The garden has been abysmal this year. During 2012 I had a bumper crop since everything was planted by the first of May. This year the roots have been rotting and killing the plants or lack of sunlight and warmth has delayed the growth. Several tomato plants died from root rot, which is extremely unusual since tomatoes love water.
My harvest has consisted of chives and rhubarb. Peas are only now starting to produce. The broccoli is growing well but that is about it. I placed potatoes in pots to make them easier to harvest and they are thriving probably since the excess water readily drains. Unfortunately, a lot of the water has been leaking into my basement.
The hostas are huge. A lot of jack-in-the-pulpit seeds germinated so they are blooming throughout the shaded areas of the garden. This is the first year that a variety of deep purple irises are blooming, whereas other flowers aren’t doing well at all. I just hope that the native perennials have the ability to survive the excessive moisture. Last year it was too dry during the late summer and fall and but the pendulum has swung back. Feast or famine.
I fear that Global Warming is irrevocable. We stupid humans have caused the Earth to speed up its normal pondering warming cycle and the results will be catastrophic. The changes have already begun and will only become more extreme. I am fortunate to reside in the middle of the country with access to an aquifer. No wonder wealthy people have been buying large estates in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They are establishing their homesteads to be “off the grid” with solar & wind power, and thermal heating/cooling. The climate change could be sudden and then begin the process of cooling with volcanoes. The spewing of volcanic ash into the atmosphere is the fastest method to cool the planet and start another ice age. I’ll be long dead but it will be horrible for the surviving humans and the unfortunate flora and fauna impacted by our idiotic greedy behavior. We may make ourselves extinct. It would be our own damn fault.
Cool me down.
© Copyright 2013 Ima B. Musing: all rights reserved.
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Monday, July 8, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
GREEN IS GOOD
Vivid verdant green makes the grass glow as is rises upward after a springtime thunderstorm with lightening. Mmm, the smell of damp ionized air. The odd orange tinge to the sunshine makes the green even more intense. After an extra long winter, spring is extra sweet.
It can be a bit tricky to start seedlings inside but I have learned to be fairly successful. Sometimes I still lose some to either over or under-watering but the vast majority survive. It is a lot cheaper to raise plants from seed rather than purchase them at a store. Another method to save funds is to reuse potting soil, however, it must be baked to destroy the nasty microbes, which may kill the fragile seedlings. I baked several pans of soil and had to throw open the doors because the oven now spews evil carbon monoxide.
During February I started peppers and tomatoes. During March I propagated broccoli and eggplants. During April herbs were sprouted. Last year the entire vegetable garden was planted before the first of May. This year, we had snow and frost well into May. I began prepping the bed but delayed planting until I knew the precious plants would not perish in the chill.
Many of the tomatoes became rather “leggy” which means long stems with few leaves because I couldn’t plant them until Memorial Day weekend. The soil still felt cool so I doubt if the plants will grow very much when their “feet” are chilly. We have had a lot of rainy or cloudy days so that is also delaying the growth.
The vegetable garden will feed me later this summer. I don’t have money to buy items at the grocery store. The food shelf offers some fruits and veggies but most of them are damaged in some way or starting to rot. If I grow extra produce, I drop it off at the food shelf. Puttering in the garden is relaxing. I like to watch plants grow, though I could do without the weeds. I even enjoy listening to the oscillating hum of lawn mowers as they prune grass. It is tedious to cut my own lawn, which is why ¾ of the land is either perennials or veggies. Too bad we can’t have grazing animals in town to trim the grass…
Dig In!
© Copyright 2013 Ima B. Musing: all rights reserved
It can be a bit tricky to start seedlings inside but I have learned to be fairly successful. Sometimes I still lose some to either over or under-watering but the vast majority survive. It is a lot cheaper to raise plants from seed rather than purchase them at a store. Another method to save funds is to reuse potting soil, however, it must be baked to destroy the nasty microbes, which may kill the fragile seedlings. I baked several pans of soil and had to throw open the doors because the oven now spews evil carbon monoxide.
During February I started peppers and tomatoes. During March I propagated broccoli and eggplants. During April herbs were sprouted. Last year the entire vegetable garden was planted before the first of May. This year, we had snow and frost well into May. I began prepping the bed but delayed planting until I knew the precious plants would not perish in the chill.
Many of the tomatoes became rather “leggy” which means long stems with few leaves because I couldn’t plant them until Memorial Day weekend. The soil still felt cool so I doubt if the plants will grow very much when their “feet” are chilly. We have had a lot of rainy or cloudy days so that is also delaying the growth.
The vegetable garden will feed me later this summer. I don’t have money to buy items at the grocery store. The food shelf offers some fruits and veggies but most of them are damaged in some way or starting to rot. If I grow extra produce, I drop it off at the food shelf. Puttering in the garden is relaxing. I like to watch plants grow, though I could do without the weeds. I even enjoy listening to the oscillating hum of lawn mowers as they prune grass. It is tedious to cut my own lawn, which is why ¾ of the land is either perennials or veggies. Too bad we can’t have grazing animals in town to trim the grass…
Dig In!
© Copyright 2013 Ima B. Musing: all rights reserved
Friday, November 23, 2012
THANKFULNESS
Life offers unending challenges but it is imperative to be thankful for the positive aspects of existence. Here are my top eleven thanks for 2012.
You: Blog Readers (viewing my odd opinions)
Cash Mob St Paul MN Members (shopping local is smart)
Friends: My Logical Family (loving relationships of choice)
Felines: ZoZo and Tillie (furballs of love)
Part time Job (hope funds hold out until full-time employment procured)
Food Shelf (fills the tummy)
Heatshare: Energy Assistance Program (warms the home)
Faith Community (soul food)
My Old House and Auto (though both need repairs)
Garden Growth (flora, fauna, edibles, and critters)
Library & Art Crawls/Fairs (brain food)
Happy Holidays to all!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
You: Blog Readers (viewing my odd opinions)
Cash Mob St Paul MN Members (shopping local is smart)
Friends: My Logical Family (loving relationships of choice)
Felines: ZoZo and Tillie (furballs of love)
Part time Job (hope funds hold out until full-time employment procured)
Food Shelf (fills the tummy)
Heatshare: Energy Assistance Program (warms the home)
Faith Community (soul food)
My Old House and Auto (though both need repairs)
Garden Growth (flora, fauna, edibles, and critters)
Library & Art Crawls/Fairs (brain food)
Happy Holidays to all!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Monday, May 14, 2012
DEAD TIRED
Weary. I am so sick and tired of seeking employment. I apply for jobs and attend networking events but with no positive result. I have sent out over 500 applications and been on over 20 interviews. A friend of mine told me to stop counting but I have a rough estimate of the mounting rejections. Woe is me.
I wish that there were a method to scan me in, just once. It would obtain all my skills and work preferences and then automatically match me with openings. I would then scan the openings and indicate which ones I that intrigue me. I wouldn’t have to spend hours and hours and hours looking for opportunities and hoping for a match. Filling out the same information on different forms, it is so bloody tedious. Perhaps Linked In could create this feature. I’d love it.
It makes me ask what is wrong with me? I have education and experience. I can do a lot. I can learn new skills. Yes, I am a flawed human. I just feel a bit desperate because I fear financial catastrophe. I’m gonna give up the search. I will acquiesce to temp jobs after ardently seeking employment since July 2010. I removed my Master degree from my resume since apparently it intimidates supervisors. Sad, but true.
I hate temporary work. The pay is bad, no benefits, awful training (if any), and you get treated like crap by the temp agency and the employer. I have never had a good experience while temping. One time I got to an office and another temp worker showed up, the agency had double booked us. Because he had been with the agency longer, he got the job. I was totally pissed and never worked for the agency again. There is no guarantee that any temp agency will place you in a position so you have to sign up with several and hope.
My anxiety has increased and I have had touches of depression. A very dangerous combination. My self-esteem has suffered from the myriad rebuffs. I feel fearful about the future. My optimism is drowning in doubt. Thankfully, it is springtime and I can putter in the yard. Growing my garden always makes me feel better and provides a physical outlet for the stress. Plus, I can eat the results. I feel rather guilty when going to the food-shelf. I’d much rather donate than receive.
