Danny Lipford » Organic Gardening

How to Use Neem Oil in Your Garden

Julie Day — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:16:50 +0000

When I read about organic gardening, I see a lot of references to neem oil. What is it, and how do I use it in my garden? -Sherry

Neem oil is made from the seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), which is native to India. Since ancient times, the neem tree has been prized as a sacred remedy and important ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine. In the garden, neem boasts a powerful insecticidal ingredient, azadirachtin, which makes it a great organic choice for controlling a variety of problems.

Uses for Neem Oil

Neem oil can be used to treat a number of garden ailments, including:

Insects: Neem oil kills or repels many harmful insects and mites, including aphids, whiteflies, snails, nematodes, mealybugs, cabbage worms, gnats, moths, cockroaches, flies, termites, mosquitoes, and scale. It kills some bugs outright, attacks the larvae of others, and repels plant munchers with its bitter taste.
Fungus: Neem oil is also effective in preventing fungal diseases such as black spot, anthracnose, rust, and mildew.
Disease: As if that wasn’t enough, neem oil also battles viruses that can harm plants.

Advantages of Neem Oil

Neem oil is a popular choice in organic gardens because it is:

Nontoxic: As long as it isn’t sprayed directly on them, neem oil is nontoxic to beneficial garden insects such as predatory wasps, honeybees, earthworms, ants, spiders, ladybugs, and adult butterflies. Neem oil is considered nontoxic to humans, birds, and other animals as well (see below) and can be used on fruits, vegetables, and flowering plants.
Organic: Neem oil is plant based and easily available from organically grown neem trees.
Biodegradable: Neem oil breaks down quickly and leaves no lasting residue.

How To Apply Neem Oil

Neem oil concentrate is usually mixed with water and sprayed on both sides of plant leaves. Because oil and water tend to separate, you’ll need to keep your solution well stirred. You can also mix it with insecticidal soap for a double whammy. Neem oil is bottled in different concentrations, so follow the instructions on the package to get the right proportions of oil to water.

Other Uses for Neem Oil

If you’re concerned about the safety of neem oil compared to other products in your garden, consider that neem is often used as an ingredient in:

Cosmetics
Shampoos (including pet shampoos for flea/tick control)
Natural insect repellents
Alternative medical remedies for antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory uses

The only health cautions for neem oil relate to actual consumption of the oil, and garden use does not appear to pose any known health hazards. As with any chemical—organic or synthetic—use neem oil only in moderation when needed, and wash all veggies and plants thoroughly before eating.

Further Information

Material Fact Sheets: Neem (Cornell University)
Azadirachta indica: One Tree’s Arsenal Against Pests (Colorado State)

Dinner with a Side of Garbage

Julie Day — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:30:38 +0000

This simple bowl helps me remember to compost.

Over by the fence, I’ve got a little compost pile (or, if you’d rather, a “’possum buffet”), where I toss veggie scraps, leaves, branches, leftover bits of potting soil, handfuls of deadheaded blossoms, and whatever else I happen to be hauling around. It’s pretty much hidden from view, so this year I decided to challenge myself to compost everything I can. See, sometimes I get in a hurry, and before I realize it I’ve tossed the cutting board scraps into the trash, or cleaned out the pantry and slam-dunked an old loaf of bread still in the wrapper. I try to remember, but I’m a person who likes systems, and this was a project in need of a system.

A side dish of garbage!

Habits are hard to break, but in my house I’m finally making some progress by introducing a new dish to the work island: the Garbage Bowl. It’s a big, old stainless-steel bowl whose sole purpose is to catch compostable scraps – if I’m chopping veggies for soup, the entire veggie gets chopped, and the good parts get scooped into the soup pot, and the peelings get raked into the garbage bowl.

Nothing goes into the trash, and my obsessive-compulsive brain loves the sight of the two neat bowls, one with garbage, and the other with dinner. In addition, thanks to the garbage bowl, I finally have a place to drop a gooey eggshell, to dump the coffee filter, and to toss my tea bag, all tasks – by the way – that normally leave a drippy mess on the way to the trash bin.

The garbage bowl is a very simple solution that reminds me that I can compost a lot more than I think I can – it’s made all the difference in the kitchen. And in addition to convenience, the garbage bowl has a couple of other wonderful qualities: 1) it’s ugly and 2) it stinks.

