Netherland's and Their Obsession with Christmas and New Years Fireworks (Vuurwerk)

 Netherland's and Their Obsession with Christmas and New Years Fireworks (Vuurwerk)

I am, each year, amazed with the amount of fireworks that are set off in the weeks leading up to Christmas, Christmas, and the weeks between the Christmas weeks and New Years, and New Years Eve is just totally extreme here.  One must realize where I am, there are houses similar in build to the 2-3 story family style condos that house one family in the US, but where there are 3 or more under the same roof side by side and connected.  Unlike the US however, these houses have block walls between and no insulation, very uneconomical heating wise, and noise wise.  Also, the autos are mostly parked on the street, and most streets in these areas are one way streets.  Fortunately I at least do not live on a one way street, so the distance from the houses across are greater because of the 2 sides parking of autos and the lane for traffic.  What is disturbing is that people set off fireworks with all the autos sitting on the street.  For those of you that know me from the US, you know my worst nightmare came true when on NYE night I look out of my bedroom window to see my friend's house down the street totally engulfed in flames, they were out of town, but their beautiful dog was home.  The culprit, children's fireworks, not the gigantic fireworks, but those little fireworks that spin and shoot off sparks.  According to the experts on the scene one had apparently gotten into the open car garage and the sparks had caused the start of the fire.  To say I felt helpless is beyond comprehension, and although I begged the fire brigade to allow me to open the back door in hopes the dog was laying there, they would not allow that due to a fear of back draft.  I could only watch helplessly as they attempted to contain the fire.  

People here have no sense of impending doom, they have no realization of how deadly fireworks can be, or how one can be maimed beyond comprehension until they actually see someone they love having encountered one or the other.  I can talk until the cows come home to the people in this area, but their desire to SHOW OFF AGAINST THEIR NEIGHBORS is more important.  It's a dual between houses here to compete.  The sadder thing, is that these people do not have an income that is high enough to afford them real luxuries on a regular basis, some never.  Thus, they spend all this money (Millions here each year), to show off and then their families have to sacrifice food wise, clothing wise, etc. because of these poor choices.  

Now imagine this, this small country which one can travel 6 hours from top to bottom of, is one of the most stringent and expensive with regards to recycling, air quality, use of gas, petroleum, etc.  The thing now is to reduce the number of cows because their "gas output" is bad for the environment.  I submit that if they stopped the fireworks totally by consumers and offered only the option of cities holding firework events, we would not be breathing the smoke and fumes from the fireworks.  This year a street two streets away from me, one literally had to drive on the sidewalk because of the debris after 12 that night was higher than the opening for the door on the car, and quite dangerous to drive over considering these are battery operated fireworks shooting large balls and if a battery stopped and one rides over, the danger of these exploding and setting a car on fire is quite high.  The debris was still there the following day, piles of debris.  So many streets were full of debris, and all of the debris has to be picked up, supposedly recycled.  So therein lies another problem, thousands of battery operated fireworks that the batteries have to be disposed of, but most likely they go in the normal trash and thus more dangerous for the environment.  So WHY ARE PEOPLE HERE PAYING ENORMOUS TAXES AND GOING TO EXTREME MEASURES to "save the planet", but yet in four weeks they destroy more of the environment than ten million cows.  Ten million cows would not form the vast amount of smoke that literally makes it so you can not see where you are going for 24 hours, destroys the air quality, and is an environmental nightmare with the debris that is not recycled.  

Where oh where is the government in all of this?  Supposedly too few police and help to contain it.  
That's a total cop out!  When their handhaver's have time to go around collecting trash cans that have stood overnight on the street, they could, use those to actually stop the fireworks.  It's actually quite easy to stop, no import or export of fireworks except to the City, asking surrounding countries to ask for ID to purchase in surrounding countries and not allow Netherland's citizen's to purchase, and the City has access to thousands of cameras, they can see who is setting off fireworks.  

