How To Start Seeds Indoors

Photo by Samuel, modified.

Starting seeds indoors can seem like a daunting task, but once the somewhat messy process of planting is completed, the rest is a walk in the park. Here's what you need;

March Gardening Tips for Zone 5

We're here! The snow is melting, the sun is shining and you've come out of hibernation. You keep staring at the packets of seeds, ready to get outside and plant. Since it's a bit too early yet, here's a list of what to do in the mean time;

• Seed Starting
• To make the most of the growing season, start seeds indoors. Seeds should be started roughly eight weeks before the last frost date, making it early to mid-March for Michigan.

• Tall Ornamental Grass
• Tie up and cut off ornamental grasses, leaving the stems roughly three to four inches tall.

• Remove Winter Mulch
• If you have any winter mulch protecting your plants and soil, now is the time to move it. 

• Garden Design
• Thinking about redesigning the landscape this year? If so, March is a great time to make a plan.

• Prune Trees & Shrubs
• Scraggly trees and shrubs should be pruned in late winter or early spring, before any new growth is showing.  Here are a few tips on how to prune trees and shrubs.

• Planting New Trees
• New trees should be planted early in spring, before mid-May if possible. This month, figure out what trees will be added to your landscape. This way, you'll be ready for for Arbor Day (April 24th) sales at your local nursery.

• Compost
• How's the compost pile? Get ready to spread all of that nutrient-rich compost onto your garden. This can be done as soon as the ground thaws and has been tilled.

• Equipment Maintenance
• Do the blades on your lawn mower need to be sharpened? Is there string left in your weed wacker? Make any repairs that need to be done before the upcoming summer season.  

To check your plant hardiness zone, visit this USDA interactive map.

Do you have any tips, tricks or things to remember? What's on your to-do list? 

Cheap, Easy DIY Compost Bin

We talked about how to compost, so I wanted to show you how I made our compost bin. It cost $20.00, and took about 5 minutes of labor.

Please forgive the horrendous photos taken with my phone. There's been an artic wind that blows straight through everything and it's warmer at the North Pole. Seriously. Honey snapped some quick photos, so hopefully they're good enough to give you an idea.

All you need is a simple, outdoor plastic garbage bin with a lid and two bungee cords. Remember, one of the key elements in producing compost is the mass of your pile, so make sure you get a large enough bin; we went with the 30 gallon.

Oh and if you have dogs, your compost bin might just turn into a giant fun play toy.

  

                                  

 

 

Did I mention that it was like 3 degrees outside? If was finally sunny and we just couldn't stay inside any longer.

 

The only tool you will need is a drill fitted with one of the larger drill bits, I used a 3/8.

                         

 

 

 

Take your drill and start making holes. My normally warm wool gloves didn't help much, the project took all of five minutes and my fingers were like icicles when it was finished.

 

Yep, just get right in there with that bad boy. I don't have an exact amount of holes, just drill so there's a fair amount of air able to circulate throughout the barrel.

Once your barrel is full of holes, you're done! Isn't it fabulous? 

We're going to fill the bin to the top line, then comes the super easy part. Remember that the compost needs to be turned every couple days? Use those two bungee cords to make sure that the lid is nice and tight, then simply flop the bin into it's side and roll it around the yard. Easy-shmeasy lemon peasy.

 

Do you compost? Any tips or tricks?

How To Compost

Photo by Diana House, modified

Browns + Greens + Moisture + Turning + Time = Compost

Simple, right? The actual formula would combine the perfectly exact amount of carbon, nitrogen, a little high quality H20, air, and heat, but I'm breaking it down to Allison terms. Easy.

Researchers  John A. Biernbaum & Andy Fogiel from the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University describe composting like this; 'Making compost is managing a microbe farm.  All it takes is food, air, and water, just like for any other farm animal.  The food does require a certain degree of a balanced diet as for any other living creature.' 

Remember the good old-fashioned food pyramid? It was stamped on every box of food to let us know the right number of servings for a healthy, balanced diet. Your compost needs a balanced diet as well.

Below is a list of foods to feed your pile - it's not all inclusive, but gives an idea. I like to think of the 'Browns' being dry and dead, and the 'Greens' wet and living.

Browns (Carbon):  

Dry Leaves 

Dry Hay 

Dry Grass Clippings 

Dry Corn Stalks 

Straw

Sawdust (from untreated wood)

Nut Shells

Shredded Paper (watch for toxic ink)

Shredded Cardboard

Paper Tubes

Greens (Nitrogen):

Vegetable Scraps

Fruit Scraps

Coffee Grounds w/ Filter

Tea Leaves w/ Bag

Fresh Grass Clippings

Plant Trimmings

Garden Weeds

House Plants

Chicken Manure

Eggs Shells (neutral)

Some Things NOT to Compost:

Large Wood Scraps (long break down time) 

Treated Wood

Colored Paper (be careful for metallic or toxic ink)

Weeds Gone to Seed (Like Gloria Gaynor - they will survive)

Meat Scraps 

Fish Scraps

Bones

Dairy Scraps 

Baked Goods
Pasta

Cooking Oil

Greasy Foods

Heavily Coated Paper 

Aluminum Foil

Dog or Cat Waste (if garden is for human consumption - USDA Study)

Plastics - Recycle!

