Herbarium

Compost is fantastic for soil improvement - adding organic matter, nutrients, and microorganisms to your soil.

A variety of items can be added to your compost pile including: spoiled vegetables and fruits and vegetable and fruit peelings, plant debris, prunings, straw, leaves, bedding from vegetarian pets, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, cotton fabric, cardboard and paper – not slick – although it may be better to recycle paper in another way.  You can also add manures from rabbits, cows, horses, goats, poultry, or sheep.

Ideal proportions would be 2/3 brown or dry (dried leaves, straw, etc) to 1/3 wet or green (vegetable peelings, spoiled fruit).  If your compost pile is smelly it is because the proportions are wrong, your pile is too wet, or you have added things that should not be in a compost pile.

There are some items that should not be put into a compost pile:  meat, bones, fat, dairy, manures or litter from carnivores including dogs and cats.  Ammonium sulfate is not needed for the composting process and I feel defeats the purpose because of the harm it can cause to microorganisms. 

Compost piles need air and moisture.  Water may need to be added to keep a pile moist or your compost may need to be protected from rain to prevent your pile from becoming too wet.

Turning the pile helps provide air to the pile and will help the composting process to occur faster.  Turned once per week your compost may be ready in a month or so.
Build your pile on a level soil surface with easy access.  There should be space around for working around the pile and adding ingredients.
Ideal sizes for compost piles are 3 – 5 feet across by 3 – 4 feet high
Finer chopped or shredded ingredients will compost faster.
Layering brown and green as you build the pile.
Heat is created in a compost pile by the microorganisms as they work.
As it decomposes it will be reduced in size.
Adding small amounts finished compost to your pile helps provide the microorganisms for composting.

Bins can be constructed or purchased.

Chicken wire, hardward cloth, wood (not pressure treated or railroad ties due to the chemicals that could leach into the soil), stone, or brick can be used to build a compost bin.

Purchased bins are usually constructed of plastic or wood and maybe stationary or rotating.  Rotating bins eliminate the need to turn the compost yourself reducing the effort to obtain finished compost.

Websites with instructions for building a compost bin:

University of Wisconsin Extension - several styles

Pierce County Washington Public Works - several

Three Bin Compost Bin

University of Missouri Extension - several

Bins can be purchased from garden centers, hardware stores, and online.

I put hardward cloth or chicken wire underneath stationary bins to prevent rodents from digging up into the bin

Some additional ways to compost:

Insert a piece of 2” PVC pipe down the center or your compost bin to add air to the pile and reduce the need to turn the pile as frequently.  Purchase a piece of pipe longer than your pile will be deep.  Drill holes around the sides of the entire length of the pipe except the top couple of inches or so.  Set the pipe in the center and build your pile around it.  Be sure not to put any materials down the pipe.  The pipe allows air to reach the interior of the pile.  

Trench composting

Dig a trench about four inches deep placing the soil off to the side.  As you collect leaves, vegetable,  fruit peelings, etc place them in a part of the trench and cover that section with some of the soil that was set off to the side.  This is best done in an area that will not be planted for several weeks or in the fall and winter so the material will be finished composting by Spring.

In garden worm composting

Worm composting - Vermicomposting

The book Worms Eat My Garbage is a fantastic resource.

More compost bin ideas

Tools – bins, compost turners

Books

Beuna Tomalino -  Herb-arium.com

There is something exciting about growing something edible. Your motivation may be to save some money, to have healthier food, or some other reason.

The first thing to do is make a list of what you and your family like to eat. Look through lists of what is edible that can be grown in your climate. One helpful book is Landscaping with Fruits by Lee Reich. Some of my favorite catalogs and online sites are Richters, Logee's, Raintree Nursery.
and

Some things to consider:

Are there any special requirements for growing these plants such as pH, amounts of sun or shade, pruning, severe pest problems?

Vegetables, fruits, herbs – even some not typically grown or known.

Research how to grow them, when to grow them, and options for purchasing seeds and plants.

Start with a few plants or a few different kinds of plants. Don't get overwhelmed by trying too much at once.

Many edibles can be grown in pots or small Square Foot Gardens so don't rule out the possiblity just because you don't have much space or your climate or soil pH isn't the best for inground growing.

I can help you with advice, information, or ideas.

Beuna Tomalino - Herb-arium.com

This is the time of year when many people think about starting seeds indoors for their gardens.  Some people actually start seeds and then neglect them or get discouraged because the plants didn't do well or didn't even come up.  Others intend to start seeds but never get around to it or change their mind because they aren't sure what to do.

Learning how to grow plants from seed you started indoors can be very fulfilling for a variety of reasons including:

- Start seeds whenever you want.

- Grow the varieties you want.

- Minimize the chance of disease or weeds.

