Inexpensive Upcycled/DIY Ideas

Photo by Mr. T in DC

Who among us doesn't dread taking out the trash/recycling. I know I do, but if I repurpose some of it the load is lightened. Today I noticed that my recycling is getting especially full. Since I'm not wanting to walk the all of one block to take it out in this heat, I decided to repurpose what i could.






Plant markers are something I desperately need right now but really don't want to pay for. With all my fall veggie seeds it's tough to keep track of what's what. Even if you do, it's still nice to have labels for convenience purposes. A quick, easy and FREE way to get a lot of these is to reuse those plastic packagings and bottles. Whenever I buy something it always seems to come with lots of plastic packaging and so my recycling gets mighty fat. You can cut them into large strips or small stingy strips. If you're really conserving them you can use dry-erase marker instead of permanent. Either way these make plant markers that are (in my opinion) much better looking than those ugly white plastic ones at Home Depot.

Greenhouse covers are another good way to use those plastics. If you are using small cups you can cut bottles in half and cover your plants with them. Here I've used the packaging from some telephone wire I bought last week. If it fits, use it! I wrote underneath with dry-erase marker so these babies can be used again. they fit so well!

Old ice cube trays make great seed starters. When I moved in the previous tenant had left tons of old ice trays and other junk. I've found that even though I won't drink out of it there's no need to waste. My plants like it quite well.

DIY Hanging Planters

One way to find extra space for your plants is to use hanging planters. This great DIY project stems from a one done by Design Sponge with a few modifications  in materials and outdoor-friendly design.

There are three different types: an upside-down can planter, a simple hanging can planter, and an upside down soda bottle planter.

Of the three I think I like the soda bottle the best, unfortunately this was the only bottle of soda I had around and I had to empty it from my fridge (it's been there for over a year so I thought it'd probably be about time anyway).

We'll start on the left in this photo and move right. As we go through the steps, click on any of the images to enlarge them. Note that my drill in the photos is a Yankee drill and if you are using an electric drill you may want to make some modifications. If you don't have a drill you can use a hammer and nail to puncture the can.

DIY Upside-Down Can Planter

Printer-friendy version

I really like this planter until it comes to the lid part. I've been trying to think of a way to overcome that but thus far have been unsuccessful. I don't drink can coffee or eat wasabi nuts so I don't have a whole lot of "lidded" cans around. I got my lid from my baking cocoa can which now is covered with sran wrap. As you can see from the photo above, you must secure it with duct tape and it's not the most beautiful-looking thing. I may go back and paint over it though which would solve that problem. 

Materials

• 1 can (a size large enough for your plant), labels removed
• can opener (optional)
• drill
• duct/gorilla tape
• spray paint
• 1/8" dia. braided nylon cord
• cardboard or 2 coffee filters
• scissors
• a lid that will fit over the opening of your can
• spring link for hanging (optional)

Directions

1.  Start by drilling holes in the bottom of your can. You can use the can opener to take it off first or you can drill them while it's attached (if you choose the latter skip step 2). If you take it off you can drill on top of a scrap piece of wood or work surface. Since I didn't have one I used the gaps in my deck but you'll get a nicer hole if you use the wood (as opposed to drilling like I did or leaving the bottom on).

2.  Use your heavy duty tape to reattach the lid. Hold the lid up by putting your hand through the middle of the can and use small strips of tape to gradually cover the edges piece by piece. Be sure to press each piece down tightly so that a seal forms. The bottom doesn't need to be even with the sides of your can. There can be a little depression for water and how much of one is up to you. None is also fine you'll just have go slower when watering by hand.

3.  Drill two holes opposite one another near the base of your can (where you just taped). These will be used for hanging your planter so make them fairly close to the base (maybe even closer than this photo depending on how much of a depression you left when you taped your bottom in).

4.  Use a rust resistant spray paint to paint your can. Allow drying time. For designs you can decorate with acrylic (like I did) or any outdoor paint.

5.  When can is dry cut desired length of nylon cord. You will need to cut more or less cord depending on how high up your hanging site is. Feed the cord through a side hole and make a knot at the interior end. Pull tight against the wall of the can. Repeat for other side.

