Developing the grass in your yard for increasing free ranging nutrition

[LeslieDJoyce]

I've had an idea about harnessing blackberries which I haven't tried but I'm pretty sure it will work...

You know those blue 50 (or so) gallon water barrels?  I think if you cut the top off, then cut the bottom off and then cut the thing in half around the middle, you'd have some pretty indestructible harnesses.  Of course you'd have to dig a pretty big hole to start with so you could set this thing in the ground before throwing the dirt back in and around it so  you could plant.  But the roots couldn't grow through them, just up and down.

Gives me an idea ... not the most environmental, but would make hidey holes for some birds ...like ducks or turkeys or free-range chickens ... make a tunnel out of tires lined up in end, plant the bottom portion to stabelize it, fill with bedding ... let the vines grow, then you can keep trimming around the front side so you and the birds can get in there. The barrels would be good for that, too, safer for sure, but not always free. Could work with blackberries, or roses (edible rose hips), too.

 

[LindaB220]

I *think* he ships anywhere as in the catalog there are notes about where he can't ship certain things ... probably because in some specific areas those specific things have been declared invasive?

I really want some citrus trees ... they can live on the patio here during summer, need to come inside for winter. I have sunny rooms in my house devoted to nothing but cat hair and cobwebs, but those rooms also have hardwood floor, so I hesitate to burden them with fruiting trees.

There are so many things that "fruit" that we just don't think about any more because they aren't as profitable to grow as your standard grocery-store fruits. Lots of them are really good sources of vitamins and make great juice.

Blackberries are great. Last year we let a big blackberry bush take over part of the space between the house and the coop, and just recently we found a big stash of turkey eggs in the naked tangle of it all ... I do wish there was a good way to harness the power of wild blackberries.

On the blackberries, pull out a limb. Place it on the ground that you've dug a little. Then put something on it to hold it down. Water it and it will root into another. After a time cut the limb to separate. Now you have two.

 

[Klutch]

On the blackberries, pull out a limb. Place it on the ground that you've dug a little. Then put something on it to hold it down. Water it and it will root into another. After a time cut the limb to separate. Now you have two.

Oh no, no blackberries for me. they become varmit hotels. It my look goog now with a young stand of a berry bush, but after a while when you have to deal with it. No!

 

[LindaB220]

Oh no, no blackberries for me. they become varmit hotels. It my look goog now with a young stand of a berry bush, but after a while when you have to deal with it. No!

I'm trying to get my thornless blackberries to grow more. I read about this and I want to try this.

 

[Beekissed]

They also become food for the chooks and for you! Though most of the thornless blackberry varieties I've tasted were very bland. Still...good food for chickens and wildlife.

Going to get my clover seed next week or so and get ready to seed it soon. I'm thinking of mixing a little red clover in with the seeding in my small meadow alongside the honeysuckle thicket, as that is where my heritage line birds spend their warmer months hiding out and feeding on that meadow. Once it gets warm I'll have a devil of a time finding their eggs. I might make them a nest box down there and see if they will use it instead of laying out in the brush. It's worth a shot.

Can't wait to see that meadow lush with clover once again! I'll take pics when it's tall and blooming. The red clover gets pretty tall.

 

[LindaB220]

They also become food for the chooks and for you! Though most of the thornless blackberry varieties I've tasted were very bland. Still...good food for chickens and wildlife.

Going to get my clover seed next week or so and get ready to seed it soon. I'm thinking of mixing a little red clover in with the seeding in my small meadow alongside the honeysuckle thicket, as that is where my heritage line birds spend their warmer months hiding out and feeding on that meadow. Once it gets warm I'll have a devil of a time finding their eggs. I might make them a nest box down there and see if they will use it instead of laying out in the brush. It's worth a shot.

Can't wait to see that meadow lush with clover once again! I'll take pics when it's tall and blooming. The red clover gets pretty tall.

Gotta question. What happens when you seed the field. Birds? Is there any seed left after they swarm?

 

[Beekissed]

These are pretty tiny seeds and they fall into all the cracks and crevices between existing grasses or into the snow if the snow is still on, then melt along with the snow into oblivion. We don't have the kind of bird population here that is used to being fed seeds by humans, wild birds are actually still wild here. The cat is always ready to pounce on any unsuspecting bird.

I've done this on my last place and also on this one and have never observed any birds eating these seeds even when the seeds were in large numbers on barren patches of soil. The clover seeds are often treated with a coating that increases chances of germination and this may deter the eating of them also...or they are just not the kind of grass seeds that birds eat. I've never seen birds eating clover seeds from the plant itself.

 

[Arielle]

Bee, what inspired you to add red clover to the mix?

ANd I have another question-- with the amount of leaves on the forest floor, I'm thinking I ned to remove those leaves so the seeds can rech the lower layers of broken up material. DH was saying burning off the leaves will remove the leaves and some diff and leave nice ash for the new seedlings. COmments??

 

[JesNflock]

these are truely lovely.. . . . . as the little grey cells start spinning . . . .

Do you ever sell started packages?? I have tried these once and it resulted in mites,yuk, not meal worms. Not sure how to control the mites--- if you have suggestions.. . . .??

I am still new at it and "growing" my mealwors (subtracting to give to my flock while allowing the adults to continue to add to it) so I haven't tried to sell any. I haven't have any issues with mites, as of yet, but I have been dealing with moth/moth larva...(but my birds like those too sooo I try to get them out at the larval stage but would prefer to not have to deal with them at all. I might try a screen to hopefully keep out the moths but will still allow good air circulation.

Edited to add for clarification : My DH has an auto repair shop and his customer has birds. Sorry if that was a little confusing

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, what inspired you to add red clover to the mix?

ANd I have another question-- with the amount of leaves on the forest floor, I'm thinking I ned to remove those leaves so the seeds can rech the lower layers of broken up material. DH was saying burning off the leaves will remove the leaves and some diff and leave nice ash for the new seedlings. COmments??

Oh, just wanted to...it will only be in my spare meadow where we don't mow often. Thought it could be a good mix and addition to the WDC for rabbits if I get them....

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Red clover is a nutritious forage, rich in protein (15-27% DM), minerals and soluble carbohydrates. Crude protein decreases with maturity, from 22% to 16% DM between the vegetative stage and the end of bloom for a French red clover, while NDF increases from 40% to 51% (INRA, 2007). Later cuts may contain more protein than the first and second ones (INRA, 2007).

I think it would be a good idea to remove the leaf litter but if you are trying to plant soil that doesn't have much existing grass because it's forest floor, you might have to really add some lime to it to tone down the acidity of the soils before planting clovers. In that case, burning them would be a great idea and then follow that with some lime right before a good rain storm in the very early spring. Though I don't know how you would burn damp leaves effectively.