One Green Generation

Check In

Welcome!  Come check in, and tell us all how your garden is growing!

Since it is a long holiday weekend here in the US, I will leave this post up for the rest of the weekend - please check in when you have time and need or want a bit of a break from the festivities.  My sister will be visiting, so we’ll have a lot of fun catching up this weekend.  And those of you not celebrating this weekend, please make sure to post a long, healthy garden update!  ; )

If you missed it, here was our last check-in (my apologies that it has been so long).  Since we are all over the world, some of us are saving seeds at the end of the season, while others are still planting their first seeds of the year.  We are quite an interesting group of gardeners.

Who Are We?

So far there are 152 participants signed up for The Growing Challenge: From Seed To Seed, and we’ve reached 200 participants in The Original Growing Challenge.

Together we’re an awesome support network for learning new things! Welcome, everyone who has recently joined. And if you haven’t already, please join us in taking a new step toward sustainability by growing your own food from seed to seed.  It’s not too late to join.

New participants of The Growing Challenge From Seed to Seed are in orange at the bottom of the following list, and participants of The Original Growing Challenge are listed here.  Let’s visit, support, and learn from one another - visit each others’ blogs and ask questions!  Rob wrote a great post about what he’s already learned this year, if you’re looking for a place to start.

1. Jules, The Garden of Plenty, Melbourne, Australia - zone 9-10 (Aust. 3)
2. Jena, Married To The Farm, Caro, Michigan - zone 5
3. Amanda, You Reap What You Sow, South Central Pennsylvania - zone 6-7
4. Jen, Toward Arcadia, Michigan - zone 5-6
5. Deb G, Bee Creative, Pacific Northwest - zone 7
6. Greeen Sheeep, Wisconsin - zone 4
7. Kory, Kicking And Screaming, Central New York - zone 5
8. Abbie, Farmer’s Daughter, Connecticut - zone 6-7
9. Margaret, Margaret’s Ramblings, Nottingham, England - zone 8
10. SusanB, Southern New Jersey - zone 6b-7
11. Karin, Fleecenik Farm, Central Maine - zone 4
12. Kelsie, Hobbit’s Feat, Kentucky - zone 7
13. Monica, Northern Ohio - zone 5-6
14. Jen, Aaron-N-Jen: Living Life Simply, Iowa - zone 5
15. Di, Path To Greendom & World of Yardcraft, Southern California - zone 10
16. TomB, My Simple Home Garden, Central Massachusetts - zone 5b
17. Judy, My Freezer Is Full, East Central Iowa - zone 5a
18. Julie, Towards Sustainability, Newcastle, NSW, Australia - zone 9-10 (Aust. 3)
19. Dina, Hip Chick Chronicles, Portland, Oregon - zone 8-9
20. Alana
21. Milkweed, Milkweed Diaries, Swannanoa Valley, North Carolina - zone 6-7
22. Melanie J, Ember’s Lighthouse, Jacksonville, Florida - zone 9a
23. Risa B, Stony Run Farm, Western Oregon - zone 8
24. Maureen, Fotos By Meg & Suburban Sharecroppers, Central Valley, California - zone 9
25. Amy Crump, Crump Family Blog, Chapel Hill, North Carolina - zone 8
26. Rob, Rob’s World, Burien, Washington - zone 8
27. The Rachface, This Evolutionary Life, Virginia - zone 8
28. Janice, Going Off Da Grid Janice, California - zone 8-9
29. Green Bean, Green Phone Booth, Bay Area, California - zone 9
30. Daphne, Daphne’s Dandelions, Winchester, Massachusetts - zone 6
31. Briel
32. Jimmy Cracked-Corn - zone 5
33. Lisa, Domestic Accident, Southern Coastal Maine - zone 5-6
34. Hannah, The Purloined Letter, Takoma Park, Maryland - zone 7
35. Suzan, Scrub Oak, Rocky Mountain southern foothills (6,700 feet) - zone 4
36. The Cheap Vegetable Gardener
37. Onemotherslove, What’s He Up To Now?, North Central Texas - zone 8
38. Red Icculus, Red-Icculus.com - zone 5
39. Jocele, Knitting On Call, Idaho - zone 6-7
