Backyard Leaf Composting

Fall is coming and so do the leaves. One alternative for dealing with leaves is backyard composting. Leaves may be composted by piling them in a heap. Locate the pile where drainage is adequate and there is no standing water. The composting pile should be damp enough that when a sample taken from the interior is squeezed by hand a few drops of water will appear. A shaded area will...

Spring Bulbs

Spring Bulbs Expand your bulb plantings with blooms other than the usual tulips and daffodils. Winter aconite, for instance, blooms faithfully by Valentine's Day in the coastal area; snow drops often flower even earlier. Scillas are commonly found in spring gardens in many forms, the most common are not hardy but are great for forcing. One is Ornithogalum dubium, first cousin to star of Bethlehem, which has bright yellow or orange flowers with a black eye. It can produce up to 25 flowers per stem. The other is Veltheimiak called winter red hot poker, with foot-high stems topped with clusters of drooping tubular flowers. This oine will thrive in an east window and flowers in late winter or early spring. Plant fall-flowering bulbs on arrival Order minor spring-flowering bulbs for September planting Order daffodil bulbs for October planting, tulips for November planting

Making Compost tea

Making compost tea is not difficult and has many benefits. Compost tea-When plants need some immediate care, perk them up with nutrient-rich water made by soaking a cloth bag full of compost in a watering can or barrel for a couple of days. Dilute the resulting solution to a weak tea color-reuse your tea bag a few times, then apply the remaining solids to your garden. Here are some resources for you. http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html/105-0647806-1860457? http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/compost-tea-notes.html

Trees-provide oxygen and help us breathe

Imagine what it would be like if you had to put on a space suit to go outdoors, depending on an oxygen tank instead of fresh air to breathe. It might be fun for the first couple of times, but after that we'd grow tired of putting on and taking off the space suit several times a day. Could such a thing happen? Not if we're careful. The air we breathe becomes a little less pure every day, while the population on earth increases, causing the need for more fresh air. How do trees help? They make their own food in a process called photosynthesis in which leaves and needles take in carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone and other poisons from the air. In return, leaves release large amounts of pure oxygen into the atmosphere. In one year, a large tree produces enough oxygen to fill 800 houses!

Container Recipe for Sun

For hot, sunny spots, try this creative combination of drought-tolerant annuals and perennials that stand up to the hear.

1. Purple fan flower-Grows 14 inches tall, 20 inches wide.
2. Toothache plant-Grows 12 inches tall, 30 inches wide.
3. Golden dewdrop-Grows 24 inches tall, 24 inches wide.
4. Tricolor sage-Grows 24 inches tall, 30 inches wide.

Tip-Clustering containers filled with both blooms and foliage helps keep the arrangement beautiful throughout the season. If the flowers fade or need a rest before the next wave of blooms, the foliage will keep the composition lively. Purple sage and golden dewdrop are beautiful foliage companions to the yellow blooms of the toothache plant and the long blooming, heat-loving flowers of New Wonder Fan Flower.

What is Compost?

Compost is any organic material-from leaves to manure to municipal waste-that has broken down into a rich, black, crumbly substance called humus. It feeds the soil, improves its texture, often contains micronutrients, encourages important microbial activity. Compost is one of the best things to add to all soils because it both fertilizes and improves soil texture. Some compost is poor quality. Aged forest products make the best-quality compost. Composted manure is very rich in nitrogen, so be careful to not work in too much or plant growth may be overly lush. Composted manure may have a lingering odor. And remember: With any compost, you pay a premium price for something you can easily make in your own yard.

