November 12, 2012 by Born To Organize

Organizing Garden Tools: Bucket Jockey® Goes “Green”

Bucket Jockey® where have you been all my life!?

In all my years of gardening, I’ve simply “made do” with my tool storage. For the past several years I’ve used a small plastic caddy intended for cleaning supplies. Not bad for a two dollar investment.

So I can’t tell you how excited I am with my upgrade: an all-in-one tool storage caddy from Husky® and Home Depot. I’m not sure why I assumed this would be a costly investment. I grew up in an all-female household, so I never really learned my way around a hardware store. For just ten dollars I was able to create this system, below.

For starters, I wanted to personalize my new tool organizer. I have nothing against Husky who made this fabulous system, but you must admit they have a grouchy-looking logo. Since I’m organized at heart, I used a jewelry finding full of hearts. I blacked out the logo with a permanent marker, then attached the hearts with a safety-pin. Now I can change out the bucket jewelry when the mood strikes.

I hid the logo with a jewelry finding (with apologies to Husky®)

I used the inner pockets to store my freshly cleaned and sharpened hand tools, including spades, pruners, saws and weeders. My garden fork hangs from an outer pocket, originally intended for a drill. I cut an unused garden glove to cover the prongs so I don’t scrape my leg on the rough edges as I carry it from place to place.

Bucket Interior houses tools

Gloved garden fork

Drill holder doubles for tools and gloves

This would typically hold a drill. It works well for gloves and a garden fork.

The Bucket Jockey includes a strap attached to the exterior. I don’t know its intended use, but I’ve re-purposed it for twine. One of the tricks I learned on a garden tour was to cut several lengths of twine ahead of time so you have them at the ready when you need them. I threaded several pre-cut lengths of twine through a couple of binder rings. They’re attached near the ball of twine.

: Strap and hook attachment

Garden Twine

Strap holds garden twine

“Bucket Jockey ®” transformed

What a joy to have all the tools sharpened, cleaned and stored in one easy to access, portable system.

On the subject of organizing, I recently launched my new and improved organizing website and blog, Organized at Heart. If you’re interested, please take a look. If you would like to follow along, you can subscribe to receive regular updates.

Organized at Heart

November 9, 2012 by Born To Organize

Garden Tool Clean-up: Farewell to the Dirty Dozen

Like many tedious chores, cleaning garden tools is easy to put off. Though it’s hard to get started, it’s ultimately satisfying when you’re done. The electrostatic charge in the air yesterday spurred me into action. With my head held high, I’m happy to report that the dirty dozen of gardening tools is now the tidy twelve.

The Dirty Dozen

Last month I put my tools to soak in a bucket of soapy Melaleuca cleaner, then got busy with other things. It’s one of those jobs that nags at you till you get it done, but I knew I needed a good block of time to act. Yesterday was the day.

Newspapers spread and gloves donned, I tackled years of rust, faded paint and grime. Using steel wool and elbow grease, I scoured away layers of garden history. If those tools could talk! Some of them have been around for over twenty years.

I sanded the sharp end of the garden tools first, removing rust and sharpening edges. Moving on to the tools with wooden handles, I sanded those as well before finishing with a soft rub of wax and oil. Everything looks great. The newer tools have vinyl or rubber handles which stand up to the elements better than wood. The wooden handles remain sturdy, however, and relished the coat of wax and oil.

The Tidy Twelve

Last up: the garden saw. I saved the worst for last. The once-blue handle had completely chipped away. The blade was stained and covered in rust. Was I worried? No! I had big plans for this little baby.

Thank you, Martha Stewart.

It took three coats, but our refurbished folding saw now sports a handle in Martha Stewart’s Pomegranate Red. Who says tools have to be boring?

Glitter Garden Saw

Red-hot!

Perseverance 1, procrastination 0.

What’s on your “nag” list?

Getting the Job Done

Steel Wool, fine 000
Howard Feed-N-Wax Beeswax and Orange Oil
Martha Stewart Pomegranate Red Glitter Paint (left over from Halloween)
Elbow grease

November 8, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: State of Confusion

In our glorious state of California, known for sunshine and moderate weather, there is usually something in bloom. That said, even the Golden State has a natural order of things. Perhaps it’s time to hang up an “out-of-order” sign. My garden is in a state of confusion.

