Simple Composting Yields Big Results

Simple Composting Yields Big Results

With the onset of spring comes the perfect opportunity to start making natural fertilizer for your summer garden.

Spring has finally arrived, and although it's colder than normal this week, I'm really glad it's here.
Soon we'll be basking in the warm summer sunshine and sipping sun-brewed iced tea on our porches. But for now, take time to enjoy the little nuances that make Clevelanders so happy like trading in our scarves for sunglasses, the colorful crocuses popping out of the newly-thawed ground, the tiny buds forming on the ends of branches and the sound of robins chirping in the morning.
Now is the perfect time to consider a compost heap for the garden. Composting cuts down on what we put into landfills and puts many of our edibles and other organic materials back to good use in the gardens, providing much-needed nutrients to our plants. Best of all, compost fertilizer is completely free and natural, making it an excellent choice for sustainable gardens.
Beginning a compost heap in your own backyard is a relatively simple procedure that involves minimal upkeep and yields excellent results when used on a home garden or landscaping foliage. Now is the time to start your compost if you want to be able to use it on your summertime garden.
To begin a compost pile, simply place a plastic garbage can in the rear corner of your backyard, away from common areas. Drill lots of dime-sized holes into the sides of the can (I usually do about 40 holes total for a large plastic can), as well as several holes in the lid. I recommend using the lid only if you must to prevent offensive odors and during heavy downpours. Letting enough air into the bin helps to mature the compost faster.
Begin to pour all of your plant and animal-based scraps into the can: grass clippings, leaves, apple cores, cherry pits, lettuce hearts, tomato stems, potato skins, chicken bones, discarded pieces of meat, eggshells, banana skins, nut shells--even saw dust and newspaper. Add these items into the bin every day instead of throwing them away. You’ll be amazed at how much compost your everyday waste will make (and how much it cuts down on your use of trash bags).
Aerate the pile every couple of days by using a small rake or shovel to mix and turn the items in the bin so that no item ever gets too “comfy” in its placement. Aerating the compost helps it to break down faster.

Continue to put new items into the bin and aerate several times per week and within a matter of just a couple of months, you’ll have usable, nutrient-rich compost when it comes time to fertilize your summer garden. It’s really that simple! 

Tip: To make your compost mature even faster, try heading to a local bait shop or pet supply store to purchase a handful or two of earthworms to live in your composting bin. Earthworms work to coninuously aearate the compost and add precious nitrogen throughout the pile, which helps the compost to break down more quickly.

10-step recipe to get your garden ready

1. Clean up. Remove and compost any dead annuals that remained over winter. If you’ve got perennials that weren’t pruned in the fall, cut them back to ground level once new growth begins at the base of the plant.

2. Cut back flowering perennials like artemisia and lavender because they’ll only bloom on new branches.

3. Trim back tattered foliage on evergreen and semi-evergreen perennials.

4. Cut back ornamental grasses to within a few inches of the ground.

5. If you’ve got evergreens, spring is a good time to fertilize them because they’re already actively growing.

6. Weed. The damp soil makes it easy to pull them from a bare garden. Put down a topcoat of bark or rocks for weed control.

7. Check your soil. If it’s already rich and healthy, just add some compost, manure or slow-release organic fertilizer. If it needs more nutrients, add fertilizer once plants show signs of new growth.

8. If you want to divide or transplant, this is a good time to do it so they can recover quickly once the growing season kicks in.

9. Stake. It’s easier to stake a bare garden so the plants can grow into them rather than forcing stakes into a busy garden.

10. Mulch, but wait until the soil has warmed up and dried out a bit. Keep it away from the stems and crowns of existing plants.

When should I start my spring garden?”

Published March 16, 2011

“When should I start my spring garden?” “Which varieties of vegetables should I plant?” These are two of the most commonly asked questions by home vegetable gardeners when the spring growing season arrives.

The answer to the first question is fairly straightforward — it depends primarily on the specific vegetable in question. The answer to the second question is not as simple — it depends on several factors.

Variety selection sometimes depends upon the intended use of the crop. For example, some of the newly released tomato varieties that produce a crop in a relatively short period of time are ideal for canning purposes. Varieties of tomatoes that mature over an extended period of time are better suited for the dinner table. Small-fruited tomatoes are best used in salads, while the larger ones are better for slicing.

Numerous vegetable varieties are released every year, and many offer improvements such as increased yields, disease resistance and uniformity. Seed catalogs offer hundreds of selections, each with an appealing description and attractive photograph to make decisions even more difficult. Quite often the new varieties are highly desirable, but sometimes the old standards prove to be more reliable — and even better — in their performance during many growing seasons.

The home gardener can best answer the question of which vegetable varieties to plant. The best approach is to select varieties that are recommended for Galveston County based on several years of proven performance. Both old and new varieties should be tried and compared for yield and performance. Give new, unproven varieties a chance if space is not a limiting factor, but remember they might perform well in one year but be quite disappointing in others. That’s why you should plant most of your garden with tried and recommended varieties that have proven to be reliable over several years under different growing conditions.

The high temperatures of summer will be advancing upon us in a few weeks. Each vegetable performs best if planted within recommended planting dates, which are based on results from years of field trials. The earlier you can get your vegetables started within these recommended dates, the better. However, even if you plant after the recommended cutoff planting date, it only means you might have to water more often (if late spring weather conditions are on the dry side) and yields might not be as great but something is better than nothing, especially if freshly harvested.

The following information describes some vegetables and vegetable varieties recommended by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service for spring planting in the Galveston County area. The recommended planting dates for each vegetable are given immediately after each vegetable listed.

• Cucumbers (March 1 to May 1) are best grown on a trellis or fence to save space. Use of some type of trellis also will significantly improve the quality of cucumbers produced.

If you love cucumbers but they don’t agree with your tummy, then definitely try one of the “burpless” hybrids such as Sweet Success (an All-America Winner) or Green Knight.

Cucumber plants should be spaced 24 to 48 inches apart, and if planted on the ground, rows should be 48 to 72 inches apart. This is a giant of a cucumber, 12 to 18 inches long, and it needs to be grown on a fence or trellis.

Other varieties include: slicing types — Poinsett 76, Sweet Slice, and most of the new hybrids; and pickling types — Carolina, National and Patio Pik (Dwarf).

• Tomatoes (March 10 to April 10) rank as America’s most-favored vegetable for the home garden (although botanically speaking it is a fruit but the focus here is growing tomatoes and not passing Botany 101). Sound hopeless? It isn’t. It just demands following a few rules.

They will not set fruit when night temperatures dip below 60 degrees, nor when day temperatures exceed 93 degrees. Don’t overfertilize with nitrogen (the first number on a fertilizer bag analysis is the percentage of nitrogen). Otherwise, you’ll get a big bush and no fruit.

Plant the wrong varieties and no matter what you do chances are you’ll have a crop failure. Plant recommended varieties like Better Boy, Carnival, Celebrity, Champion and Dona.

For a canning variety, try Roma. For salads, try one of the cherry tomatoes.

Begin controlling pests soon after planting, and before long, you’ll be eating tomatoes.

While March 10 was the recommended starting date for transplanting tomatoes, some seasoned gardeners start setting a few plants out during mid-February. However, they also were prepared to provide some type of cold protection to transplants should a late cold spell occur.

Are pumpkins, watermelons, turnips, lettuce, or other vegetables on your planting list for the 2011 spring season? Then, contact the Galveston County Extension Office to obtain a free publication titled “Recommended Vegetable Varieties for Galveston County,” which contains pertinent planting information on a wide array of vegetables. This publication also is available as a free download from my website given at the end of this column.

If your planting finger is itching, don’t wait a minute longer.

Dr. William Johnson is a horticulturist with the Galveston County Office of Texas AgriLife Extension Service, The Texas A&M System. Visit his website at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston.

Welcome spring in the garden

• Originally published March 10, 2011 at midnight, updated March 10, 2011 at midnight

By Laurie Garretson

Every year at this time, I so much enjoy the company of other gardeners.

Not that I don't like being with other gardeners the rest of the year, but spring is different. Especially after this past winter.

There's just something about this season that invigorates us.

Non-gardeners just don't get it. They think all the raking, weeding, digging and planting is work. But we know better.

We have discovered the benefits of gardening. We know how therapeutic it is to spend time in our gardens.

