This is a great way to grow your own potatoes, no matter where you live or what time of year it is! You can also put the buckets outside and grow them outdoors during the summer if you live in a condo or apartment and don't have room for an outdoor garden. But you can easily move them indoors or into the greenhouse in the winter and grow potatoes year-round. In this video, the first potato example was planted in February, so you can see how well it has grown even during the colder months.
We won't be posting next week, as we'll be traveling and spending Christmas with family, but be sure to check back after the holidays for more year-round organic gardening tips and more! I'll try to post some pics of how my indoor plants are doing as well - they're looking quite lovely right now. 'Til then, enjoy your holidays, and be safe, warm, and well!
Growing Potatoes In A Bucket
Great769 shows you how to grow your very own "potty", the potato in a bucket. great769 also shows you the original "potty" potato planted back in February, my how he has grown!! This is a way people can easily grow good natural food almost anywhere y...
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Growing Winter Potatoes In Your Organic Garden
Growing winter potatoes is best done in a warm climate or in sheltered containers. This is simply because it can be difficult to dig them up if the ground is frozen hard. The potatoes will also suffer from frost if they are left in the ground during winter in a cold climate.
However, there is nothing to stop you growing winter potatoes in a conservatory or greenhouse, for example, even if you live in a place where frost and snow are common in winter. You will simply need a greenhouse heater that switches on automatically to prevent the temperature dipping below the freezing point.
When you are growing winter potatoes it is important to remember that growth will slow down when the days are shorter and colder. Therefore you need to start them in the summer (August or early September) if you want to harvest at Christmas, or a little earlier for Thanksgiving in the northern US. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to serve your own new potatoes with the family dinner on these holidays!
What is chitting and is it necessary?
You will often see recommendations that you should leave potatoes in a dark, cool place and wait for them to begin to sprout (chitting) before you plant them. If you have time to do this, that's great. You may see that some potatoes are failing to sprout and you can pick out the ones with the healthiest looking sprouts to plant. However, if you don't have time for this, don't worry about it. Most potatoes will grow just fine without chitting.
If using tub containers, you can put 3 plants into an 18 inch diameter container. Be sure that the containers are cleaned well with water and have drainage holes. Place a couple of inches of gravel at the bottom of the container to prevent waterlogging.
Then, for growing winter potatoes, place 3 inches of mulch, leaves or straw on top of the gravel. This will produce heat as it breaks down and help to keep the potatoes frost free.
Plant them in about 3 inches of compost and fertilize well. Continue to add more compost and fertilizer as the plants grow, so that you gradually fill the container. (This will increase your yield, as the plants will form potatoes all the way up along the stems once covered.) If you can find organic potato fertilizer, that is ideal. Manure is too strong and will burn the roots of the plants.
The plants will continue to grow after the container is full. Then they will flower and a few weeks later the tops will start to die off. At that time the potatoes are ready. If you leave them a couple more weeks, they will continue to grow bigger.
Good varieties are Maris Peer, Charlotte and many others. You can buy seed potatoes or (provided you are growing in containers) you can use organic potatoes from the grocery store or locally grown organic potatoes from a farmers' market.
Do not plant bought potatoes that are not seed potatoes in the soil of your garden, however, because they can carry disease which will then stay in the soil and affect future crops. For the same reason, if you grow grocery store potatoes in containers, do not spread the compost on your garden after you are done growing winter potatoes.
However, there is nothing to stop you growing winter potatoes in a conservatory or greenhouse, for example, even if you live in a place where frost and snow are common in winter. You will simply need a greenhouse heater that switches on automatically to prevent the temperature dipping below the freezing point.
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| Potatoes growing in container. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
What is chitting and is it necessary?
You will often see recommendations that you should leave potatoes in a dark, cool place and wait for them to begin to sprout (chitting) before you plant them. If you have time to do this, that's great. You may see that some potatoes are failing to sprout and you can pick out the ones with the healthiest looking sprouts to plant. However, if you don't have time for this, don't worry about it. Most potatoes will grow just fine without chitting.
If using tub containers, you can put 3 plants into an 18 inch diameter container. Be sure that the containers are cleaned well with water and have drainage holes. Place a couple of inches of gravel at the bottom of the container to prevent waterlogging.
Then, for growing winter potatoes, place 3 inches of mulch, leaves or straw on top of the gravel. This will produce heat as it breaks down and help to keep the potatoes frost free.
 |
| 1 and a half russet potato with sprouts.(Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The plants will continue to grow after the container is full. Then they will flower and a few weeks later the tops will start to die off. At that time the potatoes are ready. If you leave them a couple more weeks, they will continue to grow bigger.
Good varieties are Maris Peer, Charlotte and many others. You can buy seed potatoes or (provided you are growing in containers) you can use organic potatoes from the grocery store or locally grown organic potatoes from a farmers' market.
Do not plant bought potatoes that are not seed potatoes in the soil of your garden, however, because they can carry disease which will then stay in the soil and affect future crops. For the same reason, if you grow grocery store potatoes in containers, do not spread the compost on your garden after you are done growing winter potatoes.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Garden Planning: Paving and Walkways
Laying good paving and walkways around your garden can add considerably to the number of months during the year when you will be able to enjoy your garden and whether or not you will be able to work in it comfortably.
During the wet season, unless you have suitable areas to walk without the ground turning to mush and mud, you won't be able to access your garden to do the necessary maintenance.
Paving can also add to the style of your garden by adding a border that will set off the plants. It also allows you to add drainage and redirect water that could end up flowing into the garden and causing damage to the plants by letting them get waterlogged.
Paving is also a good alternative for people who don't like mowing lawn as it is virtually maintenance free if it has been prepared and laid correctly.
Another advantage of paving pathways is the fact that you can transport all your garden supplies around the garden more easily when you have a firm surface to run wheel barrows and trolleys on.
You can also place garden furniture on paving if you allow for a little more area and this will enhance your outdoor living space, allowing for excellent and dry entertaining areas throughout the year.
You can get paving quite cheap particularly if you use second-hand materials such as bricks. While this might not sound very appealing, secondhand bricks already have that chipped and weathered look that can look really good when laid as a path and can often blend in with the garden better than new pavers.
One thing that you will need to consider when laying pavers, and particularly when using seconds, is to ensure that the walking surface doesn't have any areas where someone might trip and fall when they are walking.
Having a few paved walkways through your garden area can add functionality and ease of use, as well as looking quite lovely.
More Garden Design Ideas:
During the wet season, unless you have suitable areas to walk without the ground turning to mush and mud, you won't be able to access your garden to do the necessary maintenance.
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| (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Paving is also a good alternative for people who don't like mowing lawn as it is virtually maintenance free if it has been prepared and laid correctly.
Another advantage of paving pathways is the fact that you can transport all your garden supplies around the garden more easily when you have a firm surface to run wheel barrows and trolleys on.
You can also place garden furniture on paving if you allow for a little more area and this will enhance your outdoor living space, allowing for excellent and dry entertaining areas throughout the year.
You can get paving quite cheap particularly if you use second-hand materials such as bricks. While this might not sound very appealing, secondhand bricks already have that chipped and weathered look that can look really good when laid as a path and can often blend in with the garden better than new pavers.
One thing that you will need to consider when laying pavers, and particularly when using seconds, is to ensure that the walking surface doesn't have any areas where someone might trip and fall when they are walking.
Having a few paved walkways through your garden area can add functionality and ease of use, as well as looking quite lovely.
More Garden Design Ideas:
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Garden Planning: Where To Put Your Garden
Generally the location of your garden will be determined by many factors that cannot be changed such as the location of any buildings on the property, low-lying areas prone to wetness, etc.
Aside from the obvious constraints that you will need to work with, you will also need to take other factors into consideration.
These factors will include the lay of the land, where the land is shaded or how much sun it gets during the day, the view from the rooms of the house, privacy factors and more.
