To start, I used the four buckets from last year, plus three more. I had such good luck with the Bonnie patio tomatoes, so I bought two this time. My Bonnie Big Bertha Bell sweet peppers didn’t do so well last year, so this time I am trying two buckets of Bonnie Red Bell sweet peppers. I can never find starter green bean plants, so I have a few buckets with green bean seeds. Plus, I added one bucket of sunflower seeds. I also have some smaller pots with starter herbs; garlic basil, chives, curly parsley, and lemon thyme.

Planting my second five-gallon bucket garden – Sunday, May 8, 2016

This year, Lowes has white Food Grade five-gallon buckets that are great for planting vegetables. I honestly don’t know if it matters, but I will eventually change out all of my blue buckets for the white ones.

I had such great luck with the Bonnie patio tomatoes last year, so I bought two this year. The Cherokee Heirloom tomatoes didn’t do so well. My Big Bertha Bells didn’t produce much, only a few good red peppers by the time the season was over. So, this year, I’m trying the Bonnie Red Bell sweet peppers. I also planted quite a few pots of green bean seeds. I hope they do as well as they did last year.

Do birds eat tomatoes?

You bet they do! They just love those juicy, ripe tomatoes. I learned my lesson last year when I would go to pick my beautifully ripened tomatoes, only to find that the birds had been pecking at them. So, I searched for tomato plant netting and found the bird block netting at Amazon.com. It worked like a charm!

This time, I am prepared to guard against the hungry critters. I have the bird netting ready for when my plants start to bear fruit. It will definitely keep birds from eating tomatoes.

Easy Gardener 604 BirdBlock Netting

By June 12, 2016 I already noticed clusters of tomatoes and one green pepper, and on June 24, 2016, I picked my first two patio tomatoes.

Check out my post, My First Five-Gallon Bucket Garden, where I go into more detail about prepping my pots and plants.

I decided to plant an herb garden this year. I started with four herbs that I commonly use in my recipes – basil, chives, parsley, and thyme.

Pest Control:

Neem Oil:

Neem Oil is great for repelling insects. Apparently, it affects their mental capacity and will sit there confused until a predator comes along, or they simply fall off the plant and die.

Dr. Bronner’s Organic Sal Suds mixed with neem oil allows it to stick to the plants.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp of Neem Oil and 2 Tbsp of Dr. Bronner’s Organic Sal Suds per gallon of water.

*Note: I purchased the Chapin 20000 1-Gallon Poly Lawn and Garden Sprayer, Dyna-Gro Pure Neem Oil Natural Leaf Polish,, and Dr. Bonner’s Organic Sal Suds on Amazon. I’m sure you can find them at any garden center, Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

Directions:

1. In a small jar, mix Neem oil and Dr. Bonner’s Sal Suds with a cup of warm water. Shake or mix thoroughly.
2. Pour into a sprayer. Fill with water to the 1-gallon mark. Mix well.
3. Set the sprayer on fine mist. Spray early in the morning or evening, and not during full sun or it can burn your plants. I prefer early evening just as the sun sets. In the morning, it washes off with the first watering.
4. I spray my plants with neem oil spray once or twice a week.

Diatomacious Earth:

Diatomaceous Earth is a powder made from fossilized prehistoric crustaceans called diatoms. The sharp edges of D-Earth cuts into the insects’ bodies, causing them to die naturally of dehydration. I know this sounds cruel, but it’s one of the best non-toxic solutions to keeping those pesky critters from destroying our plants.

D-Earth is less effective when wet, but can still be used in the garden on Japanese beetles or cutworms. In dry weather, sprinkle D-Earth on the soil where slugs, Japanese beetles, or other pests will come in contact with the soil. Reapply after rain or heavy dew.

Be sure to buy the food grade. I purchased my Diatomaceous Earth on Amazon, but I’m sure you can find it in most garden centers, such as Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

When using indoors, wear a mask. It is best to use a pest control duster in order to get into small crevices.

I purchased Diatomaceous Earth on Amazon, but I’m sure you could find it at most garden centers, such as Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Can Diatomacious Earth hurt honeybees?

I have read conflicting opinions about the effect d-earth has on bees. The furry hairs on the bees help protect it, but thicker layers of d-earth can harm them. Now that I know it could be harmful, I have decided to use it with caution, and only for serious infestations. After application, it would be best to cover plants with a sheet so the bees can’t get to the plants. Then, uncover the plants and wash the D-Earth off with a fine spray of water.

