So you like flowers, want more color in your garden, but don’t have time to study what to plant in depth? You keep hearing the same words around flowers and in nurseries: perrenial, annual. What do they mean, and what on earth should you plant?
An annual plant is a plant which blooms only once, during its annual cycle. Spring annuals flower in spring, summer annuals in summer, etc. If you plant petunias by the garden gate and they blossom in May and you want them there again next May, you’ll have to replant. Except for a possible stray survivor that may come up next year, those particular plants are finished with their job by your garden gate.
The one exception to the rule is the half-hardy annual, often designated by "HHA" in seed catalogues. This is a plant which is not devastated by early frost, and may, given the right conditions, come up a second or more time. Biennials, on the other hand, are perennials which only bloom in the second year of their life and then some.
Perennial plants, on the other hand, come up over and over again, year after year, as long as conditions for their blooming remain beneficial. If you plant cone flowers by the garage this year, they will bloom in season, die out during the winter, then come up next year, and the next, to bloom again.
So why would you choose annuals if they require more replanting? What are the benefits of annuals? What are the possible drawbacks of perennials, and which plants are which?
First, since annuals like petunias, marigolds and impatiens are born, grow, bloom and die in one season, it seems clear that they are more labor intensive than plants that continue blooming over time. One benefit of using annuals in the garden, however, is ease of availability. Such plants are big favorites of commercial growers, and appear in the spring in a large variety of colors and types, such as double or single flowers, low or medium height plants, and a multitude of colors. Since they are often already in bloom when they are purchased, the gardener can easily visualize the appearance of the garden with their addition.
Many annuals continue to bloom and grow all through their season. They can be clipped, their spent blossoms removed, and new blossoms will form, making for long lasting color and texture in the garden. In addition, annuals are inexpensive to produce and obtain. If some of the annuals purchased fail to thrive, they can be ripped out and more annuals replanted. When a bare spot in the garden suddenly appears it'’ a simple matter to buy an annual plant or two and fill in with them until more permanent plans are possible.
Generally speaking, annuals are extremely versatile in the garden, usually bright and outgoing flowers, and predictable in habit. If you grew impatiens before, you pretty much know how they’ll grow again. They are also fairly easy to start from seed yourself, without waiting for an extensive and undependable germination or growing time.
Both annuals and perennials come in differently brnaching habits--some may contain clusters of small flowers, others, a single, flat or conical blossom on a stem. All perennials, however, are sometimes difficult to germinate. Their germination times are usually longer, and somewhat uneven. My experience with delphiniums, a favorite of mine, for example, is that of a 50% germination rate, despite trying three different seed brands and two different varieties. Perennial seedlings are usually extremely small, thin stemmed and delicate, except for the hardiest of varieties. This makes them hard to start in the home greenhouse.
Most times, the grower must rely on local greenhouses and therefore, on limited varieties of species. Some perennials are almost impossible to find when you’re ready for them, although they can be ordered in plant form from many catalogue houses, which are quite reliable. Fall planted perennials, however, do not seem reliable in the southern New England area where I live—it’s possible they do not get a good enough start in the ground before weather turns harsh, but again, many nurseries do not carry what the home gardener is seeking, and one must depend on catalogues and their often unreliable delivery systems.
If a perennial plant does not make it in the garden and needs to be replaced, it’s often next to impossible to find the species, color and size you’re looking for in nurseries. In general, perennial flowers are also not as vivid as annuals, although the sweet news is that they will return to bloom again and again in future years. Some colors come up short in perennials; admittedly there are fewer flowers in bright red shades, more in subtle and pale colors like pink, mauve, lilac, white and peach.
While perennials are not always clip-and-come-again flowers, and sometimes have a shorter blooming season than most annuals, their heights are more variable than annuals; there are tiny, low growing perennials, medium height perennials and very tall perennials. Annuals, on the other hand, do not seem to come in such varying lengths—they tend toward mid-size flowers, but here are some in varying heights which are among the more popular annuals in the northeast.
Low-growing( eight-to-ten inches or less): sweet alyssum, certain gazanias, gerbera, hybrid pelargonium (geranium), pansies and lobelia. Mid-sized (1-15 inch plants) are many: aegeratum, impatiens, petunias of many kind, lisianthus, marigolds, nasturtium, celosia and phlox. Taller varieties include rudbeckia (black-eyed susans), snapdragons, larkspur, leonotis, hollyhock, strawflowers, statice, baby’s breath, cleome and cosmos.
