Compost and Organics

Gardens need compost to help them thrive in those trying conditions, where the weather simply takes a toll on them, pulling them from what could be their potential. But you shouldn't really rely on compost that just lies around because they're not exactly the perfect one for your garden.

Why? There are a number of factors that these nature-made substances that don't fulfill the nutrients needed to help the garden be its best. First is that these random composts don't match the correct carbon-nitrogen ratio and water content. The main thing you have to understand about composts that for it to be the ideal one, the decomposition that is inherent in this process must be controlled and stabilized by the gardener.

Definition

Contrary to the popular belief of what is compost, a stinky heap found at the edge of you garden isn't exactly the correct description for it. Rather, no pungent smell exists around the heap and there are no flies that fly around it.

The thing is it is not just some decayed organic matter. It is much more complex than that, which has been discovered and developed by microbiology, all designed to benefit the everyday gardener and agriculture in general. There are a myriad of benefits if you put some compost in your soil. It kills weed seeds and suppresses pathogens that may invade the plant. So to speak, making and/or buying compost is absolutely essential.

Benefits

There are simply too many benefits that putting compost in your garden is deemed necessary. With a good amount of the nutrients, namely nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, one is insured that compost improves the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of these soils.

Furthermore, compost buffers the soil, nullifying the effects of acid and alkaline that might be present in the soil, which means that the pH level of the soil will be at its correct and optimal rate for the plant. Also, compost alters the soils structure, making it less likely to erode and helps the soil in general hold more nutrients for the plant. Lastly, compost has good bacteria that converts nitrogen to nutrients and also has a lot of beneficial insects, worms and organisms in tow.

Lastly, compost pushes the limits of fertilizer and utilizes it well to aid the plant as well as possible. First, it helps release the nutrients slowly so as not to overwhelm the plant. It can even do it for months or even years continually, something that synthetic fertilizers cannot do. Second, it retains and holds the fertilizer in its place. You don't want the disgusting organic matter to pollute groundwater and potentially harm our water supply, right? Lastly, the nutrient base of compost is more extensive than the ones in synthetic fertilizers. So to speak, compost helps the plant develop using more tools rather than synthetic fertilizers, which isn't only expensive, but doesn't exactly help the plant reach its full potential.

How to Make One

Making compost is a relatively easy task because what one basically needs to do is pile a lot of waste into a certain area. Good substances too add into the heap are food and textiles wastes, and generally snipped grass or any other similar one. You may also opt for animal manure that may be present around the area; diversifying and putting a lot of different wastes into the heap will help the compost be as nutritious for the soil as possible.

But if you don't want to opt for that option, which is very hands-on, you can always buy some organic matter in your local garden store. These pass many requirements to ensure that it very nutritious and don't exceed metal amounts. For example, the limit for Arsenic in any compost as mandated by the TCLP is 41mg/kg. It also mandates a specific range of pH and particle size.

Conclusion

Compost is definitely here to stay given all the benefits it gives to the contemporary gardener. It helps hold nutrients to help the plant grow; also it keeps fertilizers from trickling down into important water supplies which could potentially harm the general population.

Making them is absolutely easy, with the main rule being that you dump all your biodegradable waste in one specific location. If you are a bit choosy and demanding when it regards to the nutrition of your plant, you can always buy one at the garden shop. With all these in place, you will realize that compost and organic gardening definitely go hand-in-hand.

Composting in Organic Gardening

Organic gardening is known by its use of natural materials and substances as part of the cultivating process. In organic gardening, the use of natural waste products as the eventual fertilizers for the plants is common practice. This is made possible by means of composting.

Compost is the main foundation in the practice of organic gardening.  Any gardener would be able to make his own compost in no time. It is not rocket science to make compost. What a gardener would need would be a shovel or a pitchfork and some organic waste material that would comprise much of the compost. Composting is actually just collecting organic wastes into a pile where they can decompose and turn into mulch.

Mulch is what you would need to spread on your plants. Mulch can help improve soil condition in many various ways. They can help improve the soils structure as well as its water holding capacity. Mulch can also improve soil aeration on soils that may contain too much clay or too much sand. What is most important is that compost and mulch do these things without doing any harm to the environment. It is just a means of letting nature taking its course of bringing back the nutrients to the soil.

But in the process of composting, there are also other things to consider when it comes to collecting organic matter to use as compost. One of the most important organic materials that you can use on your compost would be fallen leaves and grass clippings after mowing the lawn. You can use these as the main base of your compost since there are likely to be plenty of them to find in your garden when you do your daily cleaning. Instead of having them hauled away by garbage collectors you can pile them up in a vacant space in your garden or make a containing facility for them if you have the time and the money.