Before the first plant goes into the garden you need to have a plan of what you want and what you want the garden to do for you in terms of display, privacy, shade etc. Without a plan the garden won't have a cohesive flow and that will show when the plants have matured.
You will also need to consider irrigation and drainage as these will determine how well you will be able to manage the soil and whether you will be able to supply the plants with the necessary nutrients over time.
Your decisions might even determine whether your plants will survive and as some plants can be quite expensive, you need to get your research right from the start.
You might even need to consider the proximity of the plants on your neighbors side of the fence as these can also affect the growth of your garden if they are shading your property from the sun, or their roots are taking the nutrition from your soil.
When buying plants, also consider their height when mature as a large tree blocking the view can actually devalue your property.
Once you have a good plan that is well thought out for the long term of your garden you will be ready to start digging, and that's when the fun starts.
Aside from the obvious constraints that you will need to work with, you will also need to take other factors into consideration.
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| (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Before the first plant goes into the garden you need to have a plan of what you want and what you want the garden to do for you in terms of display, privacy, shade etc. Without a plan the garden won't have a cohesive flow and that will show when the plants have matured.
You will also need to consider irrigation and drainage as these will determine how well you will be able to manage the soil and whether you will be able to supply the plants with the necessary nutrients over time.
Your decisions might even determine whether your plants will survive and as some plants can be quite expensive, you need to get your research right from the start.
You might even need to consider the proximity of the plants on your neighbors side of the fence as these can also affect the growth of your garden if they are shading your property from the sun, or their roots are taking the nutrition from your soil.
When buying plants, also consider their height when mature as a large tree blocking the view can actually devalue your property.
Once you have a good plan that is well thought out for the long term of your garden you will be ready to start digging, and that's when the fun starts.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Tips for A Successful Organic Garden
If you’re considering bringing the joy of organic gardening into your life, you may be intimidated by thinking that you’re going to have to do everything au-naturale. Don’t be. It’s easy to find the best ways to prevent or get rid of pests and fungus invasions and how to plant and care for your organic garden. Here are some organic gardening tips that will help get you started.
Prepare – Prepare your garden long before you begin to plant by mulching the soil with organic materials (compost from plant or animal waste). You’ll be so glad you did when you see the results. Mulching helps the soil retain water and nutrients and even keeps weeds from taking over your garden.
Start a compost pile – Recycling certain food waste and other materials that add strength to the compost. Besides enriching the soil, composting will help your plants develop a strong and healthy root system.
Choose plants according to environment – Plant certain plants where they’ll thrive. If a plant is known to adapt best in the shade, don’t plant it in full sun.
Treat infestations without chemicals – It is important to use natural means to treat problems with insects and other types of infestations. You can find formulas online that can be mixed at home and that will prevent certain pests from invading your garden.
Use organic alternatives whenever possible – There are so many organic and earth-friendly products on the market today that keeps toxic buildup from forming in our drinking water and soil. Look for those rather than chemical and synthetic solutions.
Use soaker hoses – These cleverly made hoses will water the base of your organic plants, keeping moisture from evaporating, and preventing water waste.
Utilize helpful bugs – There are a number of varieties of insects that actually help your organic garden. Insets such as ladybugs, praying mantises, spiders, ground beetles and fireflies work to decompose organic matter and help to pollinate plants.
Organic gardening should be largely simple and fun. There doesn’t have to be a lot of work involved in preparing the garden, preventing problems and addressing the problems organically if they do occur.
Many online sites can tell you everything you need to know about becoming a successful organic gardener – visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html for helpful tips and resources - or if you prefer a book, see below for some suggestions, or check your local library or book store. You’ll learn the best material for composts, how to mulch your garden and how to plant so that you’ll get the most yield from vegetables and herbs and the most beautiful flowers. And of course be sure to check this blog often for more ideas!
After learning a few organic gardening tips, you’ll have more self-confidence to begin your own sustainable organic garden.
A Few Helpful Organic Gardening Books:
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| Cover via Amazon |
Start a compost pile – Recycling certain food waste and other materials that add strength to the compost. Besides enriching the soil, composting will help your plants develop a strong and healthy root system.
Choose plants according to environment – Plant certain plants where they’ll thrive. If a plant is known to adapt best in the shade, don’t plant it in full sun.
Treat infestations without chemicals – It is important to use natural means to treat problems with insects and other types of infestations. You can find formulas online that can be mixed at home and that will prevent certain pests from invading your garden.
Use organic alternatives whenever possible – There are so many organic and earth-friendly products on the market today that keeps toxic buildup from forming in our drinking water and soil. Look for those rather than chemical and synthetic solutions.
Use soaker hoses – These cleverly made hoses will water the base of your organic plants, keeping moisture from evaporating, and preventing water waste.
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| Red earthworm enjoying organic garden soil. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Organic gardening should be largely simple and fun. There doesn’t have to be a lot of work involved in preparing the garden, preventing problems and addressing the problems organically if they do occur.
Many online sites can tell you everything you need to know about becoming a successful organic gardener – visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html for helpful tips and resources - or if you prefer a book, see below for some suggestions, or check your local library or book store. You’ll learn the best material for composts, how to mulch your garden and how to plant so that you’ll get the most yield from vegetables and herbs and the most beautiful flowers. And of course be sure to check this blog often for more ideas!
After learning a few organic gardening tips, you’ll have more self-confidence to begin your own sustainable organic garden.
A Few Helpful Organic Gardening Books:
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Revisiting the Basics of Organic Gardening
In case you're just getting started with organic gardening, I thought I'd give you a quick refresher on the concept. As you probably know, organic gardening is basically using a method of gardening that’s free from chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It’s working with Mother Nature to ensure that you get the best crop of plants and flowers by using the natural eco-system. Here are some helpful tips for making your organic garden successful.
The soil is extremely important when considering an organic garden. You’ll be nurturing the soil with organic matter consisting of decayed plant and animal waste. It doesn’t matter what type of soil you have to begin your organic gardening adventure, feeding it with organic matter will strengthen and improve it.
The first thing most people want to know when they’re just starting out in organic gardening is how can they keep their garden from being overrun by pests and diseases if they don’t use chemical compounds.
There are organic pesticides, but an occasional bug in your garden doesn’t mean you have to immediately rush to get rid of it. It depends on the type and severity of the problem as to how aggressively you treat it.
One thing that’s good to do when planting an organic garden is to diversify the plants. Don’t plant row after row of one type – instead, vary the plantings. Harmful insects are usually attracted to a large amount of the same plants in one place, so placing them randomly and with other plants will help ward off pests - plus your garden will look more interesting!
If you do need to use an organic or natural pesticide, be sure to choose one that targets your specific problem. Some organic pesticides are used to get rid of bacteria and others kill harmful pests. Look online to get the information you need about your particular type of problem or check with a nursery. We've also got some helpful resources on our website at www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html.
Using the least intrusive method of controlling pests and diseases in your organic garden is the best way to go. For example, an invasion of aphids can usually be taken care of by spraying them off the plants with a water hose. Caterpillars and other harmful insects can simply be plucked off your plants.
One myth about organic gardening is that you’ll just have to accept the fact that the produce and flowers from your garden won’t be as “pretty” and will be bug-ridden. That’s just not true. If you carefully inspect your garden periodically, you should be able to produce gorgeous and bug-free vegetables, plants and flowers.
Let your organic gardening experience be a great one by not obsessing too much about bugs, fungus and bacteria. Just be observant and take preventative measures to ensure your garden is the best and most productive it can be.
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| Young beans (Photo credit: Nick Saltmarsh) |
The first thing most people want to know when they’re just starting out in organic gardening is how can they keep their garden from being overrun by pests and diseases if they don’t use chemical compounds.
There are organic pesticides, but an occasional bug in your garden doesn’t mean you have to immediately rush to get rid of it. It depends on the type and severity of the problem as to how aggressively you treat it.