Those qualities work together to remind me to EMPTY the garbage bowl every day, and as it turns out, actually putting the scraps into the compost pile is a critical step toward making compost! I’m not sure how my neighbors feel about it, but I’m coming to love the satisfying whang! of knocking that steel bowl against the tree to dislodge the coffee grounds, and I love watching the scraps turning into earth for the garden. The system is working!

Benefits of a Compost Bin in Your Kitchen

What Can I Compost?

Julie Day — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:26:19 +0000

What can I put in my compost pile? -Beth

If your compost pile is heating up properly, you can put all kinds of things in there. Be sure that everything you put in your compost pile is in pieces smaller than 1-2 inches. Shredded and chopped items break down must faster than whole pieces.

Here’s a list of compostable items, including a few that might surprise you.

Yard and Garden Debris

Dead plants
Extra potting soil
Grass clippings
Leaves
Old cotton or leather gloves
Peat moss
Pine needles
Pruning debris, limbs, and branches
Rock dust
Sawdust
Seaweed
Straw and hay
Wood chips

Kitchen Scraps

Fresh or rotten produce including peelings, rinds, cores, stems, and leaves
Breads, grains, cereals, and flours
Canned fruits and veggies
Coffee grounds and paper filters
Corn cobs
Crackers and pasta
Egg shells
Fish bones and skins (if well buried)
Freezer-burned fruits and veggies
Ground-up animal bones
Herbs and spices
Gelatin
Jams and preserves
Milk, yogurt, and ice cream (although these may attract hungry animals)
Nut shells and husks

Paperboard (such as cereal and pasta boxes)
Popcorn
Rice
Seafood shells
Shredded paper towels and napkins
Soy products
Tea bags and loose tea
Toothpicks
Wine and beer
Cork wine corks
Wooden skewers

Household Waste

Compostable forks, cups, plates, etc (look for these in the store!)
Cotton balls
Cotton swabs (if made of paper)
Crumbs and dustpan contents
Crushed seashells
Dead bugs
Dried flowers and potpourri
Dryer lint
Dust bunnies
Felt
Fireplace ashes (in small amounts)
Floral arrangements
Hair clippings (also good in the garden as critter repellent)
Houseplant trimmings and old potting soil
Tissue

Leather
Loofah sponges
Matches
Nail clippings
Rope (natural fiber)
Shavings from your pencil sharpener
Vacuum bag dust
White glue and paste
Wool, linen and cotton
Wreaths, garland, and Christmas trees (real, not artificial)

Paper

Shred these paper items and add to your compost pile or recycle bin.

Business cards
Cardboard
Egg cartons
Envelopes (remove plastic windows)
Muffin cups
Newspaper
Office paper
Paper plates (unwaxed)
Paperboard (such as cereal boxes, toilet paper rolls, etc.)
Post-It Notes
Ticket stubs

Pet and Animal Waste

Dry pet food
Feathers
Manure from herbivores (cows, horses, rabbits, etc)
Pet hair
Wood chips from pet cages

Compost Cautions

These items should NOT be added to your compost pile:

Aluminum foil, plastic bags, and other inorganic packaging
Chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, bleach, gasoline, and oils
Cooked foods

Bread, yes – package, no.

Diapers
Diseased plants
Glossy or heavily dyed paper
Grease and fat
Kitty litter
Manure from meat-eating animals (dogs, cats, humans)
Mayonnaise and peanut butter
Meat scraps
Particle board
Treated lumber
Whole bones

Further Information

Organic Gardening 101

Julie Day — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:07:13 +0000

If you ask a group of gardeners for a definition of “organic gardening,” you’ll likely get many different answers. Instead of using synthetic or toxic chemicals, organic gardeners create a garden ecosystem that sustains itself. Some will use only commercial products approved as USDA Organic or listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).

Others will go a step further and not use any commercial or manufactured products at all, choosing only natural composts, manures, and plant oils. Still other organic gardeners embrace the idea of permaculture, bringing in nothing from outside and cultivating a garden using only the resources of their own land.

In short, regardless of the degree to which it’s taken, organic gardens give more to the earth than they take away. More than anything else, organic gardening requires altering your mindset about gardening. Once you change the way you approach gardening, it will be easy to change what you do. Here are three basic concepts to get you started on the path to organic gardening.

