Compost

I used to buy potting soil for my plant starts and to refill the raised bed garden- but now I generate new fertile planting media for free.

No blog about urban gardening would be complete without a mention about composting. Composting is good for the environment. Otherwise the kitchen trim would go into the trash or down the disposal, the dead leaves and grass would be tossed into trash bins and carted away, and packed deep into landfills- where it would generate methane gas.

Instead by composting- you get free topsoil, soil conditioner and fertilizer- plus by stirring it up and turning it over every morning with a short tined rake- you give your arms and abdominal muscles an easy but effective workout.

I posted an article 10 ways to heat up your compost- A step by step roadmap for a low cost, efficient way to feed your garden, condition the soil and get fast, easy, green results, safely.

The efficient compost heap has a pleasant fragrance, is warm, even steamy. I keep mine in a black plastic bin with vents on the sides- about a yard around and between 3 and 5 feet deep. When it gets below 3 feet, I make a concerted effort to top it up- because the pile cools down.

Yes it does attract some undesireable insects- like fruit flies, and earwigs- but it also supplies earthworms, lizards, birds, and beneficial spiders as well- and your garden will be kept in balance.

Whenever I add kitchen trim I immediately turn it over and mix it into the dead leaves and grass cuttings. And I can always put the lid on.

I move the compost bin every year or so- to get the full benefit of its production. Last year I put it between the avocado, the blueberry and the dwarf meyer lemon. Delicious volunteer heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, and wild spinach now grow in that place. This year it sits in a different part of the yard amid tropical plants like elephant ears and shade trees like the schefflera and the privet hedges.

The Truculent Lemon Dwarf

Last year's overwatering spree extended to a dwarf Improved Meyer lemon tree I had bought the year before. I harvested a dozen delicious sweet tart little lemons from its twiggy branches before the yellowing leaves started a wholesale fall-off. Lemon trees like a good soaking for their roots- but between soaks - they like to get completely dry.

My backyard is slightly larger than a postage stamp, with a large brick patio. Most areas are frequently heavily shaded with fencing, very tall hedges and trees. Initially I planted it in a large pot that I wheeled about over the patio- to get the most amount of sunshine for each season. Citrus trees appreciate full sunshine- but like cats- they are conservative and territorial, and dislike being wheeled about.

Panicked at the fall off of leaves, with no renewing growth- I finally planted it in the ground in a fairly sunny area by the fence- that fell outside the twice weekly automated drip irrigation and spray system. I will note that an avocado and a blueberry- two plants well known for their extended drinking habits- grow nearby- forming a triangle among the three of them about five feet per side.

For months the little tree sat, sulking, and grew nothing. A good deal of its root system had probably rotted. Meanwhile I planted veggies nearby within the irrigation spray belt. One was a nasturtium. Nasturtiums are companion plants, particularly attracted to fruit trees, and protect them from boring insects. Slowly the little flowering vine inched its way over the nearly denuded lemon tree, wrapping its green tendrils and bright jewel-colored flowers about the naked litte branches and the vertical stake supporting it. As it gaily bloomed, the little lemon tree finally reversed itself- and put out a myriad of tiny buds - promising new leaves and purple/white fragrant blossoms in response. Its branches are now coated with new starts. I feed it lightly and water it deeply no more than every two weeks.

I anticipate more delicious little lemons that ever this winter, now that it has found a lovely new friend. Incidentally I transplanted half a dozen nasturtiums. I planted 4 in ground and 2 in pots. One in ground died immediately- it was outside the automated watering area near the lemon. Four are thriving- each of them has found a tree nearby that they have endeavored to grow toward- an avocado, a loquat, the lemon and a cup of gold vine that is trellised and grows along the house roofline. The fifth – in a pot had no tree- grew and entangled with a potted hanging geranium but was scraggly and bug eaten.

After noticing the mutual companionships that have sprung up, I put the leggy nasturtian, pot and all, in a much larger tub that houses a struggling plumeria that has yet to produce a replacement set of leaves or blooms. It was unseasonably cold earlier this year and the plumeria lost its first set of leaves for the year. I want to see how the plumeria and its companion nasturtium fare together.