My Second 5-Gallon Bucket Garden – Tomatoes, Red Bells, Green Beans and Herbs : - Susan's Musings :

Version #1 is a meal that serves 8. It can be adjusted for fewer servings.

Versions #2 and #3 are for a simpler snack or side dish. Version 2 tastes great, but Version 3 with egg is so much better!

Version #1 – The Real Eggplant Parmesan

This will serve 8 people, so adjust for fewer servings.

Equipment:

• 9″ x 13″ casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 eggplants, depending on size. You would need 2 slices per serving.
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1 or 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 26-oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups ricotta cheese (I prefer whole, but you can use low fat)
• Italian spices (Italian seasoning and/or oregano)
• salt and pepper

Directions:

• Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2″ slices, dip in beaten egg, then dip both sides in grated parmesan cheese. Lay out in a single layer on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Roast at 400 for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
• Meanwhile, brown ground beef in skillet, drain.
• When eggplant is finished, remove from oven and lower oven temp. to 350.
• Spray a 9″ x 13″ pan with cooking spray. Put a small amount of spaghetti sauce on bottom of pan, then layer with half of the roasted eggplant slices. Top with half of the spaghetti sauce, then spread the ricotta evenly over the top of the sauce.
• Spread ground beef over the ricotta. Hmm, I might just add the meat to the sauce and layer like I do lasagna. Your choice.
• Then layer with remaining eggplant, top with remaining spaghetti sauce, then mozzarella.
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes.

Version #2 – Simple Roasted Eggplant Slices with Parmesan Cheese

This makes a great snack or side dish.

Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2″ slices, lay them out in a single layer on parchment on a sheet pan, spray with either spray butter or olive oil, and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Bake at 400 for about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness of slices. They came out a bit thinner in the photo below, but they were delicous!

Baked Chicken with Green Beans and Sliced Eggplant

Version #3 – Roasted Eggplant Slices topped with Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese

These are like small pizzas. You can add any toppings you like, such as pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, etc.

Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2″ slices, dip in beaten egg, then dip both sides in grated parmesan cheese. Lay out in a single layer on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Roast at 400 for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Then, top with sliced tomato and shredded mozzarella. Lower oven temp to 350 and roast for additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Roasted Eggplant with Tomato and Mozzarella

Roasted Eggplant Chips

Eggplant chips make for a really nice low carb snack, or as a side dish with any meal. This time, I sliced the eggplant as thin as I could, approximately 1/8″ thick, using my Deli-Pro Slicing Knife. I love this knife because you can slice most things evenly, such as lunch meat, tomatoes, bread, and eggplant. Just set the dial for the thickness you want. I would have used a mandoline slicer but the eggplant is a bit too big for it.

Pork Loin Chops with Green Beans and Roasted Eggplant Chips

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan – Plus a couple of simple low carb recipes with Eggplant! : - Susan's Musings :

You see, I have Type 2 Diabetes, and a very low tolerance for foods high in carbohydrates, especially pasta and rice. Even the smallest amount of these starchy foods with spike my blood sugar into the 200’s. That’s pretty high considering a normal blood glucose reading should be between 70 and 105. Anyone who counts carbs, whether they have Diabetes or not, knows how difficult it can be to eat certain foods. It’s so much easier when we can find a substitute that is just as satisfying.

A little bit of info about cauliflower. A small head of cauliflower equals 1 to 1-1/2 pound of cauliflower, or approximately 1-1/2 cups chopped. One medium head will be 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 pounds, or 3 cups chopped. A large head will yield approx. 4 to 6 cups of florets. One 10-ounce package of frozen cauliflower will equal 2 cups chopped. The following recipes assume a large head of cauliflower equals 4 to 6 cups chopped florets.

I found two ways to make cauliflower Mac & Cheese, and they are both delicious. The first recipe is so much better, though. It is thick, creamy, browned and bubbly. Yum!

The second way is for when you just don’t have the time to go through all of that. And, it really is good. So, without further ado, here is my twist on Cauliflower Mac & Cheese.

       Print This!    

