Worm Factory 360 [Giveaway]

Are you looking for a perfect gift for your green friends? Have you always wanted to get into composting? A Worm Factory is a great option for composting outdoors or indoors year round! Enter below for a chance to win a composting worm bin system.

Hosted by: The Cheshire Cat's Looking Glass

Co-hosted by: Michigan Savings and More & Tales From A Southern Mom

Sponsored by: Earth Easy

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Garden: Tomatoes DO Grow Under Black Walnut Trees

Last year, we have been blessed with volunteer sprouts from the compost. After watching them every day to see what they would grow into, touching the plants helped me to identify that infamous tomato plant smell on my hands. I had never planted tomatoes in the garden area because it was located close to a Black Walnut Tree and that was a no-no in the garden world. Black walnut trees secrete a chemical that is toxic to tomatoes, so they either grow just a little or do not grow at all. But here in our little garden oasis, we had 10-15 tomato sprouts! Right under a black walnut tree!

This year, we were blessed with even more tomato sprouts! I counted 15-20+ tomato plants just in the garden. Plus, my husband spread compost in some areas of the yard and the tomatoes were growing there also!

While this might not come as a surprise to most seasoned gardeners, I find the little tomato sprouts a huge blessing every year. In the early summer months, I check every morning for little tomato sprouts. I am always amazed where they grow. I have transplanted them into the garden and thinned out a grouping of 10 plants to spread throughout the garden.

The tomatoes have grown very well in the garden cage, underneath the black walnut tree. They have even grown better than the tomatoes in the container garden in front of the house. Some say it is all about the soil. Other says it is about the location. I say, it is about little blessings! One gardener grows some things well and another gardener grows other things well. That is what it is all about! We grow what we grow well and we share.
 

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GearBest Solar Light [Giveaway]

Because of their vision to become the premier online electronics seller by providing an unparalleled selection of the very best gadgets, an unbeatable shopping experience, prompt shipping and exceptional customer service GearBest provides some of my favorite products that I have in my life. I have come to expect quality, service, and the most up to date options from each and everyone of their products that I receive.

One of their newest products the PLAYBULB garden is a smart RGB color LED solar garden light with built-in sensor that detects the lighting condition and automatically turns on or off. Take it where ever you go and with the PLAYBULB X free App, you can change the lighting mood of your environment at the tap of a finger. Visit their website to learn more about their creative lighting line.

Add shining color and special lighting effects to your home garden!

How would you like to win one of these awesome lights? You can! GearBest has offered one lucky reader the opportunity to win one! Just fill out the entry form below for your chance to win. Remember the more entries you complete to more chances you have to win.

Welcome To The
GearBest Intelligent Solar
Garden Light Giveaway


Hosted By
PaulaMS' Giveaways, Reviews, & Freebies

Co-Hosted By
Michigan Saving and More
Joyful Gifts By Julie


Sponsored By
GearBest

Dates: August 15, 2015 at 12:01 am EST through September 13, 2015 at 11:59 pm EST

Prize:  Playbulb MIPOW BTL400 Intelligent Solar Garden Light

I would like to give a big Thank You to all the blogs
participating in this giveaway!

By following us on our social networks and by email we are able to get the best giveaways together on the internet! Please take a minute to “like” us on Facebook! Thank you!

Chances of winning depend on entries received.
Open to US residents 18 years and older
Winning entry will be verified

GOOD LUCK!

GearBest Intelligent Solar Garden Light Giveaway
Disclaimer: PaulaMS' Giveaways, Reviews, and Freebies nor any blog promoting this giveaway, is not responsible for the awarding of the prize. Sponsors are responsible for prize fulfillment. Any Questions about this giveaway? Email Paula At paula_stewart (at) ymail (dot) com. Disclosure of Material Connection: PaulaMS' blog was compensated for writing this post. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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FREE Blogger Opp: GearBest Solar Garden Light Giveaway

Solar lights are becoming more popular due to the fact that you just need sun! No batteries and no outlets. There are so many options for illuminating the home and the yard. Enter below to win a GearBest Intelligent Solar Garden Light.


