How much do you compost?

Do you have a lot of acreage? Do you mow and rake a large area and end up with a lot of lawn waste? Or do you basically want a system to compost kitchen scraps? Consider how much waste you generate before deciding on a system.

How big an area do you want to enrich with compost?

Whether you have a small garden, an indoor garden, or multiple, large gardens, they all need compost. Take a moment to calculate how much area you are going to be enriching with compost before beginning, so you don’t end up with too much or too little compost (although your neighbors may appreciate any extra you have!).  

Here are some of the compost systems available:

1. Pile it up
The least complicated compost system is simply a pile on the ground in a location that receives a balance of sun and shade. Simply start with yard clippings and add kitchen scraps, and use a pitchfork or shovel to keep it heaped so that it will decompose. This kind of compost will need to be turned by hand. The open pile system may be a problem in certain cities or neighborhoods, so check with your local zoning officials to find out if this kind of system is allowed.

2. An open bin
Also a fairly simple method, an open bin can be constructed with wood and wire netting. This is a good way to use scrap wood such as old packing pallets. Such a bin can have a slatted wood bottom, or simply sit on the ground surrounded by the wood and wire structure. You don’t even need wood scraps; an open bin can consist of a cross section of perforated metal sheeting, or an upright, cylindrical loop of wire. Again, this is a potentially problematic system for those who live in cities or suburbs with close neighbors.

3. A closed compost bin
These look like large, plastic barrels, and that is essentially what they are. Most municipalities accept this kind of composting system, and your local waste management authority should have information about where to obtain such a bin. In fact, some waste management authorities have such bins available for sale. There are quite of few styles and varieties of commercial bins available, including some that can be turned from the outside. Generally speaking, those offered by municipalities are less expensive that those sold at garden centers or online.

4. A worm bin
This is a method of compost that can be done indoors in a garage or basement. Sometimes called vermicomposting, a worm bin uses the natural habits of worms to break down kitchen and yard waste into usable compost. You can purchase a worm bin or make your own – just be sure it is waterproof, has air holes and is opaque (worms like it dark).

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

Pick appropriate plants. Not all plants are appropriate for the area you live in. While you might be able to control the temperature, humidity, and rain conditions inside your house, you can’t do it out in the garden. If you pick appropriate plants for your area, you may be able to avoid using fertilizers and saving on water too. Research, what plants are native to your surrounding areas and try planting them in your own garden. Wildflowers, are just that, they can pretty much be left alone and will thrive in most areas.

Pick natural repelling plants. You don’t need to rely on poisons to keep away garden ruining pests. Many plants produce chemicals that repel these animals naturally. By putting them in or around you garden, you can keep your garden safe with little effort and no chemicals. Plus, you can pick parts of these plants and use them to make products to keep them away from you too.

If you don’t want to plant natural repellents in your garden, you can use them to spray your plants without harming them or adding artificial chemicals to your garden. Many herbs like hot pepper, vanilla, and lavender can help repel insects from your garden.

Pull weeds. We’re all looking for a quick and easy way to safely get rid of weeds without chemicals, but the good old fashioned way is still very effective.  It you take time every day to pull the weeds you can find, you’ll only take a few minutes so it doesn’t seem like a lot of work.  You can even get the kids involved, just be sure to do it properly so you don’t spread the seeds around.  There are even some common weeds that are edible, just make sure there are no pesticides that could have gotten on them.

Crop rotation. Farmers all over the world use crop rotation to naturally fertilize plants. The concept is to change what crop you’re putting in a certain field each year. Plants use different nutrients and put other nutrients back into the soil. If you rotate crops that replace the nutrients the other plants use, you will have to fertilize the soil less. 

You can use this same concept in your garden by planting different plants every year, or just rotating where you put specific plants in the garden. 

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

If you place a rain barrel underneath the gutters of your home, it can easily provide a barrel full of water which in turn can be used to water your flowers and garden or even wash your car. If you collect enough rain water throughout the year, you may not have to use your garden hose all summer. Collecting rain water is a great way to protect our water supply, save money, and give our water source time to replenish.

Rain water collection is becoming more and more vital as our supply of fresh water dwindles. Residential irrigation accounts for up to 40% of the water consumption in the home. By collecting rain water and storing it a rain barrel you’ll have extra water for future use, whether it’s for watering the garden or just keeping it handy for emergency situations.

