Ahhh! Independence Day is Tomorrow, I’ve Invited 20 People Over, and My Place Looks Horrible!

If the title of this post describes how you feel right now, take a deep breath and sit down for a second. Hopefully you’ve got today off, but even if you don’t, the collection of 4th of July decorating ideas below are easy enough to accomplish before your party starts.

I’m tempted to make these lawn stars in the grass out front of my apartment building. Think my landlord will mind? Pretty much everyone will already have the supplies needed on hand, and who doesn’t want stars all over their grass?!
The Seattle Times has not 1, but 6 (!), decorating ideas for the Fourth that lean towards the “modern-spin on kitschy classics” look.
This seems like a super-easy, super-quick way to add some patriotic cheer to otherwise boring chairs.
Download this pinwheel pattern, print it out, follow the instructions, and repeat. Soon you’ll have plenty of wind-powered decorations for even the craft-challenged person’s balcony.
Pop this Stars and Stripes Mandevilla into a pot with some blue lobelia and white petunias and you’ve got a pretty festive container to greet your guests at the front door.

Okay, jump up and get going!

If you’re one of those people that always has a list of to-do’s that you’ve ticked off in an organized fashion over the past week or so, then please leave your Martha Stewart-esque tips in the comments.

p.s. If decorating sounds like too much of a pain, you can come hang out on the Queen Mary in Long Beach with me. The fireworks show starts at 9pm.

July 3, 2009 | Filed Under Good Reading, Outdoor Decor | Leave a Comment

Check Out my Guest Post at aHa Modern Living!

I have been such a zombie this week that I missed my own guest post being published over at my favorite gardening accessories site. My post is titled 5 Tips for a Successful Container Garden. If you are looking for a unique, modern gift (for yourself or a friend) I can’t recommend aHa Modern Living enough. Especially if you are in to supporting women entrepreneurs and small businesses.

July 2, 2009 | Filed Under General | 3 Comments

The Secret to Getting Peppers to Mature Faster

According to Your Organic Gardening Blog, the trick t0 getting your peppers to mature quickly is to apply Epsom salt. You’ll have to click over for the recipe, but this seems simple enough to me.

Photo by Rob Gale

I’ve also been spraying my pepper plants with a small amount of seaweed extract diluted in water. My plants seem pretty healthy with lots of green leaves and tons of flowers (even some peppers). I think I picked up that tip from Organic Gardening Magazine.

What tips have you heard of to help pepper plants?

July 1, 2009 | Filed Under Fruits & Vegetables | 7 Comments

Usefull Gadget or Ridiculous Waste of $20?

I saw this “herb keeper” and thought to myself…how is this any different than sticking the herbs in a cup of water and sticking the whole thing in the fridge? Is the green silicon ring really that fantastic?! Anyone care to enlighten me, or do you agree? Share your opinions in the comments.

“Keep fresh herbs or asparagus crisp and green longer than mere refrigeration by immersing the stems in water. Clear plastic keeper has a removable insert with water fill line and perforated cup for easy draining. Green silicone gasket provides resistance, allowing herbs to rest in a raised position for easy access. Large capacity keeper fits in most refrigerator doors.”

Loading ...

June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Product Roundup | 8 Comments

Contest: Win an Ups-A-Daisy Planter Insert!

Last week I reviewed a great product called Ups-A-Daisy that I recently discovered (or rather, Mr. Brown Thumb introduced me to one of the owners of the company). The Ups-A-Daisy inserts were so easy to use, and provided such instant benefits (less soil used and lighter pots) that I am super excited to be able to give away FIVE inserts so that you all can try them out too!

image-with-one-pot

Here’s how the contest is going to work. Some time during next two weeks (until July 13, 2009) tell me how you would use an insert if you won, or why you’re particularly deserving of winning. You can do this by posting it somewhere online. Your blog, a photo essay on Flickr, a 140 character haiku on Twitter, etc. Be creative! Check out the Ups-A-Daisy website for more info about how you can use the inserts. The only requirement is that you cannot post it here on my blog. The point is to spread the word about a product I really like, so talking about it here would be preaching to the choir. Be sure to email me with a link or leave a comment with a link so that I know about your entry.

I have every size of insert between 10 inches and 18 inches except the 12 inch diameter insert. Be sure to tell me which size you would like to try so that I can be sure to pick five people who want five different sizes.

I’ll announce the winners on July 14th. Each winner will get the insert size they requested, mailed to them free of charge.