Working in the soil and helping beautiful plants and delicious vegetables grow is what helps us make sense of this chaotic world we live in. Gardening is how we relieve stress. We call gardening relaxation.

After the cold winter, many of us discovered that many of our existing plants where not happy. Many gardeners report losing some plants along with many plants that just froze back or just don't look good.

If you're not sure what to do about a certain plant, get some advise from another gardener who's better able to guide you. So, many times, well-meaning gardeners pull up plants that they believe to be dead, when that isn't the case.

Already, I'm seeing lots of new growth sprouting out on many types of plants all around the area.

This is a great time to evaluate plans for this year's gardening. Whenever possible, think about planting native and adapted plants in your landscape. These plants will be better able to thrive in our area. They will require less maintenance and less water once established.

My advice to someone planting their first vegetable garden is to think small. It's so easy to get excited about all the different types of things you could grow. Many new gardeners make the mistake of planting big gardens and soon get discouraged by all the work it requires.

You will find that down sizing a garden can still provide you with all the vegetables you can handle. Plus, you will have less maintenance to tend to and will enjoy the garden a lot more.

No matter what type of soil you have in your landscape, it would benefit from the addition of a lot of good compost. Flowerbeds, lawns, vegetable gardens, orchards and vineyards all need the benefits of compost.

I was excited to see our Martin scouts had arrived a couple of weeks ago. These birds are such an enjoyment to have around. Every year, I anticipate their arrival.

All gardeners should incorporate wildlife habitats into their landscapes. Large or small areas can attract many forms of wildlife. Many of our native plants will bring in lots of butterflies and hummers. Having diversity in your landscape, as nature does, will help to bring you all kinds of wildlife.

The diversity of a landscape can determine the success and beauty of it.

Until next time, let's try to garden with nature, not against it, and maybe all our weeds will become wildflowers.

Laurie Garretson is a Victoria gardener and nursery owner. Send your gardening questions to laurie@vicad.com or in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77902.

 

Start your own vegetable garden

                                                                                                                                          

Growing your own vegetables ensures they are fresh, have not been sprayed with chemicals and it allows you to choose what to grow.

It easy to grow vegetables from seed. All you need to ensure is that you sow at the correct time of year, and give the seeds a good start with composted soil, plenty of sunshine and access to water.

It’s all there on the seed packet the time to plant, the depth and spacing. Seed companies want your dream gardens to become real gardens so they place easy-to-follow instructions on the packets.

Choose a place where vegetables will receive five hours of sun a day.

Fence the vegetable garden if you have pets - you can also use the fence to grow climbing peas and beans.

If you live in an area with monkeys, enclose the area with netting-wire.

A metre-width is practical for beds so that there is access from both sides for sowing, weeding and harvesting.

Prepare the ground by forking over the area, removing weeds and stones and breaking up any lumps.

Add half a bag of compost and a handful of a general fertiliser per square metre, rake the surface as evenly as possible, and water well the day before planting.

Root crops and legumes (beans, peas) grow better when seed is sown directly into their permanent position. Planting in single or wide rows makes identifying weeds easier. Mark rows with stretched string, then make a furrow on this line to the correct depth recommended on the seed packet.

Sow seed sparingly, then cover with a thin layer of soil, and press down firmly before watering. It helps to sow fine seed more evenly if a teaspoon of the seed is mixed with a cup of sand or maize meal.

Thin out seedlings to allow those left to develop into strong, healthy plants. To avoid washing away seed, use a watering can with a fine rose.

Protect seeds by covering with bird-proof netting, and keep soil moist but not wet.

It makes sense to sow seed at intervals, rather than have too many vegetables maturing at the same time.

Save ground space by growing climbing vegetables such as cucumbers, courgettes (baby marrows) and runner beans vertically on wigwams and trellis.

Mulch between rows to conserve water and reduce weeds.

On hot days, prevent vegetables from wilting by watering early in the morning, and if necessary, again in the late afternoon.

* For more information see www.lifeisagarden.co.za

Plant this month…

Beetroot, broccoli, carrots, celery, brinjal (frost-free areas), lettuce (choose heat tolerant varieties), peppers (frost-free areas), spinach, Swiss chard, a first sowing of peas, and in cold gardens a final sowing of beans.

