Re-Printed with Permission from Mimi Kirchner

With this new community that I belong to on Etsy, I meet so many creative and wonderful people.  I have learned so much from them!  I came across this lady's blog post on tomato making containers tutorial, and I thought it was so fantastic!  Talk about eco friendly!  Even if you live on a garbage dump, you can have fantastic tomatoes! 

So, let's get to it, shall we?

Thank you, Mimi Kirchner!   If you want to find out about Mimi, just click on any picture in this blog post.  It will take you right to her blog!

tomato tutorial- making containers

I want to grow tomatoes this year. I want to have a LOT of tomatoes instead of a few very precious and expensive ones from the farmers market. Unfortunately I live in an old house with toxic soil around it- not unusual in New England urban and suburban areas. The soil has years of lead paint scrapings, car fumes (more lead) and who knows what. It is not soil anyone would want to grow edibles in. The solution is raised beds or containers. I am going to try to write a tutorial about how I planted my tomatoes based on the excellent suggestions of Bella Dia.

I think I’ve mentioned before that I have a house full of stuff. That makes me reluctant to go out and buy more stuff- like containers to grow tomatoes in. Here is how I made my own, hopefully biodegradable, containers and got my tomatoes started.

material list-

an old cotton T-shirt, size X-Large

some garden fencing that was stuck up in the rafters of the garage, already starting on the biodegrading part- ie rusty.

compost from my compost pile

commercial potting soil

tomato plant

Step 1: Cut the label out of the shirt since it is probably not cotton and wouldn’t decompose.

Step 2: Make a circle shape out of the wire fencing. Mine is about 16 inches across.

Step 3: Place in the garden and push the wire prongs into the soil.

Step 4: Put the t-shirt into the circle, collar edge down. Stretch the bottom edge of the shirt around the top of the fencing. I didn’t worry about weeds underneath- whatever was there will be dead soon.

Now there is a “pot”!

Step 5: Fill it half way with compost or other clean filler dirt, like all last years window boxes that you are replanting. I used compost from my compost pile. Push and stretch out the sides of the t-shirt as you add dirt.

Step 6: Center the tomato plant on top of the compost. Loosen up the root ball.

Step 7: Use the commercial potting soil to fill in around the plant and up to an inch or so from the top. Yes, you are burying 6 inches of stem and leaves. Trust me, that is a good thing. Water thoroughly.

Step 8: Wait 2 months. Hopefully, tomatoes!

I’ve got 4 done. One more to go.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 26th, 2008 at 6:03 pm

Shine, Grow, Reach, Flower, Fruit, Shine.......

Marnin' all! It is glorious here in south-eastern Texas, with a promise for Rain later today and scattered rain for the rest of the week. I was just on my front porch, talking to my husband, reading, considering, praying, reading, walking.... Such a wonderful wonderful time to be alive!

I wanted to share my thoughts and musings on this glorious morning. In the photos you can see two basic things: A) I am not a good photographer :) although I aspire to be, and B) I love plants and God's creation.

You know, they speak to me! Yes, they do. In fact, Psalm 19 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the expanse shows His handiwork. Day to day utters speech and night to night reveals knowledge." I love this! because it is true in my life. For me there is nothing better than to sit, quietly, and just look at nature which in this case would either be my front yard, my back yard, or wherever I happen to be driving at any given moment.

Today I was strolling my 12 x 40 front porch considering what I just read in Matthew 16 where Jesus so powerfully spoke to Peter who had just declared, "You are the Christ, the Son of God", and Jesus (who I am sure was filled with joy at Peter's declaration of faith), said to Peter...... "And on this rock (Myself) I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail". In the next sentence He then said, "And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven".

I sat there, reading, meditating, and had to get up and process. So much truth in such a few words. Worthy, my friend of meditating on! We are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and I feel like the Church is only dimly and distantly aware of this.

I looked up and saw the lowly trumpet vine, an indigenous plant here in Texas. I have viewed it as an invasive weed in that it is everywhere....and just will not die. If I ever can find the root, it is hard to both discover and pull out.