**To keep my shipping costs reasonable, this contest is only available to people with mailing addresses in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico**

June 29, 2009 | Filed Under Product Roundup | 2 Comments

Lots of Container Gardening Tips and Ideas Mentioned in Dead Tree Media

June 28, 2009 | Filed Under Good Reading | 1 Comment

Sun Safety is Very Important for All Types of Gardeners

Sue recently highlighted an article that pointed out that gardeners have an increased risk of skin cancer because of all the time we spend outside. Skin cancer is scary stuff. My mom had a melanoma removed from her back (luckily it was stage 0 and her doctors were able to surgically remove everything). And my uncle recently had a very scary bout of melanoma on the back of his head.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer for those of us under 40. This is a really unfortunate statistic because skin cancer is so easily prevented. Awhile back I wrote about sun hats, sun block, and sun burn remedies. I use the Kiss My Face sunblock I mentioned in that article and it works great. Doesn’t clog my pores at all. I got it at Trader Joe’s.

It is probably best to garden in the early morning or late evening. The effects of sun exposure are less severe at those times, but there is another more practical benefit. If you garden when it is cooler out, you’re more likely to be willing to wear long sleeves and pants or a long skirt, which would cover your skin and give you more sun protection.

June 28, 2009 | Filed Under General | 3 Comments

Ode to Vegetables BBQ Menu: Black Bean Burger to End All Veggie Burgers

I’ve combined my favorite parts of Epicurious’s black bean burger with what I liked from the veggie burger in Veganomicon and a few ideas of my own to make a burger to end all veggie burgers. What I really love about this black bean burger is that it has great flavor and doesn’t feel like a ton of bricks in your stomach.

Photo by hoveringdog

Makes four generous servings

2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
3 tablespoons ketchup (or tomato paste)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
3 tablespoons olive oil (less if you are grilling outdoors)
4 hamburger buns

Smash 1 can of beans with a fork (or potato masher if you have one). Combine beans with bread crumbs, ketchup, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and onion until a coarse mixture forms. Stir in remaining can beans. Form mixture into 4 patties. (If you’re having a hard time keeping your patties together, try adding more bread crumbs or refrigerating for 10-20 minutes.)

TO COOK ON GRILL: Heat your grill to a medium-high temperature. Pierce a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil a few times with a toothpick and then place it over the spot on the grill where the burgers will go (to help keep them from falling apart). Brush each side of patty generously with oil. Grill for 4 minutes on each side, or until patties are firm and golden brown.

TO COOK INDOORS: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook each side of burger about 2-3 minutes. Patties should be firm and lightly browned when done.

My favorite accompaniments: Slices of avocado, cilantro sour-cream (mix sour cream with coarsely chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice), red onion and crisp lettuce.

What do you like to put on your burger?

June 26, 2009 | Filed Under Recipe | 9 Comments

Ode to Vegetables BBQ Menu: Grilled Vegetables with Mediterranean Marinade

Next up in the Ode to Vegetables BBQ Menu is this is a great recipe I recently discovered from Vegetarian Times Magazine and tweaked to suit my tastes. This is a great variety of eggplant suitable for container growing and there are several varieties of squash that you could grow in a pot.

Photo by woodleywonderworks

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano (or 2 tsp. dried)
1/2 cup olive oil

1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2 rounds
1 medium zucchini, sliced into thirds length-wise and then each piece cut in half
1 medium bell pepper, top removed, cored, and cut into 8 slices

Pulse vinegar, 3 Tbs. lemon juice, 1 Tbs. lemon zest, garlic, and oregano in blender until combined. Slowly add olive oil while blender is running to create thick, blended sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Marinate eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers for 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours). Grill vegetables until they are softened and golden.

Be sure to subscribe to Life on the Balcony or check back later today (6/26) to get the rest of the recipes in the Ode to Vegetables BBQ Menu!

June 26, 2009 | Filed Under Recipe | 2 Comments

Ode to Vegetables BBQ Menu: Grilled Corn

This is such an easy way to enjoy corn. A lot of times I’ll make it ahead of time and just throw it on the grill when its time. By the way, you can grow corn in a container!

Photo by gak

Makes 4 servings

4 ears of corn
4 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
4 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or the spice of your choice)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 sheets of aluminum foil

Remove the husk and silk from the corn. Spread each ear of corn with 1 tablespoon of butter. Follow with 1 teaspoon of seasoning per ear. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Wrap in aluminum foil.

Grill for 20 minutes (turning once) on medium heat.

This recipe is part of the Ode to Vegetables BBQ Menu. Subscribe to Life on the Balcony so you won’t miss the rest of the menu’s recipes!

June 26, 2009 | Filed Under Recipe | 2 Comments