Free and repurposed...seeding containers

Who doesn't love free! I am loving this seeding journey and I am loving it all the more for being so cheap!
After researching different styles of seeding trays, pods, puck's, mixes, fancy do-dads and everything in between.  
I decided to raid my own recycling bin for my solutions. Here's what I found...

Newspaper

Single piece, doubled over and folded down, wrap around a can from the pantry, fold the bottoms over, take can out and voila...a paper seeding pot. tip-I liked the tomato paste size tin for small results.

Egg containers 

These organic egg containers from Costco are brilliant! They hold 32 eggs = 32 starts...yay! These are particularly good as they act like a mini greenhouse, you should see the condensation these create. Tip - poke holes in the bottom with a skewer, very thin plastic but durable!

Apple slice containers

These were another Costco re-use, love the big bulk sizes! This container is awesome for the longer grow time seeds, like tomatoes. I have 4 growing in each little green house and they should be happy in there until its time transplant to the garden. Tip - I poked this with a number of holes but cracked the base, so I lined it with paper towel.

Yogurt containers

Oh I LOVE these yogurt containers! These are the new Greek yoplait yogurts with granola mix and look, look at that wonderful lid, its like they specifically designed these for use as little green houses afterwards...thanks yoplait! I love these also for tomatoes and have started some herbs in them too. Tip - the base is con-caved so make sure you poke holes in the lowest points for best drainage.

Prep....
I washed all the plastic in a hot water/vinegar solution and let air dry
I then poked holes in the bottom of all compartments for drainage
And then filled 2/3 with sterile seeding mix...Done!

Seeding Trays

I placed all these containers on old cookie trays and in cake tins, that really had seen better days...presto, new Free drip trays. Tip - Hit the thrift-store for cheap bake-ware, I picked up some extras for 50c..bargain! The perfect size for two egg containers...love it!

What are some of your favorite re-purposed seeding containers or ways of keeping the cost down?

Earth Hour 2012

Earth Hour 2012 - Dare the World to Save the Planet and this year for the first time I am not being reminded of it the day after and missing it all together! 

click pic for link

What is it all about....

Switch off your lights for 1hr on Saturday 31 March at 8:30pm (Yes people that is TONIGHT!) to be part of the world's largest voluntary action for the environment, sounds pretty great!

Earth Hours Mission is to send a universal message of hope and action to protect the one thing that unites us all – the planet. Together our actions add up.

Share the positive action you will take for the planet beyond the hour. Most people go a few days without power or use less water, which are all great things to do, but I have an autistic child to think about too and that would just spin him out.

• My on going pledge for the month of April is to...Buy nothing new! (except for groceries/hygiene needs) I have a passion for salvage and keeping usable items out of landfills. Anything we need, things I would normally go buy new, we will be re-purposing and salvaging, also thrift-store finds, hand-me-downs or borrowed! Time to get creative!!
  
  
  Are you participating this year? What are you going with-out?

Sassy Salvagaing...Old door to new headboard!

So you will find I am not always out in my garden...oh shock! Especially in the lovely winter months here in Seattle. Maybe if I were still in Sydney where the sun is still brave enough to shine on through the winter, but here even the sun is afraid to show its face in my usually frosty yard.
What is one to do when the garden is just not calling? When the indoors are cozy and the closest I get to gardening is looking at it through the window and my thoughts say...brrr, Hell no!

Its time to hibernate and decorate!!! Where I can stay in my snugly jammies with a hot cup of coffee, where the possibilities are limitless...New color on the walls, a DIY project inspired by Pinterest, clearing some clutter, and I guess the cleaning that has to come first...but really phooie to the un-forfilling cleaning, I just want to get creative and decorate!!

The first week of rain and I hit the local salvage center for a quick (well supposed to be quick) DIY project....Its Bedroom make-over time and I need a new headboard. Plus my hubby is out of town on a business trip so its...surprise bedroom make-over time!! And yes, I did pretend I was on one of those HGTV make-over shows, especially when it came time for the big reveal...lol!