Tomatoes

First up, the tomato plant. The seeds I planted in the spring grew, produced and then died off. Nice, orderly, predictable. The wind, or perhaps a bird dropped a seed in our narrow side yard, and believe it or not I have a seven-foot tall tomato plant. With flowers. Tiny, tomato flowers. The limited sun explains the height of the plant, but flowers in November?

Off-season tomato

Pumpkins

Pumpkins should be done for the season. Errant seeds should sleep under the soil for the winter, or gathered and stored till next spring. As I covered the patio furniture in preparation for our first rain I had a pumpkin bloom keeping me company. It’s beautiful and hopeful but decidedly out of season.

Off-season pumpkin bloom

Cosmos

I reluctantly removed several Cosmo starts from the vegetable box, to make room for cauliflower and broccoli. After days in the mid-eighties, the warm soil must have triggered the cosmos to grow. I don’t blame them for the state of confusion. We’ve all been shaking our heads and saying “where is fall?” I didn’t have the heart to remove all the out-of-season re-starts, so I have an impressive pumpkin plant, true leaves and all, rubbing shoulders with the winter vegetables (take two).

Shoulder to Shoulder: Broccoli and Pumpkin

I don’t want to seem ungracious, but I feel like we’ve missed out on sweater-weather entirely. Seven weeks in and we’re only now seeing the more traditional weather patterns. Today’s light rain was a welcome relief. I donned my coat and hat and worked outdoors for nearly five hours. The air was cool and fresh as it rained off and on. Even the cats didn’t mind.

Here’s hoping fall is here to stay this time. Shorter days, cooler nights and a gentle rain will go a long way to end my garden’s state of confusion.

What’s blooming on your Thursday?

November 6, 2012 by Born To Organize

Winter Vegetable Garden: Take Two!

I was feeling optimistic last month when I planted the winter garden. I crafted a durable cover for the planting beds before preparing the soil. I smiled to myself as I scattered those seeds, knowing they would soon be under cover. Maybe I could outsmart those squirrels. With just enough mesh wire to cover the top box, I would have to settle for bird netting on the lower one. Knotted and staked and freshly watered, alas, all was well.

Upper Vegetable Bed
One lone, out-of-season, pumpkin plant

Lower Vegetable Bed
Pumpkins!

What a dreamer! Lindy-Lu thought all that fresh dirt was for her. She didn’t mind one bit that I covered the planting box with mesh. She took care of “business” on top of the netting without a care in the world. My little plot was now littered with carnivorous droppings, the world’s worst fertilizer. I cleaned out the offending bits, then smoothed out the soil. I added a scrap of chicken wire but didn’t have enough for full coverage. So much for optimism.

Ironically, nothing seems to be coming up in the fortified box, unless you count a Cosmo and a Pumpkin! Don’t they know it’s almost winter? In reality, we’re all confused. We had record-breaking heat yesterday, the hottest November 5th since the early 1900’s! We’ve continued to “enjoy” hot weather, even though the angle of the sun says fall. Do you think the winter seeds are lying low till they get the news that fall has really arrived?

I picked up a pair of cell packs at the nursery today with broccoli and cauliflower. Rain is in the forecast for Thursday with a twenty-degree drop in temps. I’ll get them into the boxes tomorrow and then I’ll do my little rain dance.

Vegetable Cell Packs

October 26, 2012 by Born To Organize

Just Visiting

Jazzy

My personal motto is that homes should be lived in and gardens shared. Visitors are a welcome treat. We’re all social creatures, heart and soul, no matter where you land in the social equation. Extroverts like to live large, while introverts find solace in the quiet in between. I’m a little of both.

My friend Jazzy has a day care next door. In the late afternoon her young charges visit my garden and deck, running up and down the ramp, checking out the fairy garden and swinging from the Magnolia tree. Yesterday they were playing hide and seek. It makes my heart sing when I hear their squeals and the sound of running feet. Sometimes they’ll peer in the kitchen window to say hello. I love the open inquisitiveness of the under-five set.

Our neighbor’s cat likes to call our place home. He doesn’t get the attention he craves at his real address a few houses over, so he travels to find it. He sleeps in the garden, plays with one of my cats, and has mastered his way in and out of the yard through a hole I need to fix in the cat fencing. We love him like our own and would be heartbroken if they moved.

