20 DIY Blogs Show You How to Plant Potatoes in a Bucket
May 21, 2013
Planting potatoes in a bucket may sound funny, but it’s actually an efficient way to utilize your space and save yourself some back-breaking labor during harvest season. You need ample space to grow potatoes in a garden, and the soil has to be turned and soft enough for the potatoes to grow and thrive. It also needs to be free from diseases and pests, and maintaining the garden can end up being a lot of work. If you don’t have the space or the time to get a potato garden up and running, you may want to consider growing them in a bucket instead. Take a look at these 20 blog entries to learn the ins and outs of successfully growing potatoes in a bucket.
Preparing the Buckets
Before you begin planting, you want to make sure the buckets are clean and that you have poked or drilled drainage holes in the bucket. Putting gravel in the bottom of the bucket will help with drainage, as well keep the holes from clogging up. Figure out what kind of soil you want to use in the buckets and get ready to start planting! These five blog posts will give you all of the instructions you need for preparing the buckets.
- Planting Potatoes in a Bucket When picking out buckets, you’ll want to choose pots ranging in size from 5 gallons to 15 gallons.
- Planting Potatoes Once you have your 5 gallon buckets, you’ll need to drill holes in the bottoms for drainage and prepare the potting mix to add to the buckets.
- Experimenting with Potato Planting Methods This blogger explains how to cut the bottom off of a bucket and put it on top of turned dirt in the garden.
- Potatoes in Buckets 2.0 (Finally!) Learn how to modify your bucket to create a self-watering feature with the help of this blogger.
- Growing Potatoes in Buckets Be sure to add gravel to the bottom of your buckets to make sure the drainage holes don’t clog up.
Planting and Growing the Potatoes
After you’ve planted the potatoes, you’ll need to continue adding soil as they grow so that the potatoes form under the dirt. Make sure to keep the soil moist but not wet, because that will cause the potatoes to rot. To learn more about caring for the potatoes, read these five blog articles.
- When and How to Plant Potatoes You’ll want to plant potatoes when it’s cool outside, and choose potatoes from the greenhouse instead of grocery store potatoes. For more trips, check out this post!
- How to Grow Potatoes in a Bucket This post has a funny video complete with a song that will teach you how to grow potatoes in a bucket.
- Potato Bucket Part 1 After you prep the bucket, learn how to cut and prepare the eyes of the potatoes for planting.
- How and When to Plant Potatoes This post is full of helpful tips that will make growing bucket potatoes a breeze!
- How to Grow Potatoes in Buckets Read about how to cut the potatoes apart and let them heal before planting.
Harvest Time
When you harvest potatoes in a garden, you usually use some sort of potato or pitch fork to bring the potatoes up to the surface. There is no way to know where the potato tubers are going to be, so you most likely will stab some potatoes with the fork. Unfortunately, when that happens, you end up losing those potatoes. When harvesting a bucket of potatoes, however, you just dump it out on a tarp and pick up the potatoes. No potatoes are damaged and there’s no back-breaking digging involved! Check out these five blog articles that explain all of the harvesting details.
- Growing Potatoes in Buckets or Trash Cans You’ll know it’s time to harvest the plants when they turn yellow or brown and dry up.
- Potato Farm Learn about harvest yields in this blog article.
- How to Plant “Irish” Potatoes This post is all about harvesting “Irish” potatoes.
- My Garden: Potato Bucket Yield This blogger describes how many potatoes she got out of her buckets of potatoes.
- Growing Potatoes in a Bucket This post is full of helpful tips, like how important it is to let your newly harvested potatoes dry before storing them.
Tips & Tricks
To perfect growing potatoes in a bucket, you’ll need plenty of tips and tricks, such as making sure that the soil you use in your buckets contains manure. The nutrients in manure will help your potato plants grow and produce a larger crop than if you just used plain garden soil. The five blog posts below will explain various tips and tricks for growing potatoes in a bucket.
- Growing Potatoes in Containers Learn about the various containers you can use to grow potatoes in and how you can prevent spreading disease by planting potatoes in a bucket.
- Growing Potatoes is Easy and Fun Find out how to fertilize your potato plants once they are in the bucket in this post.
- Potatoes are Planted—What Could Go Wrong Now? Potatoes in a Bucket! Read about how you can prevent diseases and bugs from getting your potato plants in this post.
- How to Grow Potatoes: Organic Growing, Diseases, Harvesting, Storing Once you grow your potatoes, you need to know how to store them so that they don’t rot. Find out how by reading the post from this blogger!
- How to Grow a Great Potato This blog post contains a chart that can help you learn about which potatoes to plant and when you can harvest them.
