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Idea: Use topsoil bag as your “first year” garden

Douglas E. Welch — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:26:48 +0000

I came across this idea on Pinterest and, I must say, as a lazy gardener, this could be an excellent way to turn parts of your lawn into garden with very little effort.

Place the bags on the area of lawn you want to kill, slice them open and plant away. I would probably also make some holes in the bottom side of the bag for drainage. By the end of the season the grass should be dead and ready for removal and you already have a handy amount of topsoil to fill the whole left by the sod.

I could see using a similar method to start converting some bare areas and unneeded garden paths in my garden. I don’t have any grass here, so it would be more a method of expanding overall gardening space than carving the space out of a lawn.

Source: motherearthnews.com via Douglas on Pinterest

Idea: Use topsoil bag as your “first year” garden is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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My favorite shared gardening items for April 2012

Douglas E. Welch — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:50:10 +0000

Here are my favorite shared gardening items for April 2012.

My favorite shared gardening items for April 2012 is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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I Like This – Wooden Spoon Garden Markers

Douglas E. Welch — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:51:19 +0000

Found on Pinterest today….

Source: littlegreenfingers.typepad.com via Barbara on Pinterest

I Like This – Wooden Spoon Garden Markers is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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Shared Gardening Items for March 2012

Douglas E. Welch — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:42:03 +0000

Here are my I Like This Shared Gardening Items for March 2012.

Please let me know in the comments if you find any of the particularly useful. I’ll keep my eye open for similar items — Douglas

Shared Gardening Items for March 2012 is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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I LIke This in Gardening for January 21, 2012

Douglas E. Welch — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:36:37 +0000

Interesting gardening items I found in the last 2 weeks…

Pallet trellis…perfect for squash http://t.co/SpJepbsN
What I’m Reading…Fermentation is your friend http://t.co/v6ZHNUNN
Compost fence http://t.co/4C56YQlr
Wine Crate Gardening http://t.co/R5ng4atX
DIY shade finder tool takes the tedium out of solar surveys http://t.co/84ljJU4O
HOW TO PROPAGATE LAVENDER FROM CUTTINGS – Works with rosemary also http://t.co/K1ecCR7F
100 books about the world around us: Nature, science, math, and applied crafts. http://t.co/8WGVsKST

I LIke This in Gardening for January 21, 2012 is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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I Like This – Wine Crate Gardening

Douglas E. Welch — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:21:09 +0000

This ended up being a very, very popular “pin” on Pinterest.com. You can find my “pins” on my personal Pinterest Page.

The link will take you to the original source of the photos and ideas at the Fennel and Fern blog from the UK. This idea has made me start looking at every cool container I see as a possible garden bed. (LAUGH)

Source: fennelandfern.co.uk via Douglas on Pinterest

I Like This – Wine Crate Gardening is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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Elsewhere: DIY shade finder tool takes the tedium out of solar surveys

Douglas E. Welch — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:33:47 +0000

Nothing like applying a little science and technical ingenuity to make an onerus task easier and faster. I could see this being very useful to a gardener who is trying to site a new plot, tree or home plantings. I have toyed around with using video or time-lapse to accomplish this task, but this is certainly easier and much more accurate.

DIY shade finder tool takes the tedium out of solar surveys

[Steven Dufresne] does a lot of tinkering with solar-powered applications, a hobby which can be very time consuming if done right. One process he carries out whenever building a solar installation is creating a sun chartto determine how much (or little) sun the target area will get.

The process requires [Steven] to take elevation and Azimuth measurements of many different points, which often consumes about half an hour of his time. While taking measurements recently, he started thinking about how he could improve the process, and came up with a stellar solution that reduces the process down to a one-minute task.

Read the entire article

Elsewhere: DIY shade finder tool takes the tedium out of solar surveys is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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Elsewhere: Books: 100 books about the world around us: Nature, science, math, and applied crafts.

Douglas E. Welch — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Lots of great ideas here for reading online, from your library or buying. I am adding a lot of these books to my To Read list at GoodReads.com, too.

100 books about the world around us: Nature, science, math, and applied crafts.

Sometimes a book is the best way to visit a place, idea, or possibility. Max wants to know how everything- from the hen to a house to a volcano- works. So the world is our oyster. I used an asterisk to indicate the books which can be found for free online. Because so many great and marvel-inducing things can be found for free online.

A Child’s Story of the Animal World by Edward G. Huey

A Practical Guide for the Amateur Naturalist by Gerald Durrell

A Weaver’s Garden: Growing Plants for Natural Dyes and Fibers by Rita Buchanan

See entire list

Elsewhere: Books: 100 books about the world around us: Nature, science, math, and applied crafts. is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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I Like This – October 9, 2011

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 06:00:06 +0000

Seeing Trees – Book Review – October 7, 2011 – This sounds like a good book to curl up with on a cold Winter’s night. I have added it to my Goodreads.com To Read list. Available on Amazon from the WelchWrite Bookstore.
Pin and Paper: Recycled Can Lid Plant Markers – October 6, 2011 – Cool addition to any garden, great recycling and great gifts
HAWAII GARDENING: DIY Watering Can – October 6, 2011 – Cool and simple way to reuse a container. I have needed a more gently watering can and I think I have some of these empty bottles in the laundry. Project Time! (SMILE)
#fleurchat — Help me fill Twitter with daffodil tweets this Thursday – October 5, 2011 – I’m going to try and make this chat, if the boy’s homework doesn’t get in the way. Sounds like an excellent discussion, especially since my daffodils will be coming up in about a month as we are having our first rain of the season today.
The Casual Gardener: How To Grow A Vegetable Garden In Low Light – The Story Of a French Potager Kitchen Garden Gone Shade – October 5, 2011 – I will be putting this information to use very soon now. Need to get a potager happening, My wife has been wanting one for a while.

I Like This – October 9, 2011 is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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Recycle: Detergent Bottle Watering Can

Douglas E. Welch — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 07:33:29 +0000

Found on Pinterest.com…

Convert a plastic detergent bottle into a serviceable watering can. Great way to recycle!

Source: hawaiigardening.blogspot.com via Douglas on Pinterest

Recycle: Detergent Bottle Watering Can is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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