by Keri Byrum | Mar 9, 2022 | Uncategorized |
Summertime is almost upon us, and following the previous year, people everywhere are looking forward to it even more. Wishing for the sun to shine, to be able to sit back in the backyard with friends and family, to have a couple of glasses of wine, while dinner cooks on the Grill for you in the background, and to hear your children laughing and playing blissfully. Doesn’t that sound perfect? So, let’s make the most of this summer by spending time in the garden with loved ones, savouring the small pleasures. Here are some ideas for making your yard stand out this year so you can spend all day relaxing in it. This year, replacing some of the kid’s outdoor toys and garden play equipment is a must. There are numerous options and playsets obtainable that will allow children to enjoy being out and about rather than being hooked to computers and tablets during the summer season, wasting their time inside. Most play places now include a treehouse, slide, swing, and a variety of other exciting play features. They are durable and endure a long time, so they are a wise investment. You may also put a sandpit on the lawn so they can play and construct sandcastles without having to go to the beach. Growing your own veggies and fruit is one way to make your backyard shine apart from others. You don’t need a green thumb or a lot of room. When you begin small and observe how issues go, do some study and then add additional elements as you are comfortable. Strawberries, tomatoes, many types of carrots, and fruit trees are some of the simpler to get started with. Fruit trees usually come partially developed, so all you have to do is plant them and care for them, and you’ll have fruit sprouting before you know it. How convenient would it be if you wanted some pears for breakfast and could just go into your garden and pick one up? You can also look at your garden and if you are making the most of the space you have. Sometimes if you aren’t great at gardening it can feel very overwhelming but you can always look for help from professionals. You can look at Love Landscaping and see how they can help. They may be able to help you get the garden you’ve always wanted in the space you need to work with or at the very least make your garden feel more like a paradise to relax in. The upkeep and maintenance of your landscaping have a significant impact on the exterior appeal of your home. A simple, well-kept lawn can provide a sense of pride to the appearance of your property. These kinds of solutions are critical in locating the ideal landscaper in your area, one that is competent enough to maintain and handle your property with the utmost care and respect. These will all help your summer at home be just as magical as it can be, but remember to get out as much as you can...
by Keri Byrum | Jan 31, 2022 | Plant Spotlight |
Calathea, also known as the Prayer Plant, is a common houseplant with gorgeous foliage. For many of us adding this to our homes, it is important to ask the question: are calathea plants toxic to pets? Calathea plants earn the name prayer plant because when the sun shines on its leaves it opens very wide, and when the sun sets, they close up like folded hands. Calathea is a genus of nearly 300 plant species native to tropical America in the Marantaceae (arrowroot) family. I am one of those people who will be fighting the new genus name, Goeppertia, for a long time. I will forever call my rattlesnake plant Calathea lancifolia instead of Goeppertia insignis. Because of its attractive leaves and relaxing properties, it is one of the most popular plants. Rattlesnake plant, Goeppertia insignis instead of Calathea lancifolia Tropical plants thrive in low to medium light, which makes them ideal indoor plants because they flourish in partly shadowed areas. Avoid exposing them to too much direct sunlight, as this can dull the leaves and possibly cause them to become scorched or sunburned. You would anticipate these houseplants to thrive in high-humidity environments, as do most tropical plants (mist them regularly if you live in drier areas or invest in a humidifier). Keep their soil moist but not soggy, since this can cause browning of their leaves, and the soil should be well-drained and porous to avoid root rot, which can destroy the plant. Water your lovely botanical once a week, and it will flourish. But, even if it enhances the attractiveness of your home, the question ‘are calathea plants are toxic to pets?’ remains a popular one. Are Calathea plants toxic to pets? According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, all types of Calatheas are non-toxic to both pets and humans. The calathea plant is safe for all pets, including cats, dogs, rabbits, and birds. However, some pets may chew on calathea leaves, rendering them unattractive. Calathea orbifolia, Calathea medallion, Calathea rufibarba, Calathea ornata, Calathea lancifolia (Rattlesnake Plant), Calathea makoyana (peacock plants) are all safe for cats, dogs, and horses. See? I am still calling them calathea instead of Goeppertia! Because it contains no hazardous or irritating compounds, your pet will not be harmed by eating, rubbing against, or otherwise engaging with the calathea plant. Calathea is non-toxic to pets and people according to the USDA. Calathea is non-toxic, non-poisonous, and non-harmful to cats, dogs, and horses. It is not harmful, but if your cat eats a lot of it, it can cause stomach problems. These species, on the other hand, eat only a modest amount of grass on a daily basis. As a result, do not be shocked if you discover your cat eating it. No plant elements, such as leaves, stems, trunks, or roots contain any substances that may hurt your cat. Is Calathea Pet-Friendly? Calathea is a pet-friendly plant. A calathea does not poison any cat or dog species. But your cat can harm your plants by climbing them. Calathea does not emit any harmful substances, hence pets are safe in this situation. But, ingesting a lot of leaves could be hazardous to one’s health. Is Calathea plant Cat-Friendly? Yes, Calathea