December
2003
Will it ever get cold? Will winter ever really arrive this year? Perhaps
by the time you read this, the warm season will have let go of its grasp
on us, allowing the dormant chill to take its rightful place. However,
as of this writing, one of our plum trees at The Natural Gardener is so
confused by the predominantly warm temperatures, it has begun producing
a few puzzled blooms. The miniature donkeys here, Chico and Kiko, have
started putting on their thicker, fuzzier coats for the winter. On these
80-something degree days we've been having, those poor guys must
be sweltering!
Still, it will probably get colder sometime in the next three months,
and we may find ourselves wanting to cubbyhole with our hot chocolate
in a cozy chair, perhaps with a good book or a great local monthly publication.
To stay young, they say, we should always be actively learning something
new. Gardeners must be the youngest bunch, then, because there is always
something new to learn here, especially in organic gardening. Mother Nature
's intricacies are endless. There is so much to learn, we could never
"know it all," even if we spent our whole lives trying!
I often talk to customers who have been wanting to learn how to garden
organically, but do not know how to start. Or, perhaps they got started,
but a suspected insect or disease problem sent them running in a panic
to their nearest big box store for the first thing on the shelf that would
kill the problem. How do you get started on an organic program, if you
are accustomed to the weed & feed, Malathion, and Diazinon regimen?
How do you know when it is necessary to take action against a plant problem,
and when it is not? What are the basics of organic gardening? Here is
a brief overview of organic gardening, followed by some local resources
where you can find further information. The general guidelines for successful
organic gardening include plant selection and planting, correct watering,
and soil health and nutrition. Following these guidelines, a gardener
will discover less and less of a need for pesticides and fungicides in
general, and enjoy a healthier lawn, landscape, and gardens.
One of the primary ways to maintain a successful landscape organically
is to first plant the right plants in the right places. Native and well-adapted
plants already have a competitive edge that allows them to tolerate our
heat, our soils, and our drought conditions. This means they will exhibit
less of the stress that invites diseases and pests. However, plants are
not just like furniture. Just because it is a Texas native doesn't
mean it can be planted anywhere. If you choose a plant that is native
to the East Texas Piney Woods and plant it in the Hill Country, that plant
is in for a downhill slide. (There are ten distinct ecological regions
in Texas. Travis County contains four of these regions, Williamson County
has three, and Hays County has two!) Likewise, if you choose a native
sun-loving plant, and then plant it in the shade, it will not be very
tolerant. If it is a drought-resistant plant that is watered weekly, it
will grow weakly. In these previous two cases, the gardener may see weak,
yellowish growth and suspect a disease, and start spraying fungicide,
for example. The stressed-out plant may also start getting infested with
insects, so the homeowner may start spraying insecticides. This only makes
the problem worse, because these products will also kill beneficial microorganisms
and insects. The key to successful plant selection is to choose native
or well-adapted plants specific to your particular area, get reliable
information about what specific conditions they prefer, and water them
properly. Once established, such plants can remain relatively care-free
in the landscape, requiring only modest maintenance measures.
Watering properly is critical for success. Newly planted trees, for example,
need supplemental watering for their first two years in the ground, even
if they are drought resistant species. A general rule of thumb is that
for every inch of diameter of the trunk (measured about four feet up from
the ground), that tree will need a gallon of water per week. Water new
trees about where you know the edge of the rootball is, not next to the
trunk. Water established trees out around the dripline. A tree's
main zone of absorption -- for water and nutrients -- is out at the tips
of the roots, located where the edge of the leaves leave their shadow
on the ground and slightly beyond.
In addition, avoid watering the landscape in the evening on a regular
basis. This practice allows water to remain on the leaves longer, which
is one of the easiest ways to encourage disease. When the plant is watered
early in the morning, any water on the leaves is soon evaporated by sun
and wind. Ideally, avoid wetting the leaves altogether. This goal, along
with saving water, can be accomplished by using a drip irrigation system.
On established landscapes, water more deeply, less often. Shallow, frequent
watering promotes a shallow, drought-susceptible root structure and a
stressed plant. Think about the root system as being almost a mirror image
of the plant above the ground, and aim to water almost that deeply. A
St. Augustine lawn, for example, should be watered to a depth of about
four to six inches, every five days in the summer. To water four to six
inches down might take 30 - 45 minutes, depending on your soil type and
water system. Likewise, established, drought-resistant trees need to be
watered once a month, for about an hour or so, at the dripline. Then,
you can imagine that all the plants which fall in between the size of
a tree and the size of a grass plant will need a range of water in between.
