Fact or fiction?
 

In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
The Cook wrote:

I seem to remember that wood as it decomposes uses up the nitrogen in
the soil. Not really good for the garden. Old wives tale or true?

In terms of both its physical and chemical properties, wood is an
exceptionally difficult substrate to degrade. One of the principal
reasons is that wood contains very low levels of nitrogen, which is
needed to produce the enzymes that degrade the main structural polmers
of wood - cellulose (about 40-50% of the dry weight of wood),
hemicelluloses (25-40%) and lignin (20-35%).

The lignin component also presents a barrier to wood decay because
lignin is a complex aromatic polymer that encrusts the cell walls,
preventing access of enzymes to the more easily degradable cellulose
and
hemicelluloses. In addition to these points, wood often contains
potentially fungitoxic compounds, which are deposited in the heartwood.
In broad-leaved trees the toxic compounds are usually tannins, well
know
for their ability to cross-link proteins, making animal skins resistant
to decay. In contrast, conifers contain a range of phenolic compounds
such as terpenes, stilbenes, flavonoids and tropolones. The most toxic
of the tropolones are the thujaplicins which act as uncouplers of
oxidative phosphorylation; they are particularly abundant in cedarwood,
making this a naturally decay-resistant wood for high-quality garden
furnishings, etc.


http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/research...Biology/woodro
t
s.htm

When the nitrogen is no longer needed for enzymes or fungal growth, it
is released back into the soil environment for use by other microbes,
and plants.

So I have a follow up question to that very interesting question!
Is it Ok to BURY freshly cut wood, logs and chips, under the vegetable
garden soil? Your opinions do count. Lots of great advice here.

I have this book, "Gaia's Garden, Second Edition: A Guide To Home-Scale
Permaculture by Toby Hemenway" ISBN-10: 1603580298. On page 84, "Woody
Ways to build soil" Its called "Hugelkultur". That freshly cut wood can
be instantly used in vegetable gardens. The buried slowly rotting wood
feeds the plants and improves the soil.

One link about this:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Hugelkultur-...-in-Composting

I am not sure if this is sound advice or not.

I've found a few glitches in Gaia's Garden, like using a circular
sprinkler to water a keyhole bed containing tomatoes, to name one. For

The book is interesting. I like the garden design ideas. Garden
techniques I am not so sure. I am not sure if Amazon.com is a curse or
blessing :) More in common than shoes :)

immediate use, it sounds as if the web site is advocating adding green
material (fall leaves, grass clippings) to the wood (log, limbs, twigs)
which will contain some nitrogen. They also advocate manure in place of
the green material. The book talks of using grass as well, but also
suggest straw, and sod (from sod I know nothing). Brown materials won't
contain nitrogen, but according to Gaia's Garden the hugelkulture
releases heat and moisture which encourages growth.
If I were doing this, I would use manure with the wood and, at a
minimum, the equivalent of 18 lbs of chicken manure/ 100 sq. ft..
Manure Chicken Diary cow Horse Steer Rabbit Sheep


N 1.1 .257 .70 .70 2.4 .70


P .80 .15 .30 .30 1.4 .30


K .50 .25 .60 .40 .60 .90

As I mentioned to "The Cook" earlier,"In terms of both its physical and
chemical properties, wood is an exceptionally difficult substrate to
degrade. One of the principal reasons is that wood contains very low
levels of nitrogen, which is needed to produce the enzymes that degrade
the main structural polmers of wood - cellulose (about 40-50% of the dry
weight of wood), hemicelluloses (25-40%) and lignin (20-35%)."
http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/research...Biology/woodro
ts.htm

Here we have contradictory statements for Hugelkultur (green and brown
amendments). We are told that composting wood is good for heat and
humidity. We know that fungi need nitrogen to break down the wood. I
would stay away from adding more brown material to the wood.

Sounds like this could be a good way to jump start a garden in cold
Michigan. I would just need a row cover on those late frost dates.
Chemistry and Biology was not on my candy store list. A weakness on my
part.

