Composting

I have to admit that I love composting. It took me a little while to get into the habit, and I still haven't really built my official compost bin (coming soon), but I'm trying at least. It's kinda eye opening how much stuff I typically throw in the garbage that can go in the compost. We've always got a lot to dump in there.

Composting is great, not only because you're reducing waste, but it's an amazing (and free) way to improve your soil and consequently your garden. Last spring I put compost on my garden before planting and my raised garden produced four times more than the previous spring!

So here are the basics of how a compost pile is built (biologically speaking):

1. Find a corner of your yard that's a little out of sight, but still easily accessible. There are lots of tutorials on how to build compost bins for little to nothing using pallets and the like. This is on my to do list, but for now I just dump everything in a pile in the corner.
2. Put a base of brown materials (see above), then regularly add to your compost pile, keeping in mind the ratios in the chart above: 3 parts brown (carbon rich) to 1 part green (nitrogen rich). Examples of carbon rich materials are leaves, sawdust, shredded newspaper, and straw. Examples of nitrogen rich materials are fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, and grass (make sure there are no weeds so you don't spread). My compost ratio isn't always perfect, but keeping them close will ensure that everything decomposes quickly and that the compost doesn't get smelly (too much green material will result in a smelly mess).
3. Regularly grab a rake or pitchfork and turn the heap so that everything gets equal moisture and air. Except in the winter, the compost pile should be warm. That means it's working!
4. If you want, you can add composting organisms like old compost, soil, or manure (as long as it's not from cats or dogs). These are by no means necessary, but just give your compost a little boost in it's journey to becoming a great soil additive, fertilizer, and plant food.
5. Your compost is ready when all of the materials have broken down and are unrecognizable. It will smell nice and earthy (not like rotten food). Grab a shovel and use it as a soil amendment, fertilizer, potting soil, compost tea, or as a lawn top-dressing! There are tons of great uses for this "black gold".

This is something I merely dabble in, and these are only the basics. There are entire books and websites devoted to the art of composting and how to do it "right", so please don't let me be your final source! I'm learning as I go, so I'm sure I'll be posting more on the subject as time goes on. In the mean time, I leave you with a quote from Maureen Gilmer's The Small Budget Gardener...

In all my years of gardening I have never once created and maintained a functional compost pile. Perhaps it was due to the dry climate where I live or the fact that I just didn't have enough stuff to feed it... During those years of "failure" it was not a total loss because that heap consumed tons of leaves and rotten fruit and garden refuse. And maybe I'd get a few shovels of the good stuff now and then. It's value was that I had some place to put all that excess organic matter from garden and kitchen to avoid placing an added burden on the landfill. So if you aren't successful at composting, or if your yields, like mine, are too small to seemingly make much difference, just keep on gardening and composting. It all works out in the end.

How to Do a Free DIY Soil Test

As I've begun to journey into the world of gardening, I keep hearing a lot about soil pH and how important it is. But, as I've stated before, time and money have prevented me from taking my dirt to the garden center or shipping it off somewhere. I know I should, but I don't.

Another big part of the problem is that I never have really understood to science behind soil pH or how it really affects me. But I'm learning and growing. Here's the basic idea: soil pH influences the availability of essential nutrients in your soil.

Garden.com explains it like this:

The pH scale has 14 units and is centered on 7, which is neutral. Levels below 7 are considered in the acidic or sour range; readings above 7 are alkaline or sweet. Soil nutrients are at their optimum availability in the range between 6 and 7. Most plants grow best in this range, although some type of plant growth can take place anywhere between 3.5 and 10.

So in general, we want our soil to be as close to neutral as possible. Once you determine your soil's pH level, you can amend your soil with various additives (like compost, lime, pine needles, seaweed, etc.) depending on the acid or alkalinity of your soil. On a sidenote, in south-central Texas, the soils tend to be more alkaline since we have less rainfall.

On to the soil test. This DIY test takes less than 15 minutes and requires materials that you most likely already have on hand, thereby making this test FREE (woo hoo!).

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 2 containers (a jar or mug would work fine)

P.S. If you don't have vinegar and baking soda around your house, start doing it! They are useful for SO many things and incredibly cheap. That's another post.

Step 1: Scoop some dirt into each container.

Step 2: Pour 1/2 cup vinegar into the first container.

Step 3: If soil bubbles and fizzes (like mine did), your soil is alkaline. No need to proceed to the next step.


Step 4: If your soil did not react to the vinegar, add 1/2 cup of water to the other container of dirt. Then add 1/2 cup of baking soda. If the soil bubbles up and fizzes (mine didn't), your soil is acidic.

Now that you know the general pH of your soil, you are better equipped to make decisions and troubleshoot problems! Don't you feel smart?! I have to admit that I do.

From here, you most likely want to amend your soil to try and get it in that optimal "neutral" range. If your soil tests alkaline (again, most of you Texans probably will), you will want to add pine needles (road trip to Bastrop, anyone?), sulfur, organic matter like compost, or liquid seaweed. If your soil tests acidic, you can amend with lime (ground agricultural limestone) or wood ash.

Also, do your research. While most plants prefer that neutral pH, some prefer more alkaline or acidic soil. Blueberries, for example, prefer acidic soils to thrive, so depending on what you want to grow, you may not need to amend at all!

If you want to have a soil test done for more detailed results (always a good thing), here are some sources:

• Texas A&M Extension Service - http://soiltesting.tamu.edu
• Purchase a soil test kit online or at your local garden center.