Before I write about the chook's garden I just need to share this picture of the banksia rose shooting. Another little taste of spring which is officially here tomorrow!
There appeared to be a garden in front of the chook house but it was really only a collection of geraniums in pots. Yesterday, I emptied them all and replanted a couple of the smellier varieties. My nose tells me that one of them is a rose geranium.
I also planted some artemisia also known as wormwood. This is an old fashioned plant and was commonly planted near the hen house in earlier times. It is quite smelly and can be used in the organic management of mites. The one pictured below will grow up to 2 metres but I plan to keep cutting it so it will never become that large. I will put the prunings in the shed, especially in the nest boxes. Lavender is good for this purpose and I will be planting some of that in this garden too.
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| Artemisia Arborescens - silver lace sagebrush/tree wormwood. |
The chooks loved the newly turned soil and scratched around in the garden for ages. I am going out today to fence it off because they will just uproot everything. Once the plants are established I will remove the barrier and let them back. As they forage they will brush against the plants and this will also help reduce mites
The elephant ear in the garden is just here for me...no benefit to the chooks as far as I know.
I love artemisia. I remember as a kid having a very large bush growing in the back yard next to the swimming pool. I have been looking around various nurseries but have failed to find any.
ReplyDeleteCookie, when mine grows up a bit, I will grow some cuttings.
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