Rich soil is the key to organic gardening.

Rule #1: Feed the Soil

If you only take away one idea on organic gardening, it should be: Feed the soil, not the plants. Chemical fertilizers are like having a candy bar for breakfast; it delivers a fast boost but quickly fades to leave you feeling worse than you did before.

Instead, enrich your soil with organic matter, which improves the texture, water retention, nutrient content, and beneficial microbes to create a virtual plant paradise. If you put your energy into enriching your soil instead of feeding your plants, your thumb will turn so green you’ll think you dipped it in paint!

Instead of reaching for fertilizer or chemicals, consider:

Add Organic Matter: Spread compost, manure, and other organic matter on your garden before tilling it.
Enrich Your Lawn: Aerate and top-dress your lawn. Mulch your grass when you cut to leave the grass clippings to decompose.
Dig It Up: Deeply dig a new planting bed and work in a rich helping of organic matter before planting.
Plant Cover Crops: Green manure cover crops (such as alfalfa or peas) increase nitrogen in the soil during the off-season and can be tilled under for extra compost.
Add Mulch: Deep mulches around plants break down slowly to improve the soil.
Avoid Losing Battles: Avoid cultivating areas that have notoriously poor soil or erosion problems.

Recycling is nature’s way of saying, “Life goes on.”

Rule #2: Recycle the Nutrients

Embrace the cycle of life by feeding your garden with nutrients recycled from other living things. Whether you recycle your shredded leaves or purchase an organic garden product, be sure the nutrients are coming from decaying organic matter or natural sources. Many commercial garden chemicals are manufactured from fossil fuels while others consist of highly processed mineral salts or synthetic compounds.

Here are some great ways to recycle nutrients:

Start a compost pile to recycle plant debris and kitchen waste.
Feed your garden with manure.
Make your own nutritious mulch out of grass clippings, leaves, and wood chips.

When shopping for garden products, look for:

Fertilizers made from manure, worm castings, seaweed, or other organic materials.
Soil amendments such as kelp meal, cottonseed meal, bone meal, or blood meal. Make sure you understand (and are comfortable with) the manufacturing process of whatever you’re using – some are byproducts of the meat processing industry while other products can contain preservatives or involve additional processing.
Mineral supplements from naturally occurring sources, such as greensand, wood ash, and granite dust.
Fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides made from plant oils and natural elements.
Products certified by OMRI (Organic Materials Research Institute).

Beneficial insects are affected by pesticides, too.

Rule #3: Embrace the Ecosystem

Our gardens were naturally full of life long before we started digging in them! Nature has quite an effective system for maintaining itself which is often destroyed when we use chemicals and sprays to try and create an unnatural, artificial environment. Organic gardens restore this balance by encouraging a wide range of plant and animal life, which in turn creates a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Ways to boost your garden’s ecosystem include:

Plant Smart: Practice companion planting and crop rotation to reduce disease and pests. For instance, lining the perimeter of your garden with garlic and onions will help discourage nibbling critters. Moving tomato plants from year to year will keep early blight on the run.
Encourage Pollinators: Include a variety of flowering plants in your vegetable garden to attract birds, bees, and wasps. They in turn will pollinate your plants and feast on the grubs and insects that threaten fruits and vegetables.
Tend the “Microherd:” Healthy soil is full of beneficial microbes that break down and transfer nutrients to the roots of your plants. Those microbes also serve as an underground immune system against plant diseases. Soil rich in organic matter and free of chemicals promotes a healthy microherd that is naturally disease-resistant.
Go Native: Grow native plants that are well suited to your climate, rainfall, and soil type. They’re also more disease resistant and will be more attractive to beneficial insects.

Natural insecticidal oil.

Outsmart Pests: Practice organic insect control using row covers, plant collars, natural predators, plant oils, and natural soaps – not to mention old fashioned trapping and squishing! If a particular insect threatens your harvest, choose an organic control product that specifically targets that pest, rather than applying chemicals that kill indiscriminately.
Reduce Weeds: Keep weeds under control using organic mulches and regular cultivation. Choose natural weed killers such as vinegar, boiling water, and solarization.
Welcome Creepy-Crawlies: Make peace with frogs, snakes, praying mantises, wasps, and spiders – they’re feasting on a buffet of plant destroying pests!
Stay Vigilant: Many insect and disease problems can be nipped in the bud if caught early.
Embrace Imperfection: Organic gardens don’t have to be messy, but they’re often less pristine than a chemically altered landscape. However, the occasional worm in your tomato, dead leaf, or nibbled plant are only a small nuisance if your ecosystem is functioning properly.

