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The Best Method for Making Tea-Dyed Easter Eggs

February 11, 2019

I love using natural dyes for colouring my Easter Eggs. Using them feels like one giant science experiment, and the results can vary depending on which brand of tea you use and how long you leave the eggs in the dye. Plus, with Tea-dyed Easter Eggs you don’t have to buy a commercial kit with tons of packaging.

The only bad part? If you don’t know what you’re doing, dying Easter Eggs with tea can be time consuming.

Ever wished you knew how to naturally dye easter eggs, and what exact recipe works the best?  Here's how I made DIY Easter Eggs using herbal teas!  It's such a cool decorating idea for adults, teens, or kids. #eastereggs #tea

Over the last 3 years I’ve been experimenting with natural food dyes, and feel like I’ve got my method down to a science for the quickest-possible results. Some of the darker colours will still need to soak overnight, but I feel the stunning results you get are worth the wait.

In this post I’m going to share my method for dying Easter eggs with tea, but I also highly recommend you check out my extensive post on Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs for more options. I tried out 24 different methods and narrowed it down to the best ones so you don’t have to guess.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase anything I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it in my Privacy Policy. Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!

Ever wished you knew how to naturally dye easter eggs, and what exact recipe works the best?  Here's how I made DIY Easter Eggs using herbal teas!  It's such a cool decorating idea for adults, teens, or kids. #eastereggs #tea

For this post I tried out six different teas:

  • Celestial Seasonings True Blueberry
  • Hibiscus Tea
  • Celestial Seasonings Raspberry
  • Celestial Seasonings Black Cherry
  • Celestial Seasonings Turmeric Ginger
  • Lemon Green Tea

P.S. If you check out the links for the True Blueberry, Raspberry, and Black Cherry, you’ll notice they all go to the same link for a tea sampler. I feel it’s more cost effective to purchase these three flavours this way.

I would have liked to try a matcha tea or one with beetroot in it, but if I was being honest with myself, these were teas that I probably wouldn’t drink after my experiment with dying Easter Eggs was over. It was also -30 and I was a few days away from delivering my baby, so my motivation to leave the house and find teas I didn’t already own was about zero.

Ever wished you knew how to naturally dye easter eggs, and what exact recipe works the best?  Here's how I made DIY Easter Eggs using herbal teas!  It's such a cool decorating idea for adults, teens, or kids. #eastereggs #tea

How to Naturally Dye Easter Eggs with Tea

The key to success with natural dyes is to get your dye as concentrated as possible. For each of the eggs, I opened three tea bags and put the contents in a small jar with approximately 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup hot water and 2 tbsps white vinegar.

I left all of these eggs in the fridge overnight to get as dark as possible. However, I did notice that most of the teas were starting to absorb into the egg shell within 10 minutes, and could have been removed if that was the colour you desired.

Here’s my results with the different teas:

Ever wished you knew how to naturally dye easter eggs, and what exact recipe works the best?  Here's how I made DIY Easter Eggs using herbal teas!  It's such a cool decorating idea for adults, teens, or kids. #eastereggs #tea

I was very impressed with the results of the blueberry, hibiscus, and lemon green tea. The vibrant colours are beautiful, and all three teas dyed the eggs quickly enough that they could have been removed earlier for a more pastel colour.

The raspberry and cherry teas ended up being too brown for my taste. I personally don’t like dying eggs brown because you can easily purchase brown eggs. I have dyed Easter eggs with actual raspberries and chokecherry juice before, and both produced beautiful results.

My guess is that there are other ingredients in the tea that turn the eggs mostly brown instead of pink (raspberry) and purple/blue (cherry). If you’re really set on using tea instead of the actual fruit or its juice, maybe another brand would work better.

I was very disappointed in the ginger turmeric tea. Turmeric on its own makes a beautiful, vibrant yellow colour in minutes. This tea must have more ginger than turmeric, as the colour was nowhere near as vibrant as I was expecting. Maybe this variety of tea would work better.

