Maintaining a Compost Heap
Filed under Composting
A compost heap might be just what you need to give your gardens the nutritious edge they need, but if you’ve never had this type of setup, you might not know what goes into maintaining it so you can create your very own dirt. First you need to learn a little about composting in general and then you can decide what method of composting is right for you.
Composting – A Break Down
When you’re a gardener, you’re constantly pulling weeds, trimming your plants and working to keep your space beautiful. You might make new flower beds, or gardens and dig up grass and other things, but what do you do with all of these items when you’re done with them? Leave them in a pile in your yard? Not likely. The thing is that you can’t throw these things in the garbage; most dumps don’t want it and you could be using it to make your garden a richer environment for your current plants.
By creating a compost heap, you allow all of your garden waste to become rich nutritious soil. It might take some time and look unattractive, but you can maintain yours so that it becomes efficient and doesn’t smell bad. Plus, if a heap in your yard isn’t appealing, you can actually buy or make a composter for your yard, which might help.
Getting Started
Now, if you’re tired of buying nutrient rich topsoil year after year and you want to find a way to be more eco-friendly, then composting might be for you, but there are some things that you should know before you get started composting.
- Choose a good spot for your composter or compost heap. Usually a place that is in the back corner of your yard will do, but make sure that it’s out of the way and easy to get to.
- Decide whether you’ll be making a heap or using an actual composter. This can make a big difference in the way you maintain your compost and make it turn to the nutrients your gardens so desperately need.
- Once you’re ready to get started, it’s important to remember to only put organic waste into your pile or composter. So that means grass clippings, weeds, plant clippings and organic waste from your kitchen such as coffee and filters, egg shells and unused veggie stuff. Make sure not to put any meat or oily products into your mix or you’ll have bad compost and wind up with big odors.
Other Composting Tips
Now, you should know that if you decide to work with a compost heap, your maintenance needs are going to be slightly different than if you choose to use a composter which holds all your yard waste. For instance, when you’re using a compost heap, you are going to want to wet your pile down periodically. So let it build up for a while and then wet it down. Give it enough water to make it damp in the middle, but don’t drench it. You’ll also want to make sure that your compost heap gets plenty of oxygen, so stir it once weekly or aerate it with an aerator.
Now, with a composter, you don’t need to add water because the plants and heat create plenty of moisture, but if your composter doesn’t turn, then you’re going to want to stir it every week or so.
With these tips, you’ll find that you can have all the compost you need to grow a beautiful garden for years to com.
Creating Microclimates In Your Garden To Facilitate Growth
Filed under Gardening
If you’re having a hard time getting plants of any type to grow in your garden, it might be time to learn a little about creating microclimates. Some of us live in areas that are perfect for growing almost anything. Stick it in the ground or a pot with some good soil, water as needed and next thing you know, you’ve got a thriving garden of any kind. Some of us, however, aren’t so lucky. If this sounds like you and you’re tired of struggling to get your plants to grow, it might be time for you to learn about how you can create a beautiful garden that your neighbors will envy over and over.
What Is A Microclimate?
If you’re new to this sort of thing, you might want to know that a microclimate is essentially a space within your space that you have modified to meet the needs of the plants you want to grow. For instance, if your yard becomes hot and inhospitable during the summer months, you might work to create some shade by planting fast growing trees and shrubs. An action such as this can help to offset some of the excess heat and with the right trees; you’ll be able to plant what you really want within a couple of years.
Another example of a microclimate is when you use umbrellas and fences to help shield delicate plants from the hot rays of the sun through part of the day. Adding water, such as in a fountain or pond can also help you to create a little more humidity in your space, which often allows you to grow different types of plants than you currently have.
How To Get Started In Your Garden
When you’re working to create a microclimate to encourage growth, you have to first establish a long term plan. For instance, if you want to create a beautiful shade garden, you may want to first choose some trees which are good for shade. You can add a nice mix of large trees and smaller ones and select a variety of types so you have different growth over the years.
You might have to wait a few years for your trees to become established and create enough shade, but once they do, you can lay the plans for your shade garden.
If you don’t have the time or desire to wait a couple of years to get on with your plans, you may want to choose a different plan, such as creating an artificial shade for a while. Consider fences, the natural shade of your home and fast growing shrubbery which can provide shade and also serve as a wind break for your new plantings.
It’s also important to pay attention to the growing instructions of the plants and if you are choosing a type of plant that needs full sun in a cooler climate, consider putting it in part shade if you are in a warmer climate for best results.
The good news is that you can grow almost anything when you know how to create microclimates which will help to facilitate this growth and provide your plants with the right environment to thrive no matter where you live. So take your time and make a plan, and then get started step by step in making your microclimate for your new plants.
