Starting more seeds

I started some seeds a few weeks ago and decided to start some more. I seem to be having trouble starting the Chile de Arbol pepper and Cayenne Pepper so I started more of those.

I made my seedling starting pots from recycled newspaper, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, and plastic from a container that I was going to throw away. Also, the tray the seedlings are on are from plastic from Trader Joes that held strawberries and cucumbers. All recycled and free!

I have tomatillos, peter pan squash, 2 varieties of onions, chile de arbol pepper, 2 varieties of cucumbers and some spinach (which i think is way too late in the season to start). Next time I'll start the spinach way before the spring here in the warm SoCal weather.

Here are the cucumbers and peter pan squash that I've transplanted. I think it was a bit too soon to transplant them, but they seem to be doing fine.

Sorting through the seeds

I've been meaning to organize my seeds.  I've usually kept them in their original packaging just folding over the tops and placed in bag full of more of these packages. So, I've taken all the seeds in my bin and decided to organize them.

Ornamentals

I really love having a diverse garden. Not only have a variety of plants in the gardens helps keep the balance of the ecosystem, but it looks great too!

I got this plant for my birthday too, very similar to a coleus. I keep it at the front porch with our christmas tree.

A summer flower. Not sure what it is.

A beautiful nusturtium flower. This is an edible flower. It has a peppery taste to it.

I used this flower for a ground cover for the patch of dirt in my patio.

I heart lady bugs too!

I saw so many lady bugs in the garden today! I swear when I was taking the pictures they were getting camera shy.

Lady bugs are great insects to have in the garden. They love to eat aphids. Aphids are insects that will eat your plants. So having lady bugs will ensure the aphid populations don't get out of control.

Here is one the Bay Laurel tree.

Another lady on my green beans.

Also hanging out at the lime tree.

And chilling on the plumeria tree.

Herbs

This tiny little pot comes with quite a few herbs. I have from the top, going clockwise, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, and then oregano again. 

Oregano

Sage

 

Mint

Bay Laurel tree

I've had this for a couple years now. The Bay Laurel is a slow grower, so it can stay in this pot for a while longer. The leaves are great for making soups and stocks!

Vermicopost Bin

I got worms! Score!! Thanks to Alica and Ramon for getting me started on my worm venture...or vermicomposting.

I've decided to start vermicomposting because I wanted to have and maintain an organic garden in my small apartment patio....I'm guesstimating 90 sq/ft. I figure with our limited space in the patio, I wanted to use as much space to actually garden, and conventional composting would take up too much space. So, vermicoposting fit my situation perfectly.

 

 This is my vermicomposting bin my husband bought me. It cost about $75 with everything including shipping. Really pricey, but hey, it was a birthday present! Is it me or is it weird to be excited to get worms and a worm bin for your birthday?

The worms will be living it up in this "worm condo".

Here are the new tenants of the bin. This was about 200 worms. I got 1000 more a couple weeks later.

After a few days of checking the bin. I've noticed the roof of the bin is getting really moist. Also, a few of the worms looks like their trying to escape. I just place them back into the bin. Within a few months I will have organic fertilizer for my garden plants. I'll update periodically.

Rice Noodle Salad

Ginger, cilantro and mint help support a healthy immune system as well as incorporates great flavors for this exotic and healthy salad inspired from Vietnam.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: none

INGREDIENTS

4 oz. rice vermicelli noodles
2 persian cucumbers, matchstick
2 medium spicy red peppers, seeded, and minced
1 thumb sized fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 Tbsp fish sauce
2 - 3 limes, juiced
3 cups cilantro, rough chop
2 cups green onions, chopped
1 heads of romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
3 cups fresh mint, rough chop


WHAT TO DO
1 Prepare noodles according to the package directions.

2 Mix the peppers, ginger, fish sauce, and lime juice, in a large bowl.

3 Add the noodles, cucumbers, cilantro, green onions, and lettuce to the sauce and toss well.

4 Serve and enjoy immediately.


TIP
To save time, make the dressing, prep the greens and noodles up to 1-2 days ahead of time.