Around the Gardens, if I can drill a drainage hole in the bottom and put soil in it, it can become a planter. "It" can be anything from cowboy boots to jello molds. I love letting the creative juices flow to make interesting planters for succulents, houseplants and flowers. Containers for vegetable and herb plants, however, have additional requirements. When it comes to plants for human consumption, I'm picky about the container. I want containers that do not leach harmful chemicals or toxins into the potting soil. Based upon my research and experience, I use the following for vegetable and herb plants: Unglazed teracotta made with natural materials, not synthetic materials such as polymer; Plastic containers made with high-density polyethylene (HDPE - 2); Plastic containers made with polypropylene (PP - 5); and Root pouches made with recycled polyethylene terephthalate and cotton fibers. Unglazed Teracotta Unglazed terracotta, hands down, is t
It was cold and snowy here at the Gardens yesterday. The perfect weather to read a book close to the wood stove with a good cup of hot tea. I reached into my cabinet and pulled out a tea bag, anticipating the flavorful warm liquid. I settled in and took the first sip. The taste was not what I anticipated. A quick look at the box revealed the tea had expired in 2016. Sigh. Obviously it was time to clean out the cabinet, sorting the good from the bad. Tea actually keeps for quite some time, however, the flavor deteriorates and can develop a nasty taste (like the tea I had just made). Time to do a little taste testing. I steeped tea from each box and the ones that no longer retained their wonderful flavor went into one of the canning jars shown above. Why bother keeping the tea? Even though tea may no longer be drinkable, it makes a good fertilizer and deodorizer . Fortunately, plants that love rich acidic soil don't mind stale tea and will appreciate a "spot