40. Matt, Florida - zone 9
41. Sara, Mama Craft, Canada - zone 3a
42. Tyra, Tyra’s Garden & The Greenhouse In Tyra’s Garden, Vaxholm, Sweden - zone 6
43. Inadvertentfarmer, The Inadvertent Farmer, Western Washington - zone 8
44. Lauren
45. Melody, Merrie Melody, Utah - zone 6
46. Melinda, One Green Generation, Seattle, Washington - zone 8
47. Michelle, Alpaca, Chook, Garden, Travel and…., Hobart, Tasmania, Australia - zone 9-10 (Aust. 3)
48. Laurel, Nefaeria, North Bay, Ontario, Canada - zone 4a
49. Mary, Freedom Gardens Journal: Mecar, Crete, Illinois - zone 5
50. Susan, How Green In My Garden, Southern California - zone 8b
51. Mary, Cat’s Fiber Adventures, Oregon - zone 8-9
52. WIlla, Plants And Animals & Yumminess Ensues, S. Central Pennsylvania - zone 6A
53. Jenn, Attempted Simple Life, Osgoode, Ontario, Canada - zone 5a
54. Shibaguyz, Here we go! Life with the Shibaguyz…, Seattle, WA - zone 8
55. Tina, Bee Content Ranch, California
56. Cassandra, The Urban Trowel, Southeastern BC, Canada - zone 5
57. Nico, Self Sufficient Life, North Germany - zone 8
58. Sadge, Firesign Farm, Carson City, Nevada - zone 6
59. Leanne, At The Good Life, New Zealand - zone 9-10 (Aust. 3)
60. Jenny, Studio J
61. Sarah S, Life At The Ranch, Northern California - zone 9
62. Sarah Z, Ward Road Garden, Northern California - zone 9
63. Christy O, Farm Dreams, Georgia - zone 7
64. Jason L, Vegetable Garden Planner
65. Annette, Ward House, Hot Springs, Virginia - zone 6
66. Paige, Clausen In The Hausen & Out In The Garden, Saint Peters, Missouri - zone 5
67. Rhonda, FarmHouse Style, North Georgia Mountains - zone 7b
68. Kelly, Taurus Rising, Adelaide Hills, Australia- zone 9-10 (Aust. 3)
69. Laura, Mas Du Diable, France - zone 9
70. Christina, A Thinking Stomach, Altadena, California - zone 9b
71. Latigoliz, Cowgirl Up, Enumclaw, Washington - zone 8
72. Lisa, Natural Gardening, Upstate South Carolina - zone 8
73. Chris, Chattagarden, Chattanooga, Tennessee - zone 7
74. Mary B, Tampa, Florida - zone 10
75. Kathy, Birmingham, Alabama - zone 7-8
76. Kathy and Skippy, Skippy’s Vegetable Garden - zone 6
77. Katrien, MamaStories, suburb of Boston, Massachusetts - zone 6-7
78. Maggie, Mama What The
79. Christa, Lazy Toad Farm, New Hampshire - zone 4-5
80. Emma, The Berry Patch, Sydney, Australia - zone 10 (Aust. 4)
81. Jenny, Seeded, Toledo, Ohio - zone 6
82. Melissa, Rabbit Hill Farm, rural North Carolina - zone 7-8
83. Jessie Earth Momma, Pacific Northwest - zone 7b
84. Catherine, Love Living Simply, Texas - zone 8
85. Ian, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada - zone 6b
86. Christy, Growing Human, Coastal Virginia - zone 7b
87. Amanda, A Homegrown Life, California - zone 9
88. Robbie, Going Green Mama - zone 5
89. Pamela, Suburbancrunch - zone 6-7
90. Beth, Potager Gardening, Columbus, OH - zone 5
91. Tammy (+ her 6 cherubs!), Simply Beck’s Bounty, SE Tennessee - zone 7
92. Ottawa Gardener, The Veggie Patch Re-Imagined, Ottawa, Canada - zone 5a
93. Laura Chandler
94. Lisa Cohen, Life Is In The Details
95. Darlene, Stover Lane, Kansas - zone 5-6
96. Sherri M, Sherri’s Mad Blabber Blog, Erin, Ontario, Canada - zone 5a
97. Chad M, Minnesota - zone 4
98. Shelby, Eat Local Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM - zone 5-6
99. Linda, Garden Girl, Chicago, Illinois - zone 5b
100. Stacy, Canada - zone 5b
101. Joan, Young Girl, Old Life, Northeastern Missouri - zone 5
102. Kim & Victoria, Living And Gardening In Idaho, Boise, Idaho - zone 5-6
103. Sinclair, Nature With Me, Oregon - zone 7
104. Jenette, Sacramento, CA - zone 9b
105. Jennifer, Jen & The Bean Stalk, North Idaho - zone 4-5
106. Laurie and Tim, Golden Gaits Garden, Colorado - zone 5b-6
107. Phoebe, Cents To Get Debt Free, Southern Missouri - zone 5-6
     