One thing that’s good to do when planting an organic garden is to diversify the plants. Don’t plant row after row of one type – instead, vary the plantings. Harmful insects are usually attracted to a large amount of the same plants in one place, so placing them randomly and with other plants will help ward off pests - plus your garden will look more interesting!
If you do need to use an organic or natural pesticide, be sure to choose one that targets your specific problem. Some organic pesticides are used to get rid of bacteria and others kill harmful pests. Look online to get the information you need about your particular type of problem or check with a nursery. We've also got some helpful resources on our website at www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html.
 |
| (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
One myth about organic gardening is that you’ll just have to accept the fact that the produce and flowers from your garden won’t be as “pretty” and will be bug-ridden. That’s just not true. If you carefully inspect your garden periodically, you should be able to produce gorgeous and bug-free vegetables, plants and flowers.
Let your organic gardening experience be a great one by not obsessing too much about bugs, fungus and bacteria. Just be observant and take preventative measures to ensure your garden is the best and most productive it can be.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Video - How to Keep Houseplants Healthy
This short video gives a couple of helpful tips for keeping your house plants healthy and your indoor garden green and growing so you can enjoy your beautiful plants throughout the winter and beyond. My tiny indoor garden is doing great this fall so far, except for the lemongrass, which I left outside for too long - apparently it doesn't care for frosty mornings. It's starting to green up again now though, and my Christmas cactus is covered with tiny buds, so I should get a good show this year! The rosemary and parsley are growing like the dickens. Maybe I'll post a few pictures soon....
In the meantime, check this quick video for a couple of tips on keeping your houseplants healthy organically - without chemical fertilizers or other possibly harmful things you probably don't want in your house.
How to Keep House Plants Healthy & Alive : Keep House Plants Healthy
Get tips for maintaining a healthy house plant arediscussed in this free educational video series. Expert: Yolanda Vanveen Contact: www.vanveenbulbs.com Bio: Yolanda Vanveen is a sustainable gardener who lives in Kalama, Wash. Filmmaker: Daron Stetne...
In the meantime, check this quick video for a couple of tips on keeping your houseplants healthy organically - without chemical fertilizers or other possibly harmful things you probably don't want in your house.
How to Keep House Plants Healthy & Alive : Keep House Plants Healthy
Get tips for maintaining a healthy house plant arediscussed in this free educational video series. Expert: Yolanda Vanveen Contact: www.vanveenbulbs.com Bio: Yolanda Vanveen is a sustainable gardener who lives in Kalama, Wash. Filmmaker: Daron Stetne...
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tips For Diagnosing your Sick Houseplant
Whether you've moved some of your garden indoors for the winter, or you have year-round houseplants, sometimes your plants won't necessarily be as healthy as you'd like. The signs of ill health will probably be easily noticeable. Your indoor plants are going to let you know if something isn’t right. The leaves may fall off, turn brown or yellow, or some other symptom will manifest itself. The are various causes, some that can be rectified and others that cannot. When you are trying to figure out what is wrong, start with the simplest solution as a starting point.
The most common cause of a sick houseplant is watering, either too much or not enough. If the plant’s leaves are starting too look wilted or are drying up, check the soil and if it is dry add a good amount of water to wet the dirt and leave it moist once the water has run through. If you have over watered a plant, make sure the drainage hole is not clogged and if you have a dish underneath that catches excess water, empty it out to make room for more water to drain out of the pot.
If the edges of the leaves are turning brown and are starting to look dried out it is from too much heat. In this situation it is best to remove the plant from direct sunlight, or adjust the temperature inside the home if possible. If your plant is sitting near a heater vent, you will want to find a cooler location. These symptoms can also show up if there is not enough humidity in the house. As a quick fix you can put a small dish of water near the plant and as it evaporates the plant will soak it up.
When a plant loses its leaves it could be because the roots were damaged from over watering, the plant is not getting enough water to support the amount of foliage, or it is too hot. Assess the plant’s environment to begin nursing it back to health and giving it what it needs to get better. If you need more information you can ask the experts at your local gardening center
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| (Photo credit: Sorbus sapiens) |
If the edges of the leaves are turning brown and are starting to look dried out it is from too much heat. In this situation it is best to remove the plant from direct sunlight, or adjust the temperature inside the home if possible. If your plant is sitting near a heater vent, you will want to find a cooler location. These symptoms can also show up if there is not enough humidity in the house. As a quick fix you can put a small dish of water near the plant and as it evaporates the plant will soak it up.
When a plant loses its leaves it could be because the roots were damaged from over watering, the plant is not getting enough water to support the amount of foliage, or it is too hot. Assess the plant’s environment to begin nursing it back to health and giving it what it needs to get better. If you need more information you can ask the experts at your local gardening center
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Common Misconceptions About Composting
Composting can benefit your garden and the planet (when done on a large scale) in many ways. But a lot of people may shy away from composting because of some common myths or misconceptions. Below we list some of the most common myths, and expose the truth about them.
Myth: Composting is creating new dirt.
Truth: Actually composting is not dirt, soil, or earth but it is humus – decayed matter that provides nutrients to soil.
Myth: It takes a lot of time and effort to compost.
Truth: Once you have your compost bin set up you will only have to add new materials and turn or rotate the piles once in a while.
Myth: Having a compost is too smelly.
Truth: If your compost bin has a bad odor, something is wrong. You need to ensure there is enough air circulation and the right combination of green and brown materials, and then there shouldn't be any bad odor.
Myth: If I have a compost in my back yard, animals are going to come and dig through
it.
Truth: If you have a cover for your compost bin and ensure a good layer of brown material (at least one inch) is on the top you should not have any animal control problems. (Or just get a tumbler or bin with a locking top.)
Myth: If I don’t measure the exact ratio of green to brown materials it will not work.
Truth: Composting is not an exact science. If you add more green food one week and then balance it out with additional brown food the next week – that is fine. You will be able to tell with time what your compost pile is lacking or needing.
Composting is easy, environmentally friendly, and an inexpensive way to fertilize your lawn, garden, or house plants. With some time and patience your mature compost will be ready to use with minimal work involved.
Now have a Happy Thanksgiving, and be sure to compost all those dinner scraps!
Myth: Composting is creating new dirt.
Truth: Actually composting is not dirt, soil, or earth but it is humus – decayed matter that provides nutrients to soil.
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| Composting Process (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Truth: Once you have your compost bin set up you will only have to add new materials and turn or rotate the piles once in a while.
Myth: Having a compost is too smelly.
Truth: If your compost bin has a bad odor, something is wrong. You need to ensure there is enough air circulation and the right combination of green and brown materials, and then there shouldn't be any bad odor.
Myth: If I have a compost in my back yard, animals are going to come and dig through
it.
Truth: If you have a cover for your compost bin and ensure a good layer of brown material (at least one inch) is on the top you should not have any animal control problems. (Or just get a tumbler or bin with a locking top.)
Myth: If I don’t measure the exact ratio of green to brown materials it will not work.
Truth: Composting is not an exact science. If you add more green food one week and then balance it out with additional brown food the next week – that is fine. You will be able to tell with time what your compost pile is lacking or needing.
Composting is easy, environmentally friendly, and an inexpensive way to fertilize your lawn, garden, or house plants. With some time and patience your mature compost will be ready to use with minimal work involved.
Now have a Happy Thanksgiving, and be sure to compost all those dinner scraps!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Top 10 Reasons for Composting
Some of us may at first be hesitant in making and using compost. Some find the task of making a compost troublesome and time consuming. Or they might have false perceptions of smelly compost piles and having such a messy process right in their backyards. While others would prefer buying their fertilizers, soil amendments or conditioners, and mulch from their garden stores to avoid all the hassle of reading about compost and actually making one. Before you give up on composting, read this article and hopefully it will lay some of your fears and reservations to rest.