Please hire me.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
PS Monetary gifts can be directed to www.gofundme.com/i4ix0 account. Thanks!
I wish that there were a method to scan me in, just once. It would obtain all my skills and work preferences and then automatically match me with openings. I would then scan the openings and indicate which ones I that intrigue me. I wouldn’t have to spend hours and hours and hours looking for opportunities and hoping for a match. Filling out the same information on different forms, it is so bloody tedious. Perhaps Linked In could create this feature. I’d love it.
It makes me ask what is wrong with me? I have education and experience. I can do a lot. I can learn new skills. Yes, I am a flawed human. I just feel a bit desperate because I fear financial catastrophe. I’m gonna give up the search. I will acquiesce to temp jobs after ardently seeking employment since July 2010. I removed my Master degree from my resume since apparently it intimidates supervisors. Sad, but true.
I hate temporary work. The pay is bad, no benefits, awful training (if any), and you get treated like crap by the temp agency and the employer. I have never had a good experience while temping. One time I got to an office and another temp worker showed up, the agency had double booked us. Because he had been with the agency longer, he got the job. I was totally pissed and never worked for the agency again. There is no guarantee that any temp agency will place you in a position so you have to sign up with several and hope.
My anxiety has increased and I have had touches of depression. A very dangerous combination. My self-esteem has suffered from the myriad rebuffs. I feel fearful about the future. My optimism is drowning in doubt. Thankfully, it is springtime and I can putter in the yard. Growing my garden always makes me feel better and provides a physical outlet for the stress. Plus, I can eat the results. I feel rather guilty when going to the food-shelf. I’d much rather donate than receive.
Please hire me.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
PS Monetary gifts can be directed to www.gofundme.com/i4ix0 account. Thanks!
Monday, March 12, 2012
LOW MAINTENANCE YARD PART III
Please read Parts I & II, posted on March 7th and 9th.
Native perennial plants are easy to take care of after they are established, hence the label of low maintenance. Install grasses and flowers that naturally grow in your geographic area, not cultivars or imports. The initial investment of time and money to establish the garden has paid off. I kept the fence up for two years to make certain that the new plants were rooted. After removing the chicken wire, I erected a short two-foot decorative wire fence to make it look like the flowers were there on purpose. A few people in the area had had their native grasses and plants removed by the city because the neighbors thought it looked like weeds instead of a low maintenance yard. Hence, inform your neighbors or they may get your yard condemned. Check into local laws and ordinances. If they are not conducive to non-turf lawns, petition the lawmakers to change the rules. The local Watershed District has taken photos of my garden to post on their website.
Weeds can sprout up along the edges and sometimes the perennials will expand beyond the fence or on the pathway. I remove these plants right away. My grandma would always say, “Any plant in the wrong location is a weed.” She was right. I move desirable plants to better setting and pull out the remainder to give to friends, place at the curb with a “free” sign, or compost. The perennials needed constant watering the first year but less the second and almost none the third. Their roots go down so deep that drought rarely affects them. A couple years ago there was a moderate drought in the Twin Cities area but my yard wasn’t affected except for the boulevard. It needed water but the rest grew well because their roots reach down about 10 feet underground. They also soak up rain going into the rain garden and I rarely get water in the basement. When I do it is a trickle compared to the previous stream.
Some of the plants just don’t tolerate the site due to many factors, the soil, light, pollution, or they just aren’t strong enough. I replaced them with other plants and the surviving plants naturally filled in the area. The kids in the neighborhood know me as the “flower lady”. The come over and steal a blossom or two but that is okay with me. I only get annoyed when adults let their dogs tread, poop or pee in the flowerbed. It kills the plants.
I cut down the plants in the fall to nearly the soil. I wait until after the first frost so that they will drop their seeds. I gather seeds and give them to people who want to grow their own perennials. Birds swarm the plants to consume seeds before they fly south. I stuff the dead stems into the compost bin. It is a lot of labor to do this in the fall so I split it between several days. Some years I am slow and it snows before I was able to tackle this task. Trudging around in slush to remove the growth. Ugh. In the spring I rake out the flattened remainders of the growth and watch the new shoots emerge. I have had to replenish the wood-chips a couple times but the plants have filled in so there is very little open space remaining. I developed a huge allergy to Goldenrod and have been trying to eradicate it.
During the warm season I never have to purchase flowers. I take them everywhere I venture. There was a drop-in center for clients at one place that I worked and I took flowers a couple times per week. The clients loved the blooms because none of them lived in housing where they could grow flowers. The flowers draw bees, butterflies and lots of animals. My cats love watching and smelling the creatures outside, Nature: The Kitty Channel. Feral felines prowl the beds seeking mice and voles. The only bad experience was a foul smell one day. A skunk must have decided to hide in the flowers and some creature irritated it enough to create a stink. Ugh. I had to close the windows for a couple hours. I knew enough not to venture into the garden that day since skunks are nocturnal and move around at night.
Previous Garden-Related Blogs:
Seed starting tips posted on March 3rd, 4th & 5th, 2010.
Butterfly garden ideas posted on September 28th, 2011.
Composting guidelines posted on November 8th, 2011.
Native perennial plants are the best!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Native perennial plants are easy to take care of after they are established, hence the label of low maintenance. Install grasses and flowers that naturally grow in your geographic area, not cultivars or imports. The initial investment of time and money to establish the garden has paid off. I kept the fence up for two years to make certain that the new plants were rooted. After removing the chicken wire, I erected a short two-foot decorative wire fence to make it look like the flowers were there on purpose. A few people in the area had had their native grasses and plants removed by the city because the neighbors thought it looked like weeds instead of a low maintenance yard. Hence, inform your neighbors or they may get your yard condemned. Check into local laws and ordinances. If they are not conducive to non-turf lawns, petition the lawmakers to change the rules. The local Watershed District has taken photos of my garden to post on their website.
Weeds can sprout up along the edges and sometimes the perennials will expand beyond the fence or on the pathway. I remove these plants right away. My grandma would always say, “Any plant in the wrong location is a weed.” She was right. I move desirable plants to better setting and pull out the remainder to give to friends, place at the curb with a “free” sign, or compost. The perennials needed constant watering the first year but less the second and almost none the third. Their roots go down so deep that drought rarely affects them. A couple years ago there was a moderate drought in the Twin Cities area but my yard wasn’t affected except for the boulevard. It needed water but the rest grew well because their roots reach down about 10 feet underground. They also soak up rain going into the rain garden and I rarely get water in the basement. When I do it is a trickle compared to the previous stream.
Some of the plants just don’t tolerate the site due to many factors, the soil, light, pollution, or they just aren’t strong enough. I replaced them with other plants and the surviving plants naturally filled in the area. The kids in the neighborhood know me as the “flower lady”. The come over and steal a blossom or two but that is okay with me. I only get annoyed when adults let their dogs tread, poop or pee in the flowerbed. It kills the plants.
I cut down the plants in the fall to nearly the soil. I wait until after the first frost so that they will drop their seeds. I gather seeds and give them to people who want to grow their own perennials. Birds swarm the plants to consume seeds before they fly south. I stuff the dead stems into the compost bin. It is a lot of labor to do this in the fall so I split it between several days. Some years I am slow and it snows before I was able to tackle this task. Trudging around in slush to remove the growth. Ugh. In the spring I rake out the flattened remainders of the growth and watch the new shoots emerge. I have had to replenish the wood-chips a couple times but the plants have filled in so there is very little open space remaining. I developed a huge allergy to Goldenrod and have been trying to eradicate it.
During the warm season I never have to purchase flowers. I take them everywhere I venture. There was a drop-in center for clients at one place that I worked and I took flowers a couple times per week. The clients loved the blooms because none of them lived in housing where they could grow flowers. The flowers draw bees, butterflies and lots of animals. My cats love watching and smelling the creatures outside, Nature: The Kitty Channel. Feral felines prowl the beds seeking mice and voles. The only bad experience was a foul smell one day. A skunk must have decided to hide in the flowers and some creature irritated it enough to create a stink. Ugh. I had to close the windows for a couple hours. I knew enough not to venture into the garden that day since skunks are nocturnal and move around at night.