Annual, non-native flowers, such as pansies and snapdragons, may need
watering every week or so. Lantanas and other drought-resistant perennials
may need a deep watering every ten days to two weeks. Shrubs may need
a deep watering every three or four weeks.
In general, remember that clay soil will hold water much longer than
rocky or sandy soil, and will need water less often. For best results,
use your most accurate moisture meter -- your finger -- to test the amount
of moisture in the soil before watering. Adding at least three inches
of mulch on top of the soil (not up on the plant stems or trunks) is your
insurance that this moisture will not be wasted to evaporation.
Timing is everything, too. Planting most trees, shrubs, and hardy perennials
in the fall is the best time, allowing them to get established before
the summer hits. Planting in the late spring or summer simply compounds
natural transplant shock with summer heat stress. When vegetable gardening,
plant within the proper dates outlined on the Planting Guide published
by your local agricultural extension service. Your local nursery should
have a copy or look for the number below for the Travis County Ag Extension
Office. For example, if cool weather crops such as cauliflower or broccoli
are planted too late, their season will extend into the hot weather. This
will almost guarantee that the plants will get harlequin bugs before the
harvest is fully enjoyed on the gardener's dinner plate. Knowing
plants and meeting their needs helps a gardener to be the most successful
at organic gardening.
Finally, the last general concept covered here about organic gardening
is the most important -- the soil. All of our plants, unless we are a
fan of epiphytes or parasites, depend on soil. Organic gardeners know
that if we focus on the health of the soil, then the health of the plants
must follow. A teaspoon of healthy soil contains billions of living organisms.
These organisms each play a part in the symphony of a functional soil
ecosystem. This is called the Soil Food Web. Therefore, one of the main
goals of organic gardening is to preserve the life in the soil. Some soil
organisms break down organic matter. Others make nutrients available to
the plant. For example, specific Rhizoctonia bacteria live in the roots
of Bean Family plants, fertilizing them with Nitrogen out of thin air.
Some organisms help improve the structure of the soil. Some live on the
root system of the plant, extending the nutrient absorption capacity of
the roots, such as mycorrhizal fungi. Some organisms control other disease-causing
or root-feeding organisms. Other organisms consume and break down pollutants
in the soil. Many organisms perform more than one of these functions.
In general, it is the complexity of the Soil Food Web which determines
the health of the soil, and it is the use of chemical pesticides and the
like which degrade the life, and thus the health, of the soil.
Since plants and soil organisms both benefit from organic matter, one
of the first steps to take in organic gardening is to add organic matter
to the soil. Because a properly prepared manure compost will contain an
array of beneficial microorganisms, manure compost is often recommended
as the primary organic matter to use. A half inch or less can be spread
on top of the lawn. An inch or two can be spread in existing flower beds
and shrub beds and around the root zone of trees. An ample amount can
be mixed into the soil when preparing a new bed for flowers and vegetables.
Compost may be added once or twice a year for best results. This is especially
advised in our area, where the summer's heat and drought often rapidly
decomposes the organic matter until there is little left.
Along with organic matter, most of our plants need a healthy dose of
organic fertilizer. Wildflowers, for example, prefer a poor soil, as do
Nasturtiums. But most plants benefit from a yearly or twice yearly application
of a high quality fertilizer. Find a fertilizer containing a blend of
ingredients, which may include bat guano, alfalfa meal, bone meal, blood
meal, worm castings, kelp meal, greensand, and the like. A blended fertilizer
will have a wider array of trace minerals and other benefits than a single
ingredient fertilizer. Such dry fertilizers should be applied once or
twice a year for natives and well adapted plants, or every four to six
weeks for vegetables and annual flowers. Rabbit Hill Farm and Lady Bug
are two Texas companies that produce such quality organic fertilizers.
Every part of an organic fertilizer is beneficial to the Soil Food Web
and our plants. In an organic fertilizer, there are no salts to harm the
structure of the soil, nor burn the plant. Rather than harming the life
in the soil, as chemical fertilizers do, the organic ingredients feed
the life in the soil. If a liquid fertilizer is preferred, it should be
applied more often than the dry, once every week or two. Examples of liquid
organic fertilizers are Biozome Fish and Seaweed, Lady Bug John's
Recipe, or your own mixture of fish emulsion and seaweed, with or without
molasses and Medina Soil Activator.
