Lets talk dirt . . . what do plants need?
Good gardening is very simple, really. You just have to learn to think like a plant. You can memorize sets of instructions if you want to, collect charts and tables, test and retest your soil and follow precise recipes for soil mixes and compost. But you will accomplish more simply by learning a bit about how plants are constructed, how they grow and what they want out of life. Once you understand what makes plants tick, you'll know what you need to do to help them grow well (only a few rather uncomplicated things). You'll also learn how to read the sign language by which plants tell you what they need. Some plants may have fussy preferences - but most have the same universal needs. At least add some compost to your soil in the Spring or Fall.
Lets talk dirt . . . so how do I start and keep a compost pile?
Get to know your property, and make a plan. After these things are done, never underestimate the power of soil improvement…
all topsoil is not created equal!
For flower beds or vegetable gardens, have your soil tested and you will learn a lot about your soil and they will tell you exactly what to add in order to improve it, if you tell them what you intend to plant.
Check your local garden centers for free classes or informal seminars, ´value services added´ are all the rage now so take advantage of the free education!
It doesn't have to be an expensive container, you can start a compost pile in a out of way corner of your yard or just put up some wire fence in a circle next to the vegetable garden. The ingredients are simple, you need green material, brown material, and a handful of worms.
Green materials - Some examples are grass clippings, yard waste from dead heading or trimming plants, leftover raw vegetable materials from the kitchen, keep a small covered container near your prep area.
Brown materials include twigs and small branches, dead leaves in the fall, old hay or mulch, newspaper (torn up in strips is best - but not the color ad pages).
You can add kitchen wastes too… eggshells crushed up, coffee grounds, fruits, banana peels, apple cores, hair from your hair brushes and this list could go on. You can add manure for good bacteria from pigs, chickens, cows, horses, rabbits too, as long as the animals are healthy.
Things NOT to add - NO meat products including fat, or bones. These will attract unwanted visitors to your pile. Do NOT add manure from humans, cats or dogs. This material can carry disease organisms.
Two methods of composting
Method one is called "Cold Composting" This is the easiest way but takes a year or so until you have a good useable compost to add to your garden. You simply keep adding materials to a pile or bin and let them cook. You won't want to add weed seeds though because this pile does not get hot enough to kill them off.
The second method is called "Hot Composting". You make just as the first method except you turn or fluff this pile to provide oxygen to the organisms who are decomposing your pile. It takes some work, but you can have high-quality compost in a matter of weeks if you fluff or turn the pile every few days. If you have a horse barn close by… I've found that they will give you whatever you can cart away, and sometimes might have a pile that's already been cooking, just waiting for someone to haul it away! You can also buy additives to heat-up your pile, but free is fine with me!
Chopping up your materials will assist either method in decomposing faster. You can run leaves and such over with a lawnmower for example, before adding to your pile. No matter which way you do it, the time you spend making your compost and adding it to your gardens will be more than returned by improved soil and plant health. Not to mention that you are also recycling leftover materials that would otherwise be wasted in some garbage dump.
This is all good exercise too. You're using muscles you don't use sitting at a desk, or even running, so take it slow and easy to start. You may also want to stretch and do a few garden exercises before you start turning over that compost pile or your garden. Keeps me in better shape once I get into the season!