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese – Stove-Top Method:

Quite sometime ago, I purchased this Hoosier Hill Farm Cheddar Cheez Powder from Amazon. I bought it solely for making regular macaroni and cheese, hoping to simulate the name brand stuff, if you know what I mean. This cheese powder totally eliminates having to buy the pre-boxed mac & cheese, and is a real cost savings. I like it with mini penne, when I make it for the rest of the family. just cook 1 cup of elbow macaroni (or mini penne), drain, then add 1/4 cup of butter or margarine, 1/4 cup milk, and 1 tbsp. of the cheese powder, and mix well.

So, last night, while I was making hot dogs with regular mac & cheese for the rest of the family, I decided to try the cheese powder with the cauliflower.

       Print This!    

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese : - Susan's Musings :

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When I eat pork fried rice it reminds me of my childhood Summers at the amusement park, where they had this fabulous little walk-up Chinese Food stand. Anyway, I blogged a little about that here.,

Again, I digress.

So, onward and upward. I am trying to make healthier choices when deciding what to eat, but at the same time I don’t want to feel like I’m missing out on my favorite foods, like pork fried rice. In this case, the healthy choice is using cauliflower instead of rice. I’m not a big cauliflower eater. I’ve had it roasted with olive oil, and I like it raw with a dip, but that’s about it. The next thing I want to try is cauliflower mashed potatoes.

I’m going to show you the few changes that I made to my Pork Fried Rice recipe. Please excuse me for copying the main recipe because I’ve only made a few changes.

I usually make this when I have an extra pork chop, but it would also be good with chicken, beef or shrimp. You can also add whatever vegetables you choose, such as broccoli, shredded carrots, or peppers. I usually only add small peas. In this case, I left out the peas because they are not carb-friendly. The combined flavors from the garlic, green onions, ginger, and the addition of sesame oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce, makes it oh, so good!

Ingredients:

3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil
A few drops of sesame oil (optional)
1 pork chop, cooked or uncooked, and cut into 1/4″ pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1-1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger (I use a fine grater)
3-4 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts)
1/2 large head or 1 small head of cauliflower (comes out to about 1-1/2 to 2 cups when grated)
Your choice of vegetables (broccoli, carrots, peas) (Optional)
2 eggs, scrambled
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

Directions:

First, remove leaves and pull apart florets from half of the head of cauliflower. Add to colander and rinse. I then cut those in smaller chunks to fit in my food chopper. Or, you can use a box grater to grate the cauliflower. I was surpised at how well the chopper (or food processor) grated the cauliflower. It was so easy, and it looks just like rice. You don’t even have to cook it!

In a wok or large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sesame oil. Mmmm! I love the smell of sesame oil!

If uncooked, add pork and cook 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium, heat up a little more vegetable oil, add onion and saute for about five minutes, until translucent. Then, add garlic, ginger, and green onions. Cook about 1 minute.

I store my ginger in the freezer and grate as needed

Add cauliflower rice to skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Let the rice get crispy, about 2 minutes. This is when you add your vegetables; broccoli would be good, and stir.

Move rice to the side and add eggs, scrambling them and working into the rice mixture as you go. You might need to add a little more oil.

Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cooked pork. Toss together and serve.

Add soy sauce

Add cooked pork

Check out my posts, My Journey to a Healthier Low Carb Way of Life, and Cauliflower Mac & Cheese.

Printable recipe without images:

       Print This!    

Cauliflower Pork Fried Rice : - Susan's Musings :

I should mention that I have Type 2 Diabetes.

This journey didn’t start out as a way to lose weight. My blood glucose (BG) levels were out of control and I needed to do something. My blood glucose was 230 the morning that I started my diet, and that was with medication and insulin. A normal blood glucose reading should be between 70 and 105, and no higher than 180 two hours after a meal. Those are the ADA guidelines, which I believe are old and outdated. From what I understand, it is when the blood glucose reaches 140 that it begins to cause damage to organs and nerves. This is why I have neuropathy in my hands and feet, and probably why I have had cataracts and have to get the pressure in my eyes checked every year for fear of glaucoma. I know many of my ailments come with age, but I also know Diabetes has been the cause of many of them.

It had been a real struggle trying to keep my diabetes under control. Over the years, my doctors have gradually added more and more medication until, finally, it wasn’t enough and I had to take insulin. I hated it! Having to prick my fingers three to five times a day, shots in the morning, evening, and before each meal. The more I ate, the more insulin I needed. My doctor told me I was just feeding my diabetes.

