CasaSugar -- Home sweet home.

Weird Furniture: Sprout a Couch

casasugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:00:57 -0700

We all know that money doesn't grow on trees . . . but furniture does! Well, in the ground, at least. That's right, you can literally grow your own lawn furniture. ReadyMade has instructions on how to grow an outdoor couch, which requires little more than some dirt, sod, and wooden stakes. Forget green sofas and mattresses, this couch will literally produce oxygen! Just don't try to have it recovered in five years, your upholsterer
might get a little freaked out. Oh, and "Note: Couch may require mowing."

And the Winner Is...

casasugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:00:09 -0700

Jastyck!

Congratulations to Jastyck, who won Smith & Hawken's 12 Months of Flowering Plants ($459). I hope she enjoys her year of flowers, and keeps them good to grow.

Garden Therapy: Seedling Surprises

casasugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:00:40 -0700

Look carefully. What you should be seeing in this picture is a row of feather-thin, red-stemmed beet seedlings, which poked out of the soil a week ago. However, you're also seeing a few much larger seedlings. At first I thought they might be sunflower seedlings, reasoning that perhaps I'd randomly tossed in some sunflower seeds when planting and completely forgot about it. But that didn't make sense.

Then I remembered that we'd put a layer of compost into the bottom of the garden box that we then covered with soil. Was it possible that there had been seeds in the compost pile that had germinated?

To find out,

Midday Muse: An Equine Topiary

casasugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:00:38 -0700

I spotted this fairy tale-esque horse topiary in a post Danny Seo recently wrote about Stella McCartney's new Beverly Hills store. This is just part of her lavish garden in the back of the store. I love it, but can't imagine having a manicured, shaped topiary at my house. Can you see one in your garden?

Souce

Casa Quickie: Steer Your Plants Clear of Heat

casasugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:39 -0700

It's one thing to place your houseplants in direct sunlight, but you won't do them a favor by putting them near a direct heat source (radiator, duct, oven). Doing so will dehydrate your beloved plant quickly; even if you water it diligently, the leaves will dry out. The same goes for air conditioners and vents. Plants can't handle extreme temperatures, so consider where you place them. If you happen to live in a professional kitchen, or some sort of sweatbox factory, at the very least make sure to insulate the plant by placing a thick board between the pot and the direct heat source.
Source

In the News: Farms Sprout in Suburbia

casasugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:00:40 -0700

The Wall Street Journal's "Green Acres II: When Neighbors Become Farmers" reports that a growing number of Americans are "turning grass into edible greens and maybe even greenbacks," by growing food in their front and backyards. Since 2006, in Boulder, CO, school-bus driver Kipp Nash has "uprooted his backyard and the front or backyards of eight of his Boulder neighbors," and spent his afternoons "planting, watering, and tending" these minifarms, growing vegetables like tomatoes, bok choy, garlic, and beets. Although not everyone in the neighborhood finds this suburban farming aesthetically pleasing, particularly not during the Winter months, the locally-grown food market has grown, leaving yard farmers with an opportunity to sell to nearby restaurants and other neighbors. Since land is expensive, and nearly a third of residential water goes to landscaping, the financial advantages of suburban farming are clear. But, environmentalists also support it because it "cuts the distance — and the carbon dioxide — needed to get food from farm to consumer." To see a video on the topic,

Sale Alert: 20% Off at Smith & Hawken

casasugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:30:19 -0700

Smith & Hawken is currently offering 20 percent off of metal furniture, outdoor pavilions, cedar and teak storage, and garden structures. The perfect deal to get your garden into shipshape for Good to Grow month! Of course, you've got to do a little gardening, too. But, if you win 12 months of flowers that shouldn't break the bank either! Here's a few items I wouldn't mind calling my own:

Source

Win 12 Months of Flowers!

casasugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:01:44 -0700

If you love gardening but have a hard time splurging on flowers for yourself, then do I have a giveaway for you! Smith & Hawken's 12 Months of Flowering Plants ($459) will keep you happy year long. Kind of like your favorite shelter magazine, you'll be delighted each month when beautiful blooming plants arrive at your doorstep. Ranging from White Amaryllis in January, Gerbera Daisies in July, to Hydrangea in December, each plant is chosen for its "singular beauty and variety of form and color." If you're interested in winning 12 months of flowers, just take our quiz! To enter, you must log in and take the quiz below. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just by completing the quiz once you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member and log in before you take the quiz. If you're not already a member, just register here for an account. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Contest ends Tuesday, April 29, at noon (PDT), and is only open to US readers. Click here for Official Rules.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:07:34 -0700

Perhaps it's my love of Creole townhouses that has made me a sucker for scroll work, but I simply can't help myself when confronted with any wrought-iron intricacies. This Plant Stand ($4,500) from mid-19th century France is no exception; its shabby chic, white, wrought-iron scroll work and elegant basketweave details have completely swept me off my feet. Of course the two-tiered plant stand is parfait for Good to Grow month, but I'd love to give it more attention in my home somehow, make it a focal point.

For this latest How Would You, I'd like you to think about how you would fill this belle of the ball. How would you make this eye-catcher a focal point in your home? Would you use it as a plant stand in an unusual place? Hang it from the ceiling? Turn it into a chandelier? Top it with glass as a coffee table? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd plant this antique stand.

Garden Therapy: Inspiration From the Garden Girl

casasugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:00:42 -0700

Two weekends ago I built a new garden box and planted it, and just this morning, my beet and zinnia seedlings were poking through the soil! It was so nice to see some of my hard work start to pay off. Gardening is an exercise in patience, and setbacks such as aphids or bad weather can sometimes frustrate even the most dedicated new gardener.

When I need outside inspiration, I often look to other gardening heroes for a quick boost of garden happiness. If you're feeling the need for a little inspiration, then check out this video from The Gardening Girl, Patti Moreno. She took a parking lot and turned it into a gorgeous urban farm. If that's not inspiring, I don't know what is!

How-To: Picking Your Outdoor Planters

casasugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:30:05 -0700

I recently came across some smart tips for picking a planter for your outdoor plants on Domino, and I thought I'd summarize them for you, since it's Good to Grow month, afterall. You probably never realized what a difference the look of your planter can make on your home. So before you go and pick up a classic terracotta for your sleek, modern home, consider these tips like you would a new sofa for your living room.

SHAPE Choose it like you would anything else in your home. Here's a few ways to think about shapes, as they relate to your home.
» Square/Urn: formal, traditional, Colonials, brick rowhouses, stone manses
» Rounded/Galvanized: casual, country, cottages, wood houses
» Geometric: modern, ranch, Richard Neutra-style houses
» Angular: versatile, brownstones, apt. balconies, farmhouses, bungalows

To hear more tips,

Room Therapy: Low-Maintenance House Plants?

casasugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:00:25 -0700

Dear CasaSugar,

I want to get a house plant for my not-so-green apartment, but I need something low maintenance since I'm barely home on my days off. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Lioness5

Hi Lioness5,

I was just at a friend's house this weekend and she had stunning houseplants. This is remarkable only because she used to have a black thumb — she killed every plant she touched. So what changed? She found easy, low-maintenance plants that could deal with her occasional indifference to their existence.

To see the rest of my answer, and to leave your suggestions, just

How-To: Homemade Aphid Spray

casasugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:15:10 -0700

Even if you're not a gardener, you may have encountered plant-killing aphids, or plant lice, on plants near your home — I know I have. It turns out that you needn't be creeped out by these crawlers for long; you can make a simple, organic homemade spray to kick them to the curb. A tomato leaf spray works because the alkaloids in the leaves of the tomato plant, when mixed with water, are toxic to the little buggies, but still safe for you and your plants. You can also make a garlic oil spray, which contains sulfur, which is also toxic to aphids. But, since it kills all types of insects, even good ones (such as natural predators of aphids, like ladybugs), I don't recommend it.