The average family uses 15 gallons of water per day to water our lawn and garden and 15 gallons to wash our cars, clean our sidewalks and driveways, and to maintain our swimming pool and hot tub. Over half of the water used for the lawn and garden is wasted due to evaporation or runoff caused by overwatering. Remember water is one of our most precious resources so we all need to conserve where we can.

Keep Going Green 
Lynne

1. Use Less Gas – you can walk or bike short distances, which is good for your health as well as the environment. When you do need to use a car, organize your trips so that you carpool, and make fewer trips to buy necessities.

2. Save Energy – remember to turn off light switches when you aren’t in the room. Replace old bulbs with energy efficient ones, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs. These use far less energy than conventional bulbs. You can also keep your thermostat a little lower in the winter and only use air conditioning if it’s extremely hot in the summer (exhaust fans work well the rest of the time).

3. Conserve Water – water is our most precious natural resource, so use it with awareness. Take shorter showers. Don’t buy new bottles of water to drink every day. Get a bottle you can carry with you and fill it up using filtered water.

4. Recycle Clothes and Furniture – there’s no shame in acquiring used items that are functional. You can find many such items in good condition online, at yard sales or at stores that specialize in such merchandise. Likewise, when you are finished with something don’t simply throw it out, but donate it.

5. Eat with Awareness – shop locally when possible. There are more farmers’ markets and community supported agriculture (CSAs) where you can buy produce. If you eat meat, buy from local organic farms rather than factory farms. Reducing meat consumption helps the environment, as it takes a great deal of energy to raise livestock.

6. Clean with Non-Toxic Products – you can buy gentle and organic cleaning supplies rather than commercial ones, which are made from harsh chemicals. You can also make your own cleaning supplies from lemon juice, baking soda and vinegar.

7. Reduce Paper Use – do more tasks online to save on paper bills and other paper products. Bring your own bags to the store so you don’t require paper or plastic bags every time you shop. Remove yourself from junk mail lists.

These are some examples of practical things you can do to save our environment. It mainly takes awareness of how the little things you do add up!

Keep Going Green!

Lynne

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The first thing that you can do is to make sure that your mower is set at a height of three to four inches. You should never cut off more than one third of your grass at any one time. You may worry that if you cut it longer then you’ll have to mow more often, but that is completely untrue. The shorter you cut your lawn the faster it will grow.  Most turf grasses are healthiest when kept between 2.5 and 3.5 inches tall.

The second thing that you can do to make sure that your lawn looks great and stays natural is to check the pH of the soil.  You’ll find that there are plenty of services that will help you out with this, and this can help you head off problems before they start and give you a healthier lawn in general.  The PH level should be between 6.5 and 7. If your soil is too acidic you’ll need to add lime and if it’s not acidic enough you can add sulfur. The third thing you need to have a great looking lawn is at least four inches of top soil. 

You should always use an organic fertilizer when your garden needs a little bit of help, especially in the fall and the spring, and that you should only water when your grass is showing some signs of drought.  When you water, water deeply, and take the time to make sure that everything gets a good soaking. You should leave grass clippings on your lawn because they return nutrients to the soil naturally. You should deeply water your lawn between the hours of midnight and eight AM. You should also de-thatch your lawn to remove all dead roots.

As you can see lawn care can be eco-friendly.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK….KEEP TURNING GREEN

1. Garlic

Garlic is great for a number of different pests, and it’s easy to use, as well.  All you need to do is to start with 3 ounces of finely chopped garlic and mix it with two teaspoons of mineral oil.  After a 24 hour soak, you can add it to one pint of water and ¼ n ounce of dish soap.  This is a great all-purpose insect spray, and when you go to use it, all you need to do is to take about tablespoon of this mixture and mix it with a pint of water.  Test the mixture on some lower leaves to make sure that you have not made it strong, but this can be a great way to fight really persistent pests.

2. Weed Regularly

We already know that weeds can choke out the desirable plants, but they can also play host to a number of undesirable pests as well!  Make sure that your garden is free of debris, where insects can nest.  When you have finished the weeding, make sure that you put the refuse far away from your garden, to make sure that the pests that you have cleared out don’t return.

