Yesterday I got a laurel bay plant via Ebay, and from Ebay’s Half.com I got a book on composting and I hope to soon order 1/2 a pound of California redworms for the compost heap. All of this isn’t cheap. It isn’t chichi expensive either, but leting my yard go to pot would be a cheaper alternative.
When I first moved in I had to buy several new bags of dirt to condition the soil. The soil around the house was nothing but a clayee mass. Dig more than 6 inches and there’s clay. So several runs to Home Depot for garden soil and the composting of office coffee grounds made my soil somewhat decent.
I look over at my African neighbors and see how little work they put into their yard makes me realize how much time and money I put into mine, just to make it look not ghetto. Not that they don’t do anything. Every other month the landlord tills the dandilion field that is their front yard in hopes of getting rid of the weed, only for it to sprout back up again. They had put in plants but with no spigot in the front the plants died of thirst and tough soil. They’ve recently threw some mulch on top and planted some flowers, but soon the weeds will pop up again. It is not a matter of prettying up what they have but controlling the stuff they don’t want. Weed killers, special de-weeding tools cost money.
Anywho– CONTEST
Anyone want an agave plant? It is very small. Be the first to write a comment saying “I want your agave” and if you live in Shaw (or 4 blocks from my house) I will deliver to you a small agave plant. I can’t eat it so I don’t want it. Oh, and other contest thing to see if anyone is out there, if decide to write in the comments how you’d love to see a movie I’ll pass along my pass to see “The Life and Death of Peter Sellers” showing Dec 2 at the Mazza Gallery. You will still need to live in Shaw or 4 blocks from my house.
I don’t actually know what an agave plant is…it must not be from my Curtis-biome zone of familiarity (pine-oak forest band of North America). So I can’t say if I want it or not.
But I do need to come over and help you out with that compost. I hereby offer free compost consulation. – JB
Well, I don’t live in Shaw anymore, otherwise I would have jumped all over a free plant. But to address whether or not there’s anyone out there, well, even though I moved to California, I still read your blog from time to time just to see how it’s going in the ‘hood. As a mid-20’s Asian woman, I found the issues of gentrification in Shaw and DC to be extremely fascinating and like to hear about how things are going over there.
Plus, your recent foray into vermicomposting is funny because I have just discovered it myself!
– Betty
I’m probably within your four clock limit, but I have a tough enough time taking care of the plants I do have (“just water them every week…”). I would like to let you know that I read your blog on a regular basis to get another person’s take on the dyniamics of the neighborhood.