What Room Do You Spend Most of Your Time In?
Marilyn Sue McClintock
7 years ago
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How much time do you spend weeding?
Comments (24)All mulch provides an attractive place for slugs:dark, cool, moist. However, healthy plants will fend off all but the worst damage. If you're really worried about it, sow crushed egg shells around the perimeters of your plants. They are said to cut the slugs' bodies. Honest. If your (organic) garden is in a healthy balance, frogs and other small critters will come and eat the slugs and keep them from getting out of hand. (The exception to this might be the Pacific Northwest. I have read that they have monster slugs...) If there are perennial (or annual) weeds growing in the mulch, they will work their way up to the sunlight. When you see them first appear, pull them. The thicker your mulch the fewer will be the weeds. Since your paths are grassy, you will definitely have to fight grass encroachment. You might try a cut edge around your beds like perennial gardeners use. Personally, I have mulched paths with nothing growing in them. You should not mulch right up to the stem of the plants. Leave a couple of inches of bare space around each one to avoid rot problems....See MoreDo you get to spend time away from your plants? How?
Comments (34)i began switching my houseplants - mostly aglaonemas - into a hydroculture set up about 2+ years ago. i tend to use the Pot-in-Saucer method described in the link below. the beauty of this type of grow method is that it is basically impossible to over water plants. and the water line in the clear saucer makes it simple enough that a 5th grader can figure out if you need to add more. so it's nearly impossible to under water either. this past year my husband's father became ill and died, and we've been away for long stretches of time. by placing the pots in larger reservoir tubs, and having a friend drop by to check on things once in a while, i've been able to be gone for 3 or 4 weeks at a time, multiple times, without losing any plants. they can easily go 2 weeks without anyone checking on them. [when i'm home, i place the plants back in the smaller reservoir trays because i think that it's healthier for them. this gives them about a 1 to 2 week watering interval for most plants.] i feel like i'm still learning about my method - for instance, proper fertilization levels and such - but most plants have done well for me. i'm convinced that if i hadn't made the switch, i wouldn't have any surviving plants after this past year... and unfortunately, the next few years are likely to be more of the same. if anyone is interested in this method, check out the link below. there is also a lot of good info on the First Ray's website. his information is mostly slanted toward orchids, but it applies to houseplants as well. please don't think i'm implying that this method is 'no work' or 'perfect', but the question was about vacations, and i think that this is where this method shines. the snags, or complaints, are that the pots are heavy, the Hydroton media is expensive, and if you don't water and fertilize properly you can salt up the media and kill your plants. and if you decide to give it a try, as with any dramatic change... try switching a few test plants first, not your prized specimen or your grandmother's favorite plant. cheers, nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Houseplant Hydroculture...See MoreHow do you spend your cooking time?
Comments (10)I'm a whole foods person and consider whole foods the original "FAST FOOD". Why peel, boil, or "cremate" it when all you need to do is wash, slice and serve. I'm more likely to be found in the kitchen baking bread and other baked goods, so between a large variety of homemade breads (fresh and stored in the freezer), cheese, an assortment of fruit and veggies, add a meat or meat substitute, and you're ready to eat. I like to use a lot of whole grains and legumes in foods. The freezer is my friend. Cook once and freeze in user-friendly size containers. Take out the night or morning before it's needed and thaw in the refrigerator. Heat and eat. I use a loosely structured menu pattern for the evening meal only. Breakfast and lunch generally don't take a lot of planning at our house. I can switch up any one night for another without upsetting the whole thing, but it gives me a general idea for meal planning and grocery shopping. MONDAY: Big Meal (this could also be during the weekend when you have more time). This includes a large portion of meat (roast beef, turkey breast, meat loaf, etc. and all the trimmings. From the leftovers, I provide for other meals during the week. The meat is sliced, ground, or shredded to be used for sandwich meat, added to salads, casseroles, soup, etc. TUESDAY: Leftovers from Monday. It may or may NOT look like the original meal. Roast beef may become hot beef sandwiches, bbq beef, hash, etc... Mashed potatoes are made into potato patties, etc.... I also freeze dollops of mashed potatoes for easy fixin' for another meal. WEDNESDAY: Stir-fry. This can be a good way to use bits and pieces of veggies and leftover meats. Cook extra chicken or beef and use it in salads and wraps later in the week. THURSDAY: International. How about tacos (with taco meat from the freezer), or taco salad... Meaty Spaghetti sauce from the freezer. I cook ground beef stroganoff and freeze the stroganoff in small containers. All you need to do is prepare the pasta of choice for spaghetti or noodles (I also like penne pasta) for stroganoff and heat the topping. FRIDAY: Vegetarian. This can be everything from a great salad with beans to breakfast-type foods. I make bean burgers and keep a stack of them in the freezer and they make a great vegetarian meal served on a homemade multi-grain burger bun (found in the freezer), a tossed salad or sliced veggies and Ranch Dressing Dip, plus fresh fruit and cheese. SATURDAY: Soup and/or Sandwich. I keep a variety of soup/stew/chili in the freezer in single servings so we always have a variety. They make quick suppers or lunches. Top a baked potato with chili. Chili can also be used in a taco salad (similar to Wendy's). Use tortillas for a wrap. Good old tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.... SUNDAY: Homemade pizza (I use a simple whole wheat sourdough dough recipe for the crust) or a salad meal. This is a good way to use up small amounts of veggies, pre-cooked hamburger or other bits of pre-cooked meat. We also have "scrounge night" on Sunday. That's another way to clean out the leftovers in the refrigerator and freezer.... Eggs are also a Sunday night choice. If they are already hard-cooked and in the refrigerator, use them for egg salad or sliced eggs to top a salad. Toast and boiled eggs or toast points and poached eggs, scrambled, veggie omelet or fritta. Add some tomato slices (or other veggies) and some fruit and you've got a meal. -Grainlady...See MoreCan you spend too much time interacting w/ your children?
Comments (54)They are much safer in a stroller. Some people use those baby leashes, but that would be much harder with two of them running in different directions. I agree that they are too young to toilet train - and it's not like you could let them go to the bathroom unsupervised anyway, unless you wanted to fish toy trucks out of the toilet. Is there any reason to think that they may have any mild developmental or speech delays? Your town should have screenings for anyone at risk - and merely being a multiple would be considered at risk most places. The preschooler of someone in my town was able to go to a special needs/integrated preschool, and I think the basis for that was not a disability but rather because his father had died, leaving his wife with three kids under 4 and one on the way. I think the little boy was considered socially at risk. My daughter attended the same preschool, due to her language delays, and it was a good experience for her. Door-to-door transportation, in a van with car seats and seat belts, was provided....See MoreMarilyn Sue McClintock
7 years ago
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