Mighty Mouse Neighborhood Cat

Squirrels, possums, raccoons, hummingbirds, snails and a myriad of other four to six-legged creatures also stop by. Though destructive at times, I’m still honored by the visit. It tells me they’ve found a bit of nature in my backyard, a place to have a drink from the fountain or to eat a grub under the lawn. I don’t garden for a living; I’m not selling crops. So I work through my disappointment when one of them snaps a sunflower or digs up my (sniffle, sniffle) newly planted Snowdrop bulbs. They’re busy living life to the fullest on a much-encroached planet.

Isn’t he cute?

A pair of snails heading home for the day

The welcome mat is forever unfurled. Won’t you please come in?

Halloween Countdown

The Ghost of Pumpkins Past

October 25, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Hidden Cyclamen

Many years ago, my friend, Leslie, gave me a gorgeous cyclamen for Valentine’s Day. I was between relationships and probably feeling sorry for myself. It was a sweet gesture and a stunning specimen of a plant.

Brilliant Fuchsia

The cyclamen sat on my coffee table for many weeks, producing bloom after bloom. Then, with little warning, the leaves began to drop. I’m not one to give up easily on plants, so I tried the usual things: more water, then less water, different light. Nothing. Eventually I was out of ideas. I upended the contents of the pot into the small strip of dirt near my apartment door. Imagine my surprise a year later when the cyclamen “came back to life.” Turns out cyclamens are tubers, also known as corms. The plant had simply gone dormant.

Cyclamen corm with emerging heart-shaped leaves

Cyclamens remain one of my favorite winter plants. I planted three in colorful pots on the deck last winter so I could watch them bloom from my kitchen window. When spring rolled around, I transplanted them to larger pots and paired them with spring annuals.

As my potted darlings closed up shop in the late spring, I scooped them out of the soil and moved them to the lower garden. I found a small patch of dirt under some tall grass next to the Magnolia tree. They would be in good company and would stay cool all summer long.

It was a sweet surprise to see them back in bloom this week, refreshed from the recent rains and ready to flourish.

Shaded by the grass

What’s blooming in your garden?

Cyclamen Care. I especially like the beautiful drawing at the end of this link.

Halloween Countdown

Collector Pumpkin

October 24, 2012 by Born To Organize

Told Off by a Squirrel

Have you ever been told off by a squirrel? They’re not shy about letting you know how they feel. They stand their ground, swishing their ample tails in a circular motion, while building a vocal crescendo. It starts with short, shrill bursts, almost a scream, then progresses to a long bark. I’ve heard them telling each other off many a time, but today they directed it at me. The only thing I wanted to take was a picture, but clearly he perceived a threat.

Telling me off

When I stepped outside there were three gray squirrels on the lawn, alternately burying peanuts and chasing each other away from their private stash. They scattered into the trees, then raced around and around the pine tree in what looked like a frenzied game of chase. Eventually they peeled off, one by one. I thought they were gone.

Squirrel in the Pine Tree

One reappeared on the fence, with another peanut in his mouth and began his vocal tirade. I don’t know how he managed to make so much noise with his teeth clamped down around the peanut.

Our neighbors to the left feed the squirrels fistfuls of peanuts every day. The little rodents are so brazen, they’ll come in her back door and help themselves.

The gray squirrels in our area don’t hibernate due to the mild climate. But with the cooler weather, they ramp up their activity, squirreling away nuts and seeds all over our back yard. Clearly I was an impediment to that progress.

Squirrel Crossing

During the summer months, I found shells on the patio table and on the seat of one of our chairs. I rarely saw the squirrel in action, but apparently he stuffed his cheeks with the nuts, then sat down at my table to eat them. He left without bothering to clean up.

I think it’s time I shake my own ample tail to let him know what I think of his manners.

Halloween Countdown

Tower ‘O Pumpkins

October 19, 2012 by Born To Organize

Visiting Renee’s Garden

I was in Felton, California yesterday, a small, mountain community about 45 minutes from here. It’s also home to Renee’s Garden. I mapped their address from the packet of seeds and went in search of their gardens. It was quite a letdown when the address turned out to be a small, nondescript office instead. Not a garden in sight anywhere.

Although I didn’t bring home a camera full of photos, I learned a bit more about the company. Renee gathers seeds from around the world, then grows them in her test garden at home for two years, before releasing them to the public. The seeds are not treated or genetically modified.