I have lots of grass and chicken poop mixed in with the straw. Hen House
thing. So adding Manure with straw to the wood might be a mixed blessing.

Otherwise, it sounds OK for potatoes, berries, and melons, but squash
require high inputs of nitrogen. If growing squash, I would add organic
fish emulsion twice a month, until flowering (then no further nitrogen),
to insure nitrogen levels are sufficient.

I only plant ONE squash plant and thats it, all that is needed.

Compost formula = 2(30 parts brown/1 part green)+ 1(manure)

Ex. 18 lbs (twigs, branches, dried leaves) + 2 lbs (grass clippings,
pulled weeds, plant trimmings) + 10 lbs manure (no specific type
mentioned).
Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition)
(Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides) (Paperback) by Stu Campbell
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158..._p14_i1?pf_rd_
m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1HT31JNNBYN5BXFZS2EA&pf_rd_t=101
&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

Fact or fiction?
 

In article
,
Billy wrote:

cloches

http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antiqu..._cloches/as070
a185

--
Bill Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

Fact or fiction?
 

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
The Cook wrote:

I seem to remember that wood as it decomposes uses up the nitrogen
in
the soil. Not really good for the garden. Old wives tale or true?

In terms of both its physical and chemical properties, wood is an
exceptionally difficult substrate to degrade. One of the principal
reasons is that wood contains very low levels of nitrogen, which is
needed to produce the enzymes that degrade the main structural
polmers
of wood - cellulose (about 40-50% of the dry weight of wood),
hemicelluloses (25-40%) and lignin (20-35%).

The lignin component also presents a barrier to wood decay because
lignin is a complex aromatic polymer that encrusts the cell walls,
preventing access of enzymes to the more easily degradable cellulose
and
hemicelluloses. In addition to these points, wood often contains
potentially fungitoxic compounds, which are deposited in the
heartwood.
In broad-leaved trees the toxic compounds are usually tannins, well
know
for their ability to cross-link proteins, making animal skins
resistant
to decay. In contrast, conifers contain a range of phenolic compounds
such as terpenes, stilbenes, flavonoids and tropolones. The most
toxic
of the tropolones are the thujaplicins which act as uncouplers of
oxidative phosphorylation; they are particularly abundant in
cedarwood,
making this a naturally decay-resistant wood for high-quality garden
furnishings, etc.


http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/research...alBiology/wood
ro
t
s.htm

When the nitrogen is no longer needed for enzymes or fungal growth,
it
is released back into the soil environment for use by other microbes,
and plants.

So I have a follow up question to that very interesting question!
Is it Ok to BURY freshly cut wood, logs and chips, under the vegetable
garden soil? Your opinions do count. Lots of great advice here.

I have this book, "Gaia's Garden, Second Edition: A Guide To Home-Scale
Permaculture by Toby Hemenway" ISBN-10: 1603580298. On page 84, "Woody
Ways to build soil" Its called "Hugelkultur". That freshly cut wood can
be instantly used in vegetable gardens. The buried slowly rotting wood
feeds the plants and improves the soil.

One link about this:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Hugelkultur-...-in-Composting

I am not sure if this is sound advice or not.

I've found a few glitches in Gaia's Garden, like using a circular
sprinkler to water a keyhole bed containing tomatoes, to name one. For

The book is interesting. I like the garden design ideas. Garden
techniques I am not so sure. I am not sure if Amazon.com is a curse or
blessing :) More in common than shoes :)

immediate use, it sounds as if the web site is advocating adding green
material (fall leaves, grass clippings) to the wood (log, limbs, twigs)
which will contain some nitrogen. They also advocate manure in place of
the green material. The book talks of using grass as well, but also
suggest straw, and sod (from sod I know nothing). Brown materials won't
contain nitrogen, but according to Gaia's Garden the hugelkulture
releases heat and moisture which encourages growth.
If I were doing this, I would use manure with the wood and, at a
minimum, the equivalent of 18 lbs of chicken manure/ 100 sq. ft..
Manure Chicken Diary cow Horse Steer Rabbit Sheep