One of the hardest parts about organic gardening is finding accurate
information about it. The average homeowner seeking to learn about gardening
usually receives information on the chemical methods. Nevertheless, thanks
to J. I. Rodale and other pioneers of organic gardening, we do have enough
information to be successful at organic gardening, if we are willing to
seek out the answers. Austin area residents are especially fortunate on
several accounts. First, our Travis County Agriculture Extension Agent,
Skip Richter, is knowledgeable and forthcoming with organic gardening
information. Second, the City of Austin is aiming in the right direction
with their Grow Green Program. Third, John Dromgoole's "Gardening
Naturally"
radio program on KLBJ-AM has been a rich source of organic
gardening information for over 24 years. And finally, the Austin Organic
Gardeners' Club is the oldest in the nation, founded in 1945.
If you need an answer to your gardening question, call the Ag Extension
office at (512) 854-9600 and talk to a master gardener. Ask specifically
for the organic solution to your issue, and chances are, if they don't
know the answer right off the bat, they will seek it out and call you
back.
If you want free published information on some of the least toxic methods
for controlling insect and disease pests, look for the City of Austin
Grow Green publications in your local nursery. When you find the list
of available products for each gardening problem, ignore the most toxic
solutions at the bottom of each product list. Double-check with your favorite
organic gardener or the staff of The Natural Gardener for the best, least
toxic solution to each problem. These publications are especially good
for identifying insects or lawn problems, with their glossy color photos.
When looking for the Grow Green publications, be sure to pick up a copy
of their booklet entitled "Native and Adapted Landscape Plants."
It is a well-organized, thorough, and beautiful source of information
for choosing plants for the landscape. It is free, but considering the
City's financial woes, they should have charged at least a dollar
for it! For the great information and the photos in it, it is worth at
least ten dollars! In addition, you can go to the Grow Green web site (click
here).
On weekend mornings, many an Austin gardener can be found listening to
590 KLBJ-AM radio. John's program, "Gardening Naturally,"
can be heard on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and Sundays from
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. John answers a myriad of gardening questions from
his listeners, and has the most informative interviews with folks from
many fields of interest, not just gardening.
If you want to join the oldest continuously running Organic Gardening
Club, they meet at the Zilker Botanical Garden on the second Monday of
each month (except December) at 7:30 p.m. Zilker Botanical Garden is located
at 2220 Barton Springs Road, and can be reached at 477-8672. Many other
educational opportunities can be found at Zilker, also.
For those who are now ready to curl up with hot chocolate and a book for
further study, here is a brief list of suggested titles:
- The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
- Botany for Gardeners: An Introduction and Guide by Brian Capon
- Texas Organic Gardening by Howard Garrett
- Texas Organic Vegetable Gardening by Howard Garrett and Malcolm Beck Texas Wildscapes
- Gardening for Wildlife by Noreen Damude and Kelly Conrad Bender
- Soil Biology Primer by the Soil and Water Conservation Society Native Texas Plants
- Landscaping Region by Region by Sally and Andy Wasowski
Enjoy this month, whether you spend it inside with a book or outside
in the garden or on the greenbelt. We are so fortunate to be able to have
that option here in the Sunbelt. Peace on earth and goodwill to all men
and women. See you next year!
December
2002
"In a drear-nighted December, Too happy, happy tree, Thy branches
ne'er remember Their green felicity..."
-- John Keats (1795 - 1821),
British poet, from "Drear-nighted December"
"Winter tames man, woman, and beast."
-- William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), British dramatist, poet, from "The Taming of the Shrew"
Here in Texas, we do not have the snow banks, the months of endless gray
skies, the true season of hibernation that our northern neighbors do.
Listening to Garrison Keillor's radio program A Prairie Home Companion
about all the folks in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota, we might gather that growing
up in starkly different climates can shape our personalities differently.
The climates certainly shape our ecosystems differently. While plants
in Minnesota have adapted to withstand the brutality of winter, our native
plants are custom-made to withstand the ravages of our summer. Nature's
complexity is truly awesome, the closer we look.
Even if we aren't smothered in snow, December is still not one
of the most active months for gardeners in Texas. We need some down time
to get those odds and ends done. For example, how often do we get a chance
to sharpen and oil our tools? If you said, "Why, after every time
I use them, of course!" then you are much more organized than I am.