I’ve been growing Renee’s Cat Treats Gourmet Mixed Greens for several months for my sister’s cat, KT. He’s an indoor kitty who loves his greens, and is especially fond of this mix. I grow a weeks’ worth of nibbles in my kitchen window, then she takes a pot home for KT.

KT Enjoying his Gourmet Mixed Greens

Renee’s garden is a participant in the Great Sunflower Project, the brain child of Gretchen LeBuhn. It’s a data collection project that will eventually produce the first real map of the state of the bees. You can learn more about Renee’s participation and the Great Sunflower Project on their respective sites.

I purchased a variety of bee-attracting seeds last week. They include Renee’s Native Orange California Poppies, Dusky Rose, also California Poppies and Double Click Bouquet Cosmos, a summer favorite. I’m going to sow a few seeds now, then save the rest for early spring. Won’t those bees be happy?

Special thanks the Heidi Harris.

Renee’s Garden Flower Seeds

Halloween Countdown

Snail Hotel Pumpkin

A. Checking in
B. New VIP entrance
C. Underground parking
D. No Vacancies
E. Putting on weight
F. How it all began

October 18, 2012 by Born To Organize

Garden Tools: The Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen

I made some progress towards the garden clean-up today, though not as much as I would have liked. I gathered the “dirty dozen” of garden tools and made a mental assessment of the work ahead. My husband, handyman extraordinaire, gave me some quick tips on removing rust using steel wool. If you’re wondering the difference between #000 and #0000, just ask!

I pounded the cushions together to loosen the dust, and brought them indoors for a quick wipe-down. I had to run outside to tether the inflatable spider before it broke loose from the yard and put the fear of arachnids in someone down the street. Then I was out the door for appointments for the rest of the day.

Costume Update

I’ve enjoyed dusting off the old sewing machine this week and putting it to use. This year I’m dressing up for a few Halloween parties as a Bella Pilar greeting card. Her designs are fun and whimsical.

I pieced together a crinoline using two “maternity panels” from a fabric store and adding tulle from an old costume. Today I finished sewing the skirt and made headway on the top. I’m making a pattern as I go along, so fitting it has been a challenge. I’ve been dreaming of my own dressmaker’s form, but it’s hard to justify that expense given the minimal use it would get.

Just a few finishing touches and the costume will be ready to wear.

Halloween Countdown

Princess Pumpkin

October 17, 2012 by Born To Organize

Garden Clean-up on Aisle Alys

It’s that time of year again. Garden clean-up. I’d rather decorate than clean, but I know how good I’ll feel when these chores are finally done.

Garden Tools

I’m a lazy gardener when it comes to tools, but I’ve promised myself I’ll be better this year. I expect the spades and forks to dig on demand, with very little TLC between seasons. When my hand shears are dull, my husband works his magic and returns them in sharp shape. The rest of the tools deserve the royal treatment as well.

Lounge Cushions

I can hardly wait to get them out of storage each spring, but putting them away feels like such a chore. I’m ready to move on to the next thing. Right now, they’re stacked in the garage in a not-so-convenient spot. I need to slap them together to loosen the dust. Then I’ll damp wipe the surfaces before storing them in the shed for the winter. I use extra-large Ziploc® bags to keep them clean between seasons.

Slipcovers

I made a slipcover for the garden swing in May with a few easy ties for quick removal I tossed it into the washing machine yesterday, then dried it on low. It’s ready to store for the winter. I want to come up with a teepee-styled cover for the entire swing to keep the original cover and frame clean and dry. One year I used an old vinyl tablecloth with flocking on the back. It worked fine until the squirrels moved in, shredding it into nesting material over the course of a few days.

Empty pots

I don’t have too many empty pots, thanks to our mild winters. I clean the pots that aren’t in use and store them upside down in the side yard. Some gardeners scrub with a mild solution of bleach to kill off any parasites, but I try to go the organic route. Using mild detergent and super hot water does the trick.

Stakes, trellises and supports

Saving the easy stuff for last, I just stack these in a corner near the shed and have them at the ready for next season.

Have you already tackled your garden-cleaning chores? Do you put it off like me? Check back tomorrow for a progress report. Once I click the “publish” key, the pressure is on!