Whether you want to begin composting to save money on trash
expenses, to make a “green” effort or to have a better garden; you can get
started this weekend! Composting is one
of the easiest and smartest things you can do as a gardener. It is a well-known fact that compost helps
make a garden more efficient and successful.
By composting, you’ll turn yard waste and kitchen waste into a rich amendment
for your soil!
To begin, you’ll want to find a spot on your property where
you want to have your compost pile. Once
you’ve found that spot, you can either compost in a pile right on the ground or
use a composting bin. Either option will
work fine. You’ll want to start by
layering leaves, grass clippings and weeds.
Then head to the kitchen! You can
add kitchen scraps – but no meat, bones or fatty materials. Toss those items on the composting pile. Finally, you’ll want to add topsoil on top of
the kitchen materials. If the materials
in your compost pile are dry, you’ll want to give them a little water otherwise
they won’t decompose. If your bin ends
up being too wet from watering or from precipitation, add more leaves. You can turn the materials a few times during
the summer to speed decomposition.
Once you’ve got compost you can use it in your garden
beds. Compost acts as a rich food source
to your garden’s soil. It will help to
improve drainage and support healthy growth of your plants. If you have access to a lot of compost, add
wheelbarrows full to your garden each spring and work it into the existing soil
with a rake.
Did you know that the materials that you (our local readers)
take to the Maple Grove Yardwaste Site are turned into compost and then used in
the soil that we grow for the Garden Center?
You can also purchase bags of compost to add to your garden. Talk about recycling coming full circle.
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