Organic Gardening

Growing your own herbs, vegetables, greens and fruit can be both incredibly rewarding and delicious. However, many gardeners rely on pesticides, herbicides and fungicides not to mention chemical fertilizers to help their garden grow. That’s not only unnecessary, it’s also unhealthy. All those nutritious veggies pack a much healthier punch if they’re sans harmful chemicals.

Step #1 Prepare your soil. Because your soil is the foundation of your garden, it is important to make sure it’s full of the right nutrients to feed your garden. Mix in organic material like compost or humus and consider having your soil tested. The proper soil conditions can make the difference between a sparse crop and award winning vegetables.

Step #2 Choose your crop. The second step to build an organic garden is to choose your crop. What are you going to grow in your garden? Initially, in addition to what you’re going to grow, you’ll want to decide if you want to purchase plants or start your garden from seeds. If you start early enough you can use seeds. If not, you can purchase organic plants from your local nursery.

Regardless of what you choose, seeds or plants, make sure they’re grown without chemicals.

Step #3 Organize your garden. Did you know some plants naturally protect other plants from disease and pests? It’s true. Marigolds for example, drive bugs away and if you plant them around the perimeter of your garden, they’ll help protect your herbs, greens and veggies.

Before transferring your plants into your garden, mark where you’re going to plant them. Make sure there is plenty of room between plants so they have room to grow and thrive. A tiny tomato plant can grow several feet high and several feet wide. Leave room.

Step #4 Natural pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. It’s been said that home gardeners generally use more chemicals on their gardens than farmers do. That’s a lot of chemicals! Interestingly enough, mild detergent and water protect many plants from harmful pests. Hot pepper sprays also work to fend off pests. And natural predators like frogs and ladybugs can keep your garden healthy and full.

Step #5 Maintenance. Watering and weeding are all you have in store for you until it’s time to harvest. Take care to not over water. Soil should be moist but not soaking. Weed on a regular basis to make sure your plants have all the nutrients and room in the soil they need to grow.

Organic gardening isn’t difficult when you start with a healthy foundation. Before you dive in and start a garden large enough to feed an army, choose a few plants you know your family will eat. Grow those successfully and next year you can grow a bigger garden.

National Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Month. More than 463,000 children are currently in foster care and 123,000 children are waiting to be adopted.

Foster care is a temporary arrangement for a child who cannot live safely with her birth family.
Adoption is a legally binding transfer of all parenting rights and responsibilities to an adoptive parent forever. An adoptive parent's legal status is the same as if the child was born to him or her.

Do you have room in your heart for a child (or more than one?) You can learn about foster care and adoption here at adoptuskids.
Thrifty Jinxy wrote about it, and you can visit her link here:
Thrifty Jinxy: May is National Foster Care Month

Playtex Bra Makeover

Moms don't always have time to update their bras or even check to make sure they are wearing the correct size. Don't you hate it when your bra doesn't fit? Poor support, slipping straps, and riding up in the back can cause back and shoulder pain, bruising, and digging. Seven out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra. Well there is good news. You an apply for a Bra Makeover from Playtex!

Playtex recently launched http://www.playtexbramakeover.com/, a site where women can go to apply for a bra makeover or nominate a friend. The winner will be flown to New York to receive a Bra Makeover with style expert Alison Deyette. She has been on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker and TLC's Ten Years Younger, and in Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, and O Magazine.

The 10 winners selected for a Bra Makeover will also star in their very own webisode. The makeover candidate will receive a fitting with Deyette and get the perfect Playtex products. A new webisode will premier on http://www.playtexbramakeover.com/ every two weeks. Apply for your chance to win a Playtex Bra Makeover today. The last day to apply is Friday, May 21st, 2010.

By posting this information, I am entered into a contest to win a free bra from Playtex. I did not receive any compensation for this post and thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Blush Topless Undershirt Review and Giveaway

I am sure you have seen some people showing a belly that shouldn't be shown. :) Or the nasty view of someone's thong! There is good news; there is a cure.

The great people at Blush (Your Topless Undershirt) sent me one of their undershirts to review. They are like tube tops that you wear underneath your shirt that create a layered look. They come in a variety of colors and patterns. They even have some with lace.

They can be worn with everyday wear. Also they are helpful during pregnancy. You can still wear many of your regular shirts with a blush to cover your pregnant belly. Also, it can keep the belly covered when nursing.



I received a purple one. I loved the color. The quality was very good. It was more my daughter's size, and she loved it.

The great people have agreed at Blush have agreed to send one to Donna's World readers. To enter go to Blush and tell me what you would pick. Then leave a comment with your email address. You need to do this first.

Bonus entries: Leave an extra comment for each one.
1. Follow my blog
2. Subscribe by email.
3. Post my button on your blog
4. Post this giveaway on your blog (You get 2 entries for this, so leave 2 comments please.) Leave me the link.
5. Follow me @donnak4 and tweet about the contest. Then leave the link. You can do that daily.
Here is one you can use:

Win a cute Blush undershirt at Donna's World http://tinyurl.com/28b8bny @donnak4


Open to US.

Expires 5/29 at 11:59 PM CST.