I am a huge fan of composting. The bin on our kitchen counter is filled up almost before dinnertime with waste from the kitchen — and other areas around the house.
There are many household items that you might throw away that can actually be put in the compost bin. Here are just five of my favorites:
- Paper towels and tissues. As long as there isn’t animal grease or cleaners on them, they’re safe.
- Human hair. Being pregnant and long haired, I find a lot of hair in my hair brush, shower drain, bathroom sink drain, etc…
- Dryer lint.
- Animal fur. The cats shed about as much as I do, so why not throw their fur into the compost too?
- Fabric. Old t-shirts that are beyond wearing, dish rags, etc., can all be put in the compost bin.
I’ve had some readers ask about how to grow strawberries, so here is a short primer.
Strawberries are quite easy to grow. The plants are perennials and thrive in full sun. Soil should be fertile and well drained. Healthy plants will produce an abundance of berries for three to four years, after which they should be replaced, either with new plants or with the runners that will shoot out from the mother plants.
There are several types of strawberries:
June bearers usually begin to bear fruit in June. By the plant’s second year after planting, it will produce a single large crop over a three- to four-week period.This type also produces many runners and will spread rapidly.
Ever bearing plants will bear fruit beginning the first year they are planted- from June through August. This variety works well in northern areas, where summer days are long. The plants produce fewer runners so they are easier to control in a garden bed.
Alpine strawberries produce small but flavorful berries. The Alpine is one of the parent species of the other varieties.
Planting time depends on your growing zone. In areas with severe winters, dormant plants should be set out in early spring, while temperatures are still cold. In areas with milder winters, plants should be put in the ground in the fall, which will provide a crop of strawberries in the springtime. Any flowers that appear should be picked off during the first month to allow the plant to get established.
See tag instructions for more details on planting in your growing zone.
One of my very favorite gardening books is the Reader’s Digest Guide to Gardening. I have a second- or third-hand copy that was passed down to me, and with it came sticky notes and scraps of paper marking pertinent spots in the book. Needless to say, I have added to those stickys and scraps and my book is truly a mess. So when I saw that there was a New Illustrated Guide to Gardening came out last year, I couldn’t want to get my hands on a copy.
And it did not disappoint. The color photos are even more vibrant, and thumbnail photos showing specific species of plants, as well as specific photos of pests and disease, are invaluable. This is truly a time when a picture is worth a thousand words. This book is a terrific resource for a beginner gardener like me, or anyone who wants access to basic and helpful gardening information in one very well put together place.
