Why Didn't I Think of That? Wednesday

Each Wednesday I'll share a tip to make your week go more smoothly or just make you say "aha!"

Too many mushrooms? Before they go bad, puree them with some water or broth. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Mushroom cubes are great for adding flavor to soups, sauce, or gravy.

EcoSMART Natural Bug Killer Giveaway (ends 4/5/10)

Congratulations to VickieB, who random.org selected as the winner. She'll receive the Safe Plant and Garden Value Bundle. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Bugs and weeds! Every gardener hates ‘em. Unfortunately, most of the bug and weed killers out there are full of chemicals that (while killing the aforementioned enemies) are doing who-knows-what to our bodies and planet.

I was recently introduced to EcoSMART and gave some of their products a try. They manufacture home pest control products including a natural ant killer.

The active ingredients in their products are essential plant oils, which is just perfect for the BrownThumb house and all associated critters.

I tried the Safe Plant and Garden Value Bundle, which contains

-- Weed and Grass Killer

-- Garden Fungicide

-- Garden Insect Killer

-- Insect Repellent

Jackjack and I loved the Insect Repellent and it works great. It contains rosemary oil, cinnamon leaf oil, lemongrass oil, and geraniol (a plant-based mosquito repellant). It smelled wonderful and not chemical-y like Off. The weed killer also worked wonders on the dandelion invasion that sprung up overnight in the front yard. Hooray!

EcoSMART would like to offer one BrownThumbMama reader a value bundle to try at your house. Choose from one of these:

Safe Home Value Bundle

Safe Plant and Garden Value Bundle

Safe Picnic Value Bundle

Safe Patio Value Bundle

How to enter:

• Leave a comment and let me know which value bundle you’d choose and why. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Get bonus entries (leave a separate comment for each one you do):

• Tweeting about the giveaway (post the link to your tweet)
• Posting about it on Facebook (post the link to your FB post)
• Subscribe by email or RSS and leave a comment letting me know. If you already subscribe, let me know too!

Contest will be open until 7pm PDT on Monday, April 5. U.S. only, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Winner will be chosen at random.

Disclosure: EcoSMART provided me with the Safe Plant and Garden Value Bundle to try. My opinions are my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

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Homemade Natural Hand Sanitizer

"I'm not a germophobe, but I play one on the internet."

(If you're under 30, ask someone to explain.)

We're one of those "dirt can't hurt" families. I don't wipe down the counters with bleach solution, and I don't have one of those chemical pucks in the toilets. Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy. 

However, I don't need to tell you that hand sanitizer is a huge seller. The Stinky Bath Stuff store probably has 20 different scents and flavors, all filled with a variety of suspicious chemicals.

Washing with soap is the best choice, but there are some times when sanitizer is just plain handy. (Get it?) This natural hand sanitizer recipe doesn't use alcohol, and replaces those chemicals with essential oils. And it's easy to make!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup aloe vera gel (not juice or liquid)

1/4 cup witch hazel

6-8 drops tea tree essential oil

6-8 drops lemon essential oil

Measure the aloe vera gel and witch hazel into your measuring cup.

Give it a stir and add a bit more witch hazel if it seems too thick. I added about an extra tablespoon.

Then add your essential oils. Start with six drops each and then add more of one or the other until you reach a scent combination/intensity you like.

Stir again and pour into your recycled pump bottle.

You don't need too much--a dime-sized blob is enough. The aloe vera gel will moisturize your hands, and the witch hazel and essential oils will help fight germs.

Don't forget to label the bottle!

Why Didn't I Think of That? Wednesday

Each Wednesday I'll share a tip to make your week go more smoothly or just make you say "aha!"

If you're one of those lawn fertilizing people, the grass is probably growing wild in your yard.  And that means lots of mowing! Help prevent grass clipping buildup on the underside of your mower by coating the underside with car wax.

Five Reasons Why I Don't Use Fertilizer

Just about every other radio commercial on my way to work is about lawn fertilizer. My motto? "Just Say No." Here are some reasons why I don't use it.

1. I don't like my lawn that much anyway. This winter, I started sheet mulching part of the lawn to plant a front yard garden.

2. Fertilizers are designed to create dependency--they give your lawn a quick boost but then a couple of months later, you need more. It's like crack for your lawn.

3. If your soil is too clay-ey, it will run off into the gutter and ultimately into our creeks and rivers. This creates a whole different pollution/algae problem. Yes, you might only use a tiny bit of fertilizer, but I bet all of your neighbors have a lawn too. The pollution really adds up.

4. It costs money. We all know how BrownThumbMama feels about that!

5. But these are the most important reasons of all. I can keep Jackjack off the lawn until the chemicals are (theoretically) gone, but I can't tell Neighbor Kitty to stay away.

What do I do instead? We have a mulching lawnmower and BrownThumbPapa leaves the lawn clippings on the lawn to decompose. That's all it takes!

If I was really ambitious, I'd invent a gizmo to aerate the lawn (heaven knows I'm not going to pay to rent something). Nothing has come to mind yet though.

Do you use fertilizer? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments. And if you've invented a homemade lawn aerator, share your secret with all of us.

Why Didn't I Think of That? Wednesday

Each Wednesday I'll share a tip to make your week go more smoothly or just make you say "aha!"

I saw some fancy "Chip Clips" at the store the other day and just about fell over.  They wanted $10 for seven chip-bag doodads.  That's $1.43 each!

