Gardening Around Your Patio Archives -

Rain Barrels — Free Water For Your Garden

Whether you’re flower gardening or vegetable gardening or both, given how hot and dry the growing season has become over the years, water can be a scare and sometimes expensive commodity. So when it rains, we are getting free water to nurture our gardens — that which falls directly on our plants and that which we hope to capture for watering when it doesn’t rain. To “capture water” we need rain barrels.

Rain Barrels: Where Do They Come From?

That’s what my wife told me — we need rain barrels — as we drove to meet the person from whom we bought used food-grade barrels from a seller on Craigslist. These barrels had been used for syrup to make flavored carbonated drinks. (When I was a kid we called it soda pop.) And they were a great solution because we paid just $40 for two barrels.

An alternative is to check with any soda bottling facilities in your community. We received two free barrels through a local non-profit rain catchment program (clean valley.org) who got barrels from a Coca Cola plant where we live. At minimum, any rain barrels you get to DIY your rain catchment system should be “food-grade” meaning that they were used for material safe for human consumption and not from barrels containing material for industrial use.

Cleaning Used Barrels

Our barrels were “sealed” meaning that the top was fixed and was not removable. But there were two bung holes with threaded plugs in the top of each barrel. So I squirted a small amount of Dawn dishwashing liquid in each barrel and filled them about a third full of water. I put the plug back in the bung hole and rolled each barrel around the yard to get the inside throughly coated to remove any remaining residue from the syrup. After giving them both a good flush with water to get the soap completely out of the barrels, they were ready to install the necessary hardware.

Also, see the cleaning instructions below as recommended by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, an integral component of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

Brass Spigots for Rain Barrels

I wanted brass spigots because I had read that plastic spigots can get brittle in the sun after several seasons and tend to crack or break off of the barrel. So I settled on the Rainpal RBS024 Brass Rain Barrel Spigot. It feels beefy and gives the sense that it will perform for years to come.

When installing the spigot on the wall of the barrel near the bottom, they recommend keeping the spigot about three inches up the wall from the bottom. After drilling the hole make sure you use a knife or file to clean off any plastic shards that might prevent a water-tight seal around the valve you’re installing.

Now, you may be wondering, as did I, how are you going to get the inside part of the valve inside the barrel when the top won’t come off? After all, it’s a “sealed” barrel! I could explain it but I found a one-minute video on YouTube that shows you what to do. Click here to watch the video. It’s amazing what you can do with a piece of string, right?

Rain Diverter Systems

I also did some extensive research on rain diverter systems. Many of them require the cutting out of a section of the downspout to allow a space to install the diverter. That wasn’t practical for my downspouts. So I decided to use the Flexfit Universal Diverter System. All that it requires is the drilling of a hole in the broad side of the downspout to insert the rain diverter plug. What’s cool about this system is that water flows into the barrel until it is full and then the excess flows into the downspout and out wherever you have it directed, usually into your yard. This system requires a “closed” or “sealed” barrel which is a benefit because you don’t need to have an overflow tube running out of the top of your barrel — the Flexfit Universal Diverter System is designed to do that for you inside your existing downspout. And this System comes with both drill bits you need to drill into your downspout and into your rain barrel to connect the diverter hose.

Connecting Rain Barrels to the Downspout

Think about where you want to position your rain barrels so that the downspouts will work for you and that the location is as close to your garden as is practical. I built some barrel stands out of pressure-treated 2x4s to get the barrels at an easy height to fill up my watering cans.

OK, you have the valve installed, now the rain barrel needs to be connected to the downspout. I won’t go into great detail about this installation because the Flexfit Universal Diverter System has good installation instructions in the package. It is a quick and easy install. BUT, pay attention to making the hose connection to the downspout and the rain barrel as level as possible. Water has to flow both ways and can only effectively do that if the two connections are fairly level. This is explained in the Flexfit instructions.

Flexfit Universal Diverter System connection to rain barrels

Flexfit Universal Diverter System connection to downspout

Downspout Extenders for Excess Rain Runoff

I want to talk real quick about these cool, flat downspout extenders to funnel the excess water away from your rain barrel if it is in a spot that doesn’t allow you to use a regular piece of downspout for rain runoff. I needed to get the excess water about 8 feet away from my rain barrel and under a fence with almost no clearance. I had to keep the downspout extender at the ground level so the water wouldn’t pool on the outside of the fence. This system came with a transition piece to go from a dimensional downspout to this flat version. It works great, looks good, and just barely tucked under my fence. Check it out at Home Depot.

Rain Barrel Success!

Here is my first rain barrel connected to the downspout near my carport.

Alternative Locations for Rain Barrels

Initially, I had another rain barrel out in our yard near our raised vegetable garden beds for easy watering. I had connected two large funnels to the top of the barrel with the expectation that, in a good, steady rain, the barrel would fill up, albeit at a slower rate than the barrel connected to our roof downspout. Bad idea. It hardly captured any rain water and I ended up filling the barrel from our garden hose several times over the growing season — water I had to pay for!

Rain Barrels with funnels to capture rain

Alternative Locations for Rain Barrels Connecting to Downspout

We have another downspout that I wanted to connect a rain barrel to but there are complications. The downspout has another downspout piggy-backed to it which carries vented radon gas from our basement up and out beyond the roof line. (Radon gas mitigation is an interesting and very necessary process but I won’t go into detail here. Contact us if you want the value of our experience.) There wasn’t enough open space where just the rain downspout was available to install a rain diverter with the barrel standing upright. I didn’t want to move the radon exhaust pipe because it is a sealed system and I was worried I wouldn’t get it sealed back correctly — and I didn’t want to pay a vendor to do it.

So, after some research, I found a way to use the same Flexfit Universal Diverter System with the barrel laying on its side versus standing upright.

Horizontal rain barrel connected to downspout

I used the same wooden stand that I had built when the barrel was standing upright out in the yard and added a curved cradle on both ends for the horizontal barrel to lay in.
I turned the valve around that we’ll use to drain out the water so it pointed in the correct direction.
I drilled out one of the bung hole covers to fit the water tube and then installed the diverter system to the downspout just like the other rain barrel I have.
I have an overflow valve on this barrel because it was a stand-alone barrel in the yard. I didn’t remove it and patch the hole closed because I can just leave it in place and keep the valve closed at all times. Hence, this barrel is now a “closed” system.

Added Bonus

Recently we snagged two free rain barrels from clean valley.org that I plan to connect to our existing rain barrels to double our capacity. And I did that today! Here’s how I did it:

Horizontal Rain Barrels
So, I built another stand like the first one with a cradle on each end to hold the round barrel. I used pressure-treated, ground-contact 2x4s to withstand the four seasons.

I was worried that the distance from each barrel was too long for a flexible tube to carry water from one barrel to the other without sagging, hence impending the flow, so I used PVC pipe instead.

The holes in the top of the barrels are called bung holes. In the center of the bung hole cover there is a 3/4″ threaded hole that is sealed with a pop-out. So I popped it out and inserted a threaded PVC adapter to receive a 3/4″ piece of PVC pipe. I feel more confident that this will hold up better for the water transfer from the main barrel to the secondary barrel.

In my research there were some examples of connecting the barrels at the top and some connecting at the bottom. If I had connected them at the top I would have had to install another valve on the second barrel to siphon out the water. By connecting them at the bottom, the existing valve will draw from both barrels evenly, so no need for a valve on the second barrel.

By the way, the device on the right connected to our house foundation in the above photo is the fan that runs 24/7/365 for radon gas mitigation.

Vertical Rain Barrels
For the vertical barrels I also built another stand and connected the two barrels, also at the bottom, with another product from Earthminded through Amazon. Given the short distance between the two barrels I thought the flexible tubing should work just fine.

Now, we can’t wait for all of that free water to start flowing from the sky!

