International Can-It-Forward Day 2014 ~ #CanItForward

Have you heard that today is International Can-It-Forward Day? Well I just found out about it yesterday, and think it is so neat. It's the fourth year for this event, and they will have live webcasts with demonstrations throughout the day on various topics related to preserving your own foods, and even one on tips for Urban Gardens, which totally applies to my family.

Growing organic veggies and fruit has been a dream of mine for a few years now. We live in a city and have super small backyard. I could really use some advice after all the issues we dealt with including Rascally Rabbits (who would have guessed they would be a problem), and ants taking over the garden. Also our harvests have been pretty pitiful! =)

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Help They Are Taking Over

Well, I'm currently in a battle with a bazillion little insects!!! They have taken over my few corn plants!!! The little buggers are ants.... just annoying!!!  If you even walk out to that plot.. there is so many ants that they are crawling up your leg within a few seconds.

Dear Mr.Ant...Sorry, but I dislike you with a passion!! -Amanda

 I had read that an organic way to be rid of those six legged pests was to mix Chili powder and water. Then just spread a barrier around your plants. Diligently been spreading the paste around for days, and it works until I water the garden. The ants are not even a bit scared of that stuff after it's water down. 

I'm at a loss, and really would love to save my sweet corn from this plague of ANTS! If anyone has some experience with an Ant problem and knows an organic way to remedy it..... Please Please Please share in a comment!!! 

~On a side note.... they aren't touching my tomatoes! 

{Trying to find a positive in all of this!}  =)

*Photo credit- FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Just Pinch Those Suckers

Well, I was going to try and study up this week for an awesome beginner "how to" post on taking care of tomatoes. Unfortunately my life....been crazy this week.... wasn't going to let that happen. Here's two little bits of information that I have picked up so far.=)

FYI- We found these on sale for $1 at Rural King.

1- Tomatoes need a cage.   

I'm sure this sounds simple to those veteran gardeners, but people like me just starting out with their first garden have no idea. 

When tomatoes start growing they will get a lot larger than you expect. These simply help support the plant which will need it when all those big juicy tomatoes come on.

This sucker just got pinched!

2- You need to prune or really just pinch the suckers off your tomato plants.  

This is a very easy process, and it keeps the plants from becoming too large. 

My Garden of Weedin'

Weeds are normal in any garden, I know this. Just really don't want them in ours making a home and hanging out!!! =)

Weeds, your days are numbered! {insert evil laugh here}

Trying not be OCD about keeping the weeds out is how I have decided to play this one! Not sure if all gardeners have my attitude about weeds, but I figure once every two or three weeks is all the time I'm willing to put in pulling weeds. {Especially in this heat wave we are going through in the Midwest... 105 degrees in Southern Indiana today}

Just figure if there's a weed.. there's a weed. What's the worst that could happen..... the pics for my blog post will not be as pretty. I can live with that! 

Don't get me wrong I do pull all the weeds on a set day, and make sure the rows all look nice again. See I want this Organic Gardening Adventure to be a fun one... not a stressful, "Did you get all the weeds pulled?" one.

Our first baby green tomatoes! Aren't they cute?! LOL =D

 All of the little issues I'm learning to deal with are so small compared to the huge pay out of fresh veggies in just a couple weeks! So excited.... I have a few little green tomatoes, baby banana and green peppers already. Not to mention the romaine that has been providing us with fresh salads. {Go Here to read  my post on romaine lettuce}

I am having such a fun time learning about how to organic garden, and also just general facts about taking care of all these veggie plants. For instance, I really had no idea that different plants used different minerals from the soil, or that tomato plants need to be pruned.  ..... think I am getting ahead of myself......more on all of that next week! =)

Learning As We Grow

This week we had our first salad fresh from the garden, and it was ok.

Knowing that we grew it ourselves made it even better. 

It was a bit bitter, and after reading up think the leaves should be picked when they are smaller. 

Apparently, the larger the Romaine leaves are, the more "nutty" {bitter if you ask me} they will taste. Oh Well... that is what this is all about= learning as we GROW right?! ;)

Hate to keep this one short and sweet {or bitter.... lol}, but the weeds are starting to take over the corn and pepper plants!

 Seriously...some kind of vine keeps popping up and within a day is half way up the corn or pepper plants! Those babies are driving me nuts!!! Off to weed the garden I go....before it gets too stinking hot! LOL

More on the weed issue next week. Have a great weekend!  =)

Organic Gardening- Rascally Rabbits Invade

Photo- courtesy of freerangestock.com

I am sure you all have seen the shows... cartoons and others, where the rabbits come in, and just wipe out the veggies in the mean ol' Farmers garden. He tries everything to fix the problem, but they just keeping robbing him blind. We all laugh and stuff, but now I see why that farmer was so irritated!!! 

Our lil urban garden, had a few visitors from this furry group, and they ate 3 of our 8 romaine lettuce plants down to the dirt in one big feast!!! Grrrrrr

Well, since I am trying to be "earth friendly", and have an organic garden without any type of chemicals or harming any native creatures.... including those lil furry robber rabbits, we had to get creative on how to stop them. Not to mention, I am trying to garden on a very tight budget!!!! So buying those cute little white wire fences, or buying pretty much anything was out of the question.

My new project.... an organic garden!

Now that school is out for the summer, I have started an organic garden! I am so excited to try this whole organic gardening thing out! 

We have, what I jokingly call, an urban garden. Our backyard is so tiny that I have had to get a bit creative on where I am planting. Thanks to my very willing to help hubby, since he found out we could save a bit on our grocery budget over the winter, I now have some really cool plots.