Our family dedicated yesterday to dirt.  We gathered supplies at the store and headed home to begin.  Shayne worked on cleaning out and mulching flower beds while the kids and I got started on our garden.

Getting started:

Containers.  Now, we’re starting with classic pots and planters, but you can use anything, really.  I’ve seen old cowboy boots, reusable shopping bags, potato bags, old wheelbarrows and bathtubs…you get the idea.  I intend to keep an eye out for fun planters later, but for now…the basics.

Potting soil.  I grabbed these bags of organic soil intended for veggies.

I didn’t realize until I’d already begun that they were intended for in-ground use.  Oopsy.  I’m going with it anyway.

Plants and seeds…

Drain holes.  Some pots already have holes, some have perforated areas to be punched out as necessary, and old boots and bags will need holes punched in them.  I used a screwdriver and punched out some holes.

I lined the bottom of the pots with newspaper.  This will keep the soil in and let excess water drain out.

Next up:  time to fill the pots with potting soil.

Then we planted.  Follow the directions on the package.  Most seed packages won’t have directions for container gardening, so be flexible.  I planted extra seeds in each of my containers and then I’ll thin out the plants at they begin to grow.

And here is our container garden in its infancy:

The pots line either side of the walk just outside our back door.  That’s one big plus of container gardening:  easy access!  It’s right outside of our office window so that I can keep a close eye on the plants and it will discourage small animals from invading.

What did we plant, you ask?

Tomatoes (Celebrity and Patio.  Patio tomatoes are cherry-type tomatoes that are supposed to thrive in containers.)

Eggplant (black beauty)

Yellow Squash

Radishes

Jalapenos

Green onions

And….I’m trying herbs for the first time.  They may move into our sunroom.  We’ll see.

Cilantro

Rosemary

Basil

Oregano

We may add more in the coming weeks, but for now I think we’re off to a good start!

Do you garden?  Is it in-ground or container gardening?  Feel free to share success stories!

P.S.– I have a couple of gardening gurus in the family who cannot be stumped!  Hey Aunt Cathy, what have I done wrong so far?

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Dear Abbie, I mean, The Green Wife,

I, like yourself, am trying to be greener. Over the past year, I have amassed quit a collection of those energy efficient light bulbs that are sold everywhere now. I feel good about them because I’ve been told they’re a small, easy step to take if you’re beginning to try to live greener. However, I have become concerned because they are not lasting as long as I had been promised and they cannot be thrown into the trash. According to the packaging and the bulb itself, I am instructed to dispose of the bulbs at an approved recycling facility as they contain mercury. What? Mercury?

I have four children and they can be wild at times so the last thing I want to worry about is a bulb getting shattered and depositing small, mercury coated shards of glass all over the place. In fact, that very thing happened yesterday. I was hosting friends for coffee when a little boy, who was jumping on my daughter’s bed, took a swing at her ceiling fan with a hanger and the bulb shattered. I didn’t even find out about the incident until later in the day when I found pieces of glass in my daughter’s bed and on her floor.

Is the mercury in light bulbs something I should be concerned about? Are they just not for everyone? Please shed some “light” on this subject.

Sincerely,

Concerned in Clyde

So to her, I say..

Dear Concerned in Clyde,

Thank you for writing me with your concerns with your CFL bulbs.  I did a little sniffing around the internet to see what I could find out.

Why do they contain mercury? Because it’s the single element that can create such an energy efficient light bulb.
Isn’t that dangerous? Mercury is toxic to humans.  However, the amount of mercury in a bulb is very, very minimal (5mg as opposed to 500mg or so in a handheld thermometer)  and is safely contained within the bulb to prevent exposure…..which brings us to the issue of your broken bulb.
What if a CFL bulb breaks in my home? Not to panic.  I’ll share the information I found on EnergyStar.gov:

1. Before Clean-up: Ventilate the Room

• Have people and pets leave the room, and don’t let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
• Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
• Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

• Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
• Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

3. Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug:

• Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
• Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:

• If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be discarded.  Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
• You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you happened to be wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
• If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes.  Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

5. Disposal of Clean-up Materials

• Immediately place all cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
• Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
• Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area.  Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

6. Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Ventilate the Room During and After Vacuuming

• The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming.
• Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Why are my bulbs not lasting as long as promised? I’m sorry that I don’t know.  I looked at different manufacturer sites and found little to no information.  I think that’s something you’ll have to address with their customer service representatives….and I wish you luck.