Welcome To The
GearBest Intelligent Solar
Garden Light Giveaway

Sign Ups

Hosted By
PaulaMS' Giveaways, Reviews, & Freebies

Co-Hosted By
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Sponsored By
GearBest
Dates: August 15, 2015 at 12:01 am EST to September 13, 2015 at 11:59 pm EST

Prize: Playbulb MIPOW BTL400 Intelligent Solar Garden Light

The Hashtag for this giveaway will be #GearBest

2 FREE LINKS

1 FREE Link with Announcement and 1 FREE Link for Posting the Giveaway no later than August 16th at 9 AM

You can choose Any Two Social Media Accounts*

Co-Host spots are available for $7
Included is a co-host page with any 5 links of your choice* in addition to the 2 free for a total of 7 plus a link back to your blog.

Paid Options: Any Additional links from the Free Link Options Above, Daily Votes, Page Visits, Retweets, Instagram Picture Likes, Newsletter Subscription, Blog or Facebook Comments, anything within reason are $1.50 each.

Secret Word Pages Available for $3 (I provide the HTML) or $2 (You Create)

*Anything you like as long as it meets user terms of service (ie no mandatory Facebook likes allowed)

Please send Paypal payment to paula_stewart@ymail.com

Put GearBest in the comments

*Facebook will be visit only no mandatory follow

Get Announcement HTML HERE

Sign Up on the Form Below or HERE

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LED Grow Light for Plants [Review]

Growing plants is a science and art. Since we have gone away from gardening and farming as our primary jobs, we have lost a lot of working knowledge. Climates have changed. Weather patterns have changed. And, the soil has changed. You cannot just put seeds in the ground and have them grow. In our growing zone, starting seeds indoors (winter sowing) is recommended. An LED Grow Light is a great gardening accessory for seed starting, germination, cloning, growing herbs and growing leafy vegetables year round. Red and blue wave lengths create a soft purple glow to help seeds and plants grow.

GrowHobby LED Grow Light     
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Solid metal construction	Requires a bulb socket
Effective at helping seeds germinate and plants grow
Energy-efficient (uses 12 watts)
Does not require replacement bulbs

GrowHobby LED Grow Light is basically a big light bulb with small LED lights made from German imported osram chipsets. The body is made from solid (thick) oxidized aluminum casing. The casing design looks a lot like a fan blade on a jet engine and allows for better heat distribution so that the plants do not get burned and you do not have to use heat sinks or fans. The construction of the LED Grow Light is solid and high quality. My husband, who is a Mechanical Engineer, appreciated the high quality design.

The Grow Light is very energy-efficient, requiring only 12 watts to use with an 800 lumens output. The Grow Light does not need replacing. The company states that it should last for more than 50,000 hours. I did a little calculation: if you use the Grow Light for 12 hours a day, it should last for almost 12 years! That's a very long time and definitely worth the investment!

Benefits of a Grow Light

• Easily bring a dull plant back to life
• Perfect for seedlings, cuttings or cloning, and germinating
• Suitable for all phases of plant growth (not enough power for full fruiting)
• Fits nicely inside small spaces without damaging heat build up
• Smart LED technology means no mercury
• No need to replace burnt bulbs
• Perfect for herbs, indoor plants, leafy vegetables, small fruiting plants, orchids, terrariums, hydroponic systems, aquarium plants and the like

Usage: The LED Grow Light screws into any standard light socket or lamp (e26 base). I purchase the GrowHobby Hanging Light Socket, separately, to go along with the LED Grow Light. I keep my seedlings first on the bay window where they receive filtered natural light and then I move them into the breezeway once the temperatures begin to climb in the Spring. This setup required for me to order the hanging light socket.

In the breezeway, I placed the seedlings on the table and weaved the Grow Light in the hanging light socket around the hook that was installed in the wooden beam on the ceiling. The LED Grow Light does have some weight to it, but the small hook held up the Grow Light and the hanging light socket well. The LED Grow Light was on for about 6 hours a day on the days that were cloudy or rainy.

