Homlish's Garden

Cold Stratify Seeds

milkweed
butterfly weed
Joe Pye Weed
coneflowers

damp coffee filter 4 weeks in fridge

Perhaps not the most exciting topic, but now that I built a compost pit in the backyard and acquired my neighbors compost bin it’s become hot for me. We’ve always had a good worm population and I’m excited to harvest worm castings (poo).

The state’s DNREC offered bins for $50 last spring, I’ll keep my eye out for that deal again this summer.

Right now we need to get our system down for kitchen waste. I put a bucket outside the back door when it’s not ideal to walk out to the pit to throw the waste. The coffee can in the kitchen isn’t working out so I’ll steer Jenny to look into a compost crock. Seems no matter what those fruit flies can be a problem.

I found this on Amazon on a review for a compost crock:
I have a SUPER DUPER solution to fruit flies! Most successful trap yet. Just grab a tiny little glass cup or a small bowl. Fill it 1/4 full of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar and one little pump of dish soap.. and thats it! Just let it sit for about 4-5 days and watch them fall in and drown! (the soap breaks the surface tension so they cant land and float like water bugs) Hope this helps in the future!

Update 5/2/2019
Indeed the state is offering compost bins this year but I don’t like the open bottom design.

I was able to fix ours with a strap from the hardware store, we’ll see how it holds up. Last weekend I roto-tilled the pit and now I can turn it easily with that handy pitchfork I bought from Boothwyn Farmers Market.

We’re still no sure what to do with our kitchen scraps in between trips to the outside bin. The coffee can worked fine all winter but I’m sure we’ll have a bug problem very soon.

June 16^th, 2016

https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/watershed-stewardship/conservation/debris-pits/

Less than 36°F

Greater than 36°F

fairies

gnomes

Nitrogen helps shoots (above ground)
Phosphorus helps roots (below ground)
Potassium is used by the whole plant (like a vitamin).

general rule: don’t fertilize in summer

Peppers

peppers I have (16 varieties from seeds)
Homlish seeds:
hot cherry
choch hab
anaheim
caynene
long red hotx3
jalopeno
scorpion
italian long hot
italian sweet roaster
jam hot choch
hungarian yellow wax
kung pao
thai hot
thai dragon
purple thai dragon

peppers bought seeds:
mad hatter

peppers bought plants:
poblano – Leons
portugeuse – Leons
scotch bonnet – Leons

herbs
herbs that came back
taragon
mint
chocholate
pineapple
apple
peppermint
spearmint
strawberry
orange

herbs I bought
rosemary – – Leons
bbq rosemary – Leons
lilac – – Leons
basil – Leons
lemon grass – Highland Orchard

herbs I want
oregano
chervil