Planting Vegetables

Sprouts are healthy and yummy, whether you add them to your Chinese meal, salads or sandwich wraps. I recently discovered an interesting and innovative tutorial on how to grow sprouts in a mason jar. This is perfect for both indoor gardening, inpatient gardeners or even just something to pacify your love of vegetable gardening in the winter months. All you need are sprouting seeds (check your local hippie or health store), a mason jar, mesh lid/cheesecloth and water!

Check it out…

Renovating can be a big job, and sometimes it’s best to leave it to the professionals. When I bought my house, it was a definite fixer upper. Whether you are thinking of updating your kitchen, indoor garden, bathroom, etc.  Toronto contractors can give you a quote via email or the phone, so you have a ballpark idea of what you need done. They have even have suggestions based on their experience. For example, Toronto basement contractors know to look for leaks, waterproof and can recommend the best way to finish your basement, depending on what you want to do with it. Toronto home additions can be a way to increase the value of your home. You could even put in a gazebo or greenhouse for your home vegetable garden!

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A few things to consider when going with a contractor no matter where you live:

• Are their prices comparable to other local contractors?
• Do you know anyone who has had work done by them, or do they have a good reputation?
• Have they been approved by a major accreditation company, like the BBB?

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Do you have a pool in or around your home vegetable garden? This summer (which I am sorely missing in this cold winter weather), I took a trip to my boyfriend’s aunt’s place. She had a gorgeous garden and it looped around the fence to her pool. She had an inground pool that was just so relaxing to cool off in.

They had this nifty machine that moves through the pool to clean the pool filters. We had to use one of those pool supplies to catch bugs and whatnot, because there was a toad in the pool! (Cool as long as I don’t have to touch it!) The pool supply shed was near where she was growing vegetables, and Chlorine and other pool chemicals should not be accidentally spilled into the surrounding vegetable garden, however.

I came across this super cute and easy craft and thought I would share it! I have it on my Pinterest gardening board! Come join me there, if you wish!

“I love the ambience that outdoor candles can bring to a deck or patio.  One of my favorite summer pastimes is to spend an evening relaxing on my back porch with the hubby, a bottle of wine, and the soft glow of an outside candle. Awww…. the carefree days of summer await me. This nature-inspired vase will go perfect in any intimate outdoor setting.” – Delightfully Noted

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“A: Molly, here’s the story: Right now is not a very good time to plant any vegetables. However, it is a great time to plant what are called cover crops, which add nitrogen to the soil and have other beneficial effects as well.

I talked to Renee Shepherd, founder and owner of Renee’s Garden Seeds in Felton, who is the authority on all things to do with vegetable gardening, and her feeling is that it’s a wee bit too late to start growing vegetables right now.”

Read More here

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If you are trying to design your bathroom or kitchen, you may want to consider a vessel sink. They are a new trend that I didn’t take to at first, but they really have grown on me, and make for a very sleek design. When I eventually move into my own home again, it will probably be a slight fixer upper, I mean that’s where the fun is to be had, IMO. I love re-decorating and improving, as long as it is not major renovations or extensive electrical work. I want to design a dream kitchen, and I haven’t decided for sure or not if the kitchen will include a vessel sink, but the bathroom definitely will. What a way to wow guests, right?

Vessel sinks generally come in glass, wood, stone, onyx, china and travertine. Even those with kids can choose a sturdy material, like stone. You can also choose a customized vessel faucet. Vessel sink faucets come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, which can make your vessel sinks more suited to your kitchen and bathroom. Lately, I am a fan of antiqued bronze, so that’s what I would choose for mine. Chrome, brushed nickel and stainless steel are also popular choices for vessel sink faucets.

What Are Termites?

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Termites are insects that eat wood, which could be found in your garden via mulch or other concoctions. Termites are infamous for causing damage to structures. They can cause a large amount of damage in a short amount of time, which can become very costly. Termites are worse in some areas than others, like termites in Arizona.

 What Do They Look Like?

Termites are fairly easy to spot once you know what they look like. They are small, ranging from 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch long. They have short antennae. Some have wings.There are different types of termites as well, such as soldier and worker termites. Don’t mistake a termite in your growing vegetables for ants. They have a fatter waist. Check out the image to the left for a few variations of termites.

How to Get Rid of Termites

Make sure you wear latex gloves. Look for gatherings of termites by inspecting your vegetable garden. You can use a plant-safe termite bait, such as Bor-Ram to kill them. You may have to repeat this process a few times to rid your garden of all termites.

You could alternatively use boric acid foam to kill termites. If you have wood in your garden, such as raised garden beds, look for cracks and openings. Termites like to hide in places like these. You can also battle termites with fire ants or round worms, as they kill termites as well.

Make sure the termites have not spread to your home. Structural damage to your home could cause serious problems in the foundation. You may want to contact a professional termite control team to ensure you have gotten all of the termites, or to just handle the problem for you themselves.

Arizona Termite Control
3019 N. 14th Street #305
Phoenix, AZ 85014

http://www.windshield-replacement.com

Online Reputation Management (ORM) is a fom of SEO (search engine optimization) that helps increase your business’s web presence, albeit a blog, a webstore, portfolio, etc. If you are planning on extending your gardening to an online presence (like this blog) online reputation management may be something you want to look into.

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Do you use your garden as a zen place to practice yoga or meditate? Given the right atmosphere, such as the serenity of your garden, I definitely prefer to meditate and practice yoga poses outside. Quartz Crystal Singing Bowls are Tibetan bowls that are used for music therapy, sound healing and balancing your chakra. I have personally used one to practice mindfulness meditation. A short explanation of mindfulness meditation is focusing on something, say the sound of a singing bowl, and whenever your thoughts wander simply notice them and bring your attention back to your focus. Singing bowls, nature, gardens, etc. are all perfect environments for this.

This is a paid post, but the information and opinions stated are 100% my own!