Perennials in the different height ranges include: low-growing—perennial candytuft, lily-of-the-valley, ice plant, plumbago, low-growing eidelweiss (alpine flowers), dianthus; myrtle and creepingthyme; medium height--arisaema, perennial alyssum, anemone, silene, dianthus, perennial gaillardia, scabiosa; tall growing—asclepias, a frikarti asters, baptisia, astilbe, clematis, canna, acchillea, agastache, bleeding heart, columbine, chrysanthemum, delphinium, digitalis, shasta daisy, lupine, penstemon, hardy phlox, potentilla, coneflower and sedum.
If you are new to gardening, it might be wise to start with annuals placed in your garden where you think they may work, taller flowers at the rear of the border or area, mid-sized ones in front of them, and finally, low-growers at the front. Study the garden in bloom, and decide where you want different color and form in the years to come. Begin to invest in the planting of perennials for height, subtle color, and variety.
Even when you have a nicely blooming perennial garden, you still may want a spot for a splash of color, different each year, for which annuals may fill the bill. In other words, don’t rush in with perennials—they’re expensive, long-lasting but you may tire of them year after year. On the other hand, planting tens or hundreds of annuals every year can be exhausting—and expensive!
The choice is yours. Whatever you decide, the color, scent, and joy of flowers can be yours—in your own unique way.
Written by Eleanor Sullo - © 2002 Pagewise
Friday, June 30, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Snapdragons
One of nature's most stunning examples of color and beauty is the snapdragon.
Rows of perfectly formed, beautifully painted flowers adorn many stems. These well-favored annuals come in a wide assortment of colors and varieties. The website "Annuals A-Z: Choosing and Growing Antirrhinums", written and published by Graham Rice in 1999, says most annuals are not available in as many colors as the snapdragon. Various shades of white, scarlet, yellow, purple, pink, and peach are available. Two-toned snapdragons are particularly showy.
This softly scented flower comes in various sizes as well, ranging from dwarf varieties to varieties that can reach a height of four feet, according to the same article. Taller varieties make beautiful backdrops for shorter plants, and shorter to medium height varieties make nice borders. "Annuals A-Z: Choosing and Growing Antirrhinums" recommends "Lampion" for hanging baskets, which is a lovely cascading variety. Recommended for window boxes is a dwarf variety called "Kim". It boosts dazzling orange and yellow flowers. "Burpee: Complete Gardener" published in 1995 by Macmillan, suggests planting low-growing varieties as ground cover. One such variety is "Floral Carpet Hybrid". It also makes a nice flower for a border or window box.
Snapdragons produce more blooms when temperatures are cool, according to "Burpee: Complete Gardener". Snapdragons are often sold in garden centers and greenhouses, and they can be purchased as fully developed plants. If starting snapdragons from seed, they should be planted indoors approximately two to three months before spring planting.
The same book says snapdragons require light to begin sprouting, so the seeds should be sprinkled on top of the soil in peat pots, trays, or containers. Covering the peat pots, trays, or containers with clear plastic will help retain valuable moisture during germination adds "Burpee: Complete Gardener". Also, pinching off the tops of snapdragons that are about four inches tall will encourage the plant to branch out. Before you transfer your snapdragons to the outdoors, check the plant hardiness zone for your particular location. The same article says light frost will not adversely affect snapdragons, but heavy frost can be damaging. In addition, they should slowly be introduced to the outdoors before transplanting. Setting them outside for a few hours each day will strengthen and prepare them for outdoor conditions.
"Burpee: Complete Gardener" recommends planting snapdragons while temperatures are still cool in spring or early in the summer. They will do best in a sunny location with soil that drains well. The same book says the first blooms on snapdragons are usually the largest, but a greater quantity of flowers will bloom after the first ones are finished. It goes on to say that flowering will slow down during hot weather and will resume again when the temperature drops. Also, dead flower stalks should be removed to promote new growth. "Burpee: Complete Gardener" recommends supporting taller varieties with stakes.
Snapdragons are a spectacular addition to any flower bed or garden. They are easy to grow, are very versatile, and you will appreciate the touch of color and beauty they add to your property.