I had no will power. It was foods like fried rice or spaghetti that made it very difficult. I would outdo myself when it came to pasta, potatoes and rice. Now, they are not even in my repertoire of recipes when I cook for myself. I do still cook them for my family on occasion, but most of the time they can do without. They are much better off making healthier choices, even if it is me that is making the choices for them. Otherwise, hey, they can cook for themselves, right? I can’t even get my 21-year-old to make his own grilled cheese sandwich. I know, I enable and indulge him. I’m a mother, and that’s what I do. I enable and indulge.

When I do cook high calorie/carb foods for them, I can usually do without and add something I like instead. For example, they love spaghetti and I would never deprive them of my spaghetti and meatballs. So, while the sauce is simmering and the spaghetti noodles are boiling, I spiralize a zucchini (I call them zoodles) and saute it in a little EVOO and garlic. I then have the zoodles with a little sauce and meatballs. It is so good!

Zucchini Spagetti and Meatballs – 291 calories, 15g net carbs

I started with a 3-day fast so that I could try to get my insulin dosage where it should be, without food. I then began to add carbohydrates back into my diet. I soon found that my body cannot tolerate too many carbs without spiking my blood sugar too much. So, I settled on a less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day (that’s right, not per meal, PER DAY!), preferably less than 30g. Now, instead of seeing BG readings in the 200’s, I’m seeing consistent readings in the 80’s and 90’s. I couldn’t believe it!

I have about 50 pounds to lose, so I decided to try and restrict my calorie intake as well. Believe me, calories do matter. It takes quite the balancing act to lower carbs and calories at the same time. So, in addition to lowering my carb intake to less than 50 grams of carbs, I now stick to a 1200 calorie diet. It’s not always easy, but it’s doable. I actually get to eat a lot of low carb food, so I’m not feeling hungry all day like I did with high carb, low fat diets. This diet has changed my life! In fact, to me, it’s not a diet at all. It is a new way of eating, a low carb way of life. Hmm, NWOE and LCWOL. Not Low Carb, High Fat (LCHF), exactly, because I’m not comfortable with eating a lot of fat. It makes me feel queasy when I eat too much fat. Besides, I read that too much fat can spike my blood sugar because it contributes to my insulin resistance. However, I don’t eat low fat, either, because I feel that some fat in my diet helps me feel full and satisfied. Like I said, it’s all a balancing act. Anyway, there are plenty of pros and cons out there about the LCHF diet, but I’m not going to get into that. I just want to write about what works for me and, hopefully, give others some ideas on making healthier choices. I know it’s only been three weeks, but I honestly feel that I’m in this for the long haul.

This is not about physical fitness, although I definitely plan on becoming more active as I go along. For now, a trip to the grocery store once a week, running a few errands, working around the house, and tending to my vegetable garden is about all I can handle for now. I look forward to the days when I can hop in my van, go from store to store, and shop ’til I drop.

This isn’t a recipe blog, but I do have quite a few of my favorite recipes. I have to admit, not too many of them are low carb or calorie. However, you can adjust many of them by excluding the potatoes or rice, or by replacing them with cauliflower. Just look at the drop-down categories under “What’s Cooking”. As I gradually add more low carb recipes to my blog, I will include a link to those pages.

Some of my favorite low carb foods:

Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken
Pork chops with cauliflower pork fried rice
Zucchini spaghetti and meatballs
Oven Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
Sauteed chicken and green beans
Sausage and sauteed cabbage served over cauliflower rice
Oven baked cod and broccoli
Corned beef and cabbage
Romaine lettuce wraps with ham, roast beef, tuna, turkey and chicken salad.
Roasted asparagus, cauliflower, eggplant
Snacks: mozarella sticks, peanuts, cucumber chips, strawberries and whipped cream. I also found a mock danish that was pretty good.

I would love to hear your story, or any tips or words of encouragement that you might have. Please add your comments below. Thank you! ~Susan

My Journey to a Healthier Low Carb Way of Life : - Susan's Musings :

But, when it comes to things that I buy at the local grocery store, I never think to buy them online.

