| ||
| ||
|
||
|
|
|
Composting - aka: The Circle of Life!
Composting is where the gardening thing comes full circle. You've created your garden bed, you've nurtured your plants. The results have been eaten by the family...and now the plants and refuse from the garden can be recycled into next year's compost. It is the closed loop of nature. This is so simple and so obvious a thing to do, I'm still staggered that people will send this sort of rubbish to the tip. When I was totally intimidated about cooking and convinced I couldn't do it, a friend of mine said 'It's just chemistry. If you add X to Y under these conditions, this MUST happen'. I think this applies big time to composting. So what does your compost need to work? It needs moisture (but not too much). It needs heat (and will generate a good deal on it's own) It needs air. It needs bugs, bacteria, fungi and other micro-organisms (pretty much under the 'Build it and they will come' principle) There are a few ways to work the compost. If you have a bit of room, build a couple of 3 sided enclosures (about 1M square) out of wood, wire, tin, whatever is laying about the place. If you're in a place that gets a lot of rain, think about keeping a tarp handy so the compost heap doesn't get too soggy. It should be in a shady corner of your garden. Composting doesn't work if you continually feed just one pile. The composting is never finished in those circumstances. So start with one pile by adding waste plant and kitchen refuse. This can include grass clippings, spent plants, fruit peelings, egg shells and non fatty kitchen scraps. NEVER use fat, oil or meat in your compost. They will attract vermin. Other things that will slow down your compost include paper, rice hulls, wood shavings, woody cuttings and tough or oily leaves (like those from evergreens). Diseased plants and weeds should also be kept out of your compost. Fill the compost enclosure to 6-8 inches (15-20cm) with your refuse. Then spread a couple of scoops of agricultural lime and a handful of complete fertilizer. Continue layering to a height of about 3 feet over time. Every few weeks, turn the compost to encourage decomposition. If the compost material is dry, give it a light watering after turning. Start your second pile while this one is 'cooking'. Your compost should be ready for the garden in 6-8 weeks. By continuing to alternate between the two piles, you will have a continuous supply of fresh garden compost for your garden beds while recycling your kitchen refuse. Judy Williams (http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
MORE RESOURCES:
Landscaping-Gardening - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Flowers Wilting? Tips for Making Your Flowers Last Longer We all know one disadvantage of flowers is that they don't last very long. While they are here they bring happiness and warmth to any dull decorating space. When to Plant Vegetaibles Planting times for vegetables and other annual plants vary from species to species. In much of the United States the prime consideration is the date of the last spring frost/freeze. A Look at Fall Flower Bulbs Most people would think of fall as a season when trees are changing colors and dying. For many, the autumn leaves are our last dance with color before the dark, gray winter sets in. A Teak Table - Accent Your Outdoor Decor With One It's been time consuming, and there have been a lot of hard decisions along the way, but finally you have chosen the perfect outdoor furniture that fits your personality, budget and space. And as you sit on your new favorite chaise lounge, drink balanced precariously on the edge of the flower box to your left, you suddenly realize what your space is lacking: tables. Letting Nature Grow Your Garden It is wisest to let Nature have Her way. Nature has her own agenda, and your life as a gardener will be easier if you bow to Her desires. Edible Flowers in Your Garden Flowers can be an integral part of cooking. While most of us are aware that violets can be candied and nasturtiums can be eaten in salads, there's a bounty of flower varieties that are both edible and delicious. Riding Lawn Mowers Most riding lawn mowers are machines fun ride and extremely cool to look at. However, they are just a dream for many gardeners who can not afford one of these powerful gardening equipment. Selling Your House? Trim Your Shrubs! Shrubbery and other greenery that has an unkempt appearance can often be misconstrued as a sign of neglect, and gives a bad impression of your house overall. Prospective homebuyers who see shrubbery that has not been well maintained may not even be aware of their observation, but it will have an impact on the way they view your property as a whole. How to Build a Shed The easiest way to build a shed in the backyard is to make a trip to the local Lowe's or other hardware shop to purchase a shed-building kit.Never choose one from a picture in a brochure or from the Internet. Winter Gardening As the end of summer approaches, unfortunately far too quickly, all is not lost for gardening with some great ideas on bringing a piece of your garden indoors and creating a winter garden.Studies have shown that as the year progresses the less sunlight and more dreary days we have, the more depressed we feel. Escape to Sunny Mexico - at Home! Can't get away for a southern vacation this year? Don't despair -- plan a sunny Mexican style refresher for your patio décor and enjoy the festive atmosphere of a hacienda at home this summer.As with every other decorating style, Mexican décor has its own basic elements. Seeding Flowers Indoors: An Inexpensive Way to a Beautiful Summer Garden Every year you plan that THIS will be the year you have pots and pots of lush plants on your balcony or deck. Then you visit your local nursery in the spring and reality hits -- the cost for your fantasy is just outrageous! Sound familiar?But you can have the planters of your dreams at a fraction of the cost and with a choice of varieties far beyond what the local garden center offers. Choosing Pond Plants A pond without plants is like cake without icing. Pond plants fight algae, give fish a hiding place against predators, and beautify our own little slice of paradise to plunk down in at the end of a tiring day. A Beautiful Rose Is Natures Gift Roses are one of natures most beautiful and splendid gifts. Roses come in a variety of colors and scents, from deep, deep red to the brightest yellow. Gardening - An Expression Give the same plants to several people, you will see several arrangements. Each one distinct and different, yet, using the same plants. Feeding the Hummingbirds Early in May here in west central Wisconsin, I can count on seeing a Ruby Throated Hummingbird hovering in front of my kitchen window, flitting back and forth, as if to say, "there was a hummingbird feeder RIGHT HERE last year. Where is it?"And then I know it is time to put out hummingbird nectar. A Couple of Good Places to Buy Lawnmowers After much searching and deliberation, I finally bought a lawnmower of the Internet. This is not the sort of item that I would normally buy on the web, but am happy that I did so. Planning a Vegetable Garden It is important when you start to plan a garden, to know what you want the garden to do. For instance, if you are hoping to feed a family of four all year round, you will need to plan a garden that is approximately 100 square meters of space (not including walking paths) that produces more than once. Landscaping Tips When you want to create a beautiful and functional landscape, the task may be overwhelming. Before the first shovel of soil is turned, close your eyes and picture your dream garden. Three Stumbling Blocks to Growing Grapes in the Backyard Are you one of those home gardeners that don't know the three stumbling blocks to successfully growing grapes in your backyard? Don't worry, you're not alone.I have grown grapes successfully under the worst of conditions since 1975 and I can tell you that most of the problems gardeners encounter are because they don't understand the nature of the beast that they are growing.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |