#cheap gardening | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

anipgarden · 11 months

Text

How to Increase Biodiversity on a Budget - Masterpost

It cannot be stressed enough that supporting native wildlife is important, wherever you are and however you can. But it can feel a bit daunting to think about doing, especially if you’re operating on a smaller budget. It’s not uncommon to hear about someone’s success story and think how much did it cost to do that?

I’m hoping that I can provide a good bunch of ideas on how to help heal the world around you without hurting your wallet. Feel free to use this as a guide, or a bouncing-off point to do actions in your own style!

Before we get Started

I want to make it clear that this is not a checklist of things you are required to do in order to be ‘helping.’ This isn’t an ‘all or nothing’ kind of deal. Every little bit you do helps. Being aware of these options and spreading awareness helps. Doing even just a handful of these options as you’re able to helps.

With that being said, we need to acknowledge that not everything in this list is feasible for everyone. Some people have a fenced yard in the suburbs. Some people have an unfenced yard with judgy neighbors and/or a restrictive HOA policy. Some people can’t directly control their own landscaping, whether that be because of an external lawn maintenance ruling or something like ‘living with your parents.’ Some people have a 4th story apartment with a small balcony. Some people rent and can’t grow directly into the ground. If the best you can do is put up a bird feeder, or grow a few pollinator-friendly plants in pots? I see you. I feel you. I’ve been there. I appreciate what you’re doing, and you know what? So does the wildlife.

Un-actions, or Restriction of Activities

Things to Do that Aren’t Related to Growing Plants

The Plants-Related Section

Adding To, or Starting, A Garden

Cheaply Starting

Supporting Your Plants for Cheap: Composting, Mulching, and Trellises

What Plants to Add

What to Do Once Things Are Planted

The Secret Other Thing - Managing Invasive Plants and Animals

Parting Words and Sources

If you’re interested in joining a group of gardening enthusiasts who are always down to talk about biodiversity, project ideas, and native plants, feel free to hop into my gardening discord!

#gardening #biodiversity #outdoor gardening #cheap gardening #solarpunk #idk what else to tag this as #I'm gonna post one or two of my pieces every day because. uh. it's a lot. and i gotta doublecheck for quality #but I'll link them all on THIS POST as I add them #ani rambles #out of queue #the biodiversity saga #editing the tags because I said 'im gonna post one or two a day' LMFAOOOOO #OK EVERYONE ITS DONE ITS OFFICIALLY DONE FEEL FREE TO GO HAM

452 notes · View notes

ahhvernin · 2 years

Text

The battle between multiflorarose, barberry, rose of sharon, crabgrass and pachysandras is brutal.

And letting weedy natives or naturalized plants like horseweed, plantain, dandelion, goldenrod, nettle, lambsquarters chickweed, clover, and chicory, to stay in the beds, is the best thing I can do because I can't afford mulch right now, and free mulch is only available during working hours--which is stupid.

#gardening on the cheap #cheap gardening #natives #flowers #weeds

2 notes · View notes

tea-withnofixinsplease · 10 months

Text

Oh btdubs, if anyone has access to a vacant patch of grass, like a backyard perhaps, and want to make a garden dollar stretch, invest more in trees and shrubs than vegetables.

They're harder to kill,

Require less water after the first year,

you can usually buy/preorder them cheap when they're out of season (as I've stated before in another post),

You get more fruit per plant,

You don't have to replant/reseed.

Sure it takes longer to establish and bear fruit and you can do stuff while you wait, but if it's between investing in the necessary items for a 5 inch garden box or 4 potted fruit trees your first year, I'd choose the latter. Make one of those trees an apricot and you could have fruit your first year, thereby tricking ur brain into releasing enough dopamine not to quit gardening out of lack of patience.

If you really want a vegetable garden:

grow tomatoes

and a variety of herbs like basil, thyme, mint(IN A POT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD KEEP THAT CRIMINAL LOCKED UP), oregano, lavender, rosemary, etc.

these guys are usually really hard to kill.

For an unkillable berry that you can harvest first year, comes back, and thrives on neglect, try a ground cherry (which is also a cousin to the tomato apparently).

don't forget to mulch okay bye.

#gardening #vegan gardening #solarpunk #hopepunk #gardening for cheap

389 notes · View notes

ladylingua · 1 year

Note

I have a very genuine question about the tipping post I promise I didnt read it in bad faith: are people who simply cannot afford to tip not “allowed” to eat out? I’m just thinking about how it works where I am from and while tipping is the norm here if someone doesn’t tip because they can’t afford it it really isn’t a big deal (+tipping norm here us only 10%). so if a poor family goes out to eat to celebrate something and they can barely afford the meal would they still be expected to tip 20% because they shouldn’t eat out if they cant afford it? thank you in advance I’m really curious

If it helps, don’t think of the tip as a separate thing. It is part of the cost of your meal. So if you cannot afford to pay for the cost of the meal including the tip you cannot afford to eat at that restaurant. This is something I myself have to calculate when I’m deciding if I want to eat at a particular restaurant- if I have $15 I can’t go to a restaurant and order a $20 entrée and then refuse to pay the remaining cost, and likewise if I have $15 I can’t order a $15 entrée and expect not to pay the server for their service.

