Re: Re: newspaper and - or straw

That may be why darlin'.

Pam Evans
Kemp, TX
zone 8A
----- Original Message -----
From: Kitty
Sent: 4/12/2004 3:35:39 PM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT] newspaper and - or straw

> Last year was a very cool summer for us with lots of rain.

> Kitty

> ----- Original Message ----- 

> From: <gardenqueen@academicplanet.com>

> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>

> Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 11:49 AM

> Subject: Re: [CHAT] newspaper and - or straw

> 

> 

> > Kitty - I think the hotter it is, the quicker it breaks down. My lasagna

> > bed went from newspaper, yard waste, leaves and some spent potting soil

> > to rich black dirt in less than a year. But that's w/ Texas heat baking

> > it and our veryyyyy long growing season. Anyone do this up North - does

> > it take longer as I suspect it would?

> >

> >

> > Pam Evans

> > Kemp, TX

> > zone 8A

> > ----- Original Message -----

> > From: Kitty

> > Sent: 4/12/2004 10:23:25 AM

> > To: gardenchat@hort.net

> > Subject: [CHAT] newspaper and - or straw

> >

> > > Melody,

> >

> > > Your new bed success brings to mind a qstn I have for lasagna gardening

> >

> > > devotees:

> >

> > >

> >

> > > Last year (early summer)  I tried 2 ideas advocated on Chat.  I tried

> the

> >

> > > newspaper under soil for a new bed.  Well, after digging in there the

> other

> >

> > > day I found I could still read the newspaper - does this seem right?

> >

> > >

> >

> > > Also, Gene and others suggested shredding up my excess straw from

> >

> > > overwintering and lay that in an area for a new bed and cover with soil.

> It

> >

> > > is still straw under there.  How long does it take to at least start

> >

> > > breaking down?

> >

> > >

> >

> > > Am I missing something or am I just impatient?

> >

> > >

> >

> > > Kitty

> >

> > >

> >

> > > ----- Original Message ----- 

> >

> > > From: "Melody" <mhobertm@excite.com>

> >

> > > To: <gardenchat@hort.net>

> >

> > > Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 12:47 AM

> >

> > > Subject: [CHAT] Late Easter Greetings and catch-up

> >

> > >

> >

> > >

> >

> > > > Dear gardening friends: Hope you all had a wonderful Easter! We spent

> at

> >

> > > > least a portion of Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at church

> >

> > > > celebrating this most Holy of seasons...I especially love our Easter

> >

> > > > Vigil service, done by candlelight...so beautiful. Easter day was

> spent

> >

> > > > in the garden once we got home from Mass...the weather was absolutely

> >

> > > > perfect for working outside. The peppermint/spearmint dig up is about

> >

> > > > half done after two weekends of hard work. We have decided that the

> only

> >

> > > > way to get rid of most of it is to completely spade up every square

> inch

> >

> > > > of soil in the garden down to a depth of at least 8-10 inches and then

> >

> > > > with a hand rake sort it all out for roots/pieces. Arduous and time

> >

> > > > consuming but it seems the only real way to get the stuff out. I do

> have

> >

> > > > a happy observation to report for the group though...this particular

> >

> > > > garden bed is the former site of a large (90') pine that several years

> >

> > > > ago was ripped out of the ground by its roots during a severe wind

> >

> > > > storm. The lost tree left a staggeringly massive hole in the ground

> and

> >

> > > > we had it filled in with a large dumptruck-full of "fill dirt" which

> >

> > > > turned out to be this horrible clay stuff. At the time we originally

> did

> >

> > > > this bed,about six years ago, we amended the clay as much as we could

> >

> > > > with vermiculite and compost burr (lots and lots of each) and at the

> >

> > > > time it did not seem to help. We then covered it over with landscaping

> >

> > > > cloth, planted it, and mulched. To my utter amazement, this entire bed

> >

> > > > is now filled with a beautiful, rich black soil, ripe with the hugest

> >

> > > > nightcrawlers you'd ever want to see. I guess I had assumed that this

> >

> > > > bed would always be full of clay, so how come it's not? I mean, I know

> >

> > > > the earthworms are hard workers, but doesn't that seem like an awful

> lot

> >

> > > > of work for only six years? Nature never ceases to amaze me. One of

> the

> >

> > > > benefits of hand digging out all this mint is that I have been able to

> >

> > > > save all my gaura, purple coneflowers, and blue flax and replant it in

> >

> > > > the clean parts of the bed as we go, so it's sort

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > > of a revision project too. The blue flax started as three little

> plants

> >

> > > > I received from the kids for mother's day about 5 years ago and now

> are

> >

> > > > dozens of plants everywhere...yippee! This is one of my favorites.

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > > BTW, Moses the cat is still around...no luck yet finding a home for

> him

> >

> > > > but he seems utterly content where he is...he has now moved his

> sleeping

> >

> > > > quarters to my compost heap area and has found himself a shelter

> behind

> >

> > > > a piece of scrap plywood that leans up against the garage. Today while

> I

> >

> > > > was resting my back a little and enjoying laying in the grass flat on

> my

> >

> > > > back with my feet propped up on a nearby rock, here he comes and plops

> >

> > > > down beside me, rolls over on his back and meows...he apparently likes

> >

> > > > to have his tummy rubbed. I noticed he has a little sore on one of his

> >

> > > > rear paws, so I figure tomorrow I'll probably load him up and take him

> >

> > > > to the vet as it looks red and very painful. I take it this is the

> >

> > > > beginning of the end, isn't it? Arrgh........I'm such a sucker! :-) We

> >

> > > > never stood a chance, did we? My husband doesn't mind him sticking

> >

> > > > around as long as he remains an outdoor only cat...and that is a huge

> >

> > > > commitment for a man who says he doesn't want any more animals at all.

> >

> > > > The sage continues...

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > > Also, I heard from Janice, Tony's wife, today...Easter greetings and

> to

> >

> > > > let us know she continues to miss him but is doing okay. :-)

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > > Melody, IA (Z 5/4)

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > > "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious."

> >

> > > > --Albert Einstein

> >

> > > >

> >

> > > > _______________________________________________

> >

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> >

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> >

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