Special Note:

I recommend you connect with whatever town or city you live in to learn if there are any regulations or restrictions on residential rain barrels. Here’s why:

Although my research indicates that the regulations in Denver, Colorado have since changed for the better, when we lived there back in the 1980s and 1990s, if the rain water hit your roof, it belonged to the City of Denver by law. Water is a premium in that part of the country and the city was going to keep every drop it could that fell from the sky. So rain barrels catching water off roofs from the gutter and downspout was illegal.
In contrast, we now live in a town adjacent to Roanoke, Virginia which highly promotes the use of rain barrels (rain catchment systems). Being in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke has a flooding problem during hard rains. Roanoke has a program to get rain barrels in the hands of residents for rain catchment purposes to redirect rain water for other uses and ease the burden on their stormwater system.

So check on any regulations in your community to ensure you are legally setting up your rain barrel system.

Maintaining Your Rain Barrels

Cold season storage
We’ve only lived near Roanoke for the last five years and the winters have been pretty mild. Last winter each tank was about half full when it got cold but with room for expansion as the water froze, I didn’t feel the need to empty the barrels and lose the value of that water. And the barrels, with that water in them, came through the winter issue-free. Just use good judgement regarding where you live as to whether you think you should empty them when your growing season is over or not.

Algae growth
Also, you will likely have some algae grow inside if the barrel is in direct sunlight for most of the day. If your barrels are translucent, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the water, you might consider painting your barrels a dark color to block the sun. Other ways of mitigating algae growth is by following the directions listed below.

Best Practices for Making Rain Water Safe:
These are recommendations for pathogen treatment and best practices for utilizing collected rain water to irrigate vegetable/herb gardens from the website of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, an integral component of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey:

Cleaning the barrel
Rain barrel users should make sure to clean the barrel with a 3% bleach solution before collecting water to irrigate a vegetable/herb garden. Household, unscented bleach with a 5–6% chlorine solution can be added at the rate of 1/8 teaspoon (8 drops) of bleach per gallon of water.

Sanitizing the rain water
A typical 55 gallon rain barrel would need approximately one ounce of bleach added on a monthly basis. During periods of frequent rainfall, bimonthly treatment may be necessary. Wait approximately 24 hours after the addition of bleach to allow the chlorine to dissipate before using the water. Note that household bleach is not labeled for use in water treatment by the Food and Drug Administration although it is frequently recommended for emergency disinfection of drinking water (USEPA, 2006b).

Rain water use for vegetable gardens
When using harvested water to irrigate a vegetable garden, care should be taken to avoid getting water on the plant itself. Harvested rainwater should only be applied to the soil, possibly through drip irrigation. A watering can may be used, as long as the water does not get directly on the plant.

When to water
Water should be applied in the morning only. Produce harvesting should not take place right after watering in order to benefit from leaf drying and ultraviolet light disinfection.

You Can’t Beat Free Water

So I hope this outline of how we got our rain catchment system started will be of value to you and help you get started with setting up your rain barrels. Once that is done you’ll want to sit back on your patio and relax, observing the fruit of your labor. And what better way to do that than by enjoying a fruity adult beverage created by our resident mixologist for warm weather patio enjoyment. Check out these options: Lavender Lounger, Patio Bourdon Sipper, and/or Blue Colada. And chase any of these cocktails with a tasty snack from our Patio Food recipes such as Sausage Wonton Cups, Homemade Egg Rolls, or a rendition of the classic Creamy Onion Dip with potato chips.

And remember, every day is Friday on the patio.

Rain Barrel FAQs

Are rain barrels worth the money?

Outfitting a house with a rain barrel does more than collect and conserve rainwater: It saves money, too. Well-placed rain barrels help cut utility costs by collecting free water for gardening, lawn watering or even washing the car.

How big of a rain barrel do I need?

The size of rain barrel you choose depends on how much water you want to store and the size of your roof. Common sizes for residential use are 50 gallons to 90 gallons. Rain barrels can fill up very quickly.

Why do rain barrels need to be elevated?

Typically, rain barrels are elevated 12 to 36 inches above the ground. This creates enough pressure to move water through a spigot to fill a watering can or hose or use drip irrigation. For every 1 foot of elevation, you gain approximately 0.4 pounds of pressure (PSI).

How to sanitize rain barrel water?

Water in a typical 55 gallon rain barrel should be treated with approximately 1 ounce of bleach. Do not use any scented bleach. Wait approximately 24 hours after the addition of bleach to allow the chlorine to dissipate before using the water.

How do I keep my rain barrel mosquito free?

Mosquitoes can breed in as little as 10 days. In rain barrels that allow mosquitoes to enter, therefore, rain barrels should be emptied in less than 10 days. Another potential solution is to screen the rainwater inlet so mosquitoes don’t enter in the first place. Finally, a sealed or closed rain barrel system will prevent mosquitoes from using a rain barrel as a breeding spot.

Why does algae grow in my rain barrel?

Algae are microscopic, photosynthetic plants.
Rain barrels with open or screened tops or that allow light to penetrate will provide more light inside the barrels. Therefore, open and/or light colored rain barrels would be more likely to contribute to algal growth. On the other hand, rain barrels with openings limited to the size of the downspout or gutter tube would allow less light to reach water stored inside. Therefore, partially closed and/or darker rain barrels would be less likely to contribute to algal growth.
Water temperature may be relatively high when rain barrels are placed in full sun, thus increasing the risk of algal growth. Placing rain barrels in shade can reduce this risk.

Please Leave a Comment

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Do you have rain barrels? Did you buy them pre-made or did you DIY? How beneficial do you feel having a rain barrel is for you and your garden? Please share a photo of your rain barrel so we can “Wow” at your rain catchment system.

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Old Gardening Books Connect Past and Present

Today, anytime a person has a question about anything, one of the first responses is to ask “did you google it?” And internet research is an important part of getting answers. But it is not the only answer – and often the information on the internet has been gathered from books. While Google can provide quick facts, there are several reasons why reading old printed gardening books can be beneficial.

Why Read Old Books on Gardening?

While modern gardening literature and online resources are valuable and offer up-to-date information, old printed books provide a unique and enriching experience that can enhance your gardening knowledge and practices. They offer a different perspective, historical context, and a chance to explore the timeless wisdom of gardeners from the past.

Here are a few key reasons why you might want to explore adding old gardening books to your home library:

Historical Perspective

First there is the historical perspective. Old gardening books provide a glimpse into the gardening practices, techniques, and knowledge of past eras. They offer a historical perspective on how gardening has evolved over time, which can be fascinating and informative.

Traditional Wisdom

Next, these books offer lots of traditional wisdom. Many old gardening books contain traditional wisdom and tried-and-tested methods that have stood the test of time. They often offer insights and techniques that might not be commonly found in modern gardening literature. They can introduce you to traditional approaches that have been practiced for generations and might still be relevant and effective today.

Time-Tested Advice

Another advantage is time-tested advice. Old gardening books often feature advice and recommendations based on practical experience. The authors of these books had firsthand knowledge of gardening and shared their expertise to help readers achieve success in their own gardens. Such advice can be valuable and reliable, even if it predates modern scientific advancements.

Unique Plant Varieties

Very often, these books highlight unique plant varieties. Old gardening books may mention plant varieties that are no longer widely cultivated or available. Exploring these books can introduce you to heirloom or rare plant varieties that have been forgotten or overlooked in contemporary gardening. Rediscovering and growing these unique plants can add diversity and interest to your garden.

Inspiration and Aesthetics

Also important is inspiration and aesthetics. Old gardening books often have beautiful illustrations, engravings, and detailed descriptions that capture the artistry and aesthetics of gardening. They can inspire you with ideas for garden design, plant combinations, and overall aesthetics. These books can be a source of inspiration for creating a timeless and elegant garden.

Personal Connection

Lastly, there is that personal connection. Reading old gardening books can create a sense of connection to the past and the gardeners who came before us. It allows you to tap into the collective wisdom of previous generations and gain a deeper appreciation for the rich history of gardening.

