Katya here, making my debut post on the Mean Green Girl. Huzzah!
I live in an apartment so I have a bug problem. Some of the bugs are ok. The pillbugs are annoying to step on but otherwise harmless. The spiders are not poisonous and can live here as long as they stay out of my personal space. The ants and roaches are very unwelcome. But so is the bug spray man. He keeps telling me that the stuff he sprays is completely safe for me and the kitties, but then says he needs to know if I'm pregnant so he knows not to spray certain things. So I decided to tackle the problem myself.
First off, since I'm lazy, I double up. I took the vinegar/water cleaning solution mentioned in an earlier post and modified it. Most icky bugs (fleas, flies, spiders, ants etc) dont like peppermint oil. So I add essential peppermint oil to 1 part vinegar/3 parts water. I like to use 10 or 11 drops for every cup of cleaning solution. Now I have a fantastic all-purpose cleaner that is so safe I can even use it on the wooden cutting board. The peppermint oil helps dull the vinegar smell and the bugs dont like it, so they wont get into my kitchen. If I see an undesirable bug, I just grab my squirt bottle and attack them.
Another neat trick I learned is that ants hate cucumber peel. Every time I get a cucumber I save the peel. You can cut it into tiny pieces and put it into cracks where ants usually crawl in. This makes me really happy because I dont have to put anything extra on my shopping list.
I also read recently that roaches hate catnip. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm planning on making catnip sachets to put in cupboards. I've also heard that you can make a catnip tea, put it in a spray bottle and spray it into cracks or wherever your roaches are coming from. The kitties eagerly await the catnip spray.
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
Gardening
I can't believe how long it has been since I last updated the girl. I've been trying to figure out exactly where I want to go with this since it seems that everything I write about has been done better somewhere else. Oh well, I'll keep writing until you guys tell me to stop.
Who is she kidding? She'll still blather on until you guys hold her down and gag her with a dirty gym sock.
First and foremost, the experiment from the last post with the spray mixture to keep the critters from eating our plants was a failure. Something in it burned the leaves of our plants and most did not survive the combination of the spray and weeks of no sun. Oh well, this is all a learning experience and can only make us better gardeners in the future. I never realized what an amazing skill agriculture is and how difficult it is to master. That being said, I still believe that it's something everyone who has the ability should try.
As for good news, the stick fence seems to be keeping the cats from using my freshly turned beds as a bathroom so I'll mark that down as a success. I've also started lining all of my beds with 4-7" spikes made of broken sticks which has also kept the cats out of my beds that couldn't easily be fenced. Eventually I hope the kitties will realize that my garden is not their bathroom and will try out their owners' beds for size.
I've had a request for pictures so I went out today and took some, enjoy!
This is my herb garden which is located right outside of my front door. Not many of my herb seeds took off so it's still a little small, but I'm learning what can be grown up here. You can also see the sticks I use to keep the cats from pooping in my beds.
Here is my zucchini/spinach/fennel garden with my improvised stick fence. Okay, if you're wondering about my obsession with sticks it's because my landlord went a little overboard with pruning our trees and shrubs but just left the branches laying around. I'm glad I didn't put them in the yard waste bin because they have been sooo useful.
These are 5 of my 7 tomato plants. Yes, I'm a little nuts over tomatoes. I'm sad that it didn't show up in the picture but one of these guys was a volunteer that I guess came up from a seed in our compost. How fun! Also, more sticks combined with hemp twine to make home made cages.
These are bush beans and further back are three pepper plants. I have a few more pepper starts that should be ready for transplanting soon.... as soon as I find more space. Also, more cat deterrent sticks. Did I mention that the cats used ALL of my beds as bathrooms? Grrrrr.
To the left are my squash plants and to the right are salad greens and overwintered onions. You can also see to the far left my wonderful lavender plant. I'm so happy with how well lavender grows up here. The space behind the squash are reserved for my runner beans since I can use the fence to help with my trellising.
Finally, we have started turning the patch of grass that was at the bottom of our yard. Currently we have hop rhizomes for John's brewing and will also be putting in some more salad greens. Eventually I want to cultivate this entire area but it's a lot of hard work and I don't have tons of time. Also in the background you can see our sunken trashcan compost bin which has been so nice for making the garden grow.
