Composting the Easy Way

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. You must include an active link back to the author's website, as well as an active link back to http://gardening-articles.com

Having an ample supply of good rich compost is the gardeners' dream.
It has many uses, and all of those uses will result in nicer plants. However, composting can be time consuming and hard work. I place a reasonable value on my time, so spending hours and hours turning compost piles doesn’t qualify as a worthwhile exercise, at least in my book. Nonetheless, I do compost, but I do so on my terms.

I built two composting bins. Each bin is five feet wide, five feet deep, and four feet high. I built the bins by sinking 4” by 4” posts in the ground for the corners, and then nailed 2 by 4’s and 1 by 4’s, alternating on the sides.

I left 2” gaps between the boards for air circulation. The 2 by 4’s are rigid enough to keep the sides from bowing out, and in between each 2 by 4 I used 1 by 4’s to save a little money. The bins are only 3 sided, I left the front of the bins open so they can be filled and emptied easily. Photos of my compost bins are on this page: http://www.freeplants.com\composting.htm

I started by filling just one of the bins. I put grass clippings, dried leaves, and shrub clippings in the bins. I try not to put more than 6” of each material on a layer. You don’t want 24” of grass clippings in the bin, you should alternate layers of green and brown material. If necessary, keep a few bags of dry leaves around so you can alternate layers of brown waste and green waste.

When we root cuttings we use coarse sand in the flats, so when it’s time to pull the rooted cuttings out of the flats, the old sand goes on the compost pile. In our little backyard nursery we also have some plants in containers that do not survive. Rather than pulling the dead plant and the weeds out of the container, and then dumping the potting soil back on the soil pile, we just dump the whole container in the compost bin. This adds more brown material to the mix, and is a lot easier than separating the soil and the weeds.

Once the bin is full, the rules of composting say that you should turn the material in the bin every few weeks. There is no way that I have time to do that, so this is what I do. I pack as much material in the bin as I can, before I start filling the second bin. I pile the material as high as I possibly can, and even let it spill out in front of the bin. Then I cover all the fresh material with mulch or potting soil, whatever brown material I can find.

Then when I’m out working in the garden I set a small sprinkler on top of the pile and turn it on very low, so a small spray of water runs on the material. Since I have a good water well, this doesn’t cost me anything, so I let it run for at least two hours as often as I can. This keeps the material damp, and the moisture will cause the pile to heat up, which is what makes the composting action take place.

Once I have the first bin completely full, I start using the second bin. As the material in the first bin starts to break down, it will settle, and the bin is no longer heaped up, so I just keep shoveling the material that I piled in front of the bin, up on top of the pile, until all the material is either in the bin or piled on top of the heap. Then I just leave it alone, except to water it once in a while. The watering isn’t necessary, it just speeds the process.

Because I don’t turn the pile, I can’t expect all of the material to rot completely. The material in the center is going to break down more than the material on the edges, but most of it does break down quite well. The next step works great for me because I’ve got a small nursery, so I keep a pile of potting soil on hand at all times. But you can really do the same thing by just buying two or three yards of shredded mulch to get started, and piling it up near your compost bins. If you do this, you will always have a supply of good compost to work with.

Shredded bark, left in a pile will eventually break down and become great compost. The potting soil that I use is about 80% rotted bark. I make potting soil by purchasing fine textured, and dark hardwood bark mulch, and I just put it in a pile and let it rot. The secret is to keep the pile low and flat, so that it does not shed the rain water away. You want the mulch to stay as wet as possible, this will cause it to break down fairly quickly.

So I keep a pile of rotted bark mulch near my compost bins. When both bins are completely full, I empty the bin containing the oldest material by piling it on top of my rotted bark mulch. I make sure the pile of rotted mulch is wide and
flat on top so that when I put the material from the compost bin on top of the pile, the compost material is only 5 to 10 inches thick.

My mulch pile might be 12’ wide, but it may only be 24 to 30 inches high. Once I have all the compost on top of the pile, then I go around the edge of the pile with a shovel, and take some of the material from the edges of the pile and toss it up on top of the pile, covering the compost with at least 6” of rotted bark. This will cause the compost material to decompose the rest of the way.

