Organic Matter For Your Garden

Organic Matter For Your Garden

Organic gardening is about working with nature: If you walk about and see what is going on in the woods and wild lands you will notice that nature does not dig or plough; she employs the earthworm and soil bacteria, together with deep penetrating roots to do her work.

Another thing, that nature does is, supply an automatic and ample application of organic matter which in the process of decay produces organic acids to act upon the soil minerals and so make them capable of absorption by plant roots.

If we fail to follow the example of nature, we will find that the soil in our care has apparently become incapable of providing sufficient good food to sustain our population in health.

Do not burdened the cost of your gardening with chemical fertilizers, but take the wise step of making compost with which to feed your soil.

The earth is the permanent possessor of everything contained in it and which grows on it; they are loaned to the human and animal kingdom for bodily sustenance for the duration of life, but nature decrees that they shall, after use, be returned to the earth. 

So, treat the earth in your care with respect and care the way that nature does. 

Benefits of Making a Compost Heap:

Benefits of Making a Compost Heap:

Benefits of making a compost heap:

The process of composting plant and animal materials is not something that people have invented or made up. This goes on in nature and it happens naturally all the time.

What people who garden have done is, taken the natural process and refined it by making it quicker and productive to suit the needs of the garden.

The first thing to do is to gather all the ingredients together into a heap, rather then just leaving them on the soil where they fall.

The simplest compost heap can be made with no more containment that an old carpet to cover it.

However, many people go to great lengths to make some form of container or bin because it will look neater and be more effect then a loose heap with the result of a better product at the end.

Compost containers can be purchased ready made but it is also quite easy to make one yourself at home

The Benefits of making a compost heap are:

1. It allows mixing of different organic materials, which will give you better and quicker compost at the end.
2. The making of a heap will keep the materials moist, which again will speed up the process.
3. It allows the heat process to build up which will kill the pest and diseases and weeds, the heat will also speed up the process.
4. Making a proper heap will make your garden look much neater and tidier.

Should you use Shaving-Based Manures In Your Garden?

Should you use Shaving-Based Manures In Your Garden? 

Many horse stables use wood shavings rather then straw to bed down their horses. This makes the manure easier to handle, but it does cause a few problems chief of which is “ nitrogen robbery”

Wood shavings and chipping are very high in carbon and contain only small amounts of nitrogen. If the material is added to the soil without sufficient nitrogen, then the microbes rob the soil of its available nitrogen so that they can get to work on the shavings.

Eventually, when the wood savings have decomposed, the nitrogen will be made available again. The problem is this, it may well take a year or two. In the meantime, your crops will be short of nitrogen and turn yellow and be stunted.

In my view, the best way to use this sort of manure for your deep raised bed deep raised bed is to heap it up for a year and let it rot down. Make sure that it is covered with a plastic sheet to stop the rain leaching out all the goodness and have a bit of patience.

Strawy Manures

Strawy Manures

Manures With Straw in:

Cattle and horse are the most commonly used manures and they are the most available. They come mixed with straw that is used as bedding.

The analysis of the plant foods in these manures contain may make them look rather useless in comparison with a bag of bought fertiliser, but this is no reason to reject them, because it is not the whole picture.

Straw manure is applied to the land at much higher rates then bought fertilisers and their value is not limited to the plant foods they contain. Straw manures are particularly good for soil structure because they add bulk.

Fresh straw manures should not be used directly on the garden for four reason:

Unless the manure is from an organic source the straw is more then likely to contain residues of week killers and pesticides.

Nitrogen and potassium are easily washed out of fresh manure. This is a waste and could cause pollution.

Fresh straw manure contains nitrogen in a forum that is instantly available to plants; so, if you put in on the ground in the winter you will lose most of the goodness.

Fresh manure contains nitrogen in a form that can burn tender leaves.

Therefore, if you can get some fresh straw manures it is best to store in a heap for a year before digging it in the soil.

Kale: Why is it good

 Kale : Why is it so good.

This hardy versatile brassica has no need to justify its self as a supper veg. It is so rich in vitamins A,C and K folate and manganese and is also a great source of calcium and dietary fibre.

The problem, one finds is how to use it.

You can use the kale raw in salads, however you must any tough stalks, then shred the leaves finely and dress in advance to soften.

The kale is just as happy when it is cooked by adding chopped leaves to sups , curries and stir-fries, or blanch in salted water and saute quickly in oil and butter for an easy side dish.

You can also make kale crisps : tear 150gr leaves and toss with 1 and a half tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt, spread over 2 baking trays and bake for 10-15 mins at 180c turning halfway through.

Enjoy.

Good Weather

Good Weather:

Every garden or plot has its own weather and a real sense of not being any where else. I always judge the weather by what I wear on my feet.

Welles: Bad weather because it is wet, muddy, cold, or flooded.

Big boots: meaning not too wet.

Light weight shoes: a perfect day.

I would never go bare foot, as I have seen some gardeners. Because you never know what is in the soil: glass, snakes etc. 

Five Points for Organic Gardening

Five Points for Organic Gardening

Organic gardening is not something that is new, it is centuries old. The important thing to remember is that it is the soil that holds the key. Feed it with bulky organic materials to keep the microscopic soil-living creatures happy and you will creative a soil to grow healthy crops without the use of chemicals.

There are a few principles that make up an organic garden and they are:

Number one; no chemicals. Everything that you use must be of an organic nature. This is not as difficult as it sounds!

Number two: only grow plants that are native to the area, or best suited to the garden. So no bananas in Canada please!

Number three: This is the important one…feed the soil and not the plant. This means supplying plenty of organic materials for the soil to make an environment that will foster the growth of healthy and vigorous plants.

Number four: return to the soil more then you take out in the form of crops. This can be done by using compost and green manures.

Number five: promote diversity among you crop by following a simple plant rotation plan.