What You’ll Learn From Old Gardening Books

Now, of course, our local library has some excellent resources you can use to gain knowledge and perspective that old gardening books can bring. But there are several reasons why you might consider buying or purchasing old printed books on gardening:

Authenticity and Charm
Old printed books have a certain charm and authenticity that digital resources often lack. Holding a physical book in your hands, flipping through its pages, and experiencing the tactile sensation can be a delightful and nostalgic experience. Old books often have unique characteristics like beautiful illustrations, ornate covers, or handwritten notes, which add to their charm and appeal.
Collectible Value
Some old gardening books have become collectible items due to their rarity, historical significance, or the reputation of the author. If you have an interest in collecting books or enjoy owning valuable and unique items, purchasing old gardening books can be a rewarding hobby. The value of certain books may appreciate over time, making them an investment as well.
Access to Out-of-Print or Rare Books
Old gardening books often include information on plant varieties, gardening techniques, or specific regional knowledge that may no longer be readily available. Purchasing these books allows you to access valuable information that might be difficult to find elsewhere, especially if the book is out of print or not digitized.
Deeper Exploration and Research
Owning old gardening books provides an opportunity for in-depth exploration and research. You can spend time studying the content, referencing specific passages, and cross-referencing information. Old books often contain extensive details and insights that may not be found in condensed or modernized versions.
Aesthetic Appeal and Inspiration
Old gardening books are often visually appealing, with intricate illustrations, engravings, or botanical drawings. They can serve as a source of inspiration for garden design, plant selection, and overall aesthetics. Owning and displaying these books in your gardening library can enhance the ambiance of your space and ignite your creativity.
Preservation of Knowledge and History
By purchasing old gardening books, you contribute to the preservation of knowledge and history. These books represent a snapshot of gardening practices, techniques, and botanical discoveries from the past. By keeping them in circulation and appreciating their value, you help ensure that the wisdom and insights contained within these books are not lost to time.

While purchasing old printed books on gardening may require some investment and effort, the unique qualities, historical value, and the pleasure they provide make them worthwhile for enthusiasts, collectors, and those seeking a deeper connection to the gardening legacy of the past.

Where Can You Find Antique or Old Gardening Books?

Hunting in used bookstores, antique shops, and online auctions will turn up a fair share of gems, but there are several other reliable sources for quality old gardening books.

Woodburn Books consistently provides some of the most wonderful, high-quality old tomes, but expect to pay a premium.
Horizon Books is another, more specialized source for old gardening books.
Abe Books, Biblio and Alibris are also good sources with many titles to choose from.
And don’t forget to look for reprints: Several of the 17th-century English gardening books by William Lawson, for example, have been reprinted by Prospect Books.

We, too, are pleased to showcase some limited gardening books for sale on an online resource for independent booksellers. Click this link — livingonthepatio on Bibli o — to find gardening books with topics ranging from building your own green house to lasagna gardening to growing with indoor lights.

Relax and Read Old Gardening Books

Once you’ve acquired a few old gardening books you’ll want to sit back and relax and just soak up the wonderful knowledge in these books that will help you polish up your gardening skills and techniques, like the value of making your own compost to enrich your garden soil. Of course, you may want to head out to the patio with your books and, of course, a patio beverage and maybe a snack. Then, enjoy your read!

And remember, every day is Friday on the patio.

FAQs Answered — Old Gardening Books

What are 5 benefits of gardening?

In addition to providing nutritious veggies and fruits for your dinner table and beautiful flowers to decorate it, gardening offers a variety of health benefits.

Exposure to vitamin D.
Decreased dementia risk.
Mood-boosting benefits.
Enjoyable aerobic exercise.
Helps combat loneliness.

Does gardening make people happier?

Results of another study showed that gardening increased life satisfaction, vigor, psychological wellbeing, and cognitive function. Further research on gardening found it improved life satisfaction and mood.

What size garden should a beginner have?

A good size for a beginner’s vegetable garden is 6×6 feet. Select up to five types of vegetables to grow, and plant a few of each type. You’ll get plenty of fresh produce for your summer meals, and it will be easy to keep up with the chores.

What month should you start a garden?

Generally March and April, when the soil begins to warm, are the best months to begin sowing many hardy annual vegetable seeds outdoors including broccoli, cabbage, chard, carrots, peas and parsnips.

Should you till your garden in the fall or spring?

Spading or tilling the soil in the FALL allows for the winter conditions of freezing and thawing to naturally break the soil into its particles. This results in a crumbly state desirable for spring planting. Soil is often damp or wet in the spring which makes deep spading more difficult.

Is gardening really worth it?

Growing your own food is a healthy way to save money and enjoy fresh produce at home. When done correctly, even the smallest backyard plot can produce copious amounts of fruits and vegetables and possibly even a significant saving to the grocery budget.

Please Leave a Comment

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Are you an avid gardener or a beginning enthusiast? Are you using old gardening books? Where did you find them? (We have several used book stores in Roanoke, Virginia.) What have you planted in your garden either to look at or to eat? Are there any “old world” gardening techniques that you have discovered and used with success? Please share! And post a photo of your garden with your comment so we can see the fruits of your labor.

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Planters and Pots: Clean them Before Reuse

Whether you have clay, ceramic, plastic or resin, you will need to clean your planters and pots for new plantings for your next growing season.

Garden pots will need a thorough cleaning either at the end of the growing season or before the new one starts. There can be microscopic fungus, disease, eggs and minerals left behind that can negatively affect your new plants. By taking the time to clean and disinfect your pots, you will be giving your plants the best opportunity to thrive. Besides, you have probably invested a lot in your planters and pots and if you take care of them, they will last you for years!

Best Practices for Cleaning Your Planters and Pots for Reuse

Reusing planters and pots for gardening is best done in the following ways:

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Cleaning Your Planters and Pots
Before reuse, clean the planters thoroughly to remove any residue from previous plants or soil. Then wash them out to remove any dirt from previous use. Scour clay pots with a stiff brush to remove algae, mildew and other deposits. Scrub off white crust as well as you can.

Cleaning Fabric Grow Bags
Fabric grow bags have become popular in recent years. And just as with clay or plastic, these bags need to be cleaned. The first thing, of course, is to remove the plants and soil. If the plants were not diseased, add them and their soil to your compost pile. Toss the bags into the washer or soak them in a bucket with a detergent solution. Rinse the fabric pots thoroughly and let them air dry. Do not put them in the dryer!

Disinfecting Your Planters and Pots
Soak pots in a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach for ten minutes to one hour. Substitute vinegarfor the bleach by soaking the pots for a few hours longer. The final soak and rinse should be with a dish detergent solution. Then, rinse pots thoroughly and let them dry in the sun if possible.

Repair and Enhance

Fixing Cracks or Holes in Your Planters and Pots
If there are any cracks or holes in the planters, patch them up to prevent soil and water loss. Given the material your pots are made of, you could use silicone, epoxy, or even bondo. But you may have to paint your planters and pots if your repairs are unsightly due to the size of the repair.

Adding Drainage Holes to Your Planters and Pots
If the planters do not have drainage holes, drill some to prevent water logging and root rot. However, you may not be able to drill through clay or ceramic pots without cracking or breaking them.

Repainting Your Planters and Pots
If the planters are looking worn out, you can paint them to give them a fresh look. Actually this is something we do often, especially to add a pop of color. Here is an example of a set we just completed for this spring:

Old planters and pots ready for painting

Planters and Pots getting a new coat os paint

Let the Gardening Begin

Filling Your Planters and Pots with New Soil
Fill the planters with fresh, high-quality potting soil to provide the best growing environment for your plants.

Planting Your Planters and Pots
Choose plants that are appropriate for the size and type of planters you have, and plant them according to their specific needs.

Seasonal Storage

Storing Your Planters and Pots
If you clean your pots at the end of the growing season, you will want to store them until the next growing season. So after they dry, stack and store them in your gardening shed or basement. This is particularly important with clay and ceramic pots. Unglazed clay is porous and can absorb moisture. Freezing and thawing in winter can cause the pots to crack. Even glazed pots can crack if left outside in freezing winter weather. These pots can be costly, so take good care of them! Bring them inside along with any other types of glass or ceramic yard art.

