The Tightwad Gardener

Blooming today!

2013-07-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Grape vines starting to finally grow up my trellis.

Pink and Yellow Knockout Roses.

Cucumber grew up about 10 feet into my maple tree and then down about another 6 feet.

These were labeled Kentucky Wonder Bush beans, but they were actually pole beans!

Banana Peppers thriving in the garden.

My Dwarf Butterfly Bush is about 8 feet tall this year!

Russian Mammoth Sunflowers, that section of fence is about 8 feet tall, which makes those Sunflowers between 12 and 15 feet tall!

First Sunflower to bloom this year.

Gladiolas blooming in the front landscape bed.

Huchera and Hostas in full bloom along the shady side of the house.

What's growing around the yard today

2013-06-22T09:03:00.001-07:00

Daylillies finally starting to bloom.

Hostas and Huchera filling in nice.

Growing Basil in the Gutter Garden this year.

Yellow and Pink Knockout Roses.

This Clematis bloom is about 9 inches across.

Week 4 of the new style no-till garden this year.

It has turned into a jungle in just 4 weeks!

Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper, hottest pepper on the planet!!!

Tomato Plants coming on strong.

Banana Peppers looking good.

Back to Eden Garden- week 4

2013-06-22T08:54:00.001-07:00

Back To Eden Garden- week 4

Top Secret

2013-06-05T12:18:00.002-07:00

This is a Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper, it has a scoville rating of 2,009,231!!! To give you an idea of how hot that is, I am growing Banana peppers that have a rating of between 1,000 and 5,000. A ghost pepper, which is one of the hottest out there has a rating of 1,000,000! If anyone wants to step up and try one in a couple months just let me know!

Back to Eden garden-week three

2013-06-05T12:10:00.004-07:00

After one week.

After two weeks.

After three weeks.

Where to buy: Big Box Store vs. "Mom and Pop" Garden Center

2013-06-03T17:36:00.003-07:00


When it comes to buying flowers most people think if they go to the local greenhouse or garden center they are buying a better quality plant, even though it cost three times as much as you would pay at Home Depot, Lowes or any other big box type store. The truth is most of these "Mom and Pop" garden places buy their plants from the exact same place that Lowes and Home Depot do. The big box stores buy in bulk and can afford to sell them cheaper, the local garden place doesn't buy as much so they don't get as good a deal which lowers their profit margin causing them to charge more. One advantage the little guy has over the big box is a more knowledgeable staff, most of the people that work at these places have a passion for gardening and are willing to share this with anyone that comes in to there business. The Big box store might have a few people working there with a little knowledge but more than likely its a nineteen year old kid with a hose that has been told to go out and spray the plants twice a day. So if you are looking for plants cheap the big box store is probably for you, but if you want someone with knowledge and a passion for the plants you are buying and don't mind paying for it the local garden center is the place to go.

Back to Eden Garden Update

2013-05-21T19:27:00.001-07:00

Everything seems to be growing pretty well so far, especially since it has been a short spring this year.

Russian Mammoth Sunflowers finally popped up this week!

Moved the tomato plants from inside to out in the garden today

Also moved the pepper plants out into the garden today.

the Potato starts look like they are all growing really well.

Sweet Corn looking strong so far.

Seems like it only took the Green Beans only a couple days to pop out of the ground after I planted the seeds.

All the strawberry plants I saved from last year are growing really quick and putting out a lot of strawberries.

What's blooming around the yard.

2013-05-16T17:07:00.001-07:00

Landscape Edging

2013-04-14T17:53:00.001-07:00

Every spring I touch up all my landscape beds by trenching around them to prevent grass and weeds from growing in them. All you need is a sharp flat spade.

I take my size 13 shoe and go in at an angle around the landscape bed.


I usually go about 2 inches deep around the perimeter. Then I spread a fresh coat of mulch around the bed, filling in the 2 inch trench that I just made and all around the plants in the landscape bed.

When you are done you should have a nice and clean looking landscape bed that should remain weed and grass free for the rest of the summer.

Tightwad Deal of the Day!

2013-04-03T14:53:00.001-07:00

Here is the deal I got to start the construction of my new greenhouse. Two 5x6 ft windows, three 3x5 ft windows and one 6ft sliding glass door. I got all of this for $200!!!

First day of spring

2013-03-20T18:09:00.001-07:00

Today is the first day of spring and it is 26 degrees!!! Last year at this time it was 80 degrees and my garden was well on its way. I guess I got spoiled last year with the early season, but I also paid the price with a 3 month draught in the summer. I have cabin fever so bad right now that I can't wait to get out in the yard.

People are starting to take notice!

2013-02-20T17:10:00.002-08:00


So I got an e-mail today from the Assistant Multimedia Producer of Houselogic.com about getting permission to use the above picture for an article that they were doing on their website about colorful summer bulbs. Unfortunately they weren't offering Big Bucks to use my picture, but they did give me credit for the picture and also included a link to my blog. Hopefully this will help spread the word and increase the traffic to my blog and maybe next time they will let me write the whole article instead of just using my pictures. If you would like to check out the article go to http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/plants-trees/summer-bulbs/

Update on new seed starter

2013-02-02T08:51:00.001-08:00

Here is a pic of the cosmo seeds I started last week!