Previous Garden-Related Blogs:
Seed starting tips posted on March 3rd, 4th & 5th, 2010.
Butterfly garden ideas posted on September 28th, 2011.
Composting guidelines posted on November 8th, 2011.
Native perennial plants are the best!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Friday, March 9, 2012
LOW MAINTENANCE YARD PART II
Please read Part I first, posted on March 7th.
I had already informed my neighbors about the landscaping project and shown them photos of the flowers. No one objected but I wanted them to be informed since they would be looking a it every day, too. After the turf removal I had to landscape the soil and dig in a rain garden. I hauled a multitude of wheel-barrels full of soil to build up dirt next to the house (due to water running into my basement when it rained). I made it twice as steep as suggested because I knew that it would compact over time. Plus, I dug out a rain garden twice the size needed since it will slowly fill up. The pile of turf and soil in my backyard grew into a mound. Manual labor is an excellent workout and I felt stronger every day.
It was now time to mulch with wood-chips. I located a company who sold the chips in bulk. It was cheaper to purchase what I needed for the entire yard and get it delivered. I knew that 18 cubic yards was a lot. Felt rather overwhelmed when I arrived home and the pile was as tall as my single-stall garage. I nearly cried. At least it was a Friday and I had the weekend to start moving the bulk. First, I sprayed the landscaped soil with Round Up to kill any weeds or bits of turf that were still there. Second, I scattered a heavy layer of corn gluten meal. Corn gluten meal serves two purposes, it stops seeds from germinating and it is a fertilizer. I hate weeds so this was a positive endeavor. Finally, I started moving the wood-chips one wheel-barrel full at a time. It took a week to get them either into the newly landscaped sunny area, stored in the shed or next to the garage. 162 square feet is a heck of a lot of wood-chips!
After the chips were out of the driveway and I could park in the garage again, I focused on planting the flowers. Due to the huge population of rabbits in the neighborhood and pesky dogs that like to poop in the yard, I erected a three-foot tall chicken wire fence around the new flower garden. Ventured to a local organic nursery and purchased the plants. I procured small six-plex cartons because they were cheaper and I needed a lot of plants. I utilized a standing bulb planter, which I could step on to punch a hole in the ground and reduce strain on my back. Moved aside the mulch and punched in holes one foot apart because I wanted them to grow in close proximity. Lessens the opportunity for weeds to develop, too.
After all the holes were dug, about 200 in the sunny side area or phase one. The yard looked like a corkboard with staggered holes. I used a ruler for uniform placement. I took the plants and placed the shortest growers around the edge but a foot and a half back from the sidewalk and driveway (pussy toes, prairie smoke, etc). I decided to alternate the variety of plant for visual complexity. I had started some short prairie grass on my own (under three feet) and placed one row of grass behind the flat plants. I then deposited the shorter flowers in the next row and worked up the tallest in the back and closest to the house. Three-foot perimeter remained around the house for a pathway. I put away my tools and placed the leftover plants in a part-shade location in the backyard. Watered in the new plants and gave the leftovers a drink too. It was an exhausting day but I was happy that the plants were finally in the sunny side of the front yard. Took a shower and collapsed on the couch.
New plants are very vulnerable so it’s important to give them a drink of water daily. If it didn’t rain I watered them in the morning before I went to work. Plants in the six-plexes were even more vulnerable so I gave them a drink in the morning and when I got home from work. I placed netting over the top of the sunny side and potted plants to keep the squirrels out. They can be rather pesky and dig up newly sowed flowers. Unfortunately, the net deterred the birds that eat bugs but I figured that the tree-climbing rodents were more of a threat.
It was time to start the shady side of the front yard, phase two. I followed the same procedure, dug out the turf, landscaped around tree roots (the boulevard tree and the neighbor’s tree), killed off the weeds, put down corn gluten meal and wood-chips, erected the fence, dug the holes, and plopped in the plants. Obviously, I chose plants that liked part-shade. Exhausted but happy.
Phase three, dig the boulevard. Repeated the steps and choose plants that did well in drought and heat. My boulevard is only couple of feet wide so it dries out very quickly. I could not erect a fence but I did put up wooden posts with streamers to help keep out dogs and their owners. Sprinkled hot pepper flakes over the ground to deter animals and reapplied once per week. I adore dogs. I don’t respect owners who let their animal pee and pooh on plants. The plants are expensive and the animal’s waste can kill, especially when the plants are small and the roots are not established. It really irks me when people let their canines and felines out to roam. It is dangerous for the animal and annoying to the neighbors. My cats stay inside at all times.
The next year I placed the ubiquitous hosta on the north side of the house since they do well in shade. I didn’t want to grow ferns because they often harbor mosquitoes. On the south side of the driveway I had started a patch of short native prairie grass (blue stem et al) a couple years before. It grows well. I added a patch of milkweed, prairie sage and sweetgrass. I pick and dry the sage and sweetgrass and give it to people who can use it. I burn a lot myself, though the cats don’t like the smell. Zozo does want to eat the grass but too much and her stomach gets upset.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Sustain the green.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
I had already informed my neighbors about the landscaping project and shown them photos of the flowers. No one objected but I wanted them to be informed since they would be looking a it every day, too. After the turf removal I had to landscape the soil and dig in a rain garden. I hauled a multitude of wheel-barrels full of soil to build up dirt next to the house (due to water running into my basement when it rained). I made it twice as steep as suggested because I knew that it would compact over time. Plus, I dug out a rain garden twice the size needed since it will slowly fill up. The pile of turf and soil in my backyard grew into a mound. Manual labor is an excellent workout and I felt stronger every day.
It was now time to mulch with wood-chips. I located a company who sold the chips in bulk. It was cheaper to purchase what I needed for the entire yard and get it delivered. I knew that 18 cubic yards was a lot. Felt rather overwhelmed when I arrived home and the pile was as tall as my single-stall garage. I nearly cried. At least it was a Friday and I had the weekend to start moving the bulk. First, I sprayed the landscaped soil with Round Up to kill any weeds or bits of turf that were still there. Second, I scattered a heavy layer of corn gluten meal. Corn gluten meal serves two purposes, it stops seeds from germinating and it is a fertilizer. I hate weeds so this was a positive endeavor. Finally, I started moving the wood-chips one wheel-barrel full at a time. It took a week to get them either into the newly landscaped sunny area, stored in the shed or next to the garage. 162 square feet is a heck of a lot of wood-chips!
After the chips were out of the driveway and I could park in the garage again, I focused on planting the flowers. Due to the huge population of rabbits in the neighborhood and pesky dogs that like to poop in the yard, I erected a three-foot tall chicken wire fence around the new flower garden. Ventured to a local organic nursery and purchased the plants. I procured small six-plex cartons because they were cheaper and I needed a lot of plants. I utilized a standing bulb planter, which I could step on to punch a hole in the ground and reduce strain on my back. Moved aside the mulch and punched in holes one foot apart because I wanted them to grow in close proximity. Lessens the opportunity for weeds to develop, too.
After all the holes were dug, about 200 in the sunny side area or phase one. The yard looked like a corkboard with staggered holes. I used a ruler for uniform placement. I took the plants and placed the shortest growers around the edge but a foot and a half back from the sidewalk and driveway (pussy toes, prairie smoke, etc). I decided to alternate the variety of plant for visual complexity. I had started some short prairie grass on my own (under three feet) and placed one row of grass behind the flat plants. I then deposited the shorter flowers in the next row and worked up the tallest in the back and closest to the house. Three-foot perimeter remained around the house for a pathway. I put away my tools and placed the leftover plants in a part-shade location in the backyard. Watered in the new plants and gave the leftovers a drink too. It was an exhausting day but I was happy that the plants were finally in the sunny side of the front yard. Took a shower and collapsed on the couch.
New plants are very vulnerable so it’s important to give them a drink of water daily. If it didn’t rain I watered them in the morning before I went to work. Plants in the six-plexes were even more vulnerable so I gave them a drink in the morning and when I got home from work. I placed netting over the top of the sunny side and potted plants to keep the squirrels out. They can be rather pesky and dig up newly sowed flowers. Unfortunately, the net deterred the birds that eat bugs but I figured that the tree-climbing rodents were more of a threat.