Precious Cat Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter

I had read a review about Precious Cat litter and that it was one of the top three cat litters, and it could be found on Amazon.com. Since I am an Amazon Prime member and Precious Cat was eligible for 2-day free Prime shipping, I decided to give it a try. How convenient, to have a heavy bag of cat litter delivered right to my front door!

Until now, I had always used Scoop-Away cat litter because I found it to be better than other clumping cat litters I had tried. Plus, I could buy it in the 40-lb bag at Costco. Loading it into my van, on the other hand, was pretty cumbersome without my husband to help.

I never liked cat litters that didn’t clump because the cat ended up stepping on urine-soaked litter and then tracked it outside the box. When the clumping cat litter came along I was thrilled to be able to dump the clumped urine along with the waste. Of course, because of this I would constantly be refilling the litter box.

For years, my cat had a problem with clumping cat litter. The problem was, my cat’s hair is so long it touches the floor, and his paws are bushy with long tufts of hair between his toes. He also tends to get litter stuck between his toes and tracks it onto the carpet. Also, every once in awhile, he would carry a present from the litter box, which sticks to his butt along with the clumping cat litter. I have to chase him down to clean him off before he decides to sit down and rub it all over the carpet. I wished there was a solution to this problem. Well, now there is!

When it came time to buy more Precious Cat litter, I noticed another type of litter that was made specifically for long-haired cats. It was a bit more expensive than the clumping kind, but it got pretty good reviews. It is called Precious Cat Long-Haired Cat Litter, and comes in an 8-lb. clear plastic jug with a handle.

According to the product description, “Precious Cat Long Haired Cat Litter is made from amorphous silic gel infused with hydrolyzed herbs. Long hair crystals are made into a softer texture that cats prefer. The crystals trap urine and odor on contact and prevent bacterial growth to keep your cat cleaner and healthier.”

I like how it is lightweight and pours easily without too much dust. It doesn’t clump, so the urine is absorbed into the crystals and stays there, discoloring the litter. It also absorbs the odor. Because it doesn’t clump you don’t lose the litter when you scoop it, so you don’t have to refill it as often. I’m not crazy about the idea of my long-haired cat stepping in urine soaked crystals, but he seems to like it and doesn’t track as much as the clumping litter, and doesn’t stick between his toes. I sprinkle more fresh litter over the top every week to freshen it up a bit. One jug has lasted two months, about the same as the 18 lb Precious Cat clumping cat litter.

The whole litter box needs to be dumped and replaced with fresh litter at least once a month, probably sooner if you don’t like the discoloration. I didn’t think to use a liner, but I just ordered a box of Johnny Cat jumbo liners. They have a drawstring which makes it easy to dispose of the litter and avoid having to clean the litter box too often.

Now that it is time to replace the litter box, I will clean it and use the new Johnny Cat liner.

A few months ago, I bought a new litter box and mat from Amazon. They have worked out very well. I placed the litter mat in front of the box and it catches most of litter, then I just shake out the mat over the litter box.

IRIS Open Top Litter Box with Shield and Scoop

This is a great litter box, and very inexpensive. I was afraid my huge cat wouldn’t use it, but he took to it right away. He no longer scatters litter everywhere.

The litter mat is called Petlinks Purr-fect Paws Cat Litter Mat. I placed this mat in front of his new litter box and it works out very nicely. It catches most the litter that he tracks outside the box, and I just simply shake it out over the litter box.

This setup works nicely

My Precious Long-Haired Cat, Ibis : - Susan's Musings :

I followed a post where one of my Facebook Friends started his first five-gallon bucket tomatoes. I was thrilled because I had been contemplating growing vegetables from pots. I knew the pot had to be large, but the ceramic pots were so expensive I didn’t want to invest too much money in a project that might not do well.

You see, I do not have a green thumb and have a habit of killing plants, usually for lack of watering. I promised myself that I would give this a try and see it through to harvest. Please say a small prayer for me and my garden, it certainly couldn’t hurt.

Before I even started, my Facebook friend gave me a few bucket gardening tips that he learned.

First, he drilled a few holes on the outside of the five-gallon buckets just above the bottom, and then lined the bottom of each bucket with gravel. He then mixed top soil and peat moss and planted his tomatoes.

Then, he said that when he waters his plants, he soaks them each time. He said that they drain quickly and dry out when it’s very hot out. I agree with this; however, if you notice your tomatoes splitting, it means they are getting too much water, so I believe it is better to have too little than too much water.