108. Megan, Raised On Sunshine, Dallas, TX - zone 8a
109. Crunchy Chicken, Seattle, WA - zone 8
110. Jenn, Jenn’s Coop, central valley, CA - zone 10
111. Veriance, Michigan - zone 5
112. Sande, Sow This, Sew That, Southeastern Michigan - zone 5
113. Jenn, Newlyweds!, Texas - zone 9
114. Carri, Home Of The Petersonclan, South Central Kentucky - zone 6
115. Amber, Cloud9 Design, Texas - zone 9
     
116. Jo, Little House By The Railway Line, England - zone 8
117. Andrea, Colorado - zone 5-6
118. Kendra, A Sonoma Garden - zone 9
119. Stuff, Proactive Bridesmaid - zone 7
     
120. LiBBy BuTTons, US - zone 6
121. Healing Green, Gaylordsville, Connecticut - zone 6
122. Carpe Diem, British Columbia, Canada - zone 3
123. Trish, The Promised Land - zone 8-9
124. Diana, Backyard & Community Gardening, Northern Colorado - zone 4-5
125. Tricia, Little Eco Footprints, Australia - zone 9-10 (Aust. 3)
     
126. Juliette, Abielle A Miel, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA - zone 8-9
127. Ciera, Ciera’s Garden, Pittsburg, PA - zone 6a
128. Kara, Garden of Eatin’, Canada - zone 4
129. Vickie, In The Acorn, Winnetka, CA - zone 9
     
130. Paula, Buckets Of Gardening Ideas, Idaho - zone 4-5
131. Jennifer, Seeds In The City, Bay Area, CA – zone 9-10
132. Anne-Marie, Cheeseslave, Los Angeles, CA - zone 10-11
133. Shea, The Lion And The Little Red Birds, Australia - zone 4
134. Vermontmommy, McKinney, Texas - zone 8
135. Christina, Closer To Fine, Bay Area, CA - zone 9-10
136. Transition Housewife, Suffolk, UK - zone 8
137. Lori, Life In Webster Groves, St. Louis, MO - zone 6a
138. Nature Deva, Colorado - zone 5-6
139. Bettina, Unterm Walnussbaum, Alsheim, Germany - zone 7
140. Kelly, Simply Dawson, Columbia, SC - zone 8
141. Berryvine Farm, NE Georgia - zone 7b-8
142. Plant Lady, Trillium Grove Farm, Southern Ontario, Canada - zone 5b
143. Saara, Garden Journal, North Cascades, WA - zone 6b
144. Melissa, Melissa’s Ramblings, Kansas - zone 6
145. Cheap Like Me, Denver, CO - zone 6
146. Maybelline, Maybelline’s Garden, Bakersfield, CA - zone 9
147. Heather, Heather’s Homemaking, Massachusetts - zone 5-6
148. Aimee, Project GROrganic, Ohio - zone 6a
149. The Cottage Comtesse, River Rock Cottage, California mountains - zone 3
150. Rodney, Rodney Harrington’s Blog, Warren, OH - zone 5
     
151. Xan, Mahlzeit, Chicago, IL - zone 5
152. Jude S, Greenhouse (Jude, where are you gardening, and in what zone?)
     

I’ve added everyone’s name, blog, location, and hardiness zone. Please check your info to make sure I have it right as I had to guess on some of them.  And if I’ve left you off, be sure to tell me.  And again, The Original Growing Challenge participants are all listed here.

Chat Away!

Tags: From Seed To Seed, Gardening, The Growing Challenge

For those of us in the US, July 4th can be incredibly festive:  parties, music, and fireworks throughout the neighborhood.  Some animals, no matter how tempered they normally are, can become frightened from the sounds and activity, combined with the loneliness.

Over the years, I have rescued several dogs who were scared out of their minds and running aimlessly through the neighborhoods on July 4th.  Fortunately each time, I was able to connect the pooches with their families within a couple of days.  The stories varied:  from families who were out of town and someone was house sitting (“they just flew by me when I walked into the house”), to families who’d left their dog in the yard only to find they’d dug a hole under the fence (“he’s been left in the yard for years and never dug a hole once”), to families who were just gone for a few moments and the dog jumped out of a window - or in one case, the dog jumped through a closed window.

