Shout out to Mike at the Electrical department of Home Depot. Took me step by step on how to change the ballast out. Even made me a drawing to take home. Told me to call if I came upon any questions! Love those Home Improvement stores, YOU CAN DIY!

I know it is not the newest most updated fixture but I like a LOT of light in my kitchen and have yet to find something that will make me spend the money of new fixtures. For now $20 is good!

I think one of the most rewarding experiences for a home gardener is starting their own seeds indoors. For one, it's an incredibly satisfying feeling to make a tiny seed grow into a beautiful plant for you and your family to enjoy. It also can be a tremendous cash saver - plants can be expensive when purchasing them all at your local greenhouse. Especially if you want to grow specialty or heirloom seeds that are hard to find.We use a low-cost, simple set up to grow our seedlings indoors. It has allowed us to expand our garden and landscape without breaking the bank.Let's start with a few, money saving tips of what you won't need: Heating Mats and Specialty Lights.It's not that heating mats don't work - they do. They help warm the soil and help to germinate seeds. But unless you live in a 40 degree barn...normal room temperatures will work. It make a take a day or two longer to germinate than if you use heating mats - but the seeds will grow just fine.There is also no need to waste big money on high-priced "grow lights" or bulbs with a special light spectrum for raising seedlings. They do have a place for certain types of special growing applications - but if your goal is to start and raise seeds indoors - a couple of good old-fashioned inexpensive flourescent "shop lights" work incredibly well. Most of us have a few already around the house. If not, they can be had at your local hardware store for about $10 to $15, and can be used year after year. I am a big believer in the lights. Yes, it's true that you can use a sunny window of your house - but it's hard to get seedlings to grow straight using natural winter sunlight from a window. You need to turn them constantly - and the seedlings tend to grow thin and skinny trying to reach up for the light.

What you will need to start up to 4 flats of seeds indoors:

One (1) 32 quart bag of potting soil or seed starter mix. We make our own from equal parts of our compost, sand and soil, but if your starting out, you can buy a good bag for around $10. It will be more than enough to fill four flats and have some left over for next year.

Two (2) inexpensive dual-bulb 4' flourescent shop lights. (4 bulbs total) You can pick them up at your local hardware store for about $10 - $15 - and most all of them even come with little hooks and a chain for hanging over your plants.

Four (4) empty flats with seed tray inserts. (we like the 36 cell plant trays - the individual cells are big enough that you won't need to transplant the seedling into anything else before they go into the ground)A few blocks of scrap wood and two 5' 2x4's to hang your lights from.

Your seeds of choice. Whatever seeds you use - make sure to label your flats with what you plant in them - it's easy to get them mixed up as they grow into mature plants. As for when to start your seeds - the back of each seed package will usually tell you the optimum time, however, a general rule of thumb is 6 to 8 weeks before planting outdoors.

The Process:

1. Fill your seed trays with soil mixture - pack lightly – you want the soil to be light and fluffy to allow room for root growth and water filtering through. Moisten the soil –don't drench. You just want to have the soil wet to the touch - An empty spray bottle of water works great for the first few weeks of starting.

2. Plant your seeds at a rate of 2 per space – preferably not on top of each other, but in slightly different areas towards the center. Each seed packet will tell you the depth that the seeds should be planted - most are about 1/8" to 1/4" inch deep. Planting two seeds ensures that you can get at least one seed to germinate in every space. Yes, you will have to thin later - but better to have too many than none at all! After planting your seeds, lightly moisten the soil again and then cover with a clear plastic sheet or lid and keep out of direct sunlight.

3. I know it sounds strange to put them out of direct sunlight - but covering them allows moisture to build up and helps to achieve optimum conditions for the seeds to sprout. You will most likely not have to water during this time - just make sure the soil remains moist.By using clear plastic you can see when the plants actually come up without taking off the cover and disturbing the plants and releasing the moisture.4. Once you see 1-2 seedlings sprouting out of the soil, remove the lid and place onto a table or flat surface. You can now set up your shop lights. You want the lights to hover down about 1 to 2" from the top of the plants. We do this by putting blocks of wood at each end and running a 5' 2x4 over all of the flats of seedlings. We then simply screw a little hook into the 2x4's and hang them with a little hook. (usually included in the shop light kits) When we need to raise the lights as the plants grow - we just add another block of wood to each end. You will want to give your plants about 12 to 14 hours of light each day.

You will also need to water more frequently now - most likely once a day - and as the plants grow in the coming weeks - you will continue to adjust those two lights to keep them at 1 to 2" above the top of the plants. You want the soil to stay moist but not water logged. This is also the time to start thinning to allow for one seed per container. If you have an empty cell, you can replant extra sprouts into the empty cells. We just use a flat head screwdriver to lift out the extra seedling and plant into the empty cell.The shop lights at such close range keep the seeds growing straight up and at a slower, stronger rate. One of the problems with using just direct sunlight is that the plants will get leggy as they reach to the light source. With the shop lights at such a close range..they grow nice and slow and develop strong roots and leaf structure.After about 6 to 8 weeks - your plants will be ready to go. As the weather begins to warm - we will take our plants out onto the back porch to get some regular sun and start adjusting to the temperature and light. One thing to avoid is to take your plants directly from the shop lights and plant them in the yard - you want to give them time to adjust to sunlight and temperature - a process called hardening off. Usually by the end of March - we start to keep them on the porch longer and longer - and near the end - only bring them in or cover them if there is a threat of frost to get them ready for the great outdoors!

- Jim and Mary

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Moss ClipBoard: http://www.hometalk.com/b/696783/mostly-moss #moss #spring #garden #PorchPride

-matte black knobs from Rockler

-oil-rubbed bronze card catalog pulls with chalk stock (chalkboard cardstock) labels purchased on Amazon from House of Antique Hardware, Inc.

Process:

1. Wipe down cabinets with Windex. Use included sanding pad on any faux wood surfaces to rough up the waxy coating.

2. Tape off cabinets along walls, appliances, and hardware.

3. Paint cabinet frames and doors (front and back) with or without removing the doors. We chose to remove our door to paint the frame but returned them before painting the doors so we could paint both sides at one time.

4. Repeat step 3 for second coat. If necessary apply a third coat.

*Notes

---> In my post I recommend additional preparation of the surface before painting and using a topcoat to seal your painted finish. To view pictures of the process visit my blog Dear Emmeline.

almost anywhere. It's a shame that more often than not, they take a back seat to more familiar food crops such as peppers, tomatoes, corn and beans in the backyard garden plan. Especially when you consider they bring loads of taste and flavor to the dinner table. Herbs are the ultimate dual use plant - providing for great culinary use in the kitchen, while adding visual and aromatic appeal to your landscape, garden, patio or porch area.

Although they flourish when planted in a garden or flowerbed setting - almost all herbs can be grown in pots and containers as well. The key with working herbs into your landscape is to think outside the "box" to add extra interest - like adding mint to a hanging baskets as a trailing accent plant - not only will it look beautiful, but it can make your porch or patio come alive with its wonderful scent.

And as an added benefit, many herbs can be successfully potted up and grown through the cold winter months in a sunny windowsill, providing a little extra "freshness" to your winter cooking.

A final note on using herbs in the kitchen - it may sound a bit odd, but remember when using in a recipe - you need to increase the amount of fresh herbs to equal the same effect if you used traditional dried varieties. Why? Dried herbs have much more concentrated flavors, and therefore you need less of them. There is no perfect ratio, but most cooks will tell you a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio is best. The trade off for using fresh - the flavors are more pure and true.

Although there are endless varieties available, here are 6 of our favorite herbs that are easy to get started, and serve many uses in our kitchen and landscape.