10 Secrets for Hosting a Drama Free Dinner Party
May 15, 2013
For those that love to entertain, few joys hold a candle to the sense of satisfaction that comes with throwing the perfect dinner party. When things go off without a hitch, the guests spend the evening engaged in stimulating conversation and the food is subjected to rounds of praise, there’s always a feeling of accomplishment. There are parties, however, when things go horribly awry, and your carefully planned event becomes something akin to a scene from an afternoon soap opera. While you can never control the behavior of your guests and ensure a drama-free gathering altogether, these ten tips can help you keep the howling of the drama-dogs at bay.
- Mind the Guest List – A diverse group makes for interesting conversation and helps everyone broaden their horizons beyond their typical group of acquaintances, but a wildly disparate group can lead to tension or even loud disagreement. It’s also not a good idea to invite both halves of a recently separated couple, especially if one of them is planning to bring a new flame. Before you send out the invites, take a moment to think about how each of the people on your list is likely to interact with the rest of the group.
- Carefully Consider Seating Arrangements – Seating arrangements can be a fun way of introducing people who wouldn’t ordinarily get to know one another, but they can also lead to serious trouble if the matches aren’t carefully made. If you’re not completely confident in the arrangements you’ve made, consider skipping them altogether and letting your guests choose where they sit.
- Think Twice About Getting Heavy With the Booze – When the spirits are flowing, the atmosphere can be convivial and fun. It doesn’t take much to turn the tables when everyone’s had a tipple too many, though. Keep the cocktails light if you can, so that inebriated guests don’t get confrontational.
- Steer Conversation Away From Hot-Button Topics – There’s an old adage about discussing politics or religion, and it’s absolutely true in most cases. Unless everyone on your list is in firm agreement regarding their political and spiritual affiliation, it’s wise to move the conversation in a different direction if it’s heading into murky territory.
- Take a Relaxed Approach – Few things create a tense atmosphere as quickly as a frazzled, anxious hostess. If an elaborate menu is going to drive you to distraction, it’s probably best to pare down your planning to create a more manageable feast.
- Make Sure the Menu is Inclusive – Knowing the eating habits and dietary restrictions of your guests is important, so that no one is left hungry. Make sure that the vegetarians or vegans on your guest list are accommodated, even if the rest of the table will be eating meat.
- Be Flexible With the Schedule — But Not Too Flexible – A rigid schedule leaves no time for a fashionably late arrival or two, no time to talk before dinner hits the table and little wiggle room for you to prepare the food. An approach that’s too lax, however, can leave guests with hunger pangs as they wait for you to finish the meal after too much time spent socializing.
- Consider Your Kid-Friendly Policy – If you’ll be inviting children or welcoming guests to bring their broods, make arrangements accordingly. If not, make sure that everyone knows you’re throwing an adults-only soirée. Unruly kids that have no diversions in a kid-free house will make your other guests uncomfortable, and can leave the parents of those children feeling miffed that their progeny weren’t treated as honored guests.
- Avoid Common Allergens – Common allergens, especially those that can be fatal if an afflicted guest comes into contact with them, should be avoided unless you’re absolutely sure that none of your guests have food sensitivities. Nothing creates dramatic tension like a 911 call and anaphylactic shock.
- Allow For Graceful Exits – Making sure that your guests understand that there’s no pressure to accept an invitation and that they won’t be poorly thought of if they have to back out at the last minute ensures that no one comes because they feel obligated despite dealing with a dramatic life event of their own. When your friends and acquaintances know there’s no pressure to attend, they’re more likely to stay home than to come while they’re upset.
If drama erupts despite all of your efforts to the contrary, try to remember that the situation is probably one that you’ll look back on with humor as time goes by. An argument at the dinner table certainly isn’t the end of the world, so don’t let a tiff or two ruin an otherwise lovely event.
Posted in Housekeeping | Leave a commentHow to Keep the Kids Safe While Spring Cleaning
May 15, 2013
As the weather begins to warm up and the last of winter’s chill fades away, it’s natural to start thinking about spring cleaning. After all, clearing out old junk leaves room for the new beginnings symbolized by the season. If you have children, your household mess is likely to require more attention in terms of cleaning, and the kids themselves will need to be kept safe from all those household chemicals. These tips can help you keep your brood safe and entertained while you’re cleaning the house for spring.
Realize That Your Cleaning Solutions are Probably Poison
There’s nothing wrong with scrubbing your counters until they gleam, but the chemicals that you use have the potential to be very dangerous to little ones. Even products that are advertised as “all natural” or “environmentally friendly” are likely to cause very serious issues if they’re ingested, so make sure that you keep all of your cleaning fluids well out of your kids’ reach. Remember that cleaners can also wreak havoc with sensitive skin, cause very serious damage to eyes and other body parts or be lethal if inhaled.
