Not Raving About Compost? Well, You Should Be

southeastern growers

By definition, composting is the use of decayed organic material as plant and tree fertilizer. It involves a recycling process where dead organic materials are turned into nutrient rich soil. Compost has the ability to make plants healthier, as well as the ability to increase their flowering and fruiting potential. Overall, using compost is a great organic alternative to using fertilizers that are sometimes laced in inorganic chemicals and growth hormones. Of course, composting stirs positive environmental habits, such as recycling and soil enrichment. It is also a wonderful way to introduce kids to the beauties of recycling, and the life cycle. Below is a more in-depth explanation on why you should use compost in your yard using articles from plowhearth.com and recycle.org.

Using organic soils like compost means using soils your plants and garden will love. Why? To start, compost contains all the major plant nutrients, including potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Additionally, it also contains billions of bacteria, fungi, and yeasts that help further break down organic matter, supplying a long-term, steady nutrient feed to plants and soils. Compost texture also greatly improves the tilth, or soil structure of gardens it is used in. Its loose fluffy-like texture allows for increased drainage of clay soils, as well as the binding of sandy soils. These reactions allow for enhanced moisture retention properties throughout your garden.

Composting is a cost efficient process, as well as an environmentally friendly one. In fact, according to recycle.org, yard and food waste makeup about 30% of the waste stream. As an environmentally friendly practice, composting helps reduce some of the accumulated waste from landfills, waterways, and even water treatment facilities. In terms of cost efficiency, composting is also a very effective practice. For someone who avidly tends to their garden, composting replaces expensive soil conditioners and fertilizers. Instead you now have large, fresh piles of nutrient rich soil ready to fertilize your yard for practically free!

Composting is not a difficult process either.  When thought of in a simpler sense, composting is just glamorized, useful rotting of waste. In fact, by just piling your kitchen scraps, cut grass, and autumn leaves into a giant pile, you can have a healthy amount of compost in your backyard in just one year’s time. That’s because composting is a natural process. Controlled composting involves speeding the natural process. This involves moistening, turning, and adding to the mixed properties from time to time. Adding worms to your compost pile/bin is probably the most intricate part of your composting process. Worms and worm castings add extra soil nutrients into your soil.

If you liked this post, consider taking a gander at the rest of our gardening blog. If you’re interested in our services, check out our main site for more. Thanks for reading !

Create a Better Garden with these Expert Tips for Beginners

flower garden southeastern growers

Considering gardening as a hobby? Gardening can be an absolutely wonderful way of relieving stress during a busy work-filled week. It is also a great way to exercise your creativity and imagination. The creativity involved in building your own garden involves coordinating different colors, textures, and sizes of plants. Most importantly, it involves a great deal of skill and patience.

While creativity may inspire beauty in a garden, nothing will come to fruition without a green thumb, or at least, some semblance of skill in the garden. Therefore, it is important to learn some gardening tips before you put your hoe into the dirt. Using an article from Reader’s Digest, here are a few expert tips on gardening for beginners and future gardening enthusiasts.

First off, you want to build a gardener’s portfolio. Many gardeners spend hours collecting data on model gardens in magazines and tv shows. This portfolio  is meant for you to keep track of your own plants in your garden. These plants, along with their recommended treatments, would be cataloged into your book along with any other relevant information on each individual plant.

If you’re looking to add more pot plants into your garden, make sure you pack them lightly. Packing large pots with loads of soil is not only a waste of soil, but also a major future problem for your back. Heavy lifting over prolonged periods of time can develop into serious back strains that are difficult to recuperate from. Don’t hurt your back while working in your garden, instead pack your pots lightly with a small hack. Fill between one-third and one-half of your pot with foam packing nuts. Before adding potting soil, make sure to place a piece of landscape fabric inside the pot.

Restrict aggressive plants when planting them into your garden. Do your due diligence beforehand, and find out which of your plants is aggressive. Once you decide on planting them anyway, plant them into the ground inside of a plastic container. Cut the bottom of your container with a knife. This will force the plant’s roots to grow straight downward.

When planting roses, keep in mind that pruning is important. Your roses’ future health depends on proper pruning techniques. Pruning ensures that the center of the flower is open in order to retain as much sunshine as possible. This practice also keeps moisture out, preventing black spots and other abnormalities away from your roses.

If you liked some of these tips and tips and would like to read more on gardening, check out our blog for more information. If you’re interested in buying some plants, check out our main site. Thanks for reading!