To learn how to make tomato leaf spray,

Steal of the Day: Deluxe Potting Bench

casasugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:15:11 -0700

I have been coveting a real potting bench for years now, but have never gotten around to investing in one. Instead, I make do by swaddling our teak deck table with a layer of newspapers. Even when I'm at my most diligent, though, this method always makes a huge mess. What I'd really love is this Deluxe Potting Bench ($399, regularly $499). It would keep me organized and keep our deck from suffering under its semipermanent residue of potting soil. With places for everything from your seeds to your gloves to your potting soil and starter pots, as well a removable potting tray that can easily be washed, you'll be the picture of organizational perfection with this potting bench. It's also crafted from sustainably-harvested white cedar, and since it has two wheeled feet, you can cart this bench wherever it needs to go. Hmm . . . I might just have to add this to my wedding registry.

Casa Quickie: Basil Starters, the Cheap and Easy Way

casasugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:45:03 -0700

The next time you buy a batch of basil at the grocery store or farmer's market, don't throw away the stems! Leave a few leaves on any basil cutting that is 3 to 5 inches long. Then, pinch off the flowers on the top of the basil, cut a clean, angled end on the basil, and stick it in some water. Place it in a bright location and within a few weeks you should have enough root growth to plant a crop of basil.

Cool Idea: Can o' Plants

casasugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:28:52 -0700

I've just come across a duo of similar products that are fit for Good to Grow month, and just plain kewl. Leave it to the Japanese to find a way to be innovative with plants; Flowers in a Can ($10) are a bit like Red Bull, except when you pop the top, it gives you flowers!!!! Of course, you've got to toss in some sunshine and de l'eau, too, but you get the point. Dandee Designs Spring in a Can ($10) works much the same and grows grass, but I'm not sure whether the kit comes preassembled or not. Perhaps this is not the most cost-efficient way to grow plants, but I'm loving the packaging concept.

Name This Tree

casasugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:00:35 -0700

This tree grows a decidedly delicious fruit. Hint: the fruit is from "down under" and was originally called the Chinese gooseberry.

Ask Casa: I Need Help With My Pear Tree

casasugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:00:56 -0700

Hi Casa,

I have a pear tree on the side of the house, and it's my first full Spring there, so I want to treat it right this year and get pears I can actually eat from it. I know fruit trees might not be a wide-range enough topic for a post, but if you have any suggestions or websites you could point me towards, I would appreciate your input! I know there is some trimming and recommended spraying involved, but beyond that I am lost.

Thanks for any help!
Adelka

Hi Adelka,

Some of the advice for taking care of pear trees can be extended to fruit trees in general, so I'm sure your question will benefit a lot of Casa readers. I actually have two pear trees in my yard — an Asian pear tree and a D'anjou pear tree.

To see the rest of my answer, just

Cool Idea: Living Wall Systems

casasugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:30:00 -0700

To kick off Earth Day here on Casa, I thought I'd show you a very cool way to bring a little green into a cramped-for-space home or garden. The ELT Easy Green Living Wall ($39 - $249) is a modular-living wall panel that you can buy pregrown or that you can plant on your own. Made of 100-percent recyclable plastic, it is environmentally friendly, not to mention aesthetically pleasing. A vertical garden of sorts, it's a great option for those lacking green space, but it also has a wonderful, modern visual quality that I've seen nowhere else. Each Living Wall looks unique, as its appearance all depends on which plants are used. There are numerous ways to use Living Walls; you can take a traditional route, using it as decor (like a planter), give it function, using it as a fence, or take a modern approach, livening up an exterior wall, as shown. What do you think? Would you buy one (or several)? I kind of want one . . .

Midday Muse: What's Coming Up?

casasugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:00:19 -0700

A friend posted this picture of this lovely purple iris, which is coming up in her front yard.

What flowers are coming up in your neighborhood?

DIY: Hanging Grow Bags for Your Plants

casasugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:30:02 -0700

Instead of dropping dollars on planters, you can make hanging grow bags for your plants, which are portable and simple. If you're growing stylish, colorful flowers, there's no need to get fancy with glazed pots or antique planters. You most likely own most of the supplies needed for this project as well; who can argue with that?