Extend the season for harvesting cabbage and cauliflower by growing varieties that mature at different times.

Design by colour

In frost-free and coastal gardens there is still time to plant colourful and tasty red and yellow tomatoes, as well as sweet peppers in red, yellow and green.

Lettuce with leaves that are frilly or plain, and green, rose or deep red in colour are a winner in all areas throughout the year.

Swiss chard has a milder flavour than spinach; “Ruby” has red stems and “Bright Lights” has coloured stems of yellow, apricot, pink and red that are so decorative that they are often grown in the flower garden.

Make vegetable gardening more interesting by growing Asian greens. Their delicate and spicy flavours and interesting textures are becoming increasingly popular in modern cuisine. Among the most popular are pak choi (bok choi), Chinese kale, Chinese cabbage, daikon (Japanese radish) and Chinese mustard. - Daily News

Soil testing and amending

If you're concerned about the soil quality in your landscape -- whether turfgrass, ornamentals or vegetable garden -- a soil test can give you basic information to help you improve it. Soil testing isn't very expensive or difficult and can be done anytime the soil is not frozen.

Decide how many soil samples are necessary for your landscape. One sample usually is sufficient for most landscapes unless there are obvious soil differences; then each unique area should be sampled separately. It also can be beneficial to sample areas separately based on their usage, so that samples are submitted individually for turf, ornamentals and vegetable gardens.

Create your soil sample by taking 10-15 soil cores from random locations in the sampling area. If you don't have a soil probe, use a shovel to collect samples at a 5- to 6-inch depth. Remove any vegetation or thatch from the cores and combine them into one container. This aggregate collection is your sample. Place 1 to 2 cups of well-mixed soil in a plastic bag or the sample container provided by the lab.
Choose a test that will give results for residual nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil pH. Your soil test results usually will arrive in about two weeks, along with recommendations for soil amendments based on the plant types you indicated on the submittal form.
If you have questions about reading the soil test results or potential soil amendments for your garden, call your Local County Extension office.

Tips for Soil Amending

* Soil amending can be done in spring, but don't work the soil when it is wet to avoid soil compaction and the creation of hard clods. Fall is an excellent time for soil amending, because it allows time for the soil structure or chemistry to change before a new growing season begins.

* Organic matter breaks down over time, so raising and maintaining your soil's organic matter content will require repeated amendment.

* Keep in mind that Nebraska's clay soils have a high buffering capacity -- or the ability to revert to the original pH level after amendment with sulfur. Maintaining a lower soil pH will require repeated amendment.

Another great resource is the publication "Fertilizers for Vegetables in Home Gardens," which contains detailed information on adjusting soil pH, amending with organic matter and adding fertilizer. It's available at www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g945.pdf or from your Local Extension office.

Feeding Your Vegetable Garden

By Shara JJ Cooper, eHow Contributor

updated: February 26, 2011

 

Creating a healthy vegetable garden means giving your plants all the nutrients they need to thrive. Each year the vegetable plants deplete nutrients from the soil; annual fertilizer applications are needed so the soil can remain productive. Some fertilizers, such as compost, can be made at home, and many others are available for purchase at your local garden center. Two applications a year keep the garden soil nutrient rich.

1. Choose a fertilizer for use in your garden. Chemical and organic fertilizers are available. Chemical fertilizers are simple to use and come in different formulations so you can easily add specific nutrients to the soil. However, many gardeners prefer an organic option. Organic fertilizers are available in several forms but aren't always as easy to apply. Organic fertilizers include manure, seaweed and compost.
2. 2
   Fertilize your vegetable garden in the fall after you have harvested all the vegetables. Add 3 inches of organic fertilizer to the top of the garden soil, and then till it into the soil. The organic fertilizer breaks down and settles during the winter months, so it becomes part of the soil, and the nutrients are easy for the plants to access. If you are using a commercial, chemical fertilizer, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
3. 3
   Add compost to the garden after it is well established in the spring when you can see several leaves on each plant and easily identify the plants. Add 2 inches of compost on top of the soil to act as mulch. The nutrients will leach down into the soil when the garden is watered, and the mulch will protect the soil from temperature extremes and slow the growth of weeds.