Making the Most of Your Harvest: Onions

I always plant extra onions, as I thin I use the little onions like green onions.  As I thin later in the season I get to use the bulb as a regular onions, but the greens still taste like a green onion, just bigger.  Here is how I have been harvesting my onions.

First I separate the onion from the greens.

Next I use a clean pair of scissors to cut the greens into 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces

I like to use the onion fresh, but I also like to freeze some for a cold winter day.  Here is a baggie of green onions for the freezer.

Next post will have what I made with the onions.  Be on the look out!



Making the Most of Your Harvest

I have a huge problem, I hate wasting anything. I do mean anything, cleaning out the fridge is the worst task for me. I complain the entire time, and I get mad that we are throwing out what was good food.  I have been wanting to do a series about making the most of your harvest, and now is the time to do it.  I live in beautiful Colorado, my garden is just now starting to produce anything since I can't start planting in tell June.  I hope you follow along as I make the most of what comes from my garden, and what freebies I get.  I will be posting a lot of canning recipes.  Break our your canner and follow along as I show you how I make the most of what is in my garden.

Planting Garlic

Its a little late to post this for this years garden but, it is never to late to start thinking of next year.  I stumbled upon this when I was in college. I needed a little garlic and proceeded to take the skin off of the entire bulb.  I put the rest in the fridge.  The rest gave me the knowledge to help you plant some garlic really cheap. 

First you will need some garlic, either from your garden or from the store.

Start separating the cloves from the bulb.  I save the biggest cloves for planting and use the small ones for cooking.

Separated and ready for the skin to come off.

Skin is off and ready to plant.

Next you have some options, if you plant in the fall which is traditional you simply plant the garlic in the ground about 2 inches deep.  If you are going to plant in the spring you can either plant the garlic in March right after you have separated the skin from the garlic.  Another way to do it is to separate the skin and the garlic in February and put it in a container in the fridge it will start to sprout, plant in March.

I find this the ultimate upcycle.  After just one purchace you have a lifetime supply of garlic, just by keeping the biggest cloves to make more bulbs.  Happy Planting!

Planting Pots

As promised here is my upcycled planting pots.

You will need:
Milk Jugs or 2 liter Soda Bottles
Box Cutter
Magic Marker

First empty your container and wash with hot water.  I never bother with soap.
Second pick how you want to cut your container with milk jugs you have 2 options.

I don't usually draw where I'm going to cut but so you can see your options I did on these two milk jugs. 

Start cutting!

Here they are cut and ready for you to fill with dirt.

Fill with dirt, add seeds, and then label if you so choose.  I like to add handles to make carrying easier, but I don't know if I'll be able to get the plants out as easy.

Greenhouse Van

The story begins, with a broken van that we can't afford to fix at this point.  So I figured that if it was going to sit in the yard that it needed to have a purpose.  I thought it over and since I couldn't buy a greenhouse I would get the best of both worlds.  This is a easy project and requires very little. 

You'll need:
1 broken vehicle
Left over wood or wood flooring
Plants

First fold down the seats, and take off the headrests if they won't fit. 

Next get the board or flooring and cover the gaps.

Here it is started.

Flooring is done.

Next add the plants

After getting my plants in I see I still have some room.  So I'm off  to start some more Zucchini!  I'll post a simple how to on making your own planters, upcycled of course.