6.  Plant your selected plant in the can as usual.

7.  Cut out a circular piece of cardboard or doubled coffee filter. Make a cut halfway through your circle and cut out a small circular opening at the center. Put this around the base of the plant covering the soil.

8.  Cut a larger circular opening in your can lid (don't cut the radial line this time). This opening should be just large enough to feed your plant through (it will be challenging) but not so large that the contents of your pot will fall out. 1" to 1.5" should be sufficient. Gently feed the plant through until the lid can be secured on the can. Tape the lid to the can using your utility tape.

9.  Paint over utility tape carefully. Hang plant.

DIY Hanging Planter

Printer-friendly version

Most of the steps for this planter are the same as the last, with a few adjustments for orientation, so most of the photos are the same as well. This planter is good for any plant that is not fond of growing upside down.

Materials

• 1 can (a size large enough for your plant), labels removed
• drill
• spray paint
• 1/8" dia. braided nylon cord
• a coffee filter or two
• scissors
• a lid that will fit over the opening of your can (optional)
• spring link for hanging (optional)

Directions

1.  Start by drilling holes in the bottom of your can. The bottom should remain attached as if you tape it back on you run a greater risk of your plant eventually falling out of it. Keep secure what you can.

2.  Drill two holes opposite one another near the top (open end) of your can. These will be used for hanging your planter so make them fairly close to the top (yours will not be taped as in the photo below, which is reused from the last project).

3.  Use a rust resistant spray paint to paint your can. Allow drying time. For designs you can decorate with acrylic (like I did) or any outdoor paint.

4.  When can is dry cut desired length of nylon cord. You will need to cut more or less cord depending on how high up your hanging site is. Feed the cord through a side hole and make a knot at the interior end. Pull tight against the wall of the can. Repeat for other side.

5.  Trace the outline of your can onto your filter. It may not fit entirely but so long as it covers your holes it's fine. Use two if need be. Cut out your circle(s) and place it in the bottom of the can, covering the holes.

6. Fill your can with plant and potting mix and hang using a spring link or other hanging tool.

DIY Topsy-Turvy Soda Planter

Printer-friendly version

This planter has good versatility and gives your roots lots of room to grow in. There's nice space and it's pretty simple to make.

Materials

• soda bottle, labels removed
• drill
• sissors
• utility knife
• hairdryer
• spray paint
• 1/8" dia. braided nylon cord
• cardboard/2 coffee filters
• spring link for hanging (optional)

Directions

1.  Cut off the bottom of the base of your soda bottle just below where the label or above the feet with an extra 1/2 inch of space. There were little lines/dents on mine and I just cut along them. It's easiest if you puncture the bottle with your utility knife and use the scissors to finish the cut. The utility knife doesn't cut straight but the scissors alone won't make a smooth puncture. You'll also need to cut off the mouth of the bottle leaving a 2" to 3" gap (enough room to feed your plant through, but not so much that it will slip out; getting it through will not be simple). Discard the cap.

3. With your drill, a nail or other puncturing tool poke holes in the removed bottom.

2. Using a hairdryer heat the top until the plastic becomes wavy and pliable. Push the mouth inward until the top of the bottle is inverted. You might consider using gloves as I found the plastic somewhat hot (and I can handle pretty hot dishes). *it is a mistake in my photographing below that the mouth is still on. I forgot this step initially

3.  Invert the removed base of the bottle into the open bottom.  With your drill, a nail or other puncturing tool make two holes opposite one another near the base of the bottle. The holes should go through both the inverted base and the bottle body. These will be used for hanging. (the hole is circled in the photo below)

4.  Spray paint your bottle and allow to dry. Paint should be ready for careful (without rough handling) design painting after 1 hour.

5.  When paint is dry, feed nylon cord through holes. Knot the string on the interior end and pull tight against sides of bottle.

6.  Trace the circumference of your bottle onto cardboard or 2+ coffee filters. With scissors cut halfway into the circle. In the center cut a small hole for the plant's stem. Fit this around the base of your plant. This should cover the hole at the mouth of your bottle so that the plant and dirt do not fall out when you water. A coffee filter works well as it will allow water to flow out onto the ground but not dirt.