Now that doesn't mean families who can't afford a pricy restaurant can't eat out at all. Since it is a % of your bill you can try to go for a cheaper restaurant (smaller bill = smaller tip), or if you go to a counter service place where you serve yourself you’re not expected to tip 20% (sometimes they have a jar out you could kindly throw a dollar or more in, but there is much less expectation to tip because the workers at a place like that receive a full minimum wage, more on that in a sec). I will also say in my lived experience poor families in America understand and tip well, I’ve almost exclusively been under tipped by wealthy people (which is what kicked off the debate on twitter- if your bill is $700 then you obviously can afford to tip a full 20%, no destitute families are spending $700 on one meal).

Technically speaking you can get away with 18% as a tip, and if you go down to 15% your waiter will think you’re cheap and be annoyed (15% definitely implies you were unhappy with their service) but that is the lowest possible threshold of acceptability. 10% is not an acceptable rate here, and 20% is now the expected norm for good service, and going up from there for great service. And I would never, ever not tip at all. I can only imagine not tipping if like the server had done something deeply offensive or dangerous or something. I've never encountered a situation where I felt the server didn't deserve any tip at all.

Because you’ve asked in genuine good faith I’m going to provide some more context to help you understand a bit more why this is the way it is-

Waitstaff in america are wildly underpaid. Our federal government assumes the tips are part of their expected income, and so a) they are taxed on assumed tips and b) it is legal to pay them less than standard minimum wage. Currently the tipped federal minimum wage is $2.13/hr. Now, states set their own individual rates so some states do better, but $2.13/hr is the lowest they can all legally go. And you’ll notice in that link it mentions the assumed tips and taxing them. I said on my original post, when I worked as a tipped waitress I made $2.68/hr and sometimes my biweekly paycheck was like $60 total. Imagine trying to survive on $120 a month, you absolutely cannot. Tips made up my actual wage, and were the paycheck I depended on to pay for my basic needs. I relied directly on customers to choose to do the social convention of tipping for survival, and when someone would choose to do otherwise it was utterly devastating.

Another thing customers sometimes don’t realize is your waiter may not be allowed to keep all of the tip themselves. It’s a common practice to pool tips amongst all the waitstaff and then divide them equally, and many places require that you tip out other employees there. So if you give me $10 as a tip I might be actually giving a large chunk of that to bussers, bartenders, etc. Or maybe we pool tips and someone else stiffed my colleague so now all of us are sharing your $10 tip. So also keep in mind that the money you leave as a tip very often does not go entirely to the actual waiter, so a big tip can actually become pretty small much faster than you would think.

(and that's just legal practices, wage theft and illegal practices run rampant in the restaurant industry, just fyi)

If you are wondering why tipping culture here is so grim, it is because of slavery. Tipping got big here as a way to keep forcing Black Americans into working for free, now with a small tip but still no actual wage. It was designed for oppression. Waitstaff are overwhelmingly not wealthy people. It is very common for them to be on food stamps, require housing assistance, or to otherwise be living under the poverty line. If you are eating out and not tipping because you yourself are poor, you are taking money out of someone else’s poverty wages to do so. When we debate minimum wage here in america, conservatives are really good at painting a picture of waitstaff being perky middle class college kids making an extra buck, or teens from wealthy homes wanting some spending money. There is an implication that they don't really need the money that badly. That is not the reality of who makes up most serving jobs in america. Minimum wage workers are likely to be in poverty, they’re likely to be women and specifically they’re likely to be women of color. Americans of color are significantly more likely to be working at minimum wage than white americans. There is a pretty sizeable number of minimum wage workers who are over 50, and a not insignificant amount of them who are mothers who support their families. There are also those teens who just want extra cash, and they deserve good compensation for their hard work too, don’t get me wrong, but they are only a portion of who makes up the minimum wage workforce.

If you’re like “But that’s such a shitty system, you’re saying it’s pitting poor people against each other for basic human comforts!” yup. I 100% agree. I am a vocal proponent of raising the minimum wage for that reason. I also advocate for a Universal Basic Income, because I understand that when it comes to small mom & pop restaurants the owners aren’t always making a ton of money either and it seems like truly no one is winning in this system. It is set up to oppress and to demean and to grind us all down. There are lots of orgs in America that are fighting to improve the system, or to radically change the system. There are also restaurants that have tried to do things differently- there’s a wine bar in my city that says specifically on their menu that their wine is more expensive because they pay their workers a true livable wage so there is no tipping there. Instead as a customer I pay a higher upfront cost that covers the true expense of running the bar- including server wages. I love that, I wish more places would do things like that. In the meantime, when I’m choosing where to eat I factor in a tip of 20% when calculating my estimated bill, because paying for service is part of the cost.

Refusing to tip fully in america is not doing anything to change the system. It does not make restaurant owners rethink their pay structure, it does not put pressure on our government to fix minimum wage, it does not make a political statement. It just means your server is going home wondering if they can afford their own meal that night.

Thank you for asking for clarity, I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask more if you have any remaining confusion or are curious about other aspects of american culture. If I can answer and the questions are respectful, I am happy to reply!