Another family was afraid to leave their dog at home, so they took it with them to the fireworks display.  It took only seconds for the dog to chew through it’s leash and tear away through the crowd.  They think it had tried to run home (which was 4 miles away).

Cats can get scared, too.  As can horses, chickens, and any other animals.  Whether you live in the US or in another part of the world, large festivities can be hard on all pets. So please be careful and think through ways to calm your pets and make them safe.

I don’t mean to scare anyone, I just want to help protect you and your animals.  Our pets are a part of our family, as I think they are for most of us here - and for us, family safety and well-being are important aspects of living sustainably. 

The Humane Society suggests several ways to help keep your pets safe:

1. Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays.




2. Do not leave your pet in the car. With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects—even death—in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air, but they do provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen.




3. Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you’ve removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you’re attending Fourth of July picnics, parades, and other celebrations.  [Also makes sure to close the windows and lower the blinds.  You may even consider putting your pet in his or her crate, if it's something that makes them feel safe.]
   




4. If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.




5. Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn’t leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.




6. Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners. [Also consider getting your pet microchipped, in case the tag or collar falls off.]
   




7. If you plan to go away for the holiday weekend, please read Caring for Pets When You Travel.

And then, enjoy your holiday!!

The above photo is Matt and I with Grace in 2005 - Grace lived a happy and full life of 16 years.

Tags: Pets, Sustainable Living

“Why No Recipe Postings Lately?”

Ah, this is a question I’ve been asked several times in the last few weeks. The tasty soups, the yummy squash recipes, the pancrack… they were popular posts! Why have the recipes been lagging?

It boils down to my living a more active, busy lifestyle. The truth is: I have not had much time to experiment in the kitchen. In fact, I have not had much time to make much of anything!

There was a while there where I even fell off the wagon, and ate out several days a week. I admit it: when I work ten to twelve hours a day, sometimes I just don’t have the energy to cook. And I’ll admit also that I ate out for lunch several times a week. Gasp! Generally I ate sustainably-sourced foods, but still - not so sustainable for the bank account, nor my figure.

Now I am coming back into equilibrium. I’ve come to terms with my new lifestyle, and I’m finding ways to reconcile it with my own beliefs of simplicity and sustainability.  Several readers have expressed similar needs to live sustainably while living actively as well, so I’ve compiled some of my favorite quick and easy local meals.

5 Quick Lunches

1. Grill some veggies the night before, and then boil some pasta or rice while you’re eating breakfast in the morning. Then throw it in a reusable container, and you’re off.

2.  Quick salad. Rip up some lettuce and/or mixed greens into a reusable container, pour in several beans (I like garbanzos or favas), add some seasonal raw veggies (carrots, tomatoes, snow peas, etc), and top with a quickly made salad dressing. You can bring a couple slices of whole wheat bread for some added protein and grains if you like. For the dressing, I make it with 2-3 parts olive oil, 2/3 parts balsamic vinegar, 1/3 parts lemon juice, and a bit of salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can add a mustard instead of the lemon juice, or soy sauce instead of the vinegar.

3.  Eggs, salsa, and veggies with corn tortillas. This is one of my favorites. I scramble some eggs with zucchini, asparagus, onions, or greens. Then put them in a reusable container with a dollop of salsa on top, and some fresh cilantro if I have it. Then wrap up some tortillas that I can quickly throw in the microwave later at work. Viola, yummy tacos. You can also substitute beans for the eggs, and tortilla chips for the tortillas if you like.

4.  Raw fruits and veggies, with some cheese or meat. Now is the perfect season to cut up (or throw in whole) some raw veggies and fruit. Slice a bit of cheese or meat for protein, and you have a wonderfully balanced and tasty meal.

5.  Pasta with red sauce and grated parmesan cheese. You can make the sauce in large batches and freeze it. You can make extra sauce the night before. Or you can do what we often do, which is to buy locally-made sauce. Then boil the pasta while you’re eating breakfast in the morning, throw it in a reusable container, top it with cold sauce (you’re going to refrigerate it until lunch time anyway), grate a bit of cheese on top, and you’re off.

5 Quick Dinners

Aside from the same five meals above, which are equally good as dinners, here are some of my favorites:

1.  Sauteed veggies with whole wheat pasta. Boil the pasta as you saute the veggies (our favorites are asparagus and onions, or beans and garlic). Preserve a cup (or two if you’re making it for 4 people) of the pasta water before you strain the pasta. Then add the pasta water to the veggies, add extra salt and pepper to taste, and mix with the pasta. This gives it a nice pasta sauce flavor without having to make a sauce too. When tomatoes are in season, you can saute tomatoes, basil, and garlic for a quick sauce.

