Six Plants to Grow for Your Beauty Routine

Everyday we use products on and around our bodies that are supposed to help us stay fresh as the flowers. Unfortunately many of these products contain harmful, synthetic chemicals. The best products we can use in our beauty routines can come from our own backyards! I’ve gathered six plant recommendations for you to naturally enhance your daily treatments.

Roses

Pikrepo

Who doesn’t love a good rose water? English Roses, Provence Roses or French Roses work best. Many products such as toner, bath spirits, perfumes and face mists are rose-infused to lock in moisture, calm skin and give a fresh floral scent. Check out three ways to make rose water and how to use it.

Aloe Vera

Cintia Siqueira

Aka “the plant queen of soothe”, Aloe Vera is famous for its ability to calm irritation and burns. It helps with elevating hydration levels and aids in plumping. Although many people use it for skin issues, most people don’t realize it’s also useful for hair care. Here is a recipe for an Aloe Vera Hair Mask.

POPSUGAR released a video about how to use Aloe, so watch below for ideas.

Strawberries

Pikrepo

This sweet fruit is a perfect spa-day snack and can be incorporated right into the products you use. Strawberries are rich in vitamin A and vitamin E, which can make your skin glow! Try this brightening face mask.

Live Simply

DIY Teeth Whitener – only two ingredients. Strawberries are also a natural teeth whitener because they contain malic acid.

  • one strawberry
  • half teaspoon of baking soda
  1. Mash and mix until a smooth paste.
  2. Brush over teeth and leave on for five minutes.
  3. Wash away and repeat once per week.

PSA: Remember to use SPF when going outside, but especially after using any product with fruit juices. They can make skin more sensitive to UV rays. Also, don’t overuse this teeth treatment. If used in excess, then the frequent exposure to the acids and sugars will wear away your enamel. TL;DR – be careful with this intense and magical fruit.

Turmeric

Pikrepo

Although you need to grow it in your home or a warm greenhouse if you live in Canada, turmeric is a great plant for DIY beauty. It’s known for its use in curry dishes as it adds a spicy heat. It has great anti-inflammatory and healing properties. It’s a common ingredient for acne-solving masks. Be sure to avoid your eyes when applying any turmeric products.

Witch Hazel

Laura Ockel

This ingredient creates a magical potion. It’s known to firm and improve the appearance of skin. If you want your face to look flawless, this is a key to success. Witch Hazel is a natural astringent which helps fade scars, reduce redness and quickens healing. As someone who gets acne even in her mid-twenties, this has drastically helped me speedily diminish any blemishes that arise. Learn how to make the astringent here.

Cucumber

Kelly Neil

When you picture a stereotypical spa-day in your head, you most likely think of someone with cucumber slices over their eyes. It’s another great snack option when you’re doing some beauty self-care, and it is fantastic for promoting hydration. It contains antioxidants. You can use sliced cucumber to help banish dark eye circles by simply placing one cut circle over each eye for 10-15 minutes a couple times per week. Try this ultra-refreshing cucumber mint scrub!

One Little Project

Do you have a favourite beauty recipe or other recommendations? Drop your favourites in the comments!

How to Grow Seeds Indoors

By growing lavender inside a Jiffy windowsill greenhouse, I show you how to start seeds in the springtime.

Here is the transcript for the video:

Hi, and welcome back to Well-Grown Home. My name is Sarah and today I’ll be showing you how to use a Jiffy greenhouse to start your seeds indoors. Here I have the windowsill greenhouse. This one holds 12 plants and so inside there are 12 peat pellets. It has the plastic top and plastic bottom. I have a variety of seed packs, but today I’m going to be growing the lavender. These are my 10 germination tips. What are you growing this year?

So typically, I try to get the McKenzie seeds. I have great success with them! I typically buy my seeds at The Home Depot or Bradford Greenhouses just because they’re quick and convenient for me to access. In here, I do also have herbs. I have other flowers; there’s a variety, but I’ll grow those later.