Inspiration...Pinterest of cause!! Here is the pic that got the creative juices flowing. Check out the link http://pinterest.com/julia_rule/diy-home/

Time...Should've taken a 4-6hours, but math and measuring are really not my strength, lets just say lots of caulking to fill my mistakes...oops! Ended up taking 2 days from first measure to fully installed!

Cost... An old solid 1920's wood 5 panel door $15, molding 50c/ft = $3 and paint, caulking, nails and scrap-wood I already had. With my credit at Second use I ended up paying nada...woot! So for under $20 a new chic salvaged headboard. So much cheaper than a store bought, plus I can say I made it, faults and all! Although I like to call those bits "see I really did make it" marks.

Supplies...Old panel door (84in) works well for a King size, crown molding, trim, a 2x4x8 (used as legs to prop the door on), nails to attach legs and crown molding and lots of caulk, primer and paint.

Tools...Saw (to cut trim), sandpaper (to smooth the surface of door for painting), hammer, measuring tape (if you are me, someone to check your measurements!), pencil, brushes.

I also ended up painting the wall behind the bed a rich grey and picked up some old bed-side lamps at a thrift store. Here is my end result....

Coffee buzz...for a green planet!

In the spirit of earth week, I have been looking at ways I can turn my daily waste into purposeful product! While drinking my coffee the other day, contemplating my impact on the demise of the worlds environment, I thought about what is something I throw away everyday? The answer right there in my hand...coffee! There must be over a pound of by-product weekly due to my addiction. Oh man how I go through the stuff!

Without fail, everyday I start out with a coffee, a double-shot made by my live-in barista...thanks honey! I love gardening but my other passion is a good cup of coffee. Plus without coffee, I have been known to be quite the grump. One of my favorite coffee cup quotes... "For human, just add coffee!" Well I guess I can now say, "for beautiful healthy plants, just add coffee grinds!"

After a lot of internet surfing and even more coffee drinking, I finally found some great information...

Firstly this green concept has been around for years, ok so better late than never, right! A number of the big coffee houses (Starbucks, Seattles Best, Tullys) all offer bags of free grinds, just there for the taking!
If I add up all the coffee grinds over the last 10yrs that I have lived here in Seattle "the land of coffee" I would have to estimate at a pound a week (sometimes more), I have contributed over 520 lbs of coffee to the landfills! yikes! Nitrating landfills rather than my own garden....time to change!
 

Secondly, important info...During the brewing process, most of the acidity is removed, leaving used grounds with an average pH of 6.9 and a carbon-nitrogen ratio of 20-to-1. They also contain magnesium, calcium, potassium, and other trace minerals. What a bunch of yummy garden goodness!

 Here is the bag I picked up from Starbucks yesterday...did I mention FREE!! If someone was handing out free bags of garden fertilizer at the store, you'd think it was your lucky day!

Coffee by-products can be used in the garden and farm as follows:

• Sprinkle used grounds around plants before rain or watering, for a slow-release nitrogen.
• Add to compost piles to increase nitrogen balance. Coffee filters and tea bags break down rapidly during composting.
• Dilute with water for a gentle, fast-acting liquid fertilizer.  Use about a half-pound can of wet grounds in a five-gallon bucket of water; let sit outdoors to achieve ambient temperature.
• Mix into soil for houseplants or new vegetable beds.
• Encircle the base of the plant with a coffee and eggshell barrier to repel pests.
• If you are into vermi-posting, feed a little bit to your worms 

So the next time you make that pot of drip or order an espresso, think of all that by-product goodness that you could be sharing with your garden and making the earth that little more greener! Free fertilizer doesn't come much better than this!!
I am just so giddy with excitement over this, I don't even know which category to put it in? is it sassy salvaging? Penny Pinching? Going Organic...ahhh I love it!!

http://groundtoground.org/  really everything you need to know is here...brilliant site!