If stacking ceramic pots, wrap them in newspaper to cushion them and prevent chipping. You may wish to use newspaper to stack your plastic pots, especially if you have taken the time to paint them. If need be, plastic pots can be stored outside, but make sure they are covered and out of direct sunlight. Sunlight degrades plastic over time, making it brittle and causing color to fade.

Planters and Pots FAQs

Do I really need to wash old pots?

Whether the pot is plastic, clay, or some other material, debris can accumulate that may harbor disease organisms and mineral deposits will form, potentially causing problems for your plants. It is important to clean and disinfect old pots each time you use them.

Should I wash new plant pots?

Rinse pots thoroughly and soak them in a bucket of clean water until you are ready to use them. Dry clay pots can wick moisture away from the potting medium dehydrating newly potted plants.

Can you clean pots with hydrogen peroxide?

Yes. Mix 2:1 ratio of water to hydrogen peroxide. Pour the solution directly into the pot and swish it around avoiding it leaking out of the drainage holes in the bottom of your pot. Thoroughly wipe the sides of the pot—make sure you wear gloves while doing this. You can also soak your tools in the pot.

What other way can deposits be removed from ceramic pots?

Baking soda works just as well to neutralize and dissolve salt stains. Instead of making a solution for dunking the pots, just add enough water to make a baking soda paste. Rub the paste on the ceramic and then scrub it away with a sponge. As you rinse them off, your pots will look brand new.

Can I clean my plant pots in the dishwasher?

Your dishwasher is another effective tool to clean clay and terracotta pots. Be sure the pots are already free of soil and sand before putting them in your dishwasher. With the heat cycle turned on, dishwashers reach an average temperature of 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit (54-60 degrees Celsius), aiding in sterilization. Avoid the heat the cycle for plastic pots.

Enjoy Nature’s Beauty as One of the Fruits of Your Labor

Once your planters and pots are cleaned and spruced up for a pretty planting summer of gorgeous patio plants, you’ll have to kick back on the patio in your cool patio furniture with a snack and adult beverage and enjoy nature’s beauty as one of the fruits of your labor.

And remember: every day is Friday on the patio!

Please Leave a Comment: Cleaning Your Gardening Planters and Pots for Reuse

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or let us know what we missed and can add to this post. Do you clean your gardening pots after each season? What methods do you use that are different from those suggested here? Please include a photo so we can see how beautiful your potted plants look.

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Cardboard Composting Increases Soil Quality

There is something fascinating about the process of taking all these materials, combining them together and turning them into useable soil, in particular when you can make use of a common item that would otherwise clog our waste stream. Learn how sorting the “garbage in” results in “garbage out” that improves the quality of your gardening soil. Let’s talk cardboard composting. But first . . .

What is Composting?

Composting is an easy way to turn waste into useful soil. Basically you add brown stuff to green stuff with water, air, time and heat and eventually you get compost — dirt that can be rich in nutrients that plants need to grow. Materials that you might otherwise throw away include dead leaves, straw and wood chips, shavings or sawdust (sawdust from wood not chemically treated) along with grass clippings (grass not treated with an insecticide, weedkiller and/or non-organic fertilizer), vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and tea bags. If you are interested in starting to compost, check out our blog post Why Composting is Important and our LivingOnThePatio Starter Kit includes a worksheet for instructions on building an outdoor compost pile (heap). Get it h ere.

Fruit, vines and vegetables on top of compost heap in outdoor bin with wood slats for walls livingonthepatio.com

Why Do People Compost?

People begin to compost for various reasons:

A city or county may require a reduction in the garbage or trash taken to a landfill. Banning organic waste (leaves, straw, vegetable scraps, etc) reduces that amount by one-third according to the Frontier Group.
As more concern grows about global warming, some seek to use composting to reduce their carbon footprint.
Others worry about the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers which can deplete the soil in the long run.
Most often compost becomes important to the person becoming a gardener or a plant parent as compost can be used as mulch for gardens, fertilizer for potted plants, and as a soil conditioner.

What Makes Good Compost?

If you, as I am, are looking to use compost to grow vegetables and herbs as well as the blooms in your garden, you will want to make sure that you use certain trash materials that will help your plants thrive. For example, for years I would happily accept any and all of our friends and neighbors’ grass clippings and dried leaves to add to my compost pile — that is, until I learned that one lawn was habitually sprayed with an insecticide, weedkiller and fertilizer. Yikes! This was not what I had in mind for my garden. As I began to pay attention to the source and care of the materials put in my compost, there were some things I learned along the way.

Side view of stack of brown cardboard that can be used in cardboard composting livingonthepatio.com

Be Choosy About the “Garbage In”

Know what leaves to compost.

Some leaves compost more effectively than others and the best are those lower in lignin (the chief substance in wood) and higher in calcium and nitrogen. These include maple, elm, ash, birch, cottonwood, poplar, cherry, and other fruit tree leaves which will typically break down in about a year. Avoid the leaves of the black walnut, horse chestnut, beech, oak and holly according to Simple Garden Life.

Know what paper to compost.

Most of the time, it is recommended that you use untreated paper for your compost. Newspapers work, despite the ink, as do some types of already recycled paper. What about paper with computer, pen, or marker ink or dyes on it? If the ink used is vegetable-based, soy-based, or non-toxic, then it’s safe for the compost according to Green Matters.

Know what tea bags to compost.

The paper used in high quality tea bags is fully compostable. The vast majority of brands on the shelves have mesh tea bags that are composed of 20-30% plastic which will release microplastics and nanoplastics. The string used in standard tea bags is fully compostable. The staple that secures the paper tag to the string is not. The adhesive used to heat-seal the edge of the paper tea bag is not compostable according to Recycle A Cup.

Know what cardboard to compost.

Uncoated boxes (not shiny) with no heavy dyes. Unfortunately, that shiny cardboard is coated with plastic that cannot be composted. Remove all the tape or labels as these are not compostable, either. Shred or tear the cardboard into smaller pieces according to packmojo.com (more on this later).

Ways to Use Cardboard in the Garden

So now what? After learning which materials to be choosy about, it became obvious I was going to have to find another source of “browns”. As you recall from our previous post, browns are the materials high in carbon and low in nitrogen (the opposite of the “greens” which are high in nitrogen and low in carbon). I live in an area where most of the trees are oak and walnut. However, like most, I had an excessive amount of cardboard boxes, and happily turned my attention to cardboard composting.

There are many ways cardboard boxes can be used in your garden as cardboard composting:

Small cardboard boxes can be great to start seedlings and protect plants from weeds when the whole box is set in the ground.
Larger boxes can be the base layer in the sheet composting method or the “lasagna method” of compost (uses a layer of cardboard or newspaper positioned in the yard adding soil with mulch on top; the cardboard helps to smother existing weeds and seeds). This method is mostly useful in building up garden beds, especially as it takes longer for the cardboard to break down.

But if your household is like mine, every online purchase brings a box that is a great candidate to become a “brown” in your compost pile. It’s best if the cardboard box can be reduced to smaller pieces. The thing is, have you ever tried to cut, tear or shred a cardboard box by hand? After a while, it’s difficult — my hands hurt either using scissors or trying to tear along the folds, and soaking the boxes in water (a recommendation from packmojo.com) was too messy for me.

Is Shredding Cardboard Feasible?

Thus began a search for an affordable way to shred cardboard. For all the increase in online purchases as well as the chatter about keeping cardboard out of landfills, it was not an easy task. Cardboard is NOT just lots of paper stuck together. Waste corrugated cardboard is mainly composed of 52% cellulose, 7% hemicellulose, and 11% lignin – think tree trunk material. We tried using a chipper-shredder from a national retailer, thinking that if it could grind up sticks and branches, cardboard should be no problem. It jammed on the first run. There was a high-end shredder designed for cardboard but it was $700, really for warehouses or distribution centers that apparently reduce lots of boxes daily. So I intensified my online research to find something cheaper; useful for a household but able to shred the cardboard for my cardboard composting pile. We selected the Bonsaii 3S30 and it works great! It’s available at Amazon.com. Look at the lovely shreds destined for the compost heap!

