Are banana peels good for roses?

If you haven't seen Will Smith's "Seven Pounds," see it. Not only is it a wonderful, thought-provoking movie, but it also provides a great gardening tip.

Will Smith's character walks by a yard filled with beautiful roses and remarks to the woman working there, "Banana peels." He goes on to explain that bananas are great fertilizer, especially for roses.

It's true, he tells her. And it is. Bananas are great sources of potassium and magnesium and break down easily, making the nutrients readily available to the plants. You can use bananas in several ways, whole, chopped or as a liquid. Chop the peels up and toss in a compost pile if you have one. Emulsify peels and overripe bananas in a food processor and pour it around the plants. Toss peels in a bucket of water and let it sit in the sun for a few days; then pour around the base of plants. If you prefer, just toss a peel under the shrubs and let nature take its course.

Baby birds

Around our house, climbing and rambling roses seem to be a favorite spot for birds to build a home for their spring families.

A mockingbird built this well-sheltered nest in the space between a rambler, the wooden fence and a vitex tree.

I was getting ready to weed the bed beneath the vitex when I saw a mockingbird fly from behind the tree. A closer look exposed the nest. I got as close as I could to see what was inside. I spotted a couple of eggs, so I fetched the camera. I had to pull a branch aside, point the camera blindly and hope it was in the right place.

When I looked at the photos, I was surprised to see two babies. Judging by the skin, I'm thinking they are brand-new. Like a proud aunt, I'll be tracking their progress.

Another bird has built a nest in the climbing rose on a trellis in the side yard, but it's too high to see what's inside. I'm thinking I might have to get the ladder out to satisfy my curiosity and see if we have more new birds.