Here are my 10 top personal reasons for composting. I only hope that you move your butt out of that chair and begin your own compost pile before you reach number eight!
#1. The first reason I find composting highly worthwhile is the fact that the materials used are absolutely free and are readily available. Compare that with the ever rising costs of commercial fertilizers and other gardening products in the market today. All you need is a little extra effort to find the best materials for your compost pile, but otherwise, everything’s for free - or you already have it on hand anyway.
#2. The second one is that compost provides more nutrients and minerals needed by my plants than commercial organic or synthetic fertilizers - it is usually a more balanced and holistic form of fertilizer. The overall effect of compost is also longer than commercially available fertilizers. It’s free and it works better - who wouldn’t want that? Plus, if you organize your ingredients just right, you can provide an even wider range of nutrients.
#3. Another good reason would be the benefits of compost to the soil structure. When applied to the soil, compost can help the soil be more resistant to erosion, improve its retention of water, and in some types of soil (like clay) it can reduce the chance of the soil becoming compacted. This is also important for farmers since compost can make the soil easier to till, conserving time and fuel needed to operate the machines.
#4. With the right composting technique, the process can kill those troublesome weeds as well as pests and disease-causing organisms present in the materials being composted. High temperature (or hot) composting is the technique I am talking about. Although, this technique is not always the backyard variety, it can be done with the right materials.
#5. There have been studies which indicate that using compost can suppress the growth of diseases in crops. Other studies also show that crops grown over compost rich soils are healthier and can better resist pest or insect attacks.
#6. Likewise, some observations in the field also show that crops grown using compost bear produce that can be stored longer. If that’s not reason enough, I don’t know what else you are looking for.
#7. For the environmentalists and conservationists, compost has something for you as well. Adding compost to the soil can build (sequester) soil carbon which can eventually reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It may take a lot of compost to have a positive effect on the greenhouse gases but that fact is quite useful as well.
#8. It has also been found that compost works well as an antidote for soils that are toxic due to agricultural chemicals. Compost can balance the levels of soil acidity, and help farmers to go organic after years of using synthetic agricultural products.
#9. (Maybe most important....) It reduces waste. Throwing plant and vegetable matter into a landfill is just plain nonsensical in my mind. It's like dumping perfectly good fertilizer down the drain - it's a total waste of resources, and it could be doing so much good in my garden, rather than clogging up a landfill, where it can't even decompose properly or do any benefit to anyone!
#10. It's kind of fun! Seeing all those old food scraps, weeds, dead leaves, etc., turn into dark, rich compost before my eyes is so fulfilling and makes me feel like I'm doing something good for the planet, my garden, and myself.
So there you have it - my top 10 reasons for composting. Some of them may not directly benefit my personal needs, and some of mine may not be yours, but hopefully they'll motivate you to explore the use of compost for yourself in your own garden - and then you can come up with your own reasons!
Here are my 10 top personal reasons for composting. I only hope that you move your butt out of that chair and begin your own compost pile before you reach number eight!
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| Turning a compost pile for viticulture (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
#2. The second one is that compost provides more nutrients and minerals needed by my plants than commercial organic or synthetic fertilizers - it is usually a more balanced and holistic form of fertilizer. The overall effect of compost is also longer than commercially available fertilizers. It’s free and it works better - who wouldn’t want that? Plus, if you organize your ingredients just right, you can provide an even wider range of nutrients.
#3. Another good reason would be the benefits of compost to the soil structure. When applied to the soil, compost can help the soil be more resistant to erosion, improve its retention of water, and in some types of soil (like clay) it can reduce the chance of the soil becoming compacted. This is also important for farmers since compost can make the soil easier to till, conserving time and fuel needed to operate the machines.
#4. With the right composting technique, the process can kill those troublesome weeds as well as pests and disease-causing organisms present in the materials being composted. High temperature (or hot) composting is the technique I am talking about. Although, this technique is not always the backyard variety, it can be done with the right materials.
#5. There have been studies which indicate that using compost can suppress the growth of diseases in crops. Other studies also show that crops grown over compost rich soils are healthier and can better resist pest or insect attacks.
#6. Likewise, some observations in the field also show that crops grown using compost bear produce that can be stored longer. If that’s not reason enough, I don’t know what else you are looking for.
#7. For the environmentalists and conservationists, compost has something for you as well. Adding compost to the soil can build (sequester) soil carbon which can eventually reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It may take a lot of compost to have a positive effect on the greenhouse gases but that fact is quite useful as well.
#8. It has also been found that compost works well as an antidote for soils that are toxic due to agricultural chemicals. Compost can balance the levels of soil acidity, and help farmers to go organic after years of using synthetic agricultural products.
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| compost scraps (Photo credit: morganthemoth) |
#10. It's kind of fun! Seeing all those old food scraps, weeds, dead leaves, etc., turn into dark, rich compost before my eyes is so fulfilling and makes me feel like I'm doing something good for the planet, my garden, and myself.
So there you have it - my top 10 reasons for composting. Some of them may not directly benefit my personal needs, and some of mine may not be yours, but hopefully they'll motivate you to explore the use of compost for yourself in your own garden - and then you can come up with your own reasons!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Video - Gardening for Health & Stress Relief
This short video discusses just a few of the many benefits of gardening - from physical health to stress relief and beyond, gardening is a great way to enhance your health in a number of ways - and it's so much fun too! Gardening organically can also give you a sense of pride as you are doing something healthy for both the planet and your family, and it's a great activity for families to do together. Children can enjoy it too, and they'll learn valuable lessons about taking responsibility for their own food supply and the health of the environment.
So get gardening, and get healthy!
Garden for Health: The Physical, Nutritional and Stress Management Benefits
Stacy discusses the physical, nutritional, and stress management benefits of gardening.
So get gardening, and get healthy!
Garden for Health: The Physical, Nutritional and Stress Management Benefits
Stacy discusses the physical, nutritional, and stress management benefits of gardening.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
How to Relieve Stress - With Gardening
Many of us garden because we want to grow our own fruits and vegetables. An attractive landscape or curb appeal may be the goal of others. But gardening, no matter what kind, can also be therapeutic. For many people gardening relaxes the mind, body and spirit. Actually, it is not gardening that's relaxing, but the way that we approach it. If gardening is seen as a chore, it's stressful. If we view it as enjoyable, it can help relieve stress.
Focusing on your gardening task is the key to relieving stress. Digging, chopping, and pounding motions can relieve stress and tension. Strenuous activities also provide an outlet for pent up aggression. But strenuous activities are certainly not the only ways to relieve stress in your garden. Something as simple as a walk around the garden may be just what the doctor ordered. When you take your walk, be sure to absorb all the colors, fragrances and designs in the garden. You can also admire your gardening skills and this is sure to reverse the stress into a state of well being.
Here are some pointers for stress-free gardening:
1. Make a short "to do" list and stick to it. Don't try to do everything in one afternoon, evening, or weekend because this is sure to manifest as stress. Attack garden chores with the same vigor as weight-lifting, running, or swimming - or any other activity that you enjoy.
2. Stop what you're doing and rest periodically, reviving yourself with some stretching and plenty of fluids, as you relax and survey the results of your efforts. Listening to music while gardening can add a pleasurable environment with the calming effect of your favorite tunes. And teach your children how to garden. Not only will they be learning a lifelong skill but will cherish the time spent with you.
3. Stress is at an all time high in the society we live in today and is the root cause of many diseases and chronic illnesses. Learn how to quite your mind and tune out the noise by having brief moments of internal silence. If you don't have the yard or space to denote your own gardening skills, volunteer! There are many places that have horticultural therapy programs that are in need of volunteers. Schools, day cares, nursing homes and hospitals are great places to start looking to volunteer.