Supplies:

Heavy-duty garbage bag
1 8" X 24" scrap of wood
Staple gun with staples
6- 8 seedlings
Lightweight potting soil mixture
Knife

To hear the steps,

Su Casa: Show Me Your Casa (and Garden)!

casasugar — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:34:40 -0700

Since it's Good to Grow month, I'd love to see some photos of the green spaces inside and outside your house. At my home, all of the trees are blooming like crazy, as you can see from this photo. Do you have any flowering trees or bushes? Any first Spring crocuses peeking through the barren ground? How about some pretty house plants? Show off all of your garden and home updates in my group on TeamSugar called Su Casa, where readers can share snapshots and stories related to home decorating, crafts, organizing, and gardening.

A Su Casa post could be anything from a photo of a loved one's home to a tiny nook you're tickled by. Think of it as a Look Book for home style. If I see something I like in Su Casa, I might feature it on CasaSugar, so don't be surprised if you get an email from me!

To learn how to join and post in the group,

Ask Casa: How to Kill Weeds (Without Herbicides)

casasugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:15:48 -0700

TeamSugar member Lafx23 recently wrote in, saying:

I have a lot of unwanted grass and weeds growing around my pool area (especially wild onions), and I really want to get rid of them. Every year it seems like they just come back twice as bad as the year before. Any suggestions on the best ways to kill them off?

To hear my response to Lafx23's weed dilemma, and to offer your own advice,

Garden Therapy: Stack and Grow Planter

casasugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:30:49 -0700

Since many of you have mentioned that you'd love to garden, but you're dealing with very little room for growing plants, I figured that the Stack and Grow Planter ($39) might be perfect for you small-space gardeners. This planter fits a lot of green into a tiny amount of floor space, with four levels that can hold up to 20 plants. This planter is made of UV-protected plastic, and is supposedly pretty durable while also fairly light (though once you fill it with soil and plants it'll definitely get heavier). Would you use it on your patio or fire escape?

Bringing the Outdoors In: Bubble Wall Vases

casasugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:00:23 -0700

Once all of those flowers start blooming in your garden, you'll need a few more vases to display them. I think that this Bubble Wall Vase ($59 for a set of three) is the perfect solution for your flower decorating needs. Each glass vase is hand blown into a modern bubble shape, with a small hole on the back. Perfectly minimalistic, and perfectly pretty.

Before and After: From Eyesore to Eye Catching

casasugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:00:20 -0700

One of my gardening heroes, You Grow Girl, recently shared a smart idea for prettifying container gardens. You Grow Girl, aka Gayla Trail, often upcycles five-gallon buckets for tomatoes. While these buckets are very inexpensive and very good for planting, they aren't the prettiest, as you can see from this picture.

To see Gayla's solution to this eyesore, just

Casa Quiz: Soil pH

casasugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:00:49 -0700

Remember my post on soil pH? These questions will quiz your knowledge of some of the key definitions you've read on CasaSugar. Show me how much you've learned about soil pH!

Source

Garden Therapy: Egglings

casasugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:00:36 -0700

Too darn cute. Egglings ($9.50) are handmade ceramic pieces that look like large eggs. Use a spoon to crack it, and instead of finding a hardboiled egg, you'll be presented with a garden just waiting to grow. It couldn't be easier: just water the soil, put it in a sunny spot (such as a kitchen window), and wait for it to grow. You can transplant the plants to the garden once they get bigger. You can choose from a set of herbals, which includes basil, mint, and thyme, or edibles, which includes lavender, spicy pepper, and wild strawberry. Each set of three comes in a handmade gift box with an extra seed pack and terra cotta tray. This would be a great gift for a small space or aspiring gardener.

DIY: Planting Your Garden Box

casasugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:00:12 -0700

Did you read my post on building a redwood planter box? If so, you're already halfway done. You still need to anchor the box, level it, fill it with soil, and plant it. Read on for my list of suggestions on how to do it.