Pick up a bag of spring-loaded clothespins (or repurpose a few from laundry day) to keep these bags of chips/cookies/crackers closed. You can get them in wood, bamboo, or plastic--and for $1.83, you can get a bag of 50!

Growing Mushrooms

 

(No, not THAT kind of mushroom)

This year, I tried to think up an interesting birthday list. Yes, I needed new jeans and sweaters for work, but I also asked for some things that I just wouldn't buy for myself. Like this! That's a real, honest to goodness mushroom growing kit.

 

It comes from the factory already inoculated with the mycelium. This is what the compost looks like when you open the box.

First, use a fork to loosen the surface of the compost.

 

There's a separate bag that contains peat moss with calcium carbonate. This is called casing, and goes over the compost to protect it.

 

Mix a little water and some of the compost into the casing and then pour it over the compost.

Then you smooth it out and wait! It has to stay out of direct sunlight (mine is in a corner of the kitchen). After about a week and a half, eensy tiny mushrooms start to grow.

 

Every other day, you spritz it with water until the mushrooms start to form--then you spritz every day. Here's the first crop. I've been absolutely thrilled with them so far. It should produce two big crops like this, and then a few smaller crops (about 12 weeks' worth).

Since you're doing the harvesting, there's no more bruised, dirty, or slimy mushrooms. All the caps are closed and they're soooo delicious. Just watch out for the mushroom bandit!

Why Didn't I Think of That? Wednesday

Each Wednesday I'll share a tip to make your week go more smoothly or just make you say "aha!"

Spring planting time is right around the corner. If you're like me, you have a small area to plant in and need to space everything out exactly so it all fits. Have you ever gotten out to the garden with all your tools, seed packets, and whatnot only to realize you have no way to measure how far apart different plants or rows should be?

Save yourself a trip back to the house (and the muddy carpets that will inevitably follow). Use some old paint and mark feet and inches on a hoe or spade handle so you always have a ruler handy.

Starting Plants From Seed

The GROW project, sponsored by Renee's Garden, gets garden bloggers across the country growing the same plant from seed. We'll share the seed starting process, tips, and ideas so we can learn from each other and newbie gardeners can learn from all of us.

It's time to start my Nasturtium seeds for the GROW project. The first step is to make room under the seed starting light by moving the tomato seedlings to bigger pots. (Here's an article on how to repot seedlings.)

After the tomatoes have been relocated, assemble the goods. I have a Jiffy Mini-Greenhouse, Spitfire Nasturtium seeds, and Fish Emulsion (not strictly necessary but I like to think it gives them a little boost).

Mix up the fish emulsion--two tablespoons per gallon of water. I use an old plastic apple juice jug for my "fishy water."

 

Pour a LOT of fishy water onto the peat disks--they'll soak up tons of water.

 

It takes about 10 minutes for the water to soak into the disks. Visit with the garden mascot while waiting for the disks.

When they've absorbed all the water they can, they'll be very fat and puffy. You can tell which ones didn't get enough water, like the one on the lower right. Add a bit more water and hang out with the turtle until all the disks are puffed up.

Even though the disks come with an opening for the seed, I like to make a divot in each one with a pencil. Different seeds need to start at different depths (your seed packet will tell you how deep) and this way, you can control the depth.

Now you're ready to bust those seeds out and get started. Nasturtium seeds are really big, so they're easy to plant (and photograph). 

 

Put one seed in each divot and then push it down with the pencil.

Squeeze the disks a little and make sure the seeds are covered before you put the lid on. Use the pencil if you need to make sure they're covered.

Put the lid on the greenhouse and park them under the seed starting light.

And now we wait! Tune in on the first Sunday of each month for a GROW project update.

I'm growing Nasturtium "Spitfire" for the GROW project. Thanks to Renee's Garden for the seeds.

The "Seed GROW Project" Begins

Earlier this year, I was accepted into the "seed GROW project," started by my garden buddies Colleen Vanderlinden and Mr. Brown Thumb. (Cool name, huh?)

The project, sponsored by Renee's Garden, is designed to get garden bloggers across the country growing the same plant from seed. We'll share the seed starting process, tips, and ideas so we can learn from each other and newbie gardeners can learn from all of us.

My seeds arrived last week--they're an exclusive variety called "Spitfire" Climbing Nasturtium. Doesn't this description sound absolutely wonderful?

"Spitfire's brilliant, scarlet-red blossoms shine out amongst trailing lily-pad shaped green foliage and their nectar is adored by hovering hummingbirds. Train them up short trellises or tripods for a cascade of bright blossoms or use the abundant, fiery-colored spurred flowers and their handsome leaves as a perfect way to disguise neglected areas, soften fences or walls, or tumble from big containers."

The photo on their website is gorgeous too. I hope mine look this good later this summer!

Tune in every first Sunday for updates on my seeds and visit GROW to see reports from across the US and Canada.

I'm growing Nasturtium "Spitfire" for the GROW project. Thanks to Renee's Garden for the seeds.

Why Didn't I Think of That? Wednesday

Each Wednesday I'll share a tip to make your week go more smoothly or just make you say "aha!"

We didn't have prescription coverage for a while, and that was quite an eye-opener. Here are a few things you can do to avoid high Rx costs.

• Ask for a generic equivalent if your doctor says it's OK. 
• Shop around at different pharmacies. The local grocery store pharmacy was cheaper than Target for one Rx!
• Some pharmacies will let you buy just a few pills at a time. This is great if payday is a week away but your Rx runs out in two days.
• Ask your doctor for samples.