You probably don’t know this (how could you?) but the keyhole is finally planted. I purchase two flats of lettuce at the local feed store and tucked them straight away into the raised bed. They have already doubled in height in just a week’s time.
There’s been no rain here, and I rarely use a water hose in my garden space. So these guys must depend upon H2O from the compost basket where I put kitchen waste (and dish water) along with shredded leaves (carbon). They’ll have enough.
Lettuces!
Plus, that compost basket is just loaded with big fat wigglers. I use a pitchfork to bury the kitchen goods gently as not to disturb them too much. They are my labor-free field workers, literally paid in kitchen scraps. Earth worms will deliver the goods to the root systems of the garden.
I only hope the lettuce doesn’t bolt to flower in these unusually warm temps. If it doesn’t chill out here in southeast Texas within the next few weeks, the mini-heads will make mini salads.
We also are seeing a new animal in our yard. Not the beautiful wild bobcat of last year, but she’s pretty big, wanders a large territory, and she seems to be intent upon the hundreds of Red-winged Blackbirds and Cowbirds that have converged on our yard this winter.
How to catch a cat…
♥
Countdown to tomatoes begins…Now!!
DirtNKids Blog 
I want to hear more about this compost basket!
LikeLike
The keyhole is basically a garden circle built around a center compost basket, through which soil nutrients are first broken down then distributed to the roots by microbes — bacteria, fungi — and soil creatures (earthworms). The entire bed is watered through that basket!! It really is an amazing concept. Check out this post where Dr. Deb (the keyhole expert in Texas) is interviewed (http://wp.me/p28k6D-1Vx).
LikeLike
I could not agree more! This is one of my favourite topics to rant about actually. I have even seen dogs roaming around my neighbourhood and I know who they belong to.
I’d never ever let my own pet wander unsupervised, and while I can understand the sentiments of those who do, I really prefer they stay indoors. Its much safer for them and you can still take them outside on a leash and harness, in a cat patio or if your cat is like mine was and doesn’t wander ever, she used to follow me around the house outside but I never let her out of my sight and most of the time she would just sleep on the deck.
Anyway I have a lot of thoughts about this and am planning to do a post about it in the future!
LikeLike
No shortage of opinions on my side of the keyboard either! I’ve ‘stickied’ a couple of posts on my home page (temporary) about chickens and goats. You might also like a post about my sweet cat, Roi (http://wp.me/p28k6D-1pF). Cheers! 😀
LikeLike
Those lettuces look beautiful. I have a few Bibb Buttercrunch that I hope will make it to salads. I’m probably in a similar situation, warm temps come quickly, and then the pretty lettuce is terribly bitter. I hope you get some nice lettuce!
LikeLike
If we can get these head to our plates, it will be a miracle! So far, I’m just nibbling outer leaves straight from the bed. Mmmm. Thanks, Sarah. I hope you get some salad out of it too, warm temps or no.
LikeLiked by 1 person
beautiful cat, do you think he or she belongs to someone in the neighborhood?
LikeLike
I think she’s someone’s ‘wanderer’ but she has a very expansive range. There’s no collar; we’d have to trap and scan for a chip to find out for sure.
Did you know that many municipalities have a leash law for cats as well as dogs? Ours does.
LikeLike
Hmm, she looks pretty well cared-for from the photo. Maybe you could ask around with the photo if she belongs to someone if you want to know. Unfortunately, there’s always the chance her chip won’t be compatible with the scanner, too. ..strangely there are a few kinds and not all scanners can read all chips.
Interesting. Do you also have to licence a cat there? I’ve heard of that, too, but not where I live. Its just dogs that have to be registered, fenced in and leashed.
LikeLike
IMHO, any ‘pet’ should be required to licensed and tagged (chip preferred) AND spayed/neutered. These animals are created with no instincts or skill to live outside of the human world; it’s the least we can do to guarantee their safety and health and over-population!
As far as cats are concerned, they are great for farms and fields where they keep mice (their natural prey) from becoming more abundant. We live in an urban area. I’m just not sure how a cat owner can keep his feline from roaming others properties.
LikeLike