But I keep it around for a couple of reasons: A) I at this time have not the inclination to do the work necessary, and B) when it blooms, the flower is such a beautiful orange, that I think, OK, well, there is beauty in this creation of God.

Today I observed it's tenacity; ever reach, ever climing, ever pushing towards the light which causes it to bloom. It never is content with the lower atmosphere; it seek the heights and the light and will not stop until it gets to the top. From there it blooms, flowers, and then the flowers fall to the earth far below and only then we look up and see how far it has come!

Her name is the Trumpet Vine, and lowly she be, yet tenacious, invasive, and would be ever filling this earth! We are called to be the same, my friend. Trumpeting the sound of the kingdom of God filling this earth realm, "On earth as it is in heaven". Let us take her example to heart.

Also notice my little tomato plants. I found a spot in my 1 acre kingdom, where the sun is strong enough, the duration is long enough, and the plants get what they need in that duration to flower, fruit and give me the delights of their produce.

The seed thought is this. Find a place where you will receive the light; long enough, strong enough, and of a duration where YOU will flower, blossom and then fruit. Be NOT content with the lowly estate of others around you; climb for the heights you were destined to attain! From there, flower, blossom, fruit and let your light so shine that others will also aspire to the light that you have beheld.

Finally, there is my lone hibiscus plant that bears these lovely colors. She is stationed at the northeastern corner of my front porch; a northern exposure. Separated from all others, she stands and puts forth the most exquisite colors and blossoms to delight me; her only admirer. In the winter she never freezes. In the summer she beholds her peers who are in a kinder location than she. She is spindly, with only 5 or 6 branches. She flowers according to the light that she has received. I will create a soap or a candle or something to emulate the beauty she has shown me! How could you ever get any more beautiful than something the Creator has made?

Today, my friend I want to encourage you to look for the things around you that edify, beautify, and endure in the midst of trial. Take them for examples as you reach for the light that your soul needs to flourish in these times.

Be blessed!

OK, technorati, this one is for you! bmcr6gsy24

Strawberry Shortcake, Anyone?

The Joys of This Season
Strawberry Shortcake, Anyone?

I don't know about you, but every time the season changes, I think....."now, This is My FAVORITE season! God is so good to change the times and the seasons; it displays His infinite wisdom and grandeur and the fact that He delights in all the creativity we see and so much more.

But there is just something about summer. I get fresh and new, invigorating energy when the sun is shining in it's strength. God made all creatures to respond to the Light that He gave us! He gave all living things seed to reproduce, and that seed is in us. The light generates all things to flower and then fruit.

Here in Texas, we have had strawberries, and we have had peaches, and now we are enjoying the abundance of blueberries. This is a delightful time to go outside and enjoy all that God has created for us to enjoy. It brings Him pleasure, and it will delight you as well.

My favorite thing to do is to get up while the dew is still on the ground and sparkling like diamonds in the newly rising sun. Drink a Gigantic Cup of Hot Steaming Coffee, and listen to the myriad of birds that inhabit this glorious territory. Each morning they sing for joy to God their Creator. To hear them sends thrills of joy to the core of my being. The sense of peace that settles over my soul at this point rivals none.

Then in the evening, the same thing. To watch and savor, from my 12 x40 porch the splendours of God's creation and to enjoy from my vantage point, just sitting....a savoring....and listening...and contemplating.....

I am so happy to have my beautiful daughter Casey (who I affectionately dub "kitten") (me, being katw0man, you know) I am so happy to have her at home. She has been so helpful to me and I have enjoyed a slower pace.

We have been enjoying our little puppies and we take them swimming with us too and they like that!

This week I am very busy getting ready for a Big Party...and I have 6 days to get ready.

I just wanted to update all of you and remind you to savor this season in the Son and enjoy all the fruits of your labor and His in providing it for you to enjoy!

Grace and Peace to you!

The Strawberry Shortcake Slices smell delectable! And they would be a Fabulous Hostess gift for your 4th of July visit to Grannies, Aunties, Neighbors, or Friends homes!

Try a fresh slice today! $4.75 per 5.5 oz. slice or 3 for $12.00