Never Mix Cleaning Chemicals
Chemical reactions between the contents of two separate cleaning products can create very dangerous fumes, so be sure that you never combine different cleaners to complete spring cleaning. Not only do you run the risk of causing your child to be ill, you could also end up making yourself faint. An unattended, frightened child that just witnessed such an episode is certainly not a safe one, so eliminate the chances of such a panic by practicing common sense when you’re using cleaning products.
Make Sure Mop Buckets Are Carefully Guarded
A toddler can very easily drown in even a small bucket of water or fluids, so be sure that you never turn your back on a mop bucket. The slippery surface of a newly-mopped floor can cause your toddler to lose his balance as he peers into the bucket with his inexhaustible toddler curiosity, potentially leading to tragedy.
Dispose of Medications Properly
A deep cleaning of the bathroom generally includes a purge of the medicine cabinets, but those brightly-colored pills can easily be mistaken for candy by a little one with a sweet tooth. Tossing medications into the garbage leaves them easily accessible to questing little hands, and childproof caps aren’t always reliable. Rather than chucking old medicine bottles into the trash can, check with your local pharmacy for responsible and safe disposal methods.
Never Turn Your Back On a Ladder
Cleaning the dust and cobwebs that have accumulated since your last spring cleaning off of high surfaces will often require a ladder, especially if you have vaulted ceilings or towering shelves. Kids love to climb things, and may imitate you by scaling a ladder you’ve left unattended, which could easily lead to a very messy fall. If at all possible, opt for cleaning tools that have telescoping handles to ensure that you never even have to pull that old ladder out of the garage. If you simply must use a ladder to reach the surfaces that need cleaning, make sure that you fold it up and tuck it away as soon as you’re finished. Even a quick trip to the restroom or into another room to grab cleaning supplies you’ve forgotten can give adventurous kids enough time to make their way up a ladder.
Don’t Neglect Your Detectors
It’s recommended that you change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year, a chore that most remember by coordinating those changes with clock adjustments for Daylight Savings Time. Those detectors are your family’s first line of defense when it comes to avoiding smoke inhalation, fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Remember that what you do during your spring cleaning is just as important as what you don’t do when it comes to such tasks. After all, keeping your kids safe requires that you’re able to arm yourself against such tragedies.
If your children are old enough to pitch in with spring cleaning tasks, be sure that the duties you assign to them are age-appropriate. Trying to complete a task that’s beyond his ability or developmental level can also put your child in danger, so think carefully as you create and dole out cleaning lists.
Posted in Housekeeping | Leave a comment10 of the Best iPhone Apps for Growing a Green Garden
May 13, 2013
Whether you’re a veteran, green-thumbed gardening enthusiast or are getting your hands dirty for the first time, the iPhone is a tool that you may find is surprisingly useful in your quest to cultivate a luscious, thriving oasis of plant life. These ten iPhone apps provide the perfect mix for successfully planting a year-round, evergreen garden.
- Gardening Toolkit – With over 1000 pictures, tips and advice on seasonal planting based on where you live, Gardening Toolkit is great value at $1.99. The “Your Garden” feature allows you to keep track of exactly what you’re growing, where and when. Helpful reminder lists also make it easy for you to keep track of your gardening tasks, so you always know when you need to plant, prune and feed.
- Garden Tracker – If you’ve ever spent hours meticulously planning and plotting out your garden, then this app is the answer to all your needs. At $1.99, Garden Tracker is packed full of useful features. The app is easily synced to your Dropbox account, which means you can work on your garden design from any supported devices. You can also keep a track of optimum harvest, feeding and planting times, as well as sourcing the greenest plants and vegetables for your garden from a handy referencing feature.
- Organic Gardening Planting Planner – This free app uses GPS to determine your frost dates, in order to give you the best planting dates. The brain child of Organic Gardening magazine and Safer©, Organic Gardening Planting Planner provides a wealth of resources for everything from choosing seeds to how to plant and maintain your garden crops.
- Gardening Reference Guide! – A gardening reference app with thousands of resources for planting, blooming and harvest times, Gardening Reference Guide! is a great reference for all your gardening information, at your fingertips. If you have concerns about pests, overfeeding, propagation and much more, this free app is available to download from the iPhone apps store, now.
- My Gardening – This very simple app allows you to grow your garden at your pace. Learn from experts, then apply the changes to your garden and track the results. My Gardening provides a feature where you can build a vegetable and plant catalog, and share your progress via text and email. You can download this simple and free app now, directly from the iTunes App Store.
