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Composting Basics

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As a beginner gardener, I always buy soil for my plants from the store. But, the fact that I need to has always frustrated me. Why should someone have to pay for dirt? It’s all around my yard, free! But regular dirt usually isn’t great for plants. You need nutrient rich soil for them to grow. How can you make your own (again, for free)? Easy! The answer is: composting. You essentially take all of your kitchen scraps (excluding meat, bones, etc.) and some garbage, let it stew, and voila! Yummy, yummy plant food. Check out this post by Brittany Bailey at the Pretty Handy Girl for a beginner compost recipe:

-Leaves, newspaper, and grass are great ingredients

-Kitchen scraps like veggies, fruits, coffee grounds, and eggshells do wonders for your soil

-Toss scraps in a bucket. When bucket is full, toss it outside in a designated compost pile. It can be a hole in the ground, or any shady spot where it won’t dry up.

-Layer the kitchen scraps with newspaper.

Photo Credit: Kirsty Hall 

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Basil In Winter

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I love growing my own herbs. I use fresh oregano and basil in my cooking, and I use lavender and eucalyptus in homemade bath products. The best thing about herbs is that they’re easy to grow, and easy to transport, meaning you can grow them indoors during the colder months. Check out this post by Melissa at Melissa K. Norris on how to grow basil during the winter for some tips:

Buy one or two bunches of basil (usually about three plants are inside each package). Growing basil in water during the winter months is actually preferable, as you don’t have to worry about your soil molding.

Choose a planter, and add a bit of water.

Place your basil plants in the water. Find your warmest and sunniest window, usually this is a southern exposure side of the house. 

Photo Credit: Isaac Wedin 

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Drilling Through Tile…Without Breaking It

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Installing lighting and other electrical equipment yourself can save you tons of money (though, there are many cases when a professional is needed! Know your limits!) But, what if you need to install something into your bathroom, and you have tile walls? If you don’t know what you’re doing, you can shatter the tile (which is not a good look). For a great tutorial, read this post by Nate and Michelle at Decor and the Dog:

Choose the correct drill bit.  – Regular drill bits aren’t strong enough to drill through tile.  Tile is made to be strong and hold up to a beating but these qualities make it hard to drill into.

Mark the area with painter’s tape to keep the drill from slipping

Use light pressure on the drill.  It’s tempting to want to drill fast.  Drilling through tile takes patience. It took about 5-10 minutes for each hole drilled.  Be sure to keep the drill bit cool!

Photo Credit: Nachans 

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Homestead Idea: Soap Making

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I love the idea of homesteading- learning skills that let you provide for yourself and your family. Now, I don’t live on a farm. I don’t raise any animals, or grow my own food- yet. Eventually, I hope to have a huge garden and a flock of chickens. But, I do try to learn things that make me more self sufficient. I know how to crochet, and I’m learning how to knit. My current obsession, though- is learning how to make my own soap. I love the idea of choosing the scents and colors that I want, as well as knowing exactly what I’m using for my bath products. All you need is lye (found in hardware stores), and oil (olive oil from the grocery store works just fine)! You can also add herbs and plants from your garden for fragrance (rose petals, oats, seeds, lavender- the list goes on and on). I’m going to try my hand at it soon, and here is a recipe by Tracy Ariza at The Things We’ll Make that I’m going to try. (Note- lye is extremely caustic and produces strong fumes, and can cause chemical burns. Keep it far, far away from children and pets, and always wear gloves and safety goggles when handling it.)

Mix your lye into your water (Not the other way around!!!) in a heat safe bowl outdoors. Let it cool.

Mix your oil.

Mix the cooled-down lye water with the oil mixture.

Let it thicken, then add your fragrance or essential oils- then pour it into molds

Let set for around a month, turning every day or two at first, and then every week later on.  This is to let your soap dry out and harden.

