Bytes and Buds

Tech Chick who loves to garden. I can't choose so I talk about both!

[bytesandbuds]

Caught this cactus dahlia at all 3 stages: the end, the beginning and full bloom! By the way does anyone know what variety this is?

[bytesandbuds]

A little something sown and a little something wild. I ❤ summer bouquets! 😍😍😍

[bytesandbuds]

9 ways to re-use coffee grounds in your home and garden

WAIT! Don't throw those used coffee grounds in trash!

Do your part for the environment and recycle them in the ways that make you happy double time!

Fertilizer - You can easily create fertilizer by mixing about a 4 ounces (half a cup) of coffee grounds to one gallon of water. Let it steep overnight and then use on acid loving plants like roses and gardenias

Compost - This one is easy, just throw it in the compost bin. It provides lots of nitrogen to the mix and to your plants

Plant and boost seed production - Mix your carrot and radish seeds in with coffee grounds for easier sowing and to give these acid loving veggies a boost. You might even double your harvest with this trick! Try it with other seeds too. 

Cat repellent - Sprinkle coffee grounds in the soil to keep them from digging in your plants

Clean grease - use a little bit of the grounds to those tough pots and pans to help remove grease. Make sure that you do not try this on non-stick pans as they have sensitive finishes. 

Remove odors from hands - After some smelly items like fish and onions  and even outdoor odors you can use coffee grounds to minimize the smell. Rubbing the grounds on your hands before the soap helps to absorb odors. Add some liquid soap and now you have a DIY scrub!

Deodorize the garbage disposal - instead of tossing them in trash, put them right in the disposal. You can even let them sit a bit to absorb and mask odors. 

Deodorize the freezer/refrigerator - Have something smelly that you found after weeks, but still can't get rid of the smell. Place a small bowl with coffee grounds in overnight. To give it an extra boost add a couple of drops of vanilla extract to the mix. 

Keep worms alive - Whether you use them for your garden and composting or for fishing, mixing the grounds in with the soil makes for a happy and healthy worm home!

If you have more useful ways to use coffee grounds in your home or garden, please share in the comments below!

[bytesandbuds]

I ❤❤❤ my Gorilla cart! I don't know what I'd do without it and wonders how did I manage before it! (at Baltimore County, Maryland)

[bytesandbuds]

A little throw back to early spring. I had some lovely tulips that nearly were ravished by deer. Luckily I was able to put a net over and save most of them and I was rewarded!

[bytesandbuds]

Spring is definitely here. I've got to get my hind parts in gear and put my deer strategy in place before this becomes snack time!

[bytesandbuds]

I've been experimenting with rooting in water instead of soil and so far it has been very successful. This particular cutting rooted in less than 2 weeks. Yesterday I relocated it to soil and this weekend it will get fed along with all my other plants. What is your experience rooting in water?

[bytesandbuds]

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@phsgardening Flower Show #butterfly room.

[bytesandbuds]

#flowershow #tulips #pink #orange #purple #phs #phsflowershow #byteandbuds #galaxys7cam #samsung

[bytesandbuds]

How to "Brain Dump" with Evernote - 15 minutes or less

So you have a lot of ideas and no where to put them. They come to you at odd times and odd places. Your favorite blogger has told you that you need to do a "brain dump." You're an artist with creative juices flowing all over the place, just spilling on napkins and paper scraps and voice recorders. You jotted your ideas down on a post-it note. You recorded it on your phone.

Then... You never wrote the idea down because you did not know where to put it. You didn't have your "notebook" to write it down because you were at the doctor's office. You can't find that napkin, scrap paper or post-it note. Your phone was destroyed and you lost all your data.

Any number of these things could have happened and your million dollar idea, product or song is gone!

Fear no more! You can capture that and more with Evernote and have it FOREVER! Yes, I said forever. No matter where you are. No matter what device you have. Your Android phone. Your iPhone. Your Windows computer. Your tablet. Your iMac. Evernote has the features and functionality whether or not you are a "paper" person or a digital person to help you keep track of your next big thing.

You say you don't have time to "learn" another app, no problem! You can get started in as little as 15 minutes!

The first thing you need to do is install Evernote on your mobile device. Why? Because everyone has their phone all the time. It's like an adult pacifier, LOL! Okay, you have your phone? Go to http://bit.ly/babevernotebasic to download Evernote. No worries, this is the free version. Free forever, not for 7 days or 30 days. Free forever. Evernote is so awesome though you'll be ready to upgrade to the Evernote Premium in no time, but that's for another day.

Okay, the application is downloaded. Now you need to log in. Do you have a Gmail account? If you do not, are you from this planet? LOL, seriously though, if you do not have a Gmail account it is not a big deal, but it will take a little bit more time because you need to create an account. If you do have an account you can use that to log into Evernote, isn't that awesome! No additional password to remember. There is a button below that says "Sign in with Google" and then select the account to use with Evernote.

