Gardening Secrets

Where do I Put My Compost-Bin/Heap?

Whether you have purchased a composting unit, or made your own, you need to make sure you have a flat, well drained place in your garden – not so far away that you cannot be bothered trudging there, from the kitchen. Compost bins should not be placed on concrete, patio areas etc. as you want to allow the insects and worms access, as mentioned previously.
Also, choose a site which suits your climate. Warmth and moisture helps the composting process, so place your compost in a place which receives a fair amount of sunlight; and shelter from the wind if you live in a cooler climate, if in a hotter climate, ensure you give it shade to prevent it drying out.

How Long Will it Take to Become Compost?
This is dependent on a number of variables: weather, balance and management. Let us have a look:

Weather:

As dicussed previously :”Warmth and moisture helps the composting process, so place your compost in a place which receives a fair amount of sunlight; and shelter from the wind if you live in a cooler climate, if in a hotter climate, ensure you give it shade to prevent it drying out.”
Balance: This concerns – just what you put in there; and how you do it. If you were to dump a couple of wheel-barrow loads of one type of material, barriers are formed ; and there is no longer an exchange of moisture, nutrient, or macro and micro-biology. I am certain we have all seen what happens with a large pile of grass-clippings – it forms mats of noxious ’stuff’. What you are actually looking for is a mixture of everything, a bucket of kitchen scraps, then a bag of leaves, some prunings, a catcher of grass, couple of spades of soil; then more kitchen scraps and so on. More like as not – you will not have all of these things to hand at the one time, this is where Management comes into play.

Management:

You can – just chuck stuff in there, leave it, and let nature take its course. This is called a cold compost. It will still turn into compost – just take a bit longer to happen. This is fine if you’re not in a hurry, generally though, once you start producing compost – it just never happens fast enough! In order to speed up the process, a heap needs periodic turning. by this I mean – that which was on the bottom of the pile should now be on the top, or there-abouts. This is not a simple task of just flipping it over – if you can do that, your heap is not big enough.
Starting at the top of the heap, remove the top 8 inches or so and put it aside – this being the most recent addition and therefore the least composted. Then dig out the whole heap – any old how, it doesn’t matter, there is no need for neatness. Now, place that which was on the top – on the bottom of what is now the start of your new heap. The rest of the heap now goes back in, on top of that. There we have a new and revitalised heap.
What has happened here is quite simply – mixed the heap. As each shovel-full is taken out , mixing occurs, then as each shovel-full is thrown back in – even more mixing. It is a fact and luckily so, that you would never be able to replace the heap exactly as you found, even if you tried. Bits from the top and sides fall in, one time you may take from this side, the next time the other, big bits and small bits get all mixed up, leaves mixed with soil, soil with prunings; and so on. I would ordinarily do this once, when the heap is half-full; then again when it is full. If you can get it, the addition of horse, cow, sheep or chicken manure, at each turning, will make for a really rich compost.

Now That I’ve Got Compost – What Do I Do With it?

Spread it around the garden, dig it into the veggie plot, use it as a potting mix. No matter where you use your compost, it will only improve the health and general well-being of you garden. The follow-on benefits of this are: healthier and stronger plants – less open to pest and disease; a greater root-mass – allowing plants to withstand extremes of weather; better tasting fruit and vegetables; more flowers; bit of exercise; less waste – you have taken responsibility for your own rubbish; the benefits to the environment cannot be dismissed – you haven’t played an enormous part – but you have done your bit.
O.K. You have made your first compost!
This is when you come to realise – you just can’t seem to make enough of it!

This was Part 3 of a 3 part series.
Compost Part 1: What is Compost?
Compost Part 2: Where do I put all this stuff
Illustrations of Urban Composting Methods

You have a number of choices, here. A compost bin, box, tumbler, trench or heap – all will work, its a matter of personal preference. Let us look.

Compost Bin.

This can be made out of just about anything; discarded 44gal. drums are good, provided they are clean of petro-chemicals; plastic cherry-bins are ideal. For the most part, it needs to be big enough that you could climb into it. Cut off the top and bottom – keep one of these for the lid. Make a number of ‘breathing-holes’ around the shell – these can be either cut or drilled through. A plastic rubbish bin will do. Once again, cut off the bottom, make holes in the side – then turn it upside-down, so that the wider opening sits on the ground. The idea of no bottom, is to allow the insects, worms and micro-organisms which help degradation of your waste materials the freedom to migrate into and out of your compost.

Compost Box.

This can be made out of anything you have to hand, be it old pallets, bricks, or spare lumber. Bales of hay work quite well – the hay ultimately becoming compost itself.
Plastic Composters.

There are a number of plastic composters available, stand alone units and tumblers. These are made of a special grade plastic that ‘breathes’. A tumbler, is a compost bin, turned on its side; and with the aid of a crank handle, is turned a quarter turn every couple of weeks or so – effectively mixing the compost for you. The is one draw-back with these, though – the tendency to turn it too often, or really crank-it-up; then you end up with this glutinous ball, not much good for anything.

Trenching.