Who is she kidding? She'll still blather on until you guys hold her down and gag her with a dirty gym sock.
First and foremost, the experiment from the last post with the spray mixture to keep the critters from eating our plants was a failure. Something in it burned the leaves of our plants and most did not survive the combination of the spray and weeks of no sun. Oh well, this is all a learning experience and can only make us better gardeners in the future. I never realized what an amazing skill agriculture is and how difficult it is to master. That being said, I still believe that it's something everyone who has the ability should try.
As for good news, the stick fence seems to be keeping the cats from using my freshly turned beds as a bathroom so I'll mark that down as a success. I've also started lining all of my beds with 4-7" spikes made of broken sticks which has also kept the cats out of my beds that couldn't easily be fenced. Eventually I hope the kitties will realize that my garden is not their bathroom and will try out their owners' beds for size.
I've had a request for pictures so I went out today and took some, enjoy!
This is my herb garden which is located right outside of my front door. Not many of my herb seeds took off so it's still a little small, but I'm learning what can be grown up here. You can also see the sticks I use to keep the cats from pooping in my beds.
Here is my zucchini/spinach/fennel garden with my improvised stick fence. Okay, if you're wondering about my obsession with sticks it's because my landlord went a little overboard with pruning our trees and shrubs but just left the branches laying around. I'm glad I didn't put them in the yard waste bin because they have been sooo useful.
These are 5 of my 7 tomato plants. Yes, I'm a little nuts over tomatoes. I'm sad that it didn't show up in the picture but one of these guys was a volunteer that I guess came up from a seed in our compost. How fun! Also, more sticks combined with hemp twine to make home made cages.
These are bush beans and further back are three pepper plants. I have a few more pepper starts that should be ready for transplanting soon.... as soon as I find more space. Also, more cat deterrent sticks. Did I mention that the cats used ALL of my beds as bathrooms? Grrrrr.
To the left are my squash plants and to the right are salad greens and overwintered onions. You can also see to the far left my wonderful lavender plant. I'm so happy with how well lavender grows up here. The space behind the squash are reserved for my runner beans since I can use the fence to help with my trellising.
Finally, we have started turning the patch of grass that was at the bottom of our yard. Currently we have hop rhizomes for John's brewing and will also be putting in some more salad greens. Eventually I want to cultivate this entire area but it's a lot of hard work and I don't have tons of time. Also in the background you can see our sunken trashcan compost bin which has been so nice for making the garden grow.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Weekend Update, cleaning supplies and gardening
Well this past weekend involved some experimentation for John and I so it's now time for me to pass our findings on to you dear readers.
A number of our friends have been proclaiming the amazing cleaning powers of white vinegar. We hadn't started using it yet because we still had all of our old cleaning products which are taking up space under our sinks. However, since switching to doing all of our cleaning with rags "mopping" with harsh chemicals is less appealing since our faces are about a foot above the ground.
I made one bowl of 1:3 vinegar water mixture and it cleaned the bathroom mirror and sink, toilet, bathroom floor and kitchen floor all of which were pretty nasty. All I can say is that I'm converted. Not only did it not make my head hurt from the chemical smells, it cleaned really well. I was especially impressed that it got up the sticky gunk left behind from the slip prevention stuff on the bottom of our bathroom rug. It also cleaned the mirror well without leaving streaks behind.
I can't say how it would have worked on the kitchen counters and stove since John usually cleans that with dish water. I'll ask him to give it a try next time and will report our findings. Now I'm just stuck with what to do with all of my unused cleaning supplies. Ugh, I wish I could make my pre-change junk disappear.
On the gardening front we have been battling various pests including bugs, raccoons and the neighbor's cats. To keep the critters from biting off our tasty babies at the roots we made a mixture of vinegar, chili powder and biodegradable dish soap which was sprayed on the plants. To keep the cats from pooping in my freshly dug bed I made a 2-3 foot fence of branches (pictures available soon) that had been trimmed from various trees and bushes in our yard and then ran a length of twine at cat face height to discourage just pushing through.
