PCAgenda_07Apr24 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

How to Make Compost, a Composting Guide http://www.compostguide.com/ Some people recommend late fall as a good time to spread compost over a garden bed, and cover it with a winter mulch, such as chopped leaves. By spring, soil organisms will have worked the compost into the soil. Others recommend spreading compost two weeks before planting time in the spring. There is really no wrong time to spread it. The benefits remain the same. If your supply of compost is really limited, consider side-dressing, a way to use compost sparingly by strategically placing it around certain plants or along certain rows. This is best done in late spring and early summer so that the rapidly growing plants can derive the maximum benefit from the compost. To side-dress a plant, work the compost into the soil around the plant, starting about an inch from the stem, out to the drip line, taking care not to disturb the roots. For shallow rooted plants, leave the compost on the soil surface. A 2" layer works best when left on top. For new lawns, a 2 to 3" layer of compost is best when planting. Once the new lawn is established, a '/a to ''/z" layer yearly will maintain the quality of the soil. An existing lawn top-dressed with a'/z" layer of compost every year or two will be healthier than an unamended lawn. Fall is the best time to apply the compost, although an application in early spring is almost as effective. A compost mulch can benefit trees and shrubs just as it does other plants. Spread a''/z" to 1" layer of compost on the bare soil under the tree as far as the drip line. Then cover with a 2-3" layer of some other kind of organic mulch, such as chopped leaves or pine needles. The mulch will hold the compost in place and keep it from drying out. Adding compost to the planting hole of small perennial plants is valuable, particularly perennial food plants. Annuals will also benefit from a dose of compost at planting time. Compost is the ultimate garden fertilizer. It contains virtually all the nutrients a living plant needs and delivers them • in aslow-release manner over a period of years. Compost made with a wide variety of ingredients will provide an even more nutritious meal to your growing plants. Compost is the best material available to enliven your soil no matter where you live. Farmers around the world will testify that healthier soil grows healthier plants that naturally resist disease, insects, and other environmental pressures. Adding compost to your garden is a long-term investment - it becomes a permanent part of the soil structure, helping to feed future plantings in years to come. Bonus Page: 50 Organic Gardening Tips Article: How Humus Improves Your Soil Article: Composting Methods to Try at Home Article: Making compost from leaves Article: How to use hay as mulch for organic gardening Article: How much mulch do you need for your garden? Article: Composting with worms Article: Compost tea information Article: Compost bins, Compost pails, Compost piles Browse garden tools, electric tillers, reel mowers, compost tumblers at Clean Air Gardening. [ Home ~ Links ~ Discussions Copyright 2004 ~ All rights reserved ~ CompostGuide.com • 10 of 10 4/19/2007 2:47 PM