- Garden Time Planner – One of the simplest gardening apps available from the iTunes store, Garden Time Planner has some very smart features. The app creates automatic to-do lists based on region, sowing and harvest times, which are especially useful for those who are new to gardening. There is also a full database of plants and herbs that acts as a useful reference for what to plant and when.
- A Garden Life – Unlike many other gardening magazine apps, A Garden Life is completely free, with all the features you need to plant a beautiful and evergreen garden. Articles are written by professional gardeners, with tips on everything from planting, sowing and harvesting, to plant types, pests and worst case scenarios. This magazine app is essential reading for amateur and professional gardeners alike.
- Garden Compass – If you’ve even seen a plant, herb or tree that you couldn’t identify, Garden Compass is the app for you. It is completely free to download from the App Store, and provides the user with a number of features to identify plants in your garden. You can take pictures of plants, herbs and trees, and then receive instant comparisons to help you identify the exact species. There is also a “fast tap and buy” feature, which enables you to purchase seeds for any plant you find instantly.
- Vegetable Garden Calculator – Never run out of vegetables again with the Vegetable Garden Calculator! This free app is ideal for self-sustained families, who like to plant and live off of their own vegetable garden. The app determines how much you need to plant, based on the average number of people in your family or group. Vegetable Garden Calculator currently supports over ninety different vegetables, with more additions planned in the future.
- Organic Gardening – For $0.99, you get nine concise, easy to follow chapters on organic gardening – it’s that simple. For novice organic gardeners, this app is one of the best guides available, anywhere. There are no chemicals or man-made products in Organic Gardening, making it an eco-friendly guide to gardening that will give you complete ease of mind. If you have ever wanted to plant your own vegetable garden without the fear of causing further damage to the environment through the use of harmful chemicals, then this is the app for you.
28 Blogs with Juicy Melon Recipes to Keep Your Kitchen Cool as the Weather Warms Up
May 8, 2013
Melon season starts in late April when California melons start becoming available, and peak season runs from June through August. Melons have many health benefits, and are full of vitamin C, vitamin A, beta carotene, folate and potassium, just to name a few. These 28 blog entries will share some tasty recipes in which you can use melons.
Appetizers
Ham or prosciutto wrapped around slices of cantaloupe has long been hailed as an appetizer favorite. The saltiness of the ham combined with the sweet juiciness of the melon makes for an appetizer that is simple to make, and the results are simply delicious. For other melon appetizer recipes, check out these seven blog posts.
- Recipe Shrimp Cocktail with Melon Coconut
- Prosciutto Melon Mozzarella Recipe
- Water Melon Recipes
- Cantaloupe and Cheese Appetizer Recipe
- Melon Appetizer Recipe
- Prosciutto-Melon Sliders with Minted Mayo Recipe
- Our Best Fresh Salsa Recipes
Salads
The fresh, vibrant colors of melons brighten up any salad, and by combining all three melons into the same salad you’ll have an array of colors and a healthy dish to take to summer parties. Pairing melons with some greens can also help boost the nutritional value of a salad. Take a look at these seven blog articles and choose a salad to try tonight.
- Bitter Melon Salad
- [Watch] Arugula and Melon Salad Recipe by Manjula
- Strawberry Melon Summer Salad
- Staff Recipes: Summer Melon Salad
- Minted Melon Salad Recipe
- Recipe: Cool Melon Salad with Hot Bacon
- Green Tomato and Honeydew Melon Salad
Drinks
How about a cool and refreshing melon smoothie to sip on the porch while you enjoy the warmer weather? Because melons are made up of primarily water, they puree well in drinks. The fruity drinks in these seven blog posts will cool you off in no time. Some of these recipes contain alcohol, but many do not and would be appropriate for sharing with the kids.
- Melon Lime Smoothie
- {Recipe} A Divine Melon Cooler!
- Melon Spody Drink Recipe
- Refreshing Cantaloupe Drink
- Cantaloupe and Basil Aqua Fresca Drink Recipe
- Frozen Melon Margaritas
- Black Melon
Desserts
Melons lend themselves to a number of different types of recipes. You can make a melon cake, crisp, frozen granita or just dress up the fruit itself with toppings. This healthy and light summer dessert can refresh you as well as satisfy your sweet tooth without wrecking your figure. Browse through these seven blog articles and see if any of these dessert recipes inspire you to get cooking.
- Watermelon and Musk Melon Granita Recipe
- Angel Melon Dessert
- Cantaloupe Cake
- The Perfect Summer Dessert Recipe: Melon with Lime-Chile Syrup
- Sparkling Melon Recipe
- Melon Soup with Spiced Wine
- Coconut Milk, Melon with Sago Dessert
Whether you have tons of melons in your garden to use up or you found a great deal at a farmer’s market, these recipes will help you find plenty of ways to use up those melons. If you don’t get around to eating them right away, don’t let them go to waste! Melons freeze beautifully. Cut up your melons and spread the chunks into a single layer on a cookie sheet and flash freeze them for an hour in the freezer. Once they are solid you can toss them into freezer bags. Just think, you could be enjoying one of these recipes in the middle of the winter if you freeze some of your melons while they are in season.
