Birds! Not the Right Kind...

When I received Mom’s call, I was reveling in my backyard that overnight had become, on casual observation, a bird sanctuary. 

“Carissa? Just got off the internet. I was trying to identify the birds that have started eating at my feeder and it turns out that most of them are House Sparrows… (Pause)... it’s awful. They seem so sweet, but you have got to read some of these anecdotes.”

She went on to describe a bird that could kindly be called a bully.  The one site dedicated to propagation of Mountain Blue Birds describes them as follows:

“You might think they're cute (some blue birders refer to them as "rats with wings"), but they attack and kill adult bluebirds, sometimes trapping and decapitating them in the nestbox and building their own nest on top of the corpse. They destroy eggs and young. At a minimum, they often harass native birds (especially more timid species like chickadees) into abandoning nestboxes.”

The site went on to show some pretty graphic photos of ‘the circle of life’.

Anxious, I went to identify the birds swarming my newly acquired feeder and it turns out my bird sanctuary is made up of House Sparrow too (plus the odd magpie). Here I thought I was helping my urban landscape ‘return to its roots’.  I want to encourage a natural, balanced habitat consisting of plants AND animals. Have I instead been helping one of the bullies of Birdland Edmonton get easy food and further propagate itself to the great expense of other species?

In addition, I noticed they’re eating my spinach and peas!

What to do?  I want to increase the number of birds in my yard. They eat insects, often will eat weed seeds, and enhance my morning coffee ritual.

John Janzen Nature Centre assured me that in Edmonton there are other species that compete with the House Sparrow, such as the native Finch, and so help control their numbers.  However the Wild Bird General Store hotline confirmed that the House Sparrow here in Edmonton has been harmful to native species such as house wrens, chickadees, and tree swallows. The gentleman recommended that birdhouses be monitored well to ensure house sparrows were not allowed to propagate.  "If unchecked, a breeding pair can grow to over 2,000 birds in two to three years." (Bird Barrier America, Inc.)

After researching this, I’ve decided that I want other species of birds at my feeder but I don’t want to further encourage the House Sparrows.  Here are some things that I’m going to try…

-       Change to feed without millet or cracked corn- instead switch to black oil sunflower. Thistle and safflower

-       Buy a Magic Halo for the feeder

-       Buy vertical feeders without perches (the man I spoke to at the Wild Bird General Store said these were the only thing to work for him).

If none of the above work, I’ll remove the feeder.  

One positive thing I've discovered through this process is the existence of the helpful House Wren. One woman writes, “Observers whose patience exceeds mine have counted over 1000 feedings to a house wren brood in one day.” These feedings consist of aphids, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and moths. Since the Wren only needs a 1” diameter hole for its house, one doesn’t have to worry about Sparrows invading, as they need at least a 1 and 1/8” hole.

As for an update on my square foot gardens, my veggies are growing and the sparrows and I are harvesting spinach. I now have a bobble head owl overseeing the squares, just until the peas grow larger and my spinach bolts!

P.S. Here are some of the resources I used:

-John Janzen Nature Centre- 780-442-1443

- Wild Bird General Store- 1-800-465-5099

- A resource for Blue bird Lovers- www.sialis.org/hosp.ht

-A resource for encouraging House Wrens- http://www.birdwatching.com/stories/house_wren.html

Square Foot Gardening- completed boxes

Squash will grow up along the fence. One squash plant can be planted per two squares--- if you have a trellis for the plants to grow vertically!

Even after seven nights of below 0 degrees AND plenty of snow (is it really almost June?) here peak out peas, spinach, lettuce and beets. The pea teepees are lilac boughs. Only concern with these is they may just sprout too!

Notice that the two front, centre squares in box on the right aren't filled? In order to grow potatoes, dig down to bottom inch of soil in square and plant four seed potatoes. As shoots grow, 'hill' by covering shoots.

Beans will grow on this trellis... at least that is the plan. Potatoes and corn also share this small row that fit along the path to our garage door.

Reclaiming the Cement Pad with Gardens

     

“Ma’am, this is gardening, not rocket science. I think you’re making it way more complicated than it needs to be.”  Under my breath I cursed Mel Bartholomew, however I refused to let the clerk chide me off-course.  I kept calm and said, “Sir, I need five different types of compost totaling 300 litres.”

The adventure started in my back yard in my Alberta Avenue home. I’ve a large concrete pad next to my garage. It’s 25 by 15 feet and about 2 feet thick. I once mentioned to my neighbour that I hoped to jackhammer the pad up and plant a garden (it’s south-facing and sheltered). Nearly choking on his hotdog, he said,

“Do you know how much [insert past owner’s name here] paid for that?  It’s probably worth $10,000!” I was stunned… needless to say the pad has remained in our back yard, empty except to collect random bits of garbage from our renos and host the occasional basketball game.