This is quite an old-fashioned way of composting, but certainly worth discussing. A trench is dug, about double spade-width, the soil left on the side of the trench. All your waste is placed at the start of the trench, without spreading it out – the soil left on the side, is then back-filled over the material you have just placed in there. Then, the next-time you have more material, it is placed at what is now the start of the trench; and back-filled again. When you have run out of trench – start a new one. This is actually a good way to revitalise vegetable gardens, ordinarily made in bed-rows. An entire row is dug out and becomes the trench, filled with organic material, back-filled; and left to its own devices for about 6 months – then turned over and made ready for planting again.

Compost Heaps.

A compost heap, is just that – a heap of compost material. However, the whole process will work much better, if it is managed a bit. By this I mean ‘caging’ it. Using 4 to 6 stakes or pickets hammered into the ground, in a vague circle; chicken-wire, sparrow-wire, or arc-mesh is then formed around them, creating an open-ended cage. Large sheets of cardboard can be used; and will eventually decompose, too. Black sheet plastic can also be used as a surround, but it tends to deteriorate and tear, fairly quickly – then you have to get rid of it some way. Back to the dump, oh,dear.

The basic idea of all these designs can be seen here.

Worm Farms.

An alternative to composting in the traditional sense is vermi-composting or worm-farms. These use a special kind of worm to break down kitchen scraps producing a fine compost-like material from their casts, or leavings; and a nutrient filled liquid plant food which is ideal for feeding indoor pot plants. If you have a greenhouse, or have a lot of houseplants then a worm-farm may be the best choice for the disposal of household waste. These can be constructed by the home gardener, or store bought. There are some marvelous small, neat units quite suitable for people living in apartments, too.

The basic idea of all these designs can be seen here.
Illustrations of Urban Composting Methods

This was Part 2 of a 3 part series.
Compost Part 1: What is Compost?
Compost Part 3: How Long Will it Take to Become Compost?
Illustrations of Urban Composting Methods

What is Compost?
Compost is the end result of the decomposition of organic material, or waste. This occurs naturally in the bush , or a forest, by the accumulation of debris from plant and animal material; and provided there is moisture present, either from rain, in the soil, or from the material itself, decomposition will occur.

With the assistance of microbes, bacteria, fungus, insects and worms – the organic matter is consumed, or broken-down, gently mixed, with the assistance of the worms and insects; and ultimately, transformed into an organically rich substance – readily assimilable by plants : the perfect fertiliser. In this natural setting, the actual transformation from raw material to compost, can take quite some time – as the process is reliant on the vaguaries of the climate and the availability of material.
Compost in urban environs, uses the same principles, with the added bonus of things being managed; and therefore a quicker process.

The Urban Composter.

How do I Make Compost?

Composting at home, is basically a means of Recycling the organic waste that a household produces. Kitchen and garden waste, makes up about 30% of all land-fill; this is where the smell from rubbish dumps comes from – organic material rotting. Unlike a compost, which is, organic material decomposing, with the help of microbial and worm action breaking it down.
A well balanced compost heap – does not smell!

If you could pile up all the discarded kitchen and garden waste, coming out of an average suburban home in a year – you would not be able to see over it. Does it not make more sense to return all of this back into your garden, rather than adding to the urban over-abundance of garbage tragedy? Some local councils are now supplying garden-waste-bins, collected just the same way as ordinary garbage, but then dumped at enormous compost-farms; and ultimately sold off as bagged compost and potting-mix.
When you add in the environmental costs, of adding new landfill sites, road transport emissions from ferrying all this waste around; and potential incineration, with the fumes that release into the environment – advantages of composting are clear, whether done on an individual basis, or commercially.

So! All your garden-waste, this is : lawn-clippings, any soft prunings (nothing too woody, nothing diseased); all leaves- from the roof-gutters, raked up leaves, swept up leaves; most weeds; and all spent annuals from last season.
Household waste : from the kitchen; all vegetable scraps; left-over meals (no meat, fish or dairy products – this will only stink and attract unwanted pests and vermin); egg-shells, egg-cartons; coffee-grounds and tea-bags; hair – from the brush, from the dog, from cutting hair; all floor sweepings; ash from the fire-place; whatever is in the vaccum bag; shopping dockets and paper-bags – pretty much, anything organic. Any large cardboard boxes, or large quantities of news-papers, worn out sheets and blankets – do not burn them, use them as mulch.

This was Part 1 of a 3 part series.
Compost Part 2: Where do I put all this stuff
Part 3: How Long Will it Take to Become Compost?
Illustrations of Urban Composting Methods

Gardening is fun and rewarding and may be considered a hobby, talent or both and sometimes its just luck, sometimes – it’s a Life. Gardening is not as easy as it looks and involves dedication, time and consistency and many trials and errors. There are many aspects to maintaining a healthy garden, but some aspects take precedence over others, as we shall see in subsequent articles. Anyone who likes gardening can have the knowledge to produce the best garden in the world, but without the right equipment and materials it just becomes overly difficult.