Since most of the grazing and pooping goes on during the day while we are at work I will provide updates as to whether these measures work or not.
A number of our friends have been proclaiming the amazing cleaning powers of white vinegar. We hadn't started using it yet because we still had all of our old cleaning products which are taking up space under our sinks. However, since switching to doing all of our cleaning with rags "mopping" with harsh chemicals is less appealing since our faces are about a foot above the ground.
I made one bowl of 1:3 vinegar water mixture and it cleaned the bathroom mirror and sink, toilet, bathroom floor and kitchen floor all of which were pretty nasty. All I can say is that I'm converted. Not only did it not make my head hurt from the chemical smells, it cleaned really well. I was especially impressed that it got up the sticky gunk left behind from the slip prevention stuff on the bottom of our bathroom rug. It also cleaned the mirror well without leaving streaks behind.
I can't say how it would have worked on the kitchen counters and stove since John usually cleans that with dish water. I'll ask him to give it a try next time and will report our findings. Now I'm just stuck with what to do with all of my unused cleaning supplies. Ugh, I wish I could make my pre-change junk disappear.
On the gardening front we have been battling various pests including bugs, raccoons and the neighbor's cats. To keep the critters from biting off our tasty babies at the roots we made a mixture of vinegar, chili powder and biodegradable dish soap which was sprayed on the plants. To keep the cats from pooping in my freshly dug bed I made a 2-3 foot fence of branches (pictures available soon) that had been trimmed from various trees and bushes in our yard and then ran a length of twine at cat face height to discourage just pushing through.
Since most of the grazing and pooping goes on during the day while we are at work I will provide updates as to whether these measures work or not.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Breaking news, organic gardening will not turn you into a damn dirty hippie
Well the garden is coming along nicely with tomatoes, beans, peppers, squash, herbs and salad greens. I'm hoping for a bountiful tomato harvest so I can work on canning my own salsa and pasta sauce to last me through the winter. We're also going to try our hand at freezing produce so we can have a greater variety of food during the long winter months. (Not that I mind potatoes, but really, they get OLD).
I'm really surprised that more people don't try gardening. It is rewarding to grow your own food and despite what many people say it's NOT that expensive. Okay, it can cost a lot if you don't plan ahead, but with a little advance work you can save a lot of money.
For example, if your soil isn't stellar start a compost pile/bin a year or so in advance using food and yard waste. There ya go, free soil conditioner plus it keeps all of that stuff out of the trash. What is that? "But Mean Green Girl, buying a compost bin is SO expensive." BAH, here's what you do. Get an inexpensive outdoor trash can with a lid (used if you can). I think the one we got was metal and 32 gallons or so. Take something hard and pointy and punch a series of holes in the bottom 1/3 of the can and on the base. Do not poke holes in the lid as this lets in too much water when it rains. Bury the can with 1/2 below the ground. Viola, an inexpensive DIY compost bin. Toss in a mixture of green (food waste) and brown (fibrous waste), stir occasionally, red worms are optional and you are good to go.
Instead of buying $6 a pop tomato cages get four thick sticks/stakes and some string. Notch the sticks to hold the string in place, stick them in the ground around the plant and wind the string in a square and across to form a support structure for your plants. Similar things can be made for pole beans, beans, etc.
Need a cold box (or any other home improvements for that matter)? Head to your local restore and grab an old window, some wood planks, hinges and a handle. Make a base with the wood big enough to grow your plants and make a lid out of the window. These look cool, reuse products and save money.
Also, always take the long view on the money you spend setting up your garden. Many things are a one time cost and will last for years (i.e. tools and boarders) and therefore will average out over time.
I'm really surprised that more people don't try gardening. It is rewarding to grow your own food and despite what many people say it's NOT that expensive. Okay, it can cost a lot if you don't plan ahead, but with a little advance work you can save a lot of money.
