Recycled sidewalk patio

Yesterday we finished the recycled sidewalk chunks patio in a little corner of the front garden. Eventually it will be covered by a kiwi & a grapevine trellised over it.




Hubs put concrete between the gaps and I went behind him with nice rocks and added them to the mix. We make a grand team, I think ☺

Remember?

Good, because I had almost forgotten to post about the free, soil enriching, environmentally conscious mulch of choice around here (as a follow up to the warnings about the dangers of using recycled tire mulch).

It all started when I noticed how pretty the oak leaves looked in our back garden. We have about five oaks within our fenced back garden and many more just outside of the fenced area. I had this unoriginal thought: why not just let nature do what it is supposed to do and allow these leaves to stay in the garden? So I did. I raked them just so to use as mulch for our flowers back there...and after a few days I looked it up online (my books make no mention of such a thing). Turns out my hunch was right. This is a good way to mulch naturally and for free. Besides cooling the soil, as the leaves slowly decompose they enrich it as well. They are one of earthworm's prefered snacks & are loaded with micronutrients that are hard to find in store bought stuff.

But...there is an even better way to use leaves as mulch: using a leaf shredder before spreading the mulch around. This helps make the composting of the leaves a lot quicker. I am saving to buy one of those (not cheap, but cheaper than buying mulch for such a large area)...but in the meantime I just let nature do its thing.

In the front garden where we have no oaks I use leaves from my neighbors. The folks next door let me have their leaves ("You mean you'll give us free salad greens in exchange for our garden trash? Errr...okay..."). During my morning runs I am always on the look out for front yards where no pesticides or any 'cides' are used...after that, I wait until they put their garden waste out and ask if I can steal their trash. Very scientific.

If you have oak leaves available to you and you are concerned about them changing your soil's PH, I found out that only several years of this practice will have a minor effect in your soil's PH (as the leaves decompose very slowly). All you'd have to do, when and where needed is to counterbalance with natural nutrients to counterbalance oak's acidic tendencies.

It takes a bit of extra work as you will have to quickly screen the contents of the trash bags before tossing them on your garden, but
I think it is worth the effort.

If you are worried about the leaves blowing all over the place, worry not. Some odd law of physics takes place once you put them where you want them...they seem to huddle together and the wind does almost no mess at all.

I also know of people who call arborists to see if they could pick up the mulched trees (for free)...but that I am a bit weary of as I would never be able to tell if the tree (and its wood) was sick.

Stolen Loquats!!!

Well, not really stolen, I asked permission...and in the process I met some of the nicest people I have ever met in my hood (and that is a lot for me to say as I am a horrible human being and normally I don't find people in my area very likable. There. It's out.).

I am not saying this because they fed me delicious fruit, they truly were sweet people and I am looking forward to showering them with garden greens and tomatoes very soon!

Things continue to be hectic, hectic, hectic...but I did set aside time tomorrow to write a whole bunch and post tons of pics I shot in the last week while I was breaking my back working out there, planting and transplanting, etc.

Also, I am furious about a certain gardening personality here in Central Florida who had the nerve to highly recommend recycled tire mulch...and I have to wonder, does he live in a Tupperware??? I mean, I am all for recycling but there are smarter ways to recycle tires, like, say...the way my hippie uncle in Chile used to make us kids summer sandals with old pieces of leather and soles made of old tires...that was pretty cool...but to have its chemicals leach into OUR soil to end up in OUR waterways? That's a bit much...anyhow, the scientific explanation of why that is definitely an irresponsible & ignorant move coming up tomorrow along with free organic ways to mulch things up in a healthy manner.

Question what you read. Question what you read here. Do your research, get info from unbiased sources as much as you can...look at who advertises in the sites where you get your info from. Look into the financial ties of those who help guide you in your garden (or in your life for that matter)...and finally, in all things, use common sense...not trying to tell you what to do, only how to do it .

*giggles*

I am all fired up...but duty calls and I must go get stuff done. In the meantime, I leave you with birdie pics taken in the last few days...See you tomorrow!

Free Seed Planters

I am going to put to the test an idea I read about in the latest issue of Organic Gardening magazine.

I'll poke a drainage hole in the bottom of the egg shell, add seed medium and the seeds. I will also use the egg carton for support.

When the seedling is ready to be replanted in its permanent home, I'll plant it with the egg shell & all (after giving it a gentle squeeze to help the shell break down a bit). The shell will provide the soil with additional nutrients as it decomposes.

Who knew...

From http://www.visionmagazine.com/:

"Enhance carrot and radish growth—We all have heard that coffee grounds make a great fertilizer in garden soil. And you may also know that your grounds are a great asset to compost piles. What you probably haven’t heard is that coffee can enhance the growth of carrots and radishes in particular. Before you plant, mix your carrot and radish seeds with used coffee grounds. Then plant them all together. Not only will the grounds increase your carrot and radish size and amount, but they will also ward away any underground pests attracted to your veggies. Give this a try and watch your crop flourish! "

Propagating & saving

When I cook I take longer herb cuttings than I need. I use the lower leaves of each cutting and leave the top parts on the stems to set root near a source of indirect light.

To the right of tonight's victims (lemon balm & lemon thyme-which is a lot easier to propagate than the regular thyme) is some freshly grated lemon and lime. When I need citrus juice I save the peeling for other meals. That way I don't have to use taste-less store-bought stuff.

A $2 garage sale chair decoupaged with magazine photos & CD covers.

Old coffee table

It will soon become a bench in a shady area of the garden...still looking for something to make the base for it.

Money buys happiness?

Au contraire, mon ami. This is a testament to it: an old chair "recycled" from someone's trash, and Moco the Wonder Cat, who came from le streets.

Coffee for acidic soil loving plants

My azaleas & hydrangeas love their java. I put about an inch around the base of acid loving plants each month. If you have blueberries the trick works with them as well.