Shows the pieces of shredded cardboard ready for cardboard composting livingonthepatio.com

Keep That Shredder Running

The Bonsaii 3S30 does a great job shredding your cardboard boxes, but it needs some maintenance to keep it running in good shape. First, remember to remove all the labels, tape, and staples from your boxes. You will need to cut the cardboard box to a piece the size of the hole at the top of the shredder feed. After you have filled the shredder basket twice, use the Bonsaii Shredder Lubricant Sheet (also available at Amazon.com) to keep the blades well-oiled. Because the shredder produces dust, we make sure to use an air purifier in the same vicinity – we use a MOOKA Air Purifier, available at Amazon.com.

Remember the Other Composting “Don’ts”

Don’t add fish, meat, dairy products, bones, baked goods, fatty foods or grease to your compost pile. These food scraps do not easily decompose and may attract unwanted animals.
Don’t use diseased plants or plants that are toxic to other plants. Also, avoid weeds, which produce abundant seeds, because they may not be killed during the composting process.
Don’t add pet feces or used kitty litter. Although they may eventually break down in compost, they also harbor bacteria, germs, viruses and parasites.
Don’t use sawdust from treated wood, coal fire ash or synthetic fertilizer, because they can harm your soil and plant health.
Don’t add glossy or coated paper. Also, avoid composting sticky labels on fruits and vegetables, because they are not biodegradable.

Cardboard Composting FAQs

Is cardboard good for compost?

Yes, you can compost cardboard. In fact, cardboard waste makes up over 31 percent of landfills according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Cardboard composting is a practice that is becoming more popular now that people are beginning to realize the benefits of composting.

How long does it take for cardboard to decompose in compost?

If you do nothing to your large pieces of cardboard, then it can take them naturally about six to eight months to break down completely. Obviously, if you shred your cardboard it will decompose quicker.

Does cardboard need to be shredded for compost?

Cardboard is very good for improving the structure of compost because it helps introduce air pockets. Oxygen is an important ingredient because the composting microbes need it to do their job. In my experience cardboard needs shredding. If it’s not shredded, large sheets will stick together in a big damp mass.

Check It Out

Check out our blog post Why Composting is Importan t and Our LivingOnThePatio Starter Kit includes a worksheet for instructions on building an outdoor compost pile (heap). Get it h ere. And remember, every day is Friday on the patio! Kick back with an adult beverage and a snack and watch your garden grow with your own rich compost.

Computer Keyboard partial view livingonthepatio.com

Please Leave a Comment: Cardboard Composting

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or let us know what we missed and can add to this post. Do you compost? Do you practice cardboard composting? If so, how is it working? Do you shred your cardboard? Please post a photo of your compost heap — we’d love to see your garbage!

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Container Garden Soil: Reuse It Safely

Dirt is Not Cheap

Gardeners can spend a lot of money on soil. Bagged dirt, whether organic, potting soil or compost isn’t cheap and it’s a little daunting to think you may have to start from scratch every year. But with a little effort, container garden soil can be reused without worry about contaminating your new beds.

First know it’s generally okay to reuse potting soil if whatever you were growing in it was healthy. If you had problems with pest or disease, you will want to sterilize it to avoid infecting new plants. And you are going to need some black garbage bags or black plastic storage bins to reuse your soil.

Step 1: Remove Dead Plantings From This Season

Pull out any dead plants that remained healthy and set aside for your compost heap. Turn over your containers’ dirt on old cardboard boxes that have been flattened, if you can. Remove any roots or leaves by finger combing the soil.

Step 2: Kill Bugs and Pathogens in Your Container Garden Soil

If the plants remained healthy in the container:
Place the soil in black plastic bags, tie them tightly and leave them in the sun for 4-6 weeks. The heat builds up inside the bags just enough to kill bugs and pathogens. We leave our bags in the same area we have the containers (which gets the full sun for 6-8 hours daily), to avoid lugging the bags around too much.
If the plants did not remain healthy in the container:
It’s been recommended that you sterilize this potting soil in your oven. Place it in an oven-safe pan, cover with foil, and bake it at 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Check the soil temperature with a candy or meat thermometer to make sure it stays below 200 degrees, as higher temperatures can release toxins. When it’s done, take the soil out of the oven and keep it covered until it cools.

Alternative Heat Option
Microwaving is another option. Moisten the potting soil in quart-size, microwavable containers. Cover them with lids with ventilation holes or loose paper towels to allow steam to escape. Heat at full power for about 90 seconds per two pounds of soil. When it’s done, take the soil out of the microwave and cover up the vent holes until it cools.

While we have not personally tried this method, after cooking the soil, I think I would still place it in garbage bags for a period of time AND keep this soil separate, just in case.

What If Your Container Garden Soil is Contaminated?

If you are reluctant to go through all this trouble to reuse soil that may be ‘contaminated’, you can always use it to fill in your yard holes or level out erosion areas.

Step 3: Replenish Nutrients in Sterilized Soil

Once the soil has been sterilized, you need to replenish the nutrients that may have been lost in the spring/summer plantings. You can add fertilizer or stir in new potting soil, but personally we would recommend using your own composting. Store your renewed potting soil in a clean covered trash can or covered plastic buckets until it’s time to plant again.

Start Planning For Your Next Planting Season

So now you’re in a waiting game. This will give you the time to sit and study your garden area and decide what you’ll do for next season. Will you rearrange your garden? Will you expand your garden? Might you plant something different than you planted last season? While sitting and contemplating your coming-year planting decisions, you might want to enjoy a hot toddy or a cup of cold brew coffee to keep you warm as you muse about how your garden will bloom next spring.

Please Leave a Comment: Container Garden Soil

Leave a comment below and let us know if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Tell us what you may be thinking about for your spring plantings and how you’ll use your renewed soil. We love photos. Add a picture to your comment to let us see your patio/garden area.

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The Making of a Bug Hotel

Typically insects find homes anywhere they can, in the ground, under leaves, under rocks, pavers, bricks, any place that provides a safe hiding spot. Insects thrive in rotting wood and leaves, but most of us are not crazy about seeing piles of leaves or wood in our outdoor living spaces. This may mean insects won’t be drawn to our yards or gardens, especially beneficial ones that are good for the garden and eat pests that would otherwise wreck your plants. And that’s where a bug hotel comes in — placing a bug hotel in yards or gardens significantly increases the chance of these hero insects moving in.

What is a Beneficial Insect?

There are three kinds of beneficial insects that are necessary for a garden or yard to flourish:

Pollinators
These are the bees, butterflies, moths, or wasps that help collect and spread pollen.
Predators
These are ladybugs, praying mantis, lacewings, spiders, and beetles that eat other destructive insects.
Decomposers
These include flies, slugs, beetles, ants, and worms which chew up bits of leaves, dead animals, or dead wood.

What is a Bug Hotel?

A bug hotel is an artificial “building” that serves as long-term lodging or a winter hibernation spot for insects. You can hang bug hotels from trees, attach them to fences or stake them to the ground as long as they are near the flower and vegetable gardens. Some bugs prefer full sun, while others like shady spots, so you should consider the kind of insect you want to attract when placing your hotel.

To Buy or DIY Your Bug Hotel

Per the Farmer’s Almanac, beneficial insects have a basic need for water, food, and shelter. By providing these things, your garden will become an inviting home for them. And there’s nothing more inviting than hosting a hotel for the bugs to move into! But whether you buy it, like these from Amazon, Breck’s, and Wind & Weather or make it yourself depends on your inclination and materials you have or can get your hands on. Even if you decide to build your own bug hotel, there are plenty of kits and plans you can use. In fact, we found bug hotels made out of bricks, chicken wire, drain pipes, milk cartons, drawers, palettes, plastic bottles, plant pots, photo frames, popsicle sticks, tires or any combination thereof!