I’m going to start with the lavender and they are “sow easy” – they are McKenzie! There’s 250 seeds within this packet. I’m going to take off the packaging of the greenhouse here, and I’ll actually be using the instructions straight from it so there’s no misconceptions about what’s going on. They’re straight from the package itself.

So, I have my instructions off here. I’m just going to open up the greenhouse. It does have this plastic lid that will go on top later, and inside you can see the 12 peat pellets. So, they’re fairly small. You can buy these individually from Jiffy itself and many other retailers. They’re usually about 20 cents each if you want to reuse the windowsill greenhouse. I advise reusing as much as possible! We don’t want to waste plastics and discard them when we don’t have to.

I’m going to start with step number one – expand peat pellets by gradually
adding one and three-quarter cups, which is about 450 millilitres of warm water,
to the base tray. Pour off excess water when pellets are fully expanded.

There’s no turning back now… and we’ll wait for those to expand. We have completed step one and each of the peat pellets have expanded to about an inch, an inch and a half so they’re very voluptuous right now.

Our next step is step two – gently pull back the netting on the top of the pellets. Fluff and level surface peat. Sow two to three seeds per pellet and cover lightly with peat. Place dome on tray and keep in a warm location away from direct sunlight. That is a very long step; that’s like six steps in one, but we’re going to start with pulling back the netting on top of the pellets.

Pull back there; just loosen that up, just a bit. I’m going to keep going opening up all the tops gently fluffing up the peat moss. Go through all 12. I’ve gently pulled back the netting. I’ve fluffed up the peat and also levelled it across. Now, it’s time to sow the seeds. So I’m now just going to drop my seeds into the peat pellets just like this: one, two and three and then I’ll gently cover them up with the peat.

I’m placing this dome over top of the seeds and now moving the whole device over to a windowsill. I’m going to choose a south-facing window because they do get the most sunlight. So that’s going to be in my mom’s office; she’ll just get to deal with these growing seeds for a little bit. And then, I’m going to read you the next steps.

Step number three (should be like step seventeen or something but…) when the first seeds sprout, you’re going to pop it up like this. Put a dowel or a pencil or whatever you have inside here to keep some air flow. Once they’ve all sprouted you’re going to remove the plastic dome, and then once all of them have two leaves (so it’s a little bit bigger/has an actual leaf from each plant) you’re going to cut back the ones that are not as strong. You’re going to keep one plant per pellet.

Throughout this process you want to make sure that you still add some water when needed. As you can see here the pellets are dark because of the moisture that’s already inside them from soaking them. And then, you’re going to add a little bit of water when they turn light brown. So to harden off the plants, you’re going to take the opened greenhouse and place it outside. You’re going to keep it in the shade though not in the bright sunlight!

When you have it by a window inside, it is protected from the other elements like the wind and rain and everything. If you’re bringing it outside keep it in the shade. Especially if it is still springtime, sometimes, depending on your climate, it’s going to get colder at night you want to bring it inside.

Keep those seeds protected. Once it has gotten warmer you can put these in full sunlight and then eventually plant them into your garden if you wish or another container. When you’re doing that, you want to make sure that the pellets are right at the top. You keep the seeds and everything right in the pellet itself and you just want to make sure it’s all level up top.

You don’t want to bury these deep inside. You want to make sure that the soil is firmly around it so it doesn’t fall over or roll around. You also want to make sure you get that water to your plants. Make sure it’s getting the nutrients it needs… then you have a full plant!

I wish you luck in trying this method. Starting seeds inside can be fun. It’s also a great activity to do with kids and I wish you the best of luck with your gardening! Subscribe and follow @wellgrownhome on Instagram and TikTok. All blog posts are shared on wellgrown.home.blog.

What other topics would you like me to cover in future videos? Let me know in the comments!

Mother’s Day Gifts for the Garden Lover

Here are eight gift ideas for your mother, grandmother, mother-in-law or any other mom-like figure in your life.

