CasaSugar

10 Fall Tasks For Gardeners

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:49 -0700

Before snow flies or torrential rain falls, there are some chores that gardeners should tend to so that everything will be shipshape next Spring.

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How-To: House Backyard Chickens in Style

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:00:24 -0700

My friend Beth, who I've known since high school, recently started a blog to update her friends and family on her latest domestic adventure - raising backyard chickens. Since Beth never does anything halfway, she and her husband Craig built a chicken coop that is super cute and matches their 1922 Craftsman home.

She writes, "I paid my way through college 10 years ago raising and killing chickens and also had laying hens. I wanted to get another batch of layers, but was resigned because a) we have a teeny tiny backyard; and b) my husband isn't much of a farmer."

However, all was not lost. Beth notes, "This spring, I convinced the man who drank a case of Diet Mountain Dew each week when we met (he has thankfully kicked the habit since) to build raised beds and start an organic garden. I gave up on the idea of having chickens, but he took up the cause and was convinced we could fit a small coop next to the garden."

To find out more about Beth and Craig's chicken-raising adventure, and to see how well their chicken coop matches their home, read more.

"We bought our chicks on July 9th and went on Seattle Tilth's coop tour the following weekend," reports Beth. "Craig took lots of photos and took all the best ideas from the coops we saw for his own design. Some materials were recycled: he salvaged the window and built the window box out of scraps we had from this and other projects. The coop is painted to match our house, white trim and all. Craig thinks the finished product took about 100 hours to build. It's a little over the top, but that's my husband. (By the way, not only has he stopped drinking Mountain Dew, but he's off all high fructose corn syrup and is quite the label reader. Weird. Now he's all about organic veggies and can't wait for the hens to start laying.)"

I have total chicken coop envy now, and I'm also envious of Beth's hubby's building skills. What a great coop! You can keep up with Beth and Craig's chicken adventures on Beth's blog. In the meantime, check out the gallery to see images of the decoupaged interior of the coop, as well as the coop's perfect match to their Craftsman.

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Nice and New: Gardener's Fall Finds

CasaSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:15:15 -0700

Vermont-based gardening company Gardener's is one of my absolute favorite resources for gardening and landscaping supplies and advice. I recently received its Fall catalog in the mail, and I was impressed with all of the great Fall-related gardening finds that are currently available through the retailer.

I'm totally coveting this Orchard Rack ($99.95). It's the perfect way to store "keeper" crops such as apples, Winter squash, onions, and potatoes. Set up the rack in a cool, dark space such as a shed, basement, or cellar, and you'll be able to preserve your Summer harvest without canning or freezing for months to come. It's also great for drying herbs.

I've also rounded up some of my other favorite Gardener's products for Fall, including insulated rubber boots, leaf buckets, and more. Check them out below.

Garden Therapy: Hearty Plants For the Black of Thumb

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0700

If you're hopeless with plants, don't resort to plastic potted palms. Try succulents instead. These low-maintenance plants seem to flourish with a lack of attention. Forget to water them for a month? Don't worry, they'll survive. They're also easy to propagate. Instructables has an easy set of instructions on how to start new succulents from cuttings. Even the blackest of black thumb gardeners should be able to do it.

Like the look of this planter? Find out how to assemble it here.

Garden Therapy: Shake and Bake Bugs

CasaSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:30:06 -0700

Diatomaceous earth (aka, DE) is a naturally occurring, soft, chalklike sedimentary rock that is made from tiny, fossilized water plants and can be easily crumbled into a powder. In its powder form, DE dehydrates an insect's exoskeleton, killing them, so it makes a great nontoxic pesticide. You can disperse DE around your garden to protect your plants. To do so, fill a large spice shaker with it and dust it around the soil of your plants. Try Earthworks Health to order diatomaceous earth and a dispenser, if you need one.

Garden Therapy: Ethel Rose Glove

CasaSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:30:15 -0700

Just because you're getting dirty doesn't mean you can't look your best. Made of snag-resistant, two-way stretch spandex and a rubberized grip with reinforced fingertips, and available in a range of chic patterns, Ethel gloves bring fashion, function, and protection to your gardening routine. Better yet, they're machine washable! Ethel has debuted a limited-edition glove, the Rose Glove ($32), in warm gold with a buttery yellow delicate lace pattern, which is as elegant as it is essential. The glove has an extended gauntlet cuff to keep your arm protected and a convenient storage pouch for odds and ends. And right now, when you enter the code 09STYLE at checkout, you'll receive 10 percent off all new products.

Cool Idea: A Shoe Organizer as a Vertical Garden

CasaSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:30:28 -0700

Vertical gardens are a great choice for those of you who are space-conscious. But, unless you want to pony up for a Living Wall system or the like, they can be complicated and costly to build on your own. So, I was pleased to find a vertical garden made using an over-the-door shoe organizer on Instructables. Aside from the actual soil and seeds, the installation requires only a few household supplies (curtain rod, hooks, a piece of wood, and a trough) and takes only four steps to build. While I'm not sure about how long the fabric would last, it's still a pretty clever solution to a small-space dilemma.

Casa Quickie: Contain Yourself

CasaSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:00:03 -0700

I know that many Casa readers are trying their hands at container gardening this Summer. Container gardening is a great option for those of us who live in urban areas or don't have any yard space. However, your soil requirements are a little different for containers than they are for regular garden plots. To get the most bang for your container buck, use soil that is light, well-drained, and retains moisture. You can specifically ask for a container mix at your local gardening store, or make your own blend using vermiculite or perlite, finished compost, and sphagnum moss. Want more tips? Check out Gardener's Supply's container gardening page.

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How-To: Create a Simple and Elegant Patio Garden

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:41 -0700

Short on space? That's no reason to forego a garden. This homeowner took advantage of a nook to create a container garden that's both soothing and elegant.
If you have a similar space that could benefit from a bit of greenery, start with beautiful pottery. Since this will be a container garden, your containers should be coordinated or complementary, since all eyes will be on the containers as well as the plants. Choose plants depending on how much light the space receives, but make sure they're no-fuss, low-maintenance plants. Succulents are a great choice. You can also add visual interest by playing with height and dimension. Try some fast-growing bamboo to train eyes upwards.

For my suggestions for simple patio containers, read more.

14" Toulon Planter - $69.00	Blue Glazed Planter - $14.95
Octagon Urn Fountain - $259.00	Cloisters Tabletop Greenhouses - $228.00
"Tuscany" Pedestal - $120.00	Weston Planters, Square - $99.00
French Country Herb Trio (3-pc.) by Garden at Home - $19.95	"Acanthus" Urn & Pedestal - $125.00

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Do You Nap in Your Backyard?

CasaSugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:15:13 -0700

With warm, sunny weather tempting many of us, it's hard to stay inside. And after a few hours of gardening, it might be hard to resist a nap in the grass. Just don't forget your sunscreen!

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