Castor beans for mole control

 

 

If you don’t have small children or small pets and have a mole problem in your backyard area you may want to consider growing castor bean plants.

Living near a creek I tend to have a mole problem, especially if the previous season was rainy. Needless to say, this year the yard looks like a landmine hit it. I have mole hills everywhere. Besides creating more work for me it can prevent drainage in the yard. So the moles have to go.

You can get mole poison and set up traps but I have found growing castor beans works very well and they are beautiful. But they are poisonous. So you may want to consider growing them or just growing them in a fenced area.

Castor beans will help rid the yard of moles for a two-acre area and the effects will last for a few years. I am not sure of all the reasons it works but I have heard the roots put a taste in the soil that affects a very large area. All I know is when I grow them I have no moles.

Castor bean have a hard shell so soak the seeds first. I also plant them indoors so that I can give then a head start in a warm climate and move them outdoors later.

And although I do not have children I tend to plant the plants behind a fence.

Castor beans have a tropical look and there are several varieties to choose from. I usually grow several kinds just because I like the looks of the plant.

How to Grow Zen Gardens Faster

The Japanese name for Zen gardens is karesansui, which translates to dry gardening. Karesansui gardens are abstracts landscape creations influenced by Zen Buddhism, representing miniature landscapes, also known as mind-scapes.

Zen gardening is reflective of simplicity of design, a design style that can be used in many gardening situations to create a tranquil sanctuary. In Zen gardens, symbolic representations of natural landscapes are created using stone arrangements, sand, driftwood, moss and carefully pruned shrubs and trees. Growth is encouraged by the attentive gardener.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

Design your Zen garden to maximize plant growth. Choose a sunny, open location where trees and shrubs can mature without interference from buildings or overhead wires or obstructions. Japanese-style Zen gardens can be found at private homes, in commercial landscapes and at historical or cultural landmarks such as Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and meditation centers. Water features such as ponds, streams or fountains are not used in Zen gardens. Water bodies (lakes, ponds, oceans) and movement are symbolized by carefully raked designs in sand or gravel. Use garden rakes, hoes or trowels to create patterns that engage the visitor and reflect a calming element.

Establish a regular schedule of monitoring of the overall health of your Zen garden trees and shrubs. Fertilizing is not always beneficial for plant health. Do not try to force the growth rate of your trees and shrubs. Plants use carbon dioxide, water and energy from the sun to produce their own food. Fertilizer should be used only if it provides elements lacking in the soil. A moderate rate of growth and deep green color are desired for most woody plants. Excessive vegetation, evident by lush green leaves and long shoots, may be undesirable. Plants exhibiting these characteristics are susceptible to wind damage and injury and breakage during wind and ice storms.

Provide adequate moisture for the types of plants located in the garden. Sand, rock chips or gravel, used to landscape the garden, may hold heat and dry out underlying soil. Plants and shrubs cannot grow and mature to their full potential if moisture requirements are not met. The majority of outdoor landscape plants require a minimum of 1 inch of water per week.

Inspect the plants in your Zen garden on a regular basis. Plants cannot grow well if infected with insects, mold or fungus. If your plants show a persistent problem, take a sample of the vegetation to your local county extension agent for analysis and recommendations for treatment.

Relax and enjoy the serenity of your Zen garden. In Zen gardening, less is more.

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Strategy for a Zen Garden
How to Make a Japanese Garden Deck

Strategy for a Zen Garden

If your everyday life makes you feel stressed and you need a way to relax, try meditating with a Zen garden. A Zen garden embodies peace, tranquility and contemplative thought. Zen gardens, also called rock gardens, are generally made with very simple components, such as sand and small rocks. Drag a rake across the sand to experience the calming effects of the garden.

Tray

Select a tray for your Zen garden. Determine the tray size based on how large your home, porch or yard is. Small trays work just as well as large ones, and you can store small trays indoors under your desk or in the closet. Choose a shallow tray for easy access to the sand inside. Plastic cat litter boxes are an inexpensive choice for a Zen garden tray. Aluminum baking pans work well, too. If desired, it is also possible to construct the tray yourself using plywood or almost any other wood type.