Written by Kimberly Osburn - © 2002 Pagewise
Rows of perfectly formed, beautifully painted flowers adorn many stems. These well-favored annuals come in a wide assortment of colors and varieties. The website "Annuals A-Z: Choosing and Growing Antirrhinums", written and published by Graham Rice in 1999, says most annuals are not available in as many colors as the snapdragon. Various shades of white, scarlet, yellow, purple, pink, and peach are available. Two-toned snapdragons are particularly showy.
This softly scented flower comes in various sizes as well, ranging from dwarf varieties to varieties that can reach a height of four feet, according to the same article. Taller varieties make beautiful backdrops for shorter plants, and shorter to medium height varieties make nice borders. "Annuals A-Z: Choosing and Growing Antirrhinums" recommends "Lampion" for hanging baskets, which is a lovely cascading variety. Recommended for window boxes is a dwarf variety called "Kim". It boosts dazzling orange and yellow flowers. "Burpee: Complete Gardener" published in 1995 by Macmillan, suggests planting low-growing varieties as ground cover. One such variety is "Floral Carpet Hybrid". It also makes a nice flower for a border or window box.
Snapdragons produce more blooms when temperatures are cool, according to "Burpee: Complete Gardener". Snapdragons are often sold in garden centers and greenhouses, and they can be purchased as fully developed plants. If starting snapdragons from seed, they should be planted indoors approximately two to three months before spring planting.
The same book says snapdragons require light to begin sprouting, so the seeds should be sprinkled on top of the soil in peat pots, trays, or containers. Covering the peat pots, trays, or containers with clear plastic will help retain valuable moisture during germination adds "Burpee: Complete Gardener". Also, pinching off the tops of snapdragons that are about four inches tall will encourage the plant to branch out. Before you transfer your snapdragons to the outdoors, check the plant hardiness zone for your particular location. The same article says light frost will not adversely affect snapdragons, but heavy frost can be damaging. In addition, they should slowly be introduced to the outdoors before transplanting. Setting them outside for a few hours each day will strengthen and prepare them for outdoor conditions.
"Burpee: Complete Gardener" recommends planting snapdragons while temperatures are still cool in spring or early in the summer. They will do best in a sunny location with soil that drains well. The same book says the first blooms on snapdragons are usually the largest, but a greater quantity of flowers will bloom after the first ones are finished. It goes on to say that flowering will slow down during hot weather and will resume again when the temperature drops. Also, dead flower stalks should be removed to promote new growth. "Burpee: Complete Gardener" recommends supporting taller varieties with stakes.
Snapdragons are a spectacular addition to any flower bed or garden. They are easy to grow, are very versatile, and you will appreciate the touch of color and beauty they add to your property.
Written by Kimberly Osburn - © 2002 Pagewise
Monday, June 26, 2006
Planting Your Herb Garden
Whether you want to plant an herb garden for culinary purposes or to use as medicinal healing. You need to know how to first begin to plant your garden.
You need to decide if you want to do a small container garden or find a small piece of land in your yard to till up and use for your herb garden. When deciding to do a container garden you need to find a nice part sun and part shade area to place your container in. Container gardening also allows you to bring in your herb garden during bad storms and not worry about your plants drowning should you get hit by a bad rain storm.
Container Gardening:
Go to your local home garden store and look at the variety of containers, have your list of herbs that you want to plant so you know about how many containers you may need. When I use to do container gardening I would place about 4-5 herbs in one container at one time I had 6 containers, hence why I now use a space in my yard for my garden. Container gardening is great if you are just starting out or if you cannot plant in your yard or you live in an apartment.
Be sure to purchase planting soil for your containers as using soil from your yard is not porous enough to use in containers. I was just at our local garden store this spring and saw that they do sell organic planting soil, I have not used it but the bag stated that it was better for growing herbs and vegetables as there was no fertilizer in the planting soil. You do not want to use chemicals in your herb or vegetable garden as you will be eating these plants.
Once you have purchased your containers, soil and herbs you need to plant them as soon as possible as the soil the plants are planted in dry out quickly.
You want to place the plants about 6 inches apart so depending on the size of your container will depend on how many herbs you plant in each container.
Place the gardening soil in the container then place the plants still in their containers on the soil to determine how you want to plant them.
Use a sturdy shovel to dig about an inch or two deep into the soil and gently take the herb plant out of its container. Be sure to gently separate the roots before planting. Place a small amount of water into the hole and place the herb into the hole. Be sure to cover all the roots so none are showing. Then water again gently.
