Library Book - A Review

Oh My Goodness

Handmade for the Garden: 75 Ingenious Ways to Enhance Your Outdoor Space with DIY Tools, Pots, Supports, Embellishments, and More, by Susan Guagliumi, published in 2014 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang.

The day I checked out 12 ebooks from the library, this book wasn’t immediately available so I placed it on hold. It was only a few days later I received notification it was loaned out to me! Honestly, at first glance I thought it was going to be all about “Yard Art” - I love creating yard art - but it’s so much more!

It is a fun informative book with nice photos and illustrations! I’m a visual learner, making this aspect a great feature. She shares what has worked for her, and what didn’t (and the why),  when it comes to making functional garden tools, supplies, and treatments for and in the garden.

I never thought about making my own seed tape!
I never thought about creating a “mini” hothouse!
I never thought about simply anchoring milk jugs when using them as a cloches!
I never thought about how easy a Hoop House could be to make!
I never thought about making a dibble!

And all the above (and more) is in just the first chapter!

She’s just started!

Although potted (container) plants take more watering, I loved the fabric pot concept, and the wall pockets, and will have to make some! I’m thrilled I saved all the burlap...

Seriously, who would have thought about making a plant container/pot out of a soaker hose? BRILLIANT!

Right now, I will just make a note her Chapter 3 is about Mosaics. Although beautiful, I just don’t have the time this year. This book will be my go-to if/when time permits.

Now, Chapter 4 is on Cement & Hypertufa! I’d never heard of hypertufa until this book... gardening has a whole other language I’m slowly learning! I’ve never bought any pots other than terra cotta. I know, I’ve lived a sheltered life. No, not really, just never have gotten this “deep” into gardening before!

I’m excited about working with cement and creating it and hypertufa projects! She even recommends doing a web search for “... ideas, recipes, and inspiration.” But then her explanation how to cast leaves is perfect for the upcoming Fairie Garden, not to mention her Fairy house itself!!!

So, mental note to self... this is the go-to chapter for tips, supplies, techniques!

I know with our high winds I’m going to need various supports in the garden. I like the natural look and Chapter 5, Standing Tall, has clever ways/materials for single supports, tripods, and tuteurs.

I’m excited about the same type of suggestions and instructions she gives in Chapter 6, Rustic Trellises, Fences, Arbors & Box Supports. We may not have white cedar or willow she talks about, but our neighbor has a lot of the invasive bamboo I’m certain he’ll be happy to part with!

Off-Season, Chapter 7's Project & Planning is a good reminder to keep good records of what went where.

I’m most grateful Momma kept a journal of sorts about her rose garden! The actual plant markers were lost on some, but I remembered seeing the garden diagram in one of her favorite garden book. When I went to dig up her roses in Dallas when we sold the house, to bring them here, to The Sprott Country Gardens, I was forever grateful to find that special book! I was able to identify which ones were which!  

I need to do the same.

She talks about time-saving tools. I’m already looking around (here and off property) of what I can repurpose to use in the garden. I am training my eye to see things outside the box.

Oh, but then in this final chapter, it was the clincher, the last straw that made me go over to Amazon and purchase this book: creating markers. It’s an Oh My Goodness how clever this is and that is ...

The money I will save utilizing materials I never considered using as plant markers (and I HAVE on hand) just paid for this (used) book! 

Yes. Basically all the different suggestions shown in the book are probably on Pinterest. If I even thought of them to look up, but I get much too distracted by other things and cannot keep focused! I’d rather have a reference book in hand.

I was also impressed by the thorough list of websites “Sources for Supplies” she provided at the end of the book. It too is divided into convenient sections -

cement/hypertufa and mosaic
fabric, cord, and paper goods
metal and wire
natural materials
paint, stencils, and stamps
miscellaneous tools and supplies

She also offers a nice list of Recommended Reading!

Thank You!

Yes. This is a keeper.


NOTE TO SELF: Find the roll of 1" wide heavyweight copper originally purchased for making custom cookie cutters and repurpose its purpose to engrave for plant markers! It’s somewhere around here, I know it is!

Library Book - A Review (YUCK YUCK YUCK)

Goodness gracious... if only I could slam shut my kindle!