Mother’s Day is right around the corner and it’s always nice to give back to someone you love. I’ve rounded up some of my top picks for the person on your list. These are perfect for someone who loves gardening, nature, flowers, plants and all of the above!

This is a picture with my mom (Deb) and I in our matching Lilly Pulitzer popovers.

Mother and Daughter in matching popover sweaters, smiling together in front of grey brick wall

Stepping Stone(s)

cement stepping stones with gem pieces in the shape of a butterfly and a dragonfly
Michaels

This is a cute DIY for any age – you can be of any artistic level and create a beautiful piece for any home. They can be put directly into the garden or on display either inside or outside! Michaels sells kits and they’re even available for curbside pickup during COVID-19. You can browse my Pinterest board for more decorating ideas.

Gardena Gloves

gardena gloves being used while gardening
Costco

These can be found at Costco in bulk packs of 10 for $19.99. Each year or so the colours are slightly different but the gloves are the same otherwise. They’re comfortable, durable and inexpensive! I used these all the time when working with the City of Barrie; three pairs lasted me all summer working 6am – 3pm.

Garden Tool Kit

garden tool set in matching canvas seat
Amazon

Tools should last a few years, but don’t need to be expensive. I’ve been using a plastic rainbow coloured kid’s set for five years now. They work and aren’t some high-tech brand. The kit above is functional and great for outdoors, especially if your mom is trimming hedges or collecting veggies. Any kit like the ones pictured below are cute and can be found at a variety of stores or amazon. When/if HomeSense is open again check there – they always have some cute and affordable ones! For now, maybe a Homesense gift card (I’m almost positive your mom would love it)!

Floral Bath Sponges

These cute body wash-infused buffers from Spongelle are perfect for any mother (or other!) in your life. There are a variety of scents to burst fragrance into your bathroom and besides the buffers there are other spa-day type items from which to choose.

spongelle used to wash hands of a woman wearing silver rings
French Lavender Sponge from Spongelle

Check out their Flower Child collection:

girl in bathtub with spongelle and pink and yellow flowers
Carol De Mauro

or their Botanica collection:

butterfly shaped spongelle and spongelle yellow box with butterflies
Spongelle

Workout Wear

I’m a huge fan of the athletic clothes from Old Navy. There are cute sets, like the one pictured below, and a wide range of sizes. I find their workout gear both comfortable and affordable. Activewear can be worn at the gym, at the park, as street styles and around the house (and in the garden, of course!).

The Tea: Those who don’t think gardening can be a workout are just plain wrong.

Leggings – Tank – Bra

Plants

When gifting someone plants it’s important that you know how much effort the receiver will put into it and where they can add it inside or outside their home. A small houseplant is a safe bet and can be accompanied with a hand-painted pot (this one is perfect for kids!). If you know your mom can handle a small rose bush or another addition to her garden, then go for it! You don’t want your money to go to waste if you know the plant will end up in a composter too soon.

hand-painted terracotta flower pot containing small purple and yellow flowers with grasses in the center of the pot
Pinterest

If they just want something pretty then a bouquet from a floral shop or even the grocery store will do. There’s a variety of beautiful blooms available at various price points.

woman smiling with a bouquet of white and light pink roses
Retha Ferguson

Butterfly House

A little wooden box can serve as protection for butterflies, ladybugs and other helpful insects for any garden. Paired with butterfly-attracting plants, such as cornflower, milkweed, daylilies and hollyhocks, these little houses can help make a garden truly come to life!

wooden butterfly box with light blue panel and green roof
Lowes

Hand Scrub

Hand-care is a seriously underrated factor of importance for gardeners! After using tools and being surrounded by dirt all day your hands take a beating. They can get blisters from raking and digging. Hands also can get dry from being exposed to moist soil frequently, or even drier soil that keeps trying to soak up any moisture within its touch. Here is a list of 15 DIY hand scrubs that you can whip up for your loved ones.

