Pine cone feeders

We are in October already. The air is crisp and clean. The leaves are starting to turn. What is there to do? Well I start making my pine cone feeders.

What you will need:

Pinecones,

Either: lard, suet, peanut butter

oatmeal, cornmeal

string

(Optional) High energy feed: dried fruit cut up in tiny pieces, chopped nuts, sunflower or milet



What to Do

First place string around pine cone, leave enough to hang on a tree.
Mix fat (not the Peanut butter) with equal parts oatmeal or cornmeal.
Spread this mixture on the pinecones. If using peanut butter spread without adding anything at this point.
Pour seed on a plate or cookie sheet with edges. You can add the High energy food if you like.
Roll the pinecones in the seed mixture until covered.
Hang the cones outside and enjoy the feast.

What are some of your projects?

Egg Shell Gardening

Why should I even bother to plant in an egg shell? The answer is quite simple:

1. it is a cheap pot and very good for the soil. You can have pots that go right in the soil lessoning the transplant shock to the plants.
2. Egg shells provide calcium which is needed for fast growing plants. It is quickly depleted from the soil so egg shells are a good way to keep the balance.
3. Egg shells can be used on the bottom of pots to help with drainage instead of stones. They are lighter and give nutrients back.
4. Egg shells also deter the slugs and cutworms that love tender plants such as; peppers tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage . Just place the egg shell around the stem of the plant.
5. Tomatoes, these are fast growing plants who tend to suffer from blossom end rot. Egg shells help prevent the end rot. Either grow the plant in a shell and then add more egg shells near the soil .

Where do we start?

1. When you bake, make eggs, save the shells. You can use them one of two ways in the garden , either as pots or an additive.
2. Wash the shells out well with water. VERY IMPORTANT
3. Moisten the starter soil or medium. It is easier to work with this way and less is loss. I use GreenSoil’s tea listed below since it gives the seeds an extra boost.
4. Fill the shell with the medium and press one or two seeds down to the depth the package recommends.
5. Finally mist with the water or “tea”.
6. Place the eggs in an egg carton and cover with a clear top. Plastic bag or cover or glass work well.
7. Place in an area where you can control the temperature and light the seeds will receive. The closer you match the recommendations on the seed packet the better.
8. Make sure that the soil is moist but not water logged. Look for signs of life.
9. If two seeds have sprouted in your container remove the smaller one and plant in its own container. I use one seed and if nothing sprouted I plant another seed and mark the date. I try to have seeds started 10 days apart to extend the growing season, when one ripens another is still a wk away.
10. I use the “tea” every 10 days to ensure proper growth.
11. Transplant your seeds when you see three sets of leaves. Water your plants. Carefully squeeze the shell. You want to break the shell but not the membrane. The membrane will help keep moisture around the seed. It’s okay if it breaks. The broken shell will break down easier into the soil. Place at the proper depth in the soil wither in a garden or a pot.
12. Crush up other shells for you tomatoes plants.

There is how you do it. Leave me a comment please. What other info can I give you?

What do we plant?

I have washed and saved the egg shells of our eggs for a month. They are needed to plant little seeds in. They make great organic containers for little seeds and are away to individually plant the plants without worrying about the netting in some other seed starters. I also just saw a wonderful tool that I think I will purchase. It is a wooden tool to make newspaper pots. They are great to start the plants and then transfer to the garden. I will test this out and see how they hold up to watering.

My family has picked out the seeds that we want to plant. The parsley in the window is growing very nicely. I picked some for an omelet already. The parsley has a nice strong flavor not like the kind from the grocery store. We are expecting a Nor’easter this weekend and planting the seeds will give my children something to do.

I have prepared @Greensoil’s tea and that is waiting to water the seeds. The blog below explains more about her wonderful tea. Check out the link on the right for more info on her tea.

We will plant tomatoes, basil, peas, carrots and peppers. We have no idea where pumpkins will grow this year, but they seem to come up all by themselves. I think Baron, our dog has something to do with this as he loves to run around with one in his mouth after Halloween and then we can’t find it. What are you planting?