Once all your containers are planted set them out where you have already pre-determined you want them to be.
Be sure to water your herb garden, to check if they need water test the soil if it feels dry water, if its still moist check it again the next day.
Yard Garden:
Take a walk around your yard to see where you want to plant your herb garden. Determine how big you want the garden to be. Till the ground. You can do this either by using a hoe or by using a tiller. I do recommend a tiller as I have done both and after using a hoe my back hurt, but if you have no choice a hoe will do just as well.
Now you need to get on your hands and knees, I purchased a nice knee pad so that my knees didn't hurt kneeling in the dirt. You need to pick out all the huge chunks of grass, you can also take a garden rake and rake out all the tilled grass and weeds. Once you have that done take your herbs and place them in the spot you want to plant them. Remember to read the tags so you know just how far to place them apart so that they have room to grow.
When you are ready to plant be sure to have these items on hand to make the job easier:
Hand shovel
a container of water
a knee pad
your herbs
a notebook to write down where each herb is and what day you planted it
When you are planting the herbs be sure to plant them about 1-2 inches deep and add water to the hole before adding the herb. Be sure to gently break apart the roots and gently place the herb in the hole. Now take the dirt and cover all of the roots. Gently water again, the herbs will be in shock at first and may look droopy but don't worry they will spring back.
Since your herb garden is in the ground you will need to be sure to be on the lookout for pests and be sure to check them daily to see if they need water. Some insects are good for your plants for example ladybugs, praying mantis and bees.
Everyday write down in your notebook what you have done to your garden. Do research on your herbs and see how you can use them. Don't worry if at first your garden does not do well, once you learn how your soil is and the best places to grow your herbs it will become second nature.
Good luck with your herb garden.
Rebecca White is a mother to 3 boys ages 12, 10 and 4. She loves to grow herbs for cooking and medicinal uses. Rebecca owns http://www.medicinalherbguide.com where you can find many more tips and great articles on owning your own medicinal herb garden. Be sure to stop in to see books she recommends using and software that saves you time when recording your plants progress. Rebecca also owns http://www.supportformoms.com, http://www.experts4wahms.com. Gardening is Rebecca's hobby and passion.
You need to decide if you want to do a small container garden or find a small piece of land in your yard to till up and use for your herb garden. When deciding to do a container garden you need to find a nice part sun and part shade area to place your container in. Container gardening also allows you to bring in your herb garden during bad storms and not worry about your plants drowning should you get hit by a bad rain storm.
Container Gardening:
Go to your local home garden store and look at the variety of containers, have your list of herbs that you want to plant so you know about how many containers you may need. When I use to do container gardening I would place about 4-5 herbs in one container at one time I had 6 containers, hence why I now use a space in my yard for my garden. Container gardening is great if you are just starting out or if you cannot plant in your yard or you live in an apartment.
Be sure to purchase planting soil for your containers as using soil from your yard is not porous enough to use in containers. I was just at our local garden store this spring and saw that they do sell organic planting soil, I have not used it but the bag stated that it was better for growing herbs and vegetables as there was no fertilizer in the planting soil. You do not want to use chemicals in your herb or vegetable garden as you will be eating these plants.
Once you have purchased your containers, soil and herbs you need to plant them as soon as possible as the soil the plants are planted in dry out quickly.
You want to place the plants about 6 inches apart so depending on the size of your container will depend on how many herbs you plant in each container.
Place the gardening soil in the container then place the plants still in their containers on the soil to determine how you want to plant them.
Use a sturdy shovel to dig about an inch or two deep into the soil and gently take the herb plant out of its container. Be sure to gently separate the roots before planting. Place a small amount of water into the hole and place the herb into the hole. Be sure to cover all the roots so none are showing. Then water again gently.
Once all your containers are planted set them out where you have already pre-determined you want them to be.
Be sure to water your herb garden, to check if they need water test the soil if it feels dry water, if its still moist check it again the next day.
Yard Garden:
Take a walk around your yard to see where you want to plant your herb garden. Determine how big you want the garden to be. Till the ground. You can do this either by using a hoe or by using a tiller. I do recommend a tiller as I have done both and after using a hoe my back hurt, but if you have no choice a hoe will do just as well.