Now, there are two different kinds of compost. 'Hot' compost takes a little bit of manual labor and the process of decomposition is complete in about two months. 'Cold' compost can take up to two years to decompose, but takes minimal effort- basically throwing everything in a pile and leaving it. Today we're talking 'Hot' compost.

Per scientific studies, your compost pile should be fed a ratio of 25-30:1 Carbon/Nitrogen. Breaking it down to Allison terms; 2 buckets of Browns for every 1 bucket of Greens. 

Excessive Browns will cause your pile to dry out and decomposition to slow down. At the same time, excessive Greens will cause the pile to become too wet and result in ammonia gas releasing- stinky. No one one likes a stinky pile. I don't even like to say stinky pile. Stinky pile. Eww.

Monitoring the moisture will help prevent the stink and keep the composting process speeding along. If you notice your pile becoming too wet, add some Browns. If you notice it becoming too dry, add some Greens or simply sprinkle it with a little water.  

Alright, we've covered food and water, now let's talk about air. Bacteria is going to break down your pile of scraps, and that bacteria needs air to survive.  You don't want to have a smooshed, flat pile and think that just because it's surrounded by air, that will be sufficient. A 'Hot' pile needs air on the inside too. The pile should be nice and fluffy. This can be done by mixing and fluffing your pile with a pitchfork, or by using a fancy compost tumbler.

The last thing the pile needs is heat- after all, it's called 'Hot' compost for a reason. The internal temperature of the pile should be about 140 to 160 degrees F. You can purchase a compost thermometer for around $20.00. It takes about 2 weeks to generate a good amount of heat, and during those weeks you'll need to turn the pile at least five times in order to distribute the heat through all of the materials and keep it at the correct temperature.

I'm going to add scary factor in here. If it gets too hot, it can combust. Yea, apparently that happens in real life. All I can picture is walking outside to a magic fire like I'm Khaleesi in Dragon Land or something. You must turn the pile. 

When the pile is no longer generating heat, the process is almost complete (and now I'm Dr. Seuss), it just need to sit for a couple of weeks to cure.

Which leads me to the final ingredient; time. I like to quote Jim Morrison... 'If you book them, they will come.'

Tips to speed decomposition process:

Mass: Pile size should be 3x3 minimum
Material Size: Keep Browns & Greens shredded and chopped to small pieces 

Temperature: Keep it 140 to 160 F

Breathability: Shake, rattle & roll - aerate that thing!

Mix it Up: This isn't a layer cake, it's a tossed salad

Moisture: Not too dry, definitely not too slimy

Lastly, how do we determine when we have the final, completed product? The process is completed is when none of the materials are recognizable. No leftover carrot chunks or pieces of straw, and definitely no sprouted weeds or plants.

Another suggestion is to scoop up some compost into a mason jar, add water until it's soggy, twist on the lid and let it sit for a week. When you open the jar, it should smell earthy. If it smells icky, it's not finished.

So, now that we've got the 'how' to compost taken care of, where does this process take place? A homemade wooden box? A wire mesh bin? A store-bought composter? There are tons of options, so check back tomorrow and I'll show you how I made our cheap, easy DIY compost bin. 

Too Much Zucchini

We walked out to the garden last night and picked five zucchini, with plenty more that will be ripe within the next few days. Seeing as how everyone is in the same predicament right now, I can't even pay people to take some off of our hands. In light of this slight problem, I've been searching the web for the past week to see what other people are doing with their abundance. Some of my favorite ideas are below.

[ The Live-In Kitchen ]

Absolutely trying this vegan zucchini brownie recipe. They look full of gooey, fudgy deliciousness.








Here are a couple ways to store your extras. How-to freeze zucchini in chunks and freezing shredded zucchini (useful for baked goods, soups and sauces).

[ The Nourishing Home ]

Zoodles! Add in some yellow summer squash for a little variety. Here is a helpful link on how to spiralize and she has a note at the bottom suggesting using a julienne peeler, which is what I use at home. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is steamed, then tossed in avocado oil and parmesan with a little salt and pepper.






Honey just introduced me to fried zucchini for the first time. Yum, yum, yum is all I can say to that one. He prepares it by discarding both ends and cutting the remainder into nice, thin slices. Next, coat the slices in flour seasoned with pepper and garlic salt then drop them in hot oil to fry for a couple of minutes. Once they are golden brown, remove and drain on a cookie rack or tray lined with paper towel. Sprinkle with a little more salt & pepper for good measure, then enjoy!

 

[ The Pioneer Woman ]

Break out the grill for some lemony zucchini wedges.

[ Martha Stewart ]

Or you could get completely crazy and try some zucchini quesadillas. With avocado and smokey, mozzarella cheese...ummm, yes please.







What are you doing with all of your zucchini?