Below you will find a list of some pieces of equipment which many gardeners simply cannot live without:

1. Trowel.

A trowel is a small shovel or spade-like tool, which is used to cultivate soil and plant small plants and seedlings. There are many styles to choose from and type of handle depends on your personal comfort and will determine how well it works. Easy grip, non-slide and non-slip grips are popular forms of handles, These will be easier to use and will require less work than any other form of trowel. Try one out in your hand first to ensure it feels comfortable. A wooden handle is just fine.

2. Garden Fork

A fork is a gardening tool which has 2-6 prongs and a handle of about half a metre. The sizes of forks vary, depending on what they are being used for. The space between each prong varies as well. Forks are used to separate, lift and throw loose pieces of material such as dirt and leaves. Particularly useful for cultivating larger areas of the garden, such as new beds or vegetable gardens. Pitchforks, on the other hand are generally used for ‘pitching’ hay.

3. Garden Spade

A gardening spade has a handle similar to that of the fork and has a flat blade. This tool is used to dig up and move pieces of dirt from one place to another., dig holes and the like.

3. Shovel.

A Shovel is primarily used for digging large holes, such as post-holes, and for moving large quantities of material, such as soil, or gravel, etc.

4. Pruning Shears.

Pruning shears, or secateurs, look something like a cross between a pair of pliers and a pair of scissors. This gardening tool allows gardeners to precisely prune rose bushes and other plants and unruly vines, etc. It is also used to trim and remove dead leaves, or branches, or flowers. There is no other piece of gardening equipment which can do the same job as pruning shears, as far as versatility and ease of use are concerned. Always invest in good quality pruning shears. Good ones have a lifetime guarantee and cheap ones will fall apart before you know it. Just don’t bother.

5. Wheelbarrow.

A wheelbarrow is probably the largest piece of garden equipment you will ever acquire. It is a deep bellied or sided cart with two handles and at least one wheel, which is designed for easy transportation of materials, such as soil, gravel or mulch, from one place to another. Purchasing a wheelbarrow will save you a lot of time and effort, especially if you are a keen compost heap maker, and will make your gardening experience less like hard work.

There are many pieces of gardening equipment which will make this hobby easier and more efficient, however the ones listed above are recognized as the most important. These pieces of equipment will likely last a very long time.
Essential Garden Tools

Gardening is much easier and far more enjoyable when you know a secret or two.

Most of the enjoyment of gardening comes from the fiddly bits, the care, maintenance, and minor adjustments of the garden – as opposed to the bruises, tired muscles, and frustration, of the initial setting up of your garden.

The secret I am going to discuss, is pruning. Pruning is considered essential in gardening, as regards flowers, fruit, and keeping pests and diseases from taking over.

For many novice gardeners, pruning is a scary prospect, many believing that their pruning attempts will kill the plants. Let me clarify this, you certainly CAN kill a plant by pruning it, but this is generally only the result of over-zealous pruning. This is not some sort of contest between you and the plant, you are not supposed to be trying to “teach it a lesson, or two”, and it is not “war”.

Pruning is all about assisting the plant to produce desired results, like: greater abundance of fruit, or flowers; become more manageable; or, to remove diseased or damaged branches.

Plants such as Forsythia must have an annual pruning of old wood to help maintain the vigor and abundance of flowers each year. This is because pruning encourages new shoots, which are are produced from the base of the plant. It is these new shoots that carry the flowers – next year! Left to go its own way, a Forsythia quickly turns into a tangled birds nest, becomes overcrowded, allowing little room for new shoots to grow and produce flowers. I recommend that every year after flowering has finished, a good one third of the old wood, around the base of the shrub, is completely removed. This not only allows more room, but also forces the plant to compensate for what has been lost. This is “pruning to vigor”, or “forcing”.

Ornamental fruit trees, produce more flowers and fruit when pruned at the correct time of the year. A rough pruning guide is: most fruit trees should be pruned as soon as fruiting is finished, this will encourage new fruiting wood for the following season; while those that flower at the end of the season, should be pruned at the beginning of spring. Plants like roses, are given a hard pruning in the winter to encourage new growth, then a light pruning after the first flush of flowers, to get ready for the summer flowering.

Many shrubs are grown for the color or pattern, of their stems, which need to be pruned at regular intervals if the color is maintained. A technique called “Coppicing” is used, where the shrub is pruned hard close to the trunk, or ground. This treatment forces a lot of new growth, thereby showing off the stem color or pattern. Coppicing is also used for wood production, used in the construction of temporary fences.

Sometimes as plants age, they can become a bit ratty and unattractive, or perhaps all the flowers, or fruit is only produced too high up to appreciate. In these or similar cases, it is not a bad idea to do a bit of radical pruning – like a hard prune of about two thirds of the plants’ height. This should only be done during the plant’s dormant period, generally winter. If you were to attempt such heavy pruning in the middle of the season, depending on the type an age of the plant – you may, very well kill it if it doesn’t have enough reserves to recover. Hence pruning in winter, when most plants are resting. Pruning, normal garden care and general garden maintenance is the secret to successful gardening.