#also fwiw #you know those big american chain restaurants people like to make fun of?#like olive garden or red lobster or applebees or whatever?#a lot of the appeal of those types of restaurants is they make a big production over you as a customer like you're at a high end restaurant #but the prices are much lower than an actual nice restaurant #so that is why so many americans view going to outback steakhouse as a big treat #it's not that we don't know what a good steakhouse is #it's that those places give you that service but your steak is $20.99 #and if you are like 'ha! my family wishes they could afford chilis"#no yeah those places are not cheap i feel you #but that's exactly the appeal of those big chains #a real nyc steakhouse starts at like $40 for steaks #and goes up from there #now look at outback's menu #now you get it?#so yeah if you're not a wealthy family and you have a celebration coming up you look for a restaurant in that vein

160 notes · View notes

eepybogboy · 7 months

Text

did a round of eye swaps this weekend! it's the most ive done all at once, and i gotta say, i do not recommend it. by the time i got new eyes in these four, my hands were begging me to stop, so poor Priscilla sat eyeless for a while. but I'm really happy with the results!

let me walk you through the process a bit.

i used this guide to help decide which eyes i wanted to use.

this all started because i wanted Daria's eyes for Zooey.

Daria's eyes don't match her color scheme at all, and this has always bothered me about her. they stand out too much, and its jarring. but that minty blue and pale pink are Zooey's colors exactly, it would complete her alien vibe perfectly.

but, unfortunately, Zooey and Daria have different eye chips. Daria has the Twins eye chip, which has four pegs to keep it in place in the socket, and Zooey has the newer B2 chip, which has only two prongs. i was worried that Daria's eyes wouldnt fit in Zooey's head, so i prepared a backup donor: Simone.

Simone has the CNY eye chip, first introduced in Lily Cheng, the Special Edition doll for the Chinese New Year in 2022. this eye mold is more similar to the B2 eyes since it also has only two prongs, so if Daria's eyes didnt sit right in Zooey, these might be a better fit. the colors arent as perfect, but it could work.

except that Darias eyes fit Zooey perfectly. she looks so cute! now her eyebrows are even more out of place, but I'll get to that later.

i had already taken out Simone's eyes to compare the two, so she was given Zooey's eyes.

i was blown away by how incredible she looks! so soft and sweet. i was fond of her before, but she's crawled up into my top ten faves with this one alteration.

now, i was going to give those eyes to Daria, but they obviously belong to Simone now. Daria still needs brown eyes though, so i brought out a more fitting donor for her: Priscilla. she has the same color eyes as Zooey, but in the Twins eye chip.

perfect for ms. Daria, much more natural. it's just what she needed.

now, i wasn't intending to bring Minnie into this, but her eyes are a bit unusually dark, and i had Simone's eyes sitting there.. and well. i already had the hair dryer out.

honestly? a serve. she has B2 eyes originally, like Zooey, so the lashes are Just under her eyelid but they still fit her sculpt pretty well.

at this point, my hands were aching, and i had worn a blister into my thumb, so i had to take a break. Pris was going into the stock box anyway, so there was no pressure to finish her, but the next day i came back and gave her Minnie's eyes for safekeeping.

she looks a little sleepy, but overall pretty cute. she probably won't stay this way because she's going into the potential custom pile, but its fine for now.

look at these four and how perfect they are!! Zooey and Daria came out exactly how i planned, but i am still so shook by how beautiful Simone is now. i just cant stop looking at her.

I'll be reblogging to add more photos, including side by side comparisons to the stock photos since tungle will only let me post 10 pictures at a time

#or is it 12? idk theres a limit though #im very pleased with my work but the tips of my thumbs are just numb now.#i really recommend wearing some sort of gloves if youre going to do this #just because the plastic has to be Hot and you wont realize your fingers are burning until theyre already burned #maybe like a cheap winter glove or a gardening glove #rubber/vinyl/latex gloves are probably too thin to actually help #I've done other eye swaps before just never this many at a time #i was feeling crafty i guess #well i was mostly looking at daria and zooey and Wishing. and then i remembered i could fix them #and again #zooey still doesnt look like this anymore #i took off her brows later #and she looks AWESOME #photos coming soon.#also more pics of simone because shes perfect.#my dolls #dolls #rainbow high #shadow high #rainbow high collection #rainbow high collector #doll collector #dollblr #doll custom #custom doll #doll mods #doll customization #rh #doll #rainbow high doll

56 notes · View notes

sugaryewscythe · 25 days

Text

went out to get plants to attract hummingbirds since i've seen several looking for flowers on my balcony, and i was hesitant to get one plant until a hummingbird literally starting feeding on it in front of me lol. it even came back once i put the plant in my cart. can't wait for them to frequent my garden (':🌱

#also got a huge basil plant for cheap i'm so happy #flowers haven't been my thing when gardening but now i'm trying #solstice's♡prophecies

14 notes · View notes

joycrispy · 8 months

Text

The annotation project grows and grows.

Hyperfixation Corner is my happy place atm:

#good omens #about me #I have my leatherbound journal for feelings --a cheap subject notebook for stray thoughts...#...and a different subject notebook for handwritten rough drafts of posts. it has a garden on the cover. bought it for this express purpose #and Crowley Funko for morale #:3 I'm having a lot of fun #Hyperfixation Corner

37 notes · View notes

simp-for-long-hair · 27 days

Text

please click for better quality

magnolias 🌸✨️

17 notes · View notes

sleebyconfy · 2 months

Text

happy valentine's day! i hope that even if you are feeling sad or lonely today that you are still able to do something kind and nice and loving for yourself!! whether you already have a partner or not, it's never too late to work on loving yourself!