Our DIY Bug Hotel

We had on-hand some old small tires that we were going to use for another project but decided these would work better for the bug hotel. It was simple really – we attached the tires tread-to-tread, using nuts and bolts.

Then, we placed the hotel on some old slate panels and filled it up with different items, using old PVC pipes, paper towel rolls and bamboo stakes from Amazon as well as plastic plant pots to fill the holes.

Fallen tree bark and old broken bricks completed the project and viola! A bug hotel!

How to Use Your Bug Hotel

Your hotel should be out during summer when the wildlife is commonly active and protected against wind and rain during winter. Some experts recommend cleaning out and storing the bug hotel in a garden shed; others however, state that an occupied bug hotel should remain outside. Certainly any materials used to fill your bug hotel such cardboard, dried flowers, twine, burlap may need to be replaced each season.

A bug hotel is a simple, easy, and fun way to bring beneficial bugs to your patio garden area. Make yours unique to your garden theme and repurpose materials that have been hanging around your garden shed and/or shop area just waiting to be used. No doubt, in addition to having bugs help your garden grow strong, you will have an intriguing conversation piece to share with your guests while entertaining with food and drink on your patio. Remember, life happens on the patio.

Please Leave a Comment: Bug Hotel

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Let us know what kind of hotel you built or purchased and how successful you think it has been for your garden. Attach a photo so we can see your bug hotel!

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Minor Bulbs: Fall Planting, Spring Surprise!

Or, How I Fell in Love With My County Extension Office

So, for years, whenever we moved to a new area (we were diehard vagabonds) and I wanted to get the lowdown on what and how to garden, I was told to contact the local county extension office.

What is a County Extension Office?

Extension offices are departments located in local counties and universities staffed by university employees and volunteers who are experts in local crops, landscaping, soil, gardening, pests, and more. For example, are your tomatoes sporting weird looking spots on their skin? Call the extension office. Are the leaves of your peppers wilting and withering? Or are roses full of wispy webs? Yes, the extension office can help you.

In our area (Southwestern Virginia), the Extension office website is www.ext.vt.edu or you can call the Master Gardener Help desk at 540 776 7178. To find these offices in other areas or states, you can use this free resource from the Farmer’s Almanac.

Keep Digging to Get the Information You Want

Now, when we first moved to Southwestern Virginia I did check out the extension office website. Unlike other places we’ve lived in however, there did not seem to be the robust library of information and courses for the amateur gardener that I had become accustomed to in other locales. But recently I had a chance to attend a course about Minor Bulbs at our local library and have had my enthusiasm renewed. Let me share with you what I’ve learned.

Minor Bulbs for Your Garden

Minor bulbs are defined as those that are not common or well-known plants that have little or limited hybridization. Because of that, they tend to be less expensive. The plants introduced in this class were placed in the (fun) categories of Bells, Stars, and Firecrackers – the reason for that will be made clear below. Here is summary of part of the information provided in class:

BELLS	STARS	FIRECRACKERS
Fairy Lantern (calochortus venustus) • 8-24” tall. • Unusual varied color as white-yellow/red-purple. • Full sun/part shade in a well drained location. • Plant in fall, blooms late spring, early summer.	Camassia (camassia cusickii) • 24-36” tall; native to North America. • Pale blue spikes. • Full sun/part shade that likes damp or moist locations. • Plant in fall, blooms late spring, early summer.	Jack in the Pulpit/ Lords & Ladies (arum italicum) • 10-12” tall. • Light green flowers in spring followed by red berries. • Full sun/part shade that likes damp or moist locations. • Plant in fall, blooms in spring.
Glory of the Snow (chionodoxa forbesii) • 5-10” tall; paired w/phlox. • Blue flowers, 5-10 per spike. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant in fall, blooms late winter very early spring.	Incorrectly known as Autumn Crocus (colchicum atumnale) • 4-6” tall; blooms & leaves toxic. • White to lavender pink. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant mid/late summer, blooms late summer early fall.	Firecracker plant (dichelostemma congestum) • 18-24” tall • Purple florets in dense ball shaped flower. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant in fall, blooms late spring, early summer.
Winter Aconite (eranthis hyemalis) • 1-2” flower, 2-8” tall; will self-sow. • Bright yellow; can be invasive. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant in fall, blooms early spring.	Starflower (ipheion uniflorum) • 2-3” tall; thrives on benign neglect. • White, star shaped flower. • Full sun to part shade. • Plant in late summer/ early fall, blooms late winter/early spring.	Foxtail Lilly (eremurus robustus) • 24-48” tall. • Soft pink flower spikes. • Full sun. • Plant in fall, blooms early to mid-summer.
Dog tooth Violet (erythronium dens-canis) • 2” blooms, 6-12” tall; native to North America. • Pink to lavender, pale green leaves w/ colorful mottling. • Light to medium shade. • Plant in fall, blooms mid-spring.	Striped Squill (puschkinia scilloides) • 6-8”tall; needs woodland/under bushes. • Bluish-white star shaped flowers. • Full sun to part shade • Plant in early fall, blooms early to mid-spring.	Crown Imperial (fritillaria imperialis) large • 2-4’ tall; requires alkaline soil. • Red to yellow whorls of bell shaped flowers, unusual attractive leaves. • Full sun to part shade. • Plant in early fall, blooms mid-spring.
Snakehead or Checkered Lily (fritillaria meleagris) dwarf • 12-15” tall; requires alkaline soil. • Bell shaped flower in carried colors, checkered pattern. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant early fall; blooms mid-spring.	Alpine Squill (scilla bifolia) • 3-6″ tall. • Blue, mauve, pink. • Full sun to part shade. • Plant in summer, blooms late winter to very early spring.

Plant minor bulbs in autumn for a spring surprise!

Where to Find Minor Bulbs

Remember, minor bulbs are not common or well-known plants so you probably will not find them in local or regional garden centers or nurseries. And while no one nursery carries all the bulbs listed here, the following nurseries carry quite a few:

Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, Gloucester, VA
www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com
877-661-2852
K. van Bourgondien, Lawrenceburg, IN
www.dutchbulbs.com
800 552 9996
Breck’s, Guilford, IN
www.brecks.com
513 354 1511
John Scheepers, Inc, Bantam, CT
www.johnscheepers.com
860 567 0838
White Flower Farm, Litchfield, CT
www.whiteflowerfarm.com
800 503 9624

Why Stars, Bells, and Firecrackers?

Oh, yes! The whole idea of Bells, Stars and Firecrackers is to add one of each category to your garden. And do know that for each of the plants identified above there or other or similar species that could be substituted and used. You can check that out with the nursery you use to order your bulbs.

Plant in Fall for a Spring Surprise!

So, your autumn planting of minor bulbs will net you a colorful spring surprise. Those winter months will be filled with relaxing and gazing at your garden while enjoying a adult winter beverage all with the anticipation of the burst of color that will greet you as the warm spring sunshine awakens your minor bulbs and you literally see the fruit of your autumn labor. Life happens on the patio, right?

Please Leave a Comment: Minor Bulbs

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. And tell us what minor bulbs you decided to plant — Bells, Stars, Firecrackers, or a mix of all of them. When they blossom, add a photo so we can see the beautiful fruits of your labor!

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Mason Bees Make Great Patio Partners!

WARNING: reading this blog post could lead to an obsession with hosting gentle, solitary mason bees right from your patio.

Like me, you are probably familiar with bumble bees, honey bees, and those sometimes-pesky carpenter bees, but have you ever heard of mason bees? Until a year ago I had not, and now I am obsessed with these gentle, spring pollinators.

Of the more than 3,600 species of bees in North America, about 90% of them are solitary rather than social. That means they live and work alone. They don’t have hives, and they don’t make honey. Mason bees are solitary bees. They are native, hole-nesting bees who are easy to host and fun to watch. They make excellent patio partners. Some people even refer to them as pets.