This song is stuck in my head!!

2013-01-29T19:34:00.002-08:00

Starting seeds indoors

2013-01-20T14:10:00.002-08:00

Supplies needed to make a self watering indoor seed starter: one 2 liter bottle, duct tape, cotton rope, scissors, sharpie and a 1/8 inch drill bit.

Remove the label off the bottle and rinse it out completely.

Draw a line with the sharpie marker7 inches up and around the whole bottle and cut along the line.

Put duct tape around the bottom half to create a lip for the top half to rest on, making it easier to remove the top half to refill the water.

Drill a hole in the bottle cap.

Run the 12 inch length of cotton rope through the hole of the cap. Be sure to tie a knot so the string won't pull through.

The bottom part of the sting hangs down in the water wicking it up into the soil of the top half of the bottle.

Be sure to use a good potting mix that will absorb the water and keep it moist for the seeds to germinate.

Fill the top half of the bottle about 2/3 of the way up. be sure that the cotton rope is evenly wrapped through the soil to help keep all the potting mix moist.

Once it is filled 2/3 of the way level the potting mix to add the seeds.

Today I am adding Cosmo seeds that I got for free at last years home and garden show.

Spread the seeds across the top of the potting mix, then add another 1/4 inch of potting mix on top of that.

Finally add the water to the bottom half up to the cap and put in a nice warm and sunny spot, then wait for the seeds to do their thing.

Dissappointing Home and Garden show

2013-01-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

I thought going to the Indianapolis Home and Garden show would be motivating and give me some good ideas for this spring, especially since we are still buried under all the snow from last weeks blizzard. Instead it was the typical Home show booths that you see everywhere and almost nothing to do with the garden side of the home and garden show. There were about 20 booths selling rain gutter protectors, another 12 selling vinyl siding, the random tupperware or Mary Kay booth and the typical Billy Mays wanna-be selling some crap that nobody needs.

After wondering up and down the aisles for 45 minutes of pure disappointment we came across an older gentleman selling some really cool looking hummingbird feeders. I stopped to listen to his pitch, he explained all the benefits of the bird feeder, how it keeps ants and bees out of it, he hit it with a hammer to prove it was a quality product and even offered us a deal if we bought it from him today instead of buying it from his wife online at http://www.birdwatchers.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=LMBLSPOM&reference=/cgi-bin/shopper%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dhummingbirdfeeders%26searchstart%3D0%26template%3DTemplates/SearchResult.html.

It was a little more than I would normally spend for a bird feeder so I walked away and checked out the rest of the booths. After another 15 minutes of disappointment with people selling garage floor paint or the best cooking pan in the world, I went back to the bird feeder booth and bought one. The passion he had for his product and his sales pitch was good enough for me, now I can't wait till spring when all the hummingbirds come back to see if this feeder is as good as he said it was.

Please check out my kickstarter campaign!

2012-12-27T18:19:00.001-08:00

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1046199541/tightwad-garden-greenhouse

Top Ten Countries this year!

2012-12-16T11:43:00.003-08:00

United States	1809
Russia	79
Romania	24
Germany	18
United Kingdom	15
Canada	13
Kuwait	10
Australia	9
India	7
Czech Republic	5

Where are my visitors from this week?

2012-12-16T11:35:00.002-08:00

United States	149
Kuwait	10
Germany	2
Indonesia	2
China	1
United Kingdom	1

Veteran's Farm-a great idea

2012-12-16T08:26:00.001-08:00

Facebook page!

2012-12-09T07:24:00.002-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/TightwadGardener

please go to my Facebook page and click the "like" button, I only need 20 more people to like it.

Maybe this summer

2012-12-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

Jingle bells

2012-12-03T18:40:00.002-08:00

Took advantage of the 69 degree December weather and put up the lights and decorations tonight!

Bored!!!

2012-12-01T18:35:00.000-08:00

I hate this time of the year!! Not in a Scrooge hating Christmas way, more like its a cold baron wasteland outside and there is nothing to grow or do right now. All my cuttings and plants I am saving for next year are in my greenhouse and only need some attention every now and then. My cloner is doing its thing out in the garage and doesn't need me to do anything to it.

I get lazy and fat this time of the year because I can't mow twice a week or go dig some holes in my yard. I just sit inside looking at gardening websites on my Ipad and wishing I lived somewhere that was sunny and 75 degrees year round so I wouldn't have to go through this every winter!

So I just look for inspiration and ideas until February comes around and I get into mad scientist mode and start growing all the things I grow, then after that last frost I can start digging, planting, mowing and burning off all that winter fat that I stored up!

Funny Dave Grohl

2012-11-29T19:01:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite musicians out there today. Funny and talented guy.