Gardening has many other advantages, too. Growing your own produce supplies you with fresh fruit and vegetables for your summer meals. This is always too a great avenue to share the harvest with friends and family. What's better than home grown tomatoes from your own garden? Being out in the sun in limited amounts of time gardening also supplies you with vitamin D. Sunshine brightens your spirits and will give you that sun kissed glow. (Remember moderation is key when being out in the sun.)
4. Garden safely. Gardening usually requires a lot of bending and lifting. Doing it the wrong way can put a lot of strain on your lower back so a good technique for planting or weeding is to squat. Put one knee on the ground rather than bending at the waist, switching knees every few minutes. Kneel on a small pillow or purchase knee pads which you can buy at a department store, hardware store, or gardening shop. Also use caution when lifting shrubs or bags of soil or waste. Try to keep your back straight and bend at your knees. Use your legs instead of your back to lift the weight. Be careful not to twist your body and if something is too heavy to lift then wait on help.
Gardening is an excellent way to relieve stress for all ages but remember to do it safely and take breaks when you need to. When you see all you have accomplished, you can feel proud of your efforts, and your beautiful garden that results. Gardening can become not only a stress reliever but a fulfilling hobby to share with your friends and family.
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| (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Here are some pointers for stress-free gardening:
1. Make a short "to do" list and stick to it. Don't try to do everything in one afternoon, evening, or weekend because this is sure to manifest as stress. Attack garden chores with the same vigor as weight-lifting, running, or swimming - or any other activity that you enjoy.
2. Stop what you're doing and rest periodically, reviving yourself with some stretching and plenty of fluids, as you relax and survey the results of your efforts. Listening to music while gardening can add a pleasurable environment with the calming effect of your favorite tunes. And teach your children how to garden. Not only will they be learning a lifelong skill but will cherish the time spent with you.
3. Stress is at an all time high in the society we live in today and is the root cause of many diseases and chronic illnesses. Learn how to quite your mind and tune out the noise by having brief moments of internal silence. If you don't have the yard or space to denote your own gardening skills, volunteer! There are many places that have horticultural therapy programs that are in need of volunteers. Schools, day cares, nursing homes and hospitals are great places to start looking to volunteer.
 |
| (Photo credit: RaeAllen) |
4. Garden safely. Gardening usually requires a lot of bending and lifting. Doing it the wrong way can put a lot of strain on your lower back so a good technique for planting or weeding is to squat. Put one knee on the ground rather than bending at the waist, switching knees every few minutes. Kneel on a small pillow or purchase knee pads which you can buy at a department store, hardware store, or gardening shop. Also use caution when lifting shrubs or bags of soil or waste. Try to keep your back straight and bend at your knees. Use your legs instead of your back to lift the weight. Be careful not to twist your body and if something is too heavy to lift then wait on help.
Gardening is an excellent way to relieve stress for all ages but remember to do it safely and take breaks when you need to. When you see all you have accomplished, you can feel proud of your efforts, and your beautiful garden that results. Gardening can become not only a stress reliever but a fulfilling hobby to share with your friends and family.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Ideas for Designing Your Rose Garden
The use of landscape roses can make the exterior of any house more graceful, fragrant and inviting. Selecting the right varieties to compliment and accent the home's style and your vision, will contribute to the success of your landscape and rose garden design.
Finding the perfect roses for your rose garden is not hard at all because of the the diverse varieties roses come in. The problem lies in choosing the right ones for your landscape needs and the design you wish to attain.
Roses come in a number of classes. Each class holds characteristics that make them a great choice for use as landscape ornamentals. If you'd like to have roses growing up and over a trellis or archway or cascading from window boxes, the tall growing tea roses are a perfect choice. Tea roses are known for their wild growing blooms and all who walk under the archway enjoy a beautiful display of roses.
If a trellis is not available and you're looking to accent a wall, then choose a true climbing rose. The beauty of a true climbing rose allows you train the plant into many different looks and effects. In essence you can train it any way you want it to grow.
The Floribunda rose is an excellent choice when a vibrant splash of background color is what you're looking for. The popular Floribunda rose varieties give all this color in the landscape with their large and breathtaking sprays of blooms.
The versatile rose can also be used as a ground cover or planted in front of other plants to give color and accent. They can also be used as stand alone specimens and trained into a small tree or planted as hedges. Rugosa roses are a good choice for this.
The goal or impact of the rose is not the varieties or ways it can be grown but the colors they offer in the living gardening palette. What gardeners want are healthy rose plants that deliver impact in many sizes, styles, textures, colors and shapes. When considering your design for your rose garden choose the complimentary colors for your surrounding landscape. A simple arrangement of pink roses delivers the perfect compliment to a stone or marble entrance way or drive. White tea roses offer a striking contrast against a dark red brick home. Roses come in so many colors it should be easy to find colors which compliment and enhance any decorating or landscape design you come up with.
Designing your rose garden will be exciting and challenging to say the least. Incorporate your own color favorites and mix styles and textures for an interesting appeal.
Roses do well in a variety of temperature zones and climates so make sure you choose the varieties suitable to the area in which you live. This translates into fewer maintenance issues, and fewer pests and disease issues promoting overall a healthier rose garden.
More Rose Garden Design Ideas:
Finding the perfect roses for your rose garden is not hard at all because of the the diverse varieties roses come in. The problem lies in choosing the right ones for your landscape needs and the design you wish to attain.
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| 'Singin' In the Rain', a floribunda rose. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
If a trellis is not available and you're looking to accent a wall, then choose a true climbing rose. The beauty of a true climbing rose allows you train the plant into many different looks and effects. In essence you can train it any way you want it to grow.
The Floribunda rose is an excellent choice when a vibrant splash of background color is what you're looking for. The popular Floribunda rose varieties give all this color in the landscape with their large and breathtaking sprays of blooms.
The versatile rose can also be used as a ground cover or planted in front of other plants to give color and accent. They can also be used as stand alone specimens and trained into a small tree or planted as hedges. Rugosa roses are a good choice for this.
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| Lili Marlene floribunda rose (Photo credit: digiteyes) |
Designing your rose garden will be exciting and challenging to say the least. Incorporate your own color favorites and mix styles and textures for an interesting appeal.
Roses do well in a variety of temperature zones and climates so make sure you choose the varieties suitable to the area in which you live. This translates into fewer maintenance issues, and fewer pests and disease issues promoting overall a healthier rose garden.
More Rose Garden Design Ideas:
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
All About Roses
The most well-known of all flowering plants you could grow in your garden has got to be the rose. The rose plant can spark a quick conversation amongst even the shyest of persons. Almost anyone can tell you of someone they know who has grown beautiful roses or of someone who couldn't. Almost anyone can tell you of someone who got or sent roses, especially around the holidays. Even little children know what the rose plant is.
Your local florist most likely has dozens of colors, types, and sizes of roses. It would seem to be the best selling flower of all time. The local discount store and even the local grocer carries some sort of rose these days. There are even books written just about roses!
In my personal opinion, the best rose is one that has a strong scent. A rose has a most distinct smell, and a scent welcome to most anyone. The fragrance is like no other and has been reproduced in hundreds (if not thousands) of perfumes and air fresheners for years. There are rose-scented oils and lotions, bath products, soaps, and shampoos. There are rose colors and rose images galore. You can find rose parades and people named Rose (like me!) :-). You can even come out "smelling like a rose". All because of a mere plant that reached enormous proportions of popularity.
The rose plant is available in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and types. It is known and grown worldwide. The prices vary depending on where you buy or what type and size you want.
Do you want a rose plant already started in a pot? You may have to repot it, so make sure you do your homework before you buy one.
When you decide what type of rose plant you'd like in your garden, think of placement. There is a plant called the thornless rose plant that will grow in the shade. But most rose plants are known to have thorns, so you wouldn't want your small child or grandchild or frequent tiny visitors to happen upon something that is so pretty that they can't resist grabbing and end up with an unwelcome handful of thorns. It may even sour them on the enjoyment of the rose plant for life because of a tearful memory. And roses are too beautiful to allow such a thing!