Move your box to the area you want to permanently place it. Since the area in my yard was on a slight incline, I had to dig the box in further on one side than on the other. In any case, you're going to want to dig a perimeter trench for the box, and then place it in the trench.
Use a level to make sure that your box is sitting evenly.
You can stand on the four corners and jump up and down a bit to make sure it's anchored well, too.
Now, break the soil that you dug out of the trenches and use it to stuff into the sides of the box to fill in any holes.
Then, use a pitchfork or shovel to dig up and turn over the grass and soil inside the box.

For the rest of the directions, just

DIY: Build Your Own Garden Box

casasugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:45:47 -0700

This weekend, I decided to expand my vegetable garden space by building another garden box. If you know how to operate a power drill, you can build this box, too. Here are some tips to make it easier: If you're a first-time builder, go to a small hardware or lumber store with a friendly clerk who can help you work out the details. Also, have the hardware store folks cut all of your lumber to the correct lengths; this will save you loads of time and headaches. Finally, remember: This is going to get filled with soil, so it doesn't have to look perfect! Tune in tomorrow, when I tell you how to securely place, fill, and plant your box.

Here's What You Need

4 longer pieces of redwood, cut to specified length (I used 8 ft lengths)
4 shorter pieces of wood for the ends, cut to specified length (I used 3 ft lengths)
4 4-x-4-inch square pieces of redwood cut to match the height of 2 boards (in my case it was 12 inches). You can also opt to cut your 4-x-4s to a slightly longer length (such as 2 inches longer). This way, you can use the longer length of the 4-x-4s to anchor your box when you have to dig it into the ground.
Galvanized 4 inch-long screws (galvanized screws will resist rust)
Power drill (preferably with other battery pack charged)
Flat, large surface for working, such as a patio, deck, or garage
A willing helper, who can hold ends of lumber and fetch tools as needed

To find out how to build this garden box, just

Casa Quiz: Annual

casasugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:30:40 -0700

Remember my post on annuals? These questions will quiz your knowledge of some of the key definitions you've read on CasaSugar. Show me how much you've learned about annuals!
Source

Open House: The Low-Down on Your Garden

casasugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:00:46 -0700

Since it's Good to Grow month, for this week's Open House, I figured I'd start off the month by getting the details on your garden — if you have one. What's in your garden: flowers, vegetables, herbs? Is your garden an Edible Estate? Is it an anti-garden? A formal, Versailles-style garden? Is it full of native plants or foreign flora? What plants specifically grow there? Do you garden for purely aesthetic purposes, for environmental reasons, or just to feed your hungry belly? If you don't have one, are you hoping to start one? Are you having any "issues" with your garden? Successes?
Let me know by leaving a comment a below, and we'll get this green thumb rally started!
Source

DIY: Self-Watering Recycled Vase

casasugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:30:22 -0700

This DIY will show you how to make a planter from nearly all recycled (and free) products which will pretty much water itself. Without giving them much attention, you can grow your own herbs, flowers, or other plants. You can continue to re-use the planter, or simply recycle it when you're finished. If you don't like the look of the plastic bottle on your windowsill, you can always cover a recycled tin with some decorative paper, and slip in the planter for a look that's more your style.

Supplies:

1 plastic soda bottle (2 or 3 liter)
Newspaper, aluminum foil, or a bit of a black plastic bag
Twine
A drill or hot wire (to make a hole in the bottle cap)
Certified organic potting mix
A sharp knife (to cut the bottle)
Seeds

To learn the steps,

Garden Therapy: A Park For a Day

casasugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:30:24 -0700

Last year I wrote about the Park(ing) day in San Francisco, and I'd be remiss to not mention it again during Good to Grow month. Park(ing) Day is an event where businesses, government offices, and volunteers in several corners of the world take the time to construct parks in parking spaces. I found a cool video that shows the positive effects of this one-day event, and it's got me excited for this year's Park(ing) Day in September. I just might have to start my own park(ing) for the day next September . . . .

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:39:00 -0700

Blame it on my affection for Shakespeare plays and Greek myths, but I'm a sucker for satyrs. This Bronze Italian Planter ($5,800) features three cloven-hoofed satyrs supporting the intricately detailed bowl. I think it would look super amazing in a formal garden, but the question is, what would you fill it with?

