So, you know that period of time after you find out you’re pregnant where you feel like you’re just barely surviving and incapable of anything extra? That’s where I’ve been for the last three months. At twenty-two weeks I’m emerging from the fog and ready to tackle ALL the projects! And I have a ton (nervous laughter).
For now, I’m tending to my growing collection of houseplants and my big dreams of planting trees to block out the Dairy Queen and Exxon behind my house. (Insert personal rant here) Oh, and to the teenagers that hang out at the bank revving your engines and listening to mumble rappers…screw you. Also, I’m pretty sure some of you are not teenagers and therefore need to grow up a bit. Moving on.
Now to the good stuff…
DIY succulent terrarium
John knows I’m not into roses or sappy cards for Valentine’s Day, so he went with this pretty little geometric terrarium. It’s perfect for the baby succulents sold at Home Depot, which is where I picked up these beauties.
This planter is pretty small, so in retrospect two succulents may be overkill because I’m not sure how big they’ll be able to get in there. With that said, I can always transplant and switch them out.
I bought some plain old river rock to line the bottom. This is recommended for succulents to ensure proper drainage. Then, I threw a layer of potting soil on top. Most plant experts suggest soil made specifically for succulents and cacti. (Now, I’m not going to lie…I’ve been throwing mine in regular soil for years and nothing terrible has ever happened) Just don’t water too much! After putting these down in the soil, I tossed some more rocks on top.
I struggled to get my hand in the tiny container to situate everything, so I used a tablespoon to dig and arrange the rocks.
Completed Succulent Terrarium DIY
Trees for Privacy
Now, back to our privacy issue in the backyard…I spent months researching what trees would provide privacy in the shortest amount of time. Each Google search brought me back to these willow hybrid cuttings. The description says they’re capable of growing 12 feet in a year.
I was skeptical, but I got 18 cuttings for less than I’d probably pay for a tiny shrub at Home Depot, soooo here we are.
They arrived wrapped in a damp paper towel, completely naked sticks. I was prepared for this because the description was pretty honest about what to expect.
I threw them all in glasses of water and put them in the kitchen window. In two days, the had root sprouts. Two days later, they started to get new growth. At this point, I’m scrambling to get these into some potted soil because the growth is unbelievable.
I’ll probably find whatever pots I can and get these in soil for a few weeks before transplanting them into the ground. I have no doubts they’ll put on substantial height this spring/summer.
They can be planted on their own or in a line for optimum privacy. I received 18, so I’ll probably do a combination of both. The recommended care is pretty simple; don’t use fertilizer until a year of growth, water frequently, and mulch around the base.
Fingers crossed they hide our yard from the road and don’t take over the neighborhood like a wild bamboo forest. 😬