There are climbing rose plants which you most certainly wouldn't want trailing across the ground to be stomped by animals or other foot traffic. Some roses are delicate and unfiltered light would cook their leaves to an unlovely brown. If your rose plant is the type that grows into a bush, you would want to place it in a spot that allows for it to spread.
As you can see, deciding where you would like to plant your roses is an important consideration that is largely determined by the type of rose you are planting, so it will require some research and careful planning. But for rose-lovers everywhere, it is a job that is well-worth the work.
Rose Gardening Resources:
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| Cover of Beautiful Roses |
In my personal opinion, the best rose is one that has a strong scent. A rose has a most distinct smell, and a scent welcome to most anyone. The fragrance is like no other and has been reproduced in hundreds (if not thousands) of perfumes and air fresheners for years. There are rose-scented oils and lotions, bath products, soaps, and shampoos. There are rose colors and rose images galore. You can find rose parades and people named Rose (like me!) :-). You can even come out "smelling like a rose". All because of a mere plant that reached enormous proportions of popularity.
The rose plant is available in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and types. It is known and grown worldwide. The prices vary depending on where you buy or what type and size you want.
Do you want a rose plant already started in a pot? You may have to repot it, so make sure you do your homework before you buy one.
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| Bagatelle Rose Garden (Paris, France). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
There are climbing rose plants which you most certainly wouldn't want trailing across the ground to be stomped by animals or other foot traffic. Some roses are delicate and unfiltered light would cook their leaves to an unlovely brown. If your rose plant is the type that grows into a bush, you would want to place it in a spot that allows for it to spread.
As you can see, deciding where you would like to plant your roses is an important consideration that is largely determined by the type of rose you are planting, so it will require some research and careful planning. But for rose-lovers everywhere, it is a job that is well-worth the work.
Rose Gardening Resources:
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Video - Garden Landscaping Tips
This short video gives you some helpful ideas for landscaping when planning your garden. Planning out your garden ahead of time can save you time and problems in the spring, so now is a great time to plan out the layout of your garden for next year, and get some of your landscaping in ahead of time if possible.
GARDEN PLANNING TIPS
Some helpful garden landscape planning tips that will save you a lot of time, money and heartache.
GARDEN PLANNING TIPS
Some helpful garden landscape planning tips that will save you a lot of time, money and heartache.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Backyard Landscaping Ideas
This time of year, when your garden has died down and you're thinking about planning next year's garden, is a great time to do a bit of landscaping, and map out a plan for what you would like your yard or garden to look like next time around. There are many different backyard landscaping ideas and most of them are pretty good but to find the one that is right for you and that is just what your yard needs may take a bit of planning and research.
One good backyard landscaping idea is to use evergreens. The use of these fabulous trees will do much for most any yard. They will add a stately nature to the feel of your home while keeping it welcoming and warm. Many people like to use deciduous trees in the yard and this is great for some areas, but it is the evergreens that will give the yard the structure and the stability that it needs.
Deciduous trees will not be gorgeous in all seasons, most perhaps, but not all. Evergreens on the other hand are always fantastic and they look as beautiful in the winter as they do in the summer and this is why they make for such a great backyard landscaping idea. The key to any great landscaping design is to find ideas like this that will keep your yard interesting no matter what time of the year it is.
Another good backyard landscaping idea is to use hardscape. This is the use of things like rocks, fences and walls. These can make your yard look very interesting during all seasons. You can train climbing plants on these in the summer and spring, and plant pretty trees and shrubs around them that will look great in the winter.
When looking for a good backyard landscaping idea, look for other options besides just plants. There is more to landscaping than just plants and trees.
Walls and fences can frame your property beautifully and using them is a great way to accent your yard and home because they will just accent all of your other landscaping ideas. They will frame your yard as a picture frame frames a gorgeous painting. Try some of these tips to get your yard looking tip-top this winter, in preparation for next spring's growing season!
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| Close up of hoarfrost and snow on several evergreen trees (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Deciduous trees will not be gorgeous in all seasons, most perhaps, but not all. Evergreens on the other hand are always fantastic and they look as beautiful in the winter as they do in the summer and this is why they make for such a great backyard landscaping idea. The key to any great landscaping design is to find ideas like this that will keep your yard interesting no matter what time of the year it is.
Another good backyard landscaping idea is to use hardscape. This is the use of things like rocks, fences and walls. These can make your yard look very interesting during all seasons. You can train climbing plants on these in the summer and spring, and plant pretty trees and shrubs around them that will look great in the winter.
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| Backyard landscaping underway! (Photo credit: ranjan.banerji) |
Walls and fences can frame your property beautifully and using them is a great way to accent your yard and home because they will just accent all of your other landscaping ideas. They will frame your yard as a picture frame frames a gorgeous painting. Try some of these tips to get your yard looking tip-top this winter, in preparation for next spring's growing season!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
How Can You Tell When Your Compost Is Ready?
Patience is needed when you compost. It can take anywhere from a few months to one year or more for your first batch of humus to be ready to use. It will depend on the size of your bin, if you are using cold or hot composting, what you are putting into the compost and the weather and climate. Another factor to consider is what you will be using the finished product for. Different uses can utilize the compost at different stages of the process.
The longer a compost is allowed to decompose the finer, darker, and richer it becomes. But you do not have to wait until it reaches this state to use it. If you want to use the compost as mulch for your flower beds or other areas of your garden you can use it when it is still in a chunkier state. The mulch is used to keep an even temperature for the soil and discourage weed growth.
If you are going to be using the mature compost to add to your planting pots, the compost should be at the last stages of the process. Things to look for to know that your compost is ready are:
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| Finished compost. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
If you are going to be using the mature compost to add to your planting pots, the compost should be at the last stages of the process. Things to look for to know that your compost is ready are:
- The amount of material that is in your bin is reduced to approximately half of the original contents.
- When you look at the finished material, you can not tell what it used to be – no parts are recognizable.
- The pile will no longer be as hot (if using the hot composting method)
- The compost is dark in color and looks very much like a rich top soil
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Composting Tips For Organic Gardening
I just put my summer compost to bed for the winter, but that doesn't mean I'm done composting! For the past couple of years, I've been composting year-round. I just couldn't stand throwing away so many great compost materials during the winter, so I improvised a system of storing vegetable kitchen waste in buckets during the winter - it doesn't decompose very quickly, but at least I'm not throwing it away. When spring comes, I clean last year's compost out of the composter and use it in the garden or bag it for future use, and then I dump the buckets into the composter with plenty of leaves, straw, sawdust, etc., a scoop or two of dirt and a bit of last year's compost (or unfinished compost from the top layer) to get it started. The buckets are always pretty gross, but it gives my compost a head start in the spring, and at least I'm not wasting stuff throughout the winter.
When you think about it, composting is just one more way of recycling. And when you create compost for your organic garden, not only will the plants benefit from this recycling, but so will you and your family, as you eat the fruits and vegetables that the garden produces.
What you are doing when you compost is decomposing previously existing organic matter, so it can be used to provide nutrients in the soil for new plants. The process does require some careful work, so you would be wise to do some reading and consulting on the subject first, to make sure you do it correctly. Also check out the archives on this blog, as we have a lot of good info on composting here.
You'll want to put all your materials into a container or at least into some environment that you can control. Some websites suggest buying an actual composting drum
(like I have), that you can turn (since the material does need to be turned from time to time). Otherwise, a large garbage can might do, or just a pile on the ground, with some sort of enclosure around it to hold it in and help keep the critters out.
You can put in all the fruit and vegetable food scraps you would normally be throwing away. Add leaves, grass, and straw, and you'll have a good mixture. The general rule, according to the Garden Organic website, is about equal volumes of "green" and "brown" ingredients.