The reason why you would need the leaves and grass clippings is that they can provide the carbon for the soil when they eventually become compost. But make sure that you avoid putting diseased vines or twigs into the pile or they might contaminate all your other plants that would be applied with the compost later on.

Another nutrient that you may need is nitrogen. This can be provided for your compost by kitchen scraps. You can collect your kitchen scraps (there would be plenty, I'm sure) and add them to your compost pile. You can either do this daily or weekly, depending on the amount of kitchen scraps that you accumulate.  But bear in mind to avoid adding animal fats or meat scraps into your compost pile since they might attract critters and other animals that may become a hassle. You can also try adding bone meal, blood meal as well as egg shells to the compost pile since they can also provide the minerals to your compost as well as help discourage garden pests.

Once you have these organic materials on hand, your compost pile would become nutrient rich mulch in no time. That is organic gardening in action. Although they might pile up considerably the first time you do so. They would eventually shrink down in size as they decompose. To speed up the process of composting, you can try to turn the compost pile every other week to allow the organic matter to circulate and decompose faster. It is normal that you will find worms and other insects in the compost pile. They would help turn the organic matter into compost that you will use.

Four Organic Gardening Tricks

Do you want to be one with nature? Organic gardening gives you a venue to act out according to this cause. But if you think that this will be easy, that's not really the case.

If you are fond of plants and gardening the typical way, this type of horticulture will present you with extremely different principles. You have to choose every element with utmost care in order to succeed.

By saying organic, it means that you will not resort to synthetic materials like pesticides and fertilizers in order to grow your plants. Everything must be organic. It means that the things that you will be using in the process must also come from nature.

The Right Attitude
This is important in order to last with this hobby. You can even turn this into a business if you become very familiar with the how-to's regarding this. But this is no easy task. You have to work doubly hard in research and in the act of gardening itself.

Some Tips and Tricks

1. You must study the location of your garden. What is the usual weather out there? What type of soil are you going to be using? By understanding such elements, you can decide better on what types of plants should you include in your garden.

If it is shady on your place, you cannot select a plant that needs to be exposed to sunlight as often as possible. Plants are like humans. If they will not get what they want and what they need, they will feel sad.

The last thing that you want to see in your garden are totally depressed plants. So make them happy by choosing the right variety for the situation you are in.

2. It will be better if you will plant a variety of plants in your garden. Such situations will lure beneficial insects towards them. And when this happens, you will have fewer problems with regards to insects.

3. It will be okay to mulch your garden beds. This process will kill the unnecessary grass and weeds. Such form will also help conserve water. It controls the temperature so your plants will have better chances of surviving until harvest season.

4. You have to know your plants well. Just like a parent to a child, you should see the symptoms when there seems to be a problem. This way, you can act on it fast and prevent your plants from dying.

Always remember these four tips when you are embarking on your organic gardening tour. This way, you will be able to take care of the greens as well as Mother Nature by your own means.

Getting started on organic gardening

More and more people are doing organic gardening nowadays. This is because they believe that this is something that they can do to help save the deteriorating state of the environment.

Studies show that organic gardening can indeed help save the environment because it replenishes lost plants and makes the air healthier for breathing. And with the crops being produced, it also helps people save some money.

For those who get easily stressed and would want to indulge into something therapeutic and relaxing, organic gardening is an ideal option.

However, organic gardening is not as easy as it may seem. There are so many things that should be considered in order to have a successful organic garden. If you are one of those who are planning to create one, you must focus on the type of plants or crops that you want to plant.

Determining the type crops that you want is the first step in organic gardening because this will determine the success or failure of your project. In determining the crops that you want, you must start canvassing for seeds. Experts say that those who are first-time organic gardeners should start familiarizing themselves with various kinds of seeds.

In the market today, there are so many seeds that are available in grocery stores and markets. But, this doesn't mean that can just grab a pack of seeds and plant them. You have to consider the possibilities of the plant growing in your area. It is always ideal to start with vegetables and beans if this is your first time in organic gardening. These seeds will help you decide what kind of environment you have and what are the plants that are suited to your area. After determining the condition of your environment, you can now widen your choices in terms of the seeds and the plants you would want to use.

The environment is another major consideration if you want to start with organic gardening. Assessing your area is a very important because it will determine the types of plants that will grow or flourish. In assessing your area, it should include the examination of the type of soil available to ensure that there will be enough sources of nutrients for the plants. The availability of water should also be checked because plants will need regular watering. Also, the area for the crops should have enough exposure to sunlight and proper ventilation so there would be a passage of air.

Aside from those, storage area for all the tools that will be needed for organic gardening should also be provided to ensure that there will be hassle free gardening sessions all throughout.

How About an Organic Water Garden?