When I worked at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Children's Garden, a
strong component of the program was tool maintenance. Since the Children's
Garden program was 75 years old that summer, it was very impressive that
there were some tools still working in that garden that were as old as
the program. I imagined those young people in the mid-nineteen-teens --
perhaps the girls were wearing long skirts and button-down shoes and the
boys, suspenders -- being involved in the first children's gardening
program in a botanical garden, and using the very tools that we were using
in 1989! I enjoyed being part of the lineage of gardeners in that space,
encouraging young people to discover the joys and satisfaction of growing
(and eating!) green things, and respecting the tools and materials with
which we worked.
One of the ways we taught the kids to clean and oil their tools was
easy: simply plunge the tool into a bucket of sand mixed with motor oil.
A five-gallon utility bucket works well. Fill it about three-quarters
full of sharp builder's sand, and mix in a quart of clean motor oil.
Some resources say to use used motor oil; I would think it best to steer
clear of this potentially carcinogenic material. By plunging the tool
several times, the sand scrapes off dirt and the oil remains to protect
the metal.
For dirtier tools, or to remove rust, have on hand a wire brush or steel
wool. This is also a good place to make use of those orphaned socks and
old tee-shirts. Have a bag-o'-rags in the garage or tool shed, where
a lonely sock comes in handy to give the tool a final rubdown with oil.
Rakes, trowels, and any other metal tools will benefit from such tender,
loving care. If all of the tools and their maintenance supplies are well-organized,
then we are more likely to keep our tools in good shape for a long time.
Just a 5- or 10-minute cleanup after gardening chores are done could add
years to the life of our tools. Nancy Wesson, in her Homesteader article
last month on cleaning up the garage, spells out many reasons and suggestions
that would make such maintenance duties even easier. When we have an organized
place in which to store and maintain our tools, we are less likely to
leave them out in the weather, too, which spells disaster and a short
life for our investments.
What are some other ways to maintain our tools? For the most efficient
output from our tools, even shovels and hoes should be sharpened. Now
is a good time. On hoes, only the outside edge should be beveled; on shovels,
both edges should be beveled. File at the same angle as the original bevel.
Avoid filing it too sharp or too thin, or you'll risk nicking the
metal the next time it is used. Rub oil carefully onto the metal after
filing. Pruners and loppers will need a much finer file especially made
for them. Felco brand makes a very nice ceramic sharpening stone for such
jobs. For everyday sharpening, use the finer grain; for long-neglected
cutting tools, a medium grain may be needed at first to shave off more
mangled metal at a time. Be very careful to keep the proper angle when
filing pruners and loppers. Such cutting tools are much more precise instruments
than hoes or shovels; there is a lot less metal to work with; and therefore
the tool is a lot less forgiving of mistakes. On the bypass (scissor-like)
pruners, only the outside edge of the cutting blade should be sharpened
significantly. According to the Felco sharpening stone instructions (which
more than likely can be applied to almost all brands of bypass pruners)
the outside edge should be maintained at a 23-degree angle. After the
outside edge is sharpened, the stone can be used at a five-degree angle
on the inside surface of the blade just to remove burrs. The Felco web site
may be of some help in getting further sharpening instructions: www.felco.ch/
(It is a Swiss brand, and a Swiss web site, so there is some entertainment
value in reading the translations and navigating the site). The web site
diagram for sharpening was somewhat misleading to me, however; just remember
to only sharpen the outside of the blade at that 23-degree angle. On the
contrary, the directions printed on the Felco sharpening stone package
are very clear. Even so, if you would rather leave the sharpening to a
professional, look under "Sharpening Services" in the Yellow
Pages.
Another way to get more life out of our tools is to maintain the handles
properly. First, wooden handles should be sanded regularly to avoid splintering.
Jim, over at Eco-Wise on West Elizabeth in South Austin, is a wealth of
knowledge when it comes to building, refurbishing, and maintaining just
about anything in our homes. He says, of course, that it is the sun and
moisture that make our tool's handles degrade, and it is usually
the handle, not the metal working end of the tool, that splits or breaks
and tempts us to toss out the tool and buy a new one. However, there is
no need to continually contribute to cutting down trees for new handles
just because we did not maintain our tools properly. All we need, he says,
is an exterior grade wood sealer and finish called "Velvit Oil."
It is a soybean-derived furniture oil which is microporous: it soaks into
the wood and makes it 20% stronger. We only need to apply it once a year,
and one nine-dollar pint will last us a lifetime for tool maintenance.