7. Pull the base off enough for the plant to fit through (it will be attached to the body via the nylon string). Carefully feed your plant up through the opening at the mouth. Surround plant with potting mix and replace the base.

8. Hang plant using spring link or other hanging tool.

If you have any questions or suggestions about any of these instructions let me know. I can clarify or get additional photos if they're needed.

A note about spring links...
If you don't know what they are you've probably seen them on key chains. They're very simple to use when hanging plants. Just clip the link onto your cord, wrap the cord and link around whatever you want to hang your plant from and clip the spring link back onto the cord. It will hold tight.

Tips for Rooftop Growers (1)

Photograph by Irene Mason

When you start your rooftop garden there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, it can get hot up there so you'll need to select plants that can withstand some heat, especially if there is no overcast from other buildings or structures. You might also want to place your plants on mats so that the roots don't get too hot. My roof can get very hot during the day. In addition to the heat up on the roof there's also a lot of sun. If there's no shady part of the day you can burn your plants leaves. Even some of my tropicals have been known to get too much of it up top so put them on a mat and keep an eye on your plants. Some will be less tolerant of the conditions than others. With these two factors in mind you can be sure being mindful of the plants' water need is a must. Plants can dry out quite quickly on a roof so you'll need to check them daily just to be sure they aren't dry. Plants whose leaves cover most of the pot will dry out much more slowly than those who have exposed soil, which is another thing to keep in mind when selecting your plants.

Photo by Stephanie of Literally Organized

Secondly, it's your roof not a back yard, stoop or any other ground-level structure so you want to keep things on the lighter side. I like using plastic pots with bark chips in the bottom rather than rocks as you've maybe seen from my how-to articles. Packing peanuts are another good alternative, especially since Styrofoam is so environmentally damaging and not recyclable in many areas. There is also a product out called Better Than Rocks, which is specifically designed for lighter gardening. Now with the pots themselves if you go for the ceramic look and/or need very large pots you can have your cake and eat it too with a company called Southern Patio. They make high-density resin pots that look just like ceramic but are very light. The Home Depot carries them and the prices range anywhere from $10 to $40 depending on the size you buy. You can also just do a basic Google search for resin pots and a ton will show up from Amazon and various other sources.

That's it for now! So go start a rooftop garden and help make good use of your rain water and runoff, save on cooling costs and filter your air!

Grow Bananas!

Getting banana seeds is simple enough. Many places sell them online. I've had particularly pleasant experiences with Georgia Vines (or visit her ebay store). She has an excellent selection of exotic plants & seeds including bananas and everything is very reasonably priced. I would recommend buying a dwarf variety if you intend to grow them indoors or need to bring them indoors for the winter as bananas tend to grow quite large.

Once you've ordered your seeds you'll be ready to start growing bananas. Be sure to have a sunny and warm spot for them. Mind that these won't be like the bananas you get in the grocery store which are propagated using suckers.

My banana seeds

On day one you're going to need to grab a cup of lukewarm water and soak the banana seeds in it for 48 hours. I set mine outside in the sun so it would stay warm and would get cycles of warm/cool and day/light but you could also set it on a heating pad or seed mat for warmth. The seeds often benefit from some form of temperature fluctuation so feel free to turn off any heating at night provided your house is not below 60 degrees (I'd even say below 70). You may also consider turning it down.

Once your seeds have soaked for 48 hours you will be ready to plant them. Things you will need include a cup/pot, bark chips/shards/rocks for the bottom and some well-draining soil. Bananas are tolerant of most soils but cannot handle standing water so make sure you maintain a well-drained environment.

Some growers suggest you nick the seed coat and others insist that you don't due to potential bacterial and fungal infections. In my opinion it's up to you. I have nicked hard seed coats and had them grow and I have not nicked hard seeds and had them grow. Either way I think germinating banana seeds will be semi difficult and take a while. I suppose to play it safe you might not nick it but if you feel the need that's fine. Soaking them in the lukewarm water is intended to soften them up, though.

