Tag: garden supplies

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Easter and garden supplies out

I went shopping yesterday and could not believe it!! Easter items are out already. To me, this is getting a bit out of hand. I asked the store clerk how long they had been out, since it looked like the shelves were pretty much picked over and I hadn’t gone to that store in awhile. He told me they had stocked Easter things right after Valentines Day. (SMH)

The great thing though, is that the garden supply section is now nearly fully stocked. Looks like I’m going to get an even bigger jump on shopping this year for my garden. I’m at least excited about that!

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Kill then shop

Today I played the Terminator in the back yard. The patio is all old brick, which was literally covered in heavy weeds. I used a great weed killer last year, that killed the weeds within an hour, but at the first sign of Spring, up came the weeds again, though the weed killer people promised a full year of no weed infestation.

The whole chore took a lot less time than I thought it would and I was rewarded with dying ( I thought I heard them screaming) weeds at a very rapid pace, and also a great start on my tan.

Tomorrow I go shopping for some top soil for the beds I dug up, and also I’d like to pick out some tomato plants and I saw an ad that there were garden hand tools of a good brand on sale at the tractor supply store that I go to. I’m sure I’ll find seeds and other plants I want though.

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Envy Zinnias

Last summer I saved the zinnia seeds that are now three generations strong. 🙂 I planted green zinnias, that some seed company’s call “Envy” and others don’t even carry. Around here, or at least in the garden departments of the stores around here, the stores don’t carry them, that I have ever seen.

My seeds came from a friend who first found them in Ohio. I’m sure that there are places that readers will be able to go out right now and find, but to me, it’s all in the “seed seeking” and finding of these little green gems. I always dead head my zinnias and save the seeds, but I put the each color and size of the seeds into packets (easy to make one’s self and a great gardening tool) and mark them, so I know which I’m going to be growing, or relatively close to growing,what I marked on the package, since one never really knows for sure. To me, the seeds are more organized and I’m somewhat prepared. I think I’m going to be pretty sure what color and seed are going where. The green zinnias make an lovely contrast, also a great conversation piece in the gardens.

 

 

 

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Auctions in the area

The village news is all filled with various farm auctions in this area, a long with the contents of barns, sheds and outbuildings. It’s sad to see some of the very old homesteads being sold. No doubt the houses will leveled and the land sold to make sub divisions. Some of the families are not able to, or just don’t want to contend with the cost or the hard work that it takes to run farms now, so a lot of these places are going to auction because of those factors.

The great thing about these auctions, is I’ve been finding all kinds of treasures, that I actually have had my eye out for. I make lists of items that is listed in the paper and then compare it with the list I have had been adding to in my journal, and it’s a good system so far, that saves me from spending a lot of money on things I don’t need, but just want.

There is an auction this Saturday that my whole family would like to go to. I should be able to round them all up early for this. Hopefully, they won’t overbid me, as this will be the kid’s first auction.

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Picking out Pansy seeds

My oldest son has never taken an interest in any kind of gardening or plants until recently. It surprised me today while we were at the market and he stopped at the seed display, and immediately reached out and picked up a packet of mixed pansies. He said they would look good surrounding my big tree in the front yard. Since he has never showed an interest in my garden except to photograph flowers that were in interesting lite once in awhile, I never thought he noticed the pansies I had grown under the tree. I looked at the price and nixed it.

This particular store, raises the prices according to their idea of how much things cost, despite of the price on the package. That is why I rarely go shopping there. I knew I was going to Lowes this weekend, and they have seeds on sale. I’ll buy enough pansy’s to keep my son busy tending to the pansies this summer! Thinking about it, I might just take him into the garden supply section of the store. Maybe he’ll want some garden tools. 😉

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A wonderful shopping trip

Usually I don’t say shopping is a wonderful experience, but today it was. I picked my grand daughter up from school, and we went into town shopping. First we went to the market, to pick up things that I didn’t pick up when I went grocery shopping. Then we went to a store where I knew there were garden supplies now on display. It was great how my grand daughter had helped me in the market, hanging onto the list, weighing onions and peppers, and even finding sales on what I needed that was on the list. That kid is a great shopper! I told her that I had a surprise for her, since she had helped me so much.

Once at the farm supply and feed store, I took her to the garden section. She looked like she was in heaven. I let her pick out ten seed packets that she wanted in her garden and she surprised me by picking out vegetables, all the while telling me that most kids her age don’t eat “veggies” and they should. She wanted to grow them, so she knew she would have them when she wanted them. Kid after my own heart.

Since she was so responsible about the veggie decision, I told her she just HAD to pick out some other seeds she would like to plant. She picked out ten seed packets of herbs like chives…which she absolutely loves and has since she first got teeth, despite of her breath… and then mints so she could make her own tea. Also eatable flowers. She made me so proud of her choices. Our next shopping trip is for a garden Angel. She is reading a book that is about a young girl searching for her Angel. Since we both believe in Angels, I’m going to surprise her and we’ll go pick one out that is just for her. I love that child so much.

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Grand daughters garden plans

My grand daughter who is nine called me this evening. My daughter had called earlier to ask me if I would be home so KK could ride the school bus to my house after school. She had to take my grandson to the dentist before school was out and didn’t want to take KK out of school early.  Of course it was fine by me, but I didn’t want KK riding the bus, her aunt and uncle ride home, as they were staying after school (at the high school) for computer lab and wouldn’t be able to make sure the bus driver stopped at our house. Plus this bus has a long route and doesn’t get the kids home until a lot later, so I’m going to go to the school when the kids are let out to pick her up.

Well, when my grand daughter called she told me that she had drawn out plans for her garden here. I wasn’t really surprised, since even when she was really young…not even in school yet…she would sort seed packets into the right categories, and knew the difference between annuals and perennials, and the herbs that could be eaten and the ones that couldn’t be. She knew which flowers and herbs could heal which ailment and actually she was pretty impressive with the way she caught on to all of what I told her at such an early age.

Now that she is nine, KK knows about root systems, various was to use herbs for healing, and which ones are to make tea out of, and the herbs that go with what foods to make them tasty. Not to mention the ones that are for decoration since they are poisonous. I’ve taught her how to make ointments for both people and animals. And the list goes on. In the winter she studies seed magazines, my books and all the garden magazines I get and had to her for the winter to read.  I can’t wait to see her garden plans tomorrow. She is so excited. I might just take her into town when I pick her up for school and get her some seedling trays and some packs of seeds to start. I’m looking forward to this!

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Wally World adventure

Yes folks, I call Walmart, Wally World. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t around here. I have to say if I know I’m going to WW…something I very rarely do, I check to see if I’m dressed right and I don’t have anything hanging out. It is because of the photos I see on the internet or in emails titled, “The people of Walmart.”

If anyone even tried to take a photo of me, I would totally go berserk and no doubt get arrested. Well, maybe not arrested, but for sure I would at least grab the camera, and yank the film or smash it. Isn’t there a law about taking a photo of a person without asking, or do I just have etiquette?

So there you have it. Another reason why I don’t go into Wally World unless there is garden things or seed packets on sale realllly cheap.