2.  Grilled sandwiches. Roast veggies using this easy recipe, but slice them length-wise and fairly thinly. Roasted vegetables will keep for several days in the fridge. When you’re in need of a quick dinner, pull them out, put them on top of sliced whole wheat bread (you can spread the bread with mustard, mayo, pesto, or tomato sauce), top them with some mozzarella or other local cheese, and stick in the toaster oven for several minutes (on 400F or so) until the veggies are warm and the cheese is melted. Yum!

3.  Raviolis. We buy locally-made raviolis, usually filled with squash or mushrooms. While the raviolis are boiling, saute some mushrooms, garlic, and sage. When you strain the raviolis, reserve a bit of the pasta water and stir it into the mushrooms. Then mix the ingredients together and top with a bit of parmesan cheese. When tomato season starts, we saute tomatoes and basil with it. We usually eat raviolis with a simple salad (see #2 under lunches).

4.  Grilled vegetables with couscous. Roasting takes VERY little time, but you do have to put the veggies in the oven about an hour ahead of meal time - that is the only catch. Roast the veggies using this easy recipe adding some thyme or other fresh spices if you have them, and five minutes before they’re done, make a pot of couscous (follow the recipe on the package or bulk bin). Fluff the couscous, mix the veggies in, and voila.

5.  Fresh Mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and fresh bread. YUM. You can make your own mozzarella, but we usually buy locally-made mozzarella (from the farmer’s market, local deli, or spud.com). You can drizzle it with a bit of olive oil if you like. This only works when tomatoes and basil are fresh and in season, either from the garden or from the market.

All of these quick meals can be made easily with local, seasonal ingredients. Enjoy!

In addition to these homecooked meals, we often eat simple pre-made foods from local companies that source their ingredients locally and/or organically. Our favorites include frozen pizza, red pepper and tomato soup, and hummus and pita bread. Check around your local grocery store or market - you may be surprised at how easy it is to find quick pre-made meals from local, sustainable companies.

What Else Would You Add?

Tags: Buy Sustainably, Local Living, Locavore, Simple Living

I’m back!  Thank you for your patience.  This morning I was reading through many of the comments here, and a comment by Charlene got me thinking.  She wrote “I try to rack my memory banks to remember how we lived before plastic and change my ways.”  And that got me thinking:  how far have we each come in one year?  Five years?  Ten?

Where Was I One Year Ago?

We have a record of that with this blog, which I started almost exactly a year ago.  So I won’t go into that…

Where Was I Five Years Ago?

Wow.  I was living in LA, working in the film industry and going to school.  I was eating Subway sandwiches and take-out pasta on a regular basis, as fuel for my late-night film editing sessions.  I was using mostly “green” products, because that’s something I’d been working on for a while.  I was using an awful lot of water on long showers, I was not very aware of my electric use – some of my bulbs were CFLs, but not all of them, and I believe I even left my computer running on a regular basis (!).  I drove to work every day.  I was aware of the problems of climate change, but I didn’t think about it often.  It worried me, but it seemed like a distant idea.

I hadn’t heard of a CSA, nor shopped at a farmer’s market.  I hadn’t started cooking at home much, nor making homemade cleaning solutions.  I had a few herb pots and lots of indoor plants, but otherwise hadn’t grown a food garden since I was a kid.  I hadn’t taken the bus in 6 years (since moving to Los Angeles).  Eating and living locally were not things I thought about at all.

Pretty incredible, isn’t it?

Where Was I Ten Years Ago?

Now it gets interesting.  I was still in Los Angeles.  I was working as an Art Director on film and television projects.  My job was to create sets out of nothing.  Every day I created new sets that I filled with stuff that I (and my team) found by driving around the city, renting from different rental houses, but largely BUYING NEW THINGS.  From big pieces of furniture, down to the paper and pencils on each desk of an office set.  My job was to design spaces, build them quickly (often from the ground up, without any “green” materials), fill them with disposable things, and tear them all down.  Sure, we kept several of the items to use again (which I kept in a large storage locker), but for the most part, we threw stuff away or gave it away.  And I mean STUFF.