For this latest How Would You, I'd like you to think about how you would fill this bronze planter. Would you fill it with purple violas? Pink asters? Maybe some long, trailing plants? Or maybe you will fill it with something absolutely unexpected. Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd plant this bronze beauty.

Casa Craving Challenge: Crave Worthy Statuary

casasugar — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:41:31 -0700

This week I confessed that I've given in to statuary in my garden. A lot of you also admitted to loving the look of a little gnome or gazing ball in your azaleas, so for this week's Casa Craving Challenge, I figured I'd ask you to round up your favorite garden statuary. I'd like you to hunt down and bookmark garden statues, gazing balls, twinkly lights, and ornaments that you'd love to have in your veggie patch. Show me all of your fab finds by creating Casa Cravings and tagging them with the phrase crave worthy statuary. I'll feature the results next Wednesday, April 16. Please let me know if you have any questions.

For a list of online home stores to try,

Steal of the Day: Teak Planters

casasugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:00:31 -0700

Aside from the occasional crack, I certainly have no complaints about classic, terracotta planters; they'll never go out of style. But, who says you shouldn't mix it up a bit? The Smith & Hawken Teak Planters ($13.99- $18.99) will add a new visual element to your indoor herb garden, without overwhelming your wallet. I love the beautiful woodgrain of teak, and also the fact that these planters' watertight aluminum liners will trap water to prevent staining your floors and tabletops. I say this steal is good to grow in!

Su Casa: Lovely Garden Colors

casasugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:00:41 -0700

Recently, Rubiesymusica wrote about the transformation of her home's outdoor space with the coming of Spring. She wrote, "Usually everything is in full bloom by Easter, but the lack of rain has pushed it back by two or three weeks. The lilies are starting to bloom, but the big pink and purple flowers that line the siding of the house are already gone!"
Do you want to post photos of your home? To join the Su Casa group, just follow this link and click "subscribe" beneath the photo on the lefthand side of the page. Once you're subscribed, click Share in the upper lefthand menu of any TeamSugar page and choose what type of post you want to create. If you have just one photo and some text, create a blog; if you have a gallery you want to share, select photos.

How-To: Starting a Spring Wildflower Garden

casasugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:15:29 -0700

If you're planning on adding some wildflowers to your Spring gardening, I have some tips to get you started.

If you're starting your wildflower garden on an area that's already grassy or full of unwanted plants, you can kill the plants by putting down about six to eight layers of wet newspaper. After a month to a month and a half, you'll have a weed- and grass-free area to plant seeds or seedlings upon. You can shred the newspaper to use as mulch (it's good for your soil), or, you can compost it.
If you're planting a small area, you can use seedlings instead of seeds.
Make sure to sow your seeds when danger of frost is past.

For more hints, just

How-To: Protect Your Plants from Your Pets

casasugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:00:13 -0700

It's no secret that pets like to go where they're unwelcome. Digging up soil is often a favorite activity of theirs. Sometimes they just like to make a mess, and in other cases, the scent or texture of your plant's leaves attracts them. In Lady in the Tramp, it was cute and all, but not when it comes to the plants you've painstakingly grown from seeds during Good to Grow month. But don't worry: There are several ways to protect your plants from your pets. To see them,

Garden Therapy: Space Conscious Gardening

casasugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:00:03 -0700

One smart way to take advantage of small spaces when you're gardening is by having plants grow up and not out. Using a trellis and training your plants to grow up it means that you only need a small amount of square footage to grow wonderful crops — including eating or wine grapes. See how The Garden Girl does it in the first part of this series on vertical gardening.

Cool Idea: Twelve Months of Flowering Plants

casasugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:30:25 -0700

If you're the type of shopper that tires of new purchases easily and runs out to shop some more, Smith & Hawken's Twelve Months of Flowering Plants ($459) will keep you happy year long. Kind of like your favorite shelter magazine, you'll be delighted each month when beautiful blooming plants arrive at your doorstep. Ranging from White Amaryllis in January, Gerber Daisies in July, to Hydrangea in December, each plant is chosen for its "singular beauty and variety of form and color." The plants come in a nursery pot, and your order comes with a free cache pot so you'll have a spot to keep them. When the year's up, you can transfer your beloved monthly plants to your garden (if you have one), and you'll be Good to Grow for years to come!

