Terrarium part two

So the first terrarium didn't go so well. It all started great, but after a few weeks went by both my chicks and hens died. They died suddenly. Like boom. The other guy lasted a few more months, but one day after feeling the dirt and determining it completely dry, I watered and boom it died too.

Jenn didn't have much better luck either. Hers all died by early this year.

Not to be discouraged we decided to try again. I think mine may of died from overwatering, even though I didn't water them that much. I also think they might of not had enough sun. Ace only had larger plants so we went up to Flowers on 14th. They had the right size, but were a bit more expensive. 

They had some ferns so I decided to try them. They lady said they love water and like covered containers. Hopefully this fern will love my jar!

I also bought two succulents to replace the dead ones I had sitting in my winery pots for the better part of the last year. 

Call Me Crafty: Mason Jar Planter

If you follow me on Instagram you saw this project a while back. I took tons of pictures during the process then completely forgot to blog about it. So finally here you are! 

My friend Catherine discovered this idea on Pinterest and we decided along with our other friend Jenn to have a craft day to make some of our own.

We met up and headed to Home Depot where we picked up the hardware and wood. We had Home Depot cut the boards to size (which is a fantastic service!) and headed back to Catherine's to get to work.

Supplies we purchased per planter:

1. Three Mason jars
2. Three adjustable plumbing rings
3. Wall hanger and nails
4. Three screws
5. Wood- we took the jars to the store and measured the sizing on the go
6. Three plants
7. Cactus/succulent dirt

Supplies Catherine had on hand:

1. Drill
2. Hammer
3. Stain
4. Paint brush
5. Rag
6. Sand paper

Process:

We started by sanding our board a little and applying a layer of stain. After letting it dry a little bit we wiped down our board with the rag and then allowed it to dry some more.

While our boards were drying we planted our succulents in the jars. The jars have no drainage. After planting I wondered if we should of put a layer of rock on the bottom like you would in a terrarium, but not enough to go back and replant. However I think using the special soil for cactus and succulents works well. My plants are thriving so far. I just water them fully when I water them, which is about every week and a half, and then let the soil dry completely  before watering again.

After our boards were dry we attached the hangers.

Then proceeded to screw the rings to the boards. It wasn't as easy as we hoped. The slots in the rings were a little bit smaller than our screws. On my first attempt I completely stripped the screw. After that we tried prying the slots open a little wider and got the screw going a little before using the power drill and it worked ok. We were using wood screws, maybe a stronger screw would of just plowed through the ring, but I'm not sure.

I started in the middle

measuring was hard

After they were attached to the board I tightened the rings a bit before slipping the jars inside and finished tightening the screws.

Finished project!

Once I got home I immediately hung it up on the wall because I wasn't sure where else to put it. I hung it by my bedroom window because while by living room is over run with plants I didn't have any in my bedroom!

As I mentioned earlier, all my plants are doing well. But learned the hard way that the orange flower on the cactus was glued on! I know! The way the cactus was growing was moving the flower to the front so I pulled it off. I managed to get all of the flower off, but the glue is a bit more challenging especially with all the pokies.  Oh and the plant on the right is doing much better and not leaning so much.

Call me Crafty: My magnet is growing

I think I missed one Handi-hour last year. It turned out to be the gardening one. They had little terra cotta pots to decorate and plant some small plants in and then they also had corks to make into tiny air plant vase magnets. Lucky for me I have good friends and was gifted a plant magnet that I've proudly displayed at work. Sometime over the holidays it decided to die, but I had several months of joy with that guy.

Inspired I decided to make a few of my own for Christmas gifts. Only when I went back to Ace Hardware their summer/fall supply of air plants was dry and dead. Defeated. I had purchased an air plant earlier in the year though just because I'm a sucker for succulents. It had just been chilling in a vase so I decided to give him a new home.

I used a cork from a beer bottle someone had recently enjoyed at my apartment and glued on a spare magnet with super glue. I made a hole in the top with a knife and stuck him inside. A month later, so far so good.

Call me Crafty: There is an Elephant in my Window

I'm not claiming this one as my own, but I wanted to share this elephant wonder. My sister Kristen, the CraftyRunner, painted this elephant and turned him in to a plantyderm (see what I did there?) by cutting a hole in his back and a drainage hole in his belly. I threw a baby cactus inside and love him. What should I name him?

Terrariums

After seeing some terrariums for sale at a few places for like $60 my friend Jenn and I decided to make our own. I've honestly been wanting to make a terrarium for years, but I always am stumped about some of the supplies. Mainly the activated charcoal. But with Jenn signed on to create I was motivated (and I had some free furlough time). Jenn sent me some links to terrarium kits and then I was even more motivated to find all of the supplies. 

I went to my local Ace, Logan Hardware (where I have gone approximately once a day during furlough) to inquire about activated charcoal. They didn't have it, but suggested I check out a pet supply store as activated charcoal also goes in aquariums. 

So with a trip to Petco we picked up the activated charcoal and rocks. I had dirt hanging around my apartment (don't we all) and we picked up a few succulents at the hardware store. I also bought my half gallon mason jar at Logan.