#as for me! i can't see my partner today and they're really really busy so idk if they'll call me or not #but i think im gonna take frankie to the botanical gardens if we manage to leave the house in time and maybe even get a small treat!#there aren't that many cheap fun treats around anymore but i'm hoping i can find something!!#if not though i can take us on some errands and try to dress nicely and bring our cane and go slow and have fun!#if anyone has any ideas for cheap and tasty valentine's day treats for me and my headmate though let me know!!!! 🩷#my post

8 notes · View notes

anipgarden · 10 months

Text

Supporting Your Plants for Cheap

This is my fifth post in a series I'll be making on how to increase biodiversity on a budget! I’m not an expert--just an enthusiast--but I hope something you find here helps!

Once you start gardening, you’ll find a lot of things go into it, and it can be a bit daunting to think about--especially if you’re trying to keep things low-cost. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be as hard--or as expensive--as it initially appears.

Composting

There’s several different ways to compost, any of which are helpful indirecting food waste and nutrients out of landfills and into your soil--which in and of itself can help increase biodiversity by making the space more livable for microorganisms and insects, which then cycles around to the rest of the habitat.

The classic one you see is hot composting. Most of the time, when I see hot composting set ups online, or hear people talking about them, it’s like listening to a wizard cast an intricate spell and prattle on about ratios and temperatures and special ingredients while standing over a detailed self-built setup made of the finest wood money can buy. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be complicated. First off, there’s lots of ways to make compost bins--some can be more expensive than others, but there’s definitely options asides from buying pre-made tumblers or getting an engineering degree. I’ve seen people use metal trash cans dug into the ground, make compost pile setups out of old pallets, or just pile stuff up and leave it. While using different ratios of certain items can help them decompose faster, it’s ultimately not something you need to worry about a lot. If it can break down, it’ll break down--it just might take awhile. Composting this way can also help provide habitat--some insects like bumblebees have been known to make nests in compost heaps. In addition, it provides a robust ecosystem for decomposers like worms and other organisms, and bats and birds will be attracted to open-top piles to eat flying bugs that live off the compost. Amphibians enjoy them for humidity, warmth, and feasting on insects. Do note that sometimes snakes may also rest in and lay eggs in compost heaps, so be careful when turning them.

Do note, though, that if your compost pile looks like that you're getting roaches and rats and raccoons out of your goddamn mind. Bury the food scraps.

Personally, when I compost, I use a worm bin--they’re a fantastic option for limited space and limiting smells. I keep mine outside in a big rubbermaid tote with holes drilled into the bottom, sides, and lid. I put a layer or two of weed block on the inside, so it’s still able to drain but keeps the worms from trying to escape during rainy days. There is an initial cost of buying the worms, getting enough bedding materials, and getting a new bin if you don’t have an old one suitable for use. But with occasional feeding, it should sustain itself and provide valuable worm castings that can be used in the garden. Please do note, however, that earthworms are considered invasive in some places.

Look at that worm bin-y goodness. This is a pic of my bin, from earlier this month!

Though I’ve never done it, I’ve heard of people having good results with bokashi composting--a method that’s done in a bucket, and is relatively easy to do indoors.

Once you start a composting system, keeping it stockpiled with organic material can become pretty easy for cheap. In general, if it comes from a plant, it’s safe to use. It’s also a good idea to avoid putting already-cooked things in a pile, as salts and sauces can kill beneficial bacteria in the compost while also attracting animals. Adding meat is also generally avoided to not attract animals. But below are some things that I’ve put in my worm bin quick, easy, and cheaply; or things I’ve seen friends put in their compost piles.

Cooking scraps/snack leftovers--things like cut up bell peppers, the ends of tomatoes, strawberry tops, apple cores, watermelon rinds, coffee grounds, and orange peels are amassed somewhat quickly in my house--my dad likes to cook. Around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas? Corn husks, potato peels, sweet potato fibers, leftover greens and other trimmings are a feast for compost piles and worm bins.

Vegetables and Stuff that went bad in the fridge/pantry--we’re constantly victims of the ‘forgot it was there’ conundrum. Fridge cleanouts are great times to decide what can be tossed to the compost--moldy bell peppers, spotty celery, questionable carrots, onion halves, old eggs, bagged salads, and stale/moldy bread have all been tossed into the pile before!

Grass clippings--though my worms don’t like grass clippings, they’re still great material for a classic hot compost set-up!

Fallen leaves--another classic addition to a hot compost pile. Some friends keep them stocked up and stored for later use.

Plant trimmings--what is plant clean up if not compost material? I’ve put cleaned-out sunflower heads and stalks in my worm bin, and they decomposed after about two months. If you get blossom end rot on your tomatoes or peppers, they’re still fair game for the bin as well!

Shredded mail--just make sure to not put in the thin plastic that covers the address section on some envelopes. Otherwise? As long as the paper isn’t glossy, it should be great for a bin or pile! Shredded paper or cardboard also makes great bedding for worm bins. Put those Amazon boxes to good use!