Results: I am glad that I ordered the hanging light socket separately because it has given me freedom to put the seedlings and the light exactly where I want. I can move the LED Grow Light to exactly where I need it. In the past, I have had limited success with winter sowing because the plants ends up getting too leggy and flop over. Using the LED Grow Light, I felt like they did not get as leggy and grew more leaves.

I also used the LED Grow Light for a Purple Passion plant that did not overwinter well on my bay window and was not doing much better in the sunny breezeway. The LED Grow Light seems to have helped it to start growing leaves again, so I look forward to it coming back stronger and fuller.

I recommend this product for a gardener of any level. Though the initial investment is significant, remember that this LED Grow Light should last you for a very long time.

Disclosure: I received some of the products to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are honest.

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Toddler Adventures: Garden Helper

Last year, I looked forward to this Spring, when my 2 year old son could help with gardening. Though he still has a long way to go toward actually helping me, I am already teaching him some of the basic concepts of gardening. Involving children in household and gardening tasks early in life helps to build their self esteem and teach them about taking care of the world around them.

He knows (and remember most of the time) that we do not step on plants or rip leaves off (except on the lamb's ear which has grown like crazy and overtaken a lot of area). He also knows that we water plants and loves to help hold the garden hose or use his little water can to water each plant. One day, when I was planting tomatoes in the container garden, he brought over the tomato cages one by one to me. My heart melted!

Here are some photos of my little garden "helper."

(our neighbor's front porch)

>> Do your kids help in the garden??
 
Disclaimer: These photos are copyrighted and are the property of All Natural Katie blog. They first appeared on this blog on 5/29/2015. Please do not copy or use them in other posts.

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Garden Big Bag Bed [Giveaway]

Enter below for a chance to win a fabric raised bed, a Big Bag Bed, to help kick off gardening efforts for 2015! Though I missed the opportunity for winter sewing indoors, I am making up for it by starting early on the garden plans! And this year, my 2 year old son will be helping me in the garden. Last year, he enjoyed picking tomatoes and peppers. Now, it's time to teach him how fruits and vegetables grow. If you don't have the space for a huge garden, the Big Bag Bed could be a great option for you. 

***6 Winners***

Big Bag Bed Size of Winner's Choice

Hosted by:
A Lucky Ladybug
and 

Co-Hosted by:
Michigan Saving and More 
and 
Monica's Rants, Raves, and Reviews

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FREE Blogger Opp: Fabric Raised Bed [Giveaway]

The start of the gardening season is coming up very soon! Though I missed the opportunity for winter sewing indoors, I am making up for it by starting early on the garden plans! And this year, my 2 year old son will be helping me in the garden. Last year, he enjoyed picking tomatoes and peppers. Now, it's time to teach him how fruits and vegetables grow. If you don't have the space for a huge garden, the Big Bag Bed could be a great option for you. The FREE blogger opportunity details are below. You can enter also!

***6 Winners***

Big Bag Bed Size of Winner's Choice

Hosted by:
A Lucky Ladybug
and 

Sign-ups close 3/20

Click HERE to sign up and for more html info.

M.O.O.N. has now added several perks/discounts for frequent participation in our events but you must be a member of our Facebook group to be eligible.  Please visit the M.O.O.N. group if you are a blogger and would like more information regarding these perks and other group events.

**If you are a company and would like to see your brand advertised in a M.O.O.N. event similar to this or a Blogger interested in working with M.O.O.N. please contact MakeOurOwnNetwork@gmail.com

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FREE Blogger Opp: Grow Your Garden [Giveaway]

Are you ready for Spring? I am! I am ready for warmer weather and starting my garden. I am hopeful that this year will be the first year my toddler can start "helping" in the garden. 

Let's kick off the growing season with a huge garden giveaway!

There will be multiple garden-related prizes for one lucky winner! We are currently still working with several sponsors to coordinate all the prizes but will have all the info soon including the amount of the gift cards! 

Hosted by So Simply Stephanie 

Currently accepting Sponsors, Co-Hosts and Bloggers with paid & free options to participate! 

