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Some tips for all the new gardeners

Brenda uses coffee grounds and eggshells to promote growth and discourage pests
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I hear many of you have now started a garden.

You just never know how things will go in this new world of ours. If you have space for a garden it is a grand idea. I don’t do vegetables except for lots of scarlet runner beans. I grow them in pots. Hummingbirds go for the flowers.

I also harvest chickweed. Harvest is what I call pulling it out of the ground and eating it. I hear that morel mushrooms are out. Didn’t find any here. Young fireweed can be picked, boiled and eaten a bit like spinach.

If I were inclined to grow a garden I would make sure I saved my coffee grounds to add to the soil. Great organic material, which adds nitrogen. Apparently the grounds will attract earthworms. If you are adding coffee to a compost pile the filter can go in as well.

For watering your plants use leftover coffee. Make sure you dilute it by half with water.

I am told the coffee grounds would work as a cat repellent. I am wondering if it would work on squirrels.

Eggshells. Dry them, crush them, mix it into your soil. Eggshells add calcium. Added to the soil around tomatoes it just might help prevent blossom rot. It also helps to get rid of slugs. I gather there are many other things that can be added to your soil. Never tried most of them. I have tried the coffee grounds and eggshells, so I will stick with that.

I hope all of you are dealing the best you can with the COVID-19 virus and our response. I watched a show on PBS Nova the other night. The show was titled Decoding COVID-19. There are those who figure the virus is a hoax or fake news. This scientific documentary might have helped you decide. I have to go with the science.

If you deny the science there is little that can be done for you. Saying the virus is fake does not make it so nor does it make it go away.

I figure if we say the virus is made up by someone somewhere we dishonour those who became ill and died to help others.

I could be wrong. Just my take.

Good for all of you who stuck to the rules and kept others safe.

You can call 250-846-5095 or email a note to mallory@bulkley.net.