Buying the Plants and Supplies

So, on 5/31/15, I went to Lowe’s to purchase my plants and supplies.

• They had all of the vegetable plants outside the garden center, and since I didn’t have a cart I figured I would get the other necessities first and come back for the plants.
• I went inside Lowe’s and found the 5-gallon buckets in the paint department and a few paint stirrers (yard sticks) that I could use to measure the plant growth. The plants would also need to be staked, so I thought the yard sticks would help do that. I may have to get wire cages later on.
• I then went back to the garden center to get the soil. Oh, my goodness! They had so many different types of soil, I didn’t know what to get. I figured I’d buy the Miracle Gro brand since it would take a miracle for me to grow anything to fruition!
• I settled on a large 2 cubic feet of Miracle Gro Garden Soil, and a smaller 32-quart (1 cubic foot?) bag of Potting Mix. I read that a 5-gallon bucket takes .67 cubic feet, which means 2 cu. ft. will fill three buckets. Since I also bought the potting mix, I should have enough for four buckets with some left over.
• Well, as I was loading the soil onto the bottom of my cart (not an easy task for me, next time I’ll get it delivered from Amazon.com), the sky darkened and the wind picked up. A storm was coming through.
• As I headed toward the garden center gate toward the vegetable plants, I noticed the gate was closed and the cashier had left. They closed the gate because of the storm.
• So, I went back into the main store and paid for my items. It was raining by then and it was a longer walk to my van, which was parked by the garden center. So, I hurried to my van and unloaded the soil and buckets. While getting soaked in the rain, I went back with my cart and selectepad the vegetable plants, two tomatoes and two bell peppers. I ran back in the store, paid for my plants, and ran back to my van. By this time I was soaked. Luckily, I had a towel in the van and could dry off a bit before driving home.

Since it was raining, I would wait until the next day to plant my vegetables.

Materials:

• 4 Lowe’s 5-gallon buckets – $2.98 each, total $11.92
• 3 yard sticks – $.98 each, total $2.94
• 2 cu. ft. Miracle Gro Garden Soil – $7.97
• 32 quarts Miracle Gro Potting Mix (1 cu. ft.) – $9.97
• Jobe’s Tomato Plant Food – $4.97
• 1 larger Bonnie patio tomato plant – $5.98
• 1 small Bonnie Tomato plant – $2.50
• 2 small Bonnie Bell Pepper plants – $2.50 each, total $5.00
• Total amount spent – $51.25 plus tax

This sure beats paying $20 – $30 for each 5-gallon ceramic pot.

Prepping the Five-Gallon Buckets

• So, the next day, 6/1/15, the first thing I did was to drill the holes in each bucket. I stumbled around the garage, going through my husband’s tool chests just to find the drill bits. I don’t know what size it was, but I’m guessing about 3/8″ inch wide. I drilled four holes in each bucket.
• Then, with the help of my son, Robert, we dug up some gravel that was on the side of the house. This turned out to be a messy job because the gravel was embedded in clay and grass and had to be rinsed and separated so I wouldn’t have grass or weeds in my potted plants.
• I then poured a layer of gravel at the bottom of each pot.

Adding the Soil

• I filled each bucket about 2/3 full of the garden soil.
• I mixed in about 1/4 cup of the tomato plant food.
• I then started to work in the potting mix into the top three or four inches of garden soil, filling it to a couple of inches from the top.
• I sprinkled a small handful of tomato plant food and worked it into the top layer of potting mix

• I removed the large tomato plant from it’s pot and loosened the bottom roots a bit before planting it into a hole large enough to hold the root ball, and patted the soil down just below the first tomato leaf.
• The remaining starter pots were Bonnie pots that were biodegradable. I removed the outer plastic label, wet the pot, peeled off the bottom, and placed it into a hole large enough to just cover the pot, just below the first leaf.

So, for now, I have three buckets. I planted two tomato plants, one plant per bucket, and two bell pepper plants in one bucket. I also plan to use the fourth bucket for green beans that I am starting from seed (hopefully). I am attempting to germinate the seeds, so I hope that works out. I should be able to plant 3 or 4 beans per bucket.