I CANNOT / DO NOT recommend this book! Ecological Gardening, Your Safe Path to a Healthy, Beautiful Garden by Marjorie Harris, Random House Canada, 2009

From the beginning, its introduction, then the first few pages of Chapter 1 is just too negative for me. I don’t want to be lectured. If it were a “real” book rather than on my kindle I would have slammed it shut. I won’t even waste my time or bandwidth to fetch a picture of the book’s cover to share.

I know I want natural, organic, pure as possible methods of gardening... the author may have some interesting points further on, but I can’t get past the sour taste in my mouth she’s already left.

Too many other authors to explore.

Moving on to the next library book for a positive experience from page one. That is, after I go listen to the soothing-to-my-soul rain to shake off the negativity!

Library Book - A Review

Oh. My. Goodness. The book, Understanding Garden Design, The Complete Handbook for Aspiring Designers by Vanessa Gardner Nagel, APLD, Timber Press, Portland-London, 2010, is a KEEPER!!!

I have added it to my Amazon’s wish list. It will be added to my physical bookshelf someday soon! When I say it’s a KEEPER, she provides so much information worth utilizing long after the design and planning is over... to incorporate in all aspects of living.

When I started reading it, I quickly decided to take notes, as if I were preparing for an exam. After the first few days of note taking, I woke up the next morning and couldn’t use my right thumb for two days! I can’t do that anymore.

It is by-far a study book on deciding “Who’s on first?” how to assess and record, measuring and documenting, making the hard decisions between need/desire, the microclimates, working with Mother Nature, providing double (triple) duty, and drawing different diagrams.

The basic design elements (really of everything/anything)...

Color (hue, value, and intensity) in using the color wheel/harmonies taught me so much I’ve never considered before.

Line, Shape, Form, and Space... goodness gracious... it all makes sense how she explains things.

Have you ever thought about -

proportion and scale, mass, focal point or emphasis, repetition and rhythm, movement, sequence or transition, texture, variety, contrast, balance, unity, and time.  

She explains them all very nicely!

And then she points out even more aspects that affect garden design...

Function    *    Fragrance     *     Serendipity

I found the “Plants: A Structural Perspective” chapter particularly informative. I need to move on past - plant one type of thing and move on to another area to plant one singular other plant - mode of thinking and plant more group style, mass planting. Although she writes about the concept “thrillers, spillers, and fillers” not being a new concept, I’ve never heard of it until reading her book! Basically they are...
  
   Thrillers - bold plants that are focal points
   Spillers - plants that creeps, falls, and overflows
   Fillers - less defined plants that are frothy and airy

But of course, she describes them in much more detail - with PICTURES! Good deal! Exactly what I need!

Another. Oh. My. Goodness.

Who would have thought... using plants as punctuation! See, this is a prime example why I want this book in my hands (off the bookshelf) for future reference! She talks about them all (and gives examples)!

Periods - Commas - Exclamation Points - Question Marks - Semicolons - Colons - Parentheses
It makes perfectly totally sense!

I appreciate her chapter on plant and leaf shapes. I know I need to learn what would go with and complement one another. It’s in her section on “The Planting Plan” she continues her hypothetical garden design plan and incorporates the punctuation concept. That might not have made any sense, but I’ll know exactly where to go once I have the actual book in my hands!

Then there is a lot of valuable information about lights in the garden. Maybe someday we’ll have garden lighting but I feel certain it will be by the way of solar (or wind) energy rather than electricity. Although I tried, I just couldn’t skim through this chapter covering all the different aspects to consider - the reasons, various types and styles, and the effect lighting placement will bring. Oh, and when I saw the gabion wall, that led me to doing further research how to construct such a wall! We have the rock, that’s for sure!

Because I AM the contractor - not to mention the laborer doing the actual work - I did skip most of the chapter “Working with Contractors” but it may be just what another reader needs to know. It did give me a bit of 'what comes first' organizing.

And, a great way to end this lovely book, this gold mine of information, her last chapter gives great ideas for having people out and about in the garden... either via an open garden or a garden party!

For me, it will be a grand day in the garden - when I can share it with others...

Harvesting Rainwater

23 Awesome DIY Rainwater Harvesting Systems You Can Build at Home

Right now I have a wheelbarrow sitting out in the front and back yards. Last week’s rain filled them both up nicely! I know using wheelbarrows are not an efficient method, not to mention ruining the metal wheelbarrows, causing them to rust. Oh, and something I wouldn’t dare do during the summer when it’s mosquito season. I’m sure the mosquitoes could breed now, but I haven’t noticed any buzzing around.

