Look out below!!

I just saw these on my Facebook page from Plant Depot and fell in love with them! This is such a COOL idea and as you read this on my way to find 'em and buy me some!!

What it is..."Made from a mixture of clay, compost, and seeds, "seedbombs" are becoming an increasingly popular means combating the many forgotten grey spaces we encounter everyday-from sidewalk cracks to vacant lots and parking medians. They can be thrown anonymously into these derelict urban sites to temporarily reclaim and transform them into places worth looking at and caring for. The Greenaid dispensary simply makes these guerilla gardening efforts more accessible to all by appropriating the existing distribution system of the quarter operated candy machine. Using just the loose coins in your pocket, you can make a small but meaningful contribution to the beautification of your city. "

http://greenaid.co/pages/Greenaid-Vending-.html

Can't wait to chuck these in some of my neighbors yards...also some friends yards, oh and some nearby businesses, oh and old abandoned lots, the sidewalk....I could go on!

Pardon me, do you have any compost tea?

So, who here has ever attempted or achieved making compost tea? Honestly, I haven't but I am very excited to learn more about it!!

"Why go to the extra trouble of brewing, straining, and spraying a tea rather than just working compost into the soil? There are several reasons. First, compost tea makes the benefits of compost go farther. What's more, when sprayed on the leaves, compost tea helps suppress foliar diseases, increases the amount of nutrients available to the plant, and speeds the breakdown of toxins. Using compost tea has even been shown to increase the nutritional quality and improve the flavor of vegetables. If you've been applying compost to your soil only in the traditional way, you're missing out on a whole host of benefits." ~ Fine Gardening

Tree Hugger.com has some great information on this topic with videos and lots of answers to your questions. (Compost Tea Information)

Related Articles

Worm composting

How to make compost

~*~ Moss Boss ~*~

This is work from Anna I found on this blog site! Super cool!

This has nothing to do with the 'Sopranos' or 'Mob Wives'...Awhile back I wrote about 'Eco Graffiti' not just because I am obsessed moss, but also because this idea is loaded with cool!! I am surprised this has not become a new trendy trend down here...maybe its because we are in a warmer climate but I know tons of locations that are shady and screaming for some attention. It seems the Anna Garforth is pretty much the 'moss boss' and has a fun website and blog you can check out! She has some cutting edge artwork and other blog posts from other artists. I just love these sort of things!

Have fun 'mossing' around!

Amazing.

Look close....do you see what (took me awhile) see?? This is an actual photo...not a painting! I found this on one of my favorite blogs (Studio G) and could not believe my eyes. Pretty talented if I do say so myself. From what I gather this is from a photographer Frans Lanting from National Geographic and this photo was taken in the Namibia park. You can read more about this at Namibia's Coastal Parks on the National Geographic website. Here is a link if you want to add this photo to your desk top :)



"In 1990 newly independent Namibia became one of the world’s first nations to write environmental protection into its constitution." -National Geographic

Oh the Pride of Madeira!

Echium candicans...I just love this plant! You see it all around in orange county and I love driving PHC because you see this plant along the highway! The purple flowers and the large mounding bush make this a statement plant as well as being ornamental. The Pride of Madeira is also a California native plant so it can be low maintenance with low water requirements....a great duo! Perfect for your beach garden, or your drought tolerant garden or your native garden. This plant is a beauty!!


Biennials Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Height: 6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)
Spacing: 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Danger: Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction
Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early SummerMid Summer
Foliage: Evergreen
Other details:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
This plant is resistant to deer
Propagation Methods: From softwood cuttings
Seed Collecting:
Collect seedhead/pod when flowers fade; allow to dry
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds

Furry Friends...

Masons idea of helping me garden!
If you have a dog(s), want a dog or love a dog you know they are ALWAYS sniffing their surroundings and especially outside in the garden. My dog Mason chews and eats sticks, plants, digging bulbs etc etc etc from our garden. I know the few main plants that are poisonous to dogs but thought I would look them up for you so you have a go-to place to find out.

On the Cornell University website I found a link that has all the plants listed by category. Very user friendly!!
http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/dogs/index.html

I am not saying you can't have any (or all) of these plants in your garden, just be aware of what you have and what your pup is eating! Happy planting!

Living Walls the DIY way...

I have known about these 'wolly pockets' for awhile now and have always wanted to invest in a few and create a living wall in my house. (how great would these be to create a living wall in the bathroom) The idea of these pockets is really cool and a huge plus is that they are very user friendly...you just buy, fill and hang. How hard could it really be?? I found some pictures and wanted to share them with you...check out the links for inspiration or if you have your own inspirations shoot them my way! :)

This one is called "island".
http://www.woollypocket.com/meadow/lil-meadow/

This is the "Wally".

http://www.woollypocket.com/