Challenge Accepted - Sunflower Challenge 2019, Update 1

#SunflowerChallenge2019 is off to a great start! 

The video will show you the progress these seeds have made in the last two weeks, including adding a new variety of sunflower; Dwarf Teddy Bear. I've seen a handful of others participating in this challenge that have planted this variety so I thought I'd give it a go. Some seeds weren't doing great so I've added some more seeds in the hopes that I can get some sprouts going before I put them in the ground.

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Three Store Haul - April, 2019

These flowers were purchased from Lowe's. These 6-packs were $0.99 each. I purchased 20 of them. This is a great deal for $20. It may not look like a lot of flowers for a yard, but boy is this an abundance when it comes to my container gardens! I haven't even got around to planting all of these.

The 99 Cents Only store has really stepped up their game in terms of quality in the last few years. I'm amazed at the fact that these colorful, metal decor pieces are only $0.99 each! And each of these bulb packets were the same price - they're going to be such beautiful flowers! Clockwise, I purchased Gladioli, Peacock Orchid, Dutch Iris and Muscari.

This shepherd's hook was only $1 - incredible!

This collection was purchased from the Dollar Tree, one of my favorite bargain stores. In the rear are some pots, a big box of mixed seeds and a metal trellis (one of four I purchased). There's also a glass jar, some butterfly decorations and three different lights, that are also pictured below.

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Food Garden Friday - Rough Around the Edges

As I've said many times over the last few months, Southern California has received quite a bit of rain - much more than usual. This is absolutely wonderful for my garden but coupled with recovering from my surgery, I haven't been able to keep up with it!

Oh my, what a mess! There's so much over grown, dead and alive and so little time! However, now is the time I return to my garden. The dead things need to be removed, the live things need to be tamed and there needs to be some method to this madness!

The photos above are of the same area. The left is when I first created the area and planted so many lovely edible greens for salads back in January of 2018. The photo on the right shows what has died (they lived fulfilling lives) and also plants that reseeded themselves because I did not plant anything new in this area. As you can see, the swiss chard is thriving! I actually cooked up some of it for breakfast a few days ago and it was delicious - much better taste cooked than raw!

My plans for the food garden this year are to expand the area to include the many seeds I received from my Seed Bank Box subscription that weren't able to make it into the ground last year. I hope to share more of my home-made, home-grown recipes as well!

What are you planting in your garden this year? I'd love to hear about it.

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Unboxing - Seed Bank Box - October 2018

Bull's Blood Beet - I'm not the biggest fan of beets, but this particular type has bright, purple leaves that are great for salads. I'm willing to try it once, of course, but it's good that I know a few family members that enjoy beets more than I do.

Garlic Chives - This unique onion will fit right in with the new area of my garden. It's used often in Asian dishes but in the garden, the small flowers that bloom help to attract pollinators and keep my garden looking beautiful and alive.

Giant Prague Celeriac - This unique looking vegetable can be identified by it knobby roots and is popular in Europe. This relative of celery is commonly feature in mashed potatoes, soup or simply fried. Interesting!

Salt and Pepper Cucumber - They taste similar to most cucumbers but what sets this type apart from the rest is it's pale complexion. The tiny black spikes on this white cucumber is where the name is derived and is great for pickling.

Spring Tower Greens - The leafy greens of this lettuce can be good for salads, but the bitter stalks of this Chinese specialty is great in soups and stir fry!

Black Magic Kale - This dark-leafed beauty will add some contrast to my garden, nutrients to my dinner table and is suggested for making a healthy snack - kale chips.

Cherry Belle Radish - These round, spicy roots are great in salads and quick to grow! 

Early Frosty Pea - These babies are frost tolerant so they can tolerate being grown in the cooler seasons. They're also great for freezing once harvested so you can save them for a later date.

As mentioned in my video, this will be my last Seed Bank Box delivery. I have so many seeds to be planted next season and I don't think I have much more room in my garden for any more deliveries. This service has been wonderful and I hope to be able to return to it in the future, but I need to cut down on what I'm spending on my garden.

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Unboxing - Seed Bank Box - July 2018

This month's delivery of seeds includes a few flowers, but everything is edible. I continue to believe that this company is researching my interests and sending me the perfect variety of seeds.

Johnny Jump-Up Viola - This is one of my favorites and no stranger to my garden. Because it is edible, it will be a welcome addition to either my flower garden or food garden.

Sweet Banana Pepper - More sweet than heat, this pepper is a great candidate for pickling. These mild peppers begin yellow, transitioning to orange and then red which will make for great photo opportunities.

