A New Aspect to the Daily Grind

I have never thought I had the green thumb skill. I couldn't even keep a bamboo plant alive! But that doesn't mean I wanted to sit back and only watch others grow things. I had hoped that one day I could have a garden yard. Pretty flowers. Edible plants. Everything one might only dream of. Fast forward and that has not been a thing. The plant that lasted the longest for me was a succulent. Until the little pot it was in broke. Despite moving it to another pot, it withered away too. 

This year was different. Prices of produce, and the skimpy things you could find in stores, left a lot to be desired. Which solidified my resolve. I was going to put more effort into growing things myself. Would it work? Eeeehhhh maybe not. But I was going to give it my best effort!

I had seen shorts made by Creative_Explained on Instagram. The guy is awesome! He breaks down the process of seed starting and growing. I have used some of these already to try to grow things.   

My first plant was the cucumber. I was SO proud of how big it got. And it even flowered. Then, one of two things happened. Either it became diseased, or I over-watered it. I'm not exactly sure which... But it showed me I could do this!

So I started another plant. Sadly, something kept getting into the pots and pulling out the seeds.  I did get the watermelon started, but it didn't last long. Instead, I now have potatoes sprouting up. 

I have about 3 spuds growing that I saw when I transferred this to a bigger pot with more soil. I started this one from a potato we got at the meat market. It had started growing on my counter and has taken off from there. 

Then came the onion. This was also started from an onion we had purchased and then I sliced off the root side and planted it. Green onions (or chives) will grow the same way! I have had success with that in the past. 

Some wild flowers are growing from seeds I was given. Another happy experiment!  

Some helpful tricks I'm learning to balance in the process are adding cinnamon to keep away rot and mold. The brown flakes you see were from crumbled cinnamon sticks we were given. Also, if you soak banana peels in water for about 2 hours, you can then use that water to add potassium back into the soil. Used coffee grounds are also helpful. Soak in water, strain that out into a spray bottle and use it to benefit the plants nutrients and growth. I have to learn how to properly apply these techniques in a balanced way though. That might have been what killed my cucumber. Not balancing the 3 just right.  

Despite the ups and downs, I have taken this as another task to my day. One that can be disappointing when things don't grow. But can also bring great satisfaction when they do. It pushes me to try harder. Research more. Do better. Some days, I don't want to do anything. There is a lot pressing down on me lately, but this little change in life has helped me fight those down days. I can't wait to see what I can do later on!  

Gardening is good for the soul

Gardening is good for the body too. You grow healthier foods, maybe beautiful flowers, or trees for some summer time shade. Whatever it is, it has purpose in the long run.
For my family, we are growing vegetables. One - to save money. Two - to eat healthier. I'm also having my daughter help in growing flowers. She loves to pick wildflowers everywhere we go. Do you have one of those kids in your life? The one you hear, "This is for you, Mommy!", as she hands you a wilted flower that has tiny black insects in the middle? You reach down and say, "Aw, thank you, sweetie." Then when she isn't looking, the flower finds a new home in the grass...

But the excitement we have while working together as a family, is what is truly important to me. We spend so much time as moms, or dads, that we miss moments with our kids. How often do you find yourself saying, "Oh? That sounds cool." Or, "Really? Well, just be careful." Were you really listening to them? Can you repeat their story back to them? Or did you get the gist and mumble your reply while focusing on your current task. Watching TV, washing dishes, folding laundry... Yes, these are important and must be completed. Yes, time is limited. But they won't be little forever. Before you know it, your baby is 8 years old. He has an attitude and doesn't want to stand next to you when his friends are there. Your little girl is 4 years old and wants to pick out her own clothing for school. And your 6 year old can do his homework without your help, but let's you "help" by reading the instructions just to spend that time with you. 
So, this is what we are doing. What about you? What will you do to have meaningful time with your loved ones.

Do you grow anything?

I just learned something recently about growing green onions... Normally I grow them outside in a pot. Water, dirt, air, and sunlight. But now I know there is another way to do it. And it requires only a baggie in the fridge.

Yep, you read that right. I cut the roots off. Then I put those roots into a plastic baggie. I put that baggie into the fridge and left it there for a month or two. When I went to pull that baggie out again, I found they had grown again. Oh the applications I can use this for...Especially since I'm the kind who kills things more than grows them.

So what do you grow? And how do you do it? I, personally, have plans to one day grow roses, lilies, and orchids. And if my thumb will turn green - tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and maybe strawberries. Good to aspire, right?