Staking the Vegetables

Staked Bucket Vegetables – Tomatoes and Bell Peppers

After staking the vegetables, I measured and marked the growth. I took these photos on 6/3/15, which was two days after purchase from Lowe’s. All measurements include the size of the 5-gallon buckets, which are approx. 14″ tall.

Patio Tomatoes – approx. 17″ tall

Big Bertha Bell Peppers – approx. 21″ tall

Cherokee Purple Tomatoes – approx. 19-1/2″ tall

Today, 6/6/15, I took the following photos to compare to those taken three days earlier, not really expecting to see any difference.

Staked Bucket Vegetables – Tomatoes and Bell Peppers – 060615

Patio Tomatoes – approx. 19-1/2″ tall, no difference.

Big Bertha Bell Peppers – approx. 22″ tall, 1″ taller.

Cherokee Purple Tomatoes – approx. 20-3/4″ tall, 1-1/4″ taller.

So, the Patio tomatoes (left) grow slow, and are only expected to get between 2-4 feet tall. The Big Bertha bell peppers (center) grew one inch in three days, and are expected to get between 3-5 feet tall. The Cherokee Purple tomatoes grow faster and are expected to get between 4-6 feet tall.

Well, the honeymoon is over. I came out this morning, 7/11/15, to find that something is eating my plants, and possibly something else is going on as well.

I haven’t quite identified the problems, but I am determined to find a solution. In the meantime, I looked for obvious sitings of insects, such as aphids, caterpillars, mites, snails, slugs, thrips, etc., but there wasn’t anything so obvious. Maybe they only come out at night or very early morning? There is something chewing on the leaves, as there are small holes and torn edges. I also see some small spots on the underside of some of the leaves.

I also see yellowed and curled leaves at the bottom of my patio tomatoes, which indicates something else is happening, too. However, I did read that they will go bad if touching the soil.

Also, the black color at the joints of my bell pepper stems was worrisome, but I read that for some peppers, purple or black stems are normal as long as the plant looks healthy. I think it looks pretty healthy, so far.

I had some diatomaceous earth on hand, so I spread some over all of the plants, hoping that it would kill off the culprits. Meanwhile, I ordered some neem oil and insecticide soap that is supposed to help.

If anyone can help me identify these problems, please comment below. Thank you!

Over the weekend, 6/15/15, I pruned most of the dead, curled, yellowed leaves from the bottom of the patio tomatoes. Then, after watering all of the plants, I sprayed them with insecticidal soap and sprinkled them with more diatomaceous earth. It doesn’t seem to be interfering with the growth, so I will continue to use the d-earth until I’m sure the pests are under control. I also mixed up some epsom salts with warm water and added it to the soil. I’m still waiting for the neem oil I ordered, but I think I’m okay without it for now.

We caged three of the plants on Sunday. I know it’s a bit early but I wanted to put the cages on while it was still manageable. Any taller or bushier and it wouldn’t be so easy. They do look a bit small compared to the high cages, but I am being optimistic.

I took more photos today to show the growth.

Patio tomatoes are now about 24-1/2″ tall, green peppers are 25″ tall, and the Cherokee Heirloom tomatoes are about 28-1/2″ tall.

Starting the Green Bean Seeds:

Since I couldn’t find the green bean plants at Lowe’s, I decided to use the seeds that I bought last year. They supposedly expired in 11/14, but I figured I’d give it a try.

On 6/1/15, I placed the seeds on paper towels, folded them, wet them with luke warm water, and set them on my kitchen window sill to germinate. It is a nice warm place without direct sunlight.

Two days later, 6/3/15, only one of them sprouted roots. So, thinking that maybe the rest of the seeds were bad, I added four more seeds. The next day, 6/4/15, several more sprouted! Not bad for only three days.

I need at least four seeds to plant in my five-gallon bucket.

Green bean seeds wrapped in wet paper towels

Germinating green bean seeds – 6, so far!

Update on Green Beans

Today, 6/6/15, I planted my green beans – all 14 of them!. That’s right, 14 seeds germinated in only five days!

So, I decided to pot all of them since I wasn’t sure how many of them would turn out to be viable.

I planted four seeds in the 5-gallon bucket, and two or three seeds in each of the smaller pots.