N 1.1 .257 .70 .70 2.4 .70



P .80 .15 .30 .30 1.4 .30



K .50 .25 .60 .40 .60 .90

As I mentioned to "The Cook" earlier,"In terms of both its physical and
chemical properties, wood is an exceptionally difficult substrate to
degrade. One of the principal reasons is that wood contains very low
levels of nitrogen, which is needed to produce the enzymes that degrade
the main structural polmers of wood - cellulose (about 40-50% of the dry
weight of wood), hemicelluloses (25-40%) and lignin (20-35%)."
http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/research...Biology/woodro
ts.htm

Here we have contradictory statements for Hugelkultur (green and brown
amendments). We are told that composting wood is good for heat and
humidity. We know that fungi need nitrogen to break down the wood. I
would stay away from adding more brown material to the wood.

Sounds like this could be a good way to jump start a garden in cold
Michigan. I would just need a row cover on those late frost dates.
Chemistry and Biology was not on my candy store list. A weakness on my
part.

I have lots of grass and chicken poop mixed in with the straw. Hen House
thing. So adding Manure with straw to the wood might be a mixed blessing.

Otherwise, it sounds OK for potatoes, berries, and melons, but squash
require high inputs of nitrogen. If growing squash, I would add organic
fish emulsion twice a month, until flowering (then no further nitrogen),
to insure nitrogen levels are sufficient.

I only plant ONE squash plant and thats it, all that is needed.

Compost formula = 2(30 parts brown/1 part green)+ 1(manure)

BIG WHOOPS. Make that

Ex. 30 lbs (twigs, branches, dried leaves) + 1 lbs (grass clippings,
pulled weeds, plant trimmings) + 15.5 lbs manure (no specific type
mentioned).

Sorry about that :O)
Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition)
(Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides) (Paperback) by Stu Campbell
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158..._p14_i1?pf_rd_
m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1HT31JNNBYN5BXFZS2EA&pf_rd_t=101
&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

Fact or fiction?
 

In article ,
Bill who putters wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

cloches

http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antiqu..._cloches/as070
a185

Good picture, thanks.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

Fact or fiction?
 

In article
,
Billy wrote:

Compost formula = 2(30 parts brown/1 part green)+ 1(manure)

BIG WHOOPS. Make that

Ex. 30 lbs (twigs, branches, dried leaves) + 1 lbs (grass clippings,
pulled weeds, plant trimmings) + 15.5 lbs manure (no specific type
mentioned).

Sorry about that :O)
Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition)
(Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides) (Paperback) by Stu Campbell
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158..._p14_i1?pf_rd_
m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1HT31JNNBYN5BXFZS2EA&pf_rd_t=101
&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Amazon is definitely a curse. I just have the "The Rodale Book of
Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener" 1992. An old outdated book,
has nothing on handling wood. "Let it Rot!' is on order :)

One headache is Rose Bush trimmings, A real pain in the ...
In past I just simply buried them in the ground. I see I should have
buried them with other compost materials.

I used to think Roses were cool and part of all nice gardens. Now in my
old age I hate the things. I now think there ugly. Not even worth
putting in a vase. Years ago I had dozens of them. Now down to four
bushes and tempted to rip them out.

--
Enjoy Life... Dan

Garden in Zone 5 South East Michigan.

Fact or fiction?
 

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Bill who putters wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

cloches

http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antiqu..._cloches/as070
a185

Good picture, thanks.

For $425.15 a pair!!!!!
I will take the plastic ones for $10 each at http://www.gardeners.com/

--
Enjoy Life... Dan

Garden in Zone 5 South East Michigan.

Fact or fiction?
 

In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Bill who putters wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

cloches

http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antiqu..._cloches/as070
a185

Good picture, thanks.

