What's That in the Composter?

I still have, and even use, that old black plastic composting bin which Alameda County used to make available at a deeply discounted price. And every so often I go through and harvest its rewards to use in the garden. This is one of those times, since I need that compost for hilling up those Purple Viking potatoes (planted in February) and getting the tin tubs ready for baby lettuces.

But you never quite know what else will show up, mixed in with the compost. Round here, it's usually just millions and millions of little red worms, shiny black beetles, roly-polies and the occasional ensatina salamander.  Sometimes though, there are some true surprises:

The soup spoon that went missing months (or was it years?) ago.

Or Princess, the helpful garden cat.*

* Honest. I did not stage this photo. She is a cat and, as such, just wanted to be part of the activities.

Cover Ups

Yup, those fun, gauzy, drapey fabrics which conceal so many fashion "eh-hms" (otherwise known as lumpy-bulgy things that we don't talk about) also help out in the garden.  Called "floating row covers," they are used to protect plants from the ravages of insect life, generally caterpillars and other icky, creepy-crawly life forms that you really don't want to find on your dinner plate.

The plants which seem to benefit the most from row covers include lettuces, broccoli, cabbage, collards, turnips and other members of the mustard family.

I've found that row covers work best when the plants are small. For plants in tin tubs, grab a few of those bamboo chopsticks (you know, the ones that you rescue from take-out sushi) and stand them up in the dirt so that they are taller than your little seedlings.

Drape the row cover over the pot and clip it to the pot with clothespins.  No one can get in. You can even water right through the fabric. (Kinda. I usually end up watering my feet.)

Even if you don't do any of this, at least save those chopsticks and put them in the green bin. I mean, whaddya think, bamboo grows on trees or somethin'?

I use the same technique when I put new seeds in the ground, only I have to use rocks instead of clothespins. This way the regular Oakland night marauders - raccoons and skunks - have a much harder time digging up everything that you just so carefully planted.

Finally, if you are lucky enough to spend time with those young fairy princess types, row covers are the absolute best for playing dress-up. Just ask Princess.