Safe steps for using cow manure in home gardens

Composting has many advantages over chemical fertilizers. First, gardeners can utilize their yard waste--leaves, grass clippings, vines and stalks--as well as vegetable peelings and straw to form the compost foundation. To aid in chemical breakdown, some gardeners add cow manure to supply the needed nitrogen, but there are some precautions to take before doing so. "Cow manure may contain E. coli, which we know is a dangerous bacteria that can cause severe illness and even death," says Dr. Jodie Pennington, dairy specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. "Generally, we only think of E. coli when consuming beef, but the bacteria itself can remain in manure and spread to what it touches." Fortunately, composting provides a way to address this concern. When the correct blend of carbon, nitrogen, moisture and oxygen are available, beneficial micro-organisms will actively compost, that is decompose the manure and carbon material. Under ideal conditions, the temperature of the compost pile will rise to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, or more. If maintained for several days E. coli and other harmful bacteria are killed. This heating process should also help to kill weed seeds. "When the temperature starts to drop, the pile should be turned over and mixed to re-aerate it so that the active composting will continue," says Dr. Karl VanDevender, Extension engineer. "If desired, the pile can be left alone for several months to finish decomposing at a slower rate. When completed, the finished compost will have a lower nitrogen concentration than the original manure. It will then be less likely to burn or kill vegetation." To use the compost, till it into the soil prior to planting or add it as fertilizer after seeds have been sown. While active composting kills harmful bacteria, it is still recommended that you wear gloves when handling compost containing cow manure as well as washing up thoroughly afterward to avoid cross-contamination of surfaces or food. "Especially important is to thoroughly wash vegetables or fruits grown in cow manure compost," Pennington explains. "A good rule of thumb is to do it before taking it in the house as well as prior to preparing a meal." For more information about food safety and nutrition, visit www.uaex.edu, or contact your county Extension agent. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.

Understanding Soil Types

Understanding Soil Types

Soil is composed of four main elements: mineral matter, water, air and organic matter. Grains of sand, finely pulverized rock or pebbles are mineral matter. The size, proportions and type of mineral matter give the soil its basic texture, which determines its type. Broadly defined, the four soil types are sand, clay, silt and loam. Sandy soil is light and easy to dig, warms quickly in the spring and is rich in oxygen. However, sandy soil doesn't hold much moisture or many plant nutrients. Silty soil has a lighter texture than clay but is heavier than sand. Small silt particles travel easily in water, so soil in low places near rivers and streams often has a silty character. Porr draniage and surface crusting are the main problems you will have when gardening in silty soil. Loam is the a good balance of clay, silt and sand, and a generous amount of organic matter. Clay soil is heavy and difficult to dig and has little pore space for oxyen. Clay often contains plenty of plant nutrients, but the nutrients may be not be available to plants because of the soil's thight texture. Clay soil tends to stay wet for a long time after heavey rains, and may drain poorly. When clay dries out it becomes rock hard. It is encouraging to know that clay soil becomes terricic garden soil if a sufficient amount of organic matter is added.

Lawnmowers and grasscycling

Lawnmowers & grasscycling

What is grasscycling? Grasscycling is the natural recycling of grass clippings by leaving clippings on the lawn after mowing. There is no need to bag them, just cut it and leave it! Grass clippings make up a significant part of our waste stream, and there are only limited areas to dispose of them. Be a part of the solution, while at the same time, save time and money plus have a healthier lawn! Proper mowing is essential. Avoid mowing more than one-third of the lawn height. To grasscycle, a special mower is not needed. Regular lawn mowers can be used to grasscycle effectively by removing the collection bag and adding a blade adapter, which will cut up and pulverize grass even more finely. Grasscycling provides up to one-half of the nitrogen needed by a lawn. When you rake them up, you rob your lawn of food.

Bit of Spring for your winter?

Winter is often a time of year for subtleness in the garden. We all need color in the winter garden! Try Hellebores. They are native to mountainous woodlands and open meadows of Western Europe. These are really great plants. The foliage is dark green and leathery, with very fine serrations along the leaf margin. The leaves remain an attractive green into January, when they start to collapse and discolor. Aside from locating them with winter interest companions all Hellebores require a well-grained location and prosper with afternoon shade. All are drought tolerant, and provide ample seedlings for naturalizing and are deer resistant. For more information, please visit www.RutgersGardens.org

Compost pen to make

Compost pen to make

A 10' length of 4' wide welded wire fencing forms a circular compost pen slightly larger than 3' in diameter. Fasten the ends of the fencing together with wire or reusable clips. Turn the compost by unfastening the fencing and setting up the pen next to the freestanding pile; turn into the now-empty pen. To direct moisture into the center of your compost pile, drive a pole or length of pipe into the ground in the center of your pen so that it extends slightly above the top edge of the pen and your compost.

myorganicflower

Barrel Composters

Barrel Composters

If you have a small space you can compost in a garbage can or a steel drum. If you don't generate large quantities of compost materials you can just use a bigger bin. Either galvanized metal or heavey duty polyethylene cans will work. I prefer the polyethylene ones with a locking lid for this purpose. Always be sure to secure your lids with a strap of some kind.