The hard work getting set up is done! Now only 2 more steps to saving your ideas and having them with you where ever you are. Inside the application there is a small green circle with a plus sign like this:

 This says you want to add a note. Once you select that, you get a pop up for the type of note like this:

Now select whatever you need:

Camera - take a pictures and write notes about it

Attachment - upload/add a document or whatever you want to the note and then add text

Audio - record your thoughts

Reminder - set a reminder for later to do something. You can also set reminders on the other types of notes as well.

Handwriting - draw or write your idea

Text Note - type what you want to remember

That's it you are done! Happy brain dumping!

NOTE: The links to sign up for Evernote above are affiliate links.

[bytesandbuds]

Today I am on my pepper planting hustle!!! Although one person can't possibly eat all of these peppers, my family and friends will definitely reap the benefits! This is my first year making a concerned effort with peppers. Generally I just have a green pepper, one colored pepper, a cayenne pepper and a jalapeno. Last year a friend expressed an interest in habanero peppers so I am going to try those too. What types of peppers are you planning on planting this season? Comment below and share your favorites and if you have a favorite seed provider.

[bytesandbuds]

My everything pot. This little lovely is a combination of "I'm still here!" There is a vinca plant that self seeded itself somehow. A begonia plant that I thought was dead, but apparently was just "resting." A mother of thousands plant that can't help but to be everywhere! Lastly a few sprigs of aloe that came off another plant, but I'm still not sure how it ended up in this pot, LOL! #vinca #begonia #motherofthousands #aloe #plants #gardening #succulent #iloveplants #garden #indoorgardening #babieseverywhere #bytesandbuds #galaxyx7edge #galaxycamera

[bytesandbuds]

You know your plant crazy when you use the light fixture in your dining room to hang plants! 😂♽ ❤🌱#recycle #repurpose #diningroomchronicles #plants #indoorgardening #spiderplant #portulacaria #stringofpearls #rescueplants #bytesandbuds #galaxys7edge #galaxys7cam #galaxycamera

[bytesandbuds]

Last night I whipped up a simple veggie meal. I won't bore you with all the details, but I had a grain blend of brown jasmine rice, red quinoa and farrow wheat. Laid that next to cooked leaf lettuce and kale. I topped it all with diced cucumber and red pepper and squeezed some lemon over it. Talk about yummy! This meal was nearly entirely things that I plan to grow this year. #quinoa #kale #lettuce #onions #garlic #cucumbers #peppers #herbs What's on your grow list for 2017? #veggies #veganmeal #garden #growyourown #bytesandbuds #galaxys7edge #galaxycam

[bytesandbuds]

I got this plant when my lovely tenant unecpectedly passed away. I think she was heart broken too because soon after I brought her home her top half broke off. After a few weeks of love and fellowship with her new plant siblings I see these babies! #aloe #plants #garden #bytesandbuds #galaxys7edge #galaxycam #ripmscecile

[bytesandbuds]

The Best Way to Backup SMS Online - Android Cloud Backup

The Why: You need and want to backup text messages

In this speedy world of technology information moves quickly. However some of our most treasured moments come in short bursts of information. I know some of my favorite photos come from text messages from family and friends. Saving this content so that you can easily access it at a later time is an often asked, but rarely answered question. I have found a great save text message app that works as a text message archiver.

The What: The save text message app

The app that I found that works best for me is SMS Backup+. I have used this solution as an android cloud backup option for many years successfully to not only save photos, but also to archive my call log communications with my students and colleagues.

The How: Backup SMS Online

Follow these few easy steps for your SMS backup to Gmail: First download SMS Backup+ to your mobile device. This is your text message saving app.

Select Connect and log into the Google account where you would like to back up your messages.

Select ALLOW so that SMS Backup+ can access your Gmail account

Select the checkbox for Auto backup

Auto backup settings

Here is where you set up:

When to backup SMS

How often to backup incoming SMS

If you want to require Wifi for backup

Select incoming schedule interval

Advanced Settings

Here is where you set up:

Backup settings

Restore settings

Notifications

Confirm actions

Sync log enabled

Backup settings

Here you can indicate the following key features:

Types of text to backup, SMS or MMS

Backup Call log

How many items to backup during each backup

How to mark messages in Gmail (read, unread, message status)

What label to use for SMS

Which contact groups to backup messages from

Call log settings

In this area you can decide the following: 

The label to use in Gmail (the default is "Call log")

Specify which calls to backup. I would recommend everything, but you can select the types of calls.

Calendar sync. This puts the call items on your calendar

Restore settings

Here you indicate the what items you want to be able to restore.

Restore SMS

Restore call log

Starred items (I recommend you leave this unchecked)

How many messages to restore

How to mark messages in Gmail (read, unread, message status)

Ready to backup!

Now that are you setting are in place you can select the Backup button

You now have the option to skip existing messages or backup everything. I suggest everything!

You will then see the application begin to backup. This may take a while so now would be a good time to get wine, fold some clothes or even call it a night!

[bytesandbuds]

These sedum x rubrotinctum are so adorable! He was so small, but I kept letting him know how much I love him and he sprouted up in no time! #sedum #succulent #plants #gardening #SedumXRubrotinctum #houseplant #bytesandbuds #galaxys7edge #galaxycam