Updates

Unfortunately there are no pictures for this but I have some new inhabitants in the 'yard. Three very young toads. I raised them from tadpoles and today, the 2nd day of the rainy season, I released them. I hope that an urban backyard in Kichijoji proves to be a hospitable environment for them. There is certainly no shortage of bugs.

I also have what is shaping up to be a bullfrog it seems. As I won't be able to keep him, I'll probably try and raise him for part of the summer. and then release him in a nearby pond in mid-summer.

So far, I've noticed that by mixing my herbs with marigolds, other herbs and vegetables that, although there has been some damage from hungry caterpillars and slugs that the wholesale destruction I had experienced in the past is not going to happen.

Also harvested a good amount of compost today. Will mix it in with dirt from the yard and into the dirt around the plants over the course of the week. The worms have been doing an admirable job. And, as I sifted through their pungent (but not unpleasant smelling) castings I was pleased to see some younger members of the tribe of wigglers. Looks like reproduction is well underway!

I have also started actively harvesting rain water. I've got a number of catchment containers accumulating a surprising amount of water. I'm actually going to have to go and buy a container to store it all in. The water comes in handy for raising tadpoles, mixing with the worm tea (nutrient and microbe rich liquid) that drains off from the worm composter, new water for the turtle as well as reserve water for the plants. In the former three cases rain water is considerably better than tap water in terms of the health of the creatures concerned.

All for now. Oyasumi Nasai!