Cheapout on Gardening -- Lasagna Beds

I've posted before about the concept of using lasagna beds for gardening.  I really like the simplicity of it, and the way that it uses up items we have around the house.  I photographed while I prepared our raised beds, so thought I would again share it step-by-step.

Well...I guess I neglected to take the before picture again.  Picture two raised beds that still had all the stalks and waste from last year.  I did nothing, just left the dead plants in the beds.  To start, I took out the really large stalks and set them aside for the compost bin.  I left smaller vegetation right where it was, then started layering on cardboard boxes.

I remove any tape from the boxes, but pretty well lay them on the way they are.  Then give them a good long soak with the hose.  As always, I get help with this part.

Once it is soaking wet, I start with the next layers.  You can find exact directions, but after much research, it really seems like the order just isn't that important.  After this, you can put in anything you would put into your compost pile:

• Grass clippings, leaves, and other yard waste
• Shredded bills or old newspapers
• Food scraps--fruit and veggie peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells

Because I was such an awesome composter last year, I had a ton of good compost to work with for this year's garden.  The view inside my compost box after a good stirring. 

I hauled several buckets of compost over and spread it into the raised beds.  Another good soak, and my garden is mostly ready for planting.  Next week, I will add more Miracle Grow to the top in order to get the smooth, fluffy soil I like for planting.

Again, I will point out that I am very much an amateur gardener.  I also don't use a lot of chemicals, and I don't have hours on end to dedicate to perfecting my craft.  I think that this makes my tips a lot more realistic for people who work or have small children or are like me--lazy, especially once it gets hot outside.

I'd be happy to answer any questions anyone has, and you can also share any tips you might have to help me.  Be sure to click back through the gardening tab in my tag cloud to read other posts I've shared on this topic.

FREE Duct Tape Monday

What better gift for Monday than free duct tape?  All you have to do is like them on Facebook, then come back every Monday through May 2 for a new freebie. 

Amazon Toy Deals

I've been focusing away from toys lately because we're on toy overload from Christmas, but I have gotten a couple of requests for toy deals for Easter.  Here are some of the best I've found:

• First off, Amazon has some toy coupons HERE.
• Spend $20, get $5 off on some girls' toys.  I notice there are Littlest Pet Shop sets that are $10, so you could get 2 for $15.
• Spend $25 on these Hasbro toys, get a free Mr. Potatohead toy.
• Get $5 off $20 on these VTech toys with coupon code VTECHOO5.
• Buy one, get one 50% off on these Hasbro games.
• And we always like the best low prices, so here is the $5 and under list.  I don't think the deals are as good as before Christmas, but there are still a few good prices to be found.

Cheapout on Gardening -- Egg Carton Planters

I say every year that I am not starting from seeds. I never can get the timing down and my seeds don't always succeed. This year, I decided I would just use whatever seeds we already had left over from last year. If they don't work, it's obviously because I used old seeds, not my lack of skill.

I can't get past the fact that the kids love digging in the dirt and watching things grow, so we got to work on our seeds this past weekend.

So, here's how you cheapout on planting and reuse some resources at the same time.  We use egg cartons. 

The best part of these cardboard egg cartons is that you can plant them right in the ground.  The cardboard will break down in the ground and helps retain moisture for the growing plants. 

We used Miracle Grow potting soil, because that is the only thing that allows us modest success.

I let the kids do it.  It's not going to hurt anything if they spill a little on the ground.  Then plant a few seeds per hole, water it lightly, and keep them in a warm place.

They don't need sun until they start to grow, so leave them closed up to keep the moisture and warmth in.

When you are ready to plant, you can cut or tear the sections apart and put them right into the ground. 

If they don't grow, you've still had a lot of fun with the kids.  For us, there was absolutely no expense here.  We used seeds we already had, soil we already had, and egg cartons we already had.

Amazon Friday Sale, 4/8

I've just increased my work load outside of the house again, so the blogging is falling a little farther behind. I did want to share the Friday sale, because there are some great deals to be had today.

If you're a chocolate lover, you're in luck!  I always wonder what triggers the grocery deals.  We're before Easter, so I'd think this sale is a few weeks early.  At any rate, here's a LOT of good chocolate.



And if you're looking for candy bars, they're all on sale as well!  Take 5 is my favorite, which is yours?





One last group of deals (though there were many more items in the Friday sale, if you want to check it out yourself) is the Donut House coffee for Keurig.



If you see great deals, you can always share them in the comments section, and I'll add them into the post.  Happy Friday!