Sand

Use clean, white sand to fill the tray almost to the top. Craft sand is usually available at large hobby stores, or you may find it at a garden center. Beach sand is also ideal, and using it costs you nothing. Once you fill the tray with sand, smooth out the sand to make a completely flat surface.


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Rocks

Pick out two to five rocks for the Zen garden. Choose rocks that you like to look at and that are the proper size for the tray. Small, polished pebbles or sparkling gemstones are equally ideal. The stones should be attractive to you and should help you relax when you look at them. Look for stones outdoors, in parks, in forests or on the beach. If necessary, you can buy rocks at craft or garden stores.
   

Using the Zen Garden

Select a small rake for the Zen garden, such as a fork, comb or trowel. If you do not have an acceptable rake, just running your fingers through the sand is often very relaxing. To use the Zen garden, trail the rake through the sand slowly. Make long, straight lines or small circles. As you rake, forget your worries and let yourself relax. When you finish using the Zen garden, smooth the sand out and leave the rake in the tray so it is ready for its next use.

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How to Grow Zen Gardens Faster

How to Make a Japanese Garden Deck

Incorporate the Japanese elements of water, wind, earth and specimen plants in your deck. Add a covered structure to act as a tea house, sculptures and lanterns that glow in the soft evening light at dusk. A Japanese garden is seemingly simple, but because there are few elements, each must be nearly perfect. Maintenance involves keeping the plants tidy and the sand raked.
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Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

•     Power washer
•     Paint
•     Paintbrushes
•     Clean-up materials for the paint
•     Wood sandbox
•     Builder sand
•     River rocks
•     Large jagged rock
•     Smaller jagged rocks
•     Half wine barrel and liner
•     River pebbles
•     Goldfish
•     Water plants
•     Umbrella
•     Square pillows
•     Table
•     Bamboo tray
•     Tea pot and bowls
•     Seating and tables
•     Candles
•     Fire pot
•     Japanese maple in pot
•     Seasonal flowers in pots
•     Wire shelving
•     Bonsai
•     Wind chime

Power wash the decking to remove grit, grease and dirt. Paint the deck a soft neutral color that blends in with the surrounding landscape. That might be dove gray to match protruding rocks in the ground, a tan that mimics the soil or an olive green to blend with trees and bushes.

Fill the sandbox with builder's sand. Mark a path that curves through the sandbox. Fill the path with smooth, small river rocks to mimic a flowing stream. Put a large jagged rock to one side of the path to represent a mountain. Add smaller rocks to the other side of the jagged rock to represent hills. You've created a miniature Japanese sand garden.

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Fill a half barrel with a plastic liner made especially to turn the barrel into a pond. Put a layer of pebbles that match the river rocks used in the sand garden on the bottom of the barrel. Fill the barrel with water. Add a small pump to create a fountain in the middle of the barrel. Wait three days so the chlorine evaporates and add in four or five gold fish and a few floating water plants.

Place a bamboo umbrella toward the back of the deck near the house. Add a low table and two large flat square pillows covered in waterproof fabric. The colors should be muted and blend in to the deck. Place a bamboo tray on the table that holds a teapot and two tea bowls. This arrangement creates a tea house.

Add other low seating and tables on the deck. Group them to form conversation areas. Scatter groups of candles on the tables and here and there on the deck railing. Add a smooth round river rock to one or two of the tables to echo the river rocks in the sand garden. If your deck is large enough, create a grouping of low chairs around a fire pot. For safety, use either a gas fire pot that sits up off the deck or one that uses a flammable gel to create the flames.

Create a garden area with a potted Japanese maple. Surround the pot with seasonal flowers. Plant iris in the spring, dahlia in the summer and chrysanthemums in the fall. Add wire shelving in a sheltered spot on the deck that receives a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight. The wire shelves let the light fall through to the lower shelves instead of blocking it. Set bonsai plants on the wire shelves.

Add a wind chime as a finishing touch.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't overcrowd the deck with furniture or plants. The Japanese look is spare.
• Japanese furniture is low. Keep candles on low tables out of the way so someone walking by won't brush them.

 Read More How to Grow Zen Gardens Faster
Strategy for a Zen Garden
How to Grow Zen Gardens Faster