Are CFL bulbs for everyone? I think that they are a wonderful way for every home to cut back on energy usage, but based on history of breakage they should probably be used in sockets that are protected by a globe or shade that would make accidents less likely to happen.

I hope that your children are safe from mercury exposure as well as broken glass!  Thank you again for writing me with your questions.

Sincerely,

Abbie, I mean, The Green Wife

Confession time.

I’ve always felt a little odd about just tossing dryer lint in the trash.  I just felt like it had a higher purpose in life.

Hey, I never claimed to be normal.

Keep reading. I have a point.

The point is…it’s useful! Dryer lint is useful!

Take it out of the filter, ball it up and shove it in a toilet paper tube and what do you have?

A big hunk of trash. Or…kindling for your fireplace.

So, instead of tossing out your lint, save up toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls and even wrapping paper tubes. Cut the longer ones into smaller sections, stuff them with lint and you have yourself some great firestarters.

And now I want to go watch Firestarter. When’s the last time you saw that movie?

Everyone knows that peroxide is a naturally occurring substance, but do you know where it actually comes from?  I wasn’t sure, so I consulted Wikipedi and this is what I found:

“Hydrogen peroxide is naturally produced in organisms as a byproduct of oxygen metabolism. Nearly all living things possess enzymes known as peroxidases, which harmlessly and catalytically decompose low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen.”

Very interesting.

The peroxide I keep around is simply the 3% that you’ll find in those 99 cent brown bottles in your pharmacy.  Cheap, readily available, natural and antiseptic….are you sold yet?

So, now that we have that in our brains, let’s talk about some of my favorite uses for this liquid gold…

Keep a 50/50 mix of peroxide and water in a spray bottle in your bathroom and spray down your shower walls, knobs and faucets to keep them sparkling and germ-free.

Make a paste of peroxide and baking soda as a whitening scrub for porcelain bathtubs.  Your tub has never been so white and germ-free!

Keep another 50/50 mix in your kitchen for wiping down counters, tables  and sinks.

After rinsing your wooden cutting boards, pour straight peroxide onto them to kill bacteria left behind from your food.

Use it to rinse produce to remove harsh chemicals and residual dirt.

Rinse your mouth with a capful of straight peroxide by swishing for several minutes 2-3 times a week. .  This will not only whiten teeth, but fight nasty bad-breath causing germs.

Peroxide breaks down proteins, so it’s wonderful for getting blood stains out of clothes.  Just be careful because it is also capable of removing color from fabric.

Clean your laminate or linoleum floors with a 50/50 peroxide/water mixture for floors so clean you could eat off of them!

Please….wear gloves when using hydrogen peroxide!

Are you a peroxide user?  Share how you use it in your home!

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When I came across The Little Box of Knitted Gifts today, I just knew that I had to give it away to some lucky Green Wife reader!  It’s just perfect for my knitting readers looking for fun, quick things to knit up for the lucky people on their lists.

It’s a cute little box full of 20 patterns for things like scarves, mittens, hats, dishcloths and more.  The best part?  Each pattern is on its own card that you can toss in your knitting bag.  No more toting a big book along with you!

So, to enter the drawing just comment (one time only, please) and tell me when you begin to decorate for the holidays.  No entries after 5pm tomorrow, please. I will choose a winner randomly on the evening Wednesday, November 18th.

**The contest is open to anyone who can find a use for the prize and is not limited based on religious beliefs. The only person ineligible to win this prize is….me.

And the winner is…..#9!

Congratulations, Cheyenne!  Please contact me within 14 days to claim your prize.

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They’re all the rage at conferences I’ve attended lately and I expect to see tons of them at Blog World Expo this week.  There are many fun little characters to choose from or there’s the newer Poken Pulse that simply looks like a flash drive.

