Flat Tire Basket

A couple of months ago, I received an invitation from Mr. Brown Thumb to participate in a garden-product review. Mr. Brown Thumb coordinated the schedule so that everyone who participated has a specific date to post about the product. Today is my day to share with you so here it is:

Flat Tire Decor makes baskets, pots, entry mats and shoes--all from recycled tires! They sent me their Newport basket, which has a 12 inch opening at the top, an 8 inch base, and is 8 inches high.  It has a set of handles that makes it easy to carry. It's a really cool, practical and great looking basket!

What's really awesome about these products, in addition to the fact that they're environmentally friendly (made from flat tires), is that they're assembled by persons with disabilities. Working in conjunction with a company called Curative Industrial Services, valuable training and work experience is offered to persons with disabilities and/or limiting conditions. It's a win-win for everyone.

There could be so many uses for this basket. I like it with a plant placed in it, but I've also used it to store and hold my garden tools, conveniently carrying them from the front of the house to the back.

I'm working on other uses for the basket. The company suggests it can hold toys, firewood, magazines/newspapers, and even fruit. While our little Weenie Dog could fit inside, she wasn't all that keen in doing so!  You can get a good idea of the size of this basket from this photo, though;-) It's roomy!

Visit Mr. Brown Thumb's blog, Garden Bloggers, to read the other reviews about this product. Visit the Flat Tire Decor to see more of their products or to order.

*This product was sent to me at no charge with the intention of giving a review on my garden blog. There was no requirement to be positive; I just really happen to like it. One last note: It should not be planted directly with edible plants--unless they are placed in a separate pot--as rubber is not food-safe.

Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/

Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.

For all the Drinking, Fungus-ridden, Nude Idiot's Out There

This will be my final post about garden products being offered in my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/Giveaway, as the project end tomorrow, April 15th, at midnight. I have been writing separate posts featuring the donations that were offered not only for the giveaway, but were also sent to me free of charge, to try and use for myself. All of the sponsors of this Earth Day project have been fabulous and I have linked to every one of their websites on the original project blog post...but I have also written additional posts for those who've sent me an extra trial product.  If you'd like to read them, here are the links: What is Manure Tea?,  Seeds Need a Seed Keeper--and You!,  What's in the Box? A Compost Mixer!,   Not Your Grandmother's Rain Barrel, and  Gloves and Tools: Every Gardener Needs Them!

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Composting retails for $14.95

For my final installment of 'what's offered in the giveaway' I'll start with Chris McLaughlin's book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Composting.  Whether you are a first-time composter or have been doing it for a long time, Chris's book is a must read!  She makes everything clear and questions you might have are easy to find within the chapters and the index. Chris reminds us that nothing ever needs to go to waste--and she shows us how easy it is to keep the earth beneath us alive--and just why that is so important!  I mainly just want everyone reading to know that Chris is awesome. Chris was so nice, in fact, that she actually sent me two of her books, to include The Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables. I am a complete idiot in both regards, so both books are going to be a valued resources.

Gardening Nude retails for $18.95

The same can be said of Shawna Coronado, author of Gardening Nude. Shawna is such an inspiration.  Her book cover is catchy and often people don't realize what it's about until they read the print underneath her photo:  "A Common Sense Guide to Improving Your Health and Lifestyle By Increasing Exposure to Nature, Cultivating a Green Mindset, and Building a Strong Community". There's nothing naughty or clothes-free within these pages, so expect only pure, heartfelt sentiments from Shawna;-) Shawna shares how she made a lifestyle change from a stressful job to following her dreams to start a landscaping business and in the process, how her health significantly improved because of the changes she made.  Shawna's philosophy encompasses three main areas: her 'Go Green Health Plan', her 'Simple Conservation Plan', and her 'Building Community Plan'. In her book, she shares her secrets of how to incorporate all three of these areas into your life to help shape you in ways you might not have imagined!   Her 'Get Your Green On Healthy Philosophy' is a treasure trove for tips on getting and staying healthy and enriching your life in every aspect.