If Money Weren't an Issue . . .

casasugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:08 -0700

. . . Would you hire a gardener? Source

If Money Weren't an Issue . . .

Absolutely! Why do the work if you can pay someone to do it for you!?

If he looked like that I would!

Maybe, I'd enjoy doing some of the work myself though.

Heck no, I'm a hardcore DIY-er.

No, that's completely unnecessary and silly.

Etsy Find: Plantable Card Set

casasugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:00:28 -0700

Perhaps taking a note from the Blooming Wrapping Paper I wrote about, the Recycled Ideas Plantable Card Set ($10) is a set of pastel cards embedded with seeds that you can plant to grow your choice of flowers. The cards themselves are simple and blank, so you can personalize them with your own message, and of course, they come with germination instructions. Since they're handmade, they have the wonderful irregularities and texture that only handmade paper has. In the spirit of Good to Grow month, I say you send one off to a friend, and plant one yourself, and you'll soon both be growing your own hollyhocks, snapdragons, or marigolds. Take that, Hallmark!

How-To: Hanging a Window Box

casasugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:00:22 -0700

For all of you small-space gardeners out there, window boxes are a great way to maximize growing space. Find out how to hang one with this how-to, from the experts at This Old House. If you have basic carpentry skills (and know how to operate a level and a power drill) then you can decorate your house with gorgeous, flower-filled window boxes.

Depending on the type of windows your home has, you'll have to hang your window box at different heights. For a house with double-hung or sliding windows, measure down one inch from the bottom of the sill. Make a pencil mark. For a window that swings out, measure down 6 to 8 inches.
Now you're going to install the top screw on the bracket. To do so, hold the first bracket with its top on the pencil mark. Mark the bracket for the top screw hole. It should hit close to the first section of siding below the window.
Next, use a countersink bit to drill a pilot hole and counterbore into the bracket on your pencil mark. Fasten the bracket to the house with a 3-inch-long galvanized decking screw through the pilot hole.

For the rest of the directions, just

In the News: A Makeover For Phoenix's Botanical Garden

casasugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:15:06 -0700

The Arizona Republic's article "Drama in the Desert" outlines the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix's structural transformation, which, for over 50 years, had been housed in an aluminum framework. Now, the gorgeous succulents and cacti are displayed under 28-foot-tall arched canopies.

"We wanted a space that would be interesting — a wow factor — to locals as well as visitors," said Elaine McGinn, the garden's director of planning and exhibits. To find out more about the $825,000, six-month reconstruction project, read the article here.

Casa Interview: Patti Moreno, The Garden Girl, Part II

casasugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:00:57 -0700

Through the rest of the month, as we celebrate Spring and a return to the garden, I'll be screening videos from The Garden Girl. The Garden Girl, Patti Moreno, is an inspiration to aspiring gardeners everywhere. She'd never even touched a trowel until the birth of her first daughter, and now she's established an urban garden paradise at her home in Boston. You can read the first half of my interview with Patti here.

Casa: Are there any plants that you consider no- or low-fail for folks who consider themselves to have less than a green thumb?

The Garden Girl: Mint is pretty hardy and a perennial which means it will come back year after year. I love using mint as a garnish to my lemonade. Last year, mojitos were the house cocktail all summer; I had friends lining up for my summer parties. There are tons of different types of mint. My most prized variety is Chocolate Mint — it's wonderful in coffee and hot chocolate and on ice cream. If you choose something you really love to eat, I think you’ll have more success. Another no fail crop is parsley and oregano. Simple and easy. Like most people, my family eats a lot of lettuce, which is easy to grow in the Spring and Fall, but needs a lot of water in the summer.

Casa: What has been the biggest project you’ve taken on?