For $425.15 a pair!!!!!
I will take the plastic ones for $10 each at http://www.gardeners.com/

I bet they're not collectibles;O)
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

Fact or fiction?
 

In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

Compost formula = 2(30 parts brown/1 part green)+ 1(manure)

BIG WHOOPS. Make that

Ex. 30 lbs (twigs, branches, dried leaves) + 1 lbs (grass clippings,
pulled weeds, plant trimmings) + 15.5 lbs manure (no specific type
mentioned).

Sorry about that :O)
Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition)
(Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides) (Paperback) by Stu Campbell
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158..._p14_i1?pf_rd_
m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1HT31JNNBYN5BXFZS2EA&pf_rd_t=101
&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Amazon is definitely a curse. I just have the "The Rodale Book of
Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener" 1992. An old outdated book,
has nothing on handling wood. "Let it Rot!' is on order :)
Uh, in the future, you may want to check it out through the library
first. Just remember, I didn't recommend it ;O)

One headache is Rose Bush trimmings, A real pain in the ...
In past I just simply buried them in the ground. I see I should have
buried them with other compost materials.

I used to think Roses were cool and part of all nice gardens. Now in my
old age I hate the things. I now think there ugly. Not even worth
putting in a vase. Years ago I had dozens of them. Now down to four
bushes and tempted to rip them out.
Trust me. You need roses.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

Fact or fiction?
 

In article ,
wrote:

Billy wrote:


In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:


I used to think Roses were cool and part of all nice gardens. Now in my
old age I hate the things. I now think there ugly. Not even worth
putting in a vase. Years ago I had dozens of them. Now down to four
bushes and tempted to rip them out.
Trust me. You need roses.
LOL! I'm with Dan on this one and somewhat grateful that he has
"seen the light"; LOL! In fact, I dislike virtually all garden flowers.
Even in my younger days, found flowers to be garish and ugly. Always
regarded growing flowers to be as silly and as great a waste of
resources and as abusive of the environment as maintaining a "lawn" and
simply don't do either. In fact, I had hoped that by now enlightened
jurisdictions in U.S.A. would have begun banning lawns (among the
largest, most environmentally destructive of all large-scale
"monocrops") and restricting flower gardening but, I guess it ain't
gonna happen: The movies-induced vision of happy family in its quaint
bungalow replete with picket fence and green, green lawn simply remains
too strong, I guess.
Man, don't _even_ get me started on those nasty-assed European
honeybees-from-Hell and the ignorant, lazy, irresponsible twits who
continue to allow them to escape into the environment, at large, and
naturalize.

Everyone knows how flowers grow. Nobody knows why.

Old hippy statement.

http://www.doctorhugo.org/synaesthesia/Blake.html

--
Bill Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

Fact or fiction?
 

In article ,
wrote:

Billy wrote:


In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:


I used to think Roses were cool and part of all nice gardens. Now in my
old age I hate the things. I now think there ugly. Not even worth
putting in a vase. Years ago I had dozens of them. Now down to four
bushes and tempted to rip them out.
Trust me. You need roses.
LOL! I'm with Dan on this one and somewhat grateful that he has
"seen the light"; LOL! In fact, I dislike virtually all garden flowers.
Even in my younger days, found flowers to be garish and ugly. Always
regarded growing flowers to be as silly and as great a waste of
resources and as abusive of the environment as maintaining a "lawn" and
simply don't do either. In fact, I had hoped that by now enlightened
jurisdictions in U.S.A. would have begun banning lawns (among the
largest, most environmentally destructive of all large-scale
"monocrops") and restricting flower gardening but, I guess it ain't
gonna happen: The movies-induced vision of happy family in its quaint
bungalow replete with picket fence and green, green lawn simply remains
too strong, I guess.
Man, don't _even_ get me started on those nasty-assed European
honeybees-from-Hell and the ignorant, lazy, irresponsible twits who
continue to allow them to escape into the environment, at large, and
naturalize.

What are you doing in a gardening group, if you don't like bees and
flowers?

Time to crawl back into your drink, and consider yourself "slimed".
---

U.S. dependent on insects to pollinate about one-third of crops

In fact, about one-third of the human diet comes from insect-pollinated
plants, and the honeybee is responsible for 80 percent of that
pollination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Even cattle, which feed on alfalfa, depend on bees. So if the collapse
worsens, we could end up being "stuck with grains and water," said Kevin
Hackett, the national program leader for USDA's bee and pollination
program.

"This is the biggest general threat to our food supply," Hackett said.

Of the 17,000 species of bees that scientists know about, "honeybees
are, for many reasons, the pollinator of choice for most North American
crops," a National Academy of Sciences study said last year. They
pollinate many types of plants, repeatedly visit the same plant, and
recruit other honeybees to visit, too.

Pulitzer Prize-winning insect biologist E.O. Wilson of Harvard said the
honeybee is nature's "workhorse -- and we took it for granted."
"We've hung our own future on a thread," Wilson, author of the book "The
Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth," told The Associated Press
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18442426/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...inated_by_bees
---

Some garden plants such as fruit trees and squash must have bee
pollination to be successful.

General Gardening Advice for Attracting Bees and Other Pollinators

1. Don't use pesticides. Most pesticides are not selective. You are
killing off the beneficial bugs along with the pests. If you must use a
pesticide, start with the least toxic one and follow the label
instructions to the letter.

2. Use local native plants. Research suggests native plants are four
times more attractive to native bees than exotic flowers. They are also
usually well adapted to your growing conditions and can thrive with
minimum attention. In gardens, heirloom varieties of herbs and
perennials can also provide good foraging.

3. Chose several colors of flowers. Bees have good color vision to
help them find flowers and the nectar and pollen they offer. Flower
colors that particularly attract bees are blue, purple, violet, white,
and yellow.

4. Plant flowers in clumps. Flowers clustered into clumps of one
species will attract more pollinators than individual plants scattered
through the habitat patch. Where space allows, make the clumps four feet
or more in diameter.

5. Include flowers of different shapes. There are four thousand
different species of bees in North America, and they are all different
sizes, have different tongue lengths, and will feed on different shaped
flowers. Consequently, providing a range of flower shapes means more
bees can benefit.

6. Have a diversity of plants flowering all season. Most bee
species are generalists, feeding on a range of plants through their life
cycle. By having several plant species flowering at once, and a sequence
of plants flowering through spring, summer, and fall, you can support a
range of bee species that fly at different times of the season.

7. Plant where bees will visit. Bees favor sunny spots over
shade and need some shelter from strong winds.
http://www.wikihow.com/Attract-Honey-Bees

Here is a partial list of tried-and-true bee attractors:
Annuals
Asters
Calliopsis
Clover
Marigolds
Poppies
Sunflowers
Zinnias
Perennials
Buttercups
Clematis
Cosmos
Crocuses
Dahlias
Echinacea
English Ivy
Foxglove
Geraniums
Germander
Globe Thistle
Hollyhocks
Hyacinth
Rock Cress
Roses
Sedum
Snowdrops
Squills
Tansy
Yellow Hyssop
Garden Plants
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cucumbers
Gourds
Peppers
Pumpkins
Raspberries
Squash
Strawberries
Watermelons
Wild Garlic
Herbs
Bee Balm
Borage
Catnip
Coriander/Cilantro
Fennel
Lavender
Mints
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Shrubs
Blueberry
Butterfly Bush
Button Bush
Honeysuckle
Indigo
Privet
Trees
Alder
American Holly
Basswood
Black Gum
Black Locust
Buckeyes
Catalpa
Eastern Redbud
Fruit Trees (especially Crabapples)
Golden Rain Tree
Hawthorns
Hazels
Linden
Magnolia
Maples
Mountain Ash
Sycamore
Tulip
Poplar
Willows
http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/tips/2790
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

Fact or fiction?
 