Coastal Heirloom Tomato- the renegade Cherokee Purple

When I attended the free classes at my local nursery this spring- we were informed that the vast varieties of heirloom tomatoes they sold were persnickety in our fog belt- and were recommended to grow and produce more inland. When I mentioned the delicious Cherokee purple- the instructor stiffened slightly- and said- oh that one isn't a tomato, it's a weed! And it is kind of a funny color....

It could not have come to me with a better recommendation. It is a reddish tomato with purple green shoulders. Its firm deep pinky red flesh hosts a sweet, fragrant, slightly smoky taste. Incredibly delicious, it is great for sandwiches, salads and eating warm from the garden with a bit of salt. Moreover- it is a prolific producer of good seeds for easy germination the following year.

Last year I over-watered. I have an automated drip and soaker hose system that waters nearly everything- all I have to do is set it. Last year I set my raised bed garden for 10 minutes 3 times a week. Peas mildewed and I reaped copious amounts of leggy squash vine and tomato leaves, in addition to the tolerant beans, chard and herbs- but no fruit set. This year I scaled the watering back to 7 minutes 2 times a week and all is well in vegetable garden land. I have harvested half a dozen fingerling yellow crookneck squash from stocky plants in large pots, with a dozen more now ripening, and have a number of cherry and regular-sized heirloom tomatoes clustered on a half dozen plants- still green, but enlarging and ripening. The mustard, chard and beans are producing at breakneck speed and the herbs are even bushier.

Fortunately- also last year, I had established a compost heap- in another part of the back yard which did not receive such copious amounts of water. Therein grew my sole tomato producer. Actually it grew out one of the ventilation holes in my black plastic bin. Everything I can contribute from kitchen produce trim not suited to the stock pot, used tea bags, eggshells, superannuated fruits and vegetable, is mixed into the bin each morning, including apparently at least one heirloom Cherokee purple tomato of questionable age.

In the raised bed garden, I had planted a coddled and sulky Brandywine tomato plant purchased for approximately the same price as a small basket of a variety of heirloom tomatoes from Trader Joes. It grew long and leggy- produced a single small green tomato and eventually died. My renegade Cherokee produced nearly a dozen shapely, large and flavorful tomatoes.

At the end of the year I spread last year's compost heap over my garden bed. I have had a lot of fun investigating what comes up. In addition I have bought vegetables, trimmed and eaten the good stuff and planted the leftover cut bottoms of onions and spring onions, the cut tops of carrots, and sprouting potato eyes. I have thrown a scant handful of beans on the soil from my 9 bean soup mix, I have let mesclun (arugula, romaine, red giant mustard), basil and spinach, as well as the chives and onions, go to seed. I have tossed in sunflower seeds, strawberry plants, dill and parsley and waited to see what takes hold. It is a pretty unruly and intense square foot garden plan- but the results are delicious and nourishing. The compost heap amendment has generated 6 large and many small tomato plants of unknown heritage (at least until they mature) and two dwarf avocado trees, some pepper plants, and who knows what else.

Even though I lost about a dozen saved Cherokee seed starts earlier this year in a wind storm that knocked over my tray- I have new renegade volunteers cropping up in my garden and in the area where last year's plant grew. I can hardly wait for June July and August when my tomatoes will be ripe and ready to eat.

Growing, Making “Brick through a Window” Tea

I make my calming and focusing stress relief tea from one or two leaves of garden grown Perilla frutescens - (L.)Britton shiso at a time. I add one or two large leaves, rolled together and finely chopped leaves, to a green tea bag and steep them in boiling water for a few minutes before drinking. I frequently add a leaf or two of garden grown lemon balm- another calming herb, as well.

At the end of the first summer in my new garden, my single nursery- acquired plant went to seed and browned. I did not think about it until the following spring when half a dozen young self sown plants sprang up. I made and drank the tea frequently- until once again- the plants died at the end of their season. The following season- my garden was rife with self-sown new seedlings. Initially I used entire young plants to thin the crop- and later harvested and dried the leaves of mature plants.