- Save money – less expensive than buying transplants.

- Grow things that normally would take too long to flower or fruit for your growing season.

- Grow plants in whatever season you wish, not just when plants are available.

- Earlier and/or larger harvest (for example, if you start marigold or tomato seed inside they will be farther along in the growing process by the time you move the plants outside.)

- You know how the plant was taken care of – if you are an organic gardener you will know what fertilizers and pesticides were used

- Control over the size of the plant at transplanting

-  For the challenge

For more information on Seed Starting sign in HERE.

Seed Starting Supplies

 I will be teaching Teleseminars on seed starting.  For more information - Seed Starting Teleseminar

Beginning seed starting - grow what you want, when you want

Beuna Tomalino - herb-arium.com

First of all it is important to know the difference.  Some sites with photos and other information:

Yellow Jackets

Bald-faced Hornet

Bees

Wasps

Knowing the difference can help you to know which ones are worth worrying about.  They all provide some benefit to your garden.

Yellow jackets provide some benefit by eating insects and pollinating plants.  However they are the most vicious and can sting numerous times.  If you are allergic to their stings or you have so many that they are eating your grilled steak or getting in your soda pop, controlling them would be a good idea.  

The best times of the day to use any controls are in the evenings just before dusk and in the morning just after sunrise.  Yellow jackets go home at night and so you will kill more of them and be less bothered when using sprays, hanging traps, etc.

If you know where the nest is you can use sprays on the nest or on the opening to the nest. If spraying near power lines be sure to use a spray designed for that purpose.

If the nest is in the ground a better solution may be diatomaceaous earth which you can purchase at many garden centers or online. Place the diatomaceous earth on the openings and at least 6 inches around the area where the openings are (there will likely be at least two).   Diatomaceaous earth is made from fossilized sea life and kills insects by cutting through and dehydrating them.  They cannot adapt to it.  It only works when dry so be sure the area where you are using it will not get wet for a few hours.  I have seen it kill yellow jackets when sprays did not.

You can also use yellow jacket traps.  You can research online how to make your own or use Rescue brand which will only trap yellow jackets.  If you aren't catching anything you don't have yellow jackets - you have something else.

There are fake yellow jacket nests available which are said to discourage them.  I have not tried one so I don't know how well they work. 

Beuna Tomalino - herb-arium.com

Many people have been asking what to do about slugs and snails.  Normally I suggest cutting back on watering since damp ground encourages slugs and snails.   However, there has been more of a problem this year due to all the rain.   Iron phosphate slug baits work very well and are not harmful to people, pets, birds, or wildlife.  Barriers can also reduce slug and snail damage.  Small bits of hair (people or pet hair), crushed eggshells, sharp sand are all unpleasant for them and can protect your plants.  Copper sheeting at least 2" wide can also provide a barrier but usually works best on pots, planters, or raised garden beds.  Tending your garden organically allows the natural predators of slugs and snails to help you out.  Birds (including ducks and chickens),  ground beetles, snakes, lizards, and frogs are some of the natural predators of slugs and snails so help them out by learning how to attract them and only using natural fertilizers and pesticides.

Beuna Tomalino - herb-arium.com

Spring is a time when many seeds are germinating.  This is a good time to apply a pre-emergent. Pre-emergents prevent seeds from growing - any seeds so don't use in a place where you wil be planting seeds within the next few months. Pre-emergents can reduce weeds in lawns, flower beds, and other parts of your landscape.  Corn gluten meal is a natural pre-emergent.  Left over from corn syrup processing it looks similar to corn meal and doesn't have the precautions of synthetic pre-emergents.   Use Spring and Fall for the best long term control of weeds. 

To reduce existing weeds check Garden Care Tips and Lawn Care Tips. Also, a fantastic hand weeder is the Weed Hound.  Full strength white vinegar can be sprayed on weeds to kill them.  Vinegar works even better if a few drops of clove oil are added.  They can be purchased already in this form so you don't have to mix your own. Weed killers work best when the temperature is above 60 F and should not be used when the temperture is above 90 F.  I would not recommend using any synthetic herbicides.

A new product from Gardens Alive is designed to kill lawn weeds without harming the grass.  I look forward to trying it soon.

Spring is a great time to help control pests on fruit trees and roses.  Some pests such as scale overwinter on woody plants and can be killed before they become more active and spread.  Horticultural oil spray is best used in early spring but if you have not yet used it find one that can be used after your plants have leafed out.   Some can be used anytime before the temperature reaches 85 F.  Spray the entire tree or shrub, coating all the trunk and branches.  Avoid spraying when bees are present because it can kill them also.  Oil spray kills by suffication so it only kills what is present. 

Beuna Tomalino - herb-arium.com