right now

right now
Showing posts with label green roof. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green roof. Show all posts

May 30, 2010

kinderGardens Week 7 Update!


kinderGARDENS

Not much action this week, just slow and steady growth! The plants are doing well on the "green roof" project, although are just now sending out tendrils to cling to their trellisses. The big plants you see in the planter box are Amaranthus, or if you remember, plants that will "spill blood over the side", LOL, boys....

The peanuts the kids sowed have very spotty germination, although I think I may have pulled a few early on...ooops, they kind of look like a weed at this stage, and since we planted them into compost, I assumed it was a weed sprouting! I'll probably have them stick a few more in there to see if they germinate, I have no idea how old the seed is since it was from a seed swap party, but I have plenty so there's nothing to lose!


Finnegan was very observant in that he beat me to finding the first shelling peas ready for picking! He eats most of them out in the pea patch, but I made him save some to bring to his class and share, apparently they were a hit even with some non-veggie eating kids. The teacher told me he did a great job standing in front of the class, telling them it was "garden candy" and showing them how to "unzipper" them.

Speaking of observant kids, while I was hanging laundry out on the line, Loch pointed out an area of spilled sand near the sandbox - some folks see the Virgin Mary in a cornflake, we see dogs in sand! It's always all about the dogs around here!

The kids pointed out that they never got to plant sunflowers this year, so (after I had washed and put away all the seed flats, grrrr) I happily let them plant a bunch. Not sure what we will do with them this year, I am thinking just to cover up an eyesore of a metal shed that we have in the yard. Of course, they asked for another "hooch" but honestly I am too tired to even think about that thing this year, and don't want to mow around it!

For those that missed the "hooch" from years past, here it is again:
It was called "the hooch" because it started out covered in desert camo netting while the sunflowers grew. I think they only want it back because daddy is on deployment again, and that was the case when I made this one originally. They wanted a "fort" but I lack their daddy's building prowess, but I can grow things that might look sorta-kinda like a fort!

Check out the contest and other participant's progress at The Inadvertent Farmer!

Happy kinderGardening!

Apr 26, 2010

kinderGARDENS - Week 2 - Sharing Plans

Inadvertent Farmer

Sorry for the delay, this should have been posted on Friday but we had a hectic weekend!

So the kids have decided on a project...(drumroll)...and it is:


A Green Roof and Container Garden!

My self-imposed rules are that they need to use materials from our stash (seeds, scrap lumber, etc - there's plenty of that!), and that if they needed to use tools they had to ask Mommy or Daddy, otherwise I am leaving the plant selection, care and design up to them. I was really impressed that they came up with an additional bonus, they are solving a problem I already had - their "fort"/playset had a tarp roof that was destroyed by a random tropical storm or nor'easter last fall, and I had yet to replace it due to the cost and having to measure the darn thing, but yet they needed shade for the hot summer to come. Why didn't I think of that? LOL...

Here's the photos from Week 2:
Above is the playset/fort that needs help! The kids are going to grow a "green roof" for it. On the top left side of the fort is a planter box constructed by them (via help from hubby with power tools!) and hung where they can plant and reach it to water. The also envision a "counter" on one side of the sandbox where they can have a kids' "Farmer's Market". Does that mean they are going to charge me for vegetables grown in my own yard? What a scam!

Lochlann really wanted a raised bed that I couldn't dictate what got planted where, so he smartly asked Daddy (the non-OCD parent!) to help him build it with scrap lumber.

Finnegan filled the box with soil...

He even wrote their names so each one of the boys "gets a side". Remember those days with your siblings? Don't cross this line!...

The next update will be on seed selection and planting the boxes! To all the kids out there in the garden, have a great garden day and get good 'n dirty! You are helping OCD moms like myself everywhere loosen up and learn to enjoy life's little moments!