First you'll need to prepare the soil. If you are using cactus soil or orchid soil it should drain well enough for the banana, but if you are using regular potting soil you'll need to mix in 40-60% sand for drainage. Mix your soil with a time release fertilizer (such as osmocote) and water in a bowl or pot until damp (not soaking!). Put a layer of bark chips, shards or rocks on the bottom of your pot or cup and then fill the rest with your soil and fertilizer mix. Pat down the mix and make a small depression in the soil. Banana seeds don't need to be terribly deep, just deep enough that they will not uncover with watering. Cover the seeds with soil.

Now you'll have to play the waiting game. Seed germination is all over the place for bananas. It could be as little as 3 weeks or as long as a year before you get germination. Once germinated, however, bananas tend to grow quite rapidly and you can get a fruit-producing tree in as little as a year if it is happy. However, fruit production is difficult. Ornamental bananas often will not fruit and with indoor conditions even wild bananas may not. You will have to be patient and if you want fruit try to mimic its natural tropical environment. Note that not all of the banana fruits will taste good but the bunches pretty if you can get them. Good luck!

Dwarf banana tree by Tony Buser

[Deck]Orations

So this is just my little rant about decorating my back deck/fire escape. It's the only escape from indoors my apartment has and it's spacious enough to do something with. Not to mention no one else has direct access but me.

So here it is. It's not much but it's mine (yes I strap down my chairs!). I'm simply glad I have a private place for sitting outside and cooking. Technically those steps go up to the roof so that's fun and gives me a lot more room; however, I can't really leave my plants up there nor would I decorate that view since I can't look at it. It get's pretty hot in my little space but plastic bags keep my cacao humid and frequent waterings can keep anything else from getting too dry. The main problem I've had was the sun. Most plants need to be in the area where the sun isn't quite so constant. My palm got sunburnt when I left him where the sun lasted most of the day.

Right now it's pretty boring looking (and dirty but unfortunately there's not much I can do about that when you consider the "floor" material). I think some pots beneath the steps and some vine over the balcony portion would spice it up. I'm also thinking that hanging some pots from the railing going up would be nice. Luckily there's plenty of room to plant without causing a fire hazard. Lots to play with and Home Depot will be calling my name tomorrow.

Additionally I'd like to add something to hang off the third floor balcony. Vines would be nice but we'll see. I think it could look nice. I'm going to be throwing my best friend her first birthday away from everyone she knows here so I want things to look festive. So many ideas for a girl to garden up. I will be sure to post any final project photos and I'm open to any fabulous suggestions!

Go Bananas!

Photograph by Jeremy Franchi

The time has come to introduce bananas to my blog. My seeds will be here Friday and the next round of tropical crop will commence. Hopefully the 48 cacao seeds that are sucking up space in my house will have made a little room by then.

With that said, I'm very excited to grow myself this large herb (nope it's not a tree!). Bananas, like their relative the the bird-of-paradise plant (S. reginae),  are slow to germinate. They can take up to 7+ months! Once they've sprouted, however, they grow rapidly and can reach full size in just a few weeks. The variety I bought is a dwarf of the Musa acuminata variety, which is pretty much a necessity considering some varieties can reach 25 feet in height! We can't have that in my little apartment.

Wild banana, photographed by Hidenobu Funakoshi

The bananas you buy at the grocery store are actually a parthenocarpic variety from the wild species Musa acuminata and/or Musa balbisiana. This just means there's no seeds in the kind you buy at the store. As you can see from the photo to the right, wild bananas are chock full of seeds and wouldn't be quite as smooth to eat.

The banana's anatomy consists of an underground corm and a "trunk," technically a pseudostem, composed of concentric layers of leaf sheaths.  Flowers grow along the stem in bundles called bunches and are subdivided into "hands." The individual fruits/bananas that develop from the hand are referred to as fingers.

Soon I will post my how to grow bananas segment, but for now a little background will prepare you for that step. Watch this video (there are 4 parts, this one and the second one contain most of the information mentioned here) for a nice visual and/or visit the link below for a wealth of information on bananas and their propagation.



PART 1 OF 4



References:
Greenearth Publishing: Banana Plant Growing Info

Marbella: ciudad de inspiración botánica

Photograph by Annabel Davis

What is it about Marbella, Spain, that makes coming home to my own city so drab? Perhaps it's the vibrant culture, the spicy music, the fabulous street vendors or the delicious food. More than any of these delightful things I'm inclined to think it's the gardening! Every alleyway, square and white terra-cotta house seems to be covered in greenery. It's literally one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Red-flowering vines drip from balconies and windows, pots full of flowers burst near every entryway and vibrant green shrubs and trees grow along every street. Everywhere you look there's evidence of just how much the Spanish love their flowers.