is a cat-friendly plant. Both a cat and a calathea can be kept in the same home. Keep an eye on your cat to make sure it is not harming the plant in any way, or you will have to take measures to keep the plant safe from the cat. Is Calathea plant Dog-Friendly? Yes, it is. Dogs are unaffected by Calathea. Calathea is a fantastic houseplant because it is not dangerous to your dog too. If your dog eats the leaves of your Calathea, it will shock the plant, therefore instruct him not to approach it or store it on a shelf where he can not reach it. Why are calathea safe for pets? Calatheas are completely safe for pets because they have no harmful ingredients. Some houseplants are toxic to pets because they contain compounds (such as insoluble calcium oxalates) that, when swallowed, can cause extreme discomfort and even organ failure. Pets can be harmed by the water that surrounds the stems of certain houseplants or cut flowers. It is your pet’s grooming habits, not their nibbling or chewing on foliage, that puts them in the most danger of ingesting poisons. Even a small amount of contaminated plant materials mistakenly swallowed by a pet might create difficulties. Lilies, for example, are so toxic that merely wiping lily pollen from a cat’s fur or whiskers can cause kidney failure and death. Calathea, on the other hand, lacks these chemical compounds and is a natural food source for herbivores. How can calathea be toxic to pets? If the calathea plant has not been treated with a systemic pesticide, a topical pesticide, or had the leaves shined with a petroleum-based cleaning, it can be pet-friendly. Any of these factors, when combined or alone, can make a pet severely sick or even kill them. We will also mention that solidified fertilizers can be toxic if ingested directly from the soil. Large amounts of any plant can induce stomach distress, excessive salivation, diarrhea, and other problems. With these suggestions in mind, it is best if you can keep plants out of reach of pets and small children until they are trained. Calathea plants make great, sometimes challenging, houseplants Greenery can still be used to decorate your house and garden without endangering your pets. Calathea plants are absolutely suitable for cats and dogs and may be used to brighten your home. Calathea is one of the houseplants that can be kept alongside pets without harming them and add beautiful foliage to your home...
by Keri Byrum | Jan 26, 2022 | Backyard Chickens |
Black East Indies are beautiful bantam duck with a beetle green sheen to their feathers. They make an excellent addition to a barnyard or home flock. Black East Indie hatching eggs can be hard to find, but they are worth the effort to do so! Once you have them in hand I hope that these simple instructions are helpful to you. The green sheen of Black East Indie duck feathers is beyond compare. Why Black East Indie hatching eggs? Black East Indies can be hard to find locally. For many people, ordering hatching eggs is the only way to acquire these birds. Ordering hatching eggs, of any breed, and having them sent through the mail is risky and I generally consider anything over a 50% hatch rate to be a great success. If you are receiving your Black East Indie hatching eggs through the mail, unwrap them carefully and allow the eggs to rest (blunt end upward) for 24 hours before setting in your incubator. Black East Indie hatching eggs may vary in color from a dark charcoal grey to just barely an off white color. Most ducks start the season laying the darker eggs and they gradually lighten up over the season. Do not worry, the color of the egg will not effect the quality of the duckling. This is a very dark Black East Indie egg! Eggs may not be perfectly clean, but that’s okay. If there are large chunks of debris on them you can remove them with a fingernail. I have also used a small piece of very fine grade sandpaper to clean. The key here is to avoid using liquids that could allow bacteria to enter the egg. Hatching Black East Indie eggs Much of the information available on incubating and hatching chicken eggs can be applied to ducks, as long as the important differences between these two species are taken into account. Since duck eggs take 28 days to hatch instead of 21, you may need to adjust your incubator. Hatching Black East Indie duck eggs should be turned (either by hand or by a turner) from days 1-25 with a relative humidity of 40% or so. I find that I can have healthy sized air sacs with this slightly lower humidity. For the last three days of the incubation period do not turn them or open your incubator if at all possible. During this time increase your humidity to 60-65%. Some folks will recommend up to 75% humidity but I find that this lower amount works for me. I do like to “cool” my eggs for 15-20 minutes each day by removing the lid of the incubator for a little bit. When I put the lid back on I give the eggs a light spritz of water. I do this from day 8 until day 25. The pencil line on the eggs that you see here shows where the air pocket is at in the eggs. I mark this right as the eggs go into “lock down” for their final three days. I’ve found that the ducklings will unzip themselves right along this line when hatching. If I am hatching eggs and I see a pip outside of that mark I can keep a close eye on it to see if assistance is needed. There is lots of information online, but I really like the details at https://www.metzerfarms.com/ They have a very nice visual of what hatching duck eggs should look like when candled during their development. Are Black East Indies Call Ducks? Nope. Black East Indies are not call ducks. They are slightly larger than call ducks, have much longer beaks, and in my experience are more able fliers. They comingle well together and, if allowed, will breed together and produce black ducklings with with bibs. The best part is being able to enjoy these bantam ducks the rest of the year! Don’t be surprised if a few of the hatchlings have a yellow tint to their bellies, this will fade away and you will still end up with beautiful black...
