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They compost slooooowly, because they're so thick and waxy. I've put some in the compost before and the did break down, just not as fast as I'd like. I had thought about trying to shred them but it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. They could make a decent mulch depending on...

I'm sure Pat is right about rhubarb being toxic to chickens, and I certainly didn't intend for mine to eat it. I just wanted to point out that some was eaten they are still alive. It seems like the chickens tend to avoid things that aren't good for them though. We have a few types of...

I lactofermented them like pickles, kimchi or sauerkraut. They tasted kind of like capers only with the spicy radishy taste.

I like the seed pods too. I fermented some last year and they were AWESOME!

I don't know about the llamas, but last fall my chickens ate every bit of leaf off of my rhubarb plants before I realized what they were up to. They all lived. When it came up this spring they made a mad dash for it, there must be something in it that they like. However its one of many many...

Thanks OaklandCityFarmer. I hadn't thought about trying to separate them hmmmm. It might be like trying to separate siamese twins. Maybe in the fall.

This Clematis came with our house. This is the first year it has bloomed. Does anyone know which one it is? A close up. It's leaves are evergreen. Here's my question: In the photo below look at the wild stuff growing out of the top of the clematis. It's wisteria. I'm thinking that...

Round holes could be slugs or caterpillars. If it's a cabbage family plant it's probably cabbage looper caterpillars. You can spray Bt to get rid of them, it's bacterium that kills them. If it's slugs you can sprinkle Sluggo around the base of your plants.

A vole could fit through a 1" hole no problem. They are tiny and we have zillions of them here in Oregon. I'm not sure if they actually eat roots or just disrupt them with their tunneling I don't think a gopher could fit through that size mesh, but a smallish mole could. If it were me I'd...

Rose Magnolia

I was under the impression that pine needles made the compost too acidic. That could be completely wrong though. What do you thing about other evergreen needles? I don't have any pine needles, but I've got enough Douglas Fir needles to provide litter for a bazillion chickens. I actually use...

I'm thinking all the sifting might be counter productive. I like having some bigger lumps of organic matter in the soil. It helps retain water and as it breaks down it releases nutrients. I only sift my compost if I'm trying to get something out (like pine cones or needles). I also agree...

My personal favorites: Second Nature By Michael Pollan The Well Tempered Garden by Christopher Lloyd This Organic Life by Joan Dye Gussow And my very favorite, Green Thoughts by Eleanor Perenyi. Love her dry wit, and I really love the photograph of her on the cover. She's sitting in her...

Well chicken poo and used bedding will help get the temperature up. Once I started adding the litter from my first four chickens it really improved the quality of my compost. A compost thermometer is a fun tool too you can see exactly where things are and they don't cost alot of $$.

A good cat.

Also some plants, like corn, do much better if they are planted directly in the ground. Also you can usually get some more interesting varieties from seed cataloges.

My hens like to serve themselves, kind of like a salad bar. My challenge for next summer is to allow them to free range and not demolish the garden.

A good outdoor cat might help. I wonder if someone nearby has been poisoning the coyotes? My parent's neighbor did just that and before long their whole area was overrun with rabbits. Good luck. I hate trapping animals, but sometimes it has to be done. You might try some coyote urine. I...

I'm also very interested to see how this works. My lawn is in a sorry state right now. I'm just not sure I want to spend my precious compost (and elbow-grease)on the lawn. Maybe I'll try it in a small controlled section and see how it works.

Go ahead and plant it now. I'm in the same zone as you and it will be just fine. Give it a good dose of mulch around the base. Since I've lived in the Willamette valley the ground has yet to really freeze to the point where it would damage that plant. Of course now that I've told you to...