jenny.shadegarden

  Buyers Guide.org Finding the best rain barrel product to create a water conservation infrastructure on your property. Our property has 5 existing downspouts draining rain from the main roofs of the house. If we have a 50 gallon water barrel under each downspout, we could have at least 250 gallons of water in reserve for the summer drought. If we put 2 water barrels under each downspout, we could have 500 gallons of water on hand. The average cost for a plastic 50 gallon barrel is between $150 and $250, budget $50 for extra fittings, say $300 per barrel for materials. Installation will depend on each setting, but there will likely be work to establish a footing for the barrel and then downspout and house connections. There is also the option of having a drip hose installed in the garden to connect to the rain barrel. The drip hose would be installed during garden bed installation.  The rain barrel could serve as a water distribution centre, so the garden hose could also be pl...

 

 

 

 

  I used some of my Christmas money to buy four more worm bins to increase my capacity for worm cultivation. I will drill aeration holes in one bin to set inside the other bin to provide catchment for leachate. Two bins make up one worm bin. Last time I was feeding the worms and fluffing their bedding I realized I had too much depth on the feeding and the castings sides, especially as I shifted worms and undigested material from the castings side onto the feeding side. I also realized I have quite a bit of worm castings in the bins - both on the feeding side and on the castings side.  My challenge is getting the worms and cocoons out of the castings so I can remove the castings from the bin and figure out where to put them. There are still a few worms at the bottom of the castings, down in the bedding area.  After I drilled the aeration holes I collected cardboard and let it soak in the rain. I also collected some salad greens past their time and also some delivered flowe...

  I am would like to identify these lavae - they show up in the little water puddles that form on the composter drum after it rains.