"Green" items would be things like weeds, grass cuttings, the raw vegetable leftovers from your kitchen, tea bags and coffee grounds, soft green prunings from plants, and animal manure from herbivores. All of these things are nitrogen rich, and also rot more quickly.
"Browns" would be cardboard items like cereal boxes or egg cartons, shredded waste paper, hedge clippings, old bedding plants, sawdust, and wood shavings. These items are rich in carbon, and slower to rot.
Items to avoid completely, say the people at Garden Organic, would include meat, fish, cooked food, feces from your pets, and disposable diapers. (Note: Compostable diapers such as g-Diapers can be composted if they only contain urine.)
There are also some plant materials that should not be put into your compost bin, such as those that have been infested with insects and molds. Some of these might be fine to include, but unless you're going to do a lot of careful research to discover which is good and which isn't, it's best just to leave them out. You also should avoid including weeds that are going to seed, as you don't want to spread a bunch of weed seeds in your garden next year! However, weeds that haven't yet gone to seed are great to include - you're putting the nutrients they "stole" from your soil back in.
You can create the compost in your container by mixing the greens and browns together in equal volumes, with some twigs and scrunched up cardboard here and there to create air spaces and to allow drainage. As time passes, the materials on the bottom will heat up and you'll know that the composting process is well underway. You'll need to turn the mixture occasionally, so that the top and bottom layers change places and non-composted material also has the chance to decompose. The turning provides oxygen, which is the catalyst for the decomposition. The more often you turn the bin, or at least turn the material inside it, the more quickly it will compost - as long as the proper moisture balance is maintained.
The composting itself, once the mixture is in the container, could take up to a year if the container is full and you just leave it (apart from turning). It's likely to take at least six months even using smaller amounts and turning often. But you could take at least a partial shortcut before turning material that's been in the bin for a while, by checking if the layers at the bottom have composted enough to be used. You might then lift off the top, less-composted material and pull finished compost from the bottom to mix into your garden soil, and then simply replace the other material back in the bin, with new layers going on top.
If you create your own compost, you'll go a long way toward producing a very healthy organic garden with lush, well-fed plants. And on top of that, you'll be doing your bit toward responsible recycling!
Composting Bins:
When you think about it, composting is just one more way of recycling. And when you create compost for your organic garden, not only will the plants benefit from this recycling, but so will you and your family, as you eat the fruits and vegetables that the garden produces.
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| Yard waste composting bin (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
You'll want to put all your materials into a container or at least into some environment that you can control. Some websites suggest buying an actual composting drum
(like I have), that you can turn (since the material does need to be turned from time to time). Otherwise, a large garbage can might do, or just a pile on the ground, with some sort of enclosure around it to hold it in and help keep the critters out.You can put in all the fruit and vegetable food scraps you would normally be throwing away. Add leaves, grass, and straw, and you'll have a good mixture. The general rule, according to the Garden Organic website, is about equal volumes of "green" and "brown" ingredients.
"Green" items would be things like weeds, grass cuttings, the raw vegetable leftovers from your kitchen, tea bags and coffee grounds, soft green prunings from plants, and animal manure from herbivores. All of these things are nitrogen rich, and also rot more quickly.
"Browns" would be cardboard items like cereal boxes or egg cartons, shredded waste paper, hedge clippings, old bedding plants, sawdust, and wood shavings. These items are rich in carbon, and slower to rot.
Items to avoid completely, say the people at Garden Organic, would include meat, fish, cooked food, feces from your pets, and disposable diapers. (Note: Compostable diapers such as g-Diapers can be composted if they only contain urine.)
There are also some plant materials that should not be put into your compost bin, such as those that have been infested with insects and molds. Some of these might be fine to include, but unless you're going to do a lot of careful research to discover which is good and which isn't, it's best just to leave them out. You also should avoid including weeds that are going to seed, as you don't want to spread a bunch of weed seeds in your garden next year! However, weeds that haven't yet gone to seed are great to include - you're putting the nutrients they "stole" from your soil back in.
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| Garden Compost bin, in Toulouse, France.(Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The composting itself, once the mixture is in the container, could take up to a year if the container is full and you just leave it (apart from turning). It's likely to take at least six months even using smaller amounts and turning often. But you could take at least a partial shortcut before turning material that's been in the bin for a while, by checking if the layers at the bottom have composted enough to be used. You might then lift off the top, less-composted material and pull finished compost from the bottom to mix into your garden soil, and then simply replace the other material back in the bin, with new layers going on top.
If you create your own compost, you'll go a long way toward producing a very healthy organic garden with lush, well-fed plants. And on top of that, you'll be doing your bit toward responsible recycling!
Composting Bins:
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Video - Tips for Building Square Foot Garden Boxes
This video offers some helpful tips and ideas for building your boxes for your square foot garden - from materials, to sizing and placement, to trellising, to covering your square foot gardens to make mini-greenhouses or offer protection to plants. Lots of great info here!
Square Foot Gardening 101: The Boxes!
Learn all about the box aspect of Square Foot Gardening! Well, today Belinda will go over just that. Tips for building, buying, and how to use your box to extend and protect your garden easily! Belinda Jensen (the Square Foot Gardening Expert) from ...
Square Foot Gardening Resources:
Square Foot Gardening 101: The Boxes!
Learn all about the box aspect of Square Foot Gardening! Well, today Belinda will go over just that. Tips for building, buying, and how to use your box to extend and protect your garden easily! Belinda Jensen (the Square Foot Gardening Expert) from ...
Square Foot Gardening Resources:
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Square Foot Organic Gardening
Would you like to create an organic garden, but have such a small yard that you really don't think it's possible to have any sort of garden at all? Cheer up – you may just be able to create a square foot garden, and find yourself with a great vegetable harvest all through the growing season (and maybe even beyond).
If you've never heard of a "square foot garden
", it may be because the original concept, and the PBS television series with Mel Bartholomew, started in the early 1980s. And while the idea is widely known in certain circles, this sort of garden is probably not the first thing mentioned in other gardening programs or advice columns. But it's a very feasible way to use limited space and produce great results.
The idea is to create a new, raised bed on top of an existing space, with soil at least 12 inches deep, divided into squares of one foot each. The raised bed can be created inside a large cardboard box with the bottom taken out, or at least inside some kind of low enclosure, just so long as it enables you to have that 12-inch depth of soil. So if you have a space measuring four feet by four feet, for example, you'd divide it into 16 one-foot squares, separating each square with some sort of slat or raised length of twine so you can distinguish them as the plants grow and get bushy. And a different sort of plant would go into each square.
Using this method means that all the plants are quite reachable, so weeding, pruning, and even composting are easy to accomplish. You always construct the raised bed so that you are never leaning farther than a second row of plants, when watering or doing anything else. (So a four-foot square would need to be accessible from all sides.) The plant bed never becomes compacted from your walking on it, and therefore you don't need a lot of heavy tools that would normally be used for breaking up packed soil. Watering is easier, since it can be applied more carefully with a watering can, and not just sprayed indiscriminately with a hose. In addition, in the smaller space, water is retained better. And the plants will tend to help each other by "shading out" weeds before they can really take root. Any weeds that do take hold can be much more easily removed.
Diseases won't spread very easily, because the plant in the next bed over is likely to be resistant to something that might attack any particular plant. And often you can put "companion" plants side by side, so that one can protect the other from certain insects. (You may need to research which plants are good "companions" for which others.)
But how will you know which plants work best in just one square foot? It's not that hard to figure out. For a large vegetable, such as cauliflower, you would plant just one, in the very center. You would put one tomato plant in the square, and set up some kind of trellis so it could grow upward (large tomato plants may require more than one square - see the Square Foot Gardening book for space requirements and spacing for different plant types). The same principle would operate for other trailing plants like beans or cucumber.
