Herb Love in a Pot @commercialsilk

I am not usually one for artificial plants or flowers, but the artificial plants on Commercial Silk Int'l http://www.commercialsilk.com/ are amazing!

Travis wants to grow herbs in pots next year. I do think it's wise to grow many herbs in pots, as they tend to spread all over when they are planted on the ground. 

What We Plan on Growing:

Basil - I actually cut fresh Basil, mix it with Olive Oil, put it in ice cube trays to freeze. Then when I need it for soups or pasta dishes I have it all throughout the fall and winter.

Chocolate Mint - It works great in smoothies with frozen bananas, spinach leaves, a scoop of vanilla protein powder and plain almond milk. It tastes like Soft Served Mint Ice Cream!

Spearmint - It works great in smoothies as well. Just make it the way I listed above. It has a mint flavor, minus the added chocolate. I also add it to tea.

Parsley - I add to most salads.

Lemon Balm - I add to tea, salads, lemonade, and homemade beauty products like soaps and lotions.

*We already grow Oregano in a side spot. I just dry that out, grind it and use it throughout the year for many dishes.

Now I Have Many Pots to Grow Herbs! I want to use some pots for real or silk grasses too.

We may have to figure out some way to drill holes in the bottoms of them. Travis mentioned that he would just need to get a masonry bit for his drill.

I simply love the rustic pattern on these pots though! The set came with 4 in this model. If you have a business do check out Commercial Silk Int'l because they sell things in bulk. It's kind of a bummer in stores when you want pots that match, but they don't have the amount you need.

They will go under our covered porch. We really don't have natural elements hit that area much at all.

More Pot Love:

I also got the pots below. They came in a set of 4 as well.

These pots go with the others really nicely. I told Travis we could use them as planters as well, or he could use them as bases for his sculpture. That's pretty unconventional, but certainly will work. If they become bases they will be flipped over.

This Owl is a Hoot! 

I'm working on a painting of an owl that can't sleep because of the city noises and light. When I spotted this owl I just knew I had to have it. It too looks rustic like the pots do. 

It's not super heavy because it's hallow. I haven't decided if it too will hang out under our covered porch, or inside with us. I want more things that can be outside.

What would you pick out at a silk plant store like Commercial Silk Int'l? My first choices were these pots and owl, but I also like silk grasses as well!

A unique offer for your readers who wish to buy at SilkPlantsDirect.com, you can use this code “BLOGGER10 “ and avail 10% Off on their products except for custom.

Check out Commercial Silk Int'l on facebook, twitter, google+, pinterest, and YouTube.
   
Disclaimer: I got the products in this post to help write the review. Commercial Silk Int'l did not influence me on what to write. I only write reviews on products I feel fit my family and/or readers.

Gardening

We're so lucky that we have some great nurseries here in Omaha. We have Mulhalls that literally has almost everything. Their slogan is, Mulhalls has it all! My Dad is a huge garden person, and he always finds something they don't have. Earl May is great to. They grow a lot of their plants from seed. It's smaller than Mulhalls, but still great. We also have a place called Indian Creek.

What nurseries are popular in your area?

Travis planted a bunch of seeds before he left for his residency. He was back and forth. He said, "Don't worry about watering these. They should be fine. I just watered them." So I didn't worry about it. When he came home he was so annoyed that they weren't watered. Yep they dried up. If someone tells me not to do something I don't. He was ultra annoyed with me. I felt bad. I take things very literally with instructions. It would have been better to tell me to check the seeds in a few days.

This weekend we went to Mulhalls to get edible plants: Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and more. He'll plant sees for collard greens and kale.

I hauled edging, and dug up weeds in a weed patch.

Travis decided to plant things a new way this year. He basically made the garden area pop up off the ground by layering things like a lasagna. 

That was all weeds that I yanked up. He defined the shape.

These are all Amazon boxes from me. They are put down and watered.

Then things go on in layers: Mulch, compost, hay, crushed fall leaves, sticks, repeat, and repeat. We compost year round.

He even put crushed rock in there.

You can see compost here:

Broken down grass:

I'm pretty sure he'll be hurting this week. I was sore yesterday, but after I hauled, and weeded I did indoor chores like laundry and meals.

Isaak loves gardening, but he's not good at weeding just yet. Mica could careless about being outdoors at all. They still tried to help.

Isaak dropped a edging stone on his foot. I thought he'd never stop crying. Mica was kind of like me saying, "Enough Isaak. You're fine." He milks pain to the max. I checked him out. He was fine.

The start of our garden is in. We still have to plant the kale, collard greens, potatoes, and beans. One thing at a time.

Travis is going to a neighbor's house to collect sticks for the next garden area. If you dig holes to plant sticks, or sections of tree you don't have to water as much. It absorbs the water like a sponge.

My husband is a researcher/gardener/artist. He figures it out. I just do what I'm told. Ha!

It would be nice to add a Chiminea to the backyard. They'd totally fit my husband's ancestry background. He has one whole side from Mexico, and the Chiminea started there as well. Do you own a Chiminea? You can read about Best Chiminea: Get the Right Rustic Fireplace for Your Relaxation Space here. They are great for roasting marshmallows, or just having a nice fire when you're hanging out in the backyard.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluekdesign/3930236103/

I think the look of a Chiminea would be super cool! 

Did you plant anything this year?

WW: Full Cart {Linky}

Isaak got invited to his first friend Kindergarten birthday party. We decided to go Mulhall's Nursery, while we didn't have Isaak. We wanted to buy low growing plants for our front yard.

We got Lysimachia in yellow and green, Pena Sedum, plus Daddy transplanted another Pena Sedum with Isaak from the backyard to the front yard, a few Boxwood plants since we went up a zone, a Sedum and 2 Barberry plants. I know I'm missing something.

Mica had to pull the cart of plants - Even though it was heavy.

There was a ghost stand at the nursery, so Mica got his photo taken there.

If you have a moment, please enter to win one or both of my current giveaways:

Stuck on You $25 GC US and Canada - Ends 9/30

Today I Processed Leaves

A lot of leaves!!! I sucked them up with a leaf sucker, poured them in a trash can, put water in buckets and added the leaves.

It was a sloppy mess! Well worth it.

Now I have a wonderful ground cover for our bushes, trees and plants in the front yard. Grandpa Spiehs taught me this technique. He's an excellent gardener!

I had to stop every 10 min. because one little guy found a bat he was swinging around Mica, then it was a stick and then he decided to eat a leaf! I told him if he ate another leaf we may end up in the hospital. **This may be true. I can't breathe for 1/2 a week after I suck up a bunch of leaves. I even wear a ridiculous looking face mask.

Of course Mica was oh so bored. Isaak has always been able to entertain himself, while Mica is always like, "I'm bored!," "What can I do now?," "I'm hungry!" and "Can I watch a movie?"

It was really windy!!! I'm sure next week I'll have another driveway and yard full of leaves. At least I've got a start.