Pumpkins! Snag your neighbor’s halloween pumpkins in November and toss them in my compost! Last year my dad went around the cul-de-sac and nabbed all of the post-halloween pumpkins, the worms loved it.

Christmas tree needles--can’t confirm I’ve tried this, but it seems like it would work.

Mulch

Mulch is an excellent way to keep your soil moist, while also beginning and continuing to improve soil conditions as it breaks down into organic matter. You’ll have to water less, and it’ll prevent/slow down the growth of unwanted weeds (which is always the final straw to gardening for me, I get so overwhelmed I just stop going outside). Win-win situation, right? Except stepping into a Home Depot and finding mulch being sold for five dollars per square foot and knowing you have to cover a whole garden with it all can add up… pretty quickly, to say the least.

Fortunately, there are a few solutions to this, and likely from your own backyard!

Grass clippings are the first that come to mind. If you’re mowing your lawn, or have neighbors who are, collecting the clippings and spreading them over your soil is a cheap and easy option for some quick mulch. It’ll be very nitrogen-heavy, so keep that in mind, but it’ll still prevent weeds, retain moisture, and break down into organic material over the course of a few months. Do try to not use grass clippings you know are treated with pesticides, since the aim is to use this mulch to help increase your biodiversity, and having insects around plays a big role in that.

Fallen leaves are the next that comes to mind. If you’ve got a tree in your yard, or in your neighborhood, then you or someone around you knows the neverending avalanche of leaves or pine needles that drop come fall. As mentioned before, they can be used to make brush piles for creatures, or added into compost, but they have a fantastic third use as mulch. Add them on top of your beds!

Want free wood mulch? A program called Chip Drop might be the best solution for you! They team up with arborists to find cheap drop sites for shredded wood, logs, etc. that are produced as they maintain trees! If any local arborists tied to the program are operating in your area, instead of paying to dump the resulting mulch at a landfill or some other dumpside, they’ll simply dump it at your place! Now, you won’t be able to control when the mulch gets dropped--I’ve heard of people coming home from work one day to find a chip drop in their driveway. But… free mulch!

Want wood chips but not a whole truck load? If an arborist is working in your area, and you can muster the courage, its worth a shot to ask! One time someone in my neighborhood was getting a tree removed, so my Dad and I parked near their car with a tarp in the trunk, some shovels, and an old storage bin. We approached nicely and asked if we could have some chips, and they were totally cool with it! At that point, how much you get depends on how big your trunk space is, and how many times you’re willing to ferry mulch back and forth out of your car so you can go back for more. But it is an option! Alternatively, you can ask them to dump the whole load in front of your house, but at least you’ll know when and where it’s happening!

Trellises

Many plants need, or will appreciate, some kind of climbing structure. But trellises aren’t often cheap to find. To that, I say--we’ll create our own!

One popular option is to grow taller plants, and then plant climbing species are few weeks/years later so they’ll climb the taller plants! I’ve planted passion vine near a tree in my garden for it to climb, and I’ve seen people do similar concepts with sunflowers, corn, and other such plants! Sunflower stalks can provide support even after they’ve been cut back.

A combination of wood, some stakes, some nails, and some string can create a great frame trellis that can be used for beans, tomatoes, vines, etc--so I’m sure if could be put to good use for native climbers, especially since my dad’s used this structure for passion vines before. You may have to replace the string every year, but most of the time, the string is compostable anyways!

This may take a bit more setup and have a more upfront cost, but creating a trellis out of cattle panels makes a durable structure that can support all kinds of vining plants!

Of course, there’s always the easy alternative of simply letting plants climb along your fence! This is especially easy if you have a chain link fence, but wooden fences are plenty suitable for some species as well! I’ve seen passion vines do great growing along chain link fences as supports, and one of my favorite sights as a kid was always seeing bushels of trumpet vines growing up and over fences on the drive home.

Why are we worrying about trellises? Creatures are attracted to diverse landscapes with a variety of plants within them, so having a few climbers can be a great way to attract more wildlife! I know some plants in my area that pollinators are attracted to, or even rely on as host plants, are climbers that can get upwards of 15 feet tall, and will climb any surface you give them. A trellis provides you a great place to put extremely beneficial plants.

That's the end of this post! My next post is gonna be about how different 'kinds' of plants can all be beneficial in a biodiversity standpoint. Until then, I hope this advice was helpful! Feel free to reply with any questions, your success stories, or anything you think I may have forgotten to add in!