Today, 6/11/15, Three new plants are coming along in the 5-gallon bucket, and three new seedlings appeared in the smaller pots. As you can see, I sprinkled some diatomaceous earth (D-Earth) on my plants, as explained above.

Update – 6/15/15

The green beans are growing fast. I’m going to have to transplant the ones in the small pots if I want to keep that many green beans. I read somewhere that I would need 12 green bean plants per person.

Will Diatomaceous Earth Hurt Honey Bees?

My husband was outside this evening talking to our next door neighbor. I knew he was growing some vegetables in his front yard, so I asked my husband to tell him about my experience with my vegetable garden and ask whether he had any problems with pests or disease.

He said that he has fa few chewed leaves now and then, but he hasn’t had too many problems with pests. He did say that he had problems with slugs in the past. He also raises bees in his back yard, which I had completely forgotten about. It never occurred to me to think about the bees, or the impact that my efforts to rid my plants of pests would have on them.

He told my husband that the diatomaceous earth could be harmful to the bees if I continued to use it when the plants were flowering. I have read conflicting opinions about the effect d-earth has on bees. The furry hairs on the bees help protect it, but thicker layers of d-earth can harm them. I just blindly powdered my plants with d-earth, without thinking about it. Now that I know it could be harmful, I have decided to use it with caution, and only for serious infestations. It is okay to spread it on the ground around the plants, which should keep the slugs and other insects away.

7/1/15 – My green peppers and Cherokee heirloom tomatoes (second and third from the left) are looking kind of scraggly, so I gave them plenty of water and sprayed them with neem oil mixture. The green bean plant leaves are going crazy, with lots of flowers and buds, but no green beans, yet. It’s still early since I started these from seed a month ago.

7/10/15 – My patio tomatoes are thriving. There are 8 or 9 good-sized tomatoes already, but you can’t see them for all the leaves.

By 7/26/15 my patio tomatoes were ripening and I picked my first tomato!

So far, there are only two or three peppers on one plant. The other plant is dying. Perhaps, I should have only planted one per pot.

One thing that I had to do was cover my cages with bird netting. The birds kept pecking at my juicy tomatoes. The netting worked like a charm and kept the birds away. I also made sure the birds had plenty of water to drink.

Easy Gardener 604 BirdBlock Netting

Update – Check out my 2016 Five-Gallon Bucket Garden

More Garden Planting Tools

My First Bucket Garden – Tomatoes and Bell Peppers : - Susan's Musings :

First, some safety tips:

• Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.
• The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
• Never leave your grill unattended.
• Always follow the laws and guidelines for your state when it comes to using propane gas or charcoal grills.

Printable recipe without images:

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My Favorite Barbecue Sauce for Grilling : - Susan's Musings :

You only need three ingredients, yellow cake mix, eggs, and over-ripe bananas. That’s the basic recipe for a great tasting banana bread, and you can add additional ingredients if you’d like. For example, I added a teaspoon of vanilla, and a handful of walnuts and chocolate chips. I sliced and served it warm with a pat of butter…yum, it’s so good!

Ingredients:

• Box of yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
• 2 eggs
• 3-4 over-ripe bananas

Cake mix, eggs, over-ripe bananas – That’s it!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mash up several bananas in large bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Grease two small or one large loaf pan (I used my 10″ x 5″ loaf pan).
5. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Let sit for 10 minutes and then turn out onto cooling rack.

Optional Additions:

You can also add all kinds of things if you like, such as chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, blueberries, apples, etc.

Cake mix, eggs, bananas, chocolate chips, and walnuts

Easy 3-Ingredient Banana Bread, plus Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

Printable recipe without images:

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Easy 3-Ingredient Banana Bread : - Susan's Musings :

Printable recipe without images:

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This is a great recipe for a cast-iron skillet – from stove-top to oven. Otherwise, use a 9″ x 13″ pan or casserole dish. In fact, I just purchased a new 9″ x 13″ cake/brownie pan made by USA Pans (this makes the best brownies). I love their pans because they are sturdy, non-stick, provide even cooking, don’t warp, and are made in the USA. So far, I have the 13″ x 18″ sheet pan, 10″ x 5″ loaf pan, 6″ x 15″ New England Style Hot Dog Pan, and the 9″ x 13″ cake/brownie pan.

See my post titled My kitchen gadgets, utensils and bakeware recommendations

Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken Recipe : - Susan's Musings :