Catherine Guzovich

Good Morning to all, I too feel uneasy about growing food in large 5-galllon plastic buckets because I don't know what is leaking from the container into the plants that produce the food I eat. I've done it, but no longer.

Here is what I do, I start seeds in the shallow black plastic you get when buying ground beef. I think if it is safe enough for raw meat, it will be safe enough to use to start seeds. Then, I transfer the seedlings into large clear plastic drinking glasses I purchased from Walmart about 6 years ago. Use them, empty them, wash them and store them in the garage until next season. From those containers I transfer the seedlings into the large cottage cheese or yogurt containers, then into the ground. Again, if it safe enough for ground meat, cottage cheese and yogurt, it's safe enough to grow seedlings.

I especially like the clear plastic drinking glasses (which one of my brothers told me is an oxymoron) for rooting rosemary stems. In early September I cut the stems about 6" down from the top, dip them in a rooting compound, and into the containers filled with a mixture of potting soil and perlite. I like these containers because I can monitor the root growth and can see when it is time to put them into larger containers.

In past years I have used the 5-gallon buckets for growing hot peppers because in my area the rabbits eat the hot pepper plants, along with beet greens, Brussels spouts plants, green beans and I forget what else.

This year, we are going to grow potatoes in cardboard boxes. As another contributor said, they are safe, and free. What's not to like?

This morning I was on You Tube and watched a video on "Plant Abundance" channel. One of the comments was from a women who used a hanging shoe container, the type that hangs on the back of a door, to grow herbs. The containers are made of canvas which drains. Sounds like a good idea to me. I also like the suggestion about sewing growing containers out of burlap, canvas, or white cotton fabric, the cotton container will probably not last more than one growing season but might be safer than the 5-gallon containers.

I do not combine citrus rinds with vinegar for a cleaner, however, I do use a combination of white vinegar and water, 1 to 10 ratio or there about, for the best window cleaner you can image. I add enough vinegar to a spray bottle of water until I can just smell the vinegar. Too much vinegar and you will think you are living in a salad bowl. I use the vinegar/water and wipe the windows with newsprint. Do not use the colored print, just black and white, and your window will sparkle.

Even though this information is a bit late to the post, here is a recipe for Russian Garlic Salad. Be careful, because after this has set in the refrigerator for the prescribed time, the garlic  takes on a slightly lemony nutty taste and it is easy to forget you are eating garlic. If you eat too much of this, you will ward off mosquitoes and vampires for several days.

Russian Garlic Salad, Frugal Gourmet cookbook

30 garlic cloves, cleaned and peeled
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon oregano (optional)

Blanch the whole cloves of garlic in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Remove and plunge into cold water.
Drain.
Mix with the remaining ingredients.
Allow to marinate for 5-7 days in the refrigerator before serving.
The salad is served as it is, in small bowls alongside the main plate.
Or you may chop this up and add it to a layered green salad.

Stanton - thank you for the information. I don't plan to use the stems as walking sticks, however, I hope the information helps others who might consider the plant.

I have a question - has anyone of the woodcarvers or people wanting to make walking sticks used the stems of the walking stick cabbage plant, Brassica oleracea longata?

What I have read of it, in the old days, I believe in Wales, they grew the plant for human food, cattle food, and then harvested the long and tall stems to be dried for probably 2 years, then used them as roofing material and as walking sticks or canes.

I plan on growing it this year, the young, lower leaves are for human food, cooked like any other cabbage. The mature leaves were usually used for cattle food. Me, I probably will grow it just to see it. The plant can grow up to 10 feet, or more.

One of the nephews who lives with me was outraged at the price of eggs in our area, $5.00 a dozen. He as been talking with neighbors who have chickens. Our town allows us have 4 chickens, no rooster. It looks like we will have chickens and the walking stick cabbage leaves and vegetable peeling will help feed the chickens.

Life is such an adventure, from gardening, canning, making my own undies to raising chickens. Yippeeee!

I should have also said that I don't wear that high-cut leg portion, I like the boxer short-type but with the crotch insert.

Thank you for this thread. I have made 2 pair of bloomers from T-shirts. Feel comfortable except that I  don't like the feel of the seam in the tender parts.  Does anyone have a pattern for bloomers with the crotch insert?

I am an 82 year bold kid in a candy shop, I want to know about it all.

Thank you for this posting and video. Your way of sewing the seams with the hemming foot is another way of making French seams. I will do this in the future. I learned to sew on a treadle Singer sewing machine, I don't know what happened to it but I wished I had that sewing machine today.

This is a request for HELP. I pressed the wrong "button" that indicated I did not want to receive any more information on a certain topic. How do I reverse that or once again begin receiving the messages? This involved Rocket Mass Heaters.