Author: Lorraine Frantz Edwards

Previously, a resident at CARE in Livingston, Texas (http://www.escapeescare.org/). Prior to residency, a volunteer at CARE. Previously, a volunteer with JAARS near Waxhaw, North Carolina, and Wycliffe Bible Translators, Orlando, Florida. An RVer, and author of three blogs and I direct you to https://threequartersandcounting.com/, http://TabTeardropTravels.blogspot.com and http://Lorraine.Frantz.Edwards.blogspot.com . Visit the family history/genealogy website regarding Frantz Families--Kith & Kin: http://www.frantzfamilies--kithkin.com/

Fall folly ??

This is a very –l–o–n–g– blog message; please be patient with me.

autumn-leaves-and-word-fall

It took several days to complete the project.

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construction

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letter-a-with-arms-and-legs
area

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letter-r-red-with-arms-and-legs
relished &

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letter-e-red-with-arms-and-legs
enjoyed !!

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Day one: Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016.under-construction-sign

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“Yours truly” wants to plant a winter garden. However, there are several things I need to accomplish before I put seeds in the soil. Over the months, the soil “settled” in my Garden Tower, and one ring considerably short of soil. Before adding soil, the compost tube needed to be emptied. Ideally, the compost would fall into the drawer at the bottom (after compost “tea” was saved, and screen removed between tube and drawer). The compost tube is (was) packed solid so I removed “rings” (one at a time) and fished out compost. I continued to tamp the compost hoping it would fall into the drawer. No success. Then, in full sunshine, beastly hot so I was forced to abandon the project (until tomorrow morning).

Starting to clean compost tubePushing compost out the bottom

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See the worms in my handSee the worms in the container

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Compost tubeThermometer on wall

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earthwormThe worms will (hopefully) be cool and comfortable until I finish the project and return them to the compost tube.

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Ready to cover the wormsWorms covered with wet nightgown

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Garden Tower in the sunshineTemperature at ten indoors and outdoors

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Day two: Friday, Sept. 16, 2016.under-construction-sign

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Thermometer on storage building wallCompost in drawer

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No small task cleaning the tubeClean compost tube

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Hose water to settle soilPunching to settle the soil

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Day three: Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.under-construction-sign

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Temperature at sevenDay three

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Water and tampingsmiey-face-orange-colorcomment-blank

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Replacing the ringsZip tie, ring, tube and soil

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Soil returned to Garden TowerFresh organic soil will be added

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Paper, cardboard and garbage for the tubePaper and garbage in the tube

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Sorting wormsSee the worms in empty box

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Empty boxShredded paper

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Shredded paper addedTemperature at ten

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Temperature at two-thirtyRead Feel at three

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Day four: Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016.under-construction-sign

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Seventy-five at seven-twentyTransferring soil

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Added soilPunching soil

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Another bag of soil neededStill seventy-five but out of soil

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Day five: Monday, Sept. 19, 2016.under-construction-sign

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Basket of seeds and gardening infoSoaking lettuce seed

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Soaking Kale seedsOrganic fertilizer(s)

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“Too soon old, too late smart.” I forgot to soak the lettuce seeds overnight. I could not locate Kale seeds (I “thought” I had a package). Other than a trip into Livingston, not much accomplished today. Purchased bulk Kale seeds at the farm store, and zip-ties at Walmart. (My compost tube is crooked so some longer ties required.) Several “impulse purchases” at Walmart: Organic additives for plants. They were drastically reduced because the Garden Shop is fast becoming a Christmas shop.

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Day six: Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016.under-construction-sign

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Seventy-five at seven-twenty“The early bird catches the worm” can be reworded “The early gardener feeds the worm(s).” A lesson I learned from cleaning the compost tube: Chunky stuff doesn’t get eaten by the worms. Now I cut everything into smaller pieces and discard the solid core.

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Ready to chop kitchen scrapsReady for the worms

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Ready to plant seedsPlease grow

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Zip ties appliedNo soil in top ring

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From my kitchen windowfullscreen-capture-9202016-101921-am-bmpRegrettably, the rain only lasted about ten minutes. It just made the air hot and extremely humid.

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Kale has sproutedDay eight: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016.

Smiley face two thumbs up winking

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Lessons I’ve learned & comments

Digging the compacted compost out of the tube alerted me to the fact that “bulky” stuff had accumulated. (The worms did not eat it.) Honestly, I don’t make a habit of “bulky” stuff but I found the core of cabbage, end of celery, etc. Now I chop the garbage into smaller pieces. (I’m so blessed because the CARE kitchen gives me veggie scraps.) ~~ Strangely, there was soggy-wet pieces of cardboard that had not deteriorated. Believe me, I have been very selective about the cardboard I deposit in the tube!! I only use plain cardboard, and I cut it into approximate one-inch squares. I’m careful about the shredded paper, too. ~~ I’m just commenting on my observations. ~~ From the pictures, you will note that I found lots of worms. That was the first time in my life I sorted worms from compost and deposited them back in the tube (lol). I’m not complaining; setting up, and maintaining, the Garden Tower has been a very interesting experience.

Ready to chop it upChopped garbage

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While working to clean the compost tube, perhaps I should have disassembled more rings?! The compost tube is crooked!! I used a rake handle to put leverage against the tube and gently tried to ease it upright. That helped, but the tube is still off-center. I added zip-ties mid-section and three at the top.

Zip-tie mid-sectionZip-ties at the top

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See the wormsSorting worms

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dirty-fingernailsThis summer has been disagreeably hot and humid. I honestly put a lot of work into my veggie garden (and flower garden) but the weather was cruel. Everyone I know (with veggie garden) was discouraged. I’m not giving up; I’ll try a winter garden. I will erect a green house around my Garden Tower.

Kale

September 22nd question: “Where are my Kale seeds??” While preparing the several other blog messages published today, I found this earlier non-published message.

(This written with blog about dandelions–and purchase of dandelion seeds.) While searching seeds, I stumbled on various varieties of kale–and ordered. It will be a late Summer, early Fall planting but I can “be prepared.”

Ordered kale seeds on March 12, 2016.

Kale seeds ordered March twelve sixteen (2)Kale seeds ordered March twelve sixteen