Since our sweaty, absorbent hands are contacting the tool handle, it makes
sense to use this eco-friendly material, rather than the usual toxic outdoor
wood sealants. For that matter, Velvit Oil would be useful for outdoor
furniture and decks, too.
While we're at it, we can check that all the heads of our tools
are tight in their handles. If not, tighten the bolt, where applicable,
or tap in a shim or two. Replace broken handles, lubricate moving parts,
and repair any tools that need it.
Along with cleaning, oiling, and sharpening our tools, we can take stock
of our tool inventory, and to write to Santa asking for the tools that
we need or want. Perhaps now is the time to get that extra mower blade,
so that we will always have a sharp blade on hand to rotate in when one
gets dull. (Of course that means we have to sharpen the spare in time
to replace the main blade!) When purchasing new tools, Rodale's Encyclopedia
of Organic Gardening has some helpful tips:
The first rule of tool buying is to avoid cheap tools at all costs.
... The best wood for the handle of a shovel and all long-handled garden
tools is North American white ash, which is strong, light, and resilient.
Hickory is stronger but heavier and is ideal for hammers and other short-handled
tools. Examine the lines (rings) in a wooden handle; they should run straight
down the entire length of the handle, with no knots. Avoid tools with
painted handles; the paint often hides cheap wood. ...Buy tools with solid-socket
or solid-strapped construction, forged from a single bar of steel that
completely envelops the handle, thus protecting it and adding strength.
A good tool can mean the difference between a productive, pleasant time
in the garden and a frustrating, discouraging experience. Starting off
with a good set of tools, and maintaining them properly, can mean a lifetime
of gardening joy that we can pass on to our children and grandchildren.
Right now may be our only slow season to maintain our tools, because the
Central Texas spring (February) will be upon us before we know it. Here's
wishing everyone the time, the energy, and the means to have and maintain
a good set of tools for our growing hobby. More importantly, here's
wishing us all peace and, yes, love this holiday season.
December
2001
"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure in the
landscape, the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something
waits beneath it the whole story doesn't show."
-- Andrew Wyeth (1917 - ____) US watercolorist, painter
In "The Art of Andrew Wyeth," by Richard Meryman, 1973
"And as, when all the summer trees are seen
So bright and green,
The holly leaves a sober hue display
Less bright than they,
But when the bare and wintry woods we see,
What then so cheerful as the Holly-tree?"
-- Robert Southey (1774 - 1843) English author; poet laureate
"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads."
-- Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) American author, naturalist
Winter is a time when death comes and erases our former landscape so
suddenly. Overnight, after the first freeze, the world changes - to our
eyes, to our nose, to our bare skin, and our hearts and minds. We can't
help but change and reflect on changes when this time comes. If we are
unaffected, we are probably not spending much time out-of-doors!
Death and decay are not bad. They are happening all the time, not just
in winter. Without death and decay we would not have soil. Without soil,
life on earth as we know it would not exist. Under our feet lies the womb
of all life. The soil lies seemingly passive, but it nourishes the trees
and grass and forbs of the world, which in turn nourish the earthworms,
the squirrels, the cows, and eventually the humans of the world. Not a
bad design, when you look at it all. All interdependent. All important.
All with a purpose, even if we haven't logged each and every purpose into
the scientific tomes yet.
So here we are in the twelfth month. It could be 70 degrees or 17 degrees
as you read this. But we have had our first frost, and those tender basil,
tomato, and zinnia plants of the summer have long ago withered and made
way for broccoli, greens and pansies. (There was a mournful spell there
in November after the first frost as our gardener Roger was cutting down
the tomatoes and peppers). Our holly of the season is the Yaupon (and
the deciduous Possumhaw), if the birds haven't eaten up her berries already.
Native wreaths and swags made of mustang or muscadine grape vines with
Yaupon holly, juniper, agarita, and other winter ornamentals tucked in
are quite beautiful, fragrant and fit in well in our Texas homes. It's
a natural progression to make seasonal decorations for the home out of
the native plants, since it is the right time to prune anyway, and it
is nice to bring a little of the outdoors in. 'Tis the season for candles,
too. Did you know that the early American settlers boiled the leaves and
fruits of our lovely Southern Wax Myrtle to get wax which they used to
make bayberry candles? This information comes from Plants for the South:
A Guide for Landscape Design by Neil Odenwald and James Turner. I
am not sure if this book is still in print, but it is a good reference
book for landscape plants and even houseplants.
