Getting Ready for Spring

I know that I am getting a little bit of a late start and that I should have been planting my seeds a while ago so that they would be strong seedlings now and ready to plant in the garden, but honestly, there just isn't enough room in this house to put them where anyone could tolerate them for any amount of time.

So, this weekend (before Gabriel took his trip to the ER) Jo and I went to to Lowes and picked up some seed packets.  I have never dealt with seeds before in this garden.  I always just got the seedlings from the garden center where I used to work and went from there.  But this is the first year that the garden center didn't open up because it was run out of business by the Lowes, Home Depot and WalMart nearby, so I decided to give it a try. 

I only had a certain amount of money, as dictated by the butt-head, so I decided that instead of buying seedling pots, I would make my own out of newspaper.

I actually ran across this on another blog, but I can't remember which one, and try as I might, I can't find it again.  (So, if this idea was off your blog, please accept my apology and let me know so I can link to you and give you the credit!)

Anyway, this is how you can make some really great little pots that then you can plant right in the ground when it comes time to plant!

I showed my mother-in-law how to make one and she got all excited because I had gotten her some cilantro seeds, so she just started whipping right through them and made a whole bunch!


All it takes is a sheet of newspaper and a soup can:

Take the newspaper and lay it flat.  Then fold it into fourths the long way.

 

Then lay your can on the folded paper with one edge of the can lining up with one edge of the paper.

Next, roll the paper around the can, being sure to do it loosely enough because you are going to remove the can later!

 After you have rolled the whole strip around the can, it will wrap around several times, secure the edge with tape.

Next, set the can up on its end with the extra paper facing up toward you, and fold the paper down over the edge of the can like you are wrapping it like a gift.

Secure this with a piece of tape, too.  It doesn't have to be pretty, just relatively flat since this is actually the bottom of the pot.

The, slip out the can and there you go! 

A cute little inexpensive (free!) biodegradable, recycling project! 

  That's Jo's pansy plant she brought home from Sunday school...no, the seeds didn't sprout that quickly!

And these are the seeds I am going to try this year.  I know, I'm not very brave.  I think that we are going to get our tomatoes as seedlings this year.  I just need to see how all this works out for us!  I have never grown potatoes or carrots before.  Jo wanted the carrots and my mother-in-law wanted the potatoes, so we'll see what happens! 

Next is making the plan to see where all this will fit in the yard!

I'll keep you posted.

And lastly, a picture to warm your heart:

Oh,  no, wait...that isn't it...

There it is.

I was working this afternoon and I looked up from the computer and out the window because it was strangely quiet outside and LOOK!  They are together!  Without arguing!  This is unheard of!  

Anyway, it is times like this that make me realize that as much as I want to get my office out of my house and reclaim my living room, I also don't want to leave because I don't want to miss the little 

moments like this