Now you need to get on your hands and knees, I purchased a nice knee pad so that my knees didn't hurt kneeling in the dirt. You need to pick out all the huge chunks of grass, you can also take a garden rake and rake out all the tilled grass and weeds. Once you have that done take your herbs and place them in the spot you want to plant them. Remember to read the tags so you know just how far to place them apart so that they have room to grow.
When you are ready to plant be sure to have these items on hand to make the job easier:
Hand shovel
a container of water
a knee pad
your herbs
a notebook to write down where each herb is and what day you planted it
When you are planting the herbs be sure to plant them about 1-2 inches deep and add water to the hole before adding the herb. Be sure to gently break apart the roots and gently place the herb in the hole. Now take the dirt and cover all of the roots. Gently water again, the herbs will be in shock at first and may look droopy but don't worry they will spring back.
Since your herb garden is in the ground you will need to be sure to be on the lookout for pests and be sure to check them daily to see if they need water. Some insects are good for your plants for example ladybugs, praying mantis and bees.
Everyday write down in your notebook what you have done to your garden. Do research on your herbs and see how you can use them. Don't worry if at first your garden does not do well, once you learn how your soil is and the best places to grow your herbs it will become second nature.
Good luck with your herb garden.
Rebecca White is a mother to 3 boys ages 12, 10 and 4. She loves to grow herbs for cooking and medicinal uses. Rebecca owns http://www.medicinalherbguide.com where you can find many more tips and great articles on owning your own medicinal herb garden. Be sure to stop in to see books she recommends using and software that saves you time when recording your plants progress. Rebecca also owns http://www.supportformoms.com, http://www.experts4wahms.com. Gardening is Rebecca's hobby and passion.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Creating your own compost
Having an ample supply of good rich compost is the
gardeners dream. It has many uses, and all of those uses will
result in nicer plants. However, composting can be time
consuming and hard work. I place a reasonable value on my
time, so spending hours and hours turning compost piles doesn’t
qualify as a worthwhile exercise, at least in my book.
Nonetheless, I do compost, but I do so on my terms.
I built two composting bins. Each bin is five feet
wide, five feet deep, and four feet high. I built the bins by
sinking 4” by 4” posts in the ground for the corners, and then
nailed 2 by 4’s and 1 by 4’s, alternating on the sides. I left
2” gaps between the boards for air circulation. The 2 by 4’s
are rigid enough to keep the sides from bowing out, and in
between each 2 by 4 I used 1 by 4’s to save a little money.
The bins are only 3 sided, I left the front of the bins open so
they can be filled and emptied easily.
Photos of my compost bins are on this page:
http://www.freeplants.com\composting.htm
I started by filling just one of the bins. I put grass
clippings, dried leaves, and shrub clippings in the bins. I
try not to put more than 6” of each material on a layer. You
don’t want 24” of grass clippings in the bin, you should
alternate layers of green and brown material. If necessary,
keep a few bags of dry leaves around so you can alternate
layers of brown waste and green waste. When we root cuttings
we use coarse sand in the flats, so when it’s time to pull the
rooted cuttings out of the flats, the old sand goes on the
compost pile. In or little backyard nursery we also have some
plants in containers that do not survive. Rather than pulling
the dead plant and the weeds out of the container, and then
dumping the potting soil back on the soil pile, we just dump
the whole container in the compost bin, this adds more brown
material to the mix, and is a lot easier than separating the
soil and the weeds.
Once the bin is full, the rules of composting say that
you should turn the material in the bin every few weeks. There
is no way that I have time to do that, so this is what I do. I
pack as much material in the bin as I can, before I start
filling the second bin. I pile the material as high as I
possibly can, and even let it spill out in front of the bin.
Then I cover all the fresh material with mulch or potting soil,
whatever brown material I can find. Then when I’m out working
in the garden I set a small sprinkler on top of the pile and
turn it on very low, so a small spray of water runs on the
material. Since I have a good water well, this doesn’t cost me
anything, so I let it run for at least two hours as often as I
can. This keeps the material damp, and the moisture will cause
the pile to heat up, which is what makes the composting action
take place.
Once I have the first bin completely full, I start
using the second bin. As the material in the first bin starts
to break down, it will settle, and the bin is no longer heaped
up, so I just keep shoveling the material that I piled in front
of the bin, up on top of the pile, until all the material is
either in the bin, or piled on top of the heap. Then I just
leave it alone, except to water it once in a while. The
watering isn’t necessary, it just speeds the process.
