Off the Urban Grid

Are You Overwashing Your Clothes?

Washing clothes can be a drain on your water and finances. If you have multiple large loads of wash to do every week, maybe you’re guilty of overwashing and you don’t even know it. Simply because you wear a piece of clothing once doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be cleaned. There are actually only a few garments that need to be washed every day while the rest can be cleaned after every three to even five wears. Train your family on when to wash clothing, and you will probably notice a difference in your laundry load and water consumption.

First, you need to consider how dirty the clothes really are. Did you sweat in them or only stain a section of them? Unless the clothes smell like body odor or have significant staining, you don’t need to wash them until maybe the next wear. There are convenient stain removers out there that come in sticks or liquid forms that take any stains out right before your eyes – this is perfect if you spilled ice cream on your shorts. When the small stains can be taken care of, you don’t really need to wash the entire garment.

Jeans and dress pants are items that should be washed after four to five wears. Why, you might ask? Well, pants made from denim and synthetic blends are pretty durable. You don’t have to wash pants that you’re wearing in an air conditioned office or ones that you wear to run errands after every wear – it’s just a waste and unnecessary.

Items like camisoles, under shirts and underwear, on the other hand, need to be washed after every wear. These items fit closer to the body and are often made of cotton, which can absorb moisture and odors. One exception are bras – these can be washed after three to four wears, unless you get really sweaty.

Pajamas need to be washed more often too, because even though you might not realize it, you sweat while sleeping. You also shed skin cells so after being in your pajamas for a few nights, it’s a good idea to throw them in the wash.

Washing with cold water and avoiding the dryer as much as you can helps save more energy and resources. Try these tips for one month, and you will probably notice a difference in how much laundry you’re doing.

Tags: overwashing clothes, when to wash clothes

Posted in Saving Money | No Comments »

Garden at Work During Lunchtime

A full-time job or even having a part-time job along with kids can put a damper on your extracurricular activities. You might even find it hard to carve out time for recycling let alone cultivating a garden. While it might be a matter of balancing your work and personal life, it can still be a challenge, and once the idea of starting a vegetable garden falls through the cracks, it’s a lot easier to continue life without stressing out over how you can create and maintain vegetables and flowers. However, there is an alternative – why not start gardening at work?

Start off slow with gardening at work. Add a pot of flowers to your desk and then work up to a miniature herb garden. You might be surprised to find out that fellow coworkers or even your boss is interested in gardening. In that case, you might be able to have a larger herb garden in the kitchen or break room. If no one is interested in participating, you can encourage others to utilize the fresh herbs to enhance their lunches.

When you’re ready to make a larger step and have permission to do so, you can work on an outdoor office garden during your lunch break. It’s convenient if you’re allowed to take an hour lunch, because you can eat for 30 minutes and dedicate the other half hour to working outside. This is a great way to relieve stress, take in the fresh air and do some good for the environment. Having plants indoors helps the air quality, but there are so many added benefits to growing crops and flowers outside. Even a small plot of land can be cultivated into a successful harvest.

Gardening at work gives you an outlet, and it’s a great way to work as a team in a fun way. On top of the fresh produce and beauty, a work garden might even help inspire coworkers and enable you to share better ideas in the boardroom.

Tags: gardening at work, work garden

Posted in Edible Landscaping, Vegetable Gardening | No Comments »

Is a Plastic-free Existence Possible?

Of course, it’s possible to live a plastic-free life – you just have to be willing to make the necessary changes. Plasticware is convenient and it has probably taken over at least one or more of your cabinets. Every year there are new designs that lock together and store better, but at the end of the day, do you really want to be contributing to the groundwater and contamination that plastics are causing?

You’re first task in living a plastic-free lifestyle is to vow never to buy any plastic again. While you will most likely fail, at least you’re making a commitment to think about the bigger picture when it comes to your purchases. Living without plastics isn’t easy when they’re available in every store you go. You have to learn to resist and how to live efficiently without them.

Next, you need to provide yourself with eco-friendly alternatives. Use clean bandanas or purchase reusable fabric bags for carrying leftovers from lunch like sandwiches and fruits. For liquids, you will need either a stainless steel thermos or glass bowls. You might already own these items – maybe you found them behind your pile of plastic containers. If not, you can always pick these items up at garage sales instead of buying new.

Once you get into the habit of using non-plastic storage containers, you will need to make a habit of properly recycling any plastic you do come across. For instance, any plastic grocery bags can sometimes be recycled at chain grocery stores. Food containers from milk and other foods can usually go into your home recycling bin.

Achieving a plastic-free life is possible, but it’s going to take some action on your part. After living with plastic in a plastic overloaded society, it’s challenging to uphold a new law in your home. However, knowing that the world will be less polluted can be a driving force.