Aside from the plants which grew exponentially in my raised bed, it also seeded and grew under the shade of my loquat tree along with my other edible weed volunteers. I do not till, weed, amend soil, or fertilize there, or give it the extra water that my vegetable garden receives- so it is slower to mature and does not grow quite as large- but it voluntarily grows there.

Well into spring this year, I noticed that I seemed to be feeling generally down and depressed- so I stopped using the leaves. My mood returned to my normal sunny, optimistic self – last overwhelmingly prevalent about 10 years back. Although I am not consuming the balance of this year’s crop- (but I am drying and preserving it for future uses) my mood is persistently stable, calm and good natured.

I had been under unusual stress from change of life, change of location, change of career, money issues, taking care of my dying parents all within a 5-7 year period. This plant eased me through a spate of high blood pressure, stress, and kept me balanced and focused till I had a chance to heal and re-establish my own prevailing healthy mood controls.

This beneficial herb is not illegal, is highly adaptable to growth conditions, reseeds itself prolifically, has a long history of culinary and beneficial medicinal value, has had a noticeable positive impact on my emotional health, does not interfere with my ability to work or sleep, is not addictive, and presents no withdrawal problems when I feel it is no longer working to my personal advantage.

Different foodstuffs have different effects, depending on your biochemistry. Mine is very sensitive- to medicines, drugs, stimulants like coffee, and soporifics like alcohol. I have grown an abundance of herbs and perennial greens like chard in my newly acquired garden for the past three years. I have no doubt that the many positive lifestyle changes I made helped my healing. Nonetheless- the prolific, inexpensive easy to grow little perilla plant had an outstandingly positive effect on my mood at a time when I really needed safe, affordable, accessible help.

Amp Mellow Mood with Cheap, Easy Herb

I purchased my first edible britton shiso plant 3 years ago at a neighborhood nursery among the culinary and medicinal herbs. It was mismarked Holy Basil- or tulsi, which I was going to try for its medicinal properties. I brought home Perilla frutescens - (L.)Britton. It is also commonly known as beefsteak or rattlesnake plant, so-named for its purple under-foliage and spiky flowers that dry and resemble a rattlesnake tale. Perilla, aka britton shiso, is a “weed”, which grows wild throughout America, has been used medicinally for centuries, as well as a condiment.

Perilla is high in rosmarinic acid and Omega 3 oils which enhance mental clarity and functioning. It is commercially cultivated for the oil expressed from its seeds which serve as a replacement to fish oil supplements.

In Asia, centuries ago, ceremonies were conducted before harvesting the plant, it was considered to be alive and was held as sacred, sent by God as food and medicine to treat all ailments of man. Disrespect for the plant meant death, anyone caught stepping on the plant would himself be trampled to death.

Red and green shiso leaves are frequently served as a side to sushi, wrapped into a sushi roll or serve as coloring agent for pickles. Nonetheless- the leaf of the perilla is bumpy, a little fuzzy- and did not look particularly delectable to the tongue- so it grew unhampered and ignored in my garden for a number of months. One day I was preparing fish tacos- was out of coriander- and remembered I had a bunch of lightly aromatic, untried herbs growing in my raised bed garden. I cut a generous bunch, chopped it finely and added it to cover the red snapper I was sautéing. The result was delicious.

An hour later I noticed I was unusually calm, mellow and centered- like an amplifier with all sliders moved to mid-level. My fine motor skills, focus and reasoning skills were unimpaired. Since then I’ve done all sorts of intricate hand tasks, research, website, database, mathematical tasking with high accuracy and efficiency following a cup of shiso and green tea. All that was missing was the feelings of stress and fear emanating from the pit of my stomach.

I have frequently said that after consuming shiso tea made from a couple leaves, someone could pitch a brick through my living room window, and I would respond by immediately walking outside and speaking to them unemotionally about making reparations. I would not waste time on unfocused fears or dithering about the best course of action.

