by angela@diggingbliss | Feb 22, 2006 | Uncategorized
I finally feel like I’ve got the hang of this whole kitchen vermicomposting thing. The first few months require patience because you put your worms in their bedding (I used coir), which they slooooowly eat, and then you start feeding them their preferred diet of veggie scraps, coffee grounds, banana peels and more until you’ve got a layer of finished compost. Once you’re up and running, you have three layers going at the same time. The top layer is for fresh scraps and the two lower layers are still full of worms, but are further along.
When you want to use the bottom layer of finished compost, you move it to the top and remove the lid. In a day or two, the light and air drives the worms into your covered “fresh” layer below so what you end up with is pure compost ready to use in the garden.
It’s so great to empty out the crisper bin of the fridge knowing that unused veggies aren’t a total waste. Ok, so we ignored that broccoli or that bag of mixed baby greens. All is not lost! It’s compost!
One temporary nuisance was the arrival of fruit flies. Opening the bin felt like I’d been visited by a plague of very tiny locusts. Luckily, the fruit flies don’t adversely affect the worms or the compost. They’re just annoying little… annoyances. Rotating the bin layers helps, as does adding a layer of bedding on top of the freshest kitchen scraps. If things get desperate, Gardener’s Supply sells a fruit fry trap. A much more economical solution is to make your own trap using the excellent online instructions by Dr. Vett Lloyd, Department of Biology, Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada.
(March 6 update– I’ve been revisited by fruit flies and lept at the chance to make my own traps. Guess what? They work great! I put one on the counter near the bin and one in the bin. Both traps, using both designs shown in the above link, are filled with dead fruit flies in just two days! All it cost me was a little cider vinegar. I tried covering my scraps, but the flies kept hatching. Thank you, Dr. Lloyd!)
Overall, I’ve been very happy with my kitchen vermicomposting experience and plan to continue it indefinitely. Worms really are eating my garbage and giving me this amazing garden compost in return.
by angela@diggingbliss | Feb 17, 2006 | Uncategorized
Saucer magnolias in my neighborhood… just reaching their pink and purple glory… look very brown today after this morning’s frost. In my yard, I noticed sulking princess flower shrubs and nasturtiums. My ‘Tropicanna’ cannas look extra scrappy today too. I think everything but the magnolia blossoms will recover nicely. My young magnolia is budding out a little late, so it may have been spared.
Hope y’all didn’t run out to the nursery during that balmy weather last week and buy all kinds of tender tropicals and subtropicals…
by angela@diggingbliss | Feb 16, 2006 | Uncategorized
I have no business ordering more seeds considering I already have a shoebox full of seeds with waning viability, but I can rationalize this Select Seeds order because I “needed” one of their plant varieties, you see, and it seems a shame to place an order for plants only when they sell so many fine seeds.
Item p4720 Coleus ‘Sedona’
(Photo from Select Seeds website)
‘Sedona’ coleus was the gateway plant that led to ordering more seeds. I looked everywhere last summer for this plant and never found it. By the time I resorted to online ordering, it was sold out everywhere I checked. I’m very attracted to peachy-pinky colors and ‘Sedona’ is the coolest coleus color I’ve ever seen.
Item p2910 Columbine ‘Clementine Rose’
(Photo from Select Seeds website)
How pretty is this?!!!
Item s231 California Poppy ‘Apricot Flambeau’
(Photo from Select Seeds website)
I’ve failed miserably with fancy Cal. pops. I think it’s because I treat them like regular Cal. pops, simply sprinkling seeds in October. The fancy ones never come up. This time, I’m going to try them in pots like Annie’s Annuals does.
Item s306 Nasturtium ‘Whirlybird Cherry Rose’
(Photo from Select Seeds website)
I’ve grown this nasturtium for the last couple years and it’s gorgeous. Nasturtiums are so easy from seed, which makes them extra rewarding to grow. This one would be great for kids to try.
Item s249 Poppy – Heirloom
(Photo from Select Seeds website)
Looks like Annie’s Annuals’ ‘Drama Queen’ poppy, no?
Item s359 Purple Bell Vine
(Photo from Select Seeds website)
I’m still trying with this one. I tried it last year and had no luck. Persevere…
by angela@diggingbliss | Feb 15, 2006 | Uncategorized
Last year was a very weird tomato year for me. I planted heirlooms and hybrids and everything was late to fruit, if they fruited at all. Some of my biggest tomatoes came from a Russian heirloom called ‘Azoychka’, but they mostly failed to ripen until fall and were a bit tart for my taste!
I did feel like we didn’t get as much heat as usual. Those mild days were pleasant, but perhaps not tomato-friendly. Lesson learned? Plant an ‘Early Girl’ just in case. ‘Sungold’ has been good to me too, though I may give ‘SunSugar’ a go because of its reported crack-resistance.
Last summer’s best-tasting and most prolific tomato? A volunteer seedling near where I grew ‘Sungold’ the previous year. It resembled a large red cherry tomato and was super sweet with just a little tang. Yum… and so much for all my planning.
Another disappointment was the size of my ‘Jelly Bean’ grape tomatoes. I pictured tiny and sweet and got big and bland. Almost crunchy.
I’m very interested in seeing what this year brings. More to follow on what varieties I’m gambling on this year…
On a side note, summer of 05′ was a great year for hot peppers in my garden.
by angela@diggingbliss | Feb 15, 2006 | Uncategorized
I’m finally delving into the world of growing my own “fruit shrubs”. The empty bed where I’m planting these trees is a bit undersized according to Dave Wilson Nursery’s spacing suggestions, but I selected dwarf trees and will just do my best with the space I have (or don’t have).
Three trees in one hole, spaced about 18 inches apart:
(Photos from Stark Bros. online catalog)
Spring Satin Plumcot Dwarf
Shiro Plum Dwarf
Redheart Plum Dwarf
And in the same bed, but in its own hole, I’ve planted another ‘Stella’ Cherry.
The trees I ordered came from Stark Bros. and they looked great upon arrival today. I cut the whips to “knee height” according to DWN instructions so branching will be lower– and more accessible– than your typical orchard tree. We’ll see how it goes!
If you have a chance, check out the mature fruit shrub specimens at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center. Pretty impressive.
