Are Wicking Beds Right for your Florida Gardeners

     A wicking bed is a type of sunken garden bed that uses a wicking system to deliver water to plants from a reservoir at the bottom of the bed. This system allows plants to get the water they need without the need for constant watering.

Wicking beds are a great option for anyone who wants to grow their own food or medicine but doesn't have the time or energy to water their plants regularly. They are also a good choice for people who live in areas with limited water resources, or people who live in hot southern areas like Florida and Texas.

How to Make a Wicking Bed

Building a wicking bed is a relatively simple process. Here are the basic steps:

Choose a location for your wicking bed. The location should be in a sunny spot and have well-drained soil.

Clear the area of any weeds or debris.

Lay down a waterproof barrier such as a tarp or pond liner that is at least 5 mils thick.

Place a layer of rocks such as tumbled river stones on the barrier, this is your reservoir layer.

Place a layer of wicking material in the bottom of the bed. The wicking material can be made from a variety of materials, such as geotextile fabric, coconut husk, or even old towels.

Create a bed of soil that is at least six inches thick. You can do this by layering a variety of materials, such as newspaper, cardboard, leaves, grass clippings, and compost.

Wet down the materials as you layer them.

Plant your plants in the top layer of the soil.

Water your plants regularly.

Fertilize your plants as needed.

Or you can use a large barrel, with the top cut off, a few pipes added, like in the diagram.

There are many benefits to using wicking beds. Here are a few of the most important ones:

Reduced watering. Wicking beds require much less watering than traditional garden beds. This is because the wicking system delivers water to plants from the reservoir at the bottom of the bed.

Reduced weeds. Wicking beds are less likely to be overrun by weeds than traditional garden beds. This is because the wicking system helps to keep the soil moist and prevents weeds from germinating.

Increased yields. Wicking beds can produce higher yields than traditional garden beds. This is because the wicking system helps to keep plants healthy and allows them to absorb more nutrients.

Improved soil quality. Wicking beds can help to improve the quality of the soil in your garden. This is because the wicking system helps to aerate the soil and break down organic matter.

Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your wicking bed:

Choose the right materials. The materials that you use in your wicking bed will affect the quality of your soil and the success of your garden. Make sure to use materials that are high in organic matter and nutrients.

Keep the soil moist. The soil in your wicking bed should be kept moist, but not wet. Too much water can cause the materials to decompose too quickly and can also lead to waterlogged soil.

Fertilize regularly. Your wicking bed will need to be fertilized regularly. Use a balanced fertilizer that is specifically designed for organic gardens.

Be patient. Wicking beds take time to establish themselves. Enjoy the process!

Red Mulberry, Morus rubra

The Red Mulberry, also known as Morus rubra, is a tree species native to North America. It belongs to the mulberry family, Moraceae, which includes over 1000 species of plants. The Red Mulberry is an important tree species in many ways, as it provides a range of ecological, economic, and cultural benefits.

Ecological Benefits

The Red Mulberry is an ecologically important tree species, as it provides various ecological benefits. The tree is well-suited to a wide range of soils, from sandy loam to heavy clay, and can tolerate a range of pH levels. The tree is also tolerant of flooding, making it an important species in riparian zones, floodplains, and other wetland areas.

The Red Mulberry produces large quantities of fruit, which are eaten by a range of wildlife species. The fruit is rich in nutrients, including vitamin C, iron, and calcium, and is an important food source for many bird species, including blue jays, robins, and cedar waxwings. Other animals that feed on the fruit include squirrels, raccoons, opossums, and deer.

The Red Mulberry also provides important habitat for a range of insect species. Many butterfly and moth species rely on the Red Mulberry as a host plant for their caterpillars. The tree also supports a range of other insect species, including beetles, wasps, and ants.

Economic Benefits

The Red Mulberry is an economically important tree species in North America, as it has a range of commercial uses. The tree is grown for its fruit, which is used to make jams, jellies, pies, and other food products. The fruit is also used to make wine and other alcoholic beverages.

The wood of the Red Mulberry is also valuable, as it is hard, dense, and resistant to decay. The wood is used to make furniture, flooring, and other high-quality wood products. The bark of the Red Mulberry is also used in traditional medicine, as it has been shown to have antiviral and antimicrobial properties.

Mulberry trees are easy to propagate and make an excellent fodder source.

