tel: 512 280-1192 Friday, Dec 20 2013
Nursery Notes: Merry Christmas to all our customers. 20%
off all gift shop items this weekend.... the perfect place for last
minute gifts for gardeners!
New Year's Resolutions for Gardeners. Please send in some of
your resolutions for the new year, to be published in an upcoming
newsletter. Maybe... less time on the i-Phone, more time in the
garden? Email to: internationalrain@yahoo.comEating on the Wild Side: author Jo Robinson believes that we
should shift our approach to the food we put on our tables, and
embrace wild plants and game for optimal health. More details
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Central Texas Gardener KLRU TV. William Glenn from Garden-
Ville explores repurposed finds that are inexpensive and fun. On
tour, Paul Lofton partners with imagination and DIY creativity in
his expansive low-water garden on a budget Sat. noon, 4 p.m. or
Sun., 9 a.m. www.klru
The Art of Creating 'Black Gold'
by Chris Winslow
It is a gardener’s secret ingredient, known as ‘black gold’ by some.
We concoct it from a distinctly unpromising collection of scraps:
potato peelings, squishy tomatoes, grass clippings, leaves…. and
manure. It is compost, of course, and some gardeners, with a bit
of a Midas touch and a green thumb, are able to nourish their plants
and gardens to astounding levels of productivity and beauty.
However it is more a matter of simple care and craft than magic or
wizardry. With little effort or expense, you can start using nature’s
best soil conditioner, plant food and mulch, and join the compost
clan. Compost works because it feeds the soil by adding beneficial
bacteria and micro organisms. If your soil has too much clay in it,
compost will help to break it down and make the garden drain better.
If your soil is too sandy, compost will help to retain moisture. Com-
post is the key to making plants healthier and harvests more abun-
dant. This means superior vegetables on the kitchen table, better
family health, and savings at the grocery store.
If you want to buy ready-made composts, look for ones from or-
ganic sources. Some of the best contain farmyard products such
as manure and dairy products. Composted manure is highly
effective for soil conditioning, and adds a little fertilizer boost
too. Vegetable-based composts from alfalfa and cotton gin trash
are also good. (Be sure your cotton compost comes from cotton
that has not been defoliated with arsenic.)
Your plants will also enjoy any composts made from earth worm
castings and bat guano. If you want to start your own compost, pick
a site out of view and close to your garden. To make a permanent
compost bin, simply nail together three 4 foot by 4 foot pallets. You
can then add compost materials through the open front of this three-
sided bin.
To get started, you will need dry leaves and grass clippings. With all
leaves falling off the trees right now, this is a great time begin your
compost pile. Layer one part grass clippings to two parts dry leaves
in the compost bin and mix them together.
Continue this process until the pile is 2 to 3 feet high and 2 to 3 feet
wide. Then simply add water and beneficial bacteria from a ‘compost
starter’ available at most nurseries.
Within days, the composting process will heat up and will start break-
ing down the organic matter you have added. Don’t add meats, disease
infected plant material, and weeds with a lot of seeds on them.
The right amount of watering is important to successful compost.
Water enough to keep the compost pile damp. By turning the
compost over once a week, the compost should be ready in a couple
of months. Compost is finished and ready to turn into the garden
when it no longer feels warm and the original ingredients are no
longer recognizable.
Happy Christmas... and Happy Gardening Everyone!
Visit the website: www.itsaboutthyme.com Visit the nursery:11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, 78748 Like us
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