Photo Credit: Kim Becker 

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Cheap/Free Gardening Tips

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One thing I love about plants is how they take our waste and turn it into something useful. Animals breathe out carbon dioxide- plants “breathe” it in, and “breathe out” oxygen for us. They use animal manure as fertilizer, and thrive on things that we need to get rid of. What I’m getting at is- you can make stuff that your plants will love by using scraps from your kitchen and other trash (that is basically what composting is). For some frugal gardening tips that recycle (what we consider as) garbage, read this post at Eliving Today:

-Line the bottom of a clay pot with a coffee filter to keep soil from leaking out the bottom hole.

-Want to test your seeds to see if they’re still viable for this planting season? Do what kids do. Place a wet paper towel inside a zip top bag, drop in 3-4 seeds and wait a week to see if anything grows.

-One way to prevent weeds is to line your garden with a layer of newspaper. Just top two or three sheets of newsprint with a layer of pine needles, grass clippings or dried leaves.

– Place several cardboard toilet paper rolls inside a clean plastic clamshell, like those used for supermarket salads. Fill each cardboard tube with potting soil and plant. Once your seedlings grow too tall for the clamshell, simply tear off the top lid. 

Photo Credit: Jessica Spengler 

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Cheap Landscaping Ideas

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Having a well landscaped yard will do wonders for your curb appeal, but many people are often intimidated by the idea. Landscaping your yard doesn’t have to be a huge, expensive ordeal. And, while hiring a professional will certainly save you time, you can do it yourself for much less. But, if you have no idea where to start (I don’t have an eye for outdoor design)- this article by Kristia at Family Balance Sheet will be extremely helpful:

-Take ‘before’ shots

-Take measurements of your space

-Plant foliage that is native to your area

-Look for inspiration in books and magazines

-Add interest with color

-Don’t overcrowd

-Always follow planting instructions

Photo Credit: Rachel Kramer 

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Dishwasher Cleaning Tips

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If your dishwasher is full of icky bacteria, it’s not going to do a very good job of getting your dishes clean. It’s easy to forget about, but it’s extremely important to clean your dishwasher periodically. But, how do you do it? You’d think that just running it would take care of it, but that’s not always the case. To kill bacteria and get rid of built up food and grime, read this post by Cheryl at Tidy Mom:

-Start with an empty dishwasher. Remove all parts

-Use paper towels to remove debris and gunk

-Using paper towels, remove debris and food gunk (I’ve even found hair??) .

  • Use a damp rag that’s been wet with vinegar water to wipe down inside and edges of door, use a toothbrush or q-tip to get in tiny places. 

-Add 2 cups of white vinegar to the bottom of the dishwasher and turn it on to Energy or Low Wash. Stop the machine in mid-wash, so the vinegar can set on the bottom and work. Let it stand for about 20 minutes, then turn on to finish cycle.

Photo Credit: brownpau 

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Too Soon To Prune?

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Pruning trees is necessary for their health. It helps them grow larger and faster, while also preventing the branches from getting too heavy. Usually, if a tree branch falls and it’s not because of a storm, it’s because it hasn’t been pruned properly. Fallen tree branches are extremely dangerous- and can cost you a lot if they fall on your home or car. So, to help both you and your trees, here’s a guide on pruning, from Kathy Woodard at The Garden Glove. It tells you when and how to prune your trees:

– Most trees will come out healthier on the other end if you wait until after the coldest part of winter has passed, but before vigorous growth starts in early spring.

-For large trees, leave the job to a tree trimming service

-Here’s what to cut on small trees: rubbing/crossing branches, dead or broken branches, water sprouts, and anything awkward or unattractive.

Photo Credit: Rosewoman 

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DIY Plant Food

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One key to being a great gardener is giving your plants the right food and fertilizer. It keeps your plants healthy and helps them grow bigger and stronger. But, commercial plant foods can cost a lot- especially when you already have the ingredients for a great plant food in your own kitchen! What’s more- it’s made out of stuff that most people throw away. Check out this recipe by Keowdie at My Purple Brick Road:

-Put some water in a jar

-Whenever you use an egg, put the shell in the jar (crunch them up)

-Put used coffee grounds in the jar

-When it’s full, top it off with water, shake it up, then let it sit for a week

-Now you have made your own “compost tea”!

Photo Credit: oatsy40 

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