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[Jo Ann]

   Spending some time in the country during my life time, I thought I was a fairly good gardener.  This year, I planted corn, tomatoes, artichoke, broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, bell peppers and cantaloupe.  But, as usuall to much in a small area ... I need to live out in the country again.   

I have found used chinchilla bedding to be a wonderful fertilizer.  I dump the bedding in one area and allow it to decompose, then add it to the garden areas and till it into the dirt.  It's worked wonderful over the years.

We always put out corn for the deer, raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels and other animals, going through about 100 to 150 pounds a week.  (Not to mention the bird seed.)

I have a resident gardener this year ... a little chipmunk.  He planted corn ... corn from the feeders.  He was a little late in planting it ... almost a month after I planted mine.  But, mother nature taught him well ... he planted his corn in the chinchilla bedding mulch pit. 

Below are pictures of our corn.  The chipmonk's corn is named 0CM.jpg.  Out done by a 4 inch tall little critter!     (I know where I'll plant mine next year!) 


   Jo Ann

P.S.    Makes you wonder if this little chipmonk knows more than we do ... maybe a long or hard winter ahead?  Or just one that wants to make sure there's enough for him to store later?

[Petco Chinchillas]

That is so funny!!!

    Are you going to let him have the corn he planted, or are you going to eat it?
 Wow!  I just can`t get over the fact that chipmunks can make garden of their own!!

 You could give him most of the corn he planted and keep some and then, when next year rolls around, you can give him corn again and see if he plants them again!!!!    It like you have your own mini gardener!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

    That's so funny, but yes I used the bedding for 10 years in the garden when I was out in the boonies. Don't have the room now.
I had the largest mushrooms come up in it. Some were as big as dinner plates.

It worked great as land fill.

[Jo Ann]

   We put dried corn out for all the animals daily and always have ... we have had 2 or 3 plants sprout up in the yard on occasions ... but I watched this little one stuff his cheeks with corn and run to the mulch pile with it, burying it, and coming back for more to do the same.  The corn I planted was also for the animals, so with what the chipmonk planted plus what I planted, they will be able to have a banquet of fresh corn in addition to the dried corn we put out for them.   

I just hope the little one has plenty stored underground for himself for winter, too.   

Just goes to show you ... even the smallest of God's creatures can have a huge impact on the area he lives in.  There will be fresh corn for the chipmonks, the deer, the raccoons,  the muskrats, the squirrels, the turkeys and the birds come a little later this fall.  I may even snitch a cob of corn (no more) to taste it.   

I had the largest mushrooms come up in it. Some were as big as dinner plates.   

I was wondering if it was just me ... glad to hear others were getting mushrooms from it also.  I haven't had any as big as dinner plates, but I have had some about the size of a saucer.

We, and two other neighbors, had some back fill done ... ours quickly sprouted out green all over as soon as I started putting the used bedding in it ... the neighbors didn't have any and had to plant grass seed several times before theirs turned green.   

   Jo Ann

Chinchillas even make the plants smile! 

[chinclub]

That is funny!  I haven't tried bedding in a garden, but It is great for grass!  We had areas in our yard that would not grow grass.  After we spread out the bedding the grass spread across the area quickly!