It's time to start thinking about springtime, planting, and gardens! This week, Target has their Threshold line of concrete planters on sale. These planters come in many sizes and shapes, from a hanging pot, to large rectangular versions (not shown on the website, but available in stores). They are not as heavy as you might imagine, which is good. Most of them have a drainage hole at the bottom. One of my main complaints about planters is no drainage hole, so thank you Target! I especially love the little round planter. It would look adorable planted with a succulent garden and placed on a table.....for people who do not have cats that eat plants ;-). Get yourself to Target before the ad changes Sunday and pick up a few.
You're Welcome
Along with my Tiny House, I have a tiny garden. Half of my garden area is covered with a concrete slab. There is a tiny border of planter space next to the fence on two sides of this concrete slab. The other half of the garden area is just.....dirt. I live in the desert, so dirt is really the norm here. Even though it is still winter, I have been preparing my little garden area to be of full use as soon as we hit sunny days. We are already having sunny afternoons, and I can't wait to use my garden space. Last year, the neighbor right behind me (who shares the fence) had a very large and aggressive dog which make it impossible to use my outdoor space. This year, I plan to give it full use!
Even though I don't have anything planted in the ground out there, weeds have been a big issue for me. My cats are inside cats, but when I am in the garden they like to come with me. I have been trying to tame the weeds with just a hoe, but recent rain has made them grow like crazy and I can't get to all of them with my tool. I did some investigating into weed control products, and decided to go with an organic herbicide from Eco-Smart. I wasn't sure what to expect from this product, but I decided it was worth a try.
First off, the smell was quite pleasant. It was strong, for sure, but I quite enjoy the Eucalyptus order. It was easy to use. There was no dripping from the spray hose, or any mess involved. The instructions say to use on a sunny day, and after checking up I can see why. Any of the weeds I sprayed that were in an area which gets direct light were decimated. You can see from the photo above that they almost look beached out from the sun's reaction with the herbicide. The weeds which were in shady areas still reacted to the spray, but not in as extreme a way. I had just done the planters last time, so I hit the rest of the yard today. If your weeds lie in a sunny area, one spray will probably be all you will need. Weeds in the shade may need a second application, but for me having a safe and pleasant smelling product is worth using twice. I will definitely be keeping this in stock at Chateau du Jour!
This is the view at my front door. It's a simple set up. I live in a very small apartment complex, a four-plex actually. I'm the only tenant that has anything decorative outside at all, so it feels very showy to have both a door mat (which was necessary since there is a puddle right in front of my door each time it rains), AND a plant! This is a Rosemary plant. It's doing well where it is, and I love that I can use it when I'm cooking, too. Today I added this little rock that says 'Welcome'. Now my front doorstep is feeling extravagant compared to my neighbors.
I also have a bird feeder hanging in front of my living room window. I say that I bought it for the cats entertainment, but it's really just as much for me. I enjoy watching and listening to the birds, and I enjoy watching my cats watching the birds.
So here it is, my little slice of Home. I think it very fitting that my first post is about my front doorstep. I have lived in this little 900 square foot, two bedroom/two bath apartment for a year now. I've made great progress on the place, in general, and I'm ready to show you as I make my finishing touches.
Welcome to my Tiny Home!
K.