The 411 on mason bees:

Like many solitary bees, mason bees use pre-existing holes for nests. Unlike Carpenter bees, they do not chew or drill holes, so they won’t damage your home or other wooden structures. Because they are looking for pre-existing holes, you can easily attract them and provide a house they will love and use. In return for safe shelter, they will give you hours of free entertainment and abundant yields from your garden. They’re safe for people – even the little ones – and pets. Because they do not have a queen or hive to defend, they are incredibly friendly. The males don’t have stingers. The females have barbless (think painless) stingers, but they are very reluctant to use them. They would rather entertain you with their adorable buzziness.

Female Mason Bees Do the Heavy Lifting.

In the mason bee family, every female is a queen, and every sibling gets their own room. Every female lays eggs and is solely responsible for finding, supplying and protecting her nests. It is quite a lot of work!

These hard-working, single moms are incredibly productive. After a brief day of fun and frolic, she gets straight to work. The first task is finding appropriate housing. She looks for a hole about the diameter of her body, and six or more inches deep. Once she has found an acceptable hole, she looks for some mud nearby. Mason bees use mud like a brick mason uses mortar. She collects mud to make a plug to seal the back of the nest. It might take her ten trips or more to make one mud plug. Next, she collects nectar and pollen to place in the nest. It could take her up to 30 or more trips to create a pollen ball large enough to feed one larvae. Once she has provisioned the nest, she lays one egg on the pollen ball and seals it up with another mud plug. Remember, this takes her another ten or so trips. Mason bee moms lay an average of one egg a day or 34-36 during a lifetime. Astonishingly, she chooses the gender of each egg and lays the female eggs in the back of each nest. This gives the males a chance to emerge from their cocoons a few days before the females, so they can be ready for their one and only date. Male mason bees live just a few days. Females live about four weeks or so, working tirelessly every waking minute. That doesn’t sound like the life of a queen to me!

Check Out Mason Bees on Video:

This three-minute video, produced by the Cincinnati Nature Center, is one of my favorite visual introductions to the mason bee lifecycle.

Intro to Mason Bees – video from the Cincinnati Nature Center

Why Should You Host Mason Bees Around Your
Garden/Patio?

There are two great reasons you should consider hosting native, solitary bees like mason bees.

Reason #1

First, they are a gardener’s best friend. They will give you increased yields in your garden or orchard while freely and happily entertaining you. Although they don’t make honey, they are critical to our food supply.

Prolific Pollinators
Bees are the most prolific pollinator group, accounting for about one out of every three bites of food we eat. Mason bees are super-pollinators. They are 90-99% efficient at pollinating, as compared to honey bees at around 5%. One mason bee is roughly as effective as 100 honey bees when it comes to pollinating.

One reason that mason bees are more prolific pollinators than honey bees is that mason bees shop and eat locally. They tend to stay within 100 yards (think football field) of their nests. Honey bees, on the other hand, often fly miles from their hive to collect pollen and then return to the hive. Mason bees spend less time commuting and more time working!

Mason Bee pollinating flower — *Mason Bees are prolific, efficient, belly flop pollinators*

Efficient Pollinators
Another reason why mason bees are more efficient pollinators is based on body type and style. Honey bees collect pollen in sticky pouches on their legs. They carefully collect pollen to take back to their hive for food. In the hive, some of the pollen falls off and sticks to other bees. When those bees go out to collect pollen, they cross pollinate the plants they visit.

Belly Flop Pollinators
Mason bees have fine, dry hairs all over their bodies. Unlike their better-mannered cousins, they belly flop into flowers and literally get covered in pollen. The pollen easily falls off them when they dive in to the next flower. Check out this interesting photo showing the difference between honey bees and mason bees in how they pollinate at rentmasonbees.com. Mason bees also tend to meander between plants more than honey bees, which adds to their cross-pollinating effect. I have read that six mason bees will pollinate one fruit tree as compared to 10,000 honey bees. Don’t worry! Mason bees and honey bees are not competitors, they are coworkers! The more we support mason bees, the more we help the honey bees, too!

Reason #2

The second really big reason you should consider making mason and other wild, hole-nesting bees your patio partners is because all bees are threatened by shrinking habitats and harmful chemicals. The fact that you’re interested enough to read this far indicates that you’re probably aware that bee populations are shrinking. The statistics are shockingly sad. I’m choosing to focus on what we can do to help.

Provide Mason Bees a Good Home
Whether you have a large yard, a postage-stamp, or even just a balcony or porch, you can provide safe habitat and invite solitary bees to nest. It’s pretty simple to get started, but I encourage you to learn a little first, before you make a commitment. Our experience was that as soon as we made a bee house – before it was even off my husband’s workbench – the bees moved in! It was a little like when we adopted our first son as a two year old: no time to prepare! We adjusted (then and now), but you have time to prepare for your bees.

Before You Decide, Use This Guide:

In nature, solitary bees have, well . . . solitary nests. They do not typically congregate in one place. While they are perfectly happy living in community, when they live closely together predators and diseases can potentially wipe out many bees at once. So if you are going to host wild, solitary bees, and I hope that you will, please learn how to do it responsibly. It is not complicated, and it is fun and educational.

A really great place to begin your journey is here: Mason Bee Beginner’s Guide by Crown Bees.

Yes, Mason Bees are Patio Friendly!

I hope you’re now considering hosting solitary bees from your patio, and I hope you’ll have as much fun as we’re having doing it. As I am typing this, I hear my husband drilling in the workshop, keeping up with our friends’ requests for his adorable hand-crafted bee houses. That obsession I warned you about at the beginning: it affects the whole family. Happy hosting!

Other Resources:

There are tons of resources online for learning about Mason bees and other solitary bees, like Leafcutters. Search on Google or YouTube or Pinterest, and you’ll find more than you’re looking for.

One of my favorite online resources for Mason bee information and products is crownbees.com.
Mason Bee Lifecycle Chart
Excellent Native Plant Guide at Pollinator Conservation Resource Center | Xerces Society

This is a guest blog post written by Mary Beth Stanley. See her bio below.

Mary Beth Stanley

My husband and I grew up in Michigan and raised our two sons in North Carolina, which we proudly call “Home.”

I love people, and I’m passionate about our planet. In 2002 I was looking for green household cleaners when a friend introduced me to Shaklee. I fell in love. For the past 20 years, I have been privileged to partner with a purpose-driven company with exceptional products, an unwavering committment to the environment, and a community of people who embrace living in harmony with nature. I would be honored to introduce you.
Join us and make Earth Day every day! PWS.shaklee.com/hww

Pease Leave a Comment

Please post a comment below to tell us what you think about this post, if you’re excited to host mason bees in your garden, or if you’ve already welcomed mason bees into your outdoor environment.

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Why Composting is Important

My Compost Beginnings

My passion for composting started in 1985 when living in a semi-arid high desert (AKA Colorado) rendered the yard we had a clay wasteland where even weeds struggled to grow. It was the first yard I had after growing up in Florida, where things seemed to grow out of thin but humid air – including bugs. Little did I know that that house I grew up in had been under the previous tender care of a retired gardener who, if not a practitioner of garden design, had at least the sense to add dirt and fertilizer to the sandy soil so prevalent in Florida. As a child I had not been privy to the proper workings of the garden ever since, in imitation of the grass stalks some kids would chew on, I had grabbed an elephant ear bud and stuck it between my lips (which then proceeded to double in size and turn purple, the plant being toxic).

After living with and loving our flower pots from all those years of apartment living, I was now confronted with a corner lot that looked like the poster child for drought. I did not know how I was going to fix this without spending a fortune: and we had spent our extra funds renovating our cute 1926 French Tudor house.

Dried out and cracked ground shows result of drought when no composting is done
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The Background to Composting

Fortunately, and perhaps presciently, Denver was going through a severe drought in the early 1980s and water was being rationed at that time. That’s when Xeriscaping first began appearing in landscaping circles, the idea revolved around using as little water as possible and still maintain interesting and attractive landscapes. If I recall correctly, the city’s Water Department began to educate the public about water-conscious landscapes, which was right up our alley. How does Xeriscaping connect to composting? Because number two of the seven principles of Xeriscaping is improving the quality of your soil. And you do that by composting.