Once you get this system started, you never want to use all of the material in the pile. Always keep at least 2 to 3 cubic yards on hand so you’ve got something to mix with your compost. If you use a lot of compost material like I do, then you should buy more material and add to your pile in the late summer or fall, once you are done using it for the season.

Around here many of the supply companies sell a compost material that is already broken down quite well. This is what I buy to add to my stock pile. But I try to make sure that I have at least 3 yards of old material on hand, then I’ll add another 3 yards of fresh material to that. Then in the spring I’ll empty one of the compost bins and add the compost to the top of the pile.

The pile of usable compost will be layers of material, some more composted than others. Kind of like a sandwich. So what I do is chip off a section of the pile from the edge, spread it out on the ground so it’s only about 8” deep, then
run over it with my small rototiller. This mixes it together perfectly, and I shovel it onto the potting bench.

Having a pile of rotted compost near your compost bins is great because if you have a lot of leaves or grass clippings, you can throw some rotted compost in the bin in order to maintain that layered effect that is necessary in order for the composting process to work well.

Sure this process is a little work, but it sure is nice to have a place to get rid of organic waste any time I like. Then down the road when I have beautiful compost to add to my potting soil, I am grateful to have done the right thing earlier, and I know that I have wasted nothing.

Source:Gardening
Author : Michael J. McGroarty

Soil Analysis By Leaf Testing For Correct Fertilization

Tasteless food is a good measure of the micro-mineral concentration in your soil. ASAP Plant Minerals is the effective way to assure biosynthesis of phytochemical nutrients in crops. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus work in synergy with micro-minerals and need them present to grow not just plants, but plants with nutrition. The strong fragrance in flowers and rich taste in food is due to micro-nutrients present during photosynthesis of phytochemicals. Testing leaves is an easy way to see what's going on underground.

Plants need two distinct groupings of fertilization. The well known type of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur applications that are adjusted depending on season. In the spring, the nitrogen and phosphorus with a lower potassium combination is applied to stimulate root and green growth, then as photoperiod shortens after the summer solstice, potassium is high, with nitrogen and phosphorus delivered at a lower concentration to stimulate fruit maturation. The other type is the micro-mineral elements, which are poorly understood and mostly neglected having not as obvious an effect on growth as NPK. Minerals stimulate photosynthesis of phytochemical nutrients inside the chloroplast cells at the microscopic size frame and their effects are less apparent until the crop is harvested and can be tasted. The major difference between the two is that the first type produces the size of food, the second type puts the nutrition into food. ASAP understands these two areas of soil and plant nutritional requirements and can offer some clear thinking on the subject.

It is extremely important that the right amount and kind of the first group fertilizer is applied to fruit trees and grape vines. For example, too much nitrogen (N) can result in oversized, poorly-colored fruit which does not keep well. If growth continues late in the season (because of excessive N), trees fail to harden properly and are more subject to winter injury. Diseases such as fireblight of pear and apple, or canker of peach, can be more serious if N levels are too high. Too little N also causes problems such as poor fruit set, small fruit, pale foliage and stunted growth. N control is the most common and serious nutritional problem in Ontario orchards and vineyards. Excessive levels of N occur more frequently than deficient levels. Micro-nutrient stripping in the soils in the United States is more common. K deficiency and excess are also frequently encountered. Grapes, for example, often show K deficiency as the crop matures, even though the clay loam soils on which they are grown test high in K. This is more serious in dry years or with heavy crops.

Soil pH should be checked every 2 to 3 years. Micro-nutrients are very sensitive to acid or base conditions and incorrect pH can produce unavailability or toxicity. Excesses or deficiencies of micro-nutrients also can result in serious metabolic functional problems in crops. This is where ASAP Plant Minerals has its greatest effects, micro-minerals are essential for the utilization of the big three and even more important if you are growing food for nutrition. With increased fertilizer costs and environmental concerns, proper fertilizer use becomes even more important.