These are my three favourites from the list:

  1. Lemon Zest Gardener’s Hand Scrub
  2. Sea Salt and Tea Tree Scrub
  3. Dried Rose Petal Scrub
glass jar containing lemon hand scrub beside small purple flowers on burlap table runner
Popsugar

Also, hopefully you know your mother’s birthday – see what flowers would suit her personally in this month by month plant list.

Check out more ideas on my Well-Grown Home Pinterest board. What would you add to the list? Let us all know below!

Guest Blogger: Colour Me Happy

Guest Blogger Header

Colour Me Happy

Using Colours to Create Mental Health Spaces

Hi everyone! My name is Yashvi, and I run a blog that addresses such issues as fashion, lifestyle, and most importantly, mental health. My interest in mental health stems from my undergraduate training in psychology, and my own experiences with mental health.

One of the things that has helped me through my mental health journey is plants and natural scenery. So, for this post, Sarah and I thought it would be fun to implement some colour psychology to help you design your home oasis this spring.

I’ll start with a brief description of what kinds of effects different colours have on our minds, and then introduce some interesting and eye-catching colour schemes to kick start your spring haul!

The Psychology of Colours

Colour Psychology is not an exact science, and sometimes studies can unearth competing data about how we really feel because of colours. But overwhelmingly, we can say that we have, broadly speaking, similar reactions to certain groups of colours.

Red

red roses close-up
picjumbo.com

Blue    

  • Cool
  • Calm
  • Serene
  • Wide range of shades
  • Is readily found in nature
blue wildflowers in field with orange golden lighting
Irina Iriser

Yellow

  • Bright
  • Lifts esteem
  • Difficult to pair with other colours
bunch of sunflowers blooming with light, bright turquoise background
Lydia Bond

Green

  • One of the more calming colours
  • Helps you feel balanced
  • Reflects nature
A tree in the middle of a bright mossy forest
Skitterphoto

Purples

  • A deep, rich colour
  • Prompts inward reflection
  • Can overwhelm a colour palette if used incorrectly
close-up of purple wildflowers
Suzy Hazelwood

Orange (and Browns)

  • Highly stimulating colour
  • Difficult to pair with other colours
  • Warm
A close up of an orange flower
Silvia Corradin

Pink

  • Tranquil
  • Soothing
  • Can be overwhelming in excess
A group of pink flowers on a tree
Sunyu Kim

Now that we’ve covered the basic effects of colours, we can move onto mixing and matching colours to create a palette.

There are many ways to do this, as any artist will tell you: colour wheels, intuition, monochrome, etc. But I personally find that palettes which reflect natural landscapes create the most soothing patterns. For you, I recommend beginning by gathering photos that evoke the feeling you are seeking to replicate in your oasis.

For some, this might also be photos of landscapes, or it could be a sweater that makes you feel cozy, a room in your home that you particularly love or anything else.

For my favourite schemes for spring 2020, I’ve found some striking pictures and put them through a palette maker. Then you just pick and choose which colours from the palette you want to keep using what we’ve learned about the individual effects of colours. For each palette below, I’ve also included pots that fit the colour scheme.

Palette One

Palette Two

Palette Three

Palette Four


—————————————————

Do you have a favourite palette or theme for your own plants?

Let us know below in the comments or tag us on Instagram at @wellgrownhome and @yashvikhatri.

You can follow Yashvi’s blog where you can read additional intriguing posts!

How to Germinate Seeds… Successfully!

Gardening is a great way to spend your time. It can give you ingredients for your kitchen, it brings your living space to life and it is a method of self-care. Starting plants from seeds can be easy – sometimes they grow without you wanting them and sometimes it’s challenging – nothing grows at all.