What is Composting?

In any case, not sure the source, but I remember getting a simple little booklet all about composting.

I was fascinated! Remember learning about the Roman historian Cato the Elder’s 160 BCE piece De Agri Cultura in world history class? Composting! Remember learning about ‘Night Soil’ and why was it so hugely important in Asia? Composting! Remember the story of the Pilgrims getting help from the Native Americans who planted their corn with fish heads? Composting! So composting is really just adding some organic material to soil to help plants grow. It’s like store bought fertilizer but it’s something that ordinary people can create using kitchen scraps and leaves and paper. All that’s needed are four ingredients – browns, greens, water and air.

The Official Science of Composting

So why was composting number two in Xeriscaping principles? According to the EPA there are quite a number of reasons:

Compost adds nutrients to the soil, introduces valuable organisms to the soil, including microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, which decompose organic material, promoting higher yields of agricultural crops.
Compost recycles kitchen and yard waste, helping consumers in many cities to reduce their waste management costs as well as reducing the need to buy fertilizers for gardens and yards
Composting reduces landfill waste. Organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting wasted food and other organics, methane emissions are significantly reduced.
Compost retains a large volume of water, thus helping to prevent or reduce erosion, reduce runoff, and establish vegetation. Compost even can help aid reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts by improving contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils.
Compost improves downstream water quality by retaining pollutants such as heavy metals, nitrogen, phosphorus, oil and grease, fuels, herbicides, and pesticides (not that you’d want that stuff in your yard either).

Myriad and varied tree leaves and twigs in various states of decay show the beginning of composting in nature livingonthepatio.com

The REAL Benefits of Composting

This is all scientific speak for:

Getting bigger, better tasting vegetables because there are vitamins and minerals in the compost for the plants to grow – yes, just like you need your daily vitamin, so do plants.
You don’t have to spend money on fertilizers anymore. Actually that’s what compost pretty much is – natural fertilizers instead of the chemical ones you get at the store. What’s more, some garbage services charge by volume so by composting your kitchen scraps and leaves, you can save money.
Just a few decades ago, every town had its own municipal dump. That’s not true today. Based on data collected by Waste Business Journal, over the next five years, total landfill capacity in the U.S. is forecast to decrease by more than 15%. This means that by 2021 only 15 years of landfill capacity will remain. Composting can help reduce the volume of our garbage and give us more time to figure out a solution.
Ever see a mudslide in the news? Mudslides occur when a large amount of rain causes water to “liquefy” the soil and move it downhill. Vegetation is a great defense against mudslides. Yup, healthy, well maintained plants and trees have roots that pretty much anchor soil and rocks in place so they don’t easily move. And what helps a plant to be healthy? Compost!

How to Start Composting

There are MANY ways to get started composting – you can get a bucket, make a bin, buy a tumbler or simply start a pile in your yard. Much of what you do will depend on the size of your yard, your annual or future plantings and how much waste you generate. There are MANY resource s you can read. Here are basic guidelines on how to start composting:

Choose a bin
A kitchen-top compost caddy is a good place to start. The one we chose from Amazon was the LALASTAR Food Waste Bi n. Use this or any food-caddy-style model to empty your food scraps into a larger bin in the garden.
Pick a location
Place the bin in a sunny spot on bare soil where you can easily add ingredients and remove compost.
Add materials
A mix of greens and browns is ideal, and use twice as much brown material as green.. Greens include food scraps, coffee grounds, and grass clippings, while browns include dead leaves, branches, and paper (think greens as moist and browns as dry). You can also add teabags, toilet paper tubes, cereal boxes, and eggshells. Don’t compost cooked food, meat, or fish.
Turn the compost
Regularly turning the compost pile helps distribute oxygen and moisture, which speeds up the composting process.
Insulate
In the winter, insulate the compost pile to prevent it from freezing and stopping decomposition. You can surround the bin with bags of leaves or straw bales, or line the inside with leaves, sawdust, or woodchips.
Wait for it to be ready
It can take months for compost to be ready to use, so it’s best to start your compost in the fall for spring/summer planting.. Compost is ready when it’s crumbly and dark, with a fresh, earthy smell.
Use the compost
You can use compost to enrich vegetable patches, borders, patio containers, and lawns.

Kitchen scraps in a white bag lined trash bin showing decaying and moldy fruit, coffee grounds, and tea bags collected for us in composting livingonthepatio.com

Our Composting Experience

We have the LALASTAR Food Waste Bi n under the sink to collect all our greens – fruit & veggie scraps, coffee grounds, teabags, eggshells (although I store eggshells in separate jars because I use them for lots of things). Our browns consist of newspaper, leaves, cut grass, even shredded or cut up brown cardboard boxes (brown boxes without printing or the tape and labels) – very useful information. I have both a tumbler for faster, concentrated compost and a pile bounded by our old fence gates. The compost pile is where the cardboard boxes end – the best practice we have arrived at is shredding them into little pieces using the Bonsaii Paper Shredde r. Check out our post: Cardboard Composting Increases Soil Quality to learn about cardboard shredding. Piles, also called cold composting, will take a long time to break down, so we start our piles in the Fall well before our spring plantings.

If you want a vegetable or herb garden, plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, vines, etc. start composting. It’s the one thing about gardening you can’t mess up: as I learned from my little booklet, 35+ years ago and has held true all these years . . . Compost Happens!

Our LivingOnThePatio Starter Kit includes a worksheet for instructions on building an outdoor compost pile (heap). Get it h ere.

Update: When Bees Build a Nest in Your Compost Pile

So, it’s now late-summer of 2024. Earlier in the planting season we learned about an interesting issue with compost heaps that you’ll want to know about. Apparently, because of the warm, moist center of the compost heap as the scraps breakdown, this environment is very appealing to bees. I don’t know what kind of bees except that they are the kind who get angry when disturbed and like to sting to express their dissatisfaction at being disturbed. And there are a lot of them!

Imagine my surprise when I stuck a shovel into our compost heap to turn the top layer over and get some rich dirt from the bottom layer and out swarmed a plethora of bees (plethora being defined as “an excessive quantity”). So, the issue became, how to get rid of the bees without killing them. And my extensive research identified that one of the most offensive odors to bees is garlic. Yes, garlic. I found this site for instructions on how to prepare your garlic repellent for bees: Making Garlic Spray.

I went to Harbor Freight and bought a pump sprayer for this task. It took me two heavy applications on our compost heap with a week in between applications, but within a few days after the second application I dug through the compost heap and the bees were all gone. Apparently they hate the aroma of garlic so much that they just pack up and move. And I was happy that they did.

Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor

So, once you get some rich compost into your garden and your garden blossoms with flowers or fruits or vegetables you can slip out to the patio with an adult beverage and a sn ack to admire what you’ve planted and watch it grow! And remember, every day is Friday on the Patio.

Why Composting is Important FAQs

Is it worth it to compost?

Composting reduces waste, makes us less dependent on landfills, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. Every day, the average American generates roughly four and a half pounds of waste – that’s about 1,600 pounds per year per person.

Why is composting so good for the environment?

Proper composting of the organic waste we generate in our daily lives – inedible or unused food – can reduce the dependence on chemical fertilizers, help recover soil fertility, and improve water retention and the delivery of nutrients to plants.

What happens if we don’t compost?

Today, Americans compost about 6 percent of kitchen scraps. The rest ends up mainly in landfills where it rots, generating methane, a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent in the short term than carbon dioxide.

Why do people not want to compost?

The most common reasons for not composting were the size of their garden, not enough waste and compost being smelly.

Please Leave a Comment

What do you think? Please leave your comments below. Let us know your composting ideas. Do you have a compost heap or do you compost in a container? What do you use your compost for? Post a photo of your compost set-up.

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