#biodiversity #solarpunk #gardening #outdoor gardening #composting #mulch #trellis #budget gardening #cheap gardening #ani rambles #out of queue #the biodiversity saga #i remember junior year of college me and my friends considered doing a cattle panel trellis #but then we couldn't figure out where to buy cattle panel #apparently the answer is 'tractor/farmer supply companies'#also so anyone reading these tags knows what took me 5+ years to learn #CATTLE PANEL DOESNT COME IN ROLLS IT COMES IN LENGTHS #all this time I was like 'man i wanna make a cattle panel trellis but it comes in like 40 foot lengths and i dont need that much'#and all my gardening homies were confused because theyve been getting it in lengths THIS WHOLE TIME #I WAS LOOKING AT FUCKIN ROLLED FENCING #i actually dont think any of the big box stores by me even fuckin sell cattle panel but thats beside the point #you can get it delivered though #(Delivered to the store for pickup i think)#someday i want a cattle panel trellis with like moonflowers or trumpet vine just a BURST of color and life

289 notes · View notes

supercool-here · 5 months

Text

my sisters watched the last five episodes of ysblf yesterday and I wanted to be present too so I joined. We actually made a phone call during the thing because one of my sisters is out of the city. Not too many things to comment. My sister thinks Armando looks more handsome towards the end of the telenovela (from the moment he's back from his long trip until the wedding) and she thinks it's because with Marcela he was always stressed and stuff. I think it's more about whatever happened to Jorge Enrique Abello, for as brilliant as Gaitán was I don't think he's go as far as to find a way to make Armando look better once he's broken up with Marcela. Another thing my sister commented was that she didn't like Betty's dress (of course) but she understands the message behind it, that Betty isn't wearing a big pompous dress to her wedding because she is still the same Betty, humble, honest, down to earth, she did not become sole pretentious snake or spoiled little princess, she presents herself for who she is at the wedding, a moment when you give yourself to someone else. I think it's beautiful but I'm not sure the dress was planned to have a meaning.

#I'll excuse the dress but WHAT WHERE THOSE UGLY CHEAP ROSES IN HER HAIR #I love flowers but those are the cheapest looking things they could've found #Even flowers from her garden at home would've been a thousand times better #Also #Watching a show (that I enjoy or that is dear to me) on sync with friends on a phone call is all I ever wanted #And I'm really happy those friends were my sisters #Ysblf #yo soy betty la fea

8 notes · View notes

trippedandfell · 2 months

Text

psssst does anyone have any favourite places/things to do in phoenix? might be heading there tomorrow <333

#cole.txt #all i’ve got on my list so far is the botanical gardens! oh and also target #so if anyone has any target faves lmk as well! i’m really going with no agenda just bc it’s cheap and i’m vvv cold here

5 notes · View notes

snekdood · 3 months

Text

idk who needs to hear this but growing native plants is not hard at all, at all

#you could be starting seeds RIGHT NOW assuming your last frost date is some time in april or somethin #put the seeds in the fridge in moist sand or a moist paper towel #if its too late buy them from the fuckin store somewhere. or wait till next fall and toss em on the ground after mild tilling #throw some metal mesh of some sort over it to protect it from the rodents and BOOM. there ya go. the seeds are cheap asf too #its hard to kill a native plant. they naturally grow in that environment for a reason.#you can go a day or two without watering sometimes in summer and still be fine (depending on the plant ofc & if theyre potted)#idk its just. like. so easy. everyone could do it. everyone SHOULD do it.#in an apartment? get a window flower pot and plant some in there.#no excuses to not try and do the bare minimum. every piece of turf grass you see should fill you with violent rage to the point where #your body feels physically compelled to grow native plants in retaliation.#some you can even grow inside. i have some vine cuttings im growing inside rn that i started some time last year at the end of summer #from a wild plant outside. just look up how to grow it. watch the jankiest video you can find first.#i trust the guy with the scuffed set up thats shakily holding his phone scooping home-made dirt into a red solo cup over the #pristinely filmed shots of a garden and a man all dressed up nice #i mean idk hes prolly got some good advice too i just trust the other guy more ykno #give a fuck #literally tho this vine is so tall rn its touching my ceiling sdvvfsdhgdfs idk wtf imma do with it.#but i love it and its one of my favorite native plants and i LITERALLY grew it in a fuckin red solo cup.

3 notes · View notes

oldmanbayou · 1 year

Text

how to start a garden with no money

Most people who know me know how much a hate spending money on things. I’m reasonably comfortable financially now, but I graduated right at the very start of the recession and was barely making ends meet for the first decade of my adulthood. So thriftiness is sort of embedded in me. Besides wanting to save the planet, I think just being kind of a cheapskate is where my homesteader mindset probably comes from. A commenter on another post gave me this lovely idea for a writing prompt -- Thrifty Gardening!

Here’s what really pisses me off about gardening -- It’s not the act of gardening but then unbelievably sexist gardening industry that tries to sell us tools and supplies. I mean just look at the ads -- it’s a bunch of ladies and their babies. Even though there are tons of dudes who garden, they are under the impression that gardening is dominated by women and I swear to god, they stick a women’s tax on gardening supplies in response. SO much of what they try to sell us looks aesthetically pleasing on the surface, but then turn out to be overpriced uni-taskers and pure junk! A lot of it is stuff you can find in a hardware store or Tractor Supply that they’ve rehashed as gardening supplies and jacked the price up. (Note for clarification - despite my handle, I happen to be a lady.)

Starting a garden doesn’t need to be an expensive endeavor. You don’t need special tools or equipment to start one. You don’t really need much of anything!

Here are the BAREBONES BASIC essentials you need to start a garden. If you do have a little bit of cash to spend, I’ll put the extras in at the end that will make your life easier and have a higher chance of success.

