Using layouts

Everyone has their own way to keep track of their seedlings.  A way of knowing that this day they were sown, this day they were germinating, and so on.  Developing your own way is important but sometimes for the new gardener they aren't sure what to keep track of.  Here is how I do it.

Here is a picture of one of me seedling trays.  As you can see I don't have any labels but lots of seedlings.  The arrow at the top is my way of knowing what side is what.

You may have to expand this picture to understand it but this is the layout for the seedling tray.  I have it named so I know which tray it is, in case I have more than one tray that have the same cells.  I also have the date in which the seeds were sown.  Each square represents one cell and has a number assigned to it.  Below the diagram I have each type of seed listed by their number.  You can see that the first row is all 1's and there for using the "legend" it is marigolds.  Many of the squares also contain a date now.  Some more than one.  Each date is the day a seedling appeared.  Some have a date and a x2 next to it.  Meaning that day 2 seedlings appeared in that square.  I know it seems silly to explain that but it helps me keep track of how long it takes each seedling to emerge.  Some were consistent and all started showing with in days of each other and some have yet to even emerge.

Using this chart and date method allows me to keep track of not only how long it took for each seedling to emerge but as they don't all grow at the same rate allows me to use the information to plan the garden better.  I can also use the information and see how viable the seeds are.  If some of the seeds were harvested from my garden I know which are good or not.  If they were purchased and are a few years old then I can see if they are still good.  

It's also interesting to see that though 5 cells were planted with marigolds 1 cell doesn't have seedlings yet, but they call came from the same package. 

When the seedlings get transplanted I simply cross out the cell they were in.  I usually like to keep the sheets so that I can use them in following years as a guide.  These seedlings worked well in this type of container or these didn't.  Things like that.  

It's important to have your own way of logging events.  You may not care when the seedlings emerge just when they harvest.  Or when the first true leaves appear.  But as long as you keep some sort of log you will have something to help you in following years.  

Blooming Friday - A Pinch of Green

So as today is a very very rainy day with still at least 6 inches of snow on the ground....more if you go along the side walks, I saw this title for the Blooming Friday post over at Roses and Stuff and had to go in search of something green.  Lots to find inside the house but nothing that is living outside shows any hopes of having any green.  Course I didn't feel like taking a rain shower to go check either.  But regardless here is my Pinch of Green.

My seedlings.....small little spots of green

Ok ok so this isn't real.  It's a project I started last night.  Crochet flowers in a pot.  Course there are going to be some spider plant leaves too.

The inspiration behind the craft.  My spider plant.

If the grass can't grow outside why not grow some inside...I mean clovers.

Complete with a clover shaped container and clovers on the sides.

Just way to pretty not to add.  This is my spider plant.  Yup it's a flower.  I have to warn you that this is an extreme close up.   This flower is actually in the picture of the spider plant.....it's just so small you can't see it.





Have a good weekend everyone.

Layouts and Seed packets

Here are links to a few layouts and seed packets that I have made.  If you would like one custom made just let me know and I will see what I can do.  Not many now but as I get requests or come up with more I will up date the links.

After having issues with the other links I have uploaded the documents to another site.
Living Eco Friendly

The actual page where you can find the seed packets and layouts are here

Just something to help out gardeners when planning.

Do you have some packets or layouts you would like to share?  Let me know and you can add them to the site if you want.

Wordless Wednesday

Harvesting Edible Garden Tour - February 21, 2011

February has been interesting here at my gardens.  Snow one day, melting snow another.  Today it's once again snowing.  How crazy is that.

Despite the snow that is falling outside my indoor garden is doing well.  Today harvesting from my indoor garden is Parsley

It may not look like much but it is doing well.  Every few weeks I harvest the biggest of leaves and with in a few days 3 or for new stems appear.

Just look at that pretty leaf.

When I harvest I cut the desired stems down as far as I can with out cutting other stems.

Then remove all the stems.

Because of the delicateness of the leaves I like to dry them on a plate.  Once dry I place them whole into my parsley jar.







So what Edible delight is harvesting in your garden.  Anything from Veggies to Fruits or Herbs to Flowers.  If you can eat it write about it.  Leave your link so others can see and leave a comment.  Come back later and find out who else is harvesting something in their garden.  You may get inspired.

Thanks to Rebecca over at The Garden-Roof Coop for posting about a cool event going on this weekend.
The Great Backyard Bird Count.

After visiting the site and finding out just how much there is on that site I got the kids involved.  How cool is this that a simple task of counting birds for 15 min can actually help the birds.  They have a lot of information and even things for the kids to do.  They even have a participation certificate that I can print out and give to the kids.

Stop on over and take a look.  Take 15 min out of your day today or tomorrow and count some birds.

So I got these seeds to give to 5 readers

The other day I received an email from Tickle Me Plant.  They read one of my articles on examiner.com about kids in the garden and wanted to know if I would like to give some seed packets away to my readers.  I was told that I could invite my blog readers as well as my examiner.com readers.

They are even sending me some for my kids to try.  How cool is that.  Click the picture to see the site to learn more about who they are and what the plant is.  If your interested leave a comment.  The first 5 between here and examiner.com will get a packet.  No requirements other than to leave a comment...other wise I will never know your interested.

Once you get them and plant them I would love to see a post about how they turn out. 

Sales this weekend.

Save $10 on all orders of $75 or more at Burpee.com with code FEB10 now through Tuesday, February 22nd!

Visit Burpee.com for Free Shipping on Seed Only orders of $30 or more - PRESIDENTS DAY, 2/21 ONLY with code FSDAY!

Another Burpee deal.

Park Seed is having a special too.