The actual assembly went pretty fast. We put a layer of rocks first, then the charcoal, then dirt, and finally plants. I decorated with some shells and Jenn decorated with some pretty colorful rocks. 

Some directions I read recommended using a paintbrush to clean dirt off our plants. We made fun of the directions until we were upset our plants were dirty and I went a grabbed a paint brush.

So far my little ecosystem is thriving.

Window Gardening: Major growth

I haven't given a window gardening update in awhile, but all the sudden some of my plants are going crazy, so I thought I would share.

I've had this cactus plant for about 18 months (like babies plants age in months till they are two). It had a red bud on top till about two months ago, when all of a sudden it shriveled up and hardened. So I plucked it off. Soon after this sprout came out the side and ballooned. It kind of looks like some more might come out and play, we'll see.

cactus action

I recently bought a succulent and rosemary plant to keep the cactus company.

we're better together

Before I bought the succulent I put a basil plant in one of my little pots, but it couldn't get enough water and every night would look at me with sad droopy leaves. So I transplanted it to my big planter and it started growing like crazy. I've even used a few of the leaves for dinner.

room to breathe

Grow bottle

During lunch the other day I was reading O magazine in the Reading Room in Bryant park, one of Oprah's favorite things was a grow bottle from Potting Shed Creations and there was a discount code so I decided to order one.  They are recycled wine bottles turned into kits for growing herbs.  I ordered the basil one but the discount code was expired (darn old magazines in the reading room).  I still ordered it and finally received it two weeks ago.  The instructions were long and complicated so I let it sit a week, but last weekend I put it all together.  Much to my surprise they sprouted in 4 days!  The instructions included spraying them with water each day and keeping it covered with a bag until they were an inch tall.  So day I finally got to remove the bag and sit it in a warm and sunny place.

Macy's flower show

I was on the hunt for shoes. Spring shoes. Spring dress shoes. So I went in to Macy's and found myself in a real jungle. The Macy's Spring Flower Show was almost set up. As it was a few days away from the grand opening (which was Sunday), the flowers weren't completely finished, but the store was still amazing. Every year I love seeing the displays. So if you are in New York City I recommend heading over, but best to go during the weekday and avoid the crowds.

Take two

Remember that awesome planter my sister got me for Christmas? And remember how I planted the cilantro in it? Well the cilantro never grew... I'm not sure if it was a light issue or a directional issue or a seed issue or a water issue (or something else), but nothing grew. The basil I planted at the same time in another planter did come up, but then it died off... on this one I think it was a soil/water issue, sigh.

As delightful as the hanging planter looked with just dirt in it, I decided to try again with a plant. I found myself at Home Depot (looking at paint, but that is another story) and saw some cheap nice looking plants so I bought a few small ones.

A touch of life in my kitchen

I also got two of these cactus plants (the other has a yellow top). I've never tried growing these types of plants before so wish me luck!

little guy

Boskke Sky Planter

My sister got me a classy topsy turvy for Christmas... well that is what I've been calling it. It really is a Boskke Sky Planter, made by some guy from New Zealand. It really is cool. It can hang from the ceiling or as my sister got me a wall mount that is where I hung mine. The instructions all showed a developed plant, but as they didn't expressly say that you couldn't start from seeds I thought I would give it a try (I just don't have random extra plants sitting around). They suggested planting parsley. I flipped through my seed packets and to my surprise I saw chinese parsley, "perfect" I thought. Well it turns out that chinese parsley is cilantro's other name. I planted it anyway.

temporary planting station

the bottom has a little mesh piece and then a locking disc, so far the dirt is staying in

the top has a clay water reservoir that gradually waters the plant and only needs filled occasionally

mounted on the wall near the window

nothing growing yet

tomato update

My first tomato didn't grow much, but now it is turning red! I think I might have a success.

Number 2 and 3 are still growing.

A tomato grows in Queens

I've been growing three tomato bushes in my apartment... my studio apartment. I've been growing basil, cilantro, rosemary, and even a sunflower, but I wanted to see if I could grow tomatoes. Right away they sprung out of the ground and grew and grew. Then they began to flower and I got excited, but then the flowers just fell off and nothing happened. As the flowers fell over the last few weeks and the bushes grew to almost my ceiling I was thinking evil thoughts. I was thinking of getting rid of them. I couldn't bare to, but why weren't they producing any fruit?

I've been trying to figure out what was going on, but I'm not a tomato apartment expert. This weekend I discussed my problem with my cousins and aunts in DC. They suggested that although tomatoes are self pollinating that they may need some help spreading it around. We came up with three ideas: 1. Let some bees come hang out with me in the apartment 2. Use a q-tip to spread the love around 3. Put a bag over the plant and SHAKE.

I came back home Sunday night with all intention of trying method 2 and 3 only to find.... A TOMATO GROWING! I was so excited I snapped several (poorly lit) pictures. The next day I looked around and I think she has a buddy growing. I'm keeping the faith for more!

Success! (or almost success, lets see if we can get it to grow and ripen up)

Flower update

The Petals keep blooming... more! more! more!

My flower hanging out in my Irish scape.

My Sunflower!

This week I came home to discover my sunflower coming out to play.

Thursday 6pm

Friday 8:30pm

Saturday 9:30 am