Sews2Reap

It is time to start our spring garden. The picture above is from last year. I am so excited for fresh veggies and herbs! I try my best to keep my garden organic and toxin free. We have lots of grubs in our beds. Every spring we turn over the soil, remove the weeds and grass (to the best of our abilities) and remove the grubs. The grubs are really larvae of harmful insects that munch on my plant's roots! Then we amend the soil with manure, and topsoil.  Diatomaceous Earth is a great option for insects. It is safe for people and pets but deadly to creatures with an exoskeleton. It is made from crushed up remains of diatoms, which are fossilized shell creatures.  It is a lot like powdered chalk. You don't really want to breathe it in. I sprinkle it on the bed below the plants and use a bottle to puff it out onto the leaves. Don't overdo it though. The plants can do their photosynthesis thing if you cover them to heavily!  The other thing you have to worry...

Homemade pickles! I grew up on them and love canning my own. Here are my jars in their water bath, the lids and rings are in there too. Simmering is perfect. Cucumbers and dill from my garden  plus garlic, salt and mustard seed. I poured the water out of the simmering jars and stuffed it with the ingredients. Each jar contains 1 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp mustard seed, a head of dill weed, 1-2 tsp diced garlic.  Next, I pour the brine in. My brine is equal parts hot water and vinegar. Some like plain white vinegar others cider vinegar. You should try a few options. Mark what you put in the jar so you know what is your favorite. Leave a little air space in the neck of the jar and cap with a lid and ring. Set your filled jars back in the simmering (low boiling) water for 10 minutes. Remove and let sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You should hear the lids seal during this time. It will be a very satisfying pop sound.  My finis...

We grow a garden nearly every year. I am not an expert just a hobbyist gardener who loves fresh veggies . My hubby is Cheif Gardener, I am sort of Queen of the Garden. That means he does most of the tough work and I water and harvest.  😉  This year, he reinforced the beds he made 4 years ago, weeded, and amended the soil. Then we bought plants (we have done from seed too but not this year) and I got the fun job of planting. I love that part!  We have marigolds and geraniums as companion plants in the beds with the veggies. They help attract pollinators and detract beetles and they a attractive.  cucumber same beds different angle Not only did he work on the vegetable beds, but he removed overgrown juniper from the front flower beds, and three diseased rose bushes. The beds at the front of the house got a makeover too!  Another of my favorite things about summer is all the hanging baskets and pott...