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Tri-County news • Serving Chilton, Kiel & New Holstein • Thursday, May 3, 2018
Thursday, May 3, 2018
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Composting creates value from disposable materials
Sure, rabbits are cute, but they can cause havoc to a garden. Following a few simple steps can help keep the critters out of that area.
Rabbits running rampant? Tips to keep bunnies at bay
You may never see them. They sneak in silently once the sun goes down. They ravage your delicate garden and stunning landscape. If you do happen to catch a glimpse, they will run fast as lightning to safety so they can dine in your yard while you are not around. No, this is not a plot from some cinematic thriller; it is a daily occurrence for homeowners with outdoor space. Rabbits can quickly take a toll on any size yard, and can easily climb into raised beds and nibble away at your painstakingly planted container creations. Wild rabbits have a big appetite and your garden and landscape is like a tempting, bottomless salad bar. And where there is one, there are more: The gestation period for a rabbit averages just 30 days. There is factual truth behind that old saying “multiplying like rabbits.” You may enjoy bunnies in storybooks or even as domesticated pets, but wild rabbits can be a devastating problem for your yard. These four-legged foragers can eat your fabulous flowers and prized produce, literally overnight. To protect your yard from rabbits, you first need to identify their presence. Because they often come out at dawn and sunset, you may rarely see them. According to the animal repellent experts at Bobbex, these are the top signs that you have got rabbits: 1. Plant damage low to the ground, often a few inches above the soil 2. A clean, 45-degree angled cut on the end of stems and leaves 3. Woody plants debarked up to 16
inches from the ground 4. Piles of rabbit droppings (dark peasized pellets) 5. Tracks: Wild rabbits have five toes on their front feet and four toes on their much longer hind feet. Check, check, and re-check. If you do catch a glimpse of the furry intruder, you may be able to identify the most common wild rabbit species. Cottontails are common throughout North America, identified by their short tail that resembles a tuft of cotton. Snowshoes are typically found in rocky, mountainous terrain and are identified by their large feet with white fur during winter and rusty brown fur during warmer months. Finally, the speedy jackrabbit is found in the Western U.S. and is known for its incredibly long ears and powerful hind legs. Once you know you have rabbits ravaging your yard, it is time to take action. There are a few ways to safely repel them before the damage is done. Step 1: Build and bury barriers Fencing can be an effective way to keep rabbits at bay. If you are targeting rabbits, the fence only needs to be three feet tall as they are unlikely to jump over it; however, you will have to bury the fence underground since rabbits are experts at burrowing up to a foot below the surface to access a tasty food source. Step 2: Repel and remove temptation Bobbex-R Repellent is all natural, environmentally friendly and proven effecTurn to bunnies/page 11B
By Ray Mueller With appropriate practices, a variety of disposable materials can be converted into compost for use in several ways on one’s property. That was the message from Recycling Connections program director Angie Lemar to attendees in a presentation at the 2017 Midwest Energy Fair. The nonprofit firm, based in Stevens Point, has been providing educational services on recycling practices for 35 years. Food waste that would otherwise be going to landfills is a top candidate for making compost in one’s backyard, Lemar pointed out. She noted that at least 25 percent of the material entering landfills, including lots of food, violates the minimum of a six-inch diameter which is called for in a 1993 law pertaining to landfills in Wisconsin. When food is disposed of in a landfill, the anaerobic deterioration process will emit methane into the air, Lemar observed. When composted, the natural environment of an aerobic process will emit carbon dioxide instead, she explained. Mixing brown and green To create good compost, the task involves providing a proper mix of carbon and nitrogen from brown and green materials, sufficient moisture, and access to oxygen, Lemar indicated. Carbon is supplied by bagged brown leaves, straw, and paper (sawdust and wood chips are less desirable) while food waste, green leaves, plants, and grass cuttings are the top nitrogen sources, she noted. Other sources of nitrogen can be fibrous materials, hair, coffee grounds, clothes dryer lint, and livestock manure while meat, bones, fat, oils, dairy products, treated wood, pet and human waste, charcoal, and tree branches are to be avoided, Lemar indicated. A bit of sprinkled ash is acceptable but large amounts of citrus or pine tree waste would affect the pH, she added. Ideally, there should be a three to one carbon to nitrogen ratio by volume, not by weight, Lemar advised. She said a one to one ratio often happens in practice. The choice of container for composting will determine how quickly the process will take, Lemar stated. The slowest way will be with a pile, minimum size of three by three by three feet, placed on the ground at a well-drained site, she pointed out. For such a pile, start with an equal weight of brown and green materials along with having brown layers on the
bottom and top in order to control odor and to avoid being an attraction to fruit flies and other pests, Lemar indicated. It is also necessary to turn the pile every five to seven days to enable access to oxygen, she pointed out. At least 125 gallons For quicker composting, as fast as six weeks in ideal conditions, there are several types of containers for which the minimum volume should 125 gallons, not as little as 80 gallons, Lemar advised. She would avoid tumblers because of drawbacks such as handling, having to add water, and minimal access to beneficial micro-organisms. In addition to the manufactured bins in many shapes, sizes, and styles that the commercial market offers, the lineup of containers includes wire cages, cinder blocks, wood bins, and layers of pallets— all of which should be placed at least two feet from a building wall in full sun or shade, Lemar noted. Be sure to put the container where it is convenient to obtain water and for access to the garden or to another place where the compost will be placed, she added. Whatever the choice of container, it is important to provide enough water to maintain sponginess in the decomposing materials, Lemar stressed. Too much moisture or failure to have the proper mix of brown and green materials will result in a rotten and stinky mess that could smell like ammonia, she warned. In addition, protection must provided against pests either with a physical barrier or by not including meats, bones, or fats, Lemar pointed out. Good drainage at the location of the container is also essential, she added. Good quality compost “will smell like good earth,” Lemar promised. A bag test for pliability or a germination test with radish or cucumber seeds are other ways to check if the process has been completed, she pointed out. Compost can be used as a soil amendment, as a soil surface mulch, as a fertilizer source under trees, as a potting mix, as a topdressing for lawns, or even as a raw material for making tea provided that the batch is stirred at least three times a day, Lemar indicated. For more information about composting or recycling, check the www.recycylingconnections.org Web site or call the main office at (715) 343-0722. To reach Lemar, who works from a home office in Viroqua, call (715) 347-5979 or send an e-mail to angie@recyclingconnections.org.