1. Forget transplants from the gardening shop - Get yourself some seeds! Cost: $0. Hear me out: • Do a quick google search: “seed library near me”. See if there happens to be one nearby and check it out if there is! • Check out this amazing organization, Free Heirloom Seeds. They have a lengthy list of seeds and you can get 4 packs of whatever you want for free! • Gardeners LOVE sharing their seeds! We also get super excited about new gardeners and want to help them out and share our wisdom (hi). If you are on Facebook, do a search for local garden groups and join a couple. Post to the group and just tell them you’re starting from nothing and ask if anyone has some extra seeds they want to get rid of! You’ll likely get a few people who would love to help a newbie out. • Butter up some old folks! I am ridiculously shy and have no social skills but nonetheless, I have still unintentionally landed on free seeds and free plants just from casually chatting with locals. Every year, my town has a big townwide tag sale. A lot of these tag sales tend to be from retired folks who are downsizing and moving away. Many of these old folks have big, beautiful, impressive gardens that they’ve developed over many decades. As shy as I am, of course I need to compliment them on their garden! And that gets them going, and then they inevitably end up gifting me seed packets or plants that need a new caretaker. One woman I met really scored me a jackpot when she gifted me the seeds she’d been harvesting from her garden year after year for generations and are functionally landrace varieties specifically suited for the exact microclimate of my little pocket of the world. I’ve also accidentally gotten a lot of garden supplies for free this way! 2. Next is the garden plot! Cost: $0-$20 • If you have dirt, you don’t need a raised bed. They’re expensive to build, require shipping a giant pile soil, and are so unnecessary. The most overrated gardening ploy of our time! Unless your soil is toxic or you have physical limitations necessitating a raised bed, just use the ground! The ground will be a better insulator than a raised bed, providing better protection to your plants from temperature fluctuations. It also typically has both better water retention and drainage than a raised bed. (If you DO need a raised bed -- try straw bales or finding a used trough and drilling some holes on the bottom.) • Moving on! If you don’t have a pre-existing garden plot or bare patch of dirt to work with, you’ll probably need to dig up a plot, likely involving removing chunks of grass, which is sort of exhausting work. If you aren’t blessed with livestock to do the dirty work for you, a spade or garden fork will serve you well in the garden. You might be able to find one for very little money at a tag sale or on craigslist. But if you need to buy one, they're usually around $20 new. • If you don’t have ground to work with, container gardening is a perfectly legitimate way to garden! Keep an eye on craigslist/FB marketplace for people giving away planters. You can also make your own out of trash -- Any food container can be a planter. You can poke holes at the bottom for drainage with a screwdriver, nail, awl, or pretty much any sharp object (if you’re truly starting with nothing and don’t even have basic tools at your disposal like a screwdriver, two words - DOLLAR TREE.) Berry containers and those plastic boxes that salad mixes come in make excellent mini greenhouses.

3. Plant your seeds! Cost: $0-$16.25. • Option A: Direct sow - If you really want to go the totally free route, you can just stick the seeds in the ground. Refer to the seed packet and/or Farmer’s Almanac to determine timing. • Option B: Start indoors - All you need for starting seeds indoors is some containers, potting mix, and a window. If you ever buy eggs again, egg cartons can make terrific seed starting trays. If you ever buy transplants at a store, start hoarding those little containers they come in because those are ideal for starting seeds and will last years! As I stated above about container gardening, any food containers can be reused as planters if you just poke some drainage holes at the bottom with a sharp object. For soil, any potting mix will suffice, which a bag will run you about $5-$15 depending on bag size (note: don’t use dirt from the outdoors for container plants). Once they are ready to go outside, make sure to harden them off first by gradually acclimating them to the outdoors over the course of a week. When you’re ready to transplant them, all you need is a trowel to dig a hole, which can be found at Dollar Tree for $1.25. **Free and simple watering can on a pinch: Try a soda bottle!

Non-essentials but a good idea: • If starting seeds indoors, a seed starting potting mix will give you a much better germination rate and the seedlings a better start at life. This runs about $6-$8 for a small bag (I only use this stuff in seed starting trays because of the expense. Once the seedlings outgrow their trays, I either stick them in the ground or upgrade them to a larger container with regular potting mix.) • If starting seeds indoors, investing in a grow light will result in an easier time and prevent leggy seedlings. A regular lightbulb isn’t really going to cut it, but you can find a basic grow light easily enough on Amazon for less than $20. • Fencing. Unless you live in a very urban area with no concerns about wildlife, something is most likely going to want to eat your garden! Honestly, I just use this fairly inexpensive wire fencing ziptied to some garden stakes and the only critters I’ve had issues with are chipmunks. It’s $45 and a roll goes a long way. You can find even cheaper options for $30. Garden stakes usually run $2 each and Dollar Tree carries packs of zipties. (You can also buy a bulk pack of zipties with various sizes for $6 on Amazon.) I also don’t have a door on my fence--I just have a cinder block on both sides of the fence that I use to step over it ($2 per block = $4). A door could be nice for occasional wheelbarrow loads but eh....doors are an overrated added expense! • Soil test. A soil test will reveal what nutrients are already in your soil and your soil’s pH level. If you base what you plant off of your pre-existing soil conditions, you’ll have a higher chance of success. If you’re growing food and suspect there might be a chance your soil might not be safe for that, you may need to send it to a lab for testing. Costs on this can vary wildly depending on where you live and what resources you have for this kind of thing. Otherwise, the at-home kits are perfectly sufficient. I use the Luster Leaf rapid tests, which are $17. • For weeds, I just use a garden cultivator (it’s the size of a trowel and looks like a claw), and guess where you can get one for practically nothing? That’s right - Dollar Tree! $1.25

Don’t be fooled by aesthetics in the garden catalogs. This is my thrifty garden (taken in July--it’s of course covered in snow right now). It’s substantially larger than it was when I first started off about 5 years ago, but I’ve not really made many upgrades!