Water gardens have risen in popularity over the years, taking part in the scenery of modern America. They are of course, one of the most refreshing sights one can possibly see. The various animals that flutter or swim through the ponds and the charming lilies that are dotted across the pond enchant you as you go along it.

Designs are limitless for the water garden and the planting options are numerous for the gardening aficionado. So to speak, this type of garden is for keeps as it helps fix our rather imbalanced ecosystem, but to also paint the town light blue and green with its refreshing allure.

Basics

Of course, you cannot create a water garden without knowing the nuts and bolts behind it. The gardener should acquire enough knowledge so as the plants will thrive and subsequently, the natural beauty and charm of which will literally blossom.

The first thing you must settle when planning a water garden is its location. Nothing else matters because this determines the ecology of the garden and how much sunlight and traffic/exposure it will get. For the former, it should get around six hours of sunlight per day that's the optimal amount of light it should get.

Second, you should be able to control the water garden in terms of what goes in the area. Ideally, it should be viewable by your bedroom window so you will spot any predators that may have jumped in the garden. With that, you will not only enjoy beautiful scenery every time you wake up, you will be able to scan the place for any unsolicited visitors and/or predators. That will be safe not only for the garden, but for the family as well.

Basics-Safety

Third, the garden shouldn't be located near utility services like sewage pipes and whatnot. The obvious reason of which is that the roots that may spread from your garden may hamper development in the area, adding some headaches for those installing/repairing it. You will also avoid some potential problems, namely those that could contaminate your garden with toxins and detergents. When you build your water garden, make sure that there are ample structural supports beneath it to avoid future problems.

Fourth, when thinking of the materials you should use when assembling the pond, there are a lot of options you could consider. If you have the skills to handle it, then you may opt for fiber glass or concrete. But if you don't, you can opt for plastic or earthen to make everything a lot easier. If you simply don't have the will to do this kind of activity, there are tons of commercial firms that offer some advice not only on the nitty-gritty parts, but also on design, general aesthetics and maintenance.

Lastly, you must take to heart that creating a water garden isn't only time-intensive, but takes a load out of your cash too. Make sure that you have the financial and spiritual stability to take this on.

Water Quality

Whether your garden is just an unassuming giant bath tub or a wondrous paradise, you should remember that water quality is top priority when you are creating the best water garden possible. The thing about this is that it actually determines not only the level of beauty the garden will exude; it will also determine the lifespan of the aquatic life residing in the garden.

When choosing the type of water you will pour down on the pool, don't opt for surface water or the water from the river because these contain some possible contaminants such as lead and mercury, not to mention some fish that may hamper with your ponds inherent ecosystem. If you opt for city water, the gardener should dechlorinate it using some pellets used in dechlorinating aquariums and the like.

Conclusion

With all these basics said, you will have a general idea on how to create a water garden. With the location and aesthetics planned and the structure of which realized, one has the perfect backdrop for the perfect garden, which now needs good quality water to finish the deal. When you do these things along with the tools of organic horticulture, then the best water garden possible will be realized.

How to Create a Raised Bed for Organics

For some people, the space on their lawn isn't large enough to accommodate a full-fledged garden, flushed with flora and fauna that will make any passersby give a second look. But you shouldn't despair when that seems out of reach. You can make a raised bed not only to help the gardener inch closer to the garden of their dreams. And the fact that making one is absolutely easy simply adds more points to consider creating a raised bed for their organic garden.

With all that said, read on to know about the nuts ands bolts behind creating a raised bed for your organic garden.

First Phase

First and foremost, you should visualize and do the layout of the raised bed first. Think of the dimensions of it so as you'll have a good estimate when you purchase the materials are necessary when building it.

When you have a good idea of what you want your garden to look like, you should build a box with an open top and bottom so as it will look like fence. Think of it as a platform on which you will put soil on. So the gardener should build the box so its high enough that you can put sufficient soil in it and low enough to it doesn't look ugly in a distance.

The fence can be of any material you want. You can use lumber, synthetic wood, plastic or even bricks and/or rocks. Once you bought the necessary materials for your raised bed, pile up the blocks or cut the lumber to around 24 inches in height. That should be sufficient. If you are using lumber and considering a square or rectangular bed, then you should opt for four equal sized posts, around 4” x 4” in length and width so as they'll provide firm foundation for your bed. It will ensure further that the soil stays where it should be.

Second Phase

With the foundation built, you may now move on to the second phase of building your own raised bed. To make a footprint of the raised bed, put a large piece of gardening plastic or weed mat on the location you're planning to put your raised bed. With this set, you have enough protection against weeds that may hinder your plants growth.

When you have established the footprint, you may now place the raised bed on it. This may require some extra help if the bed is too large for the strength of one person. Make sure that you place the raised bed in a location that gets sufficient light from the sun. If you don't do that, your plants won't grow and you've wasted substantial time trying to create a raised bed.

