We were allowed to dumpster dive for cardboard at a fast food place. I lowered Chris in carefully. Just kidding.
Our helper jumped in, literally, and we loaded the Icha-boat with thick cardboard. He was worried about filling up the car. I said, "You can walk home. The cardboard is more important."
He reacted strongly and then laughed.
We have so much that we could finish all of our front yard areas and continue in the Wild Garden. We are also using our supply of rain-soaked newspapers to fill in the gaps.
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| Veterans Honor |
Once free mulch becomes an agenda item in the garden, more and more will appear within reach.
Organic mulch is anything that has lived - within reason. Our favorites are wood products - shredded wood mulch, newspapers, packing paper, and cardboard. We also use pine needles to add some acid to the Blueberries - and that can help roses too. Leaves are abundant in our yards and all the others, so we save all of ours on top of the gardens and grab bags from others - light, pleasant to smell, - and ideal for beneficial insects, earthworms, and improving the soil.
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| Purple Splash |
Our helper's yard:
- He has two roses from our collection. Purple Splash. They are pruned and mulched.
- He transplanted a pesky maple from our yard, mulched it, and now it is 10 feet tall.
- His neighbor gave him mint, and that is growing in abundance, as I warned.
Our almost next-door neighbor has Veterans Honor from our garden, and a good friend has a group of VH in memory of her late husband.
Roses inspire happiness. After our big rain, with a wait of a few days, the roses are in another bloom cycle, aided and abetted by extra rainwater from our barrels. I don't mind hauling water like a peasant when roses bloom as a result.
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| California Dreamin |