The squash trellis is a new addition that I paid nothing for. I built it out of scrapwood and some leftover fencing. Trellises are the most obnoxiously and pointlessly overpriced of all garden things - Another post for another day!

#gardening #thrifty #cheap #grow food

25 notes · View notes

luvcraze · 1 month

Text

Ideas for Local Places Couples can Enjoy Together

1. Botanical Gardens:

Explore the beauty of nature together by visiting a local botanical garden. Take romantic strolls through lush gardens, admire colorful flowers, and enjoy peaceful moments surrounded by greenery.

2. Local Parks:

Spend quality time together in a nearby park. Pack a picnic and enjoy a meal outdoors, go for a leisurely walk or bike ride, or simply relax on a blanket and watch the world go by.

3. Scenic Lookouts:

Seek out scenic viewpoints or lookout points in your area where you can enjoy breathtaking views together. Whether it's a hilltop, a rooftop terrace, or a waterfront promenade, watching the sunset or city lights can be incredibly romantic.

4. Cafés and Coffee Shops:

Discover cozy cafés and coffee shops in your neighborhood where you can enjoy intimate conversations over cups of coffee or tea. Find a quiet corner, sip your favorite beverages, and savor sweet treats together.

5. Local Wineries or Breweries:

Take a tour of a nearby winery or brewery and sample local wines or craft beers. Learn about the production process, indulge in tastings, and toast to your relationship with a glass of your favorite beverage.

6. Art Galleries or Museums:

Get cultured together by visiting local art galleries or museums. Appreciate the beauty of paintings, sculptures, and exhibits, and discuss your favorite pieces with each other.

7. Farmers' Markets:

Explore farmers' markets in your area and enjoy browsing fresh produce, artisanal goods, and handmade crafts. Sample local delicacies, pick out ingredients for a romantic dinner at home, and support local vendors.

8. Outdoor Concerts or Events:

Check out outdoor concerts, festivals, or events happening in your community. Enjoy live music, performances, or cultural celebrations together under the open sky.

9. Historic Sites or Landmarks:

Learn about the history of your local area by visiting historic sites, landmarks, or heritage buildings. Take guided tours, explore architectural wonders, and immerse yourselves in the stories of the past.

10. Cooking Classes or Workshops:

Sign up for cooking classes or workshops together and learn new culinary skills. Whether it's baking bread, making pasta, or mastering sushi rolls, cooking together can be a fun and rewarding experience.

11. Hiking Trails:

Explore nearby hiking trails or nature reserves and enjoy outdoor adventures together. Take in scenic views, breathe in fresh air, and bond over shared experiences in nature.

12. Beaches or Lakes:

Spend a day at the beach or lake soaking up the sun and enjoying water activities such as swimming, paddleboarding, or kayaking. Pack a beach bag with snacks, sunscreen, and towels for a relaxing day by the water.

13. Bookstores or Libraries:

Get lost in the aisles of a local bookstore or library and discover new reads together. Browse through shelves of books, share recommendations, and find cozy nooks to read aloud to each other.

14. Food Trucks or Street Food Markets:

Seek out food trucks or street food markets in your area and embark on a culinary adventure together. Sample a variety of dishes from different vendors and enjoy a casual and delicious dining experience.

15. Local Theaters or Performing Arts Centers:

Support local arts and culture by attending performances at theaters or performing arts centers in your community. Enjoy live theater productions, concerts, or dance performances for a memorable date night.

16. Farm-to-Table Restaurants:

Dine at farm-to-table restaurants or farm-to-fork eateries that showcase locally sourced ingredients and seasonal menus. Experience the flavors of your region while supporting sustainable and eco-friendly dining establishments.

17. Community Gardens or Urban Farms:

Volunteer or visit community gardens or urban farms in your area and get your hands dirty together. Help plant, tend to, or harvest fruits and vegetables while learning about sustainable gardening practices.

18. DIY Workshops or Classes:

Take part in DIY workshops or classes that interest both of you, such as pottery, painting, photography, or home decor. Get creative together and unleash your artistic talents while learning new skills.

19. Historical Walking Tours:

Join historical walking tours or heritage trails led by local guides and explore the rich history of your city or town. Discover hidden gems, architectural landmarks, and fascinating stories from the past.

20. Outdoor Yoga or Fitness Classes:

Attend outdoor yoga or fitness classes held in parks or green spaces in your area. Stretch, sweat, and strengthen your bodies together while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors and staying active as a couple.

These local date ideas offer couples the opportunity to bond, connect, have fun, explore, and create cherished memories without having to travel far from home. Strengthening their relationship right in their own backyard. Whether it's exploring nature, supporting local businesses, or learning new skills, there's no shortage of ways to enjoy quality time together in your local area.

2 notes · View notes