I wish every city decorated like this (especially mine). It gives things a more rural, natural feel. I always felt at home in Marbella. Spain in general has lots of this gorgeous gardening and in my opinion America could import a little more of this vision.

This summer I want to try growing some of this vision on my fire escape/deck (yes, for me they are one in the same). The drab alley it faces could use a little loving.

Photo by Hakan Bilgiseven

Flowering vines are very popular on the streets of Spain. It seems the flower of choice for balcony vines is one that took me a little research to find: Bougainvillea,* a thorny shrub/vine native to South America. It produces gorgeous red to pink flowers and can grow up to 40 feet long! When I was in Spain this plant was thriving in every balcony and window box. You can see it in the photo to the right here, blooming bright red on a balcony and rooftop. I'm hoping to try and grow some up my own "balcony" if I can.

The other vine/plant I commonly see is one called Lantana camara which has a gorgeous scarlet and yellow umbel flower (read more about inflorescences at the link below). It's gorgeous and I'd love to grow some of this plant out back as well. So many ideas, so little time.

Another popular flower is the geranium. These I'm sure you've seen around at the grocery store and whatnot. They're not uncommon locally nor are they uncommon on the Spanish streets. As you can see in the photo below there are some lovely and creative ways to utilize them.

Photo by Marc Anderson

Additionally I think that the Clerodendrum speciosum flower would look gorgeous in the Spanish gardens.  It's scarlet flowers with long anthers give beautiful contrast to its deep green leaves.

I should probably mention that the pomegranate, which is the national flower of Spain, is also popular and quite beautiful. You can see my posts on pomegranates to learn about their nature and growing them.

All these plants are commonly red or pink and as you might notice from the photos above this is what you'll see on the Spanish streets. With a few pots and some fence or railing for them to climb and/or decorate you can have your very own Spanish balcony/fire escape or yard decor.



Additional Resources:
Read more about inflorescences (flowering patterns)

Great Gardening Links

Here's some great links that you can use for reference, purchasing or just for fun:

The Chocolate Life: a great site to discuss anything pertaining to chocolate; includes many forums on growing and caring for a cacao plant.

Montoso Gardens: their online store has a wonderful selection of rare and tropical plants & seeds.

Carribean Cuts: call and make arrangements. They'll ship you cacao pods.

Georgia Vines: huge selection of exotic plant seeds and FREE SHIPPING if your in the U.S.  You can't beat it!

Birds & Blooms: some great DIY projects and discussions about gardening.

Theobroma Cacao: information about the plant from Purdue University.

Synsepalum dulcificum: The Miracle Fruit

Source: Journal of Healthy Living

"Carrie Dashow dropped a large dollop of lemon sorbet into a glass of Guinness, stirred, drank and proclaimed that it tasted like a 'chocolate shake.'

Nearby, Yuka Yoneda tilted her head back as her boyfriend, Albert Yuen, drizzled Tabasco sauce onto her tongue. She swallowed and considered the flavor: “Doughnut glaze, hot doughnut glaze!” (source)

How is this possible? One little red fruit. The miracle of Synsepalum dulcificum is that it amazingly changes sour and bitter to sweet and delicious. Maybe you've heard about it through the grape vine or seen it featured in an episode of CSI: New York. Whatever your source the fruit is making a comeback from the 70s when an attempt was made to commercialize it as a sugar-free diet alternative. Unfortunately, amid a haze of rumored conspiracy, the fruit was banned commercially as such by the FDA. That's not to say you can't buy it though, just not as an alternative to sugar or as a dietary supplement. The seeds are readily available online--albeit a bit expensive--and the plants are not overly challenging to grow. If you're just up for the experience and not so much the growing part then you can try packaged Miracle Frooties which are available from a number of vendors and directly from Sour2Sweet.com.

Watch the video below to learn more about one man's miracle fruit plant business and the reactions of two taste testers: