CasaSugar

Garden Therapy: Winter Tips

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:15:49 -0800

Since snow and ice don't make for a successful garden, most of us have to resort to satisfying our green thumb through nurturing indoor plants and kitchen window herb gardens in the Winter. To make the most of your Winter plants, try these indoor gardening tips.

Indoor plants will turn to follow the light, so you should rotate an indoor plant to encourage proper growth. Otherwise, your plant will likely lean to one side.
Concerned that your plant isn't getting enough light this Winter? If your plant has small leaves, thinner stems than usual, and its color is lighter than it has been in the Summer months, it is likely light-deficient. Try moving it closer to a window.
Another option is to supplement natural sunlight with artificial lighting, such as with a table lamp.

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Before and After: My Garden's Blooming!

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 05:30:36 -0700

A while ago, I showed you how to build a garden box and plant it.

Here's how my garden first looked after I planted seeds and seedlings in it.

To see how it's growing, read more.

It's definitely taking off! I had to add a trellis to support some vining cucumbers and peas, and will have to add more supports for my vining plants soon.

While this garden may look chaotic, I've found that planting a variety of veggies and herbs and flowers in one space has a number of advantages. First, you can group more plants into a small space, depending on whether they're growing up (peas) out (squash) or down (beets). Also, by mixing up plants, there's less of a chance of them all getting attacked by insects or a disease. And finally, when I pull up a row of beets or cut off a head of lettuce, I can immediately put in another seedling or row of seeds to replace that part of the garden that's been used.

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Garden Therapy: Egglings

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:00:36 -0700

Too darn cute. Egglings ($9.50) are handmade ceramic pieces that look like large eggs. Use a spoon to crack it, and instead of finding a hardboiled egg, you'll be presented with a garden just waiting to grow. It couldn't be easier: just water the soil, put it in a sunny spot (such as a kitchen window), and wait for it to grow. You can transplant the plants to the garden once they get bigger. You can choose from a set of herbals, which includes basil, mint, and thyme, or edibles, which includes lavender, spicy pepper, and wild strawberry. Each set of three comes in a handmade gift box with an extra seed pack and terra cotta tray. This would be a great gift for a small space or aspiring gardener.

DIY: Grow an Herb Garden Indoors

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:00:08 -0700

Want an easy way to get into gardening? Then try an indoor herb garden!

Supplies:

1 large container with 20-inch diameter (plastic or clay, with a drainage hole)
1 saucer to fit container
Certified organic potting soil mix
Herb plants
Gravel or screen mesh
Certified organic fertilizer

To learn the steps, read more.

Here's how, compiled from Beautyjust4you and GardenGuides:

Choose a location for your garden that gets at least 5 hours of sun a day, preferably near a Southern or Western window.
To keep the soil from coming out of your container's drainage hole, cover it loosely with some gravel or screen mesh.
Sit your pot in a saucer to catch the drainage.
Fill your pot with 2/3 organic potting soil mix.
For better selection and advice, go to a nursery that specializes in herbs to buy your plants.
Choose herbs that need similar amounts of sunlight (i.e., rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, and oregano all need 5-6 hrs.)
Place the taller herbs (i.e. rosemary) in the center of your pot, and the others around the sides. Place them at about the same depth they were growing in their nursery pots.
While planting, gently loosen the soil around each root ball.
Fill the pot with more soil, to about 2 inches from the top.
Give them a good first watering, but don't overwater them or let them stand in a saucer full of water.
Soak once or twice a week, and allow the soil to dry out before watering again.
Feed your garden once a month with a bit of organic fertilizer.
Your herbs should be ready for use in a few weeks. Always clip the outer leaves only as you need them, leaving plenty of growth on the plant.
To maintain your indoor garden long-term, repot it once a year, and renew your annual herbs (i.e. basil, dill, fennel, mint, parsley, rosemary, coriander).
Check out my post to read about five easy herbs to start your garden.

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Enjoy Garden Herbs Year-Round

CasaSugar — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:45:34 -0700

Like many other gardeners, I've enjoyed the convenience of stepping onto my deck to pick sage, basil, marjoram, parsley, and many other herbs throughout the summer. These herbs were a great addition to salads and entrées, and left my tastebuds humming throughout many a meal.

As the temperature drops across the country, some gardeners may have already resigned themselves to giving up their herbs until next spring. But I'm here to tell you that you don't have to!

If you already have herbs in your garden, then you can transfer them indoors for the fall and winter. According to Lighter Footsteps, mint, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and chives all have a great chance to make it indoors.

To find out how to transplant your herbs, just read more

Mix equal parts commercial potting soil, sand, and peat moss.
Transfer the healthiest-lookng herbs to pots, while being gentle with the plants' roots.
Store the pots in a shaded, protected area, such as a porch or garage.
Give your herbs one to two weeks to adjust to the reduction in heat and sunlight before bringing them indoors part-time.
After another week or two, the herbs will be ready to stay inside for the rest of the fall and winter.
Keep potted herbs where they'll get plenty of light, but make sure that they aren't by any heating ducts or major appliances.
Water regularly, but make sure not to overwater.
Enjoy fresh herbs in your winter meals, even if there's snow falling outside your kitchen window!

Garden Stakes With Style

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:19:14 -0700

One reason I like having a garden is because it gives me another excuse to buy accessories, and lately, I've been dying to get my hands on these very stylish garden stakes. Some of them, like these Nina Gibson Designs Herb Garden Plant Markers ($20, above right), actually serve a purpose.

Others are purely decorative or unabashedly cheeky, with messages like "Grow Dammit." I've found all sorts of stake styles to add some style to your garden. To find your favorite, click on the photos below.

Do You Have an Herb Garden?

CasaSugar — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 04:00:55 -0700

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Name This Herb

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:00:00 -0700

Wouldn't it be nice if you could snip a sprig of mint for your afternoon tea from your own kitchen? Well, ya can. You don't have to have a green thumb to grow an herb garden. A simple group of plants to manage, they are easy to plant, maintain, and water. You can even plant them in your kitchen window and they'll not only look nice, but smell nice! But, would you know how to spot them? Take my quiz and see if you know your herbs.

Question 1 of 5

Which herb makes fish dishes delish?

Five Easy Herbs to Start Your Garden

CasaSugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 08:23:48 -0700

I know that many of you wish you had an herb garden, and luckily, they are very easy to get going. For real beginners, iVillage has rounded up five very easy herbs to grow in your garden.

Not only will these durable plants require very little maintenance, but they're also herbs that show up commonly in recipes. Now, rather than buying big bunches of herbs and watching them go bad, you can just snip off your own supply. For the five good beginner herbs, read more

Basil differs from many popular herbs in its preference for moist, rich soil conditions. It's a summer-growing annual and is frost-sensitive.
Cilantro, or coriander, a pungent herb of tropical Asian origin, is related to parsley. It requires warmth and plenty of water in the summer growing season. The plant tends to run to seed, so make sure you buy a nonbolting variety.
Mint is a flavoring herb with many varieties, tastes, and aromas. Popular varieties include apple, spearmint, and peppermint. Mint spreads profusely, so keep the plants contained.
Oregano and marjoram are very similar and are often confused: Marjoram is the milder tasting of the two. Use either one in stuffings or in dishes with a Mediterranean flavor. Golden and variegated forms are useful ground covers.
Sage, particularly common sage, is a major culinary herb, but most other members of the Salvia family have cosmetic uses.

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Do You Grow Herbs Indoors in the Winter?

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:15:35 -0800

When I lived in the snowy Midwest, I always kept a kitchen window herb garden during the Winter, and also grew alfalfa sprouts in a jar. Having something green in such a snowy part of the year kept my spirits up, and also added flavor to my cooking. Do you grow herbs or other edibles indoors in the Winter?

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