Sponsors

If you would like to sponsor a garden related prize in exchange for having your product and company featured on MULTIPLE blogs, please contact Stephanie at sosimplystephanie@gmail.com with information about your product. Each prize will need to be a minimum retail value of $25. (For products less than $25 you can combine multiple products for a 'gift basket-type prize or send the remainder amount via PayPal and all 'PayPal funds' will go towards a gift card to be included in the giveaway!)

Each Sponsor Will Receive:

•  2 social media links on the giveaway widget
• Product info with links to your website (or Amazon link to product)
• Picture of product
• social media shout outs throughout the giveaway
• Be featured on multiple blogs for the duration of this giveaway! 

Co-Hosts

10 Co-Host spots will be available. Co-Host spots are $10 each and will help cover the costs associated with hosting this giveaway!

Each Co-Host Will Receive: 

• Blog name & feature listed on the giveaway info with a link back to your site
• 4 social media links on giveaway widget
• 1 Comment or Pin-It option on giveaway tool (preferably a garden related post or pin)
• Free Link Option for posting the Sign Up HTML on their blog (HTML below)

Co-Hosts Sign Up Here.

Paid Bloggers

Paid Bloggers spots are available for $3 each. 

Each Paid Blogger Will Receive:

• 2 social media links on the giveaway widget 
• Free Link Option for posting the announcement post on their blog (HTML below)

Paid Bloggers Sign Up Here.

Free Link Option

Bloggers can also opt for the free option and receive a free social media link on the giveaway widget by sharing the Grow Your Garden Sign Up info (this same post) on their blogs. All Co-Hosts & Bloggers will receive an additional link for sharing the sign up info on their page as well. You do NOT have to be a Co-Host or paid Blogger to receive the free link option.

Free Link Option ONLY Sign Up Here.

You can find the Announcement Post HTML Here.

If you have any questions or suggestions for this giveaway please contact Stephanie at sosimplystephanie@gmail.com. 

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Garden Pump Sprayer [Review]

Even though we are in the midst of cold winter months, I have already begun thinking about my garden and my strategy for taking care of the yard and the plants. After years of not weeding (by hand or with weed killers), our front yard became overrun with weeds. Last summer, I focused my efforts on pulling weeds out by hand. Yes, there are all natural and homemade weed killer recipes that I could make, but there is just something about pulling a dandelion with the whole root out of the ground. This year, I need to make sure the weeds do not take over more of the yard. I plan on making homemade weed killer recipes and using my new garden pump sprayer for quick and easy weed removal.


2 Gallon Garder Sprayer      

Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Pre-assembled, easy to use	Container made out of plastic
Builds pressure fast
Adjustable tip for broad/focused spray

One of the first things I noticed is that the garden pump sprayer comes pre-assembled. This means that I can take the sprayer out of the box and immediately use it. My husband was able to pump the handle a few times and the pressure was already starting to build. This garden sprayer pump is easy and quick to use.



The container is made from a thick plastic. The whole garden sprayer is made from plastic, which I do not prefer, but it does make the sprayer lighter to carry around. The 2 gallon size would be perfect to cover the weeds in our 1/2 acre yard. I like that I can mix up a batch of natural weed killer, pour it into the 2 gallon pump sprayer and get right to work. The 2 gallon capacity is just right for me. Anything more would be too heavy for me to carry around.

Although I have not been able to go outside to use the garden pump sprayer since we are in the middle of the winter, I think it will be very easy and portable to use in the yard. The extender wand will be perfect for targeting just the weed or the specific spot I need to treat. I really like that the tip adjusts for a broad spray or a focused spray.

I see myself using the garden pump sprayer primarily for killing weeds with homemade weed killer and homemade natural insecticides/pesticides for the garden. Here is my favorite weed killer recipe.

Non-Toxic Weed Killer Recipe
Fill garden pump sprayer with 1 gallon of vinegar (can purchase conventional). Spray weeds or grass growing where you do not want it to grow. Be careful about spraying what you want to keep as vinegar will kill what it touches.

--> Salt is another powerful weed killer. Dissolve one cup of salt in a gallon of water and add to the vinegar.

