Content related to Plants, Animal Visitors, Stormwater Management, and Sustainable Horticulture
A few months ago I wrote a post about the feral kitties in our neighborhood. We’ve been feeding them and providing shelters for them, but have been unsuccessful in trapping them – until now. All of the research for my last post did not prepare me for the actual experience of trapping a feral animal, and this process involved some learning on my feet.
This is a great time of year for birthdays, though I may be slightly biased. For my birthday this year, I had planned to combine my loves of classic literature and craft beer in a joint “Leaves of Grass” poetry reading and Bell’s “Leaves of Grass” beer tasting. Unfortunately social distancing has complicated matters, but I’m still feeling connected, even while apart.
I recently saw some deadly misinformation circulating on my neighborhood’s message board app related to hummingbird care. Since they are so tiny, their bodies are incredibly sensitive to what they consume. Pesticides, herbicides, and even some hummingbird nectars contain chemicals that can hurt or kill them. In this post is information that can help ensure the health and safety of your beautiful neighborhood hummingbirds.
Monarch butterfly populations are dropping at alarming rates on both coasts, and we may soon see them on the endangered species list. Their habitats and food sources are in danger from illegal logging, industrial herbicides, climate change, and urban expansion. There are plenty of steps we can take to help these beautiful creatures, and it involves more than just planting milkweed.
I’ve you’ve ever seen a stray cat missing an ear tip, you’ve seen a participant of a Trap, Neuter, Release/Return program. TNR kitties are usually fed, sheltered, and sometimes even vaccinated – and you can identify them by the missing ear tip, the universal symbol for the program. This week we’ll look at the pros and cons of TNR and how to get involved.
Winter has arrived in Pittsburgh, in temperature if not officially. We have a family of kitties in our neighborhood that were just kittens last year, but are now adults. I intend to start a Trap Neuter Release program before we get any more kittens showing up, but first things first: I want to get them a safe place to stay during the cold months.
“That time of year thou mayst in me behold…” when the sun goes away and I lose motivation for everything except hibernation. Fortunately, cleaning up your garden for the fall does not need to be high on your fall priority list. In fact, the less you do, the better for your resident insects and birds. Stay inside and leave cleaning up for late spring.
I spend a good bit of time in my garden, weeding more than anything else. A year or so ago, Christian suggested that I use a weed barrier so I wouldn’t have to work as hard. I never knew of any weed barrier options other than plastic sheeting, so I didn’t consider weed barrier a viable option until a coworker mentioned her grandmother’s method.
We’ve examined both sides of the issue, and it’s still less than clear. Are juries deciding cases based on fear instead of facts? Are scientists being muzzled? What happens if we get rid of glyphosate for good – is it a win-win, or will there be some losers? Here are some final thoughts, organic alternatives, and ways to get involved, if you so choose.
It would be hard for anyone to parse all the information available on Roundup – there is just so much of it. One count claims over 3,300 peer-reviewed studies on connections between glyphosate and cancer. But what do these studies tell us, and is cancer the only risk? Glyphosate is winding up in our stomachs and may be having an impact on our gut bacteria.