The answer to this is:  Legislation Banning all Fireworks, smoke makers, or Loud Noise Makers (including children's fireworks), in any space that has houses, on or near any streets.   Legislation that allows on the City to purchase fireworks for a public display put on by the city.  This legislation can not be bypassed by renaming articles that produce smoke, fireworks, Noise Makers etc.   I am sure some sneaky company will try to rebrand fireworks or noise makers or smokers or M80s etc. to some other name, but legislation needs to forbid any type of these fireworks and associated Loud Noise "bombs".  This needs to be a Netherland's wide legislation and the government needs to instill a ruling that anyone that disobeys these rules is required to pay $20,000 per each one that is set off, and in the event they can not pay, their personal assets will be utilized to pay for these events.  

THIS IS SERIOUS, this year at least one child was maimed here, hand amputated and an eye because of fireworks on New Years Eve.  I am sure there are many more cases that went unreported by the media, and many that were not melded on at the police department or hospital.  Who knows how many children were injured and NOT taken to the hospital for fear of repercussions.  Do you also know who else is damaged and injured by these?  Animals, Dogs scared for hours at a time, dogs that can not even go outside to the bathroom because of all the noise, smoke and danger of being hit by a flying burning element or debris from.  Think of all the poor birds and small animals that are damaged when they become too tired to go further.  This is just total nonsense.  

So, in the new year I am going to find out how to properly request legislation, and gather as much support from people here on a petition, and I hope the news media will be onboard with helping.  

This not only traumatizes those that I named above, but people with anxiety and mental disorders become overwhelmed and have seizures and many other complications from the hours and hours of being distressed with the constant shooting off of these noise makers and fireworks.  IT IS INHUMANE!!!!!

2023 - A New Year - New Chances

 2023 A New Year - New Chances 
January 1, 2023 

So last year was a bit better Corona wise.  By the end of the year I had had Corona twice, the first time quite heavy, the second much less.  For gardening, 2022 was an amazing year, I am so thankful for all of the tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and other vegetables including bumper bean crops.  The hot temperatures were perfect for me, as I am much more savvy with growing in hot temps than in the normal cooler and rainy temps in the Netherlands.  I love the heat, I have less issues with my health and overall well being, so for me, the heat is a wonderful thing.  

Fast forward to 2023 - We have had a very mild winter with just a few really cold days thus far, and I am so thankful God has given me this gift.  The wear and tear on my body is much less with the milder temperatures and I can actually do normal outside things like a normal person, which I can not in the colder temps.  I have issues with my finger tips and toes and skin where the cold temperatures cause my body temps in those areas to be much lower than normal people, and that also includes circulation issues when the weather is cold, so to say I am thankful for the warmth, is quite an understatement.  

2023 What Now?

I need a reset, I need to get back to the mindset that I can overcome things, that I can find a way to do all the things I want to, and to find a way to get my body to cooperate.  Old age -- get behind me, all the illnesses get behind me.  

So, prayers would be appreciated, encouraging words would be appreciated, and a helping hand is welcome.  

God Bless All of You, today and in the coming year.  God Bless Us All.  
Sometimes it's easy to forget that the baby child born in that lowly stall can lift us up above all, as long as we ask and believe.  

Companion Planting For Tomatoes

Companion Planting For Tomatoes 

Tomatoes are the one must have staple in my garden.  I LOVE tomatoes.  So in order to help them grow and ward off pests and disease, I typically grow basil with my tomatoes, but there are other plants that are beneficial to them as well.

Did you know that planting mustard in the fall where you plant your tomatoes helps them grow?  The reason, mustard when grown and turned under increases the nitrogen in the soil and reduces the risk of many soil fungus and virus.

Additionally there are other things that work to help tomatoes.  Tomatoes are self fertilizing, but it never hurts to have bumble bees doing the pollination work for you.  The bumble bees vibrate which enhances the fertilization process.  To attract them, plant flowers with hooded caps, rosemary, sunflowers, etc.  They will increase your yields.

If you live in dryer areas, mulch under your plants or use black ground cover, it keeps the soil warm when the temperatures are colder and the tomatoes will not have setbacks due to temperature change.

Other companions for tomatoes include using clover as a cover crop, the same principle as with mustard or collards.  

You can interplant stock beans, climbing beans that flower to attract the bumble bees as well.  

Incidentally, basil works to repel hornworns and other tomato pests, flea beetles because the scent masks the tomato scent thus they will attack the basil instead of tomatoes.