Because I don’t turn the pile, I can’t expect all of
the material to rot completely. The material in the center is
going to break down more than the material on the edges, but
most of it does breakdown quite well.
The next step works great for me because I’ve got a
small nursery, so I keep a pile of potting soil on hand at all
times. But you can really do the same thing by just buying two
or three yards of shredded mulch to get started, and piling it
up near your compost bins. If you do this, you will always
have a supply of good compost to work with.
Shredded bark, left in a pile will eventually breakdown
and become great compost. The potting soil that I use is about
80% rotted bark. I make potting soil by purchasing fine
textured, and dark hardwood bark mulch, and I just put it in a
pile and let it rot. The secret is to keep the pile low and
flat, so that it does not shed the rain water away, you want
the mulch to stay as wet as possible, this will cause it to
breakdown fairly quick.
So I keep a pile of rotted bark mulch near my compost
bins. When both bins are completely full, I empty the bin
containing the oldest material by piling it on top of my rotted
bark mulch. I make sure the pile of rotted mulch is wide and
flat on top so that when I put the material from the compost
bin on top of the pile, the compost material is only 5 to 10
inches thick. My mulch pile might be 12’ wide, but it may only
be 24 to 30 inches high. Once I have all the compost on top of
the pile, then I go around the edge of the pile with a shovel,
and take some of the material from the edges of the pile and
toss it up on top of the pile, covering the compost with at
least 6” of rotted bark. This will cause the compost material
to decompose the rest of the way.
Once you get this system started, you never want to use
all of the material in the pile. Always keep at least 2 to 3
cubic yards on hand so you’ve got something to mix with your
compost. If you use a lot of compost material like I do, then
you should buy more material and add to your pile in the late
summer or fall, once you are done using it for the season.
Around here many of the supply companies sell a compost
material that is already broken down quite well. This is what
I buy to add to my stock pile. But I try to make sure that I
have at least 3 yards of old material on hand, then I’ll add
another 3 yards of fresh material to that. Then in the spring
I’ll empty one of the compost bins and add the compost to the
top of the pile.
The pile of usable compost will be layers of material,
some more composted than others. Kind of like a sandwich. So
what I do is chip off a section of the pile from the edge,
spread it out on the ground so it’s only about 8” deep, then
run over it with my small rototiller. This mixes it together
perfectly, and I shovel it onto the potting bench.
Having a pile of rotted compost near your compost bins
is great because if you have a lot of leaves or grass
clippings, you can throw some rotted compost in the bin in
order to maintain that layered effect that is necessary in
order for the composting process to work well.
Sure this process is a little work, but it sure is nice
to have a place to get rid of organic waste anytime I like.
Then down the road when I have beautiful compost to add to my
potting soil, I am grateful to have done the right thing
earlier, and I know that I have wasted nothing.
Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter, and grab a FREE copy of his E-book, "Easy Plant Propagation"
gardeners dream. It has many uses, and all of those uses will
result in nicer plants. However, composting can be time
consuming and hard work. I place a reasonable value on my
time, so spending hours and hours turning compost piles doesn’t
qualify as a worthwhile exercise, at least in my book.
Nonetheless, I do compost, but I do so on my terms.
I built two composting bins. Each bin is five feet
wide, five feet deep, and four feet high. I built the bins by
sinking 4” by 4” posts in the ground for the corners, and then
nailed 2 by 4’s and 1 by 4’s, alternating on the sides. I left
2” gaps between the boards for air circulation. The 2 by 4’s
are rigid enough to keep the sides from bowing out, and in
between each 2 by 4 I used 1 by 4’s to save a little money.
The bins are only 3 sided, I left the front of the bins open so
they can be filled and emptied easily.
Photos of my compost bins are on this page:
http://www.freeplants.com\composting.htm
I started by filling just one of the bins. I put grass
clippings, dried leaves, and shrub clippings in the bins. I
try not to put more than 6” of each material on a layer. You
don’t want 24” of grass clippings in the bin, you should
alternate layers of green and brown material. If necessary,
keep a few bags of dry leaves around so you can alternate
layers of brown waste and green waste. When we root cuttings
we use coarse sand in the flats, so when it’s time to pull the
rooted cuttings out of the flats, the old sand goes on the
compost pile. In or little backyard nursery we also have some
plants in containers that do not survive. Rather than pulling
the dead plant and the weeds out of the container, and then
dumping the potting soil back on the soil pile, we just dump
the whole container in the compost bin, this adds more brown
material to the mix, and is a lot easier than separating the
soil and the weeds.