But this year, I’ve got a plan. And this plan promises to produce more vegetables than I ever imagined from my small yard. I stumbled across All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew while scrambling after my toddler in Save-On- Foods’ book section. Here’s the basic gist:

1.     1. Build 4 x 4 square foot box(es) out of wood/bricks to a depth of minimum 6”. Boxes can be placed anywhere in the yard (over grass, weeds, gravel, CEMENT!!, decking).

2.     2. Cover bottom with weed paper (if necessary) and fill to depth of 6” with Mel’s Mix, a composition of:

a.     1/3 Peat moss (or coir substitute now available - Save Our Bogs!)

b.     1/3 Vermiculite (or Perlite though Mel doesn’t like Perlite’s texture)

c.      1/3 compost (if purchasing compost, 5 different types must be 

mixed to ensure variety of nutrients. If using your own, don’t worry about this bit)

3.     3. Build a grid distinguishing each 16 square foot and firmly attach.

4.     4. Plant seeds/plants according to Mel’s handy chart. The plantings are incredibly intensive, for instance one square foot can be planted with:

a.     16 onions or 1 pepper or 8 pole beans or 9 beets

5.     5. Water and Harvest and Replant.

Mel promises that weeding, tilling and fertilizing will no longer be part of my gardening experience. I liked the idea of a ‘free ride’ when it came to producing my own veggies.  So I bought the book and I committed to following the instructions (a tough proposition for someone who ‘skims’ recipes and hopes for the best).

It has taken six trips to the greenhouse/hard ware store to purchase materials and two days of building in the shop, but we now have three and a half beautiful boxes filled with

 growing medium and seeds. It’s been a lot more work and money prepping than I expected. The boxes each cost me: $22 for vermiculite (at Holes Greenhouse), $4 for Peat moss/coconut (Canadian Tire), and $20 for compost (I splurged and bought worm castings which put the price up substantially). So it cost me about $46 each to fill. Plus wood. 

I wondered if it was all worth it, until I started planting. The benefits so far:

-       1. I am not an ordered person, but I surprisingly can vouch for the grid. By seeing each square foot mapped out it’s easier to visualize the end harvest. For instance, I planted only 2 square feet of peas because I know I don’t want to harvest more than 16 plants at a time. Next week, I’ll plant 2 more square feet. 

-       2. The ease of access was brilliant. I could reach all parts of the box with little stretching.  If it was raised, people with mobility difficulties could easily garden again!

-       3. Experimenting with companion planting also felt simpler because I could visualize all the plants in that one area as more of a group than individual plantings. 

-       4. I love the prospect of how much food he promises can be harvested from that one box.

-       5. And, I’m using space I never thought I’d be able to garden in.

Now, I can only wait and see if Mel’s promises of bushels of organic vegetables grown on my cement pad come true. I’ll keep you posted.

If you're interested in more info, check out the following sites for great pictures and tutorials!

- http://www.albertahomegardening.com/how-to-make-a-square-foot-garden/

- http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

Lessons from the Original DIYers

I was floored. How had nobody ever told me?

Apparently, you can make your own yogurt.  And face wash.  And propagate roses without a specialized nursery.  And make soda crackers... like in your own stove--- at home...

For most of my life I've expected that most 'stuff' (both essential and convenient) required cash to be had. Like food and yarn and lip balm and art. Over the last few years I've been shocked and excited to discover that this is not the case. So I've begun dabbling with recipes and activities that will help me regain an understanding of, and appreciation for, the everyday things around me. Apparently there was a time when meat didn't come in Styrofoam, or veggies in cellophane, or beauty products in pretty bottles. There was common knowledge among community as to how one could live a rich, quality life without continually buying over-priced, greatly-travelled prepackaged forms of life's necessities.  In experimenting, I hope to gain a greater appreciation for the things I have, for the sacrifices the earth makes for my comfort; I hope to be able to live a little more cheaply and a lot more healthy than I have in the past. 

So it is with anticipation that I set out to re-learn some of the knowledge of the homesteaders. The original DIYers, perhaps. But I have a feeling they were DIYers with a great appreciation for their neighbours (who I hope to meet more of through this project!). 

This blog is the companion to a column I write for the Rat Creek Press here in Edmonton, Alberta, distributed to the Alberta Avenue communities.  It is meant to be a web-space where residents can share new ideas, respond with their own experiences or stories, or trade wares/services for the betterment of our neighbourhoods, planet, and relationships!

So, I'm happy to homestead with you!