Excessive potassium can lead to magnesium deficiency. Low magnesium levels particularly in vineyards and apple orchards are becoming more common. Without understanding the intricate link between NPK and micro-minerals Zn, Mn and B deficiencies are created in orchards when micro-minerals are not replenished. When the big three are used year after year; these minerals are simply removed. All disorders, however, can be most readily identified by leaf analysis to evaluate what is missing in the soil by identifying what is found in the leaf tissue. In many cases, growers have found that the cost for each leaf sample has been returned many times over in reduced fertilizer costs and/or in better crops of higher quality fruit.

Leaf Analysis:

The Ontario Leaf Analysis Service for fruit, initiated in 1958, was one of the first to be introduced in North America. An analytical service is now available from accredited private laboratories for apple, peach, pear, plum, cherry, grape, strawberry and blueberry. Growers of these crops have an effective method of predicting fertilizer requirements and of measuring responses to their fertilizer and cultural programs. Each lab has a basic and complete two tier analysis.

The best method of determining the kind and amount of fertilizer to apply to fruit trees is by leaf analyses. It effectively measures macro and micro-nutrients and indicates the need for changes in fertilizer programs. Leaf analyses integrates all the factors that might influence nutrient availability and uptake and shows the balance between nutrients. For example magnesium (Mg) deficiency may be the result of a lack of Mg in the soil or from excessive K levels or both of these conditions. Leaf analyses can indicate the balance between K and Mg and show hidden or incipient deficiencies. Adding N, for example, when K is low may result in K deficiency because the increased growth requires more K.

An example of how leaf analyses data might be interpreted:

A Fuji apple leaf sample taken the last 2 weeks of July tests 2.30% N. This is at the low end of the optimum range and suggests a need for slightly more fertilizer N. If the trees had been heavily pruned the previous spring a greater increase in fertilizer N might be applied since pruning would have increased leaf N concentrations. On the other hand, if the trees are to be pruned heavily next spring, the same rate of fertilizer N might be applied this year since growth and N uptake will be stimulated by the pruning. If the trees are on M26 or M9 rootstock, an even greater increase in N rate should be applied since the leaf N is no longer in the optimum range. If the leaf K is 1.4% an increased rate of K fertilizer is needed since this is the bottom of the optimum range and an increase in N fertilizer rate will increase the need for K. The increased K rate may increase the need for Mg if the Mg concentration is below .25%.

Testing fruit and leaf is an easy and safe way to investigate the condition of the minerals in your soil to assure the growing medium of your plants. But applying ASAP Plant Minerals in fall and spring will always provide the stripped micro-nutrients back to your soil for the big three to work.

Source : GoArticles
Author : August Dunning is the head Research Director at http://www.asaporganics.com

How To Make Organic Vegetable Gardening More Productive

Organic Vegetable gardening is very different from conventional gardening. A great deal of care and preparation must be undertaken before you get started. You will need to know how best to prepare soil and know how to enrich it and also provide it with adequate protection from insects that can often do a lot of harm to your vegetables.

Healthy soils usually produce healthy plants provided you incorporate the right Ingredients into your preparation there is no reason why you should not produce healthy abundant plants.

To get the right kind of fertile soil for your organic vegetables, you need to ensure that the soil will is as fertile as possible, and to ensure that you need to have proper amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and also potassium. Before doing anything else, you need to have drawn up detailed plans about how you are going to perform your organic vegetable gardening chores; obviously the type of soil that you use will be a major consideration as far as your plans to grow vegetables organically are concerned.

Your plan must decide what you wish to grow, know the space requirements, make a small scale plan and know where to place different vegetables, and also you will need to calculate the right distance between seeds and rows. Once you have your plans sorted out, you will be ready to get the full benefits of organic vegetable gardening which includes giving your taste buds a treat and being able to choose to sow your favorite vegetables.

In order to be successful in your organic vegetable gardening endeavors you should protect your garden from unwanted intrusion by pets or vermin and plan towards well and constantly cared for gardening this requires a strong will if you want to reap the many possible benefits. You will need to mix the soil well and do so at least three weeks before planting, the soil must have been well prepared to take the seeds and even maybe the transplants.

You also need to ensure that the soil has those materials that have plenty of nitrogen and the soil should have pH of approximately 7.0 and temperatures should hover close to fifty degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, the soil must be properly aerated and to prevent soil from turning acidic there should be enough lime present. While irrigating the soil, care should be taken to make the soil thoroughly wet at least once in a week unless it has rained, which will ensure that the soil is moist especially around the root zone.