It was time to start the shady side of the front yard, phase two. I followed the same procedure, dug out the turf, landscaped around tree roots (the boulevard tree and the neighbor’s tree), killed off the weeds, put down corn gluten meal and wood-chips, erected the fence, dug the holes, and plopped in the plants. Obviously, I chose plants that liked part-shade. Exhausted but happy.
Phase three, dig the boulevard. Repeated the steps and choose plants that did well in drought and heat. My boulevard is only couple of feet wide so it dries out very quickly. I could not erect a fence but I did put up wooden posts with streamers to help keep out dogs and their owners. Sprinkled hot pepper flakes over the ground to deter animals and reapplied once per week. I adore dogs. I don’t respect owners who let their animal pee and pooh on plants. The plants are expensive and the animal’s waste can kill, especially when the plants are small and the roots are not established. It really irks me when people let their canines and felines out to roam. It is dangerous for the animal and annoying to the neighbors. My cats stay inside at all times.
The next year I placed the ubiquitous hosta on the north side of the house since they do well in shade. I didn’t want to grow ferns because they often harbor mosquitoes. On the south side of the driveway I had started a patch of short native prairie grass (blue stem et al) a couple years before. It grows well. I added a patch of milkweed, prairie sage and sweetgrass. I pick and dry the sage and sweetgrass and give it to people who can use it. I burn a lot myself, though the cats don’t like the smell. Zozo does want to eat the grass but too much and her stomach gets upset.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Sustain the green.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
LOW MAINTENANCE YARD PART I
Perennials are forever, well, almost. Mowing is a boring, wasteful, and redundant activity. Why burn the time and fossil fuel once or twice per week? I decided a few years ago to install a rain garden filled with native plants. Native perennials are plants that grow naturally in your geographic area. They are more drought and pest tolerant than hybrids or plants brought in from other areas. Once established, the natives require the least amount of maintenance. Thankfully, I learned of the watershed district’s native plant program. Like most Minnesotans, I reside in a watershed district, applied for and was accepted to receive reimbursement for half the cost of supplies (no labor can be reimbursed). Originally I was only going to install a small area but the financial assistance greatly expanded my options. I decided to tear up the entire front and side yards (about 300 square feet).
My lot is twice as long as it is wide and the length runs east west. The short side faces east with the street, sidewalk, and a three-foot wide boulevard. The house sits on the north side of the lot, with the short side facing the street and a detached garage on the south side of the lot. Near the sidewalk, there is a four-foot wide patch on the south side of the lot, hemmed in by the ten-foot wide driveway, which is about fifty-feet long. The sunny part of my lawn is bordered by the house and driveway. There is a short walkway from the front porch to the sidewalk. Due to a boulevard tree, the area is part-shade. The north side of the house is full shade. The backyard is very small.
Education is the most important step. I learned about planting techniques, native plants of the Twin Cities region, and places to procure the plants. I developed a list of plants and grasses. The Extension Service is a reliable source of free information and the local Master Gardner program may offer classes. University of Minnesota has a fabulous website www.extension.umn.edu/gardeninfo/ for upper Midwest plants. I knew that I wanted a variety of plants, different colors, heights and blooming times. Learn about sustainable landscape design at www.sustland.umn.edu/
Luckily, there are several nurseries and events around the Twin Cities that focus on native perennials. The Twin Cities Friends Plant Sale in early May also has a good selection visit www.friendsschoolplantsale.com for details. The Twin Cities Living Green Expo www.livinggreenexpo.mn in May offers free workshops. Not all the plants were in stock but at least I knew what I sought when I went shopping. A list of MN nurseries is at www.plantinfo.umn.edu/ You can also check out the Native Plant Expo and Market coordinated by the St. Paul Audubon Society at www.saintpaulaudubon.org in June. If you don’t reside in Minnesota, just check with your local Extension Service, they should have a list of resources. It is best to purchase from a local nursery or obtain cuttings from a local gardener rather than ordering from a catalogue.
Of course, talking with an actual gardener is the absolute best method of learning. Drive around your neighborhood and look for an impressive garden. Stop and chat with the gardener, if they aren’t home leave a note. It’s flattering when someone notices. Lots of people wave when they walk by or else say nice things if I’m out in the yard. When sitting on my porch I’ve seen people stop their car and take photos. Most gardeners love to talk about how they created their yard. I like to blog about it.
Preparation is the most tedious part of the process. Turf or regular grass tends to build upon itself and the under layers of thatch don’t absorb much water. I could have just sprayed a general herbicide and killed the grass but the thatch would have impeded the growth of the new plants. The grass and weeds could have started growing if it had not been completely destroyed. Thus, I decided to rip out all the turf. I convinced a bunch of friends to bring their shovels and join me on a lovely spring Saturday to dig dig dig the largest part of the yard, the sunny side. We dug out the entire turf growth, about three to four inches down. The turf was deposited into a pile in my back yard and I bought them pizza. More hands make lighter work.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Think green and greener.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
My lot is twice as long as it is wide and the length runs east west. The short side faces east with the street, sidewalk, and a three-foot wide boulevard. The house sits on the north side of the lot, with the short side facing the street and a detached garage on the south side of the lot. Near the sidewalk, there is a four-foot wide patch on the south side of the lot, hemmed in by the ten-foot wide driveway, which is about fifty-feet long. The sunny part of my lawn is bordered by the house and driveway. There is a short walkway from the front porch to the sidewalk. Due to a boulevard tree, the area is part-shade. The north side of the house is full shade. The backyard is very small.
Education is the most important step. I learned about planting techniques, native plants of the Twin Cities region, and places to procure the plants. I developed a list of plants and grasses. The Extension Service is a reliable source of free information and the local Master Gardner program may offer classes. University of Minnesota has a fabulous website www.extension.umn.edu/gardeninfo/ for upper Midwest plants. I knew that I wanted a variety of plants, different colors, heights and blooming times. Learn about sustainable landscape design at www.sustland.umn.edu/
Luckily, there are several nurseries and events around the Twin Cities that focus on native perennials. The Twin Cities Friends Plant Sale in early May also has a good selection visit www.friendsschoolplantsale.com for details. The Twin Cities Living Green Expo www.livinggreenexpo.mn in May offers free workshops. Not all the plants were in stock but at least I knew what I sought when I went shopping. A list of MN nurseries is at www.plantinfo.umn.edu/ You can also check out the Native Plant Expo and Market coordinated by the St. Paul Audubon Society at www.saintpaulaudubon.org in June. If you don’t reside in Minnesota, just check with your local Extension Service, they should have a list of resources. It is best to purchase from a local nursery or obtain cuttings from a local gardener rather than ordering from a catalogue.
Of course, talking with an actual gardener is the absolute best method of learning. Drive around your neighborhood and look for an impressive garden. Stop and chat with the gardener, if they aren’t home leave a note. It’s flattering when someone notices. Lots of people wave when they walk by or else say nice things if I’m out in the yard. When sitting on my porch I’ve seen people stop their car and take photos. Most gardeners love to talk about how they created their yard. I like to blog about it.
Preparation is the most tedious part of the process. Turf or regular grass tends to build upon itself and the under layers of thatch don’t absorb much water. I could have just sprayed a general herbicide and killed the grass but the thatch would have impeded the growth of the new plants. The grass and weeds could have started growing if it had not been completely destroyed. Thus, I decided to rip out all the turf. I convinced a bunch of friends to bring their shovels and join me on a lovely spring Saturday to dig dig dig the largest part of the yard, the sunny side. We dug out the entire turf growth, about three to four inches down. The turf was deposited into a pile in my back yard and I bought them pizza. More hands make lighter work.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Think green and greener.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
BUG O RAMA
Blasted bugs have invaded my houseplants. I tote my tropical houseplants outside each summer when the weather rises above 60 degrees. They grow happily in the partial shade of my backyard. This year I decided to try to extend the existence of vegetable plants inside. I successfully over-wintered pepper plants, mint, and parsley last winter.
This fall I brought in peppers, eggplants (never produced during the summer), basil, and oregano plants. The goal is to have them survive to be planted outside in the spring. Recently I noticed that an eggplant leaf was covered with aphids. They won’t harm humans or cats but they will kill a plant. I didn’t want chemicals on edibles so I purchased Bonide Insecticidal Soap from the store. Sprayed the plants in the bathtub and sneezed. I’d prefer to utilize ladybugs but they are hibernating right now.
I have always had a chronic problem with tiny black flies, not fruit flies but little buggers. They were in the house when I moved in and I have never been able to rid myself of the colony. I went against my no-chemical vow to purchase Bonide Systemic Houseplant Insect Control for use on the tropical plants. Nasty but I want to protect my veggies from whatever may be prowling the non-edible growth. Perhaps it will rid me of the dratted flies.
It is important to keep the vegetation watered during this dry season. The botanicals are located in my office due to the south-facing window. I close the door and turn on a wee space heater when I am on-line so the room gets warmed up after about an hour. I suppose that dries out the plants faster. I will water them for a couple weeks with dishy water, a gallon of water with a couple drops of liquid dishwashing soap to help flush out the bugs in the roots. After the prepared spray runs out I’ll mist the leaves with dishwashing soap to discourage bugs. A mild concentration of soap does not harm the plant or fruit in any way. The result is fewer aphids and one worm that tried to make a run for the hallway but died in the process. Tiny black flies remain to my distain.
The flora makes the office smell better. The humidity is nice. Delighted to harvest a ripe red pepper from one of the plants I brought inside. Some of the other plants have small peppers so I have been diligently watering them in hopes of further harvest. The lack of sunlight is not good but I don’t have any artificial grow lights to add to the window. I made the mistake of fertilizing with fish emulsion and the stench was horrific. Whirled fish bits are for outside only.
Fly away bugs!
2011 © Ima B. Musing
This fall I brought in peppers, eggplants (never produced during the summer), basil, and oregano plants. The goal is to have them survive to be planted outside in the spring. Recently I noticed that an eggplant leaf was covered with aphids. They won’t harm humans or cats but they will kill a plant. I didn’t want chemicals on edibles so I purchased Bonide Insecticidal Soap from the store. Sprayed the plants in the bathtub and sneezed. I’d prefer to utilize ladybugs but they are hibernating right now.
I have always had a chronic problem with tiny black flies, not fruit flies but little buggers. They were in the house when I moved in and I have never been able to rid myself of the colony. I went against my no-chemical vow to purchase Bonide Systemic Houseplant Insect Control for use on the tropical plants. Nasty but I want to protect my veggies from whatever may be prowling the non-edible growth. Perhaps it will rid me of the dratted flies.
It is important to keep the vegetation watered during this dry season. The botanicals are located in my office due to the south-facing window. I close the door and turn on a wee space heater when I am on-line so the room gets warmed up after about an hour. I suppose that dries out the plants faster. I will water them for a couple weeks with dishy water, a gallon of water with a couple drops of liquid dishwashing soap to help flush out the bugs in the roots. After the prepared spray runs out I’ll mist the leaves with dishwashing soap to discourage bugs. A mild concentration of soap does not harm the plant or fruit in any way. The result is fewer aphids and one worm that tried to make a run for the hallway but died in the process. Tiny black flies remain to my distain.
The flora makes the office smell better. The humidity is nice. Delighted to harvest a ripe red pepper from one of the plants I brought inside. Some of the other plants have small peppers so I have been diligently watering them in hopes of further harvest. The lack of sunlight is not good but I don’t have any artificial grow lights to add to the window. I made the mistake of fertilizing with fish emulsion and the stench was horrific. Whirled fish bits are for outside only.
Fly away bugs!
2011 © Ima B. Musing
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
BLACK GOLD
Fifty gallons of black gold is excavated out of my back yard every fall. Nutrient rich compost is organic, very low cost, and easy to make. Mining the compost bins is the crux of the process. The bins are 3 feet square and four feet tall. Stuff in the yard and food waste, add water, and voila compost! Well, it really isn’t that simple.
I procured the bins from the county’s environmental program several years ago when they had a sale. Thirty dollars per bin made out of recycled plastic slats and assembled from a box was a bargain since the normal retail price is ninety dollars. I purchased four and realized that I needed more. Last year a neighbor bought a different bin and gave me their old one. I don’t bother staking them into the ground, I just anchor the bin in a couple inches below the ground level and they have not needed any more securing.
Yard waste comprises the majority of the input. All household paper products that don’t contain chemicals such as Kleenexes, paper towels, napkins, and paper plates are added with food scraps and used tea leaves (I’m not a coffee drinker), though no bones. The bins have a lid but I like to keep the contents exposed to air and moisture. Pests such as squirrels and raccoons like to feast on the contents so they must be kept at bay. I constructed a double layer of chicken wire about a foot wider than the bin. It is secured with long vegetable stakes that slightly poke through the chain-link fence next to the bins. I add a couple bricks on top of the wire and no pests have broken through the security measures. City critters are fed well enough; they don’t need my compost ingredients to add to their feast.
Each empty bin is filled with layers of new and old waste in the fall. I place the hard to break down materials on the bottom, like raspberry canes and black-eyed susan stalks. The next layer is smaller material with a gallon bucket of not-quite-done compost poured on top. I tamp it down with a shovel. Don’t get into the bin and stomp on the contents because they will be too compacted and not able to disintegrate. Continue layering new material with old waste until the bin is full. Secure the top with the chicken wire and wait for it to cook, aka rot. All it can do during the winter is freeze dry and collect layers of ice and snow.
The waste deteriorates when it is above freezing and moist, not drenched. Mice and voles tunnel in and consume the edibles. Worms inhabit moist areas and munch some more. Microbes nibble at the remainder. During the summer I turn the contents every two weeks or so. I use a short potato pitchfork to dig out the contents of one bin and dump it into a wheel barrel. I mix the remainder of the bin around the bottom. The bins are positioned next to each other so I then dump the contents of the neighboring bin into the partially empty bin. After the final bin is mixed I transfer the wheel barrel contents in and I’m done. At this time I check for moisture. If the bins are a bit dry I add water whenever I water the garden. If they are too wet I put on the bin covers over the chicken wire to let them dry out a little. The bin does not stink unless a lot of food waste is near the top and when you stick your head into it. My neighbors have never complained.
The first year I added coffee grounds and compost enzymes. They are no longer needed since I can use the not-quite-done matter to the new materials and pass along the microbes. Every fall I clean out the bins. This is the most physically challenging task. I place the covers on the bins as soon as the weather turns to fall, meaning that the first frost has occurred. The bins need a couple weeks to dry out or else I could be mining mud.
Pull one bin out of the ground and empty the contents onto an old plastic shower curtain. Place another plastic curtain on the ground and center the empty bin. Empty five-gallon buckets are placed inside the bin and to each side. I take off one layer of the removable slats and position a homemade screen over its top. My neighbor constructed a quarter-inch heavy gage wire mesh screen to fit inside the top of the bin. The wood sides of the box are four inches tall so I can load a lot of compost onto the screen. I ladle the compost onto the screen and gently push it around. What falls through is ready for use, the remaining bits are placed into the wheel barrel to be added back in with the new material and have another year to cook.
Screening the cooked compost is the most physically demanding part of the task. I split the task between two or three days to avoid exhaustion. Compost is a lot better than manure or chemical fertilizers. My garden grows well as a result. I store the five-gallon buckets in my shed. I cover each with a lid and place a brick on top, otherwise the voles tunnel in for supper. The mined compost continues to cook during warm weather and I target where I spread the compost for best results. If you use it for indoor plants make certain that you sterilize the compost to kill off any seeds that still may be lingering. Place in an old cake pan and bake in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour, let it cool before you use it. Stay nearby because it can catch fire if it becomes too hot or dry.
Happy mining!
© 2011 Ima B. Musing
I procured the bins from the county’s environmental program several years ago when they had a sale. Thirty dollars per bin made out of recycled plastic slats and assembled from a box was a bargain since the normal retail price is ninety dollars. I purchased four and realized that I needed more. Last year a neighbor bought a different bin and gave me their old one. I don’t bother staking them into the ground, I just anchor the bin in a couple inches below the ground level and they have not needed any more securing.