Lambs Quarters in my Backyard Weed Patch

I finally harvested the lambs quarters, a nationally wide-ranging herb appreciated by those who forage, which has been flourishing this year at the base of my loquat tree. I cultivate a raised bed herb and vegetable garden nearby using square foot garden principles- but this area is permitted to grow whatever comes up- dandelions, nasturtians, beefsteak perilla, etc, some of which I eat or prepare as tea.

This feral vegetable, or "weed," also referred to as pigweed or fat hen, is another nourishing super food from the goosefoot family which produces wholesome, protein complete quinoa, exceptionally heart healthy beets, calming, restorative chard, spinach, amaranth, etc. It is popularly consumed as a replacement for spinach, or as animal and poultry feed.

I favor greens and other produce that germinate easily, hold their value for long periods of time until I wish to eat them, taste and look good when served, and self-sow freely. Robust cut and come again plants are particularly appealing- hence I cultivate rainbow chard, herbs, mesclun, red giant mustard and arugula. Fortunately they often have some of the highest nutritional and health benefits for greens as well.

I delayed for months, having doubts about the wild vegetable taste. It is currently producing seed heads. The scent, uncooked, was a little harsh and acrid. I prepared an inexpensive lamb stock from neck bones. It cooks down quite a bit- like spinach- and the acrid odor/flavor was much reduced- resulting in a mild but savory greens dish.

I did more research. "Lambs Quarters is a 'purifier herb' and in its effort to cleanse the soil, it absorbs soil pollutants and artificial fertilizers and concentrates them in its leaves. Thus foragers should be weary of patches where this plant grows in abundance - it could be an indication of soil pollution. At the very least you should investigate what gets dumped in nearby fields or streams."

Lambs quarters is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds and is supposed to have full sun- which is definitely not the case between the fence, the orchid foliage and the loquat tree. But that is where it grew.

A Castle of Calm- Going Green Affordably

I chose SustainableFootprints, because I believe we benefit from observing and improving on our understanding of our lives' literal and figurative "footprints in the sand."

For many people, their home represents their biggest social and economic investment. In these times of resource challenges and economic distress, we all seek relevant, common sense sustainable living solutions that can be introduced singly, over time, or in multiples.

We want a home that shelters us from uncertainties arising outside our domain, providing:

1. An affordable respite from the twin extremes of heat and cold, as well as undue influences of other forces of nature.
2. A reliable source of safe water to drink, clean ourselves, and provide for our gardens and landscaping
3. A beneficial, nourishing adequate food supply for ourselves and our loved ones, babies, pets- with competent, efficient storage and preparation systems
4. Security and privacy from hostile, unwanted intrusion- virus/bacteria- bugs- animal or human predators- for ourselves and our prized possessions
5. An individualized aesthetic best representing ourselves to those who surround us

Recently there has been a spate of news bytes implying that unless Americans consume more now (i.e. go into heavier debt) - buy a hybrid auto, put up solar paneling for whole house electricity, and buy new furniture made from recyclable materials this year or next- they are not walking their talk by making ethical choices.

"Research firm Mintel, in a January report, said it was unlikely that customers will develop new, ethical shopping patterns in a period of economic crisis ...."

Americans are changing their habits and the way they think about things. For the most part, they choose green, eco friendly home and garden improvements as they believe they can afford them.

As I walked around my neighborhood over the past couple months, knocking on all the doors and talking with folks- they readily volunteered what they had done, what was next on their “going green” list. It included water and energy conservation practices, including recycling, installing CFL bulbs and purchasing energy efficient appliances as replacements for failed ones, adding dual pane windows, roof and wall insulation, changes in diet, changed modes of transport and conveyances, carrying canvas totes and reusable bags when grocery shopping. A big "want"- particularly for seniors and families with children- was a flourishing, maintainable organic herb and vegetable garden. Successful composting was a topic of interest.

This blog is going to focus on real world investigations; natural, practical approaches and systems for creating eco-friendly ways to go for the highest ethical experiences we can have- being in harmony with our lives.