Garden Series Update

 

 

I wanted to finish off my 2014 garden series by showing you some pictures from our harvest.

 

 

This is how much Mesclun we harvested!

The great thing about Mesclun is after cutting the leaves down it will grow again. The picture above was taken after I harvested the first batch.

 

We didn't have blossom bottom rot this year due to our persistent adding of fertilizer to the soil. However, we didn't produce as many tomatoes as I'd like. My husband's parents took one of the young tomato plants that we grew and replanted it at their house. They used the same fertilizer, but had more output. There is full sun at their house most of the day, but we only get partial sun. Therefore, the amount of fruit produced may be due to sun exposure. We may plant something else instead of tomatoes next year.

 

I am still happy we had tomatoes, however. The Super Sioux variety that we planted this

year are sweeter tasting that other varieties we have planted before. If you are looking for a medium sized sweet tomato, I would say that the Super Sioux is the way to go.

 

 

We were able to produce two large Yellow Crookneck Squash like the one pictured above and also produced two small ones about the size of a thumb. Our production would have been higher if our squash plant hadn't developed a powdery mildew. If we had treated our plant with Neem Oil Extract when the problem had just started, the oil would have prevented further mildew and our plant would most likely have produced more fruit. However, we did not take the precautions. At least we produced some tasty fruit!

 

 

To follow this garden series from the beginning please visit Planting Begins!

 

 

New Plants

 

 

On Friday the Yellow Crookneck Squash emerged! Below are a few pictures from their first day above ground.

 

 

Since my husband and I are away, our plant babysitters have snapped a picture of our squash plants. Below is a photo from yesterday. They have grown so much in just a few days!

Follow this garden series from the start with Planting Begins!

Quicky

 

 

When I line dry my clothing I typically hang my items on a rack indoors. Yesterday, however, I needed some of my things to dry quickly while preparing for a trip. In the community where I live we are not supposed to hang clothes outdoors. In order to be discreet, I found a low plastic shelf for drying. It was bit windy so I had to use a safety pin to fasten a change purse to the shelf and a twist tie to secure my bag. My other items snapped neatly around the edge of the shelve. My make-shift drying rack worked well when I needed a quick dry!

 

 

For more laundry tips please visit Hand Washing Made Easy.

Hand Washing Made Easy

I frequently use the delicate cycle on the washing machine for clothing that requires special care. However, there are times when I need to hand wash items that cannot be laundered in a machine. Other times I have one or two items that I need to use the next day. In such a case, it doesn't make sense for me to run the washing machine for a few items. Hand washing can also be useful if an appliance is temporarily out order. If you share laundry facilities you may find times where all the machines are full, but you still need clean clothing. Regardless of your desire or challenge, hand washing does not have to be difficult. I will describe a cleansing process that has worked well for me.

 

 

 

The first step is to decide what container you want to dedicate to hand washing. I have repurposed a bucket that once held nine pounds of peanut butter. It is a small bucket, but it works for my needs. I specifically choose it for the for the small size and its lid. It easily fits under my bathroom sink for when I'm not using it, and the lid is handy during the wash cycle. If you are looking for a washing system complete with a lid and don't eat as much peanut butter as my family does, you could also use a bulk ice cream container. If you plan to wash more than a few items at a time, you will need to think bigger. A five gallon bucket or a storage bin are a couple of ideas.

 

Once you have your container ready, you can begin the soak cycle. Pour your soap in. Be careful to use the appropriate amount of detergent in relation to the size of your load. Too much soap doesn't make your clothing cleaner. The excess cleanser will build up on the fabric.

 

Add a little baking soda to your container. Baking soda will work with your detergent to clean your clothes and give them a nice smell. I add about two teaspoons for a small load, like the one in the picture above.

 

After you have added the cleansers, go ahead and start the water. I fill up my bucket in the bathtub for easy cleansing and clean-up. Make sure you run the water first until you get the temperature that is appropriate for the fabrics you are about to submerge. Place your clothing in the water and soak for as long as you need. I typically soak my items anywhere from a half hour to two hours. The longer time is for removing tough stains. Please be sure to pre-treat any stains prior to the soaking stage. You may need to let a stain remover set over night in fabric before soaking.

 

During the wash cycle, you will need to agitate the fabrics. If you have a lid, place it on your container. Give the container a vigorous shake. You may do this more than once. If don't you have a lid, rub your hands against the clothing, giving them a scrub. You can also rub fabrics against each other. Take care to be gentle with delicate fabrics. You will be giving more of a massage to these items. For tougher fabrics, you can use a wash board. Please stay away from scrubbing fabrics with toothbrushes or other similarly
rough items. This method may be effective against stains, but will wear fabrics out more quickly.

Following the wash cycle you will drain the water from the container. Pour fresh water in to begin the rinse cycle. Give the clothing a swirl in the water. Drain again. Repeat this process until there is no more soap in the water or the fabric. You can also rinse clothing items separately under running water to ensure no more detergent remains. I don't find this step necessary unless I have used too much soap. This method is not particularly gentle on delicate fabrics either.

 

The dry cycle is my favorite part of the hand washing process. In the picture above, I have placed two items that have been through a complete wash cycle into a salad spinner.

Once clothing is placed in a salad spinner, place the lid on and give it whirl! You might have to empty water from the bottom and give the dryer a second spin. I hope you will have as much fun as I did with this stage!

 

Above are two items after a dry cycle.

 

The final step in the hand washing process is finding a place for your clean clothes to dry the rest of the way. When the work is finished, take time to enjoy the results!

How Our Garden Grows

 

A couple days ago my husband and I transplanted one of our tomatoes and planted Yellow Crookneck Squash. Pictured above are the three tomatoes before one was transplanted and another found a new home. Our third baby still needs to find a home!

The basil and the parsley are hanging out below the tomatoes. They are big enough now to spot from afar! Well...maybe not from too far away. They still have some growing to do.

 

 

I had to plant some more basil seeds since only one sprouted and thrived from the original planting. The second seedlings sprouted much faster. It's mostly likely due to the warmer weather.

 

 

The parsley are doing well now too. They are getting a little out of control though. We'll have to thin them out before they get too big. We only want two in this pot.

 

 

Theses are eggs shells that have been grinded up in a blender. We added this to the soil before planting our tomato. Eggs shells slowly release calcium into the soil as they break down. This can prevent blossom bottom rot, a condition where tomatoes decay at the ends of the fruit due to lack of nutrients in the soil. Add egg shells to other plants that require calcium such as eggplants and peppers.

 

Another way you can give you plants some love is by saving the water after boiling eggs. Allow the water to cool. Then give your plants a treat!

 

Other liquid treats include beet juice. If you use the water after boiling beets make sure to let it cool and dilute it. I use about one part beet juice to four parts water. Beets release nitrates into the water when you boil them. Tomato plants need nitrogen. Other important nutrients tomatoes require are phosphorous and potassium.

 

We are also using a soil conditioner and fertilizer that contains a variety of nutrients for our plants. Check ingredient labels for your plant's specific needs when shopping for soil and fertilizers. Go organic and local whenever possible.

 

 

My husband transferring our tomato into its new home!

 

Related Links

 

Follow this garden series from the start with Planting Begins!

 

 

 

The Heron, Ducks, and Prints

Below are pictures of the Great Blue Heron from one of today's adventures. My husband and I refer to him as "the" blue heron as we have a blue heron that visits our pond each spring and summer. We're not sure if it is the same bird who visits each year, but it is likely. Treating him as a frequent visitor, we have given him a title and a designated sex. However, we can't determine the latter detail either. I suppose we could try, but I'm not going there! 

 

We also had names for some of our resident ducks who stay at the pond year round. This includes Fat White Duck for the largest Pekin Duck and Mallard Body Guard for the mallard who seemed to protect the Fat White Duck. As these two ducks have either relocated or passed away, we now refer to all of the Pekin Ducks as Fat White Ducks. A new mallard has joined the remaining three Pekins. He is the new Mallard Body Guard.

 

Yes, we are people without pets who enjoy naming the wildlife. Call us crazy, but we'll just call it fun!

 

Enough silliness! I want to talk a little about the Great Blue Heron. I have only seen Great Blue Herons catch and eat fish. However, I recently discovered that they also eat frogs, crayfish, and snakes! Other foods include insects, mice, and other small animals due to the shape of their bill. Look how long and spear like the bill is in the pictures below. It allows them to capture a variety of prey. It gives the heron maneuverability and powerful piercing. Their jaws are strong too, allowing them to stun or kill prey before swallowing. It is fun to watch them eat too. Once the bird catches its prey it gulps it down. It's interesting to watch the throat expand as the food slides down to be digested.

 

 

 

The Great Blue Heron

 

The Great Blue Heron circling the pond for food.

 

Ready to strike for lunch?

 

The Great Blue Heron can spread its wings to seven feet long! They can fly between 20 to 30 miles per hour.

 

This is where the Great Blue Heron flew to after I took too many pictures. I tried to follow him unnoticed, but decided to leave him here so he could focus on his lunch.

 

Duck crossing! Be careful!

 

The ducks are posing for their glamour shot.

 

What dirty duck beaks! Ducks love digging in the mud on rainy days for tasty treats. 

The geese left wet prints on the sidewalk.