And last but not least Potting Shed

A Word from the Garden visitor spokesperson

Welcome to Irish Lady's Garden, my name is Melody Bluebell, a Garden resident and the spokesperson.  We have many other residents of whom I am sure you will meet at some point but today I wanted to tell you a little bit about our home.

Last year Irish lady became the garden caretaker.  A lovely lady with big dreams.  I could tell she was new to gardening but could also see that she had the potential to do great things.  She always had food out for us.  I expect great things this year.  Nearly every time she went out to tend the garden she had some sort of book with her, a gardening or log book would be my guess.

Spring is finally approaching and I've noticed that a few of last years visitors have become regulars or residents them selves.  The Rusty family seems to be settling in as I see Rosa around the feeders a lot.  Sam and some of his Cardinal buddies are lurking around the trees keeping watch as well.

Another regular is Marlon Nutters.  I am guessing that they live close as Marlon and a few of his other bushy tailed buddies are eating with us almost everyday.  Irish lady's dog Buddy doesn't seem to scare them off anymore either or at least not for very long.  Talk about some brave squirrels.

Before all this snow hit some of us noticed our lady caretaker collecting seeds, measuring, and taking notes all around the gardens.  We are hoping that it means new flowers.  Hopefully some that Katima Kiwi and her Hummingbird family will enjoy, we miss them.

Well the extremely way to chipper Sparrow family - the Chirpee's have just come out to eat and play.  I better go and keep them in line.  Those House Sparrows make such a mess of our food.  Not that Marlon minds but still.

I will be back though, to tell you more about Irish lady and her garden.  Hopefully with no complaints for her.

Until then this is Melody Bluebell the Blue Jay have a great day.

Best Garden Blogs - Check it out

Anna over at flowergardengirl started a site called Best Garden Blogs that is a list of best garden blogs on the internet.  It has the ability to list the blogs by state, zone and even expertise.  And as of now is also putting out a special internet magazine.

This months edition is free and is called Toil the Soil.  It is full of great advice and tons of pictures.  Several of my fellow Garden Bloggers including myself will participate each month.  After this issue there is a subscription but it's $20 for 12 months.  And with all the information that is in this issue well worth the $20.

So stop on by and take a look.  If you like it subscribe.  If not.  Hey it's not for everyone.

 But for sure stop by the main site of Best Garden Blogs and take a look around.  Every Author for the magazine is listed there so lots of stuff to see.

GBBD - February 2011

Good morning fellow bloggers and readers.  Today the sun is shinning and the snow is showing signs of melting.  In fact if you look in foot prints in the back yard you can actually see grass....or what should be grass.

Anyways today is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day here in Blogging world.  Want to see some really pretty blooms check out May Dreams Gardens thats the main page to find blogs all over that are blooming today.

So for today I would first like to introduce the newest plant in my garden.  Tulips.  My favorite flower of all.  My wonderful hubby got me a bouquet of them but then surprised me last night with potted tulips.

I just love tulips.   Here is my daughters Birthday plant still in bloom.

Such pretty and delicate flowers.







And just because her are some other pictures of flowers that can be found around my home today.

These are actually dried flowers but hey I thought it would be kinda cool.

The tulips are from the bouquet that my husband got for me.  What pretty colors.  The other flowers are part of a bouquet that I got for my kids.  They got some flowers and the rest went into my vase.

This is my daughter Shannon's picks from the bouquet.

And this is my son Aiden's pick.

They sprinkled the flowers with red sparkles.....not a great picture of a daisy but pretty still.

The carnations were just so big and full and pretty.  I had to add it to the post.

Not a great picture again but one that shows the 3 different colors of tulips that Josh got me.  I love them.

Ok I know not flowers but just look how colorful they are.  Ok so maybe it's hard to see but these polka dot plants are so cool.  Green and red, Green and white, Green and pink.

Like I said I really love tulips.  This is a close up of the potted ones.

 I can't wait to see what others have blooming in their gardens today.  I pray that you all had a wonderful Valentines Day and that today finds you well.

Valentines day and the Gardener

The holiday of love.  A favorite among florists.  But what about the gardener.  We give our plants TLC like they are our kids.  Would you want to give her a dozen cut roses?

Sure, as long as they didn't come from her garden.  But to appeal to the gardener at heart maybe there is something else you can give.  Yes we gardeners will cut out own flowers and display them inside through out the year so we are not against cutting flowers but we much prefer to nurture our plants.

So what does that mean for the Significant others in our lives.  Given the fact that you love a gardener you must think like a gardener.  Give them a potted plant.  A mini rose bush, or a large one.  That way they get flowers all season long instead of just that one day and the week that follows.

I know as I walk through the Valentine isles at Walmart I tend to look at the items with a Gardeners eye.  Did you know that those cute heart shaped candy dishes would make a good saucer to place under a potted plant? Or how about those heart covered big round bowls?  A great indoor herb garden container.  Even those small metallic balloons can be used by the crafty gardener.  That reflective surface is great for adding a little more light  when the sun hits it.  I can stick it in the ground in my greenhouse....the light that reflects off may help a shaded plant get a little more light.

So how about plants.  What kind of plants are good for this holiday of love?  Roses are always a good bet for most I am sure.  But how about something unique?  Ahhh now here is where my other half should really start reading.  Bamboo or Bonsai plants could be really good here.  This is something I don't have and a lot of gardeners don't have.  There are many sites that offer lucky bamboo plants that are even in the shape of a heart.  Now how cool is that.  (HINT HINT).  Or if he's really clever a bonsai tree that I can shape into a heart if it's not already one.

Here are a couple good links to some sites I found with some good live Valentines gifts.
Pro Flowers
Find Gift.Com
FTD
Lucky Bamboo Shop
Office Playground