Iris wrap-up

When I got so sick with my Inflamed Bronchitis caused Asthma, the zero down my problem to additions I was adding to my potting mix, like perlite or vermiculite. But all the articles regarding vermiculite convinced me to never use it again. But I am one of those crazy gardeners that get down in the soil, throw in some components and then toss it around to get it mixed the way I want it. That might be part of the problem. LOL.

You must remember, I lived behind the mountain next to the Nevada Test Site where they did above ground atomic bomb testing. Fortunately, I lived behind the mountain, not down wind in Utah. They got all the pink dust and the kids played in it. Unfortunately, the majority of those children as young adults died from cancer. Just because someone tells you it is safe, make your own decision.

agree whole heartedly......I too like to wollar around in my soil......I use bio-sludge from the city for soil amendments and mulch. It has been approved and sanctioned by the state, but still I wonder.....sometimes the fine dust from it will give me a cough and THEN I REALLY wonder

When I work with potting soil or amendmants or compost, I wear one of those white face mask thingies. It's not the most comfortable thing, especially when it's hot outside and I'm all sweaty, but it really seems to help. Otherwise I'd get that cough and itchy throat - not good I'm sure;o)

My chickens LOVE grasshoppers -- one of the reasons I got the stupid birds is because I couldn't mow without clouds of bugs around my head. Someone told me to get chickens, so I did. Now, the only GH I have are the tiny leadhoppers. I only have 2 dozen chickens, but they have cleaned my 3 acres very nicely. Now, on the downside, my new iris beds had to be fenced off, as the birds scratched the newly planted rhizomes out, which is a bother, but I am happy with the bug control and they are just now starting to lay eggs! I will have to fence them off completely come Spring, since they also like to eat the blossoms off the iris and daylilies, but I think they are worth it!

Sue

Beautiful birds Sue! Getting a few hens is on my long term garden plan. We can have up to 20 inthe city limits but no roosters. Great bug control, free fertilizer and yummy eggs - can't beat that!

I'm jealous. Nashville just passed an ordinance that you can't have chickens within the city limits. I grew up with them and would love to have some again - even with the raccoons and coyotes to deal with.

I've debated getting a few anyway. There's only one neighbor who would be able to see them as we are both up on a hill and she's all for it. The hens would make less noise than my other neighbor's barking dog.......

If your neighbor is cool I would say go for it. Here you have to have your coop 80 ft from the neighbor's house or the permission of your neighbor, but I live on a large corner lot off a main avenue so only have a neighbor on the east side. Way more than 80 ft from the west side of the property to that neighbor - lol.

Neil. Maybe a possible bribe of a future meal, chicken and herb dumplings?

They've been fun raising so far. They also eat WEEDS -- they LOVE dandelions and chickweed (go figure), but they will also peck your day lilies to pieces. The eggs are so much better than the store-bought, and the hens are so docile. The roosters, now..... I had to have them "processed" as they were driving me nuts! The butcher said they will be tough -- I let them get too old, I guess -- but I believe a pressure cooker will take care of that! Chicken and dumplings this winter when it's cold and dreary sounds real good to me!

Sue

It looks to me, that there are a few roosters in your hen house. They look like Road Island Reds, are they? And I agree, they make excellent bug catchers and a great fresh egg supply.

There were a few roosters -- they are Red Sexlink, but someone screwed up somewhere. I bought all pullets (the reason they are called Red Sexlink is that you can tell the pullets from the roosters), but of the 2 dozen I bought, 14 were roosters! I had to "process" a couple of them myself -- they were a little too agressive toward me -- but altho I did it a lot in my youth growing up on the farm, I really don't enjoy it. So I had the butcher "process" the 10 I didn't want to keep (I kept 2). They really did fight a lot, and drove the poor hens crazy. They all appear to be Rhode Island Reds, except for 1 -- it is an Americana, which lays green and blue eggs. She is pretty cool -- she has "whiskers" sticking out both cheeks! And she is relentless with the grasshoppers! She will fly up in the air 8-10 feet to pluck one that tries to get away. It's a lot of fun to watch.

Neat, I've never heard of an Americana before, but then, it's been 50 some years since I've had chickens. LOL

My main problem about hens (other than being away from home too much right now) is my partner was raised in the city. So I've been told I'd never be allowed to butcher something we had raised and named.......I would have the oldest, fattest, most spoiled hens in Tennessee. They would probably have to roost in the house in the wintertime (and also when it was too hot in the summer....)

don't name them, then can eat in peace?

When I was a baby my neighbor raised chickens. One day I was outside when she was processing them or whatever you want to call it. The next thing I know there was a headless white chicken turning red by the second running in front of me. I was so freaked out by that. I would not go outside for over a month. Keep in mind I was only 2 and a half when this happened.

MICHAEL

Hi Michael-

That would traumatize you...... my grandmother traded eggs and churned butter with the town's grocer for things she had to buy. She had 100 layers each year and fifty pullets. So I grew up with headless chickens .......

My trauma came as a young teen. I used to live with my grandparents during the summers to help milk, bale hay, combine the wheat and oats, etc. One year there was a late calf named Martha that I bottle fed and played with all summer. The next summer we were eating hamburgers when my grandmother said, "That's Martha." Needless to say, I didn't eat any more beef for a while........

I have fox, coyote, raccoons, and an occasional bobcat. Owls and hawks too. My nearest neighbor tried raising guinea hens, which we all just loved. They are pretty and fun to watch, wander around 100s of feet from their roost, eating any insect in site......they went the way of the ducks, chickens, geese.......alas, they were just groceries to the predators.

4 H kids here raise calfs, lambs, goats, and pigs,,,,,,,send them to the sale barn to be turned into groceries as soon as they are a marketable size....money for college for most of them

Sharon Dippity, I thought of you today. I was working in the front landscape and while walking across the driveway I spotted this very large green thing. Lo and behold, a very large grasshopper. I told it was lost and then stomped on it. Put it in a bag and through it in the garbage. Please do not send any more. Believe it or not, I have not seen a grasshopper here in years. How did you get it to my landscape?

I was seeking sympathy. I am thinking you probably have not seen the last of them

Now, I know you are bewitched because I have not seen a grasshopper since I was a child.

Sharon (Husker11), the irises you sent are shooting up new growth. That means they are happy, right. Still 99 degrees and will be the majority of next week and then it is suppose to cool down.

I saw the irises on the other thread for $65. Sharon H. I hope you bought several. I can wait two or three years for mine. LOL.

Have a great day. Just waiting for the sun to move a little bit so I will be working in the shade. Again, my worker did no show up. I guess I need to find another worker.