Punch or drill 1/4 inch holes in the bottom, sides, and lid of drainage and aeration. Be sure to set the can up on bricks or concrete blocks so that it will drain properly. As you fill the bin, cover each layer of materials with a layer of soil or brown materials. To preven odors, stir the material once in a while, as barrel compost bins receive less natural aeration than other types of bins.

What not to compost

What not to compost:

• Bones
• dairy products
• peanut butter
• meat scraps
• fish scraps
• cooking oil
• diseased vegetation
• animal fats
• household pet wastes
• plywood or pressure-treated wood

These items can attract pests, generate foul orders, or infect or contaminate the compost.To aid the decompostion process to avoid attracting flies, and to control odors, bury food scraps 8 inches to 1 foot beneath the surface of the pile. They can also be covered with straw, leaves, or sawdust.

Viral Diseases In Your Garden

Unfortunately, there are a number of common plant ailments that are entirely beyond the control of even the best gardener. Whether you are a casual weekend gardener or a grower of championship blooms, keeping your garden healthy is important. The common bacterial infection known as fireblight, for instance, can easily penetrate plants if it...Click here for more

Remember to Water in Winter

Winter watering is important for evergreens that continue to lose water through their leaves during the winter. Even in winter, sun and wind cause leaves to dry out rapidly. Roots will replace the lost moisture if there is water in the soil and the soil is not completely frozen.

How to add organic matter to Soil

You can add organic matter by digging or tilling it into the surface of the soil, by add green manure crops, or simply by applying mulches and allowing them to break down over time. Five percent organicmatter is a good goal to strive for in your soil. This work out to be one inch of compost or other fine-textured organic material spread over the soil surface. If you are switching to organic methods from chemical give extra help to the struggling microbial populations by applying bacterial cultures that give your soil and compost piles a boost.

Compost Connoisseur's Best Friend

Manures

Animal manures are high in nitrogen and are perfect for getting a compost pile cooking. Cow, goat, cheep, pig, pigeon, chicken, duck, llama and horse manure all make fine compost and can often be obtained from local sources. Dogs and cats, due to possible disease pathogens and are not suitable.

Composting Troubleshooting

Having trouble with your compost? Here are some solutions to try.

1. Pile not composting - too dry- mositen until slighly damp
2. Pile smells rotten and attracts flies- too much woody material-turn, add fresh green materials or organic fertilizer. If you have flies you can also bury your food scraps 6-8 deep instead of just throwing them on the pile.
3. Pile smells like ammonia - too much green material (or food scraps) - turn, add dry or woody materials.

Composting troubleshooting

Some more Hot Compost recipes

Hot Recipes for Compost

Recipe #2

3 parts Dry leaves=high carbon-Brown

1 part Fresh garden weeds=Nitrogen-green

1 part Fresh grass clippings=Nitrogen-green

1 part Food scraps=Nitrogen=green

Mix and let cook add more water if mixture becomes dry.

Composting Recipes

Composting can be viewed a little like cooking. A good recipe will enhance the finished product. The recipe below is based on volume. A pile made up of 25 to 50 % green materials, regularly moistened, will heat up rapidly and become compost faster. Compost Cookbook: 2 parts dry leaves - brown-carbon 2 parts straw or wood shavings-brown- higher carbon 1 part manure-green-high nitrogen 1 part grass clippings-green-nitrogen 1 part fresh garden weeds-green-nitrogen 1 part food scraps-green-high nitrogen Mix up and let cook if it becomes dry moisten with water. feed your plants with compost when done.