Yard waste comprises the majority of the input. All household paper products that don’t contain chemicals such as Kleenexes, paper towels, napkins, and paper plates are added with food scraps and used tea leaves (I’m not a coffee drinker), though no bones. The bins have a lid but I like to keep the contents exposed to air and moisture. Pests such as squirrels and raccoons like to feast on the contents so they must be kept at bay. I constructed a double layer of chicken wire about a foot wider than the bin. It is secured with long vegetable stakes that slightly poke through the chain-link fence next to the bins. I add a couple bricks on top of the wire and no pests have broken through the security measures. City critters are fed well enough; they don’t need my compost ingredients to add to their feast.
Each empty bin is filled with layers of new and old waste in the fall. I place the hard to break down materials on the bottom, like raspberry canes and black-eyed susan stalks. The next layer is smaller material with a gallon bucket of not-quite-done compost poured on top. I tamp it down with a shovel. Don’t get into the bin and stomp on the contents because they will be too compacted and not able to disintegrate. Continue layering new material with old waste until the bin is full. Secure the top with the chicken wire and wait for it to cook, aka rot. All it can do during the winter is freeze dry and collect layers of ice and snow.
The waste deteriorates when it is above freezing and moist, not drenched. Mice and voles tunnel in and consume the edibles. Worms inhabit moist areas and munch some more. Microbes nibble at the remainder. During the summer I turn the contents every two weeks or so. I use a short potato pitchfork to dig out the contents of one bin and dump it into a wheel barrel. I mix the remainder of the bin around the bottom. The bins are positioned next to each other so I then dump the contents of the neighboring bin into the partially empty bin. After the final bin is mixed I transfer the wheel barrel contents in and I’m done. At this time I check for moisture. If the bins are a bit dry I add water whenever I water the garden. If they are too wet I put on the bin covers over the chicken wire to let them dry out a little. The bin does not stink unless a lot of food waste is near the top and when you stick your head into it. My neighbors have never complained.
The first year I added coffee grounds and compost enzymes. They are no longer needed since I can use the not-quite-done matter to the new materials and pass along the microbes. Every fall I clean out the bins. This is the most physically challenging task. I place the covers on the bins as soon as the weather turns to fall, meaning that the first frost has occurred. The bins need a couple weeks to dry out or else I could be mining mud.
Pull one bin out of the ground and empty the contents onto an old plastic shower curtain. Place another plastic curtain on the ground and center the empty bin. Empty five-gallon buckets are placed inside the bin and to each side. I take off one layer of the removable slats and position a homemade screen over its top. My neighbor constructed a quarter-inch heavy gage wire mesh screen to fit inside the top of the bin. The wood sides of the box are four inches tall so I can load a lot of compost onto the screen. I ladle the compost onto the screen and gently push it around. What falls through is ready for use, the remaining bits are placed into the wheel barrel to be added back in with the new material and have another year to cook.
Screening the cooked compost is the most physically demanding part of the task. I split the task between two or three days to avoid exhaustion. Compost is a lot better than manure or chemical fertilizers. My garden grows well as a result. I store the five-gallon buckets in my shed. I cover each with a lid and place a brick on top, otherwise the voles tunnel in for supper. The mined compost continues to cook during warm weather and I target where I spread the compost for best results. If you use it for indoor plants make certain that you sterilize the compost to kill off any seeds that still may be lingering. Place in an old cake pan and bake in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour, let it cool before you use it. Stay nearby because it can catch fire if it becomes too hot or dry.
Happy mining!
© 2011 Ima B. Musing
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
MONARCH HOTEL
Oblong pools of orange, spots of yellow and white surrounded by black edging. The wings of a monarch butterfly are like beautiful stained glass windows. Each butterfly has a slightly unique pattern. Their black bodies are speckled with white dots. Each spring they start their journey from the jungles of Central America flying northward to Canada, a journey of several thousand miles. I’m in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area so it is still a long distance from the mountains of Mexico. Early summer is official when the first monarch butterfly flits by.
My yard is filled with native perennial plants and I purposefully grow a plot of about 50 milkweed plants. They are not particularly attractive but their blooms smell wonderful. I place them inside a fenced area because they tend to tip over mid summer. Monarchs lay eggs on the milkweed plant and the caterpillar larva eats the leaves. Unfortunately, approximately one in one hundred eggs will mature into a butterfly due to weather conditions and predators. I aim to increase those odds by gathering caterpillars and raising them inside. Not all live to maturity but more than ninety percent in my care survive to become a butterfly.
Caterpillars need a space to eat, poop, and a location to attach their pupa chrysalis. They all have bands of white, yellow, and black but there is a lot of variety in the pattern. Last year I had a larva that was mostly black with tiny bands of white and yellow. Their job is to consume calories and grow. In ten days or so they will enlarge by 3000%. They procure all their nutrition from milkweed leaves. However, the frass (poo) is rather gooey and smelly. I will explain the best method to set up a Monarch Caterpillar Hotel. As soon as I see the first caterpillar I prepare the hotel, usually during the first week or so of June in the Twin Cities.
First, obtain a growth tank. I acquired an barely used plastic salamander cage from Goodwill. It is about twelve inches tall, eight inches wide and fourteen inches long. Most importantly, it has a lid with air holes. It is imperative to have good airflow for the caterpillars. Secondly, make a vase for the milkweed plants. I use two disposable plastic containers 2 inches tall and 4 inches square, which perfectly fits the bottom of the cage-hotel. The lid is prepared by poking holes about on fourth of an inch in from the corner and in the center; it looks like a five of dice. Make certain that the hole is about the half the diameter of a pencil so that it will accommodate the stem of the milkweed plant. I extended the hole with cross hatches (like the plastic lid of a soda-pop cup, with an expandable hole to hold straws of various sizes).
Thirdly, prepare the tank. Make certain that it is clean; use a 10% bleach solution (one cup of bleach to 10 cups of water). After it is dry, place a couple paper towels on the floor of the tank. This will sop up any errant fecal matter or chrysalis fluid. Put water into the plastic containers. Place a layer of wax paper over the top of the plastic containers (the wax paper should be a bit larger than the size of the floor of the tank. It will catch the poo as it falls. Make certain that you always close the lid or the caterpillars may crawl out.
The fourth step is food. Pull out some small milkweed plants from the garden. I concentrate on the “volunteer” plants that grow outside the designated milkweed patch. Take the small plant and treat it like a flower, keep the leaves on the stem, just cut the stem to the point that the stalk can be shoved into the hole in the plastic container but not taller than the lid of the container. Usually, mature butterflies lay their eggs on small plants so you might end up with a bonus caterpillar! I use a magnifying glass to look for tiny caterpillars. Don’t attempt to pluck them from the plant, just bring in the whole leaf. Place one plant per caterpillar in the tank. Depending upon the size of the bug and the leaves, they eat about one or two leaves per day. They will chew on the stalk if the leaves are gone. The caterpillars will starve and die very quickly if they do not have adequate food. Don’t touch the larva because they are delicate. I use a dry artist brush to move them if they don’t stay on a leaf.
Maintenance is the fifth step, Replace the stalks every other day or whenever they look droopy. I clean out the whole tank on my back steps because it is too messy to do inside. I temporarily relocate the bugs and the old leaves onto a couple sheets of newspaper while I wipe out the tank, wash the plastic containers, replace the layer of wax paper if it is falling apart, and put in new stalks. Carefully check the old leaves before composting them because sometimes little caterpillars will be on them. Gently transfer the bug to the new leaves. Gently return the caterpillars to the new stalks and they will eat again.
Tillie, the cat, likes to sit on the lid. I have moved the tank to several locations but she still climbs on board. At least she only weighs about eight pounds. I think she is attracted to the smell since caterpillars don’t move much. Sometimes the bugs will climb onto the inside of the lid to molt their smaller skin as they grow. It falls to the floor of the tank. It takes about ten days to two weeks for the caterpillar to reach maturity. When it is at about an inch and a half long, it climbs to the lid and attaches itself. It takes about a day and it will shed its exoskeleton skin to form the chrysalis. It is enthralling to observe a larva dance out of its skin.
