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Get advice, inspiration and feedback on all your home & garden projects!

Kathryn F

Blogger | Hibbing, MN http://www.lifewithnewlungs.com
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Easy Kitchen Art Idea

Where I personally do not care for words on walls, like "family", "love", etc., (because it makes me feel like I'm walking into a self-help book), my daughter loves that kind of stuff. I made these for her kitchen, using colored burlap, wrapped and stapled to 12" x 16" painters canvas, stencils (printed from my computer and cut out), and old silverware. Only took about an hour, and supplies were under $20.
Leslie D
Leslie D Las Vegas, NV
1 Comment | Post Comment | 286 Views
  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on May 08, 2013 to silverware
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  • Decor Ideas
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  • Since it is all metal and hard plastic it weathers well outdoors.
Clipped a photo from:

Stamped Vintage Silverware Whirligig

Finding Home
Finding Home Middletown, NY
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  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on May 08, 2013 to silverware
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  • The Garden Shed (inside
  • Garden Inspiration
  • There is nothing like fresh picked asparagus from the garden! 1
  • The first spear of Asparagus breaking through the soil. 1
  • In the first year, allow your asparagus to grow tall and wispy to generate good root growth. 1
  • Add a few inches of compost to your beds as a mulch each fall to keep them growing strong. 1
  • See 1 more photo

How To Grow Asparagus

There is nothing like having fresh asparagus from your own garden! Asparagus is just one of those crops that no matter how fresh it may look or feel in the supermarket - the taste of home ...»
grown can't be beat!

Asparagus is different than most of the vegetable crops planted in the garden. Unlike annual varieties such as tomatoes, cucumber and peppers that need planted each year - asparagus is a perennial. Once established, they can provide a good crop for 20 to 25 years for you and your family to enjoy!

They also differ because plants are either male or female. The males are known to have larger and more abundant spear production, while the female varieties tend to be thinner and produce seeds in the fall for reproduction. Most prefer to plant only the male for the added production levels. Popular male varieties such as Jersey Giant and Jersey Knight are great choices for those looking for maximum yields.

Asparagus can be started from seed or from what are called crowns - which are nothing more than the roots of 1 to 2-year-old asparagus plants. Most, (including us) really prefer starting them with the crowns and not from seed. Growing from seed can take up to 2 to 3 years to have edible spears formed - while starting with crowns can give you a few spears to enjoy by the second year. It's also easier to start and maintain the crowns - as their growth is more defined early on, making it easier to keep weeded.

How To Plant :

With the long crop cycle of 20 or more years - it is important to prepare your bed space accordingly. Work in generous amounts of compost to the soil before planting to provide a good starting base for your crop. Asparagus will do best in a nice, sunny location. They can tolerate some partial shade, but grow and thrive much better with full sun.

To plant asparagus, you will want to dig a trench about 6" deep and about 8" wide. We like to space ours about 18" between crowns. Place the crown at the bottom of the trench, and cover with about 2" of topsoil. As the crown begins to grow through the soil, keep adding a few inches of soil until the soil level has filled in the trench over the course of a few weeks. This process allows the asparagus to develop a deep root system to provide for years of crop harvests.

For your first year, allow the plants to grow tall. Resist the temptation to cut a few spears - you want all of the growth to go to the plant and root structure. In the fall after they have died off, you can cut them off about 1" above the soil and place a little straw or compost mulch over them for the winter.

In year two, you will begin to see some small spears shoot through the earth in the spring. You can harvest the first week or two of spears, then allow the plants to once again grow tall and build up strength. The year 2 spears will be smaller, but still very tasty!

Year 3 is where the fun begins! You should be close to full harvest - enjoying fresh spears each and every spring for many years to come. After each spring harvest, let your asparagus grow tall in the beds and repeat the process of cutting back after they have died off in the fall.

Upkeep and Maintenance of Beds:

The biggest key to good productive asparagus is to keep your beds weed free. Weeds and grass compete for valuable nutrients, and a weedy bed will result in smaller, less productive harvests. We use either straw or compost mulch to keep ours weed-free throughout the year. It's also a good idea each fall to put on a two-inch covering of compost on top of your beds to give some added nutrients. Other than that - once established, your asparagus beds will provide you with years of fresh and amazing tasting crops each spring!

Happy Gardening! - Jim and Mary

If you would like to receive our DIY & Gardening Tips every Tuesday – be sure to sign up to follow the blog via email in the right hand column, "like" us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Old World Garden Farms
Old World Garden Farms Newark, OH
35 Comments | Post Comment | 10924 Views
  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on May 08, 2013 to gardening
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  • In this picture: Compost on the bottom, peat to the left, perlite to the right, handful of fertilizer to the front.
  • Simple ingredients
  • Just look at how perfect this mix is.... homemade :)

Make your own Potting Mix

I rarely buy bags of potting soil from the garden center...I just make my own using a few simple ingredients. #garden #composting ...»

Start with compost, add peat, perlite and fertilizer and mix well.

You can buy a big bale of compressed peat and large bag of perlite, depending on how much you need, these could last you quite a few seasons.

The fertilizer could be a slow release formula or a generic all purpose. I add more fertilizer depending on application ( hanging baskets for instance would get a handful more at planting time.

I just get in there with my garden gloved hands and give it a good mixing pulling out any large pieces that need more time to cook in the compost.