Tags: plastic-free living, ridding home of plasticware

Posted in Mindset | 1 Comment »

Seasonal Fruits: Incorporate Sweetness into Your Dishes

What seasonal fruits are you looking forward too? Berries are an incredible way to dress up your breakfast, lunches and dinners, and in addition to essential vitamins and minerals, many of them contain antioxidants. If you’re planning on growing blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc. this year, make sure you have plans for how to use them too.

Believe it or not, but berries can make a boring salad incredible. Perfect for lunch or dinner scrounge up a variety of fresh spring greens – spinach or iceberg will do just fine. Then use homemade raspberry or blueberry vinaigrette to coat the leaves. Add blue cheese or feta cheese crumbles, blueberries and raspberries. Some sunflower seeds, slivered almonds or walnuts can make this a wholesome lunch or dinner special. Or, enjoy a side of hummus with a whole wheat pita.

If you prefer starting your day with fruits, add blueberries into your pancake mix – this is the easiest thing to do when you’re in a rush. However, you can get fancy by creating crepes with a decadent raspberry sauce. Just imagine the pleasant surprise you will give your family!

Berries can also enhance yogurts and ice creams. Use frozen fruits from last year’s harvest and incorporate them into your favorite milk based dessert. This makes for a healthy snack, and you can use up the fruit you already have in your freezer.

There are dozens of ways to eat the fruit you grow. From smoothies to frozen yogurt, you can concoct sweet, colorful dishes and snacks that will make your family and friends think of summer.

Tags: berries, cooking with berries, small fruits

Posted in Growing Berries & Small Fruits | No Comments »

Cats Spring for Green Too

Cats can become obsessed with killing your plants – well, they might not mean to kill them, but the continuous chewing and eating of them does the job. If your cats have an insatiable craving for plants, it’s time to give them their own plants to destroy, especially since you’re probably working hard to improve the indoors and outdoors with beautiful plants in honor of spring.

Cat grass or wheatgrass is an easy way to give your cats what they desire most: crunchy, juicy, leaves. When you have the grass especially for them, it might discourage them from attacking your plants. Plus, cat grass is easy to grow and care for.

All you need to do is plant the seeds and water it. Within three days, you should have sprouts. At least with this grass, you know it’s a healthy and nonpoisonous plant your cats can eat. If you have a multi-cat household, it’s best to have a few flats of wheatgrass, because it will go quick!

The ASPCA has an online Animal Poison Control Center with a database of toxic and non-toxic plants. This can definitely come in handy while you’re introducing new plants into the home. You might be surprised which ones are harmful to your pets.

Cats love to chew on houseplants, and they’re even more interested in new ones you bring in. Having wheatgrass available reduces the chances of them chewing on your precious plants that you’ve worked so hard to keep alive.

Tags: cat grass, wheatgrass

Posted in Edible Landscaping | No Comments »

Preparing for the Advent of Mosquitoes

Summery weather is nice, but it also brings with it a barrage of insects. From hornets and beetles to mosquitoes, there are pesky insects just waiting for the warmer temperatures to set in. While insects are essential for pollination and serving other important purposes, some can destroy your vegetable garden and even infect you with viruses. There are many mosquito species in the Culicidae family, so how do you prevent them from swarming all over your outdoor living space?

Mosquitoes don’t necessarily destroy your plants, but they can be a pest to you, the gardener, which is why it’s in your best interest to avoid making the environment mosquito-friendly. One way you can do this is to eliminate standing water. If you have a pond, you might want to consider adding a solar powered waterfall or pump. Water build-up in your backyard might be common after a long period of rain, but the soil should soak it up. However, in the case that your backyard floods, you might need to add more soil and reseed the grass.

Another easy way to reduce the amount of mosquitoes patrolling your yard is to install bat houses. One adult bat is capable of eating several hundred mosquitoes every evening. This is a great way to support local wildlife while controlling the insect population.

You can also use plant-based repellents like citronella. Lighting these candles can create a barrier, which is convenient when you’re working in a greenhouse or shed. Candle sets are nice to add to your patio, especially if you’re entertaining a lot.

Gardening isn’t pleasant when you have to keep smacking away the flying vampires so protect yourself and your family members from these pesky insects that carry West Nile virus, dengue fever, malaria and encephalitis.

Tags: mosquito control, mosquito repellent

Posted in Mindset | No Comments »

It’s Growing Season: Don’t Forget the Compost

Composting through winter is possible, and you might have a nice compost pile ready for use. Now that it’s nearing spring, it’s important to remember that you have all of that compost so you can put it to good use. Why spend all winter as well as the rest of the year toiling over your bin if you’re not going to use it?

‘Tis the season of spring, which means that you’re going to be planting new varieties of flowers and vegetable plants. You’re also going to have to assess your landscaping and find out which plants survived, didn’t survive or are somwhere in between. For those plants that are in limbo, you can try to richen the soil with your fresh compost and attempt to bring them back to life. With a little tender, love and care you might be surprised to see your shrubs or bushes bounce back.

