Author |
Garden Gate: Cicada mulch anyone? |
|
City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2007 : 04:17:24 AM
|
Here in the Chicago area we've been infested with the 17 year cicadas. They're starting to die off now. (Music to my ears! Since the sound has been deafening!)
Has anyone ever used them as mulch for their gardens. We have thousands of them!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth,-- One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth. Dorothy Frances Gurney |
|
Mikki
True Blue Farmgirl
1510 Posts
Mikki
Austin
Indiana
USA
1510 Posts |
|
therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
|
Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2007 : 4:31:55 PM
|
Bleah! :) Okay, I did see a nature show about how excellent they are at enriching the forests where they do this. You are a braver Farmgal than me. Okay, maybe I would, but I'd probably cover their corpes with something else too. ;)
We make a difference. |
|
|
City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2007 : 05:12:04 AM
|
Well, I went to California for 17 days and wasn't able to "harvest" the dead cicadas to use for my mulch. I could probably have shoveled them off of the street & sidewalks from what my dh told me. There were so many of them.
They were just starting to die off when I left - I can still hear some of them, but not like before. Hubby did till some of them into the garden, but not like I had wanted to.
It was unreal how many we had here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth,-- One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth. Dorothy Frances Gurney |
|
|
ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4739 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4739 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2007 : 07:12:20 AM
|
I have read that cicadas are suppose to be excellent fertilizer. We had them by the millions here in Homer Glen. They were so loud that the only way you could talk to someone outside was to shout. I for one am glad they're dying out now. I can't wait to be able to hear the birds again!
I have tons of dead bodies all over my flower beds and yard. I plan to rake them up and put them in my compost heap. They do smell awful though, so I have to bury them deep in the pile. A job I'm not looking forward too!
Dawn in IL |
|
|
City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2007 : 07:58:52 AM
|
I know what you mean about talking! I told people it was like carrying on a conversation while holding a running blender.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth,-- One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth. Dorothy Frances Gurney |
|
|
emsmommy5
True Blue Farmgirl
1547 Posts
Angie
Buckley
WA
USA
1547 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2007 : 08:30:59 AM
|
Wow. Something I haven't experienced.
Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth! |
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2007 : 10:51:03 AM
|
I don't think we have those types of Cicadas around here. I am really thankful for that! It doesn't sound like a pleasant experience at all! At least you ladies are doing your best to find a way to make good out of it!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
|
|
MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2007 : 10:56:34 AM
|
We kept waiting for them to appear. We're only about 150 west of you City Chick. Seems we were blessed not to have them.
Cyndi Muller's Lane Farm http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
|
|
|
City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 05:16:04 AM
|
We were in Oregon, IL a few weeks ago and didn't hear any! Very strange.
My parents live 20 minutes from me and didn't have any either. My children imported some to their yard so they would have some in 17 years!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth,-- One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth. Dorothy Frances Gurney |
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 10:13:26 AM
|
Oh my! ROFL!!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
|
|
Patsy
True Blue Farmgirl
592 Posts
Illinois
USA
592 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 10:35:08 AM
|
I live about 180 miles south of Chicago and we had them two years ago. They were awful.. Nasty redeyed, bugeyed hard shelled creatures. So we will have them again in 15 years. Too soon for me. They were so bad one of my neighbors used to use an umbrella to get into her car.
When I would try to mow, I had on a big straw hat and it was covered with them. They even flew down the front of my blouse. I did a dance and said bad words. Lol.
May God bless those who love the soil,
Patsy
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 11:53:41 AM
|
Sounds like you needed one of those beekeeper suits!!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
|
|
abbasgurl
True Blue Farmgirl
1262 Posts
Rhonda
USA
1262 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 9:20:32 PM
|
Hi Deb, I'm near Chicago too. I had a friend recently married in an outdoor ceremony. Mother of the bride suggested they rent a chocolate fountain, for dipping...CICADAS! She was heard to say "Well, they ARE a great source of protein"!
I think I'd rather mulch with the little boogers!
I'm a one girl revolution. |
|
|
City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 05:21:00 AM
|
quote: Mother of the bride suggested they rent a chocolate fountain, for dipping...CICADAS!
Double
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth,-- One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth. Dorothy Frances Gurney |
|
|
|
Garden Gate: Cicada mulch anyone? |
|