If you stopped to take a look at a smelly heap of garden debris in your driveway this past week you may have wondered what it was and what was so smelly about it. If you walked into your back yard last night you could not see much of anything that it was so smelly about. You are right; it is not composting enough. Not yet!
So what is composting? You invent composting. You break up materials which will and can be composted and let them rot. Then you place that mixture in a heap and allow Mother Nature to do her thing.
Earth worms are the workhorses who do all the work to create the compost and you can depend on them to do a good job. Earth worms breathe through their skin so they do not like open, airy spaces. They prefer a firm, earthy soil which also makes for better composting.
Let’s look at why you would want to compost. It is many. Let’s assume that you are healthy and happy. You enjoy nature and wanted to beautify your yard and garden. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you had an automatic system set up so that your lawn would never need to be trimmed? When you use a push reel mower instead of a gas or electric mower it will shorten the amount of time needed to maintain your lawn.
The decomposition of grass clippings and leaves helps to reduce the amount of pollution that accumulates in landfills. Your lawn will be less prone to disease due to the amount of air which is filtered away. You will not need to wash off the cut grass because of the high humidity that it enjoys. inhibited air circulation around the roots of the grass makes for a healthier lawn.
So what does composting mean when you walk into your family’s kitchen and cut a big plate of potatoes? In the kitchen the nutrients that are added to the soil are used to bring flavor to food. In the garden the same nutrients are used to help plants to grow. When you compost your kitchen waste it will add nutrients to the soil, help to keep the plant’s roots healthy and evens the pH level to a neutral average.
So what can you do to help decompose your clippings?
Tip 1 – Fragrant plants or flowers will draw the attention of flies. Trim them before you add them to your compost pile.
Tip 2 – Change the water in the pail when you are changing the liquid fertilizer.
Tip 3 – Of course you can throw them in the compost pile but make sure that the leaves are dry or they will sprout green flies. Remember the less you water the more they will grow!
Tip 4 – Two ahead you can place the leaves in a folded paper towel and fold it closed. Keep it in a plastic bag and make a few sandwiches.
Tip 5 – Coffee ground is a great source of nitrogen.
Tip 6 – Grass clippings you can throw out if they have grown too long. They will provide the plants with extra nitrogen
Tip 7 – Synthetic fertilizers or man-made may be harmful to the plants. If you do decide to use a synthetic fertilizer avoid using the older, highly concentrated forms. Use the 25-50-0 combination.
Tip 8 – Remember don’t overload your pail. A lot of compost filler comes out of the container as wilted plants and matter. Just be proportionate to the amount of material in the container.
Tip 9 – If your container is leaking make sure you line it with mesh or carpet.
Tip 10 – If you are using digestion fertilizer for your high protein plants like tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. don’t forget to stay away from high nitrogen fertilizers like chicken manure and earthworm castings.
Tip 11 – You can also put paper and junk mail into your compost. When you receive flyers for translations services near me, and it’s something you’re not interested in you can throw it into your compost after you shred it.
The plants should be watered and left standing over night after you have made your afternoon tea. Then they are moist and ready to work on the pests until the early morning dew has dried.
Over the wire fence or wall your organic container garden will prosper well with a minimum of care. If you decide to medical your container garden it is a good time to consider a mix fertilizer. Follow the instructions that come with the mix and be sure to follow them to the letter.
By practicing some organic gardening you can find yourself with a great crop of vegetables as a gift from me to you.
Don’t forget to look for garden art ideas at your local garden center or tote board.