Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Chia Pet, Apt. Garden


Oh, dear. Looks like this past month's recent warm and sunny it's finally Summer weather has succeeded in keeping me far from the confines of my apartment dwelling. Thus, my blog set-up here has, quite noticeably, been lacking many a Printed Thought.

On the bright side though, my Vitamin D levels are totally up! Taking advantage of fantastic weather has in turn, given my New Englander skin a much needed healthy glow (a glow btw, that is virtually undetectable 7 solid months out of the year).

In light of beautiful weather and today being the first OFFICIAL day of Summer where everything is green and in bloom, I thought I'd share with you a little side project of mine. An herb garden. No, I certainly don't have the luxury of an outside balcony, or for that matter, any room for large potted plants, but I DO have a multitude of cooking pots. Behold: the Chia Gourmet Herb Garden (thanks E!). Easy to care for, easy to grow. And thankfully, kinda fool-proof for someone whose scraggly apartment plants haven't fared too well in the past.

Though my kitchen is indeed the size of a closet, take a gander at some sprightly Cilantro and Basil! My Chives haven't poked through the Chia-Pet soil yet, (I'm afraid something went wrong and they're a lost cause at this point), but I do have some more Basil seeds to throw in there and plant. Can never go wrong with more basil. It is, after all, an essential summertime indulgence.




You might be wondering why these little sprouts are hanging out in a cooking pot? For sure, my roommates have inquisitive looks on their faces every time they reach for one to boil pasta. Well, as it turns out, these Chia Herb Pets demand A LOT of water. Everyday. And let's face it, I may have forgotten this essential ingredient once or twice...or especially after returning from a long weekend away, only to discover them wilted and pathetic looking. So, as a time-saving, plant-saving solution, I just water them all at once by keeping them in a cooking pot by the window. The Chia potting soil draws up water from the bottom of the pan and bingo - there you have it. In no time, it'll be time to harvest. Click HERE to learn more about the Chia Gourmet Herb Garden and to purchase one of your very own!