Now…what makes me love these guys even more??  They can totally and completely replace business cards!  No more wasting paper and ink!  No more killing trees!  Love it.  These cute little guys are saving the world and they don’t even know it!

So…here’s the part that you’ll really love– I’m giving one away!  Your choice of any 1 Poken character or Poken Pulse!  Oh, the fun!

To enter, just comment and let me know which social media you use the most (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc…) and let me know what you think about these lil’ guys! Contest will end Tuesday, October 13 at 5pm CST.  Spread the word!

And the winner is….

#19….Helen!  Congratulations, Helen!  Please email me here to claim your prize!  Be sure to let me know which Poken you would like!

Thank you all for entering.  Keep checking back for more upcoming giveaways!

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Anyhow, with permission from Creative Little Daisy I created a video demonstration of her brilliant DIY bias tape method. I use this method almost daily lately and I wanted to make sure that everyone else can use and love it like I do! So….drumroll……here it is!

(Bonus points if you can tell me how many times I almost start cracking up!)

I ran home, new cover in hand, and searched youtube.com to find the skit and share it with you guys. What I found was a couple of guys who reenacted it and I got the giggles! Enjoy!

If you haven’t seen his stand-up routines 8 billion times like I have, please, please, please watch him. Every chance you get. He’s brilliant.

And….keep an eye out tomorrow for my video demonstration of Creative Little Daisy’s bias tape trick!

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And by deskunk, I literally mean how to get the skunk smell out if one of your pets (or god forbid, YOU) have tangoed with one of these smelly critters….its actually pretty simple, you just need 4 ingredients. White vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and water. If your carpet or couch are affected, I recommend a steam-type cleaner, I used a “Little Green Machine,” made by Bissell.

For carpeting (or upholstery, I’m guessing), sprinkle a liberal coating of baking soda on the affected area….don’t be afraid to use too much…we’ll take care of it in a moment or two. Now, if you don’t have a carpet/upholstery cleaner…you’re going to have to let the next step dry for a bit before you can vacuum it up…but spray some of the white vinegar directly onto the baking soda. It’ll fizz a bit, maybe a lot, depending how much of each ingredient you’re using. My entire house reeked before we did this…and I think if not all the smell, we got most of the smell out in about 10 minutes.

If you’re using a carpet cleaner…spare yourself the spraying and just add as much white vinegar to the resivoir as you would use cleaning solution….fill to where its to be filled with warm water….and apply to the carpet. I recommend spraying it on and letting it do its thing with the baking soda for a few seconds before extracting it all.

For the pet who’s been affected….do this as quickly as possible after the encounter. However, I rinsed our dog w/plain water last night and some shampoo, just to make sure her eyes were ok, and left her sleep on the old couch in the garage….so about 7-8 hours had passed before we tried this….

Mix two quarts of hydrogen peroxide with 1/2 a cup baking soda and rub into the pet’s fur. Let sit for just a moment or two…as long as you can with a wiggly critter. Then, rinse them well, and voila! They’ll be clean and should be stink free. If it doesn’t work, its safe to repeat…hopefully you’ll be lucky like we were and not have to repeat a second time.

If you actually need these tricks….I’m so sorry. We discovered very quickly that its not a pleasant experience. Hoping you never need to know this stuff….. Diane

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It’s a mystery in substance and in shape. The kids aren’t allowed to have food or drink in their rooms, so I’m really not sure what it could have been. The shape is quite interesting though, don’t you think? Not your standard roundish blob of a stain.

Anyway, I came into the kitchen and poured myself a delicious glass of baking soda. Yum. Okay, no. Not yum. I added a sprinkle of water to it–not enough to even make a paste, just enough to make a crumbly mixture. I took it and worked it into the stain with my fingers and let it sit overnight.

After using the brush attachment on the vacuum, I discovered this:

At least…I think that’s the right area. The stain was so completely gone that I was sure exactly where it had been. And that’s a good thing.

Never underestimate the power of baking soda. And rest easy knowing you green-cleaned your baby’s carpet.

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