Inside the chrysalis, the bug takes about ten days to transform into a butterfly. It is interesting to watch the pod slowly elongate, occasionally wiggle, and then wings can be seen. The pod turns translucent just before it breaks open. The new butterfly emerges with a large abdomen and shrunken wings. It only takes a few minutes and the butterfly forces the fluid from its abdomen to inflate the wings. Fascinating to watch. The wings are very fragile because they are not dry. Don’t mess with the new butterfly until it starts to flap its wings. I take the whole tank outside and gently open the lid. Oftentimes, the butterfly will alight off into the wind. Sometimes, it isn’t quite ready to fly so I coax it onto my finger and I carry it out to the milkweed patch. Gently attach it to any open flowers or a leaf so that it can finish drying its wings. I place them in a sheltered spot so a bird doesn’t swoop down upon the newbie.
Finally, don’t wait to place the butterfly outside. It needs food and flight. It could die very quickly if you leave it inside the tank. I don’t like visiting Butterfly Houses because the bugs are not allowed to reproduce and may not have access to food. They are purely bred for human enjoyment, it is a zoo. Captivity can be cruel. However, I do keep two felines but they would only live a couple years in the wild and they purr a lot.
A second batch of caterpillar eggs are laid approximately the last week of July through the first couple weeks of August. I repeat the procedure above after thoroughly cleaning the hotel with the bleach solution. Otherwise, they will be prone to disease. These hearty creatures will start the migration to the winter grounds in Mexico. Five generations later, a new crop will arrive in my garden to start the process over again. My grandparent’s farm was on the migration route. If your timing was right, you could watch them mass together in the tree branches at night and as soon as the sun warmed their wings, they would fly off in the morning. Alas, after my grandparents died the farm was sold so I can’t watch this wonderful sight.
2011 totals: 31 in summer batch and 19 in fall batch, twice as many as last year since I was super diligent about looking for wee tiny caterpillars. Next year, I’ll note their gender when releasing them. In the fall I collect some milkweed seeds to reseed the area in the spring. www.monarchwatch.org is an excellent source of information.
Wish that I could fly.
© 2011
My yard is filled with native perennial plants and I purposefully grow a plot of about 50 milkweed plants. They are not particularly attractive but their blooms smell wonderful. I place them inside a fenced area because they tend to tip over mid summer. Monarchs lay eggs on the milkweed plant and the caterpillar larva eats the leaves. Unfortunately, approximately one in one hundred eggs will mature into a butterfly due to weather conditions and predators. I aim to increase those odds by gathering caterpillars and raising them inside. Not all live to maturity but more than ninety percent in my care survive to become a butterfly.
Caterpillars need a space to eat, poop, and a location to attach their pupa chrysalis. They all have bands of white, yellow, and black but there is a lot of variety in the pattern. Last year I had a larva that was mostly black with tiny bands of white and yellow. Their job is to consume calories and grow. In ten days or so they will enlarge by 3000%. They procure all their nutrition from milkweed leaves. However, the frass (poo) is rather gooey and smelly. I will explain the best method to set up a Monarch Caterpillar Hotel. As soon as I see the first caterpillar I prepare the hotel, usually during the first week or so of June in the Twin Cities.
First, obtain a growth tank. I acquired an barely used plastic salamander cage from Goodwill. It is about twelve inches tall, eight inches wide and fourteen inches long. Most importantly, it has a lid with air holes. It is imperative to have good airflow for the caterpillars. Secondly, make a vase for the milkweed plants. I use two disposable plastic containers 2 inches tall and 4 inches square, which perfectly fits the bottom of the cage-hotel. The lid is prepared by poking holes about on fourth of an inch in from the corner and in the center; it looks like a five of dice. Make certain that the hole is about the half the diameter of a pencil so that it will accommodate the stem of the milkweed plant. I extended the hole with cross hatches (like the plastic lid of a soda-pop cup, with an expandable hole to hold straws of various sizes).
Thirdly, prepare the tank. Make certain that it is clean; use a 10% bleach solution (one cup of bleach to 10 cups of water). After it is dry, place a couple paper towels on the floor of the tank. This will sop up any errant fecal matter or chrysalis fluid. Put water into the plastic containers. Place a layer of wax paper over the top of the plastic containers (the wax paper should be a bit larger than the size of the floor of the tank. It will catch the poo as it falls. Make certain that you always close the lid or the caterpillars may crawl out.
The fourth step is food. Pull out some small milkweed plants from the garden. I concentrate on the “volunteer” plants that grow outside the designated milkweed patch. Take the small plant and treat it like a flower, keep the leaves on the stem, just cut the stem to the point that the stalk can be shoved into the hole in the plastic container but not taller than the lid of the container. Usually, mature butterflies lay their eggs on small plants so you might end up with a bonus caterpillar! I use a magnifying glass to look for tiny caterpillars. Don’t attempt to pluck them from the plant, just bring in the whole leaf. Place one plant per caterpillar in the tank. Depending upon the size of the bug and the leaves, they eat about one or two leaves per day. They will chew on the stalk if the leaves are gone. The caterpillars will starve and die very quickly if they do not have adequate food. Don’t touch the larva because they are delicate. I use a dry artist brush to move them if they don’t stay on a leaf.
Maintenance is the fifth step, Replace the stalks every other day or whenever they look droopy. I clean out the whole tank on my back steps because it is too messy to do inside. I temporarily relocate the bugs and the old leaves onto a couple sheets of newspaper while I wipe out the tank, wash the plastic containers, replace the layer of wax paper if it is falling apart, and put in new stalks. Carefully check the old leaves before composting them because sometimes little caterpillars will be on them. Gently transfer the bug to the new leaves. Gently return the caterpillars to the new stalks and they will eat again.
Tillie, the cat, likes to sit on the lid. I have moved the tank to several locations but she still climbs on board. At least she only weighs about eight pounds. I think she is attracted to the smell since caterpillars don’t move much. Sometimes the bugs will climb onto the inside of the lid to molt their smaller skin as they grow. It falls to the floor of the tank. It takes about ten days to two weeks for the caterpillar to reach maturity. When it is at about an inch and a half long, it climbs to the lid and attaches itself. It takes about a day and it will shed its exoskeleton skin to form the chrysalis. It is enthralling to observe a larva dance out of its skin.
Inside the chrysalis, the bug takes about ten days to transform into a butterfly. It is interesting to watch the pod slowly elongate, occasionally wiggle, and then wings can be seen. The pod turns translucent just before it breaks open. The new butterfly emerges with a large abdomen and shrunken wings. It only takes a few minutes and the butterfly forces the fluid from its abdomen to inflate the wings. Fascinating to watch. The wings are very fragile because they are not dry. Don’t mess with the new butterfly until it starts to flap its wings. I take the whole tank outside and gently open the lid. Oftentimes, the butterfly will alight off into the wind. Sometimes, it isn’t quite ready to fly so I coax it onto my finger and I carry it out to the milkweed patch. Gently attach it to any open flowers or a leaf so that it can finish drying its wings. I place them in a sheltered spot so a bird doesn’t swoop down upon the newbie.
Finally, don’t wait to place the butterfly outside. It needs food and flight. It could die very quickly if you leave it inside the tank. I don’t like visiting Butterfly Houses because the bugs are not allowed to reproduce and may not have access to food. They are purely bred for human enjoyment, it is a zoo. Captivity can be cruel. However, I do keep two felines but they would only live a couple years in the wild and they purr a lot.
A second batch of caterpillar eggs are laid approximately the last week of July through the first couple weeks of August. I repeat the procedure above after thoroughly cleaning the hotel with the bleach solution. Otherwise, they will be prone to disease. These hearty creatures will start the migration to the winter grounds in Mexico. Five generations later, a new crop will arrive in my garden to start the process over again. My grandparent’s farm was on the migration route. If your timing was right, you could watch them mass together in the tree branches at night and as soon as the sun warmed their wings, they would fly off in the morning. Alas, after my grandparents died the farm was sold so I can’t watch this wonderful sight.