Ever wished you knew how to naturally dye easter eggs, and what exact recipe works the best?  Here's how I made DIY Easter Eggs using herbal teas!  It's such a cool decorating idea for adults, teens, or kids. #eastereggs #tea

Will you try dying your Easter eggs with tea this year? If you do, let me know in the comments or post on the Shifting Roots Facebook Page. I save the pictures and I have a special page of reader results that I’d love to add your picture to.

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Filed Under: Uncategorised

Real-life design ideas for your small space garden

January 20, 2019

Not everyone is blessed with a large acreage to plant out the garden of their dreams. It’s easy to feel defeated when all you have to work with is a small patio or an urban backyard.

Don’t be discouraged. I’ve compiled some ideas to get you thinking outside the box (or garden plot) and working with the space you do have. Bonus–most of these ideas can be implemented easily if you’re on a budget.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something from one of my links I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it in my Privacy Policy. Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!

Embrace Container Gardening

No land space? Your small apartment balcony or backyard patio can be the perfect place for a container garden. Buy the biggest containers you can afford (not these ones pictured–unless you’re committed to frequent watering).

Don’t limit yourself to flowers! Vegetables and herbs make lovely container plants. I like planting a combination of all three and enjoying them on my backyard deck. Having flowers among your vegetables also helps control unwanted bugs that destroy your vegetables.

Container gardening does have it’s ins and outs, so check out this post on the 8 mistakes I made container gardening last year.

P.S. Like these blue pots? Here’s how I turned tired looking plastic pots into something fresh and new for my patio container garden. It’s way easier than it looks.

If you think you might be moving during the summer, I highly recommend fabric grow bags with handles. The fabric folds up small at the end of the season, and they’re easy to move if needed.

These potato grow bags are also super convenient if you want to grow more potatoes in less space–without hoeing or hilling multiple times during the season.

Raised Bed Gardening

You don’t have to dig up the earth to start a garden–especially in a city. it’s so much easier to put down some cardboard or landscape fabric, set up a raised bed, and add soil. Voila–a new garden space in an afternoon or weekend.

Raised beds aren’t just for the backyard either! I have this one right in my front yard and I love it. It’s a nice conversation starter with my neighbours and I’ve had many people stop their walk past my house and ask me about my garden.

I also love this idea I saw on one of my walks around the city. This raised bed is in the alley in a small space by a driveway. Why not turn your wasted space into a spot to grow food?

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget! #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard

Get Creative With the Garden Space You Already Have

There’s no law that says you must plant in rows with enough space to walk in between each row. I love visiting the two community gardens near my home, because I always get new ideas for how I can maximize my space.

In this photo, the gardener left the bare minimum of space between plants with almost no room for walking. But really, is getting in-between the rows easily a priority when you don’t have a lot of space to work with?

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget! #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard

Last spring I decided to plant my entire garden using the square foot gardening method. Instead of planting in rows, I used the Seeding Square and planted in a grid of 4×8 or 4×12 beds with pathways in-between.

I absolutely loved it and had excellent results. In fact, I had so much space that I had to go to a greenhouse and get more plants because I didn’t know what to do with the empty space left over.

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget! Square foot gardening with the seeding square saves me so much space!! #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard

Want your own Seeding Square? Get it here for the best Price.

Even better? My son who has zero interest in gardening asked to help. He loves playing with the Seeding Square, and I’ll take any chance I can get to encourage his love of gardening.

Here’s what my garden looked like month-by-month. It turned into quite the jungle, but I was really happy with how much food I was able to produce.

Go Vertical with Trellises and Pallets

Plants like beans, peas, cucumbers, squash, melons, and smaller pumpkins don’t need to take up precious space! It’s easy to build or purchase a trellis and save yourself some precious gardening real-estate.