by Keri Byrum | Jan 24, 2022 | Plant Spotlight |
Zamioculas zamiifolia, also known as the ZZ Plant, is a dream plant for every plant lover and is often preferred by homeowners because of its low maintenance. It can grow in almost every condition and won’t require too much of your time to take care of. Despite its low maintenance, it is the most beautiful looking plant which often features in Instagram posts about beautiful indoor house plants. Nonetheless, it may leave you asking, “Are ZZ Plants Toxic for Cats?” ZZ Plants have a maximum height of 3 feet, which is another reason why homeowners prefer this plant as an indoor plant. The fresh green-colored leaves are enough to make the interior of any office, apartment, or house a much more lively place. But a little downside to this beautiful plant is that it is toxic, even to your cats and other pets. So, is the ZZ plant toxic to cats? In short, Yes! The ZZ plant is toxic to your little furry friend. The toxicity lies in every part of the plant, e.g., leaves, roots, seeds, etc. So, if your feline comes into contact with any part of the ZZ plant, it will cause harm to the creature. Not just cats, the ZZ plants are toxic to humans as well. However, the danger and proportion of toxicity it might cause are not that much, and the rumor that ZZ plants can cause cancer is utter nonsense. This is even proved by scientists who found that ZZ plants do not cause cancer in humans and cats. But it doesn’t mean the ZZ plants are totally harmless. The toxicants in the ZZ plants can cause allergies, rashes, vomiting, and diarrhea-like symptoms. Zamioculas zamiifolia ‘Raven’ Why are ZZ plants poisonous to cats? The toxicity of ZZ plants stems from the toxicant molecule present in every part of the plant, namely, calcium oxalate crystals. This is the same agent responsible for the creation of kidney stones in human kidneys. These calcium oxalate crystals are needle-shaped and cause serious damage to cells. These crystals, when ingested by cats, remain unabsorbed into the bloodstream. These crystals then cause damage to the cells lining the gastrointestinal tracts of cats by piercing all the cells coming into contact with them. This damage results in stomach discomfort, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea in your cats. Also, the ZZ plants belong to the Araceae family, which is a toxic family of plants for cats and humans too. Aglaonema Modestrum, Monstera, and Anthurium are other toxic plant members of the Araceae family. How poisonous are ZZ plants in reality? Do all parts of ZZ plants have the same level of toxicity? The answer is no. All parts of ZZ plants do not cause the same reaction. For example, rubbing against the ZZ plant has mildly harmful effects on cats, but if your feline nibbles on the leaves, it will have more serious effects. Because the cats have fur, there is less chance that your furry friend will develop skin irritation. But if they rub their non-furry parts onto the plant, then there are chances of mild skin irritation and eye-stinging. If the cats ingest the leaves, then it is a more alarming situation. Serious diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach discomfort are the conditions your cat might experience. These symptoms also depend on the number of leaves eaten by your cat. For example, small quantities of ingested ZZ plants can cause a slight stomach ache, while large quantities of ingested ZZ plants can cause serious diarrhea. In some cases, there is a minor risk of throat swelling in cats. But this will only occur if the cat has eaten large amounts of ZZ plants and if the cat has a hyperactive immune system. Here have a look at the symptoms of ZZ Plant toxicity in your cats: Oral irritation is the first sign your cat will experience. The first bite will cause extreme pain in your feline’s oral parts, and they will salivate more in return.Reduction in appetite is the second synonym. When the burning sensation is moved to the throat, your cat will lose appetite and show no interest in eating.After throat and oral parts, if toxicants have moved to the stomach, then your cat will start experiencing gastrointestinal problems. Your cat might curl up into a ball due to the severity of the pain in its stomach. So, look closely for this symptom.Lastly, vomiting and diarrhea will occur based on how many ZZ plants your cat has ingested. In this situation, make sure your cat is hydrated and keeps its fluid level