On Fri, 16 Apr 2010 08:57:51 -0500, wrote:


Billy wrote:


In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:


I used to think Roses were cool and part of all nice gardens. Now in my
old age I hate the things. I now think there ugly. Not even worth
putting in a vase. Years ago I had dozens of them. Now down to four
bushes and tempted to rip them out.
Trust me. You need roses.
LOL! I'm with Dan on this one and somewhat grateful that he has
"seen the light"; LOL! In fact, I dislike virtually all garden flowers.
Even in my younger days, found flowers to be garish and ugly. Always
regarded growing flowers to be as silly and as great a waste of
resources and as abusive of the environment as maintaining a "lawn" and
simply don't do either. In fact, I had hoped that by now enlightened
jurisdictions in U.S.A. would have begun banning lawns (among the
largest, most environmentally destructive of all large-scale
"monocrops") and restricting flower gardening but, I guess it ain't
gonna happen: The movies-induced vision of happy family in its quaint
bungalow replete with picket fence and green, green lawn simply remains
too strong, I guess.
Man, don't _even_ get me started on those nasty-assed European
honeybees-from-Hell and the ignorant, lazy, irresponsible twits who
continue to allow them to escape into the environment, at large, and
naturalize.

I'm the opposite about flowers. I used to just work on getting
wildflowers to grow, but when I started growing zinnia's, sunflowers
etc for market, I got hooked. I would describe flowers as 'food for
the soul.' So now I do both wildflowers and annuals. But I don't do
lawn.

Fact or fiction?
 

In article ,
wrote:

Bill who putters wrote:

Everyone knows how flowers grow. Nobody knows why.

Old hippy statement.
I know quite a number of "old hippies". They're my contemporaries;
some are my neighbors. I knew quite a number of hippies that did not
make it to old. I know some few who don't seem to have made it to
"mature", much less to "old"! LOL! At any rate, I never heard none of
them say such thing. Besides: Surely all but the superstitious among us
realize the irrelevance of the "why".
Perhaps, I did not put fine-enough point to "growing flowers" and
"flower gardening" and, by extension, the Gaudy modernday "improved"
mutants that parody their ancestral species. I made no mention of wild
flowers yet you refer me to a versified self-piteous metaphor. That's
rich: Barry save us from incipient intellectuals.
In point of fact, I'm "the crazy old hippie down the road, with all of
the cats, who plants wildflowers"! When allowed to do so (by the
neighboring landowners), I even fence certain of them (no, the
wildflowers) so they do not get mowed during their migration and in
order to harvest their seeds when the time comes. My present personal
"mission" is to restore Florida's native blue lupines to some semblance
of plentitude on my tract AWA those of my nearest neighbors. It is my
informed viewpoint and humble opinion that lawns and the assholes who
continue to "maintain" them might not be nemesis but are, at the very
least, unsightly and counterproductive annoyances on the landscape.

You should lighten up.

--
Bill Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

Fact or fiction?
 

In article ,
wrote:

Billy wrote:

What are you doing in a gardening group, if you don't like bees and
flowers?

Time to crawl back into your drink, and consider yourself "slimed".
Which part of "rec.gardens.EDIBLE" exceeds your level of
comprehension?

The part where you "dislike virtually all garden flowers" and, "Man,
don't _even_ get me started on those nasty-assed European
honeybees-from-Hell and the ignorant, lazy, irresponsible twits who
continue to allow them to escape into the environment".

What part of flowers support bees, and bees support food production
don't you get?

As for being a hippie, you'd never pass in California, crack-pot, yeah,
but never hippie.

Have another drink, it's almost happy hour.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

Fact or fiction?
 

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

Compost formula = 2(30 parts brown/1 part green)+ 1(manure)

BIG WHOOPS. Make that

Ex. 30 lbs (twigs, branches, dried leaves) + 1 lbs (grass clippings,
pulled weeds, plant trimmings) + 15.5 lbs manure (no specific type
mentioned).

