Sustainable Living-All Too Familiar

Victory gardens, living off the land, sustainable living, I’ve lived through them all. I’m of an age where everything seems familiar. The terms “sustainable living” and “sustainable gardening” are thrown around today but are déjà vu to many of us “mature adults”. For those of us who took to the hills in the 60’s, it has a remarkably familiar ring.

There I was, a young women with young children, living on a couple of acres thirty miles north of San Francisco. We grew fruits and vegetables, picked wild blackberries, had chickens and ducks and a milk goat for dairy products. I made all of our bread, got fresh water for drinking from a nearby spring, and ate trout from a nearby stream and striped bass from the S.F. Bay. We occasionally killed and skinned a deer and had fresh venison as a beef substitute.

I remember thinking at the time that there was something weird about prepared foods and for a few lean years we did not touch it. Not only did it taste odd, we couldn’t afford it. There we were, self-reliant and relishing in a sustainable lifestyle. We were “living off the land”.

When I returned to teaching, it became increasingly difficult to maintain a lifestyle where one had to chop our own wood, keep woodstoves going for warmth, and continue to live off the land. Things changed, we moved closer to town and we let go of some of our sustainable ways.

Now we’re retired. Time has brought us full circle. Growing our own is once again a passion. Sustainable today means something different than it did 40 years ago. Sustainable today means buying close to home, growing and preserving as much food as possible, minimizing waste, and being a conscious consumer. We’ve got chickens once again, I compost everything I can get my hands on (including coffee grounds from a local coffee shop), and we frequent the local farmers market and local garage sales. I try to limit my shopping trip to town (30 miles away) to once a week. Hey guys, I gotta get out once in a while!

We are not desperate in our efforts to conserve. We don’t turn off lights every time we leave a room or huddle around the T.V. in the dark. My husband hated carpooling and throughout his career, refused to participate in one (something about privacy), and we love a weekly hamburger from the Main Street Grill (regardless of where the beef comes from). But overall our life is lived in a way that could not be considered wasteful or thoughtless. We are doing what we can to live close to the earth and still enjoy the pleasures of this particular stage of life. Excuse me; I’ve got to go turn up the thermostat.

Gopher or Mole?

The moist soil after some much needed rain in California, has brought out the moles and gophers in droves. There is sometimes confusion as to whether your garden has been invaded by gophers (a rodent that eats plants and roots) or by moles that tunnel along the surface, upsetting topsoil and toppling seedlings. It is essential identify the culprit when trying to rid your garden of these little pests.http://durak.org/px/golden-gate-gopher

Gophers tunnel deep in the earth, leaving mounds (usually “U” shaped) of fine, powdery soil at the surface. See picture above. Their nests and food chamber can be 6 feet deep. Gophers are herbivores, preferring herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees. If a shrub dies overnight, it is usually a sign that a gopher has eaten the roots. Trapping and applying poison deep in the tunnel are the common methods of ridding your garden of gophers. A wire basket surrounding a newly planted tree or shrub will protect the roots from these pests. A ”pest note” with information on gophers and the treatment can be accessed at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu./PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7433.html. or call your local Master Gardeners desk to have a hard copy sent to you.

Moles are insect-eating mammals that tunnel along the surface of the earth and leave round (not “U” shaped) mounds of soil as they excavate their tunnels. The soil in the mound of a mole has clumps of dirt in it rather than powdery soil as in the mound of the gopher. They sometimes eat the roots of tender plants but are most commonly a problem when they disrupt flower and vegetable beds and burrow through lawns. Mole traps can be used but keep in mind that mole traps differ from gopher traps. Check out the “Pest Note” at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74115.html for information on mole control. The picture below is of a mole making an escape. The picture was originally uploaded by rightee on Flickr.

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Harvesting and Using Worm Castings

After your “red wigglers” have digested the bedding and food scraps you have fed them (usually about 6 months) you should have enough castings to harvest them for use. Stop adding scraps until all is eaten. At this point, you will wish you had two bins. Remove any paper bedding that might be left in the bin.

Empty the bin onto a plastic-covered table, or on the ground, outdoors, or under a bright light. Make a long low mound and slowly scoop the casting off the top of the mound. The worms will quickly bury themselves, diving toward the bottom of the mound. Continue removing castings until the worms are left with a thin covering. Put them back into their bin with fresh bedding.