A jar of Green Cure fungicide with spray bottle retails for $22.95 at GardenShoesOnline

Although I have not had a chance yet to actually use my Green Cure fungicide, I want to take this moment to share it here. Last year, GardenShoesOnline donated this product to my giveaway and was generous again in sharing it this year. I'll admit, I don't want to have a garden situation where I really need it--but most of us have those times in the garden when we have to combat one disease or another. Using organic, chemical-free products is important to me, and that's why I'm looking forward to using Green Cure when the time comes.  Now for a note about GardenShoesOnline. I love their boots and shoes. I have purchased several pair and need to reign myself in when looking because they are all just too cute! You will see what I mean when you visit GardenShoesOnline, as the selection is outstanding;-)

A stainless steel water bottle from Hip Mountain Mama retails at $7.99

Finally, what would a nude, fungus-ridden, idiot-gardener do without a drink?! You have to sip your water from this cool, stainless steel, reusable water bottle from Hip Mountain Mama! I have been taking my bottle with me everywhere and love the handy hook that can be easily attached to your belt, purse or even dog leash! Hip Mountain Mama is a really interesting website with all sorts of eco-friendly, natural and hand-made products...so I hope you'll check it out!

Many thanks to the above people and companies for their donations. For a chance to win any of these great garden products, leave a comment on my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/Giveaway post no later than midnight, April 15th. There you will also find out how to be eligible to win the other 18 gifts! Good luck:-)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ *Have you stopped over to participate in the Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project? It will be 'open' until April 15th so you have plenty of time. I am giving away over 20 garden gifts including a Rain Barrel and a Composter. Be sure to check it out!

Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/

Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.

Gloves and Tools: Every Gardener Needs Them!

Where would a gardener be without gloves and tools? There are, of course, hundreds of brands and varieties on the market to choose from, but I want to highlight a few that I think you will like. Plus, you have the opportunity to win one of these...so read on!

A few months ago, West County Gardener sent me a pair of their Landscape Gloves to trial. I waited until I could really get outside and do some work so I could test them out in various capacities before writing about them here.

After using them to plant and weed, carry rock and stone, mulch and compost, they got as wet and dirty and abused as I could get them in the short amount of time I had before writing about them.

(But they sure did clean up well in the wash)!

The Landscape Glove is described on the West County Gardener website as 'rugged, durable and heavy-duty' and listed as their most expensive glove, because it has 'more of everything'.

Partially made from recycled water bottles, they say it is their most 'high-tech' glove:

"Reinforced with coated Kevlar®, it stands up to abrasive stone, trees, and pavers. Each state-of-the-art synthetic material is optimally placed for maximum comfort, fit, and performance. A dense padded   palm adds impact protection from power tools. The palm and finger pads are reinforced with tacky Sure-Grip® for better grip and extended wear. Compressed neoprene knuckle guard ensures flexibility and protection from bangs and cuts. For pruning, we've wrapped the index finger with a protective layer of synthetic suede. If your work calls for heavy hauling, moving, or pruning, this is the glove for you. Like all West County gloves, the Landscape is machine washable."

Made to fit every hand, sizes range from XS, Sm, Med, L, XL to XXL for men and women in the 3 colors shown below (Stem, Brick or Charcoal).

The West County Gardener Landscape Glove retails for $27.95

West County Gardener is donating a pair of their Landscape Gloves for my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/Giveaway in the winner's choice of size and color!

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The Kombi company is a family owned and operated business that stands behind their products. I learned this first-hand when the tool they sent to me to trial came head-to-head with an unfortunate mishap. My helpful hubby was removing a dead shrub and hit a hard root, causing the tip of the shovel to break off.  He had commented about how smoothly the shovel slices through our hard clay.