2011 totals: 31 in summer batch and 19 in fall batch, twice as many as last year since I was super diligent about looking for wee tiny caterpillars. Next year, I’ll note their gender when releasing them. In the fall I collect some milkweed seeds to reseed the area in the spring. www.monarchwatch.org is an excellent source of information.
Wish that I could fly.
© 2011
Thursday, March 4, 2010
SPRING, PART II
Please read Anticipating Spring before this entry.
Read the directions of the seed packet and following them is the fifth step. New seed is more likely to germinate but I have been able to successfully use older seed by promptly sealing them into an old peanut butter container to keep out excess moisture. I also place them on the unheated porch for a portion of the winter so that they get a cold shock. You can use a refrigerator for the same affect but make certain that they are in an airtight container or they will dehydrate. Many seeds need the cold to get the command to germinate. Odd but true. I’m certain that a plant biology book explains why this occurs.
Use your sixth sense; actually use common sense as the sixth step. I place a layer of foil insulation on the table, a seedling heat mat, topped off by a seed tray where the planted containers warm. My house is kept at 50-58 degrees so the seedling heat mat is a requirement to coax the seeds to germinate. I have it on a timer so it comes on an hour before sunset and turns off an hour after sunrise. The tray is in the sunshine so it receives solar light during the day. If a lot of moisture has accumulated on the clear tray topper, I take it off so the soil and seeds don’t rot or steam. It is important to be moist but not wet and not too hot.
Once the seeds sprout, place them in a seed tray in the sunshine or under a florescent light for step number seven. Remember, the florescent light needs to be within a couple feet to be effective. I still use filtered water to give them a wee drink. Too much or too little water and the seedling will die. A little sip each day is better than a big drink each week. I rotate the plants as soon as they start bending towards the light. It is important that all sides of the seedling face the window in rotation. I call it “seed tending” and turn them every couple days.
Eighth Step: wind is good. I place a small fan on low and oscillation as soon as the seedlings rise about a half an inch tall. They need the breeze to grow strong. Otherwise, they won’t be strong enough to handle real wind nor strong enough to support large leaves or fruit/veggies. I have the fan on a timer during daytime hours, which also helps to ensure that the plants don’t get too hot in the direct sunlight. The seedlings closest to the fan dry out faster so I check them often.
TO BE CONTINUED
© 2010
Read the directions of the seed packet and following them is the fifth step. New seed is more likely to germinate but I have been able to successfully use older seed by promptly sealing them into an old peanut butter container to keep out excess moisture. I also place them on the unheated porch for a portion of the winter so that they get a cold shock. You can use a refrigerator for the same affect but make certain that they are in an airtight container or they will dehydrate. Many seeds need the cold to get the command to germinate. Odd but true. I’m certain that a plant biology book explains why this occurs.
Use your sixth sense; actually use common sense as the sixth step. I place a layer of foil insulation on the table, a seedling heat mat, topped off by a seed tray where the planted containers warm. My house is kept at 50-58 degrees so the seedling heat mat is a requirement to coax the seeds to germinate. I have it on a timer so it comes on an hour before sunset and turns off an hour after sunrise. The tray is in the sunshine so it receives solar light during the day. If a lot of moisture has accumulated on the clear tray topper, I take it off so the soil and seeds don’t rot or steam. It is important to be moist but not wet and not too hot.
Once the seeds sprout, place them in a seed tray in the sunshine or under a florescent light for step number seven. Remember, the florescent light needs to be within a couple feet to be effective. I still use filtered water to give them a wee drink. Too much or too little water and the seedling will die. A little sip each day is better than a big drink each week. I rotate the plants as soon as they start bending towards the light. It is important that all sides of the seedling face the window in rotation. I call it “seed tending” and turn them every couple days.
Eighth Step: wind is good. I place a small fan on low and oscillation as soon as the seedlings rise about a half an inch tall. They need the breeze to grow strong. Otherwise, they won’t be strong enough to handle real wind nor strong enough to support large leaves or fruit/veggies. I have the fan on a timer during daytime hours, which also helps to ensure that the plants don’t get too hot in the direct sunlight. The seedlings closest to the fan dry out faster so I check them often.
TO BE CONTINUED
© 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
ANTICIPATING SPRING
Yearning for the feel of soil in my hands, seedlings have sprouted in my house. Actually, I started the first batch of pansies in mid-January, peppers in February and herbs in March. They are located on the second floor of my house, out of the reach of curious cats that tip over, eat, and then throw up the plant material. Felines have their own pot of oat grass to consume. Starting from seed is so much cheaper than purchasing a small plant from a garden center. If you have the space and some time, you can grow your own seedlings easily. Here are some of my tips.
First Step: sterilize everything. I place old plant containers and all tools in the dishwasher and set them on the regular cycle with soap. Don’t include regular dishes or they may be covered by fine grit from the sand/soil. The grit will scratch glass. I reuse old seed starter and potting soil (not the soil you dig from the ground) since it is so expensive. Place about an inch of the soil in a 9 x 12 inch baking pan and cook in the oven at 250 degrees for an hour. Don’t attempt to speed up the process by cooking it at a higher temperature or it will burn. However, if the soil is wet the baking time will be longer. Be careful not to let the soil start smoking or it may start a fire. Most potting soil has some wood pulp, moss or organic material that may be combustible. You don’t want a fire in your kitchen. I usually bake something edible at the same time and the soil has never affected the taste of the food. Let the soil cool down to room temperature before you use it.
After the plant holders/containers (3.5 inches or 4 inches, usually in a square pot) have dried, marking them is the second step. I use liquid paper on the outer edge and give each holder a number with a permanent marker. I usually place them in a group of a dozen: examples A-1, A-2, through A-12 and start B-1 and continue. Third Step: place a couple layers of newspaper in the bottom of each container to block the holes but it will still permit excess water to exit. Put on a couple inches of the old soil. I top it off with another inch of new seed starting soil. It is easier for the seeds to start in the new stuff and they will be strong enough for the old soil, as they increase in size.
Fourth Step: use filtered water to moisten the soil. I like to douse the plant container the day before and let them soak in the water overnight. I use the 9 x 12 pan again so that a couple inches of water can be around the container. The seeds will be disturbed if you dump water on them from the top, especially since seed-starting soil is very loose. After the soil is moist, let the excess drain out. On the top of the soil, poke a small hole in the middle with your finger or the end of a pencil.
TO BE CONTINUED
© 2010
First Step: sterilize everything. I place old plant containers and all tools in the dishwasher and set them on the regular cycle with soap. Don’t include regular dishes or they may be covered by fine grit from the sand/soil. The grit will scratch glass. I reuse old seed starter and potting soil (not the soil you dig from the ground) since it is so expensive. Place about an inch of the soil in a 9 x 12 inch baking pan and cook in the oven at 250 degrees for an hour. Don’t attempt to speed up the process by cooking it at a higher temperature or it will burn. However, if the soil is wet the baking time will be longer. Be careful not to let the soil start smoking or it may start a fire. Most potting soil has some wood pulp, moss or organic material that may be combustible. You don’t want a fire in your kitchen. I usually bake something edible at the same time and the soil has never affected the taste of the food. Let the soil cool down to room temperature before you use it.
After the plant holders/containers (3.5 inches or 4 inches, usually in a square pot) have dried, marking them is the second step. I use liquid paper on the outer edge and give each holder a number with a permanent marker. I usually place them in a group of a dozen: examples A-1, A-2, through A-12 and start B-1 and continue. Third Step: place a couple layers of newspaper in the bottom of each container to block the holes but it will still permit excess water to exit. Put on a couple inches of the old soil. I top it off with another inch of new seed starting soil. It is easier for the seeds to start in the new stuff and they will be strong enough for the old soil, as they increase in size.
Fourth Step: use filtered water to moisten the soil. I like to douse the plant container the day before and let them soak in the water overnight. I use the 9 x 12 pan again so that a couple inches of water can be around the container. The seeds will be disturbed if you dump water on them from the top, especially since seed-starting soil is very loose. After the soil is moist, let the excess drain out. On the top of the soil, poke a small hole in the middle with your finger or the end of a pencil.
TO BE CONTINUED
© 2010
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