Cultural Significance

The Red Mulberry has a rich cultural significance in North America. The tree has been used for centuries by indigenous people for food, medicine, and other purposes. The Cherokee people used the bark of the tree to treat fever, while the Iroquois used the inner bark to make a tea to treat coughs and colds.

The Red Mulberry also played an important role in the Underground Railroad, as it was used by slaves escaping to freedom. The tree provided important cover for escaping slaves, as well as a source of food.

Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana

     Known for its edible small purple berries. I have eaten the berries raw, and they don't have much flavor. Popular for creating jams/jellies - sugar and pectin will have to be added.

    Usually you see the brightly colored magenta berries for months in the summer. I was finally able to get a picture of the flowers themselves.

The New Port Richey Garden Club

     Found this at one of the local libraries. New Port Richey is a lot of things, but I have never thought of it as overly friendly or inviting to gardening, not like Hernando or Polk. Pasco doesn't even sport a community garden or a botanical garden. But here I am, wrong again. 

     I bet they're all really nice people.

Ilex verticellata, Winterberry

     This beauty was growing at the Aripeka entrance of the Weeki Wachee Preserve. It looks similar to Brazilian Pepper, so I wasn't about to touch it. Which is a good thing, because as I read about it sounds like there's not too much use for this plant medicinally. That being said, the berries supposedly contain caffeine and theobromine, a caffeine metabolite that has some unpleasant effects. It is also the reason why chocolate is poisonous to dogs. It sounds like it would be difficult to isolate that perfect amount of berry that would grant a caffeine boost without also granting theobromine poisoning to humans, which causes seizures and death.

     That being said, hollies are beautiful in the winter.

How to Deal with Bare Gray Sand

Also, why people say they can't grow anything in Florida.

Florida is known for its beautiful beaches and sunny weather, but its soil is sandy and often nutrient-poor. This can make it difficult to grow certain plants in Florida, but there are a few things that you can do to improve the soil quality of your garden.

One of the best things that you can do is to add organic matter to the soil. Organic matter helps to improve the drainage of the soil and makes it more fertile. You can add organic matter to the soil by adding compost, manure, or leaf litter. If you want to really nerd this up, try growing some duckweed or water hyacinth in small ponds and turning it out onto the sand as a mulch. You can get some from my Etsy shop here.

Another way to improve the soil quality of your garden is to add mulch. Mulch holds moisture at the soil level where plants use it and it keeps the soil cool, preventing evaporation. Also, mulch prevents soil hardening. Some counties offer free mulch created from yard waste, this is a superior source of mulch because it comes from shredded tree branches which rarely have chemicals on them.

The lasagna method of gardening, which is layering organic and inorganic materials, also advocates the use of mulch for these reasons. I find the lasagna method particularly helpful for container gardening.

If you have a sandy soil, it is important to water your plants regularly, especially in the dry springtime. Sandy soil dries out quickly, so you will need to water your plants more often than you would if you had a clay soil. You can also use a drip irrigation system to help water your plants more efficiently.

Doing these things will help you grow a wide variety of plants in your garden.

In addition to the tips above, here are some other things you can do to improve the soil quality of your Florida garden:

Test your soil. Before you start making any changes to your soil, it's important to test it to see what nutrients it needs. You can do this by sending a soil sample to a lab or by using a home soil test kit. But before you spend good money on a soil test, I ca already tell you that almost all Florida soil is deficient in calcium and magnesium in addition to all the major nutrients such as NPK.

Add mulch. Mulch helps to improve the soil quality by adding organic matter, suppressing weeds, and retaining moisture. You can use any type of mulch, but wood chips, straw, and leaves are all good options.

Plant native plants. Native plants are adapted to Florida's climate and soil conditions, so they will be less likely to suffer from nutrient deficiencies or other problems.

Avoid overwatering. Overwatering can leach nutrients from the soil and make it difficult for plants to grow. Water your plants deeply and infrequently, and allow the soil to dry out between waterings.

Fertilize regularly. Fertilizing your plants will help to replenish the nutrients that they need to grow healthy and strong. Use a balanced fertilizer that is specifically designed for Florida plants. Or use rabbit or duck manure.

By following these tips, you can improve the soil quality of your Florida garden and make it a more productive and beautiful place.

Permaculture in Florida: What Should I Do With All These Sticks?

      Have you ever felt like winter has left your place a mess and you don't know what to do with all of the sticks and leaves? 

     The permaculture thing to do would probably be to let the sticks and leaves stay where they fell and fertilize the soil. While I would agree that this is a good idea, it can be a  little bit unsightly in the front yard gardens. Then there is the problem of palm trees and them leaving their fallen branches on top of other plants. 