high. How to keep your cat away from ZZ plants? The most obvious solution to keeping your cats away from ZZ plants is to take the plant out of reach of the cats. If you want to keep the ZZ plants in your home and want your cat to stay away from them, do try out the following ways; 1. Use Scents as Deterrents Cats have a strong sense of smell, and they can smell anything 15 times stronger than humans. You can use a scent deterrent to keep your cats away. Here, “scent deterrent” means the smell that cats hate, like that of citrus, vinegar, cinnamon, mustard, chili, and other such stuff. Spray it on your plant and your cat will stay away from it due to its strong smell. You can also use cat deterrent spray, available on the market. 2. Use physical deterrents Just like scent deterrents, you can also use physical deterrents. Yes, it can seem just about impossible to keep a curious cat away, but look for locations where it is more difficult to get to. 3. Provide other activities for your cats. By keeping your cat busy with other activities, you can keep it away from the plant. Lots of stuffed toys, scratchy walls, a tree for your cat to climb, or other fun things will keep your cat busy. Thankfully, ZZ plants are just mildly toxic and their ingestion or rubbing...
by Keri Byrum | Dec 3, 2021 | Small Spaces |
It’s a sunny weekend, and you’re strolling through your backyard, and suddenly you see several undesired mushrooms. Despite the care you have provided to your yard, a few of them can get traced across your lawn, and the following tips will help you get rid of them. Make conditions unfavorable for the mushrooms. You can do this by keeping your yard clean by taking part in seasonal lawn care, which will help eliminate the hotspots of the mushroom, for instance, the dead grass and even the rotting leaves. In the case of yards with stubborn growth of mushrooms, then you will need to take further interventions. To prevent more mushrooms from growing, you should remove cut grass and dispose of the yard waste. You can also pick up pet waste and remove the old roots and stumps entirely, and finally, don’t let compost piles lie without having a storage area. Half of the battle has been fought through taking away the mushroom incentive. Use your hands If you see mushrooms growing, you can consider removing them by hand. Despie George Seryogin stresses that among all known mushrooms, only 3% that are poisonous, do not cook the mushrooms, and don’t pick them with bare hands. Instead, wear gloves when picking them by hand and tightly dispose of them in a sealed trash bag. Additionally, it would be best not to put them in a compost pile because their spores may spread. Also, you can consider moving them off or using a shove to smash them. You need to try destroying them before they become big enough and release more spores. Reduce excessive shade and moisture in your lawn Most fungi tend to grow naturally beneath the grass more often than mushrooms as they do not become visible until there are favorable conditions that are dark and damp. In making your yard less attractive to them, start by improving the drainage using the lawn aerator. Use the dish soap method. You can do this method by digging your lawn with a spade. Afterward, bring a sealable plastic bag and place them there so you can prevent them from using their reproductive structures to spread the spores. Then finish by pouring water and a few dish soap drops into the hole that the mushroom lived in to prevent them from growing further. Use a fungicide It may seem extreme for you, but it can be considered a good way of getting rid of the pesky lawn mushrooms, significantly if different strategies, such as aerating, have not helped. You can spray some fungicide over your lawn which will help solve the fungus problem, and you can also use fungicidal granules. Use nitrogen fertilizer You can use a nitrogen-based fertilizer to prevent more mushrooms so that they cannot form. In this case, the mushrooms will start by feeding the decaying matter that is in the soil. When you add nitrogen to your yard, the speed the organic matter decays will increase. Besides, the life cycle will end depending on how fast it will decay. Conclusion The lawn mushrooms get considered to be a common landscaping problem. Since many people pride themselves on having nice-looking grass, they can be frustrated when discovering mushroom lawns. The points above can help fix the...