Posted in Housekeeping | Leave a comment20 Blogs on How to Host a Chili Cook-Off
May 6, 2013
If you’re trying to plan your next party, why not host a chili cook-off? Chili cook-offs are a fun twist on a typical potluck party, and a little friendly competition is a great way to get everyone mingling. You can also do chili cook-offs when you’re tailgating or if you’re having a big watch party for your favorite sports team. In the 20 blog entries below you can find tips for creating invitations, rules and scoring, side dishes and chili recipes. Add some drinks and you have a party!
Invitations
The informal nature of a chili cook-off allows you to use whatever kind of invitation that you want. Gather up your friends and their secret chili recipes, then invite some impartial judges over to sample each batch. Evites are the perfect way to invite a big group of people, and if you’re doing a block party in the neighborhood you might want to post flyers on your street. For invitation or flyer ideas, check out these five blog posts.
- How to Host a Chili Cook-Off Party You can download invitations and helpful information about hosting a cook-off from this blog.
- It’s Almost Time… Go paperless with this invitation idea.
- Chili Cook-Off Invitations These are the perfect chili cook-off invitations – they’re easy to have printed and require very little effort on your part.
- First Annual Chili King Cook-Off! Take a look at this chili cook-off flyer; it’s perfect for a neighborhood cook-off.
- Chili Cook-Off Flyer This blogger shares an idea on how you can make your own flyer for a chili cook-off.
Rules and Scoring
Don’t get too stressed out about the rules and the scoring. Remember that it’s all in fun and that you are just getting together with friends to have a good time. Whether you’re making it official with score cards or just swapping favorites with friends, it’s sure to be a good time! For those that want some rules and scoring sheets, you can find them in the five blog entries here.
- Spice Up a Little Competition at Your Next Party by Hosting a Chili Cook-Off! Learn some rules and guidelines from this blog post.
- Chili Cook-Off! Check out the clever score sheet on this blog entry.
- How to Host a Chili Cook-Off Download a score sheet from this blog article and get some tips about how to get started.
- Chili Cook-Off Ideas Take a look at the rules that this blogger has laid out and see if you like her ideas.
- How to Host a Chili Cook-Off! There’s a downloadable score sheet on this post, along with a bunch of general ideas for your cook-off.
Sides
Chili can get kind of spicy, so providing some sides that cool down the palate might be a good idea. If you want to go the traditional route, try serving up some corn bread. You can also throw together a salad or provide some crackers to cleanse the palate between tastings if you want. These five blog articles will give you some more ideas about side dishes.
- Spice Up a Little Competition at Your Next Party by Hosting a Chili Cook-Off! This post suggests serving mini cornbread muffins with your chili.
- How to Host a Neighborhood Cook-Off You can find ideas for snacks and appetizers to include with your chili in this article.
- Chili Cook-Off Party This blogger has some insightful ideas for sides to offer at your cook-off.
- Jodhpuri Aloo Recipe/ Easy Side Dish Recipes Make some baby potatoes to eat with the chili.
- Warm Artichoke & Parmesan Dip Try this creamy dip to cool down your taste buds between chili tastings.
Chili Recipes
You may have your own favorite chili recipe, but in case you don’t or you want to provide your guests with different chili choices, here are five blogs with different chili recipes. Feel free to tweak these recipes and make them your own for the cook-off.
- Newfangled Cowtown White Chicken Chili for Labor Day Enjoy this recipe for white chicken chili.
- Chili Cook-Off Be a fly on the wall and check out the recipe for this blogger’s entry into a chili cook-off.
- Top 4 Chili Recipes See if any of these recipes inspire you to enter a cook-off.
- Take the Chill Off with Chili If you like to see your spoon stand up in your bowl of chili, this is the recipe for you!
- Vegetarian Chili Recipe Just in case you have any vegetarians in the bunch, here’s a chili that everyone can try.
How to Find the Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes
April 30, 2013
Chain restaurants have a very good reason for their overwhelming popularity: great food! Unfortunately, a troubling economic climate can make it difficult for large families to justify eating out on a regular basis, regardless of how strong cravings can get. Thankfully, an entire community of foodies has sprung up around the concept of copycat cooking, in which famous restaurant dishes and high-end foods are replicated with a startling degree of accuracy. The next time you find yourself battling a craving for expensive dishes from your favorite restaurant, these ideas can help you figure out how to make it yourself.