     These extra branches and leaves do have a purpose in the permaculture garden. Believe it or not, fallen leaves can be fed to livestock. My rabbits eat sycamore leaves and palm leaves, but neither are their favorite. Any amount they can mulch for me is appreciated, and the uneaten leaves are put onto the garden pathways as a mulch layer. Sometimes I also put fallen leaves and rabbit manure around new plantings.

     Large branches and sticks are a whole nother problem. They take years to break down, even here in the South. So I have found a solution, and that is to cut all branches to the desired widths of the paths, and then to stack similar width sticks horizontally to create a path. This is imperfect at times, because the branches often roll, and they also can make a person trip. But I am confident that digging in the logs a little bit will prevent this problem.

Where did all the Supermoms go?

Last week I was at the park with the youngest one. He needs exercise, and he loves to play with rocks and sticks. So the park is a natural outlet for him. 

It was a nice day, about 78 degrees, sunny, and clear. It was early in the morning, but after I had taken all the older kids to school, so not too early. Here in Florida you have to hit parks early in the day before it gets too hot, and we have been going to the park early for years and years, since the oldest was a tot.

But we were there all alone. No other kids at all. Just older adults playing tennis or giving out religious pamphlets.

Do you think the parents and grandparents were all working? It seems odd that over the years there went from some kids at the park to none at this time of day. They say the unemployment rate is very low nowadays. Do you think that's the reason?

Are the kids better off for that, or not?

This State Park is the Perfect Zombie Apocalypse Survival Location

      Have you ever considered what you would do to survive the coming zombie apocalypse? That's a loaded question, because it implies that there is going to be a future apocalypse requiring survival. Still, it's a fun thought experiment, and I have often wondered what would happen if there was a societal reset. Who would be the survivors and would they prosper?

     Ellie Schiller State Park in Homosassa Springs is my go-to for a survival situation. Clean water, mostly gated park, with the possibility of growing an abundance of land-based food. In the coldest part of winter, manatees float lazily around. During the warmer months, the place is teeming with fish. Not that I'm saying I would eat the manatees, but in a survival situation who knows what would be on the table.

     I would bring my rabbits with me and some of the water hyacinth. Water hyacinth is a survival food for sure. I would probably bring the cannas too. They grow in water pretty well.

Lake Louisa State Park Picture 7

Lake Louisa State Park Picture 6

Lake Louisa State Park Picture 5

Lake Louisa State Park Picture 4

Lake Louisa State Park Picture 3

Lake Louisa State Park Picture 2

Lake Louisa State Park Picture 1

Frugal is the new green

     It might come as quite a shock to you to learn that I am kind of a cheapskate. Having grown up in a working poor family, and made it myself to the working poor class, I finally had eventually come to the realization that money isn't all that matters. Actually beyond a certain minimum threshold,  money doesn't matter much at all.

     What is that minimum threshold? Having a safe and clean shelter to be protected from the elements, nutritious food, healthcare, and access to entertainment like books and culture. Beyond that I feel like it doesn't probably matter too much. That's why last year I decided to wear only clothing that cost less than $5 per piece if new or to buy used from stores like goodwill. Didn't do too badly at the challenge either, but I did end up having to buy two new scrub tops thanks to a change in jobs, unfortunately $25 each.

     So I spent the year wearing mostly recycled clothing, which was fine.

     I also spent the year handwriting my clothes and line drying them, to save money.  The washing part doest save all that much money over using the clothes washer but the line drying definitely saves a lot of money. 

     So I spent the year hanging clothes outside, which was fine.

     I harvested a lot of water hyacinth and ginger leaves from the garden to cook up and eat, and I grew a large portion of the duck and rabbit diets in the yard. 

     So I spent a lot of time eating organic growies in the garden, which was fine.

     I enjoyed listening to quite a few podcasts and articles for free online, and rented dozens of audio books from the library website for free. Which was fine.

     I bake bread from scratch and homebrew wine. This year I have mastered the art of making homebrewed wine from frozen concentrated grape juice, which I have to admit, is kind of amazing. Also apple juice. For the bread I like to use the breadmaker for easy clean up. I have learned two things about homemade bread this year - that if you add too much yeast that will result in a problem and that the knife for slicing really matters ot you will awful slices.

     Which was fine.