Sorry about that :O)
Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition)
(Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides) (Paperback) by Stu Campbell
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158..._p14_i1?pf_rd_
m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1HT31JNNBYN5BXFZS2EA&pf_rd_t=101
&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Amazon is definitely a curse. I just have the "The Rodale Book of
Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener" 1992. An old outdated book,
has nothing on handling wood. "Let it Rot!' is on order :)
Uh, in the future, you may want to check it out through the library
first. Just remember, I didn't recommend it ;O)

The best library there is, is my my front room. The nearest library is
20 miles away, round trip 40, the gas cost and the drive time and book
searching time is a waste of time. If I truly liked the book I would buy
it anyways plus the cost of gas and time would go toward a new book
delivered directly to my home with free shipping. I would rather have
the local governments to provide free wireless internet access to the
public and give low cost computers to those that need one. Then close
the public libraries along with all police (for profit) stations (truly
a waste of tax payers money and a tool for the rich). Todays libraries
look like homeless centers. From the Cynic!

One headache is Rose Bush trimmings, A real pain in the ...
In past I just simply buried them in the ground. I see I should have
buried them with other compost materials.

I used to think Roses were cool and part of all nice gardens. Now in my
old age I hate the things. I now think there ugly. Not even worth
putting in a vase. Years ago I had dozens of them. Now down to four
bushes and tempted to rip them out.
Trust me. You need roses.

I trust no one! WHY do I need roses (thorny weed in my recommended book).

--
Enjoy Life... Dan

Garden in Zone 5 South East Michigan.

Fact or fiction?
 

In article ,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article
,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

Compost formula = 2(30 parts brown/1 part green)+ 1(manure)

BIG WHOOPS. Make that

Ex. 30 lbs (twigs, branches, dried leaves) + 1 lbs (grass clippings,
pulled weeds, plant trimmings) + 15.5 lbs manure (no specific type
mentioned).

Sorry about that :O)
Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition)
(Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides) (Paperback) by Stu Campbell
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158...w_p14_i1?pf_rd
_
m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1HT31JNNBYN5BXFZS2EA&pf_rd_t=10
1
&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Amazon is definitely a curse. I just have the "The Rodale Book of
Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener" 1992. An old outdated book,
has nothing on handling wood. "Let it Rot!' is on order :)
Uh, in the future, you may want to check it out through the library
first. Just remember, I didn't recommend it ;O)

The best library there is, is my my front room. The nearest library is
20 miles away, round trip 40, the gas cost and the drive time and book
searching time is a waste of time. If I truly liked the book I would buy
it anyways plus the cost of gas and time would go toward a new book
delivered directly to my home with free shipping. I would rather have
the local governments to provide free wireless internet access to the
public and give low cost computers to those that need one. Then close
the public libraries along with all police (for profit) stations (truly
a waste of tax payers money and a tool for the rich). Todays libraries
look like homeless centers. From the Cynic!

Huh? I do my search and request on line. Then the book arrives at the
library, 2 mi. away, which I need to pass anyway to go to the nursery or
food shopping.

My wife is in the process of wrapping "The No.1 Ladies Detective
Agency". I would have hated to buy all 9 (?) books. Anyway, I prefer to
preview what I buy, and then buy a couple of books a month. This will
only last until Aug., when I return to the salt mines of Moria.

One headache is Rose Bush trimmings, A real pain in the ...
In past I just simply buried them in the ground. I see I should have
buried them with other compost materials.

I used to think Roses were cool and part of all nice gardens. Now in my
old age I hate the things. I now think there ugly. Not even worth
putting in a vase. Years ago I had dozens of them. Now down to four
bushes and tempted to rip them out.
Trust me. You need roses.

I trust no one! WHY do I need roses (thorny weed in my recommended book).

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because
thorn bushes have roses."
--Abraham Lincoln
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html