Why I Oughta...

I have had this load of cedar boards and planks of various lengths and widths in my garage for almost two months just waiting for either me hauling them to the curb (my inclination) or for inspiration to strike for a new project.   They're leftovers from our fence installation and include some 2x4's a few 4x4's and some fence pickets/planks.   With all the thinking going into our #newoldbackyard this fall (see this post about pizza oven planning , this post for 'entrance' planning , and this post about the planning for a water feature for some of the latest on #newoldbackyard landscape design), I've been out there looking at how the sun interacts with the yard to see if I could find the best spot for a permanent vegetable garden and maybe even a greenhouse/conservatory/solarium.  In addition to the pure location planning, we've been thinking of putting in a full irrigation system, so knowing where and what the garden looks like/lays out like is import

Earlier this year, we bought these Aqua Globes for the ferns that we keep on our front porch.  We were going on a trip of some sort and I was afraid they were going to dry out totally, so this seemed like a short-term solution.  They worked, in that they kept the ferns from totally dying. After the ferns came down, these globes came inside.  I've since plugged them into the pots of our Asparagus Ferns to keep them alive during these dry winter months.  So far, so good.  They drip out water in very small quantities, so I'm not sure they're adequate as the sole watering mechanism, but as a supplemental technique, I'd recommend them.  You'll still have to water your plants every once in a while, but these globes will make that job less of a hard requirement.

Yes...I can positively confirm that things just got weird at the Parrillo homestead:  I bought a mini greenhouse.  This kit came from Menards (where else?) and was just $19.00.  It certainly is NOT heavy-duty but will do the job for my seeds.  At some point, this will move outside and will help me harden-off the seedlings.  It currently is in our dining room - as the plants need southern exposure - but Nat can't stand the looks of it.  I'm thinking in thenot too distant future, when I go into the office, I'll find out that she's pushed it back into my office - far away from the eyes of our visitors. The greenhouse has 4 shelves each capable of holding 2 seedling trays.  I've begun to transplant some of the bigger seedlings from the trays into their own non-peat pots, which you can see on the left-hand side. I know I have a compulsive/obsessive personality and need a hobby or project to focus on, but this purchase and this actual post are confirmation of that.  I