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!