All in all, it never hurts to have flowers growing around our veggie patches, not only are they beautiful, but they provide a source of food for wildlife that we want to have around, and in addition to keeping our veggies safe.

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Europa Charm: What Works to Rid The Garden of Snails

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What Works to Rid The Garden of Snails

 WHAT WORKS TO RID THE GARDEN OF SNAILS?

It is not by chance that one snail turns into hundred, they have an average cycle of 80 plus times per year, some can lay 50 or more eggs at a time, but normally one snail equates to 480 in one year.  Snails do not need a partner, they have both organs, but they can fertilize with other snails. 
So this is the nightmare - Snails have parties with or without mates, and one snail reproducing equates to over 400 MORE!!!!!!  So it's a WAR, not for the faint hearted.  So what ammo do we use?   SKIP to #10 if you don't want the long version.  

Unless you are starting with raised beds with a perimeter border that's covered, and soil that has no eggs, etc., pests including snails will eventually be an issue, unless you are in a area where they are not populating.  I didn't have to worry about snails in Atlanta, but the Netherlands is a S N A I L  / S L A K K E N haven.  When it rains walking down a sidewalk you will have an issue in some areas of crunch crunch which are snails with houses, all over the sidewalks.  GROSS!!!! 

Since I am in an allotment garden with 100 or so others, those that don't work to control and rid their area, make it difficult for those that do.  Since our allotments are supposed to be totally organic, we are not suppose to use any chemicals that are not designated for household use.  

So what works? 

1.  Hands in your gloves and your trowel and pick them up late at night (with a flashlight), and in the early morning hours.  Dispose of as you choose.

Here the snails are huge, some 3" wide and 8 inches long, with of course the ones that are not fully grown ranging in various sizes, and the house snails, the babies are so tiny you can hardly see, but the adults with houses can be a couple inches tall or more.  A small snail can eat alot, but the big ones can eat through an entire stem on a pumpkin or cucumber plant.  My friend planted 10 pumpkins the smaller candy variety, they were well developed when she planted, around 12 inches high and 8 inches in leaves across, each plant was totally decimated, one plant had over 50 small and large snails on it, some the entire stem had been eaten through and it was just terrible to see.  When she set them out she didn't have much growing in her space, and nothing that they really like, so I guess the pumpkins were their SNAIL FESTIVAL.  

2.  The two plants that I have that they do not like are raspberries (with thorns) and blackberries with thorns.  I planted strawberries inside a circle of raspberries and they have done beautifully, now whether it's because they haven't found them yet, or if it is because they don't like the prickles from the raspberry thorns, I am not 100% sure, I did put some of last years dried shoots with thorns around them.  Everyone told me gritty sand, eggshells, gravel, oyster shells, sea shells, and none of those worked, in fact, the sand seemed to attract more.  

3.  I do use drie hoek on newspaper when it's dry, i just pin down the newspaper with stones and use the concentrated drie hoek, it makes a slimy mess of them and when I do it I can just with gloved hands ball up the paper and dispose of it the next morning.  I use the drie hoek instead of salt because it deters ants.  I also spray regularly or water with garlic water, I just mince up garlic and let it sit in the sun for a few days in a bucket of water with a net over and then strain and dilute with water in watering can or sprayer.  My hope is that it deters the squash bugs and other insects that aren't good, and makes the leaves not so tasty.  I have also sprayed wd40 on buckets and placed them around small plants, but the issue is them tunneling under, so now I just try to protect the stems as well by covering in aluminum foil or a banana peel with the inside peel against the stems and the outside I use canola oil on.  

4.  This is a battle here, so an old rotten board with newspaper and drie hoek work as a trap, and again, it's easy to pick up and get rid of.  

5.  Copper tape works to some extent, but unless it's a pot where you can put it on a stone so it doesn't get dirt and debris on it, it isn't so effective, and it isn't cheap.  I did glue down copper pennies on some pots and that worked better, but the new pennies are not made of copper.  

6.  Marigolds - I thought they were suppose to deter snails, but they decimated two 6" pots in two days, the only thing left was a bit of stem, so since the seeds were cheap I have sowed tons of seeds, and I'm going to use those as traps.  I'll update on my progress. 