These are the cucumbers I planted last summer. They did really well and were so much easier to pick. I also maximized my planting space by growing a crop of spinach underneath the trellis. lettuce or radishes would also do well.

If you’re not handy, here’s where you can get something similar on Amazon.

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget!  This cucumber trellis was made for under $10. #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard

Vining beans are excellent to grow in teepees and make a fun playhouse for the kids. As you can see from the photo below, all you really need are some sticks of approximately the same size and some twine.

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget! These pole bean teepees cost next to nothing to make. #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard

Pallets also make great vertical grow boxes, especially for herbs, flowers, and lettuces. This is one is from one of my readers, Katelyn. I love her easy method of creating a bottom in each of the spaces. She staples landscape fabric inside!! So easy, and no power tools required. (Also, I’m seriously crushing on the beautiful teal blue she painted the pallet.)

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget!  This pallet planter was so cheap and easy to put together. #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard #pallet

If all Else Fails, Take Your Gardening To the Streets

Okay, I realize this solution won’t work for everyone, but if you live by one of these boulevards and your city allows it, take your garden to the streets!

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget! This plot on a boulevard is perfect if you don't have a yard. #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard

The simple raised bed (above) and the tire (below) are two simple and cost-effective solutions to get more gardening space.

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget! This zucchini planter is seriously cheap to make. #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard

List of Resources for Small Space Gardening

Not everyone has access to the materials for making their own raised beds, trellises, or other gardening solutions. Here are a few of my favourite products when you’re short on space. Many of them are great (under $30) if you’re on a budget.

  • A copy of Free garden plans for Square Foot Gardens–I’ve designed these for use with the seeding square.
  • Fabric Grow Pots–These are the largest size you can get and are great if you know you might be moving houses or apartments over the summer.
  • Potato growing Pots–No hoeing or hilling required!
  • A No-Nonsense Trellis for your pots.
  • A stronger cage for your vining tomatoes, or this spiral version that takes up even less space.
  • This trellis is similar to what my husband made me for my cucumbers.
  • And this one is perfect for a row of peas.
  • A Self-Watering Wall Hanging Planter for flowers, herbs, and greens on the.
  • A stackable planting container for when space is really at a premium.

There are tons of options for raised bed garden kits out there. Here’s a couple to consider depending on your needs and budget.

  • Need something cheap, cheerful, and easy to move if you move locations? Try this fabric raised bed.
  • Here’s a good option for a tight space, like beside a driveway. It’s made of cedar, so it should last for around 10 years.
  • Struggling with critters who eat EVERYTHING? Show them who’s boss without hurting them.
  • Looking for an option you’ll never have to build again? Here’s a vinyl one similar to what I have in my front yard.

Do you have any clever solutions for gardening in a small space? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Looking for some ideas to design your patio, backyard, or other small space garden?  Here's some low maintenance ideas for growing vegetables and flowers--many of which are perfect if you're on a budget! #garden #design #ideas #onabudget #smallspace #patio #backyard

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22 Annual Flowers That Grow in the Shade

January 8, 2019

Shade can be the bane of every flower gardener’s existence. You’d like something to brighten up that dark corner in your yard. . . but what? I’ve compiled a list of 22 annual flowers to fill up your shady flower bed, along with a few helpful hints for gardening in the shade.

Thank you to reader Pauline Janzen for sharing this picture of her shade container.

Partial Shade and Full Shade

Not all shade is created equal. Partial shade is defined as an area that receives 3-4 hours of sun a day. Full shade receives less than 3 hours of sun or no sun whatsoever.

When assessing your yard for how much shade an area gets, take into consideration any trees that currently do not have any leaves on them (if you’re doing this in winter or early spring). An annual shade plant that you’ve grown from seed may start off strong with dappled shade, (the kind made from leafy trees) only to stall out on growth once all the leaves fill in.

