Planning Your Garden - Step 2

May 18, 2011 The Provident Princess 0 Comments

Raised Garden Boxes
I know I've been MIA lately. Having a new house and new baby leave me with surprisingly less time than I expected. I have a bunch of half finished posts saved but by the time I get on the computer to finish one another idea pops into my head and I work on that 'til my baby wakes up and I have to save it half finished 'til the next time...It's a vicious cycle.

This is a quick one though.

I just had to show you all what my amazing husband made me over Mother's Day weekend.

I love watching my hubby while he's working with power tools, it's so manly!

He researched all about raised garden boxes and found out that you are supposed to use either redwood or cedar because they stand up better to the outdoor elements and will last a lot longer than other woods. 

The second step to planning a garden is deciding where you are going to have it and how much place you need to grow what you want. 

My husband and I chose a place with really good sunlight and decided how much space we needed. We figured 2 4x8' boxes would be enough.

I really wanted to have a raised garden. 

Having  a raised garden is great. If you are like me and have horrible soil in your backyard you probably don't want to try amending all the dirt in your yard to be garden friendly. It would be a pain and way too expensive. 

With a raised garden boxes you can choose a specific amount of space that you need and just amend that soil. We are buying a 50/50 top soil/ compost mix and having it delivered. This way I won't have to pull my hair out just trying to get my dirt ready for planting and can focus my limited time into maintaining an already fertile garden.

Here are some other pros to having a raised garden:

They also allow your soil to stay more aerated which allows your plant roots to grow easier since the dirt isn't being compacted by you walking across the ground. 

Water can drain easier.

Your plants can be spaced closer together since you don't have to worry about walking space.

It is easier on your back. This is a huge bonus for me because I have a bad back. With the dirt we are bringing in my garden will practically be weed-free so I won't have to spend a lot of time bent over weeding and when I do need to lean over it isn't as far as the ground is.

And the best part is that you can produce up to 2 times as many crops in the same space as an ordinary garden would be able to.


Don't they look great? Now all they need is some dirt and I can get planting!


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9 Foods That Will Last Forever

May 16, 2011 The Provident Princess 0 Comments

I saw an interesting article on Yahoo! the other day and learned some new things. The author listed 9 cooking staples that can last forever (usually if they are stored in an airtight, cool, dark place which is the recommendation for most food storage...)

Most of them I knew. Sugar, salt, rice, white distilled vinegar, and honey.

But these are the ones I didn't know.


Pure vanilla extract
If you have pure vanilla extract in the back of the cupboard, there's no need to throw it out because it lasts forever. It may be more expensive than its imitation counterpart, but its shelf life certainly outweighs the extra cost.
Keep that vanilla flavor at its best by sealing the botttle after each use and storing it in a cool, dark place.

(I was most excited about this one. There aren't a lot of spices and seasonings that you can store forever.  I think most people think of food storage as bland so imagine how nice it would be to be able to flavor your food with some vanilla.)

Corn starch
You can thicken gravies and sauces for years with just one box of corn starch because it keeps indefinitely. Store this kitchen staple in a cool, dry area and be sure to reseal it tightly after each use.
Corn syrup
If you come across a years-old bottle of corn syrup in your pantry, don't throw it out. This sweetener keeps indefinitely as long as you keep it sealed and store it in a cool, dry area.
Maple syrup
What good are pancakes or waffles without maple syrup? Luckily, this flavorful syrup will never spoil if you refrigerate it or freeze it. For long-term storage, seal it in an airtight plastic container and freeze it.

(This is my opinion, but I don't want to take up space in my freezer for maple syrup. I will just store maple extract and I'll be able to make 50 servings or more with just one bottle. As long as I store enough sugar to go with it that is.)
To check out the full article click this link
http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/forever-foods-9-cooking-staples-that-can-outlast-you-2456896/;_ylt=AvvDaGEMbFVuESH6VZ_oI4n7hKU5?pg=2#comments

Hope all of you are getting your gardens in the ground and well on their way. I've been a little bit of a slacker but luckily the weather has been cooperating and has been colder than usual so I'm not behind yet on what I'm wanting to plant.



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