I take them for two walks a day, have them in the best seats
in the house and feed them (what I think) is good food. So why do the dogs
repay me in the garden by chewing anything that is within range of their mouth? Maybe it’s the same principal as a cat bringing
home a dead mouse and plonking it on the worktops as a gift. I doubt it though
as I’m sure cats don’t look guilty when you ask them “who did this” which is
what I have to say to both my dogs every day. They both always look guilty
though but I do know that it’s Chips (the spaniel) that does most of the
damage.
This week she’s eaten the plastic pots from my chamomile
plants and worked her way through the Christmas rose plants that I put outside
to harden off. Most of the time it’s just the post she eats leaving the roots
of the plants open to the elements. I suppose she has to do something as most
of the ground is too wet to dig holes in at the moment, which is something else
I can look forward to in the spring.
Raised vegetable beds
I have had an interest in raised vegetable beds for a few
years now and built them in the last three gardens I have had. I even wrote an
ebook about them. I think it’s still for sale on Amazon, but not sure. When I
put it on a while ago there were only two other raised vegetable beds
information books on there. Now you have to set aside half an hour to scroll
down them all. I’m sure mine is there somewhere but I haven’t sold a copy for
over a year, so the time has come to give it away for free I think. As soon as
I find it on my computer I’ll let you know.
I did set up a Facebook page called “Raised Vegetable Beds”
and for ages it sat there with only one or two contributors, I only looked at
the page once or twice a month to make sure it was still there. Over that last
few weeks though there has been a renewed interest on the page and everyday
there are at least 20 people joining. I know that isn’t nearly the same amount
that looks at Ruairi McSorleys “Frostbit” video but it’s good for a start. For some reason the good folk in America have
taken over the site as word seems to spread. Most of the information coming on
the page is relating to the US but raised beds as we are finding out are not
governed by location. It’s fun to read and I only very occasionally get someone
trying to sell counterfeit Ray Ban sunglasses or clickbaiting onto their own
sites. Up to writing this there are over 2000 people signed up. Here is just
one topic raised this week.
Can I?
“Can I put tea bags in my compost bin?”
“Yup and coffee grounds, egg shells, banana peels”
“Yes!! I have composted for years and I do not have a rodent
or pest problem. I just create "black gold!" Your entire kitchen
scraps such as potato peels, strawberry hulls, banana peels, coffee grounds AND
filter, complete tea bag with string, egg shells, squash skin and seeds, citrus
peels and much, much more are compostable. And then, when you start gardening
all of your garden scraps should be added. (I exclude evasive weeds and any
diseases plants that I have removed from my garden. I have these into a
separate pile which I burn.) I have 3 separate compost piles going at all times
which are all at different stages ….you can never have too much compost. It is
your most valuable contribution to your garden.”
“I don't put potato peels or onion peels in my compost, they
spread disease and it irritates the worms.”
“Yes you can. Just make sure they don't have the string and
tag if it's herbal tea.”
“Tea bags will go great in the compost bin..... But before
that there is another use for them. They can help to reduce sweaty palms. If
your hands start to drip when you are nervous then hold the wet tea bag in your
hands for 10-15 minutes. The tannin in the tea (regular, not herbal) is an
astringent, which has the ability to shrink the pores. If you are shaking hands
with someone important, do it a few times over a week or so before the event.
There could be a side effect though; your hands might get a bit stained. (Old
tea bags have been used to create fake tans!)”
Top tips indeed!