Many people are going back to the basics during the worldwide pandemic lockdowns. There are rumours about shops selling out of seeds. People are preparing home-gardens to avoid purchasing produce at grocery stores… and to give them an isolation activity!

up-close photo of plant with two leaves growing in palm of person outside
Mazumder

Here are some tips for success to help you start growing this spring:

1. Follow the directions on the package.

This is tip number one because of its importance. A seed packet will most often tell you how deep to plant them, what kind of climate and soil is needed, watering and sunlight needs, plant spacing details and most notably the plant’s name (a great place to start). If you get your seeds straight from a farmer, neighbour, mother-in-law, etc. or your own existing plants then all you need to do is a quick google search for the specific seed instructions. If something goes wrong with your seeds, a first tell-tale sign of the issue is that you didn’t follow these crucial first instructions. Looking for suggestions for what to plant? Try some herbs! These are my favourite.

2. Don’t start too soon.

Seeds need warmth to germinate, so if you start planting when there’s a blast of snow in late April the seeds can freeze or rot after a few mornings of the frosty weather. The optimal time to plant the seeds is most likely on the packet, but some plants only require a few days to start sprouting. You want to extend your gardening season, not end it before it can properly begin.

older man placing seeds in shallow trench outside
Mellish

3. Use seed-starter products.

Seed-starter products can be found at garden centres, at home stores and even at various grocery stores in their seasonal layout areas. Why not use a product created to help you with planting seeds? These items are affordable and will aid in the success-rate of your planting.

seeds starting to grow out of small brown square quadrants
Spiske

4. Use wide-flat areas for germination.

Don’t plant too deep. Again, follow the instructions for your specific seed type. If a seed is too deep it will have to push further through in order to sprout. If it’s not strong enough it may just die without surfacing, or it can become too damp as the water lasts the longest in the bottom of the container/in the lower layers of the soil.

5. Pre-soak your seeds.

This can reduce your germination time – a big plus especially if you want or need your plants quicker. Place your seeds into a small bowl with just enough warm water to cover the seeds.

  • For thin-skinned seeds: soak for 2-6 hours.
  • For thick-skinned or shelled seeds: soak for 8-12 hours.

Never soak your seeds for more than 24 hours. Plant them once they have finished their soaking period.

6. Ensure there is enough drainage.

As mentioned before, seeds will rot if they are too wet. A rotting seed will not grow and produce a healthy plant. Water only a little daily, then once sprouted follow the directions (this seems to be a theme, eh?).

white person using a knife to divide seeds and new plant growth, conatins many small plants
Schaeffer

7. Label your seeds.

This is highly important if you are growing more than one seed type or are growing them in an outdoor garden. Without knowing what seed is which, you might be providing the incorrect care to your plants. In a garden bed, you may forget where your seeds are and would not know where to check or water.

You can find some cute labeling ideas on my Pinterest board.

8. Monitor the seeds’ environment.

Seeds will need to be checked frequently to ensure the conditions in their surroundings are going to help them grow. You want to adjust the environment as necessary to provide the ideal temperature, sunlight and moisture. If your seeds are outside, you want to look for signs of pests. Squirrels and chipmunks are known for digging up seeds and bulbs. Although they can be cute, a plant is cuter in my books.

seeds starting to grow into small plants
Theodore

9. Start seeds indoors.

The easiest way to control the environment is to grow your seeds indoors. You don’t have to bear the weather, and if you’re keeping the plants inside you can almost start growing them anytime.

10. Be patient.

There’s nothing worse than waking up abruptly as your sister pulls a nice warm blanket off you to say you need to go get the mail. Allow your seeds to take their time growing. Avoid digging up seeds to “check on them” at all costs. It will disrupt the seeds and make it difficult for them to get comfortable enough again to grow. If it’s been double the projected time for a seed to sprout, then check on it. There may have been an issue. Otherwise, just remember it will be worth the wait!

Small young plants in brown biodegradable mini containers
@corin

What do you plan on growing from seeds this summer? I’ve bought seeds for lavender, sunflowers, carrots, dill and cilantro so far!

Don’t forget to tag @wellgrownhome on Instagram to share your planting successes!

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