--> For a more powerful weed killer, let the pump sprayer sit in the sunlight for at least one hour to get hot. Hot vinegar = dead weeds!


The 2 gallon garden pump sprayer will be my favorite garden accessory this summer. The ability to make my own eco-friendly weed killer and spray it exactly where I need to is invaluable.

Disclosure: I received the product to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.

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Garden: A Surprise Visitor or Ten!

I wanted to post monthly garden updates, but time has gotten away from me and the garden is a bit overgrown. I have had this problem for a few years. I carefully plan what goes into each location, practicing the square foot gardening method, loosely. Somehow, within a few months, plants starts to crowd each other.

This year, I left a path so that I could get to the back of the garden cage. The seeds in the compost that my husband added decided to sprout and bless us with about 10 tomato plants. The tomato plants are growing in random spots: at the entrance, in the middle of the carrot rows, and of course, in the path that I left for myself.

Nonetheless, I am thrilled! I have avoided planting tomatoes in the garden because of the black walnut tree right beside the garden. The black walnut tree gives off a chemical that is toxic to some plants, including tomatoes. When I discovered tomato seedlings in the garden, I thought it would be a great experiment to see if tomatoes would actually grow.

Today, there are about 10+ tomatoes, 4 different varieties, growing on about 6 plants that have grown enough to put out blossoms. I have identified them as heirloom tomatoes that we received from last year's organic CSA and some seeds from our homegrown tomatoes.

Here are some photos of the garden cage (lots of critters around here) and the herb garden that desperately needs to be harvested. Also, excuse the wilted plants, it was a hot day and I had not watered yet.

>> Do you have a garden?? How is it doing this year??
 

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Ark Survival Seeds: Heirloom Non-GMO Seeds [Review]

This past weekend, my husband and toddler sat on the grass while I harvested vegetables from the garden. My husband helped me find the peppers hiding underneath the leaves, the tomatoes on the volunteer vines that are starting to take over and the sugar snap that are starting to brown in the heat of the summer. The 16 month old toddler walked around and tried to pick a small jalapeno pepper he has had his eye on for one week. Gardening has become one of my passions and my hobbies. I love the ability to grow my own food. I love being able to go into the yard and pick out a ripe pepper, sugar snap pea or tomato to eat on the spot. Though I do buy seedlings and starter plants at the store, I prefer to sow seeds directly in the ground or start seeds indoors in the winter. I focus on organic and heirloom seeds when available. Ark Survival Seeds are 100% non-GMO, non-hybrid, heirloom, chemical-free produce seeds that are perfect for the average American home garden or storing for self-reliance needs.

Ark Survival Seeds    

   ($24.95, purchase on Amazon)
Rating: total green check marks out of 5.

The Good	The Not So Good
Heirloom, non-hybrid
Non-GMO
Chemical-free
Extended life breathable paper storage

One of the first things I noticed is that the packaging is made from paper. Paper storage for seeds is preferred because it is breathable and prevents moisture from accumulating. Ark Survival Seeds are stored in individual paper packets within the larger resealable paper bag. I store seeds that I will use in the near future in the fridge and seeds that I store for self-reliance needs in the freezer (they will keep longer this way).

Since the growing season is already under way, sowing the seeds would not have been prudent. I do plan on sowing the cold weather crop seeds in a few weeks. These include: radishes, beets and lettuce. I will sow the Ark Survival Seeds directly in the ground, following the instructions that are indicated on each seed packet.

I love the variety of vegetables that I can grow with Ark Survival Seeds. If my family had to grow our own produce (without the option of going to the grocery store), Ark Survival Seeds offer a great variety that will keep us satisfied and also offer options for canning and saving seeds. I would feel confident to save the seeds are they are non-GMO, non-hybrid and GMO. The open pollination keeps the seeds true to the original ones and offers us the best option for high quality vegetables.

I plan on starting some of the seeds indoors during the winter months and then transplanting to the garden. I will also add some of the seed packets to my long-term self-reliance storage. Ark Survival Seeds are an affordable and high quality option for growing your own food or adding to your long-term food storage. The sampler pack is perfect for the beginner gardener or a master gardener.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.

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