Sometimes you just know something can be reused, even if you don’t just how yet.

We like green onions around here. They go in soups, in rice, in casseroles, and pretty much anything I think to toss a handful in. But silly me, I’ve always tossed the bulbs into the compost and bought a new bunch. Then yesterday, I stood holding the bulbs in my hand and had a thought. What is cutting them up isn’t killing them?

I know, some of you may be rolling your eyes at me now. How can something keep staring you in the face every day and not sink in? A quick Google search later confirmed it, I can replant those bulbs and get at least 3-4 more batches from them before they can’t take anymore.

So my sweet little bulbs went into a pot and joined the rest of my containers on the back patio. They’re in good company, as the peas are really coming up and the tomatoes and peppers are starting to peek through. Unfortunately, my herbs have yet to materialize. I’m afraid that all the rain we got may have drowned them.

So, how many of you have suddenly been hit by the realization that something could be reused in some way? Have you suddenly looked at something and saw it in a new light? Share what your green realizations have been in the comments!

Wow, has it been a long, strange several months! Things happened, like moving again. This time across the state, and into a much smaller townhouse. My big backyard has been replaced by a tiny patch of dirt that doesn’t seem fit to grow anything.

So as I waved my garden goodbye, I made plans to grow a new one. A greener, smaller one. OK, so I won’t be feeding my entire family on everything I’m growing (sorry Backyard Homestead), but I can at least make a mean salsa from the tomatoes, peppers, and herbs.

Since my actual plant pots are limited, and I’m trying not to buy any more, I went with what I had. Soda bottles. Yes, I know how bad soda is in so many ways. But at least I’m only polluting my body, since I can reuse the bottles for my herb garden.

This is just the beginning of it. As more bottles become available I’ll plant more. For these I cut them in half, poked holes in the bottom for drainage, and glued small screens to the top opening to keep the dirt in and allow drainage. I nailed them to my fence, and viola! Of course, you can make a cool rack for the bottles instead.

My next plan is to figure out carrots and onions. I can’t plant them in the ground, and I don’t want to stunt them with short containers. I could do one onion and maybe two carrots per bottle, but I’ll need a lot more bottles!

photo credit: ellievanhoutte

A few weeks ago I picked up a box of jars for canning at a garage sale for only $1. I would have grabbed two boxes, but a feisty old woman snatched the second box up before I could reach for it. I thought about following her and asking for tips, but something told me she would have taken my box from me and ran off cackling. I only hope to be half as scary when I’m her age.

Sadly the jars have been sitting on a shelf in my garage. I have a ton of good reasons for that. One being that it’s absolutely freezing outside and just the thought of walking to my garage makes me put on another sweater. Second is that I don’t yet have all the supplies I need. In trying to be both frugal and small I am avoiding buying new lids and rings and other such supplies at the big box store. Instead I keep putting feelers out on Freecycle and Craig’s List, hoping someone will take a bite.

Thirdly, and probably most important, is that I do not have anything to can just yet. I have not yet begun to really garden, outside of composting and hammering together raised bed boxes. I am trying to plan out indoor container gardening for the winter, if I can find a spot safe from curious cats and kids. Something tells me I’ll be scooping a lot of soil up off the carpet. I need to buy a cheap thermometer to hang out in the garage and see just how cold it gets out there. If it isn’t too bad I will try to grow some cold hardy plants on there.

I hope that soon I will have shelves that look close to Amber’s. Jar upon jar of goodness ready to be eaten.

My plan is to start with salsa. It’s something that we eat quite a bit of, is easy to make, and we don’t eat enough tomatoes to really take care of a plant any other way. After that I am looking at making some jams and jellies. After reading how easily Amy made homemade strawberry jam I can’t get the thought out of my mind. Plus it will be a great way to get out of the grape jelly rut Michael insists on sticking to.

So, now my question is this: any tips for a would-be canner? What books, recipes, products do you recommend for beginners? Fill me with your canning knowledge!

At my local library I found a copy of The Urban Homestead and have most of the weekend reading it. I’m not sure what I’m going to do when I have to give it back next week. There may be a few tears in my eyes.

Though winter is almost here I’m getting my gardening plans ready, and my gardening areas. I want to try a few ideas from the book, like raised beds. Especially since we are renting and I don’t know if my landlady would be pleased with big areas of the yard dug up. The former flower bed (picture above) in front has bee dug up, covered with newspaper, and mulched with leaves. I’m going to try to keep it mulched down and hopefully kill any remaining flower seeds. There were also some decorative bushes planted in there with roots too deep and long to dig out. Hopefully by spring they’ll be dead, or at leask weak enough I can get them out.

Next I’m putting a few raised bed boxes in my backyard. My first one I’m using some old wood I found in the garage gathering dust. The Urban Homestead says not to use treated wood, which I’m pretty sure these are. But the reuser in me just can’t stand the idea of letting these perfectly good pieces got to waste.

Besides, swinging a big hammer is a great way to get out some frustration.

I’m also making plans for my garage. There is a huge south facing window in there just begging for hanging plants. Right now I’m thinking strawberries would be great, but tomatoes would also be a good choice. The built in shelves in the corner are the perfect place for some herbs in little pots. I was planning on a window box, but all of my windows have heavy screens on them. I’d rather not try to take them off and risk hurting something on the house.

Next on my list, vermiculture. I’ve got a big plastic storage tub that I’m not using right now, and there is a great set of instructions for using a plastic tub in The Urban Homestead. As soon as I find a warm place for them…

photo credit: Nessa Land

Yesterday I bought a shovel.

There’s something empowering about walking through a huge Lowe’s, carrying a shovel that’s nearly as big as I am. Slung over my shoulder, the shovel started whispering in my ear that I needed power tools and one of the big wheelbarrows outside. Somehow I managed to escape with only the shovel.

In my front yard, next to the porch, there is an old garden plot marked off with bricks. Weeds have taken over, along with some sort of small tree grouping. I spent the afternoon digging out roots and tiny tree stumps, which is not quite as easy as it seems. Those roots can travel down for what feels like miles and are tough as leather. At one point I had to get my garden sheers and try cutting through roots so that I could get the rest of the stump out. Slowly I cleared it, making it ready for my coming vegetable garden.

Once I get the plot cleared I’m going to turn it over, cover it in mulch, and let it rest all winter. The weeds and fallen leaves are filling a big barrel that I’m using for a compost bin. When spring comes I’ll mix the compost into the area and start planting. Carrots and onions are on top of my list, along with tomatoes and peppers in containers. I’m also thinking of some kind of berries, though I haven’t decided which yet. The back fence would be a great place for some vines.

Right now my focus is digging in the soon-to-be garden. Feeling the mud on my hands, carefully moving the worms out of harms way, and the satisfying crunch of weeds being chopped into pieces. Every time I work the shovel into the dirt I feel less small, less weak, less less. I don’t have a thing grown to show for my work yet, and yet I’m ready to take on the world with my super gardening powers.

I just might get those power tools after all.