Composting

Composting provides of the best mulches and soil enhancements you can get and, besides, the price is right.  In fact you can make compost without spending a cent.

By using a composting program in your yard you improve the soil structure, aeration, nutrient level and it’s water retention.  Because of its bulk compost keeps the soil loose and is a benefit to the root process of all plants.

And this is not to mention the nutrients its provides to your plants and lawn. The organic material feeds microorganisms in the soil that give off nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These naturally-produced chemicals, in turn, benefit the plant life.

Microorganisms are only tip of the composting process. It also involves hundreds of larger organisms like  fungi, worms and other insects.  The end result of the feeding process are the “castings,” a rich, black, almost odorless materila which is almost pure plant food

You can duplicate the natural composting cycle with your own compost pile. Make sure than the material is fine and that it is only organic, not wood or other materials. Grass clippings are great as they contain lots of nitrogen. Kitchen waste is good but not meat and dairy as they attract rodents. In the fall leaves are great but shred them so that they can decompose before the freeze. Mix you pile evenly so that air, dirt and the composting materials mix evenly.

Compost – Free Fertilizer

With the heightened awareness over pesticides and chemical fertilizers making their way into the water tables across the nation more emphasis is being placed on organic solutions. When it comes to nourishing plant life nothing worked better and is so self-sustaining as compost.

Too Cheap

Compost can be made without any expense. It improves soil texture and bulk and allows the soil to hold water when the weather is dry and, especially, if the dirt is sandy. It breaks up clay and prevents it from becoming a sold clump. But its best quality is that it fertilizes without harming any of the natural organisms in the soil. In fact, unlike the chemical versions, compost provides sustenance for microorganisms which, in turn produce nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.

The key ingredients to producing compost are carbon-rich “brown” material – dried leaves, wood material and straw – and “green” material, vegetation such as lawn clippings which are high in nitrogen. There are basically tow processes:

Passive Composting: A free-standing pile in which kitchen compost and other garden vegetation is placed. This pile will take up to 2 years to decompose completely but compost can be taken off the bottom.

Managed Compost: This is like passive except that the pile is turned over regularly to mix the compost thoroughly and let the worms and microorganisms do to work.

Indoors With Worms

Composting can also be done over the winter and indoors. Composting with earthworms, or “vermi-composting,” is great for providing houseplants with nourishment over the winter or all-year round. All you need is a plastic bin, some dirt, some worms ( 1/2 pound per bin) and organic matter: shredded newspapers, coffee grounds, vegetable matter, etc. To harvest the “castings,” or compost and loam, simply put the open bin under a bright light. the worms will go down to the bottom of the bin and you scoop out the top layer. Then put new bedding in and another supply of composting materials and you’re ready for another batch.

Worms can be purchased at your local garden store or ordered online. For more infomration about composting contact Renovation Experts

Prep Your Soil

In many parts of the country March is a good time to begin treating your soil for the planting ahead. You can start when you notice the ground is beginning to dry and you can test it with a shovelful of earth. If the soil sticks together and won’t come apart in clumps then let it sit for another week. Because if you start trying to work the soil now it will just re-compress into large, hard bricks. However, if your soil is sandy the work can start now.

Go Organic

Adding organic material to the soil is the best thing you can do for it. Last year’s compost, grass clippings, composted manure, peat moss and rotting leaves build up the soil and help it to retain moisture during the dry summer. For sandy soil this is very important. Adding chemical fertilizer is recommended in many garden manuals but resisting these and chemical pesticides is better for the environment and the health of those around you.

Because of a mixture of our climate, industrial fallout and the nature of our land most soils lean toward the acidic side so it is a good idea to add lime. Ideally the best time to add lime is the fall but you can still mix it in now if th soil is dry enough. You want to get it evenly sifted throughout the soil as big clumps will burn the roots of your plants.

Using Raised Beds

Raised beds are great for productivity because:

• The loose soil allows oxygen to reach the roots
• The soil stays warmer because it is above ground level allowing longer growing season.
• Digging is easier as the soil isn’t compacted.
• Excess water drains off

The key to making beds is to make them wide enough while still being able to reach the middle plants. The experts recommend 2 to 5 feet wide with pathways in between for easy access to the beds. For raising the soil in the beds think of the beds as individual flower boxes: The deeper the beds the more abundant your crop or the more lush your flowers. Adding soil from the paths helps out as does bringing in soil from other areas. For added height you can also put in pressure-treated wood sides.

Planting

Check the frost tables for your area to ascertain the best time for planting. For example, potatoes can be planted early while tomatoes need a wide berth of frost-free days.