Anyway! I want to harvest the precious rainwater. It’s another aspect I need to incorporate within the garden plan/design. I would like several, mini catchments if you will, with a faucet on each to either attach a hose, or simply fill up a watering can, saving steps to where I need to water, saving from dragging a garden hose from the front of the house to wherever.

I’m so exited to be joining the San Saba Garden Club tomorrow! From what I’ve learned from friends already members, they have amazing programs!

This first meeting - January - just happens to be on harvesting rainwater!!! Perfect timing!

Momma is joining the club as well! I’m picking her up tomorrow and we’re heading to San Saba! We both are extremely ready to get going!

I’m reading what I can today, jotting down any questions I might want to ask tomorrow!

Oh, and getting my mini notebook ready to take notes!

Library Book - A Review

The Backyard Homestead, Book of Building Projects, by Spike Carlsen, Storey Publishing

Chapter 1 - “Tools, Materials, and Skills”

The author gives a brief synopsis on the different tools and their uses, safety measure reminders, and lots and lots of “Take Note” which was the same thing as “tips”... great advice!

I especially appreciated the information provided in the “Lifting and Moving Heavy Stuff” section - great tips and reminders!

Chapter 2 - “For the Garden”

Several projects are detailed that are informative, however not something I’m interested in doing in the garden. I did pay attention to the “Drip Irrigation Basics” project because it’s the type of watering system I plan on using. Since I’ve never used drip irrigation before, I found the information helpful. Oh, and he even explains how to take care of the system before winter sets in with below freezing temps!

I like his ideas for “Simple Hose Guides.” I hate dragging around hoses... that’s going to change! I have ideas!

OH, and his “Garden Marker/Stepping-Stone” method is cute (and doable)! I love placing surprises in the garden. When folks say “concrete” - what do they really really mean? He specifically states “remixed MORTAR” (emphasis mine). Now I know for sure!

Maybe I’ll make his “Sitting and Kneeling Garden Stool” - he gives pretty detailed directions and measurements.

The “Five Simple Plant Supports” are great to refer back to when the time comes. I love his Veggie Cages - because the will store easily during the off season! If I can find all the pieces and parts out of PVC (not the copper as he has shown) I’ll make the “Copper Trellis” as it is also yard art!

If your interested in catching/storing/utilizing precious rain water, “The Rain Barrel Basics” project is worth the read through! He gives details!

If you’re looking for a cute cute “Potting Bench” he has one! I mentioned this because - if - I can ever have one out in the garden, I want it! Especially if there is water access... it would be lovely to wash off veggies collect from the garden and have that water go back to the garden!

Someday Bud & I both would like a greenhouse. For him, it’s to grow our own avocado trees! For me, it would be for so much more! This author provides a “Hoop Greenhouse” project, complete with material list, and detail building plan (with drawings!) that looks easy enough if we both do it together! We’ll see.

Chapter 3 “Harvesting and Food Preparation”

Most of the totes and carryalls are made from wood. Just looking at the projects, they look heavy before any harvesting of produce is added! I’m not interested.

Chapter 4 “Storage and Workspaces”

I LOVE his “Mini Tool Shed”!!! I can modify it to go up against the our insisting Garden House for easy access for gardening tools! It would be very handy to the garden, but not inside the garden!

What a clever idea... an “Emergency Cart” to have handy near the garden. I’ll come up with something to “hide” it in the garden... maybe near the potting bench. It would be nice to have a few medical supplies near rather than having to dash back to the house.

Chapter 5 “Animal Shelters and Feeders”

Chicken nesting boxes - done. Rabbit hutch, not interested at this time (never say never)! Bat house - already have one, we just don’t have it out (yet) because I haven’t figured out how to get it 12' to 20' (recommended) height off the ground! Pig pen, nope. Moveable chicken coop/run, in the works - much less elaborate than his project.

He does write about Outdoor Outlets, Switches, and Lights... maybe someday. For now, I’m more interested in developing a solar system.

No beekeeping for us.

Chapter 6 “For the House and Yard”

One of the projects caught my eye... the “Lawn Bag Stand” mainly because I thought, I can make it as tall as I want and it will be perfect to hold the bag perfectly at the edge of the chicken coop’s door! I’ve told myself several times while scrapping out the poop, “I need something different because this just isn’t working!!!” I just haven’t thought of this, but now it was like a “duh” moment!

“The Punch Tin Jelly Cabinet” looks so cute, but I just don’t have the room for it!

