CasaSugar

Name This Houseplant

CasaSugar — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:00:59 -0800

Helxine soleirolii, an old-fashioned houseplant with tiny, round leaves, also has a more common (and very poetic!) name. This two-word name is related the crying of irritable infants. Can you fill in the blank with the full name? Hexine soleirolii is also known as: Baby _________

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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Casa Quickie: Basil Starters, the Cheap and Easy Way

CasaSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:45:03 -0700

The next time you buy a batch of basil at the grocery store or farmer's market, don't throw away the stems! Leave a few leaves on any basil cutting that is 3 to 5 inches long. Then, pinch off the flowers on the top of the basil, cut a clean, angled end on the basil, and stick it in some water. Place it in a bright location and within a few weeks you should have enough root growth to plant a crop of basil.

Love Shack: Year of Seeds

CasaSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:30:57 -0800

Don't want to send roses this Valentine's Day? Then consider giving that special someone a Year of Seeds ($70). Your favorite gardener can grow a windowsill garden year round with this unique starter kit of easy-to-grow seeds. Simply place the included soil pellets and seeds into the pots, add water, and watch the flowers come to life - one month at a time. Seeds include petunias, marigolds, pansies, lobelia, alyssum, zinnias, impatiens, baby's breath, dianthus, cosmos, poppies, and sweet peas, and come with an earthenware pot featuring an etched illustration of the corresponding flower.

Love Shack: The Heart Garden

CasaSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:00:01 -0800

Pink isn't the only color that you should decorate your Love Shack with this month. In fact, green is my favored choice for sending valentines. The Heart Garden ($10) is the perfect Valentine's Day gift for that green-thumbed friend of yours. Each heart garden contains a heart-shaped container, creeping thyme seed, soil, and granite drainage medium. It's the kind of fun, simple, and reasonably priced present that will keep on giving months from now - and if you live in a harsh Northern climate, it'll be a fun kitchen window gardening project to tide your gardening friend over until the snow melts.

Midday Muse: Indoor Fabric Garden by Ted Baker and JAM

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:39:07 -0700

This indoor fabric garden melds two of my favorite obsessions: sewing and gardening. Part hanging plant, part green art installation, this installation features lovely fabrics and plants, and the hanging containers are fashioned from reused lampshades.

Have you ever tried to make your garden into art?

via Inhabitat

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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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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Cool Idea: A Car Turned Planter

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:32 -0700

I stopped by Flora Grubb the other morning to grab some delicious Ritual coffee and to check out the amazing garden store for inspiration and ideas. Before picking up a gorgeous spear-like Sansaveria, I wandered around the gardens, taking in all of the beautiful plants. I was particularly taken with the way Flora Grubb had reimagined this classic car. I love the way it's been "reclaimed" by nature in a rather Land of the Lost fashion. While this project is definitely more art installation than practical idea for your backyard garden, I do love the idea of creatively reusing unexpected materials as planters. What's around your house that you could re-use as a planter? Could you use an old candelabra to display air plants? How about using cracked bowls as flower pots? Tell me, what have you used around your home as an unexpected garden or indoor-plant vessel?

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Nice and New: Terrain's E-Commerce Site Is Now Live

CasaSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Nearly two years ago, I announced that Urban Outfitters, Inc., was launching a garden site. And earlier this year, when Danny Seo checked it out in person, I was looking for an excuse to head to Philly to see the store for myself. But now, it doesn't look like I'll have to book a ticket for Pennsylvania any time soon, since the gorgeous gardening and lifestyle store has just launched an e-commerce store.

The online shop is filled with all sorts of gorgeous details for glamming up your outdoor space, from hanging lanterns to beautiful potting containers. There's also a variety of indoor furnishings, books, and wellness and spa items. To see my favorites, check out the widget below.