Then there is the matter of all those fallen leaves. What better time
to talk about compost? There are as many kinds of compost piles as there
are gardeners. Back when I lived in the Bronx for a few years (!), my
neighbors and I had what we called the Haphazard Compost. The "front yard"
was about eight feet below street level, and there was a boardwalk of
sorts leading from our front door to the street. The soil down there was
sooo bad, I figured ANY way we could add organic matter would be of benefit
to it. Besides, I had a hankering to do something, anything, related to
farming and gardening. So we started with the rotting Halloween pumpkins.
We just chunked them over the railing to the depths below. Pretty soon,
after Andrea and Charles got the hang of it, we were all quite enjoying
tossing our kitchen scraps and dead houseplants into the abyss. The most
exciting part of it was the next spring (which doesn't really happen up
there until ...grrr....MAY!) when (you guessed it!) all the pumpkin, tomato,
squash, and buckwheat plants started growing down there! (In my enthusiasm
to be a farmer in NYC, I had mail-ordered buckwheat seeds from Gardens
Alive! Fortunately in Texas, one can find buckwheat seeds, along with
other springtime cover crops, from local suppliers).
Compost is central to any healthy domain. Throwing away perfectly good
kitchen scraps is like throwing away gold into an already overburdened
landfill. A compost pile doesn't have to be stinky or unattractive. With
only slightly more effort than my neighbors and I invested, you will not
get volunteer plants, either, unless you want them. Choose a bin or not;
turn it or not - composting is for just about everyone. There is a handy
little compost guide called Let It Rot! The Gardener's Guide to Composting
by Stu Campbell. Campbell has a good sense of humor about composting,
and a good attitude when he says: "Successful composting requires ...
the realization that no matter what you do, no matter how many little
mistakes you make, you are still probably going to come up with reasonably
good, usable compost." And for those who want a more in-depth study of
compost, there's The Rodale Book of Composting. In it you will
find over a dozen different methods for composting. However, any compost
pile will decompose if you give it long enough. If you want a more efficient
compost pile, though, there are a few things to attend to. All we need
to compost is just a little spot and a little knowledge.
Understand that "all composting methods aim simply to meet the needs
of the microorganisms that do all the work of turning raw organic matter
into humus. Those basic needs are air, moisture, energy food (carbon)
and protein food (nitrogen) in the right proportion, and warmth," says
Rodale. Start by choosing a spot. It should be close enough to the kitchen
so that you have convenient access to deposit your kitchen scraps. Choose
a spot that is in the shade or sun, realizing that the more sun it receives,
the faster it will dry out.
There are plastic bins with a lid. There are wooden-framed bins with
wire mesh walls. There are barrel-type bins you can roll with a crank,
roll on their own "treadmill," or roll around the yard. There are homemade
compost bins made from pallets, or chicken wire and wood. And then again,
some folks just make a pile. Whatever your enclosure, the next step is
to layer about six inches to a foot of course material, such as sticks,
twigs, and small branches, on the bottom. This is for better aeration
of the pile.
Now, on to the main ingredients. The most efficient decomposition happens
when a ratio of 25 to 30 parts "brown stuff" (carbon) to one part "green
stuff"(nitrogen) is maintained. This is your carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.
Basically it means you need a lot more brown, dried leaves and other organic
matter than you do kitchen scraps. Rake up all the leaves you can and
make a pile next to your compost. Take donations of leaves from your neighbors,
making sure they don't include clippings from a yard that is chemically
treated. (You do not want any "Weed and Feed" to end up on your vegetables
or ornamentals. "Weed and Feed" is designed to kill, and it keeps on killing).
On top of the coarse material, add about a foot-deep layer of the brown
stuff. Anytime you add kitchen scraps, spread them thinly across the top
of the brown layer, and immediately cover with a layer of brown leaves.
Sprinkle a thin (1/4") topping of plain old soil or manure compost every
few layers, and water. The compost should be kept moist, not soggy, at
all times.
If you are not in a hurry you don't have to turn it every day, but the
more the pile is turned, the hotter the compost, and the faster it decomposes.
If you have a plastic bin or you simply don't want to turn the compost,
get a compost aerating tool. A simple broomhandle will do a similar job
if you jab it into the pile several times, but the compost tool makes
it easier and more effective. If you don't mind the workout of turning
the pile, use a compost fork to mix the ingredients so that the material
from the outside of the pile regularly migrates to the inside of the pile.