For example, if your soil isn't stellar start a compost pile/bin a year or so in advance using food and yard waste. There ya go, free soil conditioner plus it keeps all of that stuff out of the trash. What is that? "But Mean Green Girl, buying a compost bin is SO expensive." BAH, here's what you do. Get an inexpensive outdoor trash can with a lid (used if you can). I think the one we got was metal and 32 gallons or so. Take something hard and pointy and punch a series of holes in the bottom 1/3 of the can and on the base. Do not poke holes in the lid as this lets in too much water when it rains. Bury the can with 1/2 below the ground. Viola, an inexpensive DIY compost bin. Toss in a mixture of green (food waste) and brown (fibrous waste), stir occasionally, red worms are optional and you are good to go.
Instead of buying $6 a pop tomato cages get four thick sticks/stakes and some string. Notch the sticks to hold the string in place, stick them in the ground around the plant and wind the string in a square and across to form a support structure for your plants. Similar things can be made for pole beans, beans, etc.
Need a cold box (or any other home improvements for that matter)? Head to your local restore and grab an old window, some wood planks, hinges and a handle. Make a base with the wood big enough to grow your plants and make a lid out of the window. These look cool, reuse products and save money.
Also, always take the long view on the money you spend setting up your garden. Many things are a one time cost and will last for years (i.e. tools and boarders) and therefore will average out over time.
Friday, May 16, 2008
The snot rag wars
We'll start this off with a little video from the awesome MC Chris that I just KNOW was written about me.
So yeah, if you want to speak to my heart saying that you think seasonal allergies are sexy is a good start.
Seriously though, all nerdy references aside, I finally had to come to grips with the fact that I was using a TON of tissues. In fact, most days the only reason our custodian had to empty my trash can at all was because of the snot rags and thus something had to be done.
I tried to relieve my conscience by buying facial tissues made from recycled material but even those used energy to produce, package and ship and where then thrown away. So I took an old pair of cotton pajama bottoms I had gotten my senior year of high school which were worn beyond repair and made myself a nice set of handkerchiefs, a matching drawstring bag to hold them and then an extra bag for produce.
Overall I have to say that handkerchiefs aren't bad at all. No nasty slimy ick in my pockets or on my hands, no spreading of germs, NO PACKAGING!! My dad and grandfathers used them for years so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. One tends to last me all day though I carry around two and then I toss them in the bucket we have by the washer for our nastier dirties for my one hot wash of the week. Then they go back in the drawstring bag by the door so I remember to grab a clean one on my way out.
So here are instructions on making pajama bottom handkerchiefs with bags... okay, maybe just the bags since all I did for the snot rags was cut the legs into squares. For the bags I took the pants from the crotch up and cut them in half up the inseam. I sewed the side and bottom shut, and used the existing drawstring channel with one extra hole cut for my second output. There, so freaking simple a monkey could do it, though the monkey would probably fling poo at you in the process.
So yeah, if you want to speak to my heart saying that you think seasonal allergies are sexy is a good start.
Seriously though, all nerdy references aside, I finally had to come to grips with the fact that I was using a TON of tissues. In fact, most days the only reason our custodian had to empty my trash can at all was because of the snot rags and thus something had to be done.
I tried to relieve my conscience by buying facial tissues made from recycled material but even those used energy to produce, package and ship and where then thrown away. So I took an old pair of cotton pajama bottoms I had gotten my senior year of high school which were worn beyond repair and made myself a nice set of handkerchiefs, a matching drawstring bag to hold them and then an extra bag for produce.
Overall I have to say that handkerchiefs aren't bad at all. No nasty slimy ick in my pockets or on my hands, no spreading of germs, NO PACKAGING!! My dad and grandfathers used them for years so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. One tends to last me all day though I carry around two and then I toss them in the bucket we have by the washer for our nastier dirties for my one hot wash of the week. Then they go back in the drawstring bag by the door so I remember to grab a clean one on my way out.
So here are instructions on making pajama bottom handkerchiefs with bags... okay, maybe just the bags since all I did for the snot rags was cut the legs into squares. For the bags I took the pants from the crotch up and cut them in half up the inseam. I sewed the side and bottom shut, and used the existing drawstring channel with one extra hole cut for my second output. There, so freaking simple a monkey could do it, though the monkey would probably fling poo at you in the process.
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