Dark Opal Basil - According to the information card, this basil loves the heat (which is great since we're getting so much here in Southern California) and will attract all the right insects. I'm also looking forward to the pink flowers it produces.

Golden Beauty Casaba Melon - This melon originated from Turkey and is similar to honeydew. It's unique husk makes it easy to store during the winter.

Piel de Sapo Melon - Also similar to honeydew (and pineapple, according to the information card), this hearty grower has an interesting color pattern with a sweet interior. 

Grey Zucchini Summer Squash - Most squash grow on vines but this stout, flavorful variety grows on a bush, saving a bit of space in the garden. 

Lemon Mint - Pink and purple blooms from this unique wildflower will bring bees and butterflies to my garden. Leaves and flowers from this plant are edible and make a great pot of citrus-flavored tea.

New Zealand Spinach - I'm a big fan of spinach so I'm excited to try this "fake" spinach in my yard. Thankfully, this plant thrives in warmer weather.

If you'd like to watch the unboxing video, click here.

If you'd like to have your very own Seed Bank Box delivered to your house to brighten your garden and kitchen table, use this code that Seed Bank Box gave me just for My Fairy Folks! 
https://www.seedbankbox.com?rfsn=1330031.b0ef5

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Unboxing - Seed Bank Box - June 2018

My Seed Bank Box for the month of June came with eight seed varieties. Unlike last month, there are no flowers in this haul but there is no lack of color and quite a lot of uniqueness.

Peaches & Cream Corn - This corn will grow white and yellow kernels on each ear of corn. They will not be ready for this Summer's BBQ, but this is something I'm looking forward to growing. The previous subscription box came with some blue corn but I read that it requires a grinder so I didn't plant it (yet).

Slow Bolt Cilantro - Cilantro is an herb I use often in my dishes so this was a great surprise. With the number of seeds I received, I plan to plant a few each month so I will always have cilantro ready.

Jester Squash - This fun looking squash is a variety of acorn squash according to the information card and is meant to be harvested in the fall. It will have a sweet and nutty flavor, similar to it's appearance! 

Sugar Baby Watermelon - With receding real estate for plants, I'm happy to be able to grow watermelon that is manageable. These babies will grow to be 5-10 lbs and will also be a welcome treat at next year's summer BBQ.

Red Rubin Basil - The name is red but the color is purple. Basil, another herb familiar to my kitchen, will look lovely in my yard. The information card suggests making pesto to please your dinner guests.

Golden Squash/Zucchini - Yet another summer plant, this squash will brighten up my food garden with it's golden glow. And did you know the blossoms are edible? Time to look up some new recipes!

Bronze Fennel - The feathery leaves of this plant should add some unique texture to the look of my garden. This will be my first time planting fennel but I'm looking forward to it.

Orange Habanero Pepper - One of the hottest peppers in the world, this vibrant habanero will spice up any dish. A little goes a long way with these hotties and I'll have to take the advice of the information card and wear gloves when harvesting or preparing these.

If you'd like to watch the unboxing video, click here.

If you'd like to have your very own Seed Bank Box delivered to your house to brighten your garden and kitchen table, use this code that Seed Bank Box gave me just for My Fairy Folks! 

https://www.seedbankbox.com?rfsn=1330031.b0ef5

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

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Unboxing - Seed Bank Box - May 2018

I'd like to introduce you to Seed Bank Box. I only recently was introduced to it and I can't tell you how it exceeded my expectations. That's not true because I WILL tell you about it in this blog. First, I did some research on seed subscription boxes. I decided I wanted only food seeds that were heirloom and something I couldn't find at Home Depot. Some other subscription boxes didn't offer these things and the ones that did only offered 3 types for the price of the Seed Bank Box.

So, my first box arrived in this cute little package. 

And here is everything that arrived inside. The color co-ordination and labeling is so simple yet so helpful. I will write the month and year on the box and keep the seeds and information cards stored there. So convenient for someone like me that seems to lose everything under the sun! 

Ok, so the verdict? I love it! I was blown away by the variety and quantity of seeds for each plant. I honestly think I will need to gift some seeds in the near future because my garden won't have room for all I'll be receiving! I love Sunflowers so that was the best part of this box. I already had plans to plant okra - how did they know!? And the Hyssop looks like it will be so beautiful and perfect for my fairy garden! Can you hear the excitement in my font!?

Above is a closer look at all the information cards via slideshow.

Below is the video of our unboxing.

And below that is a link to get your very own Seed Bank Box via yours truly. 

Click here to subscribe for your own Seed Bank Box

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