Blogging in Myrtle Glen

I love my Crocs! 

but boy, did I drag my feet before I broke down and got them   I thought they look ugly, simple as that.  My footwear of choice for many years are Birkenstock, but they don’t have the quality as they used to have, way back when…. Birkenstock nowadays fall apart when getting wet, and since I was getting tired of buying new Birkis all the time, I started looking for the perfect gardener’s shoes, and here I am with Crocs.  And yes, I can’t believe it took me so long to even give them a try, soft and airy and cushiony and nothing rubs nor pokes, I never trip nor lose one off my foot. 

So, I am sure I am the very last gardener to rave about them, but just in case there is another straggler out there reading this, go ahead and give them a try  :D

It is the time of year to trim back the plants and getting the garden ready for spring. I am filling up the compost bin…

I could not do without a Compost!! … I remember when we were stationed in Germany renting an apartment with a German family, I could not help myself but had to ask if I were allowed to add my kitchen waste to their compost. I grew up with a compost and rainwater barrels and can’t imagine living without them. I sure fall into the Compostaphile group

Composting, the benefits are obvious, reduces waste in the landfills and creates organic soil for your garden. It is so very simple, just mind a few rules and Nature does the rest.  

By the way, a healthy compost pile does not stink! Still, it does not look very attractive, so we placed ours at the side of the house, in the ‘utility area’  with the firewood storage and an extra rainwater barrel.

We have two bins, they are 3 ft x 3 ft and 3 ft high. We used PVC picket fence pieces, attached to PVC fence posts with the front part removable to easy access when turning the compost. (Don’t mind the extra fence pieces laying in the front bin, I just did not know where to keep them for the moment )

Hubby turns the compost 4 times a year and each time we get at least two 28 gallon nursery posts filled with wonderful  and perfect compost soil. Just the right amount for my little Myrtle Glen. 

This post is about my experience composting in a suburban neighborhood on a 1/4 acre lot. Composting on a farm is a different story

For anyone just starting out with composting, here are some things to keep in mind:

• You don’t just want kitchen waste on it, but green stuff, like grass and hedge clippings, leaves (best when shredded), spent flowers, used potting soil, etc.
• Whenever you fertilize your garden, give some to the compost pile as well.
• When you water, water the compost pile as well. (We have a sprinkler head set up by it)
• Don’t just make a mound, this will let the water run-off, but build it like a volcano, with a ‘dish’ in the center.
• When you find earthworms in it, great!! 
• When you find ants in it that is great as well.

You do want to add:

• Crushed egg shells (they are great, adding calcium)
• Used coffee grounds, incl. filter paper, and tea bags
• Old brewed coffee and tea
• Veggie peels
• Fruit peels, cores, etc.
• Small branches, cut in short sections, those help air circulation
• Newspaper and kitchen paper, torn up
• Hair, from dogs and humans
• Fertilizer
• Water

You do NOT want to add:

• Anything cooked (pasta, potatoes, gravy), and nothing from an animal (meats, milk, yogurt)
• Weeds from your yard, since the average garden compost (3 ft x 3 ft) will not generate enough heat (cold composting method) to kill the weed seeds. spreading the compost later on will just have the weed seeds pop up everywhere 
• Branches that are too thick to be cut with garden clippers
• Pesticides, or weed killers
• Animal feces

Happy Composting Everyone!

Encourage birds to not just visit but live in your garden by offering food (bird feeder), fresh water (bird bath) a nest box or two, and nesting material.  

I’m getting ready for springtime, the nest-building time for the birds in Myrtle Glen, by offering combed-out soft fur from Sam, our German Shepherd Dog.

I like this seed cake feeder box I got at the pet store

feeder box

gave Sam a good brushing and stuffed the fur in the box

Sam's fur as nesting material

hang it up and hopefully the birds will use it to line their nests to be soft and cushioned for their babies.

Besides with dog hair, you may fill the nesting basket with human hair, wool/yarn pieces cut in short segments (about 4  to 5 inches long), thin strips of cloth, some shredded paper not heavily dyed and cotton balls, just to name a few.

ready for the birds

Nesting material is naturally available in the yard such as twigs and sticks, leaves, grass clippings, moss, lichen, dried plumes on the ornamental grasses, but if not, collect those and lay them out for your birds.

grow cotton for the birds

Please note: I would not offer the dog hair if the dog had a flea treatment. I also won’t use dryer lint,  or anything plastic.

Added March 2012:

Here you see a simple offering of different colored knitting yarn in a feeder basket (in my Mom’s garden). She hangs it close to the bird houses, single- and multi-family homes with furniture close by