Patrick Edmonds

Stacking with bark up or down really depends on how much rain exposure there is. Bark side up helps shed water, especially in a shed that isn’t fully covered. In drier setups, orientation doesn’t make much difference as long as there’s airflow between the stacks.

Oh Ulla, I love this!  It’s so relatable,  the mix-ups, the surprise plants, and of course the “helpful” birds doing their own thing. I’ve had similar moments where I swear my garden is running itself (and sometimes doing a better job than me!). Honestly, it sounds like you’ve built a little ecosystem where everything,  including the birds,  works together in its own funny way. And hey, accidental wasabi isn’t the worst surprise!

Green leaves can work, but they usually need to be chopped and steeped longer to release enough nicotine into the water. Dried leaves are more concentrated and tend to make a stronger spray with less material.