On the Square Foot Gardening Foundation website, originated by Mel Bartholomew, the recommendation is that you take your cue from the seed packet itself: "If the seed packet recommends plant spacing be 12 inches apart, plant one plant per square foot. If 6 inch spacing; 4 per square foot. If 4 inch spacing; 9 per square foot. If 3 inch spacing; 16 per square foot." Plant only two or three seeds in each spot, and save the rest of the seeds in your refrigerator.
In many ways, this sort of garden can produce even more than would a regular small garden planted right in the ground. If one sort of plant is harvested early, you can then remove that plant, toss on some compost, and put another vegetable in the same spot.
If you've got quite a small space, but still want an organic garden, the square foot garden just might be your solution. It's relatively easy, requires less maintenance than a regular garden, and produces great mini-crops for you to enjoy. Check out the resources below if you would like more information on this unique type of gardening.
Learn More About Square Foot Gardening:
If you've never heard of a "square foot garden
", it may be because the original concept, and the PBS television series with Mel Bartholomew, started in the early 1980s. And while the idea is widely known in certain circles, this sort of garden is probably not the first thing mentioned in other gardening programs or advice columns. But it's a very feasible way to use limited space and produce great results. |
| Square foot garden bed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Using this method means that all the plants are quite reachable, so weeding, pruning, and even composting are easy to accomplish. You always construct the raised bed so that you are never leaning farther than a second row of plants, when watering or doing anything else. (So a four-foot square would need to be accessible from all sides.) The plant bed never becomes compacted from your walking on it, and therefore you don't need a lot of heavy tools that would normally be used for breaking up packed soil. Watering is easier, since it can be applied more carefully with a watering can, and not just sprayed indiscriminately with a hose. In addition, in the smaller space, water is retained better. And the plants will tend to help each other by "shading out" weeds before they can really take root. Any weeds that do take hold can be much more easily removed.
Diseases won't spread very easily, because the plant in the next bed over is likely to be resistant to something that might attack any particular plant. And often you can put "companion" plants side by side, so that one can protect the other from certain insects. (You may need to research which plants are good "companions" for which others.)
 |
| (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
for space requirements and spacing for different plant types). The same principle would operate for other trailing plants like beans or cucumber.On the Square Foot Gardening Foundation website, originated by Mel Bartholomew, the recommendation is that you take your cue from the seed packet itself: "If the seed packet recommends plant spacing be 12 inches apart, plant one plant per square foot. If 6 inch spacing; 4 per square foot. If 4 inch spacing; 9 per square foot. If 3 inch spacing; 16 per square foot." Plant only two or three seeds in each spot, and save the rest of the seeds in your refrigerator.
In many ways, this sort of garden can produce even more than would a regular small garden planted right in the ground. If one sort of plant is harvested early, you can then remove that plant, toss on some compost, and put another vegetable in the same spot.
If you've got quite a small space, but still want an organic garden, the square foot garden just might be your solution. It's relatively easy, requires less maintenance than a regular garden, and produces great mini-crops for you to enjoy. Check out the resources below if you would like more information on this unique type of gardening.
Learn More About Square Foot Gardening:
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Video - Preparing Your Garden for Winter - The Sustainable Way
Typically when you think of getting your garden ready for winter, you might think of removing all dead plants and vegetation, cutting things back, and composting them. But this video describes a slightly different process used by organic and sustainable gardeners, which works with the cycle of nature to allow your garden to do what it naturally does over the winter - and actually turns out to be less work for you! She describes some things you should do for your garden in the fall, and other things you really don't need to.
Save yourself some work this fall, and let your garden do it for you!
*How To Prepare Garden For Winter The Eco Friendly Way*
There are simple things you can do this fall and winter to take care of your garden and yard in a responsible and eco-friendly way. These easy tips for going green, will allow you to follow organic and...
Save yourself some work this fall, and let your garden do it for you!
*How To Prepare Garden For Winter The Eco Friendly Way*
There are simple things you can do this fall and winter to take care of your garden and yard in a responsible and eco-friendly way. These easy tips for going green, will allow you to follow organic and...
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Some Things You Don't Need to Do in a Fall Garden
If you've been reading this blog for a while, and gardening for some time, you may think you've learned everything there is to know about all the things you can do in your garden in the fall, to prepare both the soil and any remaining plants for the winter. You can seed, you can mulch, you can even plant some things now instead of waiting until the spring. You've got a whole big list. However, suddenly you realize that you've had a very long summer of constant gardening work and maybe, like the garden itself, you'd really, really like a break. So what are the things you can skimp on, without putting the garden in jeopardy?
First of all, you don't actually have to remove all the dead plants if you don't want to. If you have any diseased plants, of course you don't have a choice with those. If you leave those there, they can break down and affect the soil, and give you some very big headaches in the spring. You also don't want to put any diseased plant material into the compost bin over the winter, because it will infect the entire batch of compost and spread disease to all the plants you use it on. Take diseased material and simply throw it away or burn it.
But something like annuals that have been healthy and are now fading away can be left out in your garden over the winter. First of all, they will maintain the appearance of having some vegetation still in the garden for a while. The remnants of ornamental grasses or hostas coming up out of the snow can be very attractive. And after they've broken down over the winter, most of the time you should be able just to turn them into the soil, and they will be one element of your spring compost.
You also don't need to mulch every remaining plant in your garden over the winter. Yes, if you have some that are a little delicate, you should definitely mulch those. The purpose of the mulch is to preserve moisture so the plants don't dry out in the winter air, and to keep an even temperature in the ground around them. So some plants will still need mulching, to give them some extra protection during the winter months. But for other more hardy plants, you can skip the mulching.
Something you should think twice about doing, although this won't necessarily save you work, is wrapping many of your plants in burlap. If you wrap your plants this way, you could actually end up trapping ice inside the burlap and against the surface of the plants. What many gardeners are now advising is that rather than wrapping in burlap to protect plants against things like cold winds, set up stakes all around each plant and wrap the burlap around the entire enclosure instead. This will serve the same purpose, but allow some breathing room for the limbs of the plants as well.
It's a lot of work preparing a garden in the spring as well as cleaning it up in the fall. It's true, of course, that whatever you leave undone in the autumn will have to be done in the spring instead, so you're not exactly saving yourself the work. However, it's also true that the spring arouses new energy, and people often feel much more ready to get a lot done. So if you're tired at the end of the growing season, and really just want to be done with it all, do just the absolutely necessary cleanup and let everything else go for the winter. Put your feet up, enjoy your well deserved rest, and start recharging your energies for a fresh start in spring.
 |
| Vegetable plot in winter. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
But something like annuals that have been healthy and are now fading away can be left out in your garden over the winter. First of all, they will maintain the appearance of having some vegetation still in the garden for a while. The remnants of ornamental grasses or hostas coming up out of the snow can be very attractive. And after they've broken down over the winter, most of the time you should be able just to turn them into the soil, and they will be one element of your spring compost.
You also don't need to mulch every remaining plant in your garden over the winter. Yes, if you have some that are a little delicate, you should definitely mulch those. The purpose of the mulch is to preserve moisture so the plants don't dry out in the winter air, and to keep an even temperature in the ground around them. So some plants will still need mulching, to give them some extra protection during the winter months. But for other more hardy plants, you can skip the mulching.
 |
| Garden Compost bin made of Bamboo canes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
It's a lot of work preparing a garden in the spring as well as cleaning it up in the fall. It's true, of course, that whatever you leave undone in the autumn will have to be done in the spring instead, so you're not exactly saving yourself the work. However, it's also true that the spring arouses new energy, and people often feel much more ready to get a lot done. So if you're tired at the end of the growing season, and really just want to be done with it all, do just the absolutely necessary cleanup and let everything else go for the winter. Put your feet up, enjoy your well deserved rest, and start recharging your energies for a fresh start in spring.
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