Go to your local garden supplier they will be able to assist you with local conditions and where to source your organic compost and manures lime and other soil inputs. When you start of with a well prepared patch you will find it easy to control weeds and provided your plants are well fed and healthy you should have no problems with insects and other parasites.. Before you realize it you will be harvestinf your first produce and from then on there is no looking back.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com
Author : Authors biography: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to Alternative Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Herb Gardens and Organic Food. for more information please visit http://www.organiceandyou.com

10 Steps To Creating A Beautiful Backyard Landscape

Create a beautiful backyard landscape that will attract birds, butterflies and wildlife. It's really not that hard and you can make it manageable by breaking the landscaping plan down into sections.

Here are 10 steps that will help you create your own backyard haven.

1) Develop a landscaping plan
Look over your backyard. Where is the area you will most likely be sitting and viewing the backyard? What is the focal point of the landscape? If you are adding a water feature, you will probably want to make that the focus and develop your plan with that in mind.

Don't rush through this phase. It's important to have an idea what you are trying to accomplish, but it's also important to be flexible enough to make changes to the plan along the way.

2) Plan what features you want in your backyard
This goes hand in hand with developing your landscape plan. Some features you might consider are the sound of running water, colorful plants, easy to maintain plants, a gazebo, a section for the kids to play, etc.

3) Break down the plan into sections
Don't try to accomplish everything in one year. Break your yard down into manageable sections and begin working on section 1. A pond and stream or waterfall, if you are adding this, will be your starting point. Do this section first. Remember though, you can and most likely will make changes to each section throughout the years, so don't get too concerned about the final output. The important thing is to get started.

4) When you begin to do planting, till the area thoroughly.
Remove the grass as much as possible, then till the area thoroughly. Mix in compost, maybe some sand, and whatever your local flower shop might recommend to make the soil rich. The richer the soil, the better your plants will grow, and the less weeding and maintenance you will have.

5) Plant according to height.
Taller plants need to go at the back of each section. Low plants and flowers should be at the front. It would be a shame to have beautiful flowers in your garden that you can't see. This seems rather basic but surprisingly, it's often overlooked.

6) Know the best time to plant your plants.
Read the instructions that come with the plants thoroughly. Trees are usually best planted in the fall so they can develop a solid root system before the heat and humidity arrive in the sumer months. Most bulbs are also best planted in the fall and grow in the spring. Many plants need to be planted after the chance of frost is over. Mother's Day or Memorial Day are favorite planting weekends, depending on when the frost danger passes in your area.

7)When choosing plants, look for sun requirement.
Some flowers need full sun for most of the day. Some need partial sun and others grow best in shady areas. Don't overlook this. Know the section you are working on and how much sun you generally have on that area and buy accordingly.

8) Different flowers bloom at different times of the year so plan accordingly. Try as much as possible to have flowers in each section that will be blooming throughout the summer months. Many plants bloom in the spring, some from June to July, some only in August; they vary greatly. There are some that bloom from early summer to early fall and, if possible, it's nice to mix some of these into each section. Having said that, there may be a section where you have bulbs planted that only bloom in the spring. No problem if you plan for this. It is important to keep this in mind, however.

9) Pansies for the winter months.
Consider planting pansies so you can continue to have colorful flowers even throughout the winter months. They thrive in cool weather and will grow throughout the winter with proper care. Plant them in the area where your spring blooming plants are planted. Plant the spring bulbs first, then the pansies above them. The spring flowers will grow right through the pansies and add a very rich colorful area.

10) Don't neglect watering your plants.
The morning is the best time to day to water your plants. The water absorbs into the ground without evaporating. Avoid watering at night as foliage will stay wet all night long, which can lead to disease. Avoid watering during the middle of the day as water droplets sitting on a plant's leaves acts like a magnifying glass and can burn the leaves of your plants in the sun.

Follow these steps and you can have a beautiful backyard landscape that will attract birds and butterflies and wildlife. A place where you can get away from it all.


About The Author : Bob Blick is the creator of gardening for birds. Visit this website and you will get a lot of good, informative tips on gardening and landscaping.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com