Cilantro / Coriander

If you love salsa and want to make your own - cilantro is the choice for you. Many think that cilantro and coriander are two separate plants - when in fact - they come from the very same plant and produce two separate and distinct flavors. Cilantro and Coriander are one in the same. The fresh young tender leaves are the unique spicy taste we know as cilantro in salsa, and the mature seeds that develop on older plants are the spice you know as Coriander. Cilantro will grow best in the cooler temperatures of spring and fall, so sewing seeds both early and late in the year is a good idea. Cilantro is one of those plants that do well in pots and planters. Once the hot heat of summer comes, the plants will bolt and go to seed, and now you have coriander. Consider this one the 2 for 1 herb.

Basil

There is nothing in the world that can compare to the taste of sweet basil! We use generous amounts when we make our home-made pasta and pizza sauce, and it is one of the 3 key ingredients in our favorite summertime appetizer - Basil, mozzarella and tomato slices. If you have never tried this - make this the year you do! Basil is extremely easy to grow, and will continue to grow throughout the summer. Our basil grew out of control last season, and actually re-seeded itself for a tender fall crop as well. It is considered an annual in our zone - but we rarely have to purchase seeds, because of its ability to re-seed itself each year.

Oregano

This is another must have if you are a lover of fresh pasta sauce! Oregano is a perennial that comes back year after year with its distinct and fresh tasting leaves. Although there are many types of oregano, we are partial to both the Italian and Greek varieties, using them to flavor our pasta and pizza sauces. They dry extremely well, and are perfect to make your own home-made Italian seasoning - using equal parts of dried parsley, oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary. It is actually one herb that a lot of cooks will prefer using dried as opposed to fresh, as the flavor seems to change for the better in the drying process.

Chives

Chives are one of the tiniest members of the onion family, and their use dates back to ancient Chinese times, where it was used for both medicinal and culinary purposes.

Chives are another perennial that will do just as well in the soil of a garden as it will in a pot on your back porch. Their uses are many, but probably best known for chopping up and sprinkling on baked potatoes. They also add a great onion flavor to soups and dry rubs. Chives can be placed with their stems and blooms in tact in a container of olive oil, to flavor it with a hint of aromatic flavor.

You can split, divide and transplant chives much like ornamental grasses. You can also dig up a small piece and bring indoors in a sunny location to enjoy fresh chives through the winter.

Mints.

There are a vast array of mint types available - peppermint, spearmint, chocolate and more! They are fantastic to use as garnish or the main ingredient in your favorite teas or mixed drink - like a mint julip, mojito, or a soothing peppermint tea to name a few. As an added benefit, they fill the surrounding air with their amazing fragrant scents.

A word of caution with mint however. They are best planted in pots - even of you plant in the garden. Mints can be invasive and once they become established - their underground roots can travel far and long and become difficult to remove. So keeping them in pots is the key. They are a perennial, and will come back each year with little trouble.

Dill

If you want to make your own pickles - then growing dill is a must! Fresh dill is easy to grow, and can become a focal point in the garden with its tall, fern-like, aromatic spikes. It is one of the taller herbs you will find - growing to heights of 2 to 3 feet depending on the variety. As dill matures, it is usually best to drive a small stake in the ground for support. The foliage and flowers are wonderful to use in all kinds of recipes from deviled eggs, to soups and of course pickles! As the plant matures, you also can harvest dill seeds as well. Dill is a great choice to use in large planters as a tall accent plant - it's a creative switch to use in place of the old standards like traditional spikes. They are an annual as well, although much like basil, if you have them in a garden or flowerbed setting, they more than likely will re-seed themselves each year. Dill is best planted by seed directly in the ground, as it does not transplant well.

So this year, as you get ready to put out all of those fresh vegetable plants in your garden - throw in some herbs in the plan as well - and increase your gardening and kitchen horizons!

Happy Gardening! Jim and Mary

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spaces! I truly would have thought this kind of project would be too tough for me! It was so easy with this stencil! I share the details on this easy transformation here: http://www.youaretalkingtoomuch.com/2013/03/...#