You are ready to use your new casting in pots and in your garden. Sprinkle a handful of this nutrient-rich material in potting soil for houseplants and layer an inch around vegetables and ornamental plants. Mix it into the top layer of soil and water it in. Cover the enriched soil with a layer of mulch. There will be worm eggs and a few young worms in the castings. Try to remove them but 100% removal is impossible. Some may be able to live through the winter in temperate climates with dried leaves or wood chips sprinkled over the soil surface.

You can put a small amount of worm castings (about 5%) in seed germinating mixes. I use one part worm compost to four parts potting mix for seedlings and mature plants. Even though this is a high ratio, I have never burned potted plants with well-composted worm casting.

“Worm juice” that runs from the spigot at the bottom of your commercial worm bin is sometimes called “worm tea”. It is extremely beneficial to plants. I dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:4. You can make worm tea by putting worm compost in a cloth bag and steeping in a bucket of water for a few days. Remove the bag and water your plants with this “lovely liquid”.

I’ll add pictures to this post the next time I harvest.

Snackbar for Hens

Hens enjoying yogurt.

Our hens love treats. They are fed regular layer crumbles available to them from morning until dusk. This mixture provides them with nutrients that keep them healthy and producing eggs. But a little gastronomical stimulation never hurts.

When I enter the back yard they come running. Are they fond of me? Of course. Are they looking for a back scratch? Usually. Do they hope I have a treat for them? ABSOLUTELY! Chickens are happy eaters and a few treats will keep them that way. Here are some extras you can safely add to their regular diet.

Most fruits, either cooked or raw are fine for chickens. Apple seeds have cyanide that can be harmful in large quantities. When I make applesauce, I give them peelings without the core. Other fruits like pears, plums, seedless grapes, berries, pomegranates, melon, raisins, and bananas (without the peel) are favorites. Bread is fine in moderation. Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, carrots (tops and bottoms), corn, cucumbers, lettuce, chard, arugula, bell peppers, peas, pumpkin, summer squash, kale, cooked turnips and beets, and tomatoes (cooked or raw). Cooked potatoes can be given to chickens along with cooked rice, sunflower seed in the shell or out, and cereals, bulgur or grit.

My chickens get rose petals when I deadhead the shrubs. When I prune, I often put the clipping in the pen and let them check through it for insects and tender sprouts.

While I’m sure my hens would like it, I do not give them meat or fish simply because I don’t want to attract yellowjackets to my yard. Both are safe in reasonable quantities. My hens like yogurt and cottage cheese served in a bowl and have learned to be somewhat ladylike when they eat it.

My hens cannot “free range” due to predators. Giving them treats is a way of keeping them active and interested while supplementing their diet with healthy alternatives.

Wildlife Abundance in Gardens

There has been an abundance of wildlife in our gardens this year. Seven years ago, a single quail couple hatched chicks in the open space behind our property and used the fenced portion of our garden as their playpen. The family of fifteen ended up being a family of four, but those are considered good odds in the quail kingdom. This year there were four quail couples using our property as a safe haven for youngsters. They do little damage (other than snipping off my lettuce seedlings and dust bathing in the furrows around the roses) so I enjoy their company.

A turkey vulture rests in the sun.

The quail survival rate is appalling. We’ve seen couples lose all their babies to predators. We also saw a single mother, without her mate to stand sentry, loose her babies one by one. Then, the mom disappeared, leaving behind one juvenile who desperately tried to join another family. Father quail, unwilling to take in the teenage orphan, drove him off.

Turkeys also seem to be abundant this year. Huge groups came strutting through fenceless lots in the spring, maturing before our eyes. One day they flew to the top of my garden shed then glided into the garden. I used my usual technique of dissuading them. They haven’t returned. I guess word got out that the white-haired lady with a broom was a force to be reckoned with.

We’ve had our share of fruit thieving squirrels, raccoons, and opossums. A sleepy opossum was discovered beneath our bar-b-que cover one evening last week. He’d found the grease drip pan under the grill and was having a cholesterol-laden feast.

The foxes continue to make visits to check in on the chickens. They keep a close eye on us hoping we’ll forget to lock up the hens at night. When cleaning up the woodpile behind the garage, we encountered a female rat that wouldn’t leave her nest. Luckily, she didn’t have little ratkins in it or things would have gotten ugly. A young doe surprised us with triplets in the spring and all have survived.

Have you noticed how many small birds are visiting your feeders and birdbaths this year? We had oodles of clownish woodpeckers, rascal blue jays, juncos, sparrows, finch, and a flicker. In the past, we’ve tried using a finch feeder with nyjer seed to attract yellow finch, but the seeds went rancid before we got a visit. This year, the regular western birdseed seems to be good enough and our place is crawling with the pretty Carpodacus.