Use your compost to start your herb garden or vegetable garden. Designate your garden area and till in your compost. This helps to prepare the soil, and it will add nutrients, minerals and moisture that the dry soil lacks. If you’re not planning on growing outdoors, you can use your compost in your indoor planters.

Making use of your compost can save you money. You might recall in years past having to pay hundreds of dollars for top quality soil. This might not have even counted the flowers you paid for. Stop paying high prices to beautify your yard, and rely on rich, homemade compost.

Tags: compost, Composting

Posted in Composting | No Comments »

Try Your Hand at Growing Tomatoes This Spring

Tomatoes are incredibly handy to have in your refrigerator, because they’re delicious in soups, salads, wraps and sandwiches. In addition, they’re an important ingredient in your homemade pasta sauce. Since there are so many uses for this fruit, it’s convenient to grow them at home to save money at the store. By following some of these tips, you can help your tomatoes flourish and grow sweeter.

First and foremost, it’s important to provide your seeds with enough room to grow. Overcrowding can prevent your seeds from growing strong roots. Plus, you have to take into account that the seedlings are growing downward and eventually will grow upward. It’s a good idea to invest in a tomato cage ahead of time.

Tomatoes also enjoy warmer soil. To create the right environment, lay a tarp over your garden area to keep in the heat. Before you plant your seeds, you can cover the soil with mulch. The mulch will act like an insulator.

As your tomato plant grows, it’s going to become top heavy. Don’t let your plant become week. Instead, mimic the wind indoors and place a fan next to it for 10-15 minutes every day. This will help the vines grow stronger.

Whether you’re growing your tomatoes indoors or outdoors, the plants need 14-18 hours of sunlight. Make sure to choose the sunniest spot in your yard before planting. If you decide to grow indoors, use fluorescent grow lights.

From growing your plants in the garden, sunroom or upside down, there are also many options. Growing tomatoes is easier than you might think, and it’s convenient having fresh tomatoes to use in salads, soups and even fruit juices.

Tags: growing tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes

Posted in Vegetable Gardening | No Comments »

Memorialize Flourishing Gardens & Orchards

Imagine what your garden or orchard looked like a couple years ago? Maybe your begonias and tulips bloomed perfectly, and your bushes finally matured enough to create your favorite topiary designs. Instead of trying to recall your greatest harvests and growths in your mind year after year, you can capture the beauty with your camera.

Photographing your vegetable plants, flowers and other ornamental growths is a great way to ensure that your work is paying off every season. You can record the state of your garden or orchard, and you can take notes of things that need work. Maybe the beetles got the best of your plants last year, or you noticed that your grass wasn’t as green as it used to be.

Another benefit to photographing your landscaping is that you can use the pictures as artwork. Show off your best flower bed in your living room or formal dining room. When people are admiring, you can tell them about how hard you worked to grow the flowers.

The best time to capture the beauty of your outdoor space is just before dawn, because a pale light will filter through the trees and onto the flowers. It’s a peaceful time of day too where you can connect with your surroundings and fully appreciate all of your hard work.

If you have a farm with cows or chickens, take pictures of your favorite animals, and honor them in your home for providing your family with organic milk and eggs. You might realize how special and magical your backyard garden has become, and the pictures can encourage you to make improvements and sustain this lifestyle for years to come.

Tags: garden photos, photographing gardens

Posted in Backyard Orchard | 1 Comment »

Advantages of Building a Root Cellar

A root cellar is one of the easiest additions you can add onto your home to improve living off the grid. It’s also a common sense way to store your vegetables and fruits without electricity. Down under the ground lies a natural refrigerator where it’s cool and dark, which happens to be the perfect environment for preserving your precious produce. From potatoes to squash, you can store the harvest that you’ve worked so hard for all year round.

A root cellar is an easy way to keep your produce cool, and if you build one in your home, it enables you to have your vegetables close by for cooking. It’s also an easy way to keep track of your inventory. Before buying anything carrots or potatoes at the store, check your root cellar first.

The actual construction of a homemade root cellar isn’t all that involved either. First, you need to figure out what area of your home is the dampest. After you dig the cellar, it’s vital to have ventilation, and it’s also a good idea to insulate the walls. The entire process is also inexpensive, so you don’t have to break the piggy bank in order to keep your root crops cool.

In addition to these main two benefits, a root cellar reduces your consumption of electricity. If you’re going to be storing certain foods in the root cellar, you’re not going to need a large, high-powered refrigerator. You can also store gallons of water in the cellar too, so it’s also ideal for emergency preparedness.

Root cellars may be old fashioned, but they’re a functional addition to your modern home.

Tags: building root cellar, root cellar, root cellars

Posted in Vegetable Gardening | No Comments »