It is the center of the pile where all the action is. It is the microorganisms,
not the sun, which cause the temperature in an ideal compost to reach
113 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit. For the best decomposition temperature
and therefore, speed, attend to all of the details above and make sure
the pile is at least three feet wide at the bottom and at least three
feet high. In a pile that is too small, the microbes in the center of
the pile work up a good heat, but the heat is too easily dissipated into
the air, rather than being absorbed by a good amount of material surrounding
them. For even more fun with science, get a compost thermometer!
Now, what about those ingredients? Here are some examples of carbon sources
and nitrogen sources to help you assemble your perfect compost pile.
Carbon sources: Most types of hay or straw, peanut or other
nut shells, cantaloupe rinds, pine needles, corn cobs, brown leaves, tomato
or potato stems, paper (avoid or minimize colored inks), sawdust (make
sure this is from untreated wood), wood chips
Nitrogen sources: Green grass clippings, green leaves, kitchen
vegetable scraps, coffee and tea grounds, manure, human or pet hair, wool
or felt wastes
Other compost ingredients: These ingredients are potentially
good for the compost, but do not significantly alter the carbon:nitrogen
ratio. Eggshells, oyster shells, vacuum cleaner bag contents, gleanings
from hair brushes
Ingredients to avoid: Dog, cat, and bird feces; meat or dairy
scraps; oil or oily food; wood ashes (except in small amounts: they increase
our already alkaline soil conditions); diseased plant matter, anything
toxic. Weeds can be added to the pile, just so long as they are not Bermuda
grass or Johnson grass, or contain seeds. Theoretically, if the compost
is hot enough, it would kill any weed seeds or certain plant diseases,
even. It is probably better to avoid that risk though.
So there you are, you've produced this beautiful pile of compost, three
by three feet; you water it and turn it and it has started decomposing.
At some point one realizes that in order to use this "black gold" that
one is producing, one has to stop adding materials and just allow at least
some part of the compost to finish. Some compost bins have a little door
at the bottom. Using these, the finished compost will magically fall out
the bottom, if everything goes well. Using others with no bottom, a gardener
may start to see the wisdom of the three-bin method: one bin for holding
the ingredients, one bin under construction - where the ingredients are
assembled in the right proportions, and one full bin in which the compost
is allowed to finish. Remember that this process will work even without
your help. Decomposition. Just like gravity, it's not just a good idea--it's the law!
How else can we honor this season of dormancy and decomposition? By turning
our Christmas trees into mulch. It's an Austin tradition - for seventeen
years! You can go to the web site at www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/christmastree.htm
for more information, or call the City of Austin Solid Waste Services
department at 494-9400. It's worth it to go to the web site just to see
the graphic of "Christmas Toys Saying Bye to Christmas Tree." I laughed
out loud. The artist really should be credited there. The following information
is taken directly from the City of Austin Christmas Tree Recycling web site:
Christmas Tree Recycling: Celebrating seventeen years of community
volunteerism and participation.
Residents in the Austin area with Pay-As-You-Throw/Curbside Christmas
Tree Recycling service will have the option of leaving their tree
on the curb for the three weeks after Christmas. Or you can call the
Solid Waste Services Customer Service line at 494-9400 for more information.
Zilker Park will be the only drop-off location. The drop-off dates
are Saturday December 29, Sunday December 30 and Saturday January
5 in Zilker Park, along Stratford Dr. north of Barton Springs Rd.,
under the MOPAC Bridge.
ADDITIONAL RECYCLING LOCATIONS: RM 620 Low Water Crossing, beneath
the RM 620 bridge TDS - ECO Depot - RM 620 east of Hwy. 71 Manchaca
Fire Hall - FM 1626 Del Valle Softball Complex Travis County Satellite
Yard #1 - Johnny Morris Rd. near Hwy. 290 East
There are many different ways that our people celebrate and honor this
season. However we recognize this season, I wish us all peace on earth,
good health, and prosperity. May those of us who have enough in our bowl,
(enough of time, of food, of love) may we give some over into our neighbor's
bowl. Season's Blessings, and Happy New Year!
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8648
Old Bee Cave Road
Stacey
(Rosina) Newton is a graduate of the Texas A&M University (Aggieland)
Horticulture Department, class of 1984, and has been in the environmental/horticulture
field ever since. She learned everything she knows about organic gardening
while working at The Natural Gardener, starting in 1997.