There is evidence in the garden of the approaching fall season. The brisk breeze has driven me inside on a few chilly afternoons. Some of my Japanese maples have put on their crimson cloakes and the wisteria is dripping with gold. It’s time to clean up, sit back, and wait for the El Nino rains.

Worm Composting for Beginners

Traditional composting of yard clippings and kitchen scraps is not for everyone. Some gardeners just don’t have the space for composting bins but would love to have the “black gold” plant food that composting provides. If you want to try composting on a smaller, more concentrated level, worm composting (or vermicomposting) might be the answer.

Compost worms in action.

Your Worm Bin - Commercial worm bins are available but to begin your worm composting you might want to purchase a simple 10 gallon plastic tub with a lid that snaps shut. Worms like darkness, so an opaque bin is best. Drill 1/4-inch holes around the bin about 4 inches down from the top and 2 to 4 inches apart. Drill a few holes in the bottom for drainage. Place the bin on a tray to catch drips.

Worms thrive in temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees. Options for bin locations are the garage, basement, a shady deck or area in your garden, or in a garden shed.

Worm Bedding - In their natural habitat, “Red Wigglers” live in piles of fallen leaves above the soil surface. The best bedding in your bin is shredded rough paper such as black and white newsprint or cardboard. Prepare your worm bedding by wetting the paper and wringing it or drain it until is like a wrung-out sponge. Separate the damp strips. Add a handful of fine sand for grit to help your worms digest the bin contents.

Worm Food - A pound of red worms can digest several pounds of scraps each week. They eat just about any part of fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags and breads and cereals. To begin, layer about a pound of scraps over the bedding. Avoid putting meat, oils, cat or dog feces, or dairy products in your bin. While worms can survive longer without food, they enjoy a weekly feeding.

The Worm Crew - “Red Wigglers” (Eisenia foetida) can be purchased at garden centers, bait shops or from suppliers on the internet. You will need less that a half-pound of worms to begin your worm composting. Worms need to be separated from their casting about twice a year. One method for separation is to push the decomposed material to one side of the bin and remake the worm bed with paper and kitchen scraps. Worms will eventually migrate to the freshly filled side of the bin leaving you with fresh compost.

Another method for those of us who can’t wait for the wigglers to meander to “greener” pastures so that castings can be harvested, is to expose the open bin to bright light or sunlight. The worms will dive for darker quarters. After a few minutes, remove the top inch (sans worms) and repeat.

Your Payoff - Worm compost is ready to use when all vegetation has been digested. You can sprinkle and dig it into freshly cultivated soil or mix one part worm compost to four parts potting mix. Putting compost in a cloth or cheesecloth bag and soaking it in water for 24 hours makes a rich compost “tea”. Use the tea to water your plants.

Harvest Moon Clarified-Shine On!

When I was a kid, I found the song “Shine on Harvest Moon” haunting. What does “I ain’t had no lovin’ since…mean to an 8-year-old? Pretty scary stuff! I got that the weather was changing and there wasn’t much time for this lovin’ stuff, so better get to it while the harvest moon was shining. That made sense, but what did that have to do with harvesting?

A “Harvest Moon” designation goes to the full moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal (fall) Equinox when there is less time between sunset and the moonrise than at any other time of year. The Harvest Moon usually comes in September, but sometimes it will fall in early October as is did this year, occurring on October 4. The harvest Moon used to be a necessity for farmers who harvested into the night. Now their behemoth machinery light up the night so that harvesting can continue regardless of daylight hours.

Just about every culture has its Autumn festivals. In China, the Harvest Moon or Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the time when the harvest moon is full in the sky, signaling a time of abundance after the harvest. In America we celebrate the harvest when it is basically over (Thanksgiving). That makes sense to me. So let’s celebrate our harvest (as small as it may be) and rejoice in the abundance in our lives. Sing along with me……………………………..

Shine on, shine on harvest moon,
I ain’t had no lovin’
Since January, February, June or July.
Snow time ain’t no time to stay
Outdoors and spoon,
So shine on, shine on harvest moon,
For me and my gal.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joiseyshowaa/

Include Microclimates in Your Garden Plan

This time of year is an excellent time of year to plan for new additions to your garden. You may live in an area that requires you to wait until the soil has warmed in the spring to plant. In more temperate zones, the fall is the best time of year to add to your garden, giving them time to establish their roots before the spring growing season.

