Sunday Bits #15 (no-dig, direct sowing, pots and garlands)
- themarigoldgc
- Feb 5, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 28, 2023
Can you believe it is February already? I feel like we just put the Christmas tree away. This short month always feels so long, but if we fill it with crafting, cleaning, organising, and planning, it will be over before we know it and spring will be just around the corner.
My kitchen is now well and truly in reno mode. They have taken it down to the studs, the electrical is being moved around for the new cabinet layout, and next week they start building the walls back up again. I'm counting down to the finish line, just 7 weeks to go!
Gardening Bits
Have a greenhouse with beds in it and wondering what you can grow in them? Here are a bunch of great ideas! 19 Vegetables to Grow in a Greenhouse - Gardening Channel
This podcast with Charles Dowding, the no-dig gardening guru. I've been following these same principles for a dozen years and now swear by them. Thinking of making a new bed? Read/listen to find out how. How to feed your soil, when to start, a bit about making compost, and best of all, he reaffirms what I have always said about crop rotation in home gardener plots. Check it out.
Remember, if you are hesitant, or doubtful about any of these things Charles mentions, do your own trial. I trial all sorts of things, do my own comparisons.
Are you getting a greenhouse this spring? Here are some things to think about. This one is my post that I wrote up a few years ago and covers everything that I could think of at the time!
Did you know that there are a lot of plants that do not like to be transplanted? Are better off direct sown? Here is an article that tells you what to prestart and what to direct sow.
Love bringing out my baby Stihl for pruning. February is the month for pruning fruit trees, so get your baby chainsaw, pruners, and loppers ready!
February weather tends to be all over the place, wherever you live in Canada. We usually got at least one good snowstorm on the island each February, just to let you know that Mother Nature is in charge, hah!
Wait till a nice, warm, sunny day to prune and then spray them with dormant oil and lime sulphur. You can pick up the kit at any hardware store, box store, or garden centre to get rid of over-wintering pests and fungal issues on your roses and fruit trees. If you have had no issues with scab or pests on your apples, pears, roses, no need to spray at all.
Another thing I like to do in February is to plan my colour scheme for the hanging baskets and planters as that is when I would start planning what to order from my flower supplier or what to start myself from seed. I used to get together with my neighbour to do this, it was a bit of a tradition.
I am a bit loosey goosey with my colours while she is so good at picking a scheme and sticking to it. We always chose three colours but there are no hard and fast rules to this. You can go monochromatic with different shades or shapes of one colour, that looks spectacular. You can use any and all colours, that is called a Victorian basket. I go with cool colours, for the most part, as I am not a huge fan of the hot colours, however, a pop of yellow or orange really helps the cool colours come together... see, no rules!
Crafty Bits
Make this super cute clay heart garland from My Vintage Porch.
Make these cute hearts out of clay. She has them painted silver to look like tin, but I think I would make them pink : )
Make some whitewashed flower pots with hearts on it. These would be cute all in a row, like maybe in the window with herbs?
This is a super cute pot treatment, turn your plain clay pots into white, antique stamped pots. I really like this one a lot, they are adorable and super easy to make. Look good even without the stamp but the stamp makes it.
Kitchen Bits
Love this one, gives me much to think about for my kitchen reno, how to incorporate open shelves or a coffee bar, something similar? Love the brick and birch wallpaper, too!
Home Diy Bit's
This is simple but cute, kind of farmhouse looking. I want to do this in the grandkid's room for a casual way to hang up all sorts of their items. See the cute beadboard and hooks diy idea here.
Check out these no-sew curtains! I am looking to update my curtains in several rooms so anything curtain-y catches me eye ; )
Super easy curtain liners! Like this idea a lot for hot, sunny windows. Plus, probably a good idea if you live in a very cold area, like I do, lol, as more insulation.
This lovely wreath is perfect for winter, not a hint of Christmas to be seen!
Hang in there if you are feeling a bit melancholy this month. Meditation is a great idea, crafting, organising, or just make lots of lists and notes in your journal. I may never go back to those notes but they keep my mind active and help me stay upbeat while construction guys traipse through my home from 8 to 5 each work day ; )
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