Blueberry Plants

We are now in a house with somewhat of a yard and so I thought I would try and tackle blueberry plants this summer. Here are a few reasons why: 1. Asher loves blueberries (as do I). 2. They make great shrubs with the benefit of fruit. 3. Even if I do not eat all of the blueberries, the birds can feast off of them as well. 4. They are easy to maintain (or at least this is what I have read).

If you are considering planting your own blueberry plants, here are a few tips that I have found in my research:
-Plant in full sun and in moist, well-drained acid soil with organic matter such as peat, chopped leaves, and composted manure.
-You will want to the plant it slightly high in the hole allowing your root-ball to sit 1/2 inch above the soil.
-You also need to plant two different types of plants for cross-pollination, otherwise you will not bear fruit.
Research and picture from here.

The Green Wagon

A new eco-friendly general store, The Green Wagon, is now open in Sylvan Park. You can purchase everything from clothing, shampoo, cleaning supplies to even crib mattresses. The store offers a "refilling station" where you can bring in your used bottles and fill up on certain items at a discounted price. You can see what else is offered at the Green Wagon by going here. I can't wait to get back into town to check this place out. Has anyone been been here yet? What about Trader Joe's?
Picture provided from article in today's Tennessean here.

Fun finds

I found these cute, reusuable sandwich and snack bags made by Happy-sacks. It's a nice substitute for all those plastice sandwich bags. They are a little pricey but can easily be cleaned either by rinsing out or throwing in the wash.
These are fabric rice and feed bags from Cambodia that can be used as a laundry bag or a wastebasket. You can find more envirmonmentally-friendly products at VivaTerra's website.

WeeGo glass baby bottles by Babylife

I found these bottles as an option for BPA-free. The glass bottles have a silicone sleeve that prevent breakage if bottles are dropped. This company is trying to make products as "green" and "safe" as possible. They also are commited to giving a portion of their profits to an environmental charity and an international children's fund.

Natural Household Cleaning Products

We are trying to remove as many environmental toxins in our home as possible. I found these nontoxic cleaners and their household uses to be a helpful start (source: Growing Up Green by Deirdre Imus).

Lemon juice--A natural odor-eater that can be used to clean glass and remove stains from aluminum, copper, clothing, and porcelain. Acts as a mild lightener or bleach when exposed to sunlight. Adding juice from half a lemon to the wash cylce will help get rid of clothing odors.

Baking Soda--Neutralizes acid, scrubs shiny materials without scratching, unclogs and cleans drains, extinguishes grease fires, and removes certain stains. Also, can be used to deodorize refrigerators, carpets, and upholstery. Can clean and polish aluminum, chrome, jewelry, plastic, procelain, silver stainless steel, copper, and tin.


Table salt--Great at removing rust, used with lemon juice to clean copper, mixed with vinegar to polish brass. Makes for a great scouring powder.


White distilled vinegar--Great at removing stains, dissolves mineral deposits and grease, removes traces of soap, removes mildew or wax buildup, polishes some metals, and deodorizes your home. Use it to clean coffeepots, windows, brick, stone, carpets, toilet bowls. A tablespoon of vinegar added to your rinse cycle will act as a fabric softener. Also, can be heated in a bowl in your microwave to loosen difficult stains.

For other uses of these and other natural products, go here.