     I don't have a gym membership. I think that gyms cost a lot of money and they usually require driving to get to them, which I usually don't want to do. Besides then you are around other people, and it can make me self conscious to be all sweaty and wild hair when I work out. So I have a kettlebell and a rowing machine and a few other pieces of exercise equipment, which has more than paid for themselves. 

     So I worked out a lot for nearly free. In fact, this scale app says I'm doing pretty good for my age, don't be jealous. So that's fine.

Living off grid in an RV, it is possible!

     Not long ago I was out and about, andI happened to see this amazing example of off grid living. The owners of this RV had hooked up several minimally sized solar panels, presumably to provide for or supplement their electricity needs. 

     Alas, I did not have time to as them how their setup works. I did find out that the RV park where I found this is one of the most reasonable around here, supposedly about $3,500 per year. That price includes water and sewer, use of the amenities which include a pool. Barrington Hills.

How to save money by brewing your own wine

     I was pretty excited to find grape juice available at the big box store near my house again. It has been sold out for months, but obviously November is a month where surplus abounds in the world of frozen concentrate.

     "Frozen concentrate grape juice?" you gasp in shock.

     Yes frozen concentrate grape juice. I had previously read that you couldn't use it to make wine, but I have since disproved that to be a myth. It certainly does ferment and well. 

Each frozen concentrate grape juice container makes approximately 48 ounces or one quart of juice once rehydrated. Cost per quart $1.86. Cost per gallon $7.44. 

      You will also need one packet of winemakers yeast, though I have heard that you can use breadmaking yeast. I should do a post about that experiment sometime. Amazon has champagne yeast $7.99 for 10 packs, cost per pack is $0.79.

      You will also need a fermenting bucket or carboy and an airlock. These are not different from the beer brewing supplies and so are cheaper to buy them that way. They are one time purchases and pay for themselves after a few batches.

     Place the room temperature grape juice in the brew bucket. Add yeast. One packet of yeast will brew about 5 gallons of wine. No need to stir. Put the airlock on. Wait 2+ weeks.

     Total cost for one gallon of wine equals an astounding $8.24! Beat that, box wine. Plus, since you didn't add any sulfates or problems the homemade wine is a lot more natural than the storebought bottled wines.

Save money by making popcorn from scratch at home!

     When I was a kid, my family was given a hot air popcorn machine, and I was fascinated by it. It was loud, and hot, and hot pocorn shot out of the side into your waiting bowl. After we had played with it a few dozen times, I finally figured out that the machine was basically a hair dryer shooting hot air over the kernels until they popped. Cool engineering, but not very energy efficient. Heck, nowadays I don't own a hair dryer and I don't own a popcorn machine. 

     Later they invented microwaved bagged popcorn, and I have to admit that I used to love to eat this. As an adult, I never eat this! They are loaded with polyunsaturated fat and salt, which none of us should be eating. So I went on a quest to make the perfect home popcorn with no additives.

     I tried to cook popcorn on the stove. Several messes later I decided maybe microwaving would be better. I set no less than two hand towels on fire in the microwave until I discovered this technique.

     Find your favorite covered glass dish, whether new from the store or used from the thrift store. Cover the bottom of the dish with one layer of kernels. Add a dash of your favorite oil and spices if desired. Cover dish with its lid (not a towel) and put in the microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes. Each dish and microwave varies, so you will want to work with your setup until you find the exact sweet time to pop about ninety percent of the kernels without burning the rest. In my 1.5 quart dish from Walmart it is exactly 5 minutes. Use towels to protect hands when removing from microwaving, take off lid and let cool, and then done! My kids like salt added, spices, honey, and other things. I like plain.

These prices are from the Walmart website.

PopSecret family pack 12 packages for $6.18, cost per serving $0.52.

Popcorn from scratch, cost of additives negligible, Great Value Yellow Popping Corn 32 ounces, serving per container approximately 13 of the 4 tablespoon size, $2.28, cost per serving $0.18.

     After mathing this up, it is clearly better to make popcorn from scratch and have no added chemicals. As a bonus, the kernels last for years whereas the popcorn bags go bad in less than one. The first time I tried to cook up old gross popsecret was probably the last time I cooked up bags of popcorn.

     I bought this dish many years ago from Walmart. Im surprised I haven't broken it, considering how often it I used and how my house is the place glassware goes to die. Thy have a similarly sized glass dishes with lids for about $30. Or better yet shop your thrift stores.

     By the way, you can't pop dent corn sold as animal feed. It's unpopable. Read all about that here.