Check Out Dedicated Food Blogs
If there’s an interest group for a particular subject, there’s a section of the blogosphere dedicated to the community. Copycat recipes are no exception, and there is a staggering number of cooking blogs that deal only in replications of famous foods. After you’ve dedicated a bit of time to locating your favorites amongst the crowd, you’ll find that seeking out a particular recipe is far easier. You may even find ideas for meals that you wouldn’t ordinarily think of, especially those from restaurants that don’t have locations in your area. An added bonus of finding copycat recipes through food blogs is the ability to peruse the comments of both the blogger and readers to determine how accurate a recipe is before you get down to work. The comments section is also a reliable source of hints, tips and tricks for improving a recipe or bringing it closer to the original.
Visit Major Recipe Websites
In addition to the dazzling array of food blogs dedicated to copycat recipes, the Internet is also home to a large selection of recipe websites. While some admin-updated sites will include the occasional copycat recipe, your best bets are those that allow submissions from the community. Don’t forget that there are also websites built around the copycat concept, most of which offer a selection of recipes as an attempt to promote eBooks or paid memberships. Before you shell out money for online subscriptions, it’s a good idea to try out a few of the sample recipes to check for accuracy.
Hit Your Local Book Store
Though modern technology steers most people to their computers or smartphone in order to obtain new information, there’s still something to be said for a good, old-fashioned book store. Hit the cooking section of your local chain or independent store and browse the shelves; you’re sure to find a hefty selection of copycat cookbooks nestled among the other offerings. Don’t be afraid to approach the retail associates if you can’t find a particular book, as they may be able to help you locate it or can order a copy for you.
Browse Pinterest
Pinterest became an almost overnight sensation, with early adopters waiting weeks to receive their invitations. While Pinterest is officially dedicated to the collection of anything that strikes a Pinner’s fancy, the vast majority of the content is dedicated to recipes, cooking tips and homemaker’s hints. Sifting through cooking and recipe boards is a great way to find not only new and exciting original recipes, but also a selection of copycat recipes perfected by bloggers and Pinners themselves. It’s wise to save surfing Pinterest for a relatively slow day, however, because the sheer volume of interesting hints and tips can be quite distracting and could potentially eat up a large chunk of your time.
When you locate the recipes you’re looking for, don’t be afraid to experiment or tweak the directions until your dishes are satisfactory. Remember, many copycat recipes are the result of experimentation in the home kitchen. If you’re fortunate enough to have a back-of-the-house restaurant cook in your extended network of friends, family and acquaintances, it’s also a smart move to ask for their guidance. Even if they work for a company that won’t allow them to disclose exact recipes, they may be able to give you a general idea to start working around.
Posted in Housekeeping | Leave a comment15 Ways to Keep Weeds from Growing in Your Garden
April 28, 2013
Cultivating and maintaining a garden, whether ornamental or edible, can be a relaxing and rewarding hobby. Watching plants that you’ve nurtured and carefully chosen begin to thrive in your garden is a joy, but there are some unwelcome guests that are eager to crash your garden party. Weeds are persistent and difficult to get rid of, and can spoil the look of an ornamental garden altogether. These 15 tips can help you keep the weeds at bay.
- Remove Weeds as They Appear – It’s tempting to put off the chore of weeding until the weekend, but a few days of growth can give those weeds quite a foothold. Remove them as they appear to maintain some semblance of control.
- Install Black Plastic Under Topsoil – A layer of black plastic under topsoil that you’ve brought in can prevent weeds in your lawn from growing into flower beds and vegetable gardens. Just be sure that you supply plenty of soil to support healthy root growth of the plants you want.
- Apply Mulch – Mulch is a gardener’s best friend. It helps to retain moisture, prevent soil erosion and block weed growth.
- Use Intensive Planting Methods – Choosing plants that are tolerant to crowding and planting them close together will make it difficult for weeds to thrive, as there won’t be enough space for their root systems.
- Apply Herbicides – If you’re not planning to eat anything from your garden, commercially-available chemical herbicides can kill weeds. There are some herbicides that can be used on vegetable gardens, but you should be sure to check the labels carefully.
- Use Weed-Free Soil – Bringing in bagged soil is a great alternative when the existing soil isn’t ideal for gardening, but you should always make sure that you’re choosing sterilized soil that’s clearly marked as “weed free.”
- Make Cover Crops Work for You – Cover crops like clover and vetch can act as a natural barrier against weeds, preventing their growth altogether.
- Install a Drip Irrigation System – While a sprinkler provides much-needed water to everything in your garden, including the weeds, a drip irrigation system will only water the plants that you want to grow. In dry climates, this can be quite effective at preventing weed growth.