7.  A quick story about the "19.99" covers, a few years ago there was the hype of these covers for plants, the idea was that the snails couldn't get to your plants.  Wow great, so this fool purchased and planted her lovely lettuce starts and put the cover on.  Wow first day amazing, not a bite eten, snail trails around the outside and on it, but none inside.  Fast forward to day 5, because these were starts I had done in the greenhouse, they were already beginning to ball when I planted, and I actually thought that would deter the snails also, I looked didn't see any snails and watered.  A few days later I went to the garden and was doing my weed pulling and daily check, the inside of the balls were full of snails, small snail and larger snails, and the outside also.  Every single plant was totally covered, it was a sickening mess.  I really didn't understand how that could have happened, until an older man said in Dutch of course, die slakken zijn slim (these snail here are smart), they will find their way in by tunneling under, and hiding under the leaves, where it's nice and moist and cool when the sun comes out, and unless you use a box that has a barrier in the bottom, on the sides and over the top, and assuming there are no eggs in your soil they will get in.  His solution, grow them in pots and hang them up, and check daily if one has climbed up the posts.  He uses a potting mix to plant in not garden soil.
For the rest of his garden he used a hand trowel with spikes on it to go over the soil on the outside of his beds, he said it's harder for them to crawl in the dirt than when it is compacted down, so they look for easy paths, i.e., stones to travel quicker and easier.  

8.  In really bad years I have resorted to baiting with beer traps (a plastic cup or tin can down in a hole so the top rim is the only thing above ground, let them go to drink the beer and they fall in, however here because the snails are so HUGE that didn't work, I had to actually use a flower pot with no bottom holes (a ceramic one), so they didn't climb back on by climbing on the top of each other.  The small cup and tin can just let them have a beer party, and they were laughing all the way back to my plants to have a final snack before the sun came up!!!!!!  The alternative to that trap is dry yeast in warm water, they are attracted to that as well.  The reason I know that?  In the US I used yeast in my compost to heat it up in the winter months, and I tried that here in Snailville, I ended up with a compost container full of snails, I had to take the entire batch to the recycle center because it was totally full of snails, all sorts!  Epic failure, but a lesson learned.  

9.  I use alot of essential oils at home, and I really want to do an experiment if certain essential oils will repel them if I keep plants or soil sprayed with it, but the issue here is the RAIN, most years we have rain at some point everyday, some weeks an entire week of mostly rain, it is much less this year, but I am holding my breath hoping for a dry summer.  

10.  So what are your choices for snail control?

A)  Plant victim crops on the outside of beds.  
B)  Beer or Yeast Traps
C) Cultivating the outer areas of beds and around the outside root areas of plants daily.
D)  Using drie hoek and newspaper or boards as bait (or salt instead of drie hoek) - But make sure it does not rain because salt can kill plants) 
E)   Using prickly items like raspberry branches to put around plants 
F)   Hand Picking Night and Mornings to control what you can see
G)  Plant Marigolds and plants they love as victim plants
H)  Garlic water to make leaves not taste so good
I)    Insecticidal soap for same reason as garlic water
J)    Resort to using organic pellets 
K)   Copper Tape 
L)    Luring birds to eat the snails (but beware they also eat your berries and other veggies.)

My conclusion is that A-L are all viable options, but I think it takes using ALL of those methods basically to control them.  The more you totally alleviate, the less that can reproduce. 


I think it's easier if you are not in an allotment garden, open compost piles with veggies attract snails, and many people think if they are eating there then they are leaving my vegetables alone.  There is no logic with that, because feeding them on demand also creates reproduction on demand which means they are multiplying much faster and developing much quicker because of a constant food supply on hand with no travel time involved to hunt for food.  So think if you have only 30 snails in the bin, 30x400 equates to 1200 new snails which turn into 6000 give or take a few.  I read an article that was written in England where they didn't want you to HARM THE SNAILs anymore.  Well world hunger is a thing, and the more snails eating plants means less food for all, so where's the logic in that?  What benefit do snails actually bring to a garden?  So far I haven't seen one thing that benefits from having snails in it's vicinity, certainly not my plants, so some hair brain doesn't want to control them, I hope they take over HIS HOUSE for a month or two, and everytime he walks they go CRUNCH under his feet and slime trails on everything he owns, then maybe he will help look for a viable ORGANIC solution. 