The Original Kombi line retails for $32

I contacted the Kombi company and they said they guarantee all of their products for 1 year, and have sent me a replacement free of charge! I even offered to pay and they insisted, so...how can you not love a company like that?!  It was explained to me that occasionally, a shovel will break under stress. While this is not a frequent occurance, apparently it does happen. So my advice is to be careful when using the Kombi 'Original' tool around rocks or hard roots. The replacement they are sending me is the Kombi 'Pro', which is wider, specifically designed for landscapers, and probably less likely to break. Surprisingly, both the 'Original' and the 'Pro' sell for the same price, $32.  Kombi is donating one of their tools for my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/Giveaway!

The Kombi Pro-series retails for $32

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The CobraHead company is another family-owned and operated business. Their CobraHead hand weeder/cultivator is known as 'the steel fingernail'. I've been using the one they sent me to remove unwanted weeds from my yard and, just like they claim, it feels as if it becomes an extension of your hand!

This hand tool is lightweight--just 9.2 oz. and 13 in. long--and a breeze to use.  Environmentally friendly, too--with the handle made of recycled plastics and wood with a tempered steel blade for strength.  CobraHead shares all the ways this tool is useful in the garden:

• It weeds, cultivates, scalps, edges, digs, furrows, plants, transplants, de-thatches, and harvests with ease.
• The CobraHead^® out-weeds and out-digs all similar tools.
• The time proven blade design breaks up and plows almost any soil.
• The comfortable and efficient handle allows easy left-hand or right-hand action.
• Free shipping to everywhere in the United States and Canada!

Add to this their policy of "100% satisfaction guaranteed" and this is a true winner of a product.  Watch some of their videos to see this cool tool in action!  Cobrahead is donating a Short-Handled Weeder/Cultivator for my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/Giveaway!

The CobraHead short-handled weeder retails for $24.95

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Another great tool company is Corona. They make a wide variety of products for the lawn and garden, landscape, irrigation, construction and agriculture markets.  I haven't yet received the Classic Corona bypass Pruner with scabbard that Corona is sending me to try out, but if it works as nicely as the other Corona hand and garden tools I own, I know I'm going to love it.

I already own the extendable-handle trowel, the e-grip hoe/cultivator, and the e-grip weeder. They guarantee their tools for the life of the product and I have found them to be reasonably priced. Corona is donating to my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/Giveaway a Garden Tote with Hand Tool Collection and Snips (pictured below). I think someone is going to be very happy;-)

Garden Tote with Hand-Tool Collection and Snips retails for $57

If you leave a comment on my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/GiveAway, stating something you do that is eco-friendly, you will be eligible to win one of these excellent garden products (along with many others listed there as well). Many thanks to West County Gardener, Kombi, CobraHead and Corona for allowing me to try these for myself and for sharing a product with one of you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ *Have you stopped over to participate in the Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project? It will be 'open' until April 15th so you have plenty of time. I am giving away over 20 garden gifts including a Rain Barrel and a Composter. Be sure to check it out!

Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/

Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.

"Not Your Grandmother's Rain Barrel"

A rain barrel is a good thing--and you don't NEED one from Fiskars to collect rain and save water...but why wouldn't you WANT one if you could get one for free?!

Here is what garden-guru Joe Lamp'l has to say about the Rain Barrel that Fiskars is giving away in my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/GiveAway:  It's "Not your grandmother's rain barrel"!  (Follow the previous link to see Joe in a video describing the Fiskar's Rain Barrel).

The Fiskars rain barrel retails for $98 at Home Depot

Fiskar's sent me a 58 gallon rain barrel to try for myself. I just love it!

There is very little work involved in getting it attached to your gutter. My helpful hubby simply cut the gutter and installed the attachments.  There is a diverter to prevent the water from over flowing once the barrel is full. Easy as pie to hook up.