Once the bin is full, the rules of composting say that
you should turn the material in the bin every few weeks. There
is no way that I have time to do that, so this is what I do. I
pack as much material in the bin as I can, before I start
filling the second bin. I pile the material as high as I
possibly can, and even let it spill out in front of the bin.
Then I cover all the fresh material with mulch or potting soil,
whatever brown material I can find. Then when I’m out working
in the garden I set a small sprinkler on top of the pile and
turn it on very low, so a small spray of water runs on the
material. Since I have a good water well, this doesn’t cost me
anything, so I let it run for at least two hours as often as I
can. This keeps the material damp, and the moisture will cause
the pile to heat up, which is what makes the composting action
take place.
Once I have the first bin completely full, I start
using the second bin. As the material in the first bin starts
to break down, it will settle, and the bin is no longer heaped
up, so I just keep shoveling the material that I piled in front
of the bin, up on top of the pile, until all the material is
either in the bin, or piled on top of the heap. Then I just
leave it alone, except to water it once in a while. The
watering isn’t necessary, it just speeds the process.
Because I don’t turn the pile, I can’t expect all of
the material to rot completely. The material in the center is
going to break down more than the material on the edges, but
most of it does breakdown quite well.
The next step works great for me because I’ve got a
small nursery, so I keep a pile of potting soil on hand at all
times. But you can really do the same thing by just buying two
or three yards of shredded mulch to get started, and piling it
up near your compost bins. If you do this, you will always
have a supply of good compost to work with.
Shredded bark, left in a pile will eventually breakdown
and become great compost. The potting soil that I use is about
80% rotted bark. I make potting soil by purchasing fine
textured, and dark hardwood bark mulch, and I just put it in a
pile and let it rot. The secret is to keep the pile low and
flat, so that it does not shed the rain water away, you want
the mulch to stay as wet as possible, this will cause it to
breakdown fairly quick.
So I keep a pile of rotted bark mulch near my compost
bins. When both bins are completely full, I empty the bin
containing the oldest material by piling it on top of my rotted
bark mulch. I make sure the pile of rotted mulch is wide and
flat on top so that when I put the material from the compost
bin on top of the pile, the compost material is only 5 to 10
inches thick. My mulch pile might be 12’ wide, but it may only
be 24 to 30 inches high. Once I have all the compost on top of
the pile, then I go around the edge of the pile with a shovel,
and take some of the material from the edges of the pile and
toss it up on top of the pile, covering the compost with at
least 6” of rotted bark. This will cause the compost material
to decompose the rest of the way.
Once you get this system started, you never want to use
all of the material in the pile. Always keep at least 2 to 3
cubic yards on hand so you’ve got something to mix with your
compost. If you use a lot of compost material like I do, then
you should buy more material and add to your pile in the late
summer or fall, once you are done using it for the season.
Around here many of the supply companies sell a compost
material that is already broken down quite well. This is what
I buy to add to my stock pile. But I try to make sure that I
have at least 3 yards of old material on hand, then I’ll add
another 3 yards of fresh material to that. Then in the spring
I’ll empty one of the compost bins and add the compost to the
top of the pile.
The pile of usable compost will be layers of material,
some more composted than others. Kind of like a sandwich. So
what I do is chip off a section of the pile from the edge,
spread it out on the ground so it’s only about 8” deep, then
run over it with my small rototiller. This mixes it together
perfectly, and I shovel it onto the potting bench.
Having a pile of rotted compost near your compost bins
is great because if you have a lot of leaves or grass
clippings, you can throw some rotted compost in the bin in
order to maintain that layered effect that is necessary in
order for the composting process to work well.
Sure this process is a little work, but it sure is nice
to have a place to get rid of organic waste anytime I like.
Then down the road when I have beautiful compost to add to my
potting soil, I am grateful to have done the right thing
earlier, and I know that I have wasted nothing.
Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter, and grab a FREE copy of his E-book, "Easy Plant Propagation"
Gardens A' plenty!
Welcome to my gardening blog! I love flower gardening. I look forward to sharing all types of gardening tips and tricks.
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