I bought the boys a Little Summer Fun Garden for Easter. We saved it for a while before we opened it an planted the seeds since it was such a cold spring. We finally planted the seeds, and now we have some pretty big plants.
We planted six different types of plants that are all geared towards the interests of little boys. One of their favorites it the ticklish plant, which is a houseplant with fern-like leaves that respond to touch. Whenever you touch the leaves, they close up!
This project has been wonderful, because not only are we gardening and learning about plants, but there are new projects to be done once the plants are mature!
We planted Birdhouse Gourds.
Information about Birdhouse Gourds:
Once cured, hard-shelled Birdhouse Gourds will last indefinitely and can be painted, carved, cut or drilled as you would do with wood. Gourds should remain in the garden as long as there is any life left in the vines. Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut stem leading to gourd. Leave 1 to 3 inches of stem for a handle.
To make a birdhouse:
1. Soak the gourd in warm water with a little bleach for about an hour. Dry the gourd and rub off all the mold and a layer of skin on the outside.
2. Drill an entry hole using a power drill and 1.5 inch hole drill attachment. Clean out the inside of the gourd using a serrated knife to break up the pith and seeds. (It doesn't have to be perfect - the birds won't mind!)
3. Drill 4 to 5 holes in the bottom of the birdhouse for drainage.
4. Cut the stem off of the birdhouse. Screw an eye screw into the top of the birdhouse for hanging.
5. It's important that you seal the outside of the birdhouse with a polyurethane sealant to protect it from the weather. If you wish to decorate the birdhouse, paint first and then seal with polyurethane. Do not paint or seal the inside of the birdhouse.
We also planted Luffa Sponges.
I'm really excited about these. I've had some in the past that a friend grew to use in the tub and shower, and I'm excited to have some more that we grow ourselves!
Info to keep handy:
When the gourds are ripe, their skins will dry and the stems will turn yellow. Let the ripe gourd dry for two weeks. When its skin has hardened and turned brown, open the larger end of the luffa and shake out the seeds. (Save the seeds to plant again next year!) Soak the gourd overnight in water, then peel off the skin. Let the gourd dry in the sun. If the sponge is discolored, you may soak it in warm water with a little bleach for about five minutes.
And we planted Spaghetti Squash.
Allow fruit to remain on the vine until the skin is hard enough to easily resist scratching or puncturing. Pick before frost, leaving part of the stem attached. Cure fruit for one week in a warm, dry place and then store in a cool place with low humidity.
Here is the recipe that came with the seeds:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half and clean out the center and seeds.
2. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil or butter. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for about 45 minutes or until tender.
Next up, Mammoth Sunflowers!
To harvest the sunflower seeds, wait until the sunflowers mature. This is when the back of the head turns yellow, the petals fall off and the black striped seeds start to turn slightly brown. To separate the seeds from the head, use a towel and rub the seeds into a bowl. If birds are starting to eat the seeds before harvest time, you can tie a brown paper bag over the head. Then pick the heads and hang upside down in a warm, dry place. Poke holes in the bag for ventilation.
To roast the sunflower seeds, soak the seeds overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup salt and 1 quart water. Spread the seeds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 300 degrees for three hours.
And then we planted pumpkins!
To pollinate pumpkin plants by hand:
You will see a tiny round fruit under the female blossom and no fruit under the male. Pick the male blossom and touch it to the female blossom, transferring as much pollen as possible. This is the way we help the butterflies and bees pollinate the plants!
When the shell of the pumpkin is hard, cut from the vine, leaving about 3 inches of stem.
Toasting the pumpkin seeds:
1. Rinse seeds under cold water and pick out pulp and strings.
2. Place seeds in a single layer on a greased baking sheet, stirring to coat.
3. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring every 10 minutes.
4. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.
This concludes today's extra-informative gardening blog post. Thanks for letting me use my blog as my own personal filing storage system. Because that makes my life much easier.
No comments:
Post a Comment