During these months where the remnants of last year’s garden are dying off, the compost is steeping, and the temperatures are not yet right to start the new garden, I’ve found a few ways to occupy myself when it comes to garden work.
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3 Winter Garden Projects
PICKING UP FALLEN ACORNS
I’m still picking up giant acorns that one of my oak trees just keeps on giving!
Before the end of 2021 I had already spent three hours picking up acorns, and when the temperature dropped 40 degrees on New Year’s Day it decided to drop as much (if not more) again.
PLANNING AND PLOTTING
I’ve got some grid paper and am starting to plot out my 2022 garden. I am making a new garden space in my backyard – I already have a 50’X4” space, but I am adding a 60’X6’ space to the mix this year in the hopes of being more self-sustaining.
I’m cross-checking details about companion planting pairing (who likes who and who hates who in the garden).
I promise I will be posting more about my garden plan and the building of the new space more as we move into Spring.
“TRUG LIFE”
I had found these plans online to make a garden trug – essentially a basket-like thing for you to carry your harvested goods inside from the garden. I ran into a couple of issues (mainly router issues). My mom gave me this awesome one for Christmas. It is huge – I love her optimism for the bounty of my garden!
I thought the raw wood was pretty, but I also kind of wanted to paint or stain it. But what color? I had some trouble deciding. I didn’t want to paint it black or white or brown…I wanted it to have a little more rustic look to it than I thought I would get by staining it. So, I decided to attempt to give it a weathered look (like the fence) with a watercolor inspired “stain”.
I mixed water and a hefty squeeze of black acrylic paint (Anita’s All-Purpose Acrylic Craft Paint – No. 11002 Black) into a clear spray bottle. Then I sprayed the entire wooden trug with the watered-down paint.
I was pleased with the results! Let me know in the comments if you think it looks good, or if you think it needs another round of spray.
If you want it darker, let the first coat dry, then add another (and another…) until you get the look you want.
The spray bottle I used is – https://amzn.to/33CKEMf
Any color or brand of acrylic paint should work.
The video below walks through the whole process in less than six minutes.
Until next time!
[…] For Christmas last year, my Mom gave me a beautiful trug for harvesting things in my garden. I posted about it previously, when I quickly gave it a weathered look – for all those details, check out that post here. […]