What Makes Composting Worthwhile?

If you’re into organic gardening you probably know by now about compost and how it works wonders for your garden patch. But for the first timers, creating a compost pile might not really be on the top of their to-do-list. The question of is composting worthwhile usually comes up, and without knowing much about the process, it's easy to choose the first answer - and that’s a nope, I don’t have time for making my own compost. I will settle for the commercially available organic fertilizers and related products.

Compost (Photo credit: Joe Hoover)

First things first, composting is the process of decomposing organic wastes, which can be household wastes or plant remains or a mixture of both, and making them into a dark, earthy, and loose or crumbly substance. Because compost is rich in minerals which most plants need, compost can be made to enhance or even replace your garden soil.

Most often, gardeners use compost to enrich their garden soil. When compost is added the soil, the overall structure of the soil is improved allowing it to hold more water and letting air circulate better within the soil, as well as helping plants absorb nutrients more easily.

Contrary to some of your perceptions, compost is quite easy to make and is especially easy to use. There are several methods that may be used when creating compost.

I would suggest using some kind of compost bin to keep everything confined to one place. You will avoid making a mess in your backyard if you do so. Plus, temperature and moisture can also be regulated if you construct a compost bin but allow the organic materials to be composted to touch the soil. You need to allow your earthworm buddies and other organic microbes to help out in the decomposing process.

Although almost all organic materials could go into your compost pile, a good combination of “greens” and “browns” is best. The “greens” refer to nitrogen-rich organic matter like fresh grass, leaves, and vegetable scraps from your kitchen. The “browns”, on the other hand refer to organic matter that contains a lot of carbon such as dried leaves, straw and, of course, wood chips or shavings.

A homeowner sifts soil from his compost bin. Composting is an excellent way to recycle household and yard wastes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A good combination of “greens” and “browns” can dictate how fast you will have a finished compost. Admittedly, you will have an edge in this area if you have some experience in compost making. Why? Well, for starters you may already know how fast the final compost is created from the different proportions of “greens” and “browns”.

Some would suggest that the best proportion is when 25 percent of your compost pile is made of “browns” and 1 percent is made of “greens.” Take note that if you have a large part made up of “browns” the compost pile will decompose more slowly. On the other hand, having too much “greens” on the pile can cause some serious smell.

Other elements that you should always consider when making compost are the air and the amount of water your pile will need. It is best to keep your compost pile damp. This will help in the decomposing process. Air is also needed so make sure your pile is properly aerated. Air can be incorporated if needed by turning over your pile. Observe and periodically aerate your pile until you can “harvest” the fruits of your labor - great compost to feed your growing plants.

It may take a little bit of effort to create great compost, but the results of composting are really worthwhile - for both you and your garden.

A Basic Guide to Composting

If you're a sustainable gardener who cares about the environment, you know that the composting process is an important part of the life cycle. This concept is all about giving back to the land what it has given you. It is  about recycling, and the cycle that living things go through in order to grow.

It is an interesting cycle. If you just take a moment to take a deeper look into a pile of decaying things, you will see that some things that are slowly becoming part of the land. And you also see some beneficial results of the process.

Composting materials. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That's life, especially for those practicing holistic living. If you are in touch with nature, you will see such cycles as miracles, and something to be joyful about.

As you will come to realize, compost is so much more than just a using fertilizer on soil. This process is actually practiced by many farmers in all parts of the world. But ordinary gardeners or people who love nature and are passionate about protecting it can also easily benefit from this.

The organic residue that you collect when you gather different materials from the land and garden is converted into something black, somewhat fragrant, and crumbly (decomposing) - aka compost. The idea here is to arrange the materials so that the soil bacteria and fungi can survive and also multiply as the materials break down. The bacteria act as the converters of all raw materials so that they must be in a workable environment with proper moisture, food and air.

If you haven't made one yet, but are interested in starting a compost, you can begin by gathering both green and dry elements that you can see around your garden. You must think what you can feed the bacteria for it to thrive. Great examples include grass clippings, green weeds (before they flower), as well as the vines of pea and leaves and roots of old lettuce and other plants. What do they have in common? They contain sugar elements as well as proteins and they all can decompose fast.

Face cut of compost pile showing decomposition stages, 3 weeks bottom to top. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dry leaves and other small twigs must be mixed with the greens when decomposing. These materials take a lot of time in order to decompose because they contain little nitrogen. That is why they need to be combined with green materials in the process.

You can also build a rich compost pile by adding manure and garden soil between every layer of your gathered waste material.

You need not be a pro to be able to come up with your own version of this. Most things will compost well given the right conditions. What you have to remember is that you are doing the environment (and your garden) a great favor by being involved in such a process.

Practice makes perfect. This is also true with the idea of composting. Through time, you will be able to develop your own techniques, and your garden will thrive in the rich, nutritious environment you create through adding compost back to the soil.

Growing Carrots In Your Organic Garden

Growing carrots in an organic garden is not difficult if you have the right climate and soil. Carrots like loose soil without too much clay, with pH of between 6 and 7. They are happy in cool (but not frosty) weather and they like plenty of water.  They grow well in a temperate climate that is not too dry.

If you live in a warm climate, try them at the coolest time of your year, provided of course that the temperature does not dip below freezing, and water them well in dry weather.

A carrot and a basil plant in the garden. (Photo credit: Spyderella)

Carrots are a root vegetable so you cannot see the actual carrot growing. They have fern-like leaves. They are related to dill and fennel plants, and you will see the similarity in the leaves. If you have not had the satisfaction of growing carrots before, you will know them when they first come up by their feathery leaves that look a little like dill.

The leaves are edible and very nutritious but they contain a lot of potassium which makes them bitter, so they are best mixed with other vegetables in salads or soups. However, they can produce an allergic skin reaction in some people.

If you decide to grow wild carrots in your organic garden, you should know that the leaves of that plant are toxic. However, regular organic carrot leaves should be fine in small quantities as long as you are not allergic. Interestingly enough, carrots were originally cultivated for their leaves, not their roots.

Provided you have the right conditions, growing carrots is pretty simple. You will find that you can buy many different varieties. They are not all long and thin, and they are not all orange. Heirloom varieties may be purple, for example. Remember to look for organic seeds if you want organic carrots to grow from them.

Stubby or round carrots are an interesting alternative, and can be great for growing carrots in containers where you do not have the depth that long carrots would need. Carrots also do well in raised beds.

Carrots will mature in about 2 months from planting the seeds, but this varies according to the variety, so go by what you see on your seed packet. In temperate climates, plant in the spring. You can start before the last frosts provided that the ground is soft and loose enough to be worked.

Different varieties of carrots. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you are growing carrots for your own kitchen, you can plant them in succession, planting one short row per week throughout the spring. This way you will have fresh carrots every week instead of having them all ready at the same time.

You will need to thin your plants when they are a couple of inches tall. Thin them so that all of your growing carrots are at least a half inch apart. One inch is better.

Do not harvest them early, thinking that you will get sweet-tasting baby carrots that way. Most "baby carrot" you see at the supermarket are actually fragments of full-size carrots peeled down, although you can plant varieties that are smaller and ready to harvest sooner if desired. If you harvest regular carrots early, they can be bitter.

Be sure to rotate your carrots around the garden, as you do with other plants. This will prevent pests such as carrot rust from becoming established.

If you follow all of these tips, you should have no trouble growing carrots in your organic garden.

Achieving Success with Organic Vegetable Gardening

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gardener, you may find that you can be more successful in your organic vegetable gardening with these tips. Some of them are very simple points that you may never have considered, and all of them can help you to get the most from your home grown organic vegetables.

First, when you are planning what to grow, don't forget to take the circumstances of your own garden into account. This includes your soil type and what will grow in it. If you have problem soil, it is possible to alter factors like the acidity over time, but it is usually easier to go with the flow and grow what suits your soil rather than the other way around.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Your climate needs to be considered too. This does not only mean the average temperatures and weather conditions of your local area, but the microclimate in your vegetable garden too. In the hottest, sunniest parts of your garden you may be able to grow plants that will astonish your neighbors.  Consider the whole area of land that is available to you when you are thinking about this.

Pest control is one of the top questions from any gardener interested in successful organic vegetable gardening. Non-organic gardeners have the simple solution of buying pesticide sprays, but as organic gardeners, we do not want pesticides all over our home grown vegetables. So what can you do?

1. In many cases, you can control pests by encouraging their natural predators in your garden. If you have an aphid problem, buy a ladybug feeder and a stock of ladybugs, or some braconid wasps (these are also great if you have tomato horn worms!). If you have a slug problem, try nematode worms.

2. Some plants are particularly susceptible to disease. One example is tomatoes. To avoid having to spray your tomato plants with anti-fungals and other chemicals, choose disease-resistant varieties.

3. Always rotate plants, so that you grow them in different parts of the garden in different years. Sometimes this is difficult because you need certain plants to be in the sunniest areas, as we have already seen. Still, try to move them at least a few yards and have something from a different plant family growing where they last were. This will help protect against disease.

Successful organic vegetable gardening means doing the right things at the right times. Don't forget to thin out your crop if it is planted too thickly. This is a tip for beginners especially. A lot of new gardeners are reluctant to pull up excess plants but in most cases this will increase both the quantity and the quality of the vegetables and fruit that your garden produces.

Companion planting of carrots and onions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Overcrowded plants suffer from inadequate light, insufficient ventilation, easy spread of disease, and general failure to thrive. Do them a favor by thinning them, to make sure that the strongest ones have the best chance to grow. For most plants, when full grown, the tips of their leaves should touch, but no closer.

Companion planting is another important consideration in organic vegetable gardening. This means selecting plants that grow well together and/or protect each other from pests, and locating them together in your garden. Examples are the marigold/basil family and the nightshade family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes). Planting basil next to your tomatoes can keep off some pests. They make a great combination on your plate too!

Another example of companion plants is the 'three sisters': corn, beans and the pumpkin/squash/cucumber family. If you want more tips about using companion plants in organic vegetable gardening, check out the resources below to extend the possibilities for your garden.

Helpful Organic Vegetable Gardening Resources: 
   

No Posts this Week...

Hi Everyone,

I apologize, but a major episode of back pain has left me unable to do much of anything over the past week, and I still can't sit for more than a few minutes at a time, so won't be able to post this week. This is especially frustrating as today is the most beautiful day of the year so far, and I am positively chomping at the bit to get out in the garden -  but no gardening for me right now!  :-(    I have been reading a great gardening book during my convalescence though, so I'll try to share a review on that soon. The good thing is that my condition seems to be improving now, so hopefully next week I'll be back in action!

Check back next week and hopefully I'll be able to give you a long-overdue update on how my winter garden has survived this long cold winter - although it was touch and go for a bit, it's really looking much improved the past few days....

See you next week, and enjoy this beautiful spring gardening weather!

Rose.

Video - Starting Your Vegetable Seeds Indoors

This short video gives some pointers for giving your vegetable garden a head start - by starting your seeds indoors ahead of time. Most seeds should be started 4-6 weeks ahead of the last frost date, so they have time to get a good root system established before transplanting. However, some may take less time, so be sure to check the instructions on your seed packets before planting. If you plant too soon, your plants can get too "leggy" and die, or not transplant well. His tip about the rolling racks is a great one - this way you can roll them outside if you like when it gets warm enough during the day, and easily bring them back in at night.

Check it out, and get your garden started early this year!

How to Start your vegetable seeds indoors Part 1 of 2
Vegetable Garden How to start your vegetable seeds / plants indoors to beat the weather and save money. Visit The Bayou Gardener at http://www.thebayougarden...


Helpful Seed Starting Resources:
   

Growing Your Own Vegetables

Wandering the aisles of the grocery store lately, I am inspired and excited by displays of packets of vegetable seeds and garden tools - gardening season approaches! I have a few flowers (mostly bulbs and perennials), but my main focus is always on the delights of vegetable gardening.

There is such a great sense of satisfaction in knowing that you will be able to walk down to your own garden and pick the vegetables that you have been growing and then cook them and eat them for your dinner.

You will never be able to get vegetables as fresh as that from the store, and you certainly will be able to taste the difference in the extra freshness that you will get with every bite.

Many vegetables taste just as good, if not better, eaten fresh from the garden without even cooking them. Peas, beans, tomatoes and the like are all ready to be eaten and enjoyed as they are picked.

Companion planting of carrots and onions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What makes garden fresh vegetables even more appealing is the fact that you will know everything that has gone into the soil and everything that has been used to assist in the growing of those vegetables, so you'll have the peace of mind of knowing it is safe for you and your family to eat.

You may need to use sprays or other organic growing aids on your garden to ensure you have a healthy crop so it is wise to look at all the instructions and the contents of any products that you might need to use. By using only natural and organic growing aids, you can be satisfied that not only will your crops have had the best nutrition but you will also be safe from some of the chemicals that many commercial growers use.

You can often keep pests off your crops, or reduce the incidence of the damage they can create by planting companion plants around your crops to keep them away.

You can reduce the chance of getting disease by selecting resistant varieties of plants that are less susceptible to disease and by giving them more room to grow by spacing them out a little more.


Whether you use an organic product or a natural method to control problems in your vegetable garden, a healthy and well-cared-for garden will provide you with lots of tasty produce throughout the coming growing season!

Feel free to post comments below about what you plan to grow in your garden this year! In my limited space, I'm planning on lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and my cabbages and kohlrabi which have wintered over - hopefully those will be ready before it gets hot.