Living roof and walls.

[Moabite]

Did you see the boy's dog looking at him all forlorned in the coop? He did camp out it before the chickens moved in.

 

[Chicken Boo]

 

[Moabite]

So, yesterday I found a couple books in the library that showed Sphagnum peat moss being stuffed into poultry wire to make various planters. So I bought 2.2 cu ft of peat moss.

Today I built the "crown" out of scrap 2x6's and put it in place on the roof, then filled it with mulch that has been rotting away in my garden. That was the easy part.

I spent an hour trying to figure out how fashion the chicken wire and keep the peat in place without it sifting out.

Finally, I decided on cutting the wire into sheets, shoveling my unfinished garden mulch on to it and wiring it closed, sorta like an earthy pillow. I could then sculpt the pillow to fit while securing it with fender washers, screws and baling wire. Then I could go back and push peat into the gaps. I think this is gonna work folks! It is adding lots of insulation. Once I get seeds to sprout on it, the resulting roots will make the whole thing into a solid sod mass.

So I had no idea, but you've seen the Chia Pets? Turns out, chia seeds are a super food! They are a variety of sage that is packed full omega oils and the seeds, when they get wet, form a gelatinousness sticky substance that allow them to be planted on any slope, like a chia pet. I have a few chia seeds, so I'm gonna give it a try. May 1st is the first safe frost free day. Hard to believe, it's 70 degrees on my front deck. I got some pics, but I got to a way to get them on to my 'puter cause DW still hasn't found the USB cable.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

That sounds so cool. Will look forward to pics as it starts to grow!

 

[Moabite]

Just a progress note to follow up. I planted all kinds of yummy chicken foods up on their roof. Sprouting went great, then all the wild birds showed up and ate everything.

Not a total failure though, I will start over again (and again) until I get it right then share what I've learned from doing it the hard way. I was also thinking of putting up a soaker hose on a timer. I think it will be well worth it if I ever get it established.

 

[CrazyCatLady76]

You could try putting some chicken wire or even just some cheap nylon netting or tulle on a frame over your sprouts till they get established. A lot of people do that with berry plants and fruit trees to keep the birds from stripping them, so I don't know why it wouldn't work with what you're doing.

 

[Moabite]

Quote:
I did think of that, and I might just do it that way. I was saving the netting for the main garden, but I should just go by some more. "Hey Honey, look what I bought you for Mother's day!" LOL. I bought her a gift certificate for a pedicure last Mom's day, (what she really wanted) and she still hasn't used it.

 

[CrazyCatLady76]

I don't know that you'd even have to buy more netting--if you start more sprouts now, they should be established enough to not really need the netting by the time your main garden is coming up.

 

[TouchO'Lass]

Quote:
'Scuse me, Boo, is this seat taken?

 

[Moabite]

Mother's day is the official first frost free day and suitable to plant by the moon, and if I should have the day off as well, I'll plant the garden and the coop together. Spring is such a busy time around here. I've seen more wild turkeys than I've seen of my own birds. By the way, there is an osprey and a golden eagle who have moved to the valley too. These are some of the residents where I work.