Because I already wanted to create some personalize planters, the “Concrete Planter” project has a lot useful tips.

Well, bummer. I just finished the book and, unless I totally missed it, there wasn’t a picnic table! Who would have thought! That was one of the main reasons I checked it out!

But, did get a lot of other good information!

Turning this book back into the library...

Pathway through the Garden

While in the designing phase, I have envisioned a curvy, meandering pathway through the garden, but how do I create it and with what materials?

Things I need to be mindful:

• Something doable for me to create with little help from Bud. I really really want to do it myself! 
• Something for Momma to easily use with her walker. Or, when she uses the electric scooter, meaning turnarounds and roundabouts. Or, for the ease of it (for my hands) when I push her in her wheelchair through the garden. And, it’s not just for Momma, but for anyone visiting The Sprott Country Gardens. One never knows, it could be me.

(The same issues apply when using a wheelbarrow!)

So, it cannot be a pathway made using gravel, flagstone, wooden planks, or even brick. I’m guessing that leaves me with mixing concrete and using pavers... at least, that would be a movable pathway, a living growing flexible path as the garden grows.

I know I don’t want rounded off edge stones, even though I already have two molds that create the “cobble stone” look. The roundness just makes it much more difficult to roll over. Although this mold appears to make crisp edges - and a double good thing - it looks like a quilt pattern! But, I’m not planning to make straight paths! How would I curve and meander the pathway?

What do you suggest?

Maintenance

All the while designing and planning the garden, I need a focus list (I love to-do lists!) of the maintenance projects I desperately need to do this spring:

1) Add metal roofing to chicken run’s roof. The fabric covering on it now is ripping apart - due to the winds we have - and it’s not water proof! Over the last 24 hours we’ve received two inches of blessed rain. The run is a muddy sloppy mess! The girls don’t seem to mind, but I do when I go inside and muck around with them!

2) Build the chicken chunnel to get the girls out and about to do lots of the garden work for me!










There are so many “styles” of chunnels/tunnels. I sort of have one designed in my head to fit our needs but this is a good overall go-by!
 

http://www.askaprepper.com/diy-chicken-tunnel-step-step-guide/

Plus, I’ve found a lot of ideas on youtube!

3) Oh, and FINISH painting the chicken coop! I ran out of time last year. Must get it done! Oh, and add the plastic “Easter” eggs to the coop’s ceiling! We haven’t yet had an issue, but the roofing screws came through to the inside and I don’t want the girls to get hurt if they got that close to the ceiling! I thought this would be a cute way to cover up the pointy ends of the screws!

4) Aerate around our live oak trees. The ground is so hard, compact. It truly hurts my soul every time I walk by them. I feel like I’m choking, as if the trees are choking and screaming at me. Nothing grows underneath, not even weeds. It’s just barren ground with a single beautiful tree growing up from it. I plan on taking one tree at a time and plant something around at its drip line (will not get close to the tree itself), then sow shade loving grass seed between the trunk and the new plants. I found the perfect tool for this job and it arrives Monday! It’s call the Yard Butler Lawn Coring Aerator Manual Grass Dethatching Turf Plug Core Aeration Tool!!!

I’m sure I will be adding much more to this Maintenance to-do list, but this is a good start! It helps me stay focused and I know how I need to “budget” my time!

First thing First!

In my previous post I failed to mention a MAJOR aspect of planning the garden, a question for which I must find the answer!

How do I keep the blasted white-tail deer
and jackrabbits out of the garden?

It’s heartbreaking to spend money on plants, then put in the time/effort (both precious the older I get) of planting and watering, and saying the blessing prayer over the new plants only to discover the
very.
next.
morning.
they’ve been TOTALLY eaten!

I know, God does answer prayers! It must have been the deer’s prayers He answered, not mine!

Anyway, between Youtube, blogs, and websites, I am searching for different methods and techniques to use this year. I will be applying several layers of deterrents.

I’ve also found several lists of plants - since I’m basically open to anything - that the deer don’t particular like (unless they are very hungry) and will leave alone. Those plants will be my parameter. I’m thinking, if they don’t immediately smell something “good” maybe they will simply move along!

I know they don’t mess with many of the herbs, so I don’t have to fret over the upcoming spiral garden. And, they haven’t ever messed with the numerous iris beds I already have growing.