3. Milk

Milk is good for you, and great for your garden.  When you mix one part milk to nine parts water, you can spray the mixture every week or so to prevent things like powdery mildew.  Use it whenever you see black spots on your vegetables or your roses.

4. Composite Flowers

Not only will these flowers be a great and colorful addition to your garden, you’ll find that they’ll attract the useful insects as well.  Ladybugs and lacewings are both attracted to these flowers and you’ll find that they can help reduce pests a great deal.  For some great composite flowers to add, look at yarrow, chicory, chrysanthemums ad dahlias.

5. Newspapers and Cardboard

Use newspapers and cardboard layered on top of your weeds to suffocate them by keeping them away from the light and the water. If you do this in the fall, your garden will have a great weed-free start in the spring.

For other organic gardening tips check out myorganicfoodgarden.com.

You’ll also find that when you compost, you are putting vital nutrients back into the soil.  When organic matter breaks down, it will release valuable nutrients and bacteria back into the soil.  Another benefit is that the compost is entirely natural and there are no further chemical consequences, the way there would be if a chemical or artificial fertilizer is used.  When you add compost to the soil, you are improving the soil’s structure and fertility and also its ability to hold water.

The first thing that you need to do is to start thinking of what can and cannot go into your compost pile.  Brown materials include things like leaves and hay, but you’ll find that they also include clean shredded paper, cardboard rolls, dryer lint that hasn’t used dryer sheets, and shredded newspapers count as well.  Green materials are things like grass clipping, vegetable leavings, tea bags, coffee grounds, manure and fruit trimmings.
 
To make a traditional compost pile, you’ll need both green and brown materials, and you can put them into a pile that is roughly two to three feet square.  You can also work with a compost bin, which will let you keep the pile more contained; some bins even give you the option of tumbling the compost to increase the heat reaction.  After you have your compost pile together, you should add a little bit of garden soil or a compost booster in order to help with the break down.  Make sure that your turn your compost pile several times a week to keep up the oxygen flow and to help things break down very quickly.   You’ll also need to keep your compost pile a little damp, but not soaking wet; you’ll find that this will encourage a good breakdown of the components involved.

If you are interested in compost details you should check out “Worlds Best Compost” for more information .

Lynne

When you want to make sure that your garden looks great, you need to consider using natural fertilizers. Gardens do a great deal better with just a little bit of help, and you’ll find that you can easily do so without resorting to chemical additives of artificial fertilizers.  You’ll find that natural fertilizers are a great way to add nutrients to the soil and to make sure that your produce looks great! 

Natural fertilizers should contain Nitrogen which promotes the growth of better foliage, phosphates which ensure good root development.  Potassium is good for the overall health of the plant. You’ll find that when you buy commercial fertilizers that they will have these three ingredients, but they will get them in ways that are harmful to the environment. Natural and organic fertilizers feed your plants while building the soil. Soils with lots of organic material remain loose and airy, hold more moisture and nutrients, foster growth of soil organisms, and promote healthier plant root development.

A mix of grass clippings, mulch and seaweed can also be added to your garden. If you live near a beach, you can collect seaweed for your garden, and after it is rinsed out, you can put it directly on the soil. Grass clippings can be applied to the garden but don’t put too much on because it will make the soil acidic.

Another great natural fertilizer is animal manure.  Remember that the best ones to use are horse, chicken or cow manure, and that when you dig it into the soil, it will help conserve nitrogen.  Don’t just spread it on the soil, as most of the nutritional potential will be washed away very easily.  When using manure, remember that fresh manure should be kept away from young plants, to prevent the tender roots from being burned. You’ll find that with just a little bit of work, you can really make your garden look great without a single chemical additive!

An organic gardener strives to work in harmony with natural systems and to minimize and continually replenish any resources the garden consumes. Organic gardening, then, begins with attention to the soil. You regularly add organic matter to the soil, using locally available resources wherever possible. And everyone has access to the raw ingredients of organic matter, because your lawn, garden and kitchen produce them everyday. Decaying plant wastes, such as grass clippings, fall leaves and vegetable scraps from your kitchen, are the building blocks of compost, the ideal organic matter for your garden soil. If you add compost to your soil, you’re already well on your way to raising a beautiful, healthy garden organically.

Lynne