Your ratio should be about:

Compost= 60%

Peat= 30%

Perlite=10%

+ a few handfuls or more of fertilizer pending on size of mix.

For more info on composting visit: http://www.sowanddipity.com/the-dirt-on-comp...

Shelley @ Sow and Dipity
Shelley @ Sow and Dipity Canada
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  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on May 07, 2013 to cool ideas
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  • Garden Ideas
  • tips to try
  • Take your light and check it out closely as some are different. 1
  • By the bulb you should see some small screws
  • Remove the screws and SLOWLY pull the pieces apart. You will then see a normal, everyday, single AA battery. Yep, that is what gets charged by the sun during the day so that it glows at night! 2
  • Change the battery out with a new one and...Let there be light! 2
  • Now, if you have a different type of light, say like this one from WalMart, with the globe on top, it gets even easier to replace the battery.
  • Kathe With An E~DIY Fix Your Solar Lights
Simply pull the stake out and you will see this on the globe end.
  • One single screw. Leave the three screws by the bulb alone.
  • And there is your battery. Change it out, put the screw back in and you are done!
  • See 5 more photos

DIY Fix for Spring

Got solar lights that aren't working? Luckily, I know how to fix them right up! And, I am going to share my tip with you!Cuz, well, we're friends and all and that's what friends do, right?...

Kathe With An E (Kathe)
Kathe With An E (Kathe) Aurora, CO
117 Comments | Post Comment | 81393 Views
  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on May 02, 2013 to cool ideas
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  • OUTSIDE
  • Household Tricks
  • DIY Garden Benches

  • Kathryn F
    Followed 1 board on May 01, 2013
  • Start by saturating the entire area with a 60-40 percent mixture of white vinegar and water. Spray the area liberally with a spray bottle and let the mixture sit for a few minutes. This will help loosen everything up
Clipped a photo from:

How to Easily Remove Hard Water Deposits

Jennifer Schmitz
Jennifer Schmitz Raymore, MO
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  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on Apr 28, 2013 to cool ideas
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  • Household Tricks
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  • rusty and colorful door knobs and locks from my junk stash
  • vintage and not so vintage rusty keys 1
  • architectural wood 1
  • lots of brass 2
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Salvage Saturday, Sometimes It's The Little Things

Now that I have the workshop all organized, I'm in heaven. I can find all my cool junky stuff. Take a peek.
Petticoat Junktion
Petticoat Junktion Clarksville, TN
6 Comments | Post Comment | 1246 Views
  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on Apr 28, 2013 to cool ideas
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  • cool ideas
  • The solar light was almost the same size as the jar ring
***UPDATE Don't hot glue gems to the outside, they may fall off :(
  • This is after glued flat sided gems around the jar ring and around the little edge on the bottom of the clear part of the light. This little part was where the cylinder and spike were to put the light into the ground.
  • Close up of the gems.

Another Solar Light In A Jar

A big thank you to Melissa @ Keep Calm and Decorate for inspiring me to make solar lights in jar. This is my twist on your ...»
idea, THANKS again for your inspiration

I found solar lights at Walmart that were pretty much the same size as the top of a canning jar. I bought a box of a dozen clear generic canning jars at Walmart. And I bought bags of flat florist gems at the dollar store.

I removed the cylinder with the ground spike from the solar light and put a thin line of clear silicone caulk around the outside of the jar ring then put the light on top. After the caulk dried attach flat florist gems around the jar ring and around the little edge at the bottom of the clear shade of the solar light. Then I threw in about 50 florist gems inside the jar for stability outside along my wall. I wanted to use red gems but they didn't have any. Next trip to the Dollar Store :)

20 Minutes 4.00 Easy
Mary I.
Mary I. Pittsburgh, PA
32 Comments | Post Comment | 14555 Views
  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on Apr 27, 2013 to cool ideas
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  • outside
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  • Finished Mason jar solar light.
  • Supplies Needed: Solar lights, duct tape, Mason jars and outer lid, spray paint and painters tape. 3
  • Screw off the top of the solar light and put painters tape on the top of the solar panel.
  • Spray paint the solar light tops and lids.
  • I folded the duct tape in half to create double sided tape. I used duct to keep the light from falling into the jar. Duct tape is also weather proof.
  • I wrapped the duct tape around the light. Make sure you don't put the tape to close to the top. You don't want the tape to stick out of the lid. 4
  • I stuck the light with the duct tape inside the jar. You don't need to push the light in too far, just enough to make it snug. The lid will make it more secure.
  • It was an easy project that didn't cost very much money. I had all of the resources with the exception of the lights. 1
  • See 5 more photos

Mason Jar Solar Lights!

Don't you just love all of the things you can make and do with Mason jars? I have been wanting Mason jar solar lights since I saw them in a catalog three years ago, but for $40 a jar ...»
there was no way I would allow myself to buy them. I knew I needed to figure out a way to make them myself. I bought some solar lights at the dollar store and was able to come up with my own Mason jar solar lights. Please visit my blog to see all of the details.

60 Minutes Easy
Melissa @ Keep Calm and Decorate
Melissa @ Keep Calm and D... Muncie, IN
54 Comments | Post Comment | 42638 Views
  • Kathryn F
    Clipped on Apr 21, 2013 to cool ideas
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  • DYI
  • Kim's Findings!
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