I know transplanting irises should be done in the spring after blooming season, but I’ve been told by an awarding winning grower/expert - anytime - “You can’t hurt an iris” !!! So, I plan on moving (thinning out they so desperately need) and also using them as a parameter around the new plants.

Maybe hang the Irish Spring Soap again? It does seem like it worked on the jackrabbits - not as much poop evidence.

I so want apple trees this year....

Maybe raise the yard’s fence by attaching staves to the posts already set in the ground, then stretch a couple more strands of barb wire? I read deer can jump 6' so I need the fence to be at least 7'.

Maybe the egg recipe? I certainly have eggs!

I can’t use the water spray thingy, or anything electric. I must keep Anna - our 10 year old (TODAY!) Dobie - in mind so nothing hurts her (or us) during the midnight or wee early morning yard checks! Not to mention the 20+ cats... it’s their job to keep snakes away!

What do you do to keep the deer and jackrabbits from eating your garden?

One Step at a Time

It’s January! Happy New Year!

And, it’s a glorious rainy day!

I’m keeping myself grounded. It can be a bit overwhelming gathering all the different information needed to transform our west yard into a permaculture half acre garden!

One step at a time, Lanetta! The following is what I’ve done, so far...

Using my word processor program, I printed out a 12-month 2019 calendar.

I found the upcoming Moon Phases for 2019 and transferred the information to my calendar. I still want to get the Farmer’s Almanac, but just haven’t - yet!

Since Christmas day, I’ve been watching the 12 Days of Christmas videos Justin Rhodes (Abundant Permaculture) has produced for us! Because of his sage advice, I now know three things for sure...

1) I will create a spiral shaped herb garden, and
2) the next attempt of growing peach trees, I will plant them in our front yard (west side of sidewalk, of course!) and then,
3) I will plant more diversity and use the layering technique beginning with the established oak trees.

Justin often refers to Bill Mollison, so I ordered the highly recommended book, Introduction to Permaculture, it arrives MONDAY!!!

I also went to my online library access and checked out SEVERAL books! All I can read on my Kindle! I know I have a lot of reading to do... a great activity during these cold rainy January days!
Not to mention the upcoming really “down” time beginning next week, when the love of my life has surgery #2 to get ready for surgery #3!

Oh, and this is not annotated on my “Garden” calendar (because it should be an ongoing activity), but the next warmish dry day we have that I’m home, I need to pick up several wheelbarrow worth of cow poop - and get it spread out in my new “Zones” and “Sectors” - you’ll know what I’m talking about after watching Justin’s videos! Or, read Bill’s book along with me!

When to Plant What

I remember hearing/reading how folks will look through gardening magazines and seed/plant catalogs in the winter. It’s the time to make garden plans. Well, winter officially started yesterday! It’s time to get busy planning and designing our upcoming garden. This year I’m getting organized and will actually mark my day planner when to plant what!

I’ve always been late to the party. That’s the way I have always rolled.

This coming year will be different!

This year ~ 2019 ~ will mark the first opportunity since we have owned “The Sprott Country Gardens” that I will not be leaving for long periods of time! Nope! (Not unless I'm dead!)

We are here.
Momma is nearby.

It’s a go!

Rather than going through magazines and catalogs, I did an internet search: “When to Plant Herbs and Vegetables” and found a lot of information!

I like the Better Homes & Garden (BH&G) resource, their planting schedule for a variety of veggies!

Soon I will pop in our County Extension office and pick up some literature more specific to this area. An interesting tidbit I just read on their site (emphasis mine):

Lampasas County lies in the Texas Hill Country at the geographical center of Texas.

Anyhoo...

I LOVE To-Do LISTS!!! And BH&G site already prepared “Zones 7-8 Garden Calendar and Monthly Garden Tips” for me!!! Yes!

But, something else I need when planning and designing the garden is what to plant with what...
Companion Planting Chart for Vegetables is listed nicely on the BH&G site as well!

Of course, the Almanac is a great go-to and it even gave me the”30% probability of frost free after April 1" information needed! I do plan to also plant by the moon dates. I wish these charts had a print icon. Oh. Well.

Oh. My. Lots of studying to do over the next few weeks!

I have started pulling out the dormant grass and weeds from the Keyhole Garden. I mowed it all and gave to the chickens! They loved it! (oh, I need to put 2nd coat of paint on the Chicken Coop as well)

My dream is for our entire west yard to be void of grass and full of vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, fruit trees, and yard art (food for the soul).

Winter is here.