My worm bin was started a couple of years ago and is still going strong - I did not buy one, just made my own which I keep under my carport. There are plenty of videos available on worm bins - some fancy and some very simple - you can decide which will suit your needs. However, this post is more about assisting folk that may have a few problems with their bin. The items NOT to put into the bin are as follows; Onions, tomatoes, citrus, dairy and meat, potatoes. The GOOD things to put in are; Green veggies, leaves, weeds, disgarded plants, - infact most of your kitchen scraps except the ones listed above.

In addition to this you can add shredded newspaper, plain cardboard, empty egg cartons, the cardboard inside paper towels and toilet rolls. The important thing to remember is that it is necessary to alternate between veggie scraps and brown material such as dried leaves and cardboard otherwise the bin becomes too wet if only fed greens and the worms become unhappy and will try to escape.

Since having my bin, I have been amazed at the quantity of material that I have been able to use for my worms - it gives one a great feeling when you see how quickly the worms break it all down, turning it all into lovely fertile worm castings to be put back into the soil to feed the plants - I did a post some time ago on how to empty the bin when it becomes full. In addition to the worm castings, the worms provide "worm tea" which drains out of the bottom of the bin - this is then diluted with water and used to water the plants - and they thrive on it.

If you have a lot of containers with veggies, having a worm bin is fantastic - there is no smell and it takes up very little space - but gives you nutrient rich worm castings to add to the soil and the wonderful worm tea to feed the plants with. We all try and do our bit towards recycling materials and this is one way of doing it and getting the added benefits of healthy plants and soil.

Sage advice

Published April 20th 2018

Sage is one of those herbs that everyone should grow in the garden as it is such a useful herb. Plant it in full sun for best results and make sure it has a good fertile soil that is well drained - sage does not like to have wet roots. Cuttings can be done in spring and root fairly quickly - it is best to start the cuttings in pots and then when they have taken, you can transplant into the garden. As a container plant, they also do well - place the container in a sheltered sunny spot.

Sage is also available as a purple leaf sage and a variegated one and all are extremely attractive. When winter comes, sage is inclined to look a little sad, but it will bounce back when the weather warms up again. Everyone knows the traditional sage and onion stuffing for a roast chicken, but there are many recipes that are complimented by adding sage leaves - many pork dishes are an example.

Sage is also one of nature's natural antibiotics - chew a few leaves for a sore throat and for the ladies, it is said to diminish "hot flushes". Dried sage leaves are often used to burn and are said to purify the air in a room. To dry the leaves, simply hang the leaves in a dry warm room - when dry, put into airtight containers for use during the winter months.

Plant Alyssum in your veggie garden.

Published March 2nd 2018

Mixing flowers and vegetables together is something that I have always done for various reasons. Apart from the fact that it looks pretty, flowers attract bees to pollinate your plants such as chilies, tomatoes,squash and many more. Alyssum is such a plant, but in addition to attracting the bees, this plant also keeps pests at bay - especially crops such as kale, cabbages and spinach.

Plant alyssum between the rows - I plant the white variety which seems to work well. If you are growing your veggies in containers, plant a few alyssum plants as well - this will make the container look attractive but also keep the pest away.

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...Love you mom, always ❤

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Until next time...
Much Love from Cape Town, South Africa xxx
Jaynielea
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