Now with the footprint, raised bed and location in place, you now have to put soil in it for obvious reasons. Don't forget to place some compost or some composted manure on the bottom of the bed then add the layer of soil on it. A good compost/soil ratio is 1:3 or 2:5 for sufficient minerals and leeway for your plant to grow to its fullest.

Final Touches

You may also add some organic matter here and there like wood ash, bones and other biodegradable whatnot to give your plant a little edge. From here, you have finally finished your raised bed and you may now get down and dirty and choose your favorite flower or plant and start doing the nitty-gritty gardening part. The options are virtually limitless for you, so enjoy your time and congratulations on building your first raised bed!

Conclusion

With your raised bed comes with a lot of advantages. The soil in these types of gardens are more customizable; meaning, you can put your own soil mix into it to ensure that you have the best possible growth for your beloved plants. Also, a raised bed gives you a good start when planting because the soil in raised beds gets warmer faster, thus the nutrients from the soil (and sun) get held on for much longer and it will prepare itself for some plants. And lastly, there are a lot of conveniences when gardening with a raised bed because the gardener won't get splashed by mud when the rainy season comes. With that said, not only will a raised bed add some few modern touches to your once droll lawn, it definitely helps the plants a whole lot.

Creating an Organic Butterfly Garden

There's always that little girl inside every woman who just adores butterflies fluttering around a wonderful garden full of delicate flowers, all just starting to bloom under the morning light. But creating ones requires a lot or work and a little bit of patience, since attracting butterflies is no easy task you have to research thoroughly and think creatively so as butterflies will be attracted to your garden and consider it as its newfound home.

A Basic Rule

The basics of creating an organic butterfly garden is pretty easy because you only have to do one important thing, which it to plant a lot of flowers. If you love a variety of butterflies to visit your garden, then you need to diversify your plant choices, all encompassing the taxonomy of which. You may also have to put a water area or two to make it look and seem more livable for these insects. But these are mainly the basics. Planning is a different story if you want more than just a crowded garden full of random butterflies.

Planning

The fact of the matter is, even though the average human simply adores wonderful aesthetics and design coupled with beautiful butterflies fluttering across worthy flora, the existence of design doesn't really matter to these delicate creatures. Where can you find a butterfly that avoids a bountiful garden just because it isn't her type? In dreamland, of course. So to speak, if you're just a beginner trying out a new hobby and it happens to involve creating a butterfly garden, then don't put too much added stress on your back. Take it easy and focus of the basics I said before, which is put a lot of flowers in your garden coupled with water areas in strategic areas.

So with that said, do plant a lot of flowers because this is the natural target for butterflies and also put up some pretty butterfly houses along with water areas not only to make it more accommodating to the butterfly, but also make the garden very attractive to both butterflies and people.

Envision the Garden

But also, you have to take into account specificity in the overall layout of the butterfly garden. What size is good enough for the house and also for the butterflies? What are the species that exist within the area of your home? Take those two questions to heart before planting flowers. Butterflies, as studies have shown, are receptive to specific types of flowers. So if you want a particular type of species living in your garden, then choose wisely and extend or contract the area to its liking and find out and plant its favorite flower. Make sure that you don't focus entirely on the butterflies but also yourself. Pick out your favorites from the myriad of species out there and adjust the size so that both the butterflies and your demands are met. Stamp the notion that balance should be achieved in your garden so at the end of the day, not only the butterflies but you, the gardener, will also be pleased.

Once you have thought of the species and correct balance for your garden, do take into account color coordination in your flower beds. This is important because not only will a specific type of butterfly will visit your garden and probably live there, it will also be beneficial aesthetically because your garden won't look like a rather weird and murky place with colors that rival the things drug addicts see. As the old adage goes, keep it simple and streamlined, and you're good to go.

A good advice when you're still in the planning stage is to deftly sketch the area on paper. Seeing everything in a tangible object makes things a lot easier and helps one refocus to the goal at hand. Don't just sketch, also color it out so as you can create an overall theme to your butterfly garden. Do you want your garden to seem cool and calm? Then place flowers with cool colors like blue and purple so as to soothe the senses when it meets it. You may also sprinkle some white flowers in the background to make it look clean and serene. Its all up to you, and you can help realize that by simply creating a draft for the gardens layout.

Conclusion

You may get closer to the garden of your dreams with these tips to make the most accommodating and attractive butterfly garden in your area. Make sure that you do your homework and know the types of flowers that specific species of butterflies are attracted to. Is the flower Milkweed a good choice? Or are Daisies and Sunflowers better? Those are the types of decisions you have to make when planning your butterfly garden. Sketch your future garden and put the butterfly's favorite plant in it so as you'll create the perfect garden to make that little girl innocently hiding inside you smile.