A beautiful fuchsia from reader Pauline Janzen

Bigger is Better

If you are a beginner gardener, I recommend buying your shade plants started from a garden centre. A lot of annual flowers need to be started indoors in January and February and if this the first year in your journey, it’s a task that’s best left to someone else.

When buying starters, buy the biggest plant you can afford–especially if you’re planting in full shade. Sure, small plants will do fine in full shade. But they won’t fill out the space the way you were hoping. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way!

If you can’t purchase larger plants, plan on spacing your smaller ones closer together for a nice block of colour.

I could not resist including this adorable pic from reader Shelley Lynn of her begonia and her sweet dog.

Shade Flowers Don’t Have to Be Boring!

If you’ve been gardening for longer, it’s easy to get bored of the same old begonias, impatients, and coleus. (Note to new gardeners: these are the pillars of annual shade plants that will work without a lot of fuss!) Hopefully this list of 24 shade loving annuals gives you some new inspiration.

P.S: U.S. readers, White Flower Farm has a very good selection of shade plants for sale online. I wish I could order there, but alas, they do not ship to Canada.

Looking for Shade Perennials instead? Here’s 17 Shade-Loving Perennials to fill up your flower bed.

24 Annual Flowers that Love the Shade

Alyssum

Alyssum is a lovely flower for borders and makes a beautiful cut flower.

Balsam

Before there were impatients, there were balsam flowers. While you likely won’t find these in the garden centre, you can start them from seed approximately 8 weeks before intended bloom. The taller varieties are lovely for cut flower gardens, and a big planting of them gives your yard a cottage-garden vibe.

Begonia

New to gardening in the shade? Make sure you get a begonia or two (or more!) They come in many different sizes and colours. My personal favourite are the large double ones pictured below, but in a yellow with pink edges.

Browallia

Browallia is a lovely blue/purple star shaped flower that’s good for borders and containers. It’s also quite low maintenance and does not spread.

Calendula

Calendula is both beautiful to look at and is very useful in the garden. It makes a good cut flower and is an excellent companion plant in the vegetable garden. Dried calendula flowers can be used in herbal teas, tinctures, soaps, and more.

Cleome

Also known as a spider flower, the cleome can be a prolific self-seeder in some zones.

Coleus

Not sure what to add to your containers in the shade? Coleus is always an excellent choice. It’s widely available in a rainbow of colours at your local garden centre or big box store. Plus, you can take cuttings indoors before the first frost and enjoy as a houseplant over the winter.

Fuchsia

As a I child, I always thought that fuchsias looked like little ballerinas. I’ve loved them ever since and enjoy them as a hanging plant on my shady front porch. Be prepared to do a lot of dead-heading, but also be prepared to enjoy their lovely blooms all summer long.

German Ivy

German Ivy does well in both sun and shade and has been a staple in my family’s containers for 30 years. Every fall before the first frost my Mom brings a couple of cuttings indoors for the winter, and they grow enough that she can make new cuttings in the spring. She is still using cuttings every spring from the original plant she bought 30 years ago.

Hydrangea (Sort of)

Okay, okay, I know. A hydrangea is NOT an annual. However, in zone 3 where I garden, we are inundated with hydrangea plants that are not hardy to our area, no matter how much we wish it were so. So if you can’t resist that hydrangea that is never going to survive here, treat it like an annual, put it in a pot, and enjoy it for the summer with realistic expectations.

P.S. There are hydrangeas that are hardy to zone 3, such as Invincibelle.

Impatiens

Impatiens are another practically-no-fail-flower for the beginner gardener. They also come in many colours and varieties. I personally love the double impatiens. (The ones pictured here are the most typical ones you’ll find at the garden centre.)

Larkspur (Consolida)

Searching for a larkspur can be a bit confusing, as you’ll wind up being shown a lot of sun-loving delphiniums. Ask for a consolida instead, and you’ll find the shade loving annual flower you’re looking for.

Lobelia

Lobelia is another annual that does well in either sun or shade.

