Propagation Tray

Creating abundance without spending loads of cash almost becomes a game for me.  This propagation tray and propagation technique is a case in point.  If you want plants without draining your bank account (or robbing a bank), this project will do it.  I spent a total of $6 on this propagation tray, and that $6 would have made three of them.  And, it's small enough to fit in an RV.  If you want the complete instructions with photos, click on the button.

Here are the basics for those of you who are good at figuring it out.

MATERIALS

Large plastic laundry detergent bottle or other plastic container that is 8" deep.  Free

Play sand, builder's sand, or clean sand.  $6 for 50 pounds

Scrap of vinyl window screen or other non rusting screen.

20 ounce soda bottle (optional).

E6000 or Goop glue is helpful

Rain water or distilled water

Plastic knife or similar cutting tool

TOOLS

Hack saw or sharp knife:  Drill with 1/2 " bit (or cheat like I did):  Scissors:  Ruler:  Marking pen

HOW TO

1)  Wash the bottle.

2)  Drill the drainage hole in the side of the bottle.

3)  Cut off the top of the bottle, leaving the handle.

4)  Glue the window screen over the inside of the drainage hole.

5)  Wash the sand with rain water or distilled water.

6)  Fill the bottle with the washed sand to about 1.5" above the drainage hole.

7)  Cut the soda bottle into a funnel and place it in the handle tube.

8)  Pour rain water or distilled water down the handle until it drains out of the drainage hole.

9)  Fill the tray with cuttings.

Feed The Family:  Food for Thought

We all want to take care of our families in the best way that we can.  This can be challenging when the landscape seems to shift every day.  What was easy to find and afford yesterday, simply isn't there today.  It all makes taking care of our children, grandchildren, and great grands an exercise of pulling the hair out.  It makes it even more important to build in the resilience of the basics one piece at a time:  food, water, clean air, and safe shelter.  These four are the beginnings of taking care of the family, the community, and the next generations.

The more locally that you can source your basic needs, the more resilient and sustainable you can become.  The more locally you can source your basic needs, the stronger your community can become.  The stronger the community is, the more likely it is to support your family.

One of the easiest places to start is by growing a few plants (or like I occasionally do, killing a few).  It really doesn't matter whether you grow the plants for food, flavor, or enjoyment when you are starting out.  The skills that you learn will always be beneficial.  And, trading plants and herbs and experience builds communities.  If you choose to grow something you can eat, this can lead to increased resilience and sustainability, and decreased toxins in your life.  Best of all, with a little creativity, this can be done on almost any budget and in most living circumstances.

I think that I have spent most of my life growing plants.  I think that I have made all of the mistakes.  I am the child that pulled radishes instead of weeds.  I am the college student that grew lettuce over the register and didn't water it.  I'm the neighbor that grew too much zucchini and not enough beans. 

Every experiment (mistake) is a lesson and an amusing story.  Each is an attempt to adapt to new circumstances and live abundantly, and sustainably when I had no money.  It takes time and a good sense of humor to find what works for you and your life.  I invite you to get started and make some amusing stories.

Even in an RV, you can grow herbs and greens.  So, here are a few more tips to get you started.

1)  Gather some friends and have a cutting exchange party.

2)  Better yet, have two parties.  One to make the propagation tray and one to exchange cuttings.

3)  Most cuttings root easiest right before they break dormancy.

4)  Start small and with the easy stuff.

5)  No one gets a 100% success rate.

6)  Look around you for what you would normally throw out.  Can it be a propagation tray, a plant pot, or catch overflow water

Most of all, have fun.   For more tips and to support my efforts, click the button.

The Storm

Sometimes the storms are real.

The day started warm and damp.  She rolled out of bed just as the first rays of sunlight were peeking over the horizon and quickly ate breakfast.  She grabbed her cup of tea and strolled through the garden to decide what needed to be done.  The tomato plants were heavy with dew.  Brushing up against them left her as soaked to the skin as if she had been walking in the rain.  She surveyed the sky.  Even though it was blue and the sun was shining, the plants would dry slowly....    When you know it's coming but you don't know when,  click here for the rest of the story.

And for a little bit more

Events

 March 14 is pi day.   March 17 is St. Patrick's Day.  March 15 is the Ides of March.        March 21 is the vernal equinox.

March 21 is the new moon in March.

For more dates, times, location of events for the months events click the link.

ASH

The ash tree is considered to be the Celtic calendar tree for February 18 to March 17.  In the United States, this beautiful tree has a long history of use for its strong and elastic wood.  This wood is ideal for tool handles, oars, furniture, baskets, flooring and baseball bats.  Native Americans used various parts of ash trees for medicine.  The bark was used to soothe toothache.  Teas were made of leaves and berries to relieve sore throats, digestive distress, and rheumatism.  Right now in the US, emerald ash bore and other stresses are endangering this wonderful tree.

Other uses of ash, both mundane and magical can be found by clicking the button.

Pisces

According to the ancient Greeks, Pisces, the fish, is the sign for this time of the year.  When fish is used as a symbol, it usually denotes water and the cycle of life.  Pisces is this and more.  In much of the northern hemisphere, we are still hibernating in late winter.  This is a time to reflect and learn from the past.  It is a time to get ready for the new growth to come.  For more on this last sign of the Greek zodiac, click the button below.

And I'm Not The Only One

Here is a place to find more information.

For practical solutions that you can implement in your life I like permies.com                            I recently found this website full of helpful things for your garden and home.

Some one I'm following:

One of my favorite places to buy seeds is The Seed Saver's Exchange of Decorah, Iowa.  I have been doing business with this organization for over 20 years.  Their mission is to preserve our genetic diversity of our food crops and more.  I invite you to check them out at www.seedsavers.org