The Garden Girl: The biggest project I’ve undertaken was building my new Urban Sustainable Living Garden last year. It’s around 500 square feet and the perfect size to grow enough for a salad at lunch and a vegetable at dinner the entire growing season for a family of six. It was a lot of fun, but the hard part was videotaping the whole process so I could share with others. Adding the video component slowed the process down, because I ended up doing everything at least three times! But I am really proud that I was able to do the whole garden entirely by my self. Ideally, you want to involve your family and neighbors, but I wanted to really show that the system of gardening that I’ve developed can be accomplished, by following through and being committed. I’m only 5’2” so if I can do it, you can too.

Casa: Can you tell us a little about some of the animals you have at your garden?
My bantam chickens are awesome. They’ve become pets of mine. I strongly suggest getting bantam chickens if you are interested in getting livestock. They are about the same size as a pigeon. They are also very trainable. I have Silkies who are perfect for the city because they can’t fly, but my favorites are my Aracauna bantam chickens that lay green and pink eggs. My hen "Rocket" is so cool. She thinks she's an eagle and tries to fly everywhere. Their eggs are delicious and about 2/3 the size of regular large eggs you get at the grocery store and taste so much better. Don't get roosters, it just makes your neighbors angry. I also keep angora rabbits and regular rabbits. I shave the Angora rabbits every three months and spin their fur into yarn, which I make into gifts and hats. My other rabbits just dig and turn the soil for me.

Casa: What are your favorite food crops?

The Garden Girl: Lettuce, lettuce and more lettuce. Growing up I had no idea there were lots of varieties of lettuce. This year I am growing, four season lettuce, bib lettuce, radicchio, kale and arugula. Arugula is so good. It is a huge hit at my mini farm stand I run during the weekends. For herbs, mint and as many varieties of Basil as I can grow from sweet basil to lemon to cinnamon. Fresh basil makes such good pesto sauce that when I entertain I never have leftovers. My other name is the Tomato Lady. I grow mostly heirloom varieties, but my favorite is Mortgage Lifter. Even the name is great. Mortgage Lifter got its name from a farmer who developed it during the depression of the 1930s. It sold so much on his home farm stand that within eight years he had paid off his mortgage. Now that is a tasty tomato.

Casa: What are your favorite flowers to grow?

The Garden Girl: Nasturtiums, which are edible flowers. They add great color to salad and taste peppery. I had a lot of fun with a cool variety of marigolds last year. I love perennials. Peonies are my favorite. I love seeing them bloom and multiply year after year. I have an area in my garden that is a perennial garden that is beautiful all year long. This year I want to get a cutting garden going and be able to have flowers in vases all over my house. I can't overlook my roses though. Not only are they pretty, but living in the city, I have them planted along my fences and under my windows making any trespassers who trespass wish they hadn't.

Source

Cool Idea: Potless Plants

casasugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:00:11 -0700

Did you know that every year about 80 million tons of plastic end up needing to be recycled? Much of this is thrown away, which is bad news for the environment. At my house, I have a stack of plastic garden pots that have been gathering over time. I try to re-use them when starting seeds, but often times they just end up sitting in the corner, ugly and unused.

If you, like me, are looking for a better solution, then head down to the nearest Home Depot store and grab some PotLess Plants when you're starting your garden. Planted in earth-friendly, biodegradable containers, these flowers use containers that decompose in the soil as the plants grow. Available at Home Depot stores (though not online), this product provides gardeners with an eco-friendly and convenient alternative to plastic trays and pots. Plants and flowers come in a paper six-pack carrier. When you're ready to plant, just stick one — or all six — of the biodegradable containers into the ground to plant. No pots to throw away, no massaging the seedlings out of their containers. Easy as can be.

DIY: Grow an Herb Garden Indoors

casasugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:00:08 -0700

Want an easy way to get into gardening? Then try an indoor herb garden!

Supplies:

1 large container with 20-inch diameter (plastic or clay, with a drainage hole)
1 saucer to fit container
Certified organic potting soil mix
Herb plants
Gravel or screen mesh
Certified organic fertilizer

To learn the steps,