Herbarium

There is sometimes confusion between mulch and compost.

 Mulch refers to material that goes on top of the ground.  Mulch can be natural such as bark, gravel, or compost, or manmade such as landscape fabric or recycled tire rubber mulch.  Never use regular plastic except on a temporary basis since water will pool, stink and breed mosquitoes. Mulches such as bark and compost can feed the soil but need to be renewed regularly.  Gravel and landscape fabric can last longer although landscape fabric is usually covered with something such as bark or gravel. Gravel can collect trash and weeds and reflect heat back to the house or yard which may or may not be desirable.  

The purposes of mulch can include water retention, soil cooling, soil warming, weed suppression, soil enrichment, and/or frost protection for plant roots or soil.

When using rock or rubber mulches I would recommend using heavy duty landscape fabric underneath.  The cheaper plastic fabrics do not hold up as well and the rubber mulches will be difficult to remove if they get mixed in with your soil.

Landscape fabric does not prevent weeds - it just reduces them.  Soil and weed seeds can accumulate on top allowing weeds to begin growing.  As soon as you see a weed take care of it so you do not end up with a weed patch on top of your landscape fabric.

Compost is decomposed organic matter or manures.  The best types of compost are those made with a variety of materials including manures of herbivores (chickens, sheep, rabbits, etc), leaves, straw, vegetable peelings, and other plant material.   For more information on home composting see my blog entry.

Compost can be used as mulch but is often also mixed with soil or applied to the surface just for the purpose of improving soil. Since compost is organic matter it can improve your soil whether it is sandy, clay, or just lacking in nutrients. Peat moss is sometimes used but has no nutritional value, is usually more expensive, and non renewable so compost is a better choice.  I like to add compost to my gardens, flower beds, lawn, and potted plants. Our soils in Utah are lacking in organic matter so compost is a wonderful thing to add for soil improvement.  Compost is the main component of a Square Foot Garden mix.

A list of things to do in the Fall:

Start Compost Pile

Lawn

Fertilize with organic lawn fertilizer– helps root growth over winter

Apply pre emergent – corn gluten meal– prevents weed seeds from germinating

Remove leaves from lawn – mow,mulch, compost

Aerate

Topdress with compost

Seed or overseed lawn

Mow until the first frost

Lower mower height for the last mowingto 1 ½ – 2”

Water until first hard frost

Winterize sprinkler system – shutoff, drain

Drain and store hoses

Garden Beds, Shrubs, Trees

Cut back perennials if brown, remove annuals and weeds – add all except weeds to the compost pile (can be done in Spring if you prefer)

Clean out vegetable garden whenever youare done or around first frost/before first hard frost – pick,sell, preserve, or donate produce

Divide and/or transplant perennials

Plant perennials, shrubs, trees

Plant spring flowering bulbs

Plant fall flowers, vegetables, andannuals – pansies, mums, lettuce, spinach, peas, kale

Wrap bark of young trees – helps to prevent sunscald, cracking,  deer damage

Wrap evergreens with burlap if desired

Water trees, shrubs, perennials until the ground freezes

Trees and shrubs - Prune dead or broken only

After first frost – mulch plants which might frost heave – use straw or leaves

Remove fallen fruit – compost

Prepare Square Foot Garden beds

Overwinter geraniums indoors if youwant to save them for next year - dig up and place in a brown paper bag, replant in the spring or grow inside in a pot all winter

Prepare tender plants to move indoors

Tools

Clean out underneath lawn mower - disconnect spark plug first

Add fuel stablizer to gas cans and gas powered equipment if there is gasoline inside

Check mower blades – need replaced or sharpened?

Check hand tools – need replaced or sharpened?

Wipe hand tools with steel wool or a damp cloth and apply oil or store in sand/motor oil mix

Be sure all batteries are charged

Check extension cords for cuts, frays,etc

House

Cedar shredded bark around foundation - insect prevention

Orange Guard or similar spray around foundation - insect prevention

Hang Christmas lights - before snow fall

Plan garden for next year

Write down successes, failures,varieties you liked, etc

Check online for catalogs – order those you want to receive

Learn from books, classes, pruning demonstrations so you are better prepared next year

Beuna Tomalino - Herb-arium.com

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