- Use a Weed Prevention Product – There are chemical weed prevention products on the market that come in granule form that will stop weeds from germinating. They may not be ideal for all gardens, but they’re effective.
- Look for Double-Duty Products – Some fertilizers also contain chemicals that inhibit weed growth. Choosing products that do double duty will reduce the amount of work you have to do while supporting a healthy, weed-free garden.
- Prevent Seeding – A weed that seeds on the other side of your lawn can cause growth in the garden, as many seeds are carried on the wind and can move quite a distance. Be on the lookout for weeds in other parts of your property and remove them.
- Compost Carefully – When you compost for fertilizer, the temperature of your compost heap may not be high enough to kill any weed seeds in the mixture. Make sure that you’re not introducing weeds to the compost heap by tossing them in as you pull them out of the ground.
- Mind the Gaps – Just as a weed yards away from your garden can cause trouble, so can those pesky ones that grow in the gaps of walkways. Sprinkling a healthy dose of baking soda, salt or even borax can kill those weeds, preventing their proliferation throughout your garden.
- Know What You’re Dealing With – A weed is really just a plant that’s growing where you don’t want it to, which encompasses a wide range of plant life. Knowing the specific type of weeds that you’re battling can help you tailor your approach accordingly, so read up on your weeds.
- Watch for Hitchhikers – Potted plants from a garden center or nursery are much more convenient than those you start from seed, but weeds can take root in those pots, too. Be sure that anything you transplant is something you want, and avoid the introduction of undesirable shoots that might be lurking on the perimeter of the pot.
Posted in Housekeeping | Leave a comment
24 Blogs with Ways to Use Mod Podge to Create Upcycled Treasures
April 24, 2013
Mod Podge is a liquid that can be used to glue, protect and seal projects with various mediums, such as dressing up the top of a wooden cabinet by mod podging old postcards onto it. This works especially well if the top of the cabinet was damaged because the postcards can cover up the problem. Mod Podge can also be used with fabric for wearable art or for bags. While paper and home decorating are probably the most common places to use Mod Podge, the possibilities are endless. Check out these 24 blog entries showing inventive ways to use Mod Podge to upcycle things you may already have around the house.
Wood
Use Mod Podge on wooden items to dress up something plain or to cover up something that has been damaged. Furniture that seems like it has outlasted its usefulness can be dressed up with some paint and Mod Podge for some renewed life. Old wooden bracelets can be transformed into fun new arm candy. Even garage sale picture frames can be upcycled using a little Mod Podge. Take a look at these six blog posts for other ideas.
- DIY Mod Podge Wood Bracelets
- Upcycle Picture Frame to Ottoman Tray
- Before and After Wood Wine Box
- Painted & Vintage Wallpaper Mod Podged Wood Cubbies
- Upcycled Jar Hair Station
- Upcycle Wooden Blocks/ Plaque for Family
Fabric
Turn trash to treasure by covering items you have lying around the house with fabric. This craft costs very little and requires minimal effort. Take an old shoebox and turn it into a decorative storage box. Create a conversation starter using an old bottle. Can’t stand that old tin trash can? Take some fabric and decorate it to make it coordinate with the rest of the room. You can even take an ugly old pair of shoes and upcycle them with fabric and Mod Podge to create a fashionable new pair. These projects and others can be found in these six blog articles.
- How to Upcycle a Shoebox
- DIY Mod Podge Valentine Pendant Necklace
- Up Cycle Fabric Covered Bottle
- Upcycled Tin Trash Can- Mod Podge to the Rescue!
- Upcycled Easter Baskets
- Upcycle: Houndstooth Shoes
Paper
Look around your house or at garage sales for items that have seen better days. With a little spray paint, paper and Mod Podge what’s old can be new again. Not only will it be new, but you can match it perfectly to your room. Find some outdated metal yard ornaments and give them a new life with a few coats of spray paint, some Mod Podge and paper. Cover up flaws on an old dresser to give it a whole new look. Crafters can never have enough storage for supplies; make tin cans into storage for pens, markers, glue and other crafty things. These six blog posts will help you come up with some crafty ways to upcycle.
- Upcycled Wallpaper Butterfly Magnets
- How to Make an Upcycled Paperweight
- Tin Can Lid Upcycling Project for Valentine’s Day
- Night Stand Upcycle with Mod Podge and a Gift Bag
- Upcycled Craft Storage from Tin Cans…
- DIY Upcycled Filing Cabinet
Home Décor
Where in your home can you add an extra touch of pattern? Take something dull, like a light switch cover or a lamp shade, and get out the Mod Podge. You can transform something boring into a real piece of art. Maps are free, and with all of the changes that happen to the roads they often become obsolete, making them perfect for upcycling something like coasters or bowls. Take a look at these six blog entries and see if something inspires you to get crafty.
