPal Cash each. Three entry drawn will win $450 PayPal Cash.
All entries will be verified. In the event an entry can not be verified participant chooses to forfeit that entry and another winner will be chosen.
Winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email.
Giveaway will run from January 1st, 12AM Pacific Daylight Savings Time to January 31st, 11:59PM Pacific Daylight Savings Time.
Any taxes or fees associated with the winnings of this contest are the sole responsibility of the winner according to their county, state and/or country laws.
CASH prize is in US Dollars and will not be converted to any foreign currency.
Void where prohibited by law.