And Then The Rain Came

 And Then The Rain Came

After an early spring, our little dry spell ended yesterday with wild winds and today came the torrential downpour of rain, it was so heavy and hard, I fear my plants are trampled by the storm.  

My aubergine /eggplants 5 in total standing a foot tall looked so majestic this morning, I plucked their tiny leaves and bottom stems, and poured garlic water around, and placed crushed garlic cubes in their spaces, hoping it would ward off the evil snails and house snails that would want to gobble up their stems and leaves.  My strawberries in their hole filled barrels, turning red and still have some beautiful blooms.  My tomatoes are only 3-5 feet tall, but full of blooms, and I hope I had enough bees inside the greenhouse to pollinate them.  I have alot of hummers, (bumble bees), but my honeybees seem to have disappeared, and I normally depend on them for pollination.  I'm not sure if its because the bee keeper in the garden has moved or sold them, but my garden was always buzzing with them, but not this year.  The hummers and I have an unvoiced understanding, they are always welcome to visit, and they don't even bother when I move or trim leaves, they just keep on enjoying their snacks, and this year they loved the big blooms from the foxglove, it bloomed early and they can fit all the way inside it's huge blooms.  They have been busy with the rosemary bush, surprising though they don't like the thyme that is now in bloom, but normally the honeybees do.  I guess like us, they have their own ideas of what dessert is :) ..  The bell peppers in the green house are growing with gusto in my tunnel, but in the enclosed they seem to have stalled their growth and have started putting on fruits.  I was tempted to remove the fruits but decided it's nature, let them decide what to do.  My currants were totally full of strands, some even starting to change colors, but I'm afraid the wind and rains have damaged them, and I was hopeful for a good harvest because last years was a total bust.  My raspberries keep sending out new shoots and I keep removing them, I think for next year I am going to grow in 5 gallon buckets so they are contained, it's so much work trying to choose which go and which stay.  My grape vines are putting on lots of leafs, or at least one is, the others seem slow to take off this year.  I was hoping this year I would get to harvest more than a handful.  We have here a type of vole animal that eats the roots and sometimes entire plants, and they have tunneled throughout my garden, the latest victims were my prei, my beautiful prei, totally eten without a bit left in a hole.  Today I replanted those holes with red onions which I had left from the previous year, I let them sprout, then I take off the outer shell and usually have 2-4 or more different small plants which I cut apart at the bottom stem and replant.  I planted a few more of the Cardinal Beans today, I want to provide as many blooms as possible to attract to my aubergines.  

I guess in the morning I will know how much damage was done. 

Here's the tips I was given for growing aubergines / eggplants.

Take the new growth off the bottom and strip all but the top branches to allow the energy to go to producing fruit instead of foliage and new offshoots.  I planted mine in composted manure and biosoil surrounded by normal soil and I added crushed garlic to the hole in hopes of keeping the wool ratten at bay, and I hope I succeed because I have put all five out and have no spares. 

I also caged three in hopes of being able to cover if the rains continue, my thoughts were I could use part of my old green house and tie over the top.  I hope that isn't going to be needed. 

I dreaded the rain returning because it isn't good for my health, the dark dreary days and the rains and cold dampness make my back and joints hurt.  But maybe this year I'll be provided warmth and less pain. 

Happy gardening, and thanks for sharing my gardening ventures.

Space & Time

 A Space And Time

Perhaps we are connected within a space or realm that time holds the connection to, one which we have no control over and leaves us vulnerable to prey.  Maybe our existence depends on our ability to adapt and restructure and to overcome perils that are in our paths.

What happens when we can't adapt or restructure?  When we can't find it within ourselves to make the choices that will cause that reoccurrence?   Do we become like the lost city, or the people of the pyramids?  Lost but known that we were here because of some mythical story or a letter or maybe even a post that says I was here, in this place, that I was not unknown by many, but forgotten by some.