Assembly Required

Today was an interesting day.  My neighbors cut their yards yesterday.  My yard was looking scraggly, so I decided it to mow it.  Before I could do that, I would have to unpack and assemble the lawnmower that lay forlornly in its box in the garage.

After some initial problems, I set up the lawnmower and proceeded to mow my lawn.  My compost bin is now full to capacity, and I will be purchasing a Mason Bee kit soon.  Mason bees are special in that they don't produce honey, so they tend to sting less.

I am also looking into a special composing system made exclusively to safely compost dog waste.  This system utilizes vermicomposting to turn the waste into worm casts.  The worm casts are an exceptionally rich soil amendment.

This means that the hard work will eventually give way to the garden of my dreams!

Going Green

My efforts this Spring have been rewarded with better results than usual. I started my plants way early and have been rewarded with a rather bountiful crop of herbs. I have Lemon Basil, Italian Basil, Globe Basil, Lavender, Sage, Oregano, Thyme, and Mint. They say it is not a good idea to grow mint from seed since it does not breed true, but I am hoping to breed out any issues once I get more plants established. These plants are growing inside thanks to my AeroGardens. Outside, I have a tomato plant along with cherry tomatoes, two different varieties of peppers, salvia, tulips, hyacinths, and strawberries. I managed to pick up a lovely white geranium for the front of my house. I think it will set off the rustic flowerbed my son and I put in in front of our porch. In an effort to show my kids how what one my family does can affect the enviornment, I have also started a compost pile. The kids have responded well to this and are excited to see all the different materials that can be composted and how the materials break down over time. They want to try vermicomposting next, but I want to see how our first batch of compost turns out before making any commitments.