In planning your garden you need to observe and be aware of the “microclimates” in your yard. The word “microclimate” refers to the various climatic conditions in a small area. Microclimates in a garden influence what will grow and thrive.

Microclimates in your yard are affected by temperature, humidity, wind, frost, heat, various elevations, seasonal changes, and man-made objects such as stone patios and fences. Understanding these conditions and how the sun rises and sets over your garden during the various seasons can help you to plan for ideal conditions for plants. Study the mini-zones in your yard. Is there a cool, moist, north facing wall? Are there large trees or shrubs that shade portions of your garden? Is landscape water available to all areas? Are fences solid, blocking sun or wind, creating different growing conditions along their borders?

You can intensify or change microclimates in your yard by installing flagstone paths around plants to increase warmth. Finely crushed gravel retains water and increases heat. Large rocks keep soil moist. Berms (mounds of soil) create a warmer side on their south and west sides and cooler spots on the north and east.

Being aware of the microclimates and individual plant needs will help you make informed decisions as to the proper placement of plants. There are plants just waiting to find the proper niche in your garden.

Home Remedies for the Garden

Whatever you’re paying for high-priced garden solutions, it is far too much! Many concoctions can be made with ingredients you have in your pantry. Here are a few recipes I’ve found to be effective and can be made at home by any frugal gardener.

ROSE SPRAY-helps prevent diseases such as rust, blackspot, and powdery mildew.

Mix together:

• 1-tablespoon baking soda
• 1-teaspoon mild dishwashing detergent
• 1-tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 dissolved aspirin

Add:

• 1-gallon water

Mix together and pour into a spray bottles. Spray roses every 1-2 weeks.

DEER REPELLENT-will keep deer from nibbling plants for up to two weeks.

Blend and put through cheesecloth to remove lumps:

• 1 raw egg

Add and mix:

• 1-tablespoon Tabasco sauce
• 1-tablespoon fish emulsion

Some have said to put this in the sun for a few days but I’ve found it to be stinky and very effective straight from the kitchen.

MOLE REPELLENT-will send moles to another garden.

Blend together:

• 1-tablespoon castor oil
• 1-tablespoon dishwashing soap
• 1-tablespoon water

Mix with 2 gallons water and spray the ground where moles are uprooting your seedlings. Water in.

These homemade concoctions should be safe for the environment if used sparingly.

Fall Garden Chores in a Temperate Climate

Fall is not my favorite time of year. The light and colors are fading, the days growing shorter. Landscape plants look tired and spent. Grape vines on the hillsides have shriveled, their harvest (offspring) cut from their branches. I feel a sense of sadness as flowers fade, pumpkin vines shrivel, and sunflowers recline across garden paths.

I once shared with a grape grower in the Napa Valley how I felt about the withered look of fall in the vineyards. He said, “You’ve got it all wrong. The plants are merely going to sleep. They’ve given their all, and it’s time to rest a spell.”

If viewed from that perspective, the responsibilities of a gardener in the fall are simply confined to putting the garden to bed. Dead branches must be removed, diseased leaves cleaned up, and a nice layer of mulch applied to slow-feed the plants for the next six months. I can get into that. As a matter of fact, I might need to slow down and rest “a spell” myself.

Herbaceous perennials that are leggy and overgrown need to be pruned. Attack those overgrown vines, shrubs, and trees, removing diseased or dead growth as well as branches that cross and rub. Put off pruning of roses and deciduous fruit trees until December or January.

A Japanese maple 'vitifolium'

Water your garden as needed. A light rain may not provide enough water for deep-rooted established plants. Check potted plants often. Cut back on feedings with the exception of nutrients for annual edibles, bedding plants, and Cymbidium orchids. These should be kept on a high-phosphorus (low nitrogen) diet to promote flower formation.

Hoe and till small weeds as they come up. Don’t allow them to go to seed. A few years of diligence, and your garden will be “weed free” (or so they say). Bait for snails and slugs.

Fit in it in a little planting this fall. Some Mediterranean plants are considered a “short-lived” perennial and after four or five years becomes twiggy and unattractive. Sow lettuce and arugula seeds in planting boxes for winter salads, and foxglove and hollyhocks seeds in the flowerbeds.

Whatever is accomplished in the garden this fall will result in healthier spring foliage and blooms. When you finish, take a nice rest while you plan for next year.

Those of you who reside in the snowy areas of the world can ignore everything I’ve said and relax until early spring!