Links

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Wild Life Adventures

These pictures are from a few Sundays ago. More critters have been captured on film! I love this time of year when it is nice to be outside. Searching and discovering different creatures is an adventure for me. I just try not to remember that spiders exist in the world when I'm out hunting for life forms! They're not my favorite friends. I respectfully acknowledge their existence, then step away. I will stick to photographing creatures who appear to be more friendly. What are your preferences? Do you have a favorite animal or a creepy crawly you shy away from?

 

 

 

A frog!

 

 

A close up shot of the frog in the previous photograph.

 

 

There is a frog in this picture. Can you find it?

 

 

This is a close up of the frog from the previous photograph. It is still difficult to see. It blends in well!

 

 

This is the first tadpole I have found this spring!

 

 

To the left are squirrel prints, in the center including the large print by the water are raccoon prints, and to the right by the stick are dog prints.

 

On the left are squirrel prints. On the right an animal was digging. It's possible that the squirrel that left the prints did the digging.

 

 

Mushrooms! Never eat mushrooms you find unless you know what you are looking for. There are edible species of mushrooms in Maryland including the Honey Mushrooms and Crown-Tipped Fungus. However, many are inedible and some can be deadly if ingested. Inedible mushrooms species can look similar to species that are edible. Please consult an expert before going mushroom hunting. 

 

 

These ants are carrying a caterpillar.

 

 

 

Garden Progress

 

Our tomatoes are getting huge! They are ready to be transferred to larger pots. We are only keeping one of them, however. The other two will get new homes. If we had room, I would plant them all. I am more than thrilled to have one in our small garden though. We have to save room for other veggies if we want a variety.

 

 

This is a close up of one of the Super Sioux Tomatoes. The oval shaped leaves are the cotyledon. These are present before the seed germinates. The leaves sprouting off to the left and the right with three points to them, are the true leaves. These are produced after germination. The plant will continue to produce these leaves until its growth period has ended.

 

 

Our basil finally popped up about a week ago! To the left and the right are the cotyledon. The tiny leaves in the middle are the true leaves beginning to develop.

 

 

 

Our latest arrivals are the parsley plants. They popped up just a couple of days ago! I planted a few extra seeds thinking that they weren't going germinate. However, the first ones planted have managed to push their way through the soil. They may have taken a little longer than usual as parsley likes to geminate at temperatures around seventy degrees. It was much chillier than that when we started planting. I may have buried them a little deeper than I should have too. Parsley also has a long germination period of 14 to 21 days. Despite all of their challenges, they're here now!

 

Related Links

 

Planting Begins!

 

We Have Babies! 

 

Growth Spurt

 

Cotyledons

 

How Our Garden Grows

 

Lizard Update

 

 

Last week I posted this garden visitor on Butterflies & Dirt. Today I received feedback on my photograph from the Maryland Amphibian & Reptile Atlas page. According to the commenter, the lizard above is a skink. More specifically, it is possibly a five-lined skink. That was one of my guesses! Next time, I'll have to be more bold and stick to one answer. Or maybe I'll become a pro at identifying lizard species! 

It is possible for me to become more skilled in identification with all of the wildlife that has been active around here lately. I saw two more lizards this past Tuesday. Both had blue on them and looked similar to the lizard in the second photograph from my post on Friday. Below is a picture of a pipe. I know this is not terribly exciting, but there was lizard climbing up the brick wall in between the pipe. The other lizard was on the ground in the mulch. Maybe next time, I'll be a little more careful not to scare them away so I can take a proper photograph! I get so excited when I discover a critter, I forget to calm down and be quiet so I can enjoy observing longer!

 

 

Lizard was here. It is no more!

Disclaimer: I have not been paid for mentioning any websites or organizations. The links are provided for educational purposes.

 

Froggy Adventures

On Saturday my husband and I found many creatures in the stream behind our apartment building. As we walked along the water's edge, frog after frog leapt into the creek. I have posted a few of the discoveries from our walk. There was much more activity on our trip then what is captured in the few pictures below. However, it's still possible to catch a glimpse of the adventure. Have fun!

 

This is possibly an American Bullfrog or a Northern Green Frog.

 

Can you find the frog?

 

I love the bright green on this frog!

 

Someone has been here! These are deer tracks.

 

 

This is a gentle reminder to dispose of trash properly. It doesn't just disappear. It has to go somewhere. Please also consider reusing and recycling when possible before disposing of any item.

 

Related Links

 

Field Guide to Maryland's Frogs & Toads

 

 

 

 

Outdoor Adventures

I had to share some pictures from my walk on Friday. It was so beautiful outside I couldn't keep myself from posting these. The flowers in the pictures below have fallen off the rest of the way. I'm glad I was able to capture the moment. I hope you enjoy them!