I put thousands of miles on my car each month.  I managed a whole Art Department crew of people who did the same.  I took cheap, plentiful gas for granted.  My goal was to create projects that made the world a better place, but I wasn’t there yet.  I was still learning, and hoping.

I recycled at home, as I have since I learned about recycling (about 25 years ago).  But the amount of thrown away stuff at work each day filled dumpsters, as is the culture of the film and television industry. 

I ate out for lunch every day, and often for dinner, too.  Lunches were often fast food, eaten in the car on the run.  (My car was a pigsty!) 

I still used fairly natural cleaning products, but mostly because my skin is very sensitive to most cleansers.  I certainly cared about the environment, but didn’t think about it very often.

No garden, virtually no local or seasonal food (unless it was by accident or because it was tastier), no walking or busing, no conscientious water and utility use… my lifestyle was virtually unrecognizable from the way it is today.

I have come a long way.  A very long way.  How about you?

Tags: Local Living, Redefining Normal, Simple Living, Sustainable Living

I’m back home now, having had a wonderful, relaxing vacation.  At the moment I’m playing a bit of catch-up, so I’ll be back writing soon.  For those of you who spent some time Conversing while I was gone, THANK YOU.  Please continue to ask questions, voice thoughts, and so on until I get back – I’m learning, too!

Hi everyone.  Matt and I are going away for a few days for a much-needed vacation.  We’re visiting a college friend who is getting married, and then will spend some time just relaxing.  I’m looking forward to it very much. It will only be for a few days but I’m looking forward to it. We realized we have not really been on a vacation since our honeymoon 3 years ago!  That’s me in Mexico City 3 years ago, the last day I had a vacation:

So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to start a conversation.  We discussed a bit about an open forum.  Eventually I will see about starting a “real” forum, but for now, let’s use what we have.  I think it would be fun to open up this post to asking one another questions we have been pondering, to sharing ideas, to blabbing about whatever strikes our fancy.  We’re all knowledgeable in different ways, so let’s share our knowledge.

What has been driving you bonkers, something you just can’t find a good simple solution to?  Questions about why your garden plants are wilting?  Updates about what you’ve been doing in your community?  Don’t be shy now, we’re all learning together!  Ask and chat away!

Of course, as always, do be nice and respectful please. 

And PS, I will be very sad if I come back on Tuesday to no juicy discussions here.  So please join the conversation!  Come -

Converse!

Tags: Community-building, Forum

I have lived in the north, south, east, and west – and ants find you know matter where you live!  I have tried all sorts of different organic sprays and urban legend tinctures.  Most things work a little bit and then the ants come back.

So how do you get rid of ants?  Here’s what I’ve found that works best:

In The Home

First off, you have to trace your ant trail as far as you can trace it.  That means across the windowsill or the floor, through the window or door, and outside.  If they are coming through a crack in the wall or ceiling, you may not be able to do this, but at least follow it to the crack.  If they’re coming through a wall, you may be able to go around to the outside of your house and find where they’re coming in.

Then you’ll need to get rid of the trail.  If you only kill the ants you see, more ants will return in their place, following an ant trail established by scent.  The best way I have found to get rid of the ant trail is to spray it with orange oil cleaner (which you can find in any health food store - try to find one that isn’t dyed orange, and is a natural color).  I spray the entire trail inside with a hefty dose of orange oil cleaner, and leave it there for several minutes.  Then I wipe it clean, go outside, and do the same.

After I’ve gotten rid of the trail, I spray the orange oil cleaner into the entry point on the outside of the house (if I can find it).  That means every crack, crevice, window, or doorway where they are coming in.  Don’t wipe the spray clean - just leave it.

In a pinch, you can also use straight vinegar in a spray bottle.  In my experience this does not last as long - the ants find their way back a day or two later.  But if you need to take immediate action, this will help.  You can also combine it with shaking some ground cinnamon into the corner or crevice where the ants are coming into the house.  It may look a little weird, but the ants will not cross the cinnamon.  Baking soda can work as well, though again, not as well as the orange oil.

In The Garden

In the garden, I leave ants alone because they help break down the nutrients for plants - they’re a natural part of the garden ecosystem.  However, if you have a serious infestation (sometimes ants will bring in aphids), or if you want to get rid of fire ants, you can deter them.  Try scattering ground cinnamon, wood ash, and/or diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your beds.

Anyone else have any organic ant deterrent tricks?

This post was inspired by a comment from Charlene - thanks for asking, Charlene!

Tags: I'm Green Inside, Organic Gardening 101, Simple Living