Monday, November 3, 2014

Small scale garden projects.

I got more of these mesh-backed flagstones, cut them apart and made a path to the shed and on to the back yard. On my walks, I'd collect bits of moss to transplant. Someone suggested to me I try to make a "moss milkshake" to maximize the area covered. That involves blending it with buttermilk.
Ick. I'm told if you can just tolerate the furry mold for six weeks, moss will start to grow. No thanks.
And then, when I was planting stuff in the back yard, I found the motherlode of moss, and collected it by the shovel-full.
I like the transplant method better - it's started to establish itself well.
On another walk, I saw this small clump of shamrocks in a ditch, surrounded by poison ivy. I managed to extricate it without actually touching the evil ivy, and brought it home with me to stick in a jar to root.
They are now blooming happily by one of the toad houses I built in the shade of the hemlocks by the gardening shed. You heard me. Toad houses. Because toads eat slugs and other garden pests, so I want to encourage them to move it. I found a couple of small cement pipes under the house and knew I would think of some use for them. Et voilá. Covered in moss with a dirt floor and stone front porch. Another item you can buy on-line or make inexpensively yourself.
The second house is on the other side of the yard under the dogwood. I bought two cheap terra cotta saucers and spray-painted them for the toad's water supply.
I'm not really sure how toads make their way to the houses, but I'm hopeful. I may have to go hunting them in the woods if none show up. But until then, I have several of their inanimate cousins scattered around.

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