Features include (from the Fiskars website):

Features

• Ideal for capturing rainwater for garden and lawn watering needs, lowering your watering bills
• Barrel and cover made of recyclable, UV-treated, impact-resistant polyethylene to withstand the elements
• Spigot position provides clearance for filling watering cans
• Threaded spigot design offers easy garden hose connection
• Flat-back design fits snug to house
• Rainwater diverter fits standard 2" x 3" and 3" x 4" downspouts and channels overflow away from your home to protect your foundation
• System includes rain barrel, snap-on cover, threaded spigot, rainwater diverter and detailed installation guide
• Rain barrel made in USA
• 58-gallon capacity
• Dimensions: 40"H x 23.25"W x 25.6"D
• Weight: 18.95 lbs.
• Limited three-year warranty

It's easy on the eyes and would fit right in with any garden decor. We've located it close to the veggie containers (my potager) so I can just fill a watering can right there. The veggies are going to love the natural rain water.

I'm thrilled to be a new owner AND to be giving one away to a lucky blogger. All you need to do is link a blog post that discusses your earth-friendly practices. Please visit my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/Giveaway by April 15th for the complete directions. It's definitely worth your time and effort. Thanks to Fiskar's for being so generous by sending one to me and sharing one with one of my readers:-)

Good luck!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ *Have you stopped over to participate in the Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project? It will be 'open' until April 15th so you have plenty of time. I am giving away over 20 garden gifts including a Rain Barrel and a Composter. Be sure to check it out!

Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/

Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.

What's in the Box? A Compost Mixer!

The Keter Dynamic Composter retails for $98 at Home Depot

One of the (2) 'grand prizes' in my Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project/GiveAway is the Dynamic Composter, by the Keter company. When I received my tumbler to trial for Keter, I was quite excited...especially because it's my first composter ever.  Because it arrived unassembled, I was glad I had a volunteer.

Helpful hubby, of course!

Putting this composter together was not difficult, but it did require reading the directions--as there were quite a few parts.

Other than two hands for assembly, all that was required was a screwdriver to attach a few screws.

Attaching the center piece...

All done. It took my hubby about 30 minutes from start to finish. Not bad! One person could easily put this together without any additional help.

On the Keter website, there is a short video you can watch as well as some features that I will accent here so you don't miss them:

Innovative gear allows effortless tumbling even with a full load

Extra large mixing fins for faster decomposition

Controlled ventilation improves composting

Positive locking latch secures door closed

Take a look at the photo below. What's the composter on the right?!  Well, that was the other one that Keter sent to me to trial...and they were going to give one of those away, too. It's called the E-Composter.  I just did not think it was sturdy and couldn't recommend it. In fact, we put it right back in the box and I contacted Keter to tell them I didn't want to include it in the giveaway.

HOWEVER, I happen to have the box in my garage and would be willing to ship it out to anyone who is willing to pay the cost of mailing. If you are interested, please tell me in a comment here. If there are enough people who want to pay for shipping I'll choose someone directly from this post. Otherwise, I'll probably list it on 'Free Cycle' for someone to come get. (NOTE: I am shipping the composter to MeemsNYC since she was the first to comment. Thanks for your interest.) I mention it here for 2 reasons: One, just because I don't need it or want to use it doesn't mean someone else won't. Two, Keter is a generous company and I have had nothing but positive exchanges with them. They are open to feedback. I read some reviews on the Home Depot website and it appears that Keter stands behind their products--accepting returns, sending replacement products and parts, etc.--when customers are not satisfied.

I'm very happy with the Keter Dynamic Composter. We've been using it for about a month and find it to be solid and easy to turn. I love having it close to the back door where I can just walk out and add kitchen scraps and give it a turn every day.  As the months go on, I will post about the black gold when it develops.

I think you'll be happy with the Dynamic Composter offered in my Give Away. Go on over there now to enter!  All of the Keter products are made from 90% recycled content. Thanks to Keter for allowing me to try one out for myself and to offer one for some very lucky blogger!  Could that be you?!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ *Have you stopped over to participate in the Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project? It will be 'open' until April 15th so you have plenty of time. I am giving away over 20 garden gifts including a Rain Barrel and a Composter. Be sure to check it out!

Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/

Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.