Teatime

When you buy tea, you always pay close attention to the contents. But do not be surprised, other ‘people’ also have a taste for these bagged goods.

The original idea was to use textured material in the planters so that the water would not pass through so easily. To make the soil in the planters heavier. But to my surprise, the box with the mixture of soil and old tea bags turned out to be even more interesting.

Not many weeks after I placed it on my balcony, I discovered that the pile was ‘alive’. Inside the tea bags mixed with the soil were legions of earthworms. Not only did they find the contents of the bags very tasty, but they also mixed soil and components of the bags.

Which in turn was very attractive to all the plants on our balcony. And the trees and berry bushes. Because they love well-aerated soil. And also a mix of rotting plants.

The whole process, of course, again created a new cycle of supply and demand. You can tell by the noise level. When I step onto the balcony unannounced, a pair of titmice and a couple of sparrows scold me violently. They feel disturbed in their daily feeding routine and family life. The tea bags are also essential for this.

After all, you can’t do without your five o’clock earthworm.

The whole process, of course, again created a new cycle of supply and demand.

Side Notes:

• Do not leave the tea bags in a closed container in your kitchen for too long (two days at most, one day if it is hot). They will get squashed together and begin to mold. This looks interesting, like a beard has grown, but it will interfere with normal decomposition in your decomposer on the balcony or in the pots you want to plant in. Also, some molds I do not tamper with (the dusty stuff), but rather throw the spoiled tea bags into the green waste (decomposables).

• Also note that not all of the bags actually decompose. This may even give you an idea of how serious the tea makers are about making an ‘organic’ product.