Planting Strawberries in Containers for Spring #Gardening

I planted three varieties of strawberries for this year in March. I wanted to try again and plant some strawberries in a large container versus my raised beds. Last year, they really didn't do that well in that area. I have added chicken manure, fertilizer, and moist-control potting mix so we'll see together how they do this year. I do provide an update on their growth so far as of May 1, 2022, in the video below. I purchased some Ozark bare roots, Sequoia, and Seascape strawberry transplants as well, all from my local garden center. I'm still crossing my fingers for the bare roots to wake up, but if not this year, maybe next year. They were pretty dry so I soaked them overnight to hopefully give them a refresh. So far, I have been lucky with the Sequoia and Seascape transplants. They are making strawberries. I even had the opportunity to try one from each plant. They were sweet, which is a plus for strawberries. I'm hoping for an even larger crop of both varieties as the weather warms up, even more, this growing season. It's wonderful to grow your own fruits and vegetable. The learning process has been great for me and the relaxation I feel while working in the garden is amazing.

Questions for you:

Are you growing strawberries this year? If so, what varieties are you growing? 

Do you have a favorite type?

Garden stake tags mentioned in the video are available on Amazon

• 100 Pcs 4 Inch Plastic Nursery Garden Stake Tags  

• 100 Pcs T-Type Plant Labels with a Gel Pen, Waterproof  

• Espoma PT4 4-Pound Plant-Tone Organic 5-3-3 Plant Food - 2 Pack

• DR EARTH Natural Wonder Fruit Tree 5-5-2 Fertilizer 4LB Bag

Building a Cattle Panel Fence For The #Garden

I successfully built a Cattle Panel Fence for my 47ft x 24ft garden area. I purchased my cattle panels, T-Posts, post pounder, and other tools from Tractor Supply. I did purchase some gate adapters for T-Posts on Amazon (see image below). In the video below, I used some stakes and mason line to establish my fence area, surrounding the garden. It was my first time using the pole-pounder so I had to get some tips from another YouTuber here. Initially, I attached the cattle panels to the T-Posts with zip-ties and then went back on the second day to permanently attach them with the fence clips, provided complimentary with my T-Post order. The gate was installed quickly with the gate adapters I learned about on Amazon. There are many different types of adapters, but I like that the ones I chose had a screw component as well that latches to the T-Post for added support of the gate over time. On the second day, I added the T-Post clip and the project was finished. About a week later I did come back with 2ft rebars to support the center of the 16ft cattle panels a little more, from swaying with the wind. Overall, I am happy with this DIY project and the decision to use cattle panels instead of the roll of fencing. I didn't have the capability to stretch the roll of fencing in place so these worked great because they were already pretty sturdy. If you're thinking about establishing your own garden space, you can do it too! Take your time, plan it out, gather your supplies and a helper and start your DIY project. 

Share your experience in the comments below. I look forward to reading about it.

T-Post Hinge Pins - Gate Hanger on Metal T Post with 5/8 Pin

Replenishing Soil in my Raised Beds for Spring and Summer #Gardening

It's time to start putting some vegetables in the garden, but the soil from the last growing season needs more nutrients added to it. I decided to try some chicken manure, mixed with the raised bed soil I usually purchase from my local garden center. I also added some worm castings to each bed. I will be adding more when I actually plant my vegetables, along with some slow-release fertilizer. I'm happy that the weather is warming up in my part of southern California. The weather forecast has been unpredictable already this year, a couple of days are warm, and then it takes a dive back down to the lower 60s. It was the perfect day to put on a hat and get this garden task completed. It's a quick and simple process once you have selected the products that you like. This will be my second year gardening so I have definitely learned a thing or two from my experiences last year. I hope to have even more growing success this year, fingers crossed...lol. In the video below I show how I replenished my raised beds for this growing season.

Question for You! Are you getting started with your Spring and Summer gardening tasks? If so, share your tips below with everyone. Thank you!

Highly Recommended for Worm castings and Worm Tea 

VermisTerra products can be purchased on Amazon if you are limited on supplies in your local area.

VermisTerra Organic Earthworm Castings 10 LBS 

VermisTerra Vitality - Earthworm Tea 16oz 

VermisTerra Vitality - Earthworm Tea, Gallon 

Video: Planting a Washington Navel Orange in the Ground #GardeningTips

I enjoy eating a nice, cold, orange. It's especially good to pick one off the tree and eat it. I want to be able to do that from my garden so I decided to add a Washington Navel Orange Tree. It's supposed to be easy to grow and great for juicing and salads. Hopefully, if all goes well, I will have oranges this year in the wintertime. The tree was purchased from Tractor Supply and I purchased my earthworm castings and fertilizer from Home Depot. The tree was easy to remove from its growing container, which was nice when I had to transfer it to the ground. I mixed earthworm castings in with the native soil to add nutrients and also some Citrus fertilizer. The hole was dug twice the size of the pot and it was instructed to leave some of the roots showing above ground. I watered the Washington Navel deeply and added straw mulch, but eventually, I pulled back the mulch and added landscape fabric because the weeds were starting to pop up due to the rain we were getting. So far, the orange tree is settling in well. I have white flowers as discussed from the tag in the video and I'm hopeful for oranges in the winter. I will keep you posted!

Citrus Fertilizers to start your tree off right, available on Amazon

Jobe's 4 Lb Organic Fruit & Citrus Granular Fertilizer 3-5-5

Dr. Earth Organic 9 Fruit Tree Fertilizer In Poly Bag, 4-Pound

Espoma 4 Lbs Citrus-Tone 5-2-6 Plant Food

Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Tree Fertilizer Spikes, 3-5-5 Time Release Fertilizer for All Container or Indoor Fruit Trees, 6 Spikes per Package (3)

Kwik Seal Adhesive Caulk #Review - Recaulk a Kitchen Sink

I recently used Kwik Seal adhesive caulk to reseal the kitchen sink. I happened to notice that the cabinet under the sink was wet and then dripping water. I did a test and poured water around the seal of the sink to find the trouble spots and sure enough, there were multiple trouble areas. I learned about this waterproof caulk from watching other home-repair YouTubers and decided to try it for myself. First, I had to remove the old caulk and dry the area. Then I applied this new product, but so far so good. It is doing the job. No more leaks. It's always something to do around the house, but it's also an opportunity to learn something new. I do enjoy that part and I get to share my new knowledge with you! I would recommend this product if you can find it in your local hardware store or on Amazon. I did have to wait 24 hours to let it dry around the sink and I wouldn't use it in areas that get constant exposure to water. It does mention that on the tubing. It was pretty popular at my local hardware store because I found just one more on the shelf. Overall, it was a quick and easy fix over the weekend. I hope this video can help you if you're looking for some tips for this task.

Disembarkation Day Aboard Carnival Cruise #CruiseVacation

Hello! I hope all is well. In the video below, it's disembarkation day for my 3-day Carnival Cruise. It's always bittersweet to say farewell to a cruise vacation. However, there can always be a next time, which makes the anticipation for the next one so worth it. Carnival's disembarking process ran smoothly for me. I ate breakfast and also had the opportunity to watch the sunrise too! In the video, I share that moment, but if you don't want to watch that part of the video, you can skip to the disembarking moments. I look forward to my next cruise, hopefully, venturing to an international destination. Happy travels if you're booked on an upcoming cruise. Have fun and enjoy sailing the beautiful, friendly, seas.