- Beachy Vignette- {Craft Goodies}
- My World is My Oyster, and Platter, and Dish…
- DIY Map Coasters
- Vintage Map Lampshade
- May in June
- Switch Plate Switch-Up
18 Blogs with Recommendations for the Easiest Houseplants to Grow
April 22, 2013
If you suffer from allergies, one of the easiest things you can do to improve the air quality in your home is buy some houseplants. Even people who think they suffer from a black thumb instead of a green one can find success in cultivating a thriving plant; you just have to find the right plants for your lifestyle. These 18 blog posts review and explain the different types of easy-to-grow houseplants you can bring into your home. Some plants, like the one known as the Cast-Iron plant, are considered indestructible! Whether you opt for flowering plants or cacti, the wide variety of plants available mean that you’re sure to find the perfect one for your home.
Flowering
There are many different flowering houseplants, but orchids are largely regarded as one of the most beautiful. You may be thinking that an orchid would be too difficult to care for, but if you start out with the right plant, it’s fairly easy to do. The following six blog entries cover different flowering plants that are great contenders for easy-to-grow indoor houseplants.
- Easy Care Flowering Houseplants Several houseplants are listed in this blog article, with one of the most beautiful being the African violet.
- Piggyback Plant: a Fun, Easy Houseplant These fuzzy leafed plants are easy to propagate because new plantlets “piggyback” on top of the other leaves and can be planted to create more plants.
- My Favorite Houseplant: Streptocarpella Saxorum While the name may be an odd one, this plant doesn’t require a lot of light and blooms year-round, which is rare in a houseplant.
- Go Green with Easy-to-Grow Indoor Plants This cast-iron plant is appropriately named because it’s tough to kill.
- Moth Orchids—Easy to Grow Houseplants Nothing beats the elegance of an orchid, and the Moth orchid is the easiest of these beauties to grow.
- Three Easy-to-Grow Houseplants The Cyclamen has a gorgeous bloom and is a real show-stopper.
Green and Gorgeous
Green plants add life to a home. If you live in a space that doesn’t get a lot of direct sunlight, try buying plants that require more shade than sun. Low light houseplants that are simple to grow are a great option for brightening up spaces both big and small. Take a look at these six blog articles for more information.
- The 15 Easiest Indoor House Plants that Won’t Die on You Probably the easiest plant to grow is the Pathos with its variegated green and white leaves. This plant is very forgiving, even when it’s been neglected.
- Houseplants That Are Easy to Grow There are several plants mentioned in this blog article, one funny one being the Rubber Plant. While it’s not really made of rubber, it is hard to kill.
- Easy to Grow House Plants Do you hate flies? Well you might want to bring a few Sarracenias into your home. This plant literally eats the flies, making it the perfect in-home pest control.
- Easiest Houseplants Ever Looking for something interesting and easy to care for? Try a hydro plant!
- The 5 Easiest Houseplants to Grow Check out the Spider plant listed on this blog article; it’s not only easy to care for, it will be fun for the kids to look at and they can learn how to grow more of them.
- Attractive and Pet-Friendly Houseplants If you have four-legged friends running around your home you will need to be careful with the types of houseplants you have because some are toxic to pets. This blog article mentions the Blue Echeveria as being a good pet-friendly choice.
A Little Prickly
Cacti, succulents and other plants like these can be a little prickly, so if you have small children you might want to make sure that these plants are kept out of their reach. The Christmas cactus does not have spines like a normal cactus, making it a more kid-friendly option. If you have older children, these plants might be something the kids can try to grow in their own rooms since they don’t need water very often. For more tips on easy to grow plants, read through these six blog entries.
- House Plants, Flowers in Small Pots Flowering Cacti are simple to grow if planted in the right potting mix.
- Gardening: 10 Best Low-Light Houseplants One of the houseplants listed in this post is called the Snake Plant, or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue; this plant acquired its name because of its sharp leaves. This plant probably isn’t a great choice for a home with small children, but they are simple to grow.
- Christmas Cactus Care This cactus will bloom beautifully in the winter if given the right environment.
- Living Mistletoe Cactus for the Holidays This plant is so simple to grow it doesn’t even need soil.
- Easy to Grow Houseplant: The Jade Plant Best grown in dry conditions, this succulent plant can live so long that you may have to put it in your will!
- Houseplants—Rebutia Cacti Read more about this South American cactus in this blog entry.
Now that you’ve seen how many house plants can be grown without a lot of work from you, which one are you going to bring home?
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