Lysimachia (Creeping Jenny)

Lysimachia is hardy from zones 2-10 and is a great plant to grow in a shady area where nothing else will grow. However, because of it’s invasive nature, you need to check if this plant is banned in your area or not before planting it. To do that, google your province or state plus the term “invasive plants.” You should get a list of plants that are not recommended in your area.

Planting in a container, as shown below, should be fine. (P.S. It’s the green vine, not the purple flower.)

Monkey Flower

I love monkey flowers, but I know from experience that this is one flower that will not grow much in full shade. Plant in part shade or even part sun if you have it.

Nicotiana

Nicotiana comes in many sizes in white, pink, red, and purple. They have a lovely fragrance, especially in the evening.

Oxalis

Oxalis will survive in the shade, but expect less blooms than if you were planting them in the sun.

Pansy

I love pansies and always have a few in my garden. Pansies come in so many beautiful shades of white, yellow, orange, purple, blue, and pink that you’ll find it next to impossible to just choose one colour. Pansies are also edible flowers and brighten up your summer salads.

Polka Dot Plant

Polka dot plants provide some beautiful colour to any shade garden, and can be brought indoors and propagated over the winter.

Salvia

Also commonly called wild sage.

Snapdragon

Have a shady spot in your cut flower garden? Consider adding some snapdragons! If you’re planting from seed, carefully check the packet that you have a tall variety (for cut flowers) or a dwarf variety (for containers).

Planning a cut flower garden? Here’s 36 must-have flowers!!

Sweet Potato Vine

Sweet potato vine is easy to grow and comes in many beautiful colours. This YouTube video is a bit dated, but shows how many options there are.

Torenia (Wishbone Flower)

Torenia is a lovely trailing flower that works well in containers. It is attractive to hummingbirds and not attractive to deer.

Do you have any annual shade flowers you’d add to this list? Tell me about it in the comments!

Coming up with a flower garden design can be tricky, especially when it's in a spot with lots of shade.  Here's 22 shade loving annual flowers that are great for front yards, back yards, or containers.  Some even make great cut flowers!

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Filed Under: Uncategorised Tagged: annual flowers, annuals, flower garden, flower gardening, shade, shade flower

Shifting Roots Year in Review 2018 Edition

December 28, 2018

I can hardly believe it, but this is my third year-end-review-type-post that I’ve written.  The third!!  While I know that’s not a long time, it seems like such a big milestone when almost 60% of new blogs get abandoned. 2018 has been an incredible year blog-wise, and I can’t wait to share some of the highlights with you.

kateepederson.com

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20+ Gift Ideas for the Gardener in Your Life this Christmas

November 2, 2018

Finding a gift for the gardener in your life can be challenging.  Sure, tools or gardening gloves are the obvious choice, but they will probably only be appreciated by the most serious of gardeners. I’ve come up with some pretty and practical suggestions for beginners and advanced gardener’s alike, as well as a few options for kids who love tagging along in the garden.

Bonus!  Most of these gifts are $30 or less!!

It can be tricky to find good gift ideas for gardeners that aren't just ho-hum gardening gloves!  This gift guide has over 20 stylish and practical ideas for women, men, and kids, along with lots of cheap ideas for those on a budget.  Perfect for Christmas and holiday 2018! #christmas #giftguide #giftideas

This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase something.  You can learn more about it in my Privacy Policy.  Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!

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Filed Under: Gardening, Uncategorised Tagged: Christmas, Garden, garden tools, Gardening, gift ideas, Herbs, Mother's Day, seeding square, succulents

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

Recent Posts

  • The Best Method for Making Tea-Dyed Easter Eggs
  • How to Design a Front Yard Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
  • Cold-Climate Vegetable Gardening for the Complete Beginner
  • A Grain of Salt: What You Should Know Before Following Gardening Advice on the Internet
  • Real-life design ideas for your small space garden

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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