Think of your garden as an interconnected web of life that sustains itself.

Further Information

Green Eco-Friendly Resolutions for Your Lawn and Garden

Julie Day — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:33:32 +0000

These days, we’re all looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and to contribute to a greener planet. But given the extent of the problems and the vast amount of information out there, where does one begin?

Going green doesn’t need to be overwhelming – in fact, once you adopt a few eco-friendly habits, you’ll find yourself naturally gravitating toward green choices in the future. Here are six easy New Year’s resolutions to get you started on the way to a greener life in the yard and garden.

Know where your food comes from.

#1: Grow Something Edible

Looking for a nice blooming perennial? Try rosemary. Need a deciduous shrub? Plant some blueberry bushes. Even if you don’t have room for a vegetable garden, you can incorporate edible plants into your landscape and enjoy the satisfaction of growing and harvesting your own food.

Why? Organic, locally-grown, seasonal food is healthier, cheaper, and drastically reduces the fossil fuels required to transport commercially grown produce around the globe. In addition, planting even one thing (such as growing tomatoes in a container on your patio) will change the way you think about your food, which will make you a smarter, more eco-friendly shopper in the future.

Worm poop isn’t romantic, but it’s great for your lawn.

#2: Buy Only Organic Products

Simply refuse to buy synthetic or chemical fertilizers, weed killers, and pest control products. These products are directly toxic to you and your family, and their runoff is responsible for water pollution, oceanic dead zones, and animal extinction. Certified organic options are available that cause far less harm to your garden’s ecosystem and the planet as a whole.

Why? This one is twofold. Not only will you make a real difference in the environment by not using toxic chemicals, but the extra expense of organic products will help you reevaluate whether you need so many products at all. The more you ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” the more the answer will be “No.”

My favorite tools are the quiet ones.

#3: Use a Little Elbow Grease

Instead of reaching for the leaf blower, pick up the rake and burn off a few of those extra holiday calories. Rather than grabbing the weed whacker, pick up a pair of gloves and pruning shears.

Why? You’ll get exercise and fresh air, and you’ll feel happier and more connected to your patch of earth. In addition, manual labor is the world’s most effective cure for perfectionism! Soon, you’ll naturally discover that a relaxed, organic, thoughtfully planned garden takes much less work to maintain than those chemically doused, mechanically trimmed, “perfect” landscapes.

Upgrade your tools and downgrade your fuel usage.

#4: Upgrade to Eco-Friendly Tools

As you upgrade your garden tools, resolve to choose only eco-friendly ones. Replace gas-burning power tools with low-emission propane (greener than gasoline powered), electric/rechargeable (greener yet, especially if you recharge using wind or solar power), or manual (the greenest of all, burning only calories!). Avoid cheap plastic hand tools, instead choose high quality wood and steel tools that will last a lifetime.

Why? The only way to contribute to global change is to support the manufacture and sale of eco-friendly products. You don’t have to throw everything away, but make a vow never again to buy a tool that harms the planet.

Turn your breakfast scraps into next year’s veggies.

#5: Start a Compost Pile

Even if you don’t have much space, you can have a small compost pile in a corner or a space-saving compost bin on your patio. Resolve that you will never again put raw food scraps or yard debris into a trash bag, and watch the magic of “garbage” being turned into rich, organic earth.

Why? Compost and compost tea are far more potent plant-boosters than anything you can buy in the store. In addition compost enriches the soil, reducing your need for fertilizers of any kind And as you recycle your garbage into the landscape, you’ll become more conscious of how much waste your family produces and lean toward compostable, recyclable, and reusable products.

Drip irrigation is a great way to reduce water use in your yard.

#6: Stop Wasting Water

Install drip irrigation and soaker hoses to water only the plants that require it, buy or make a rain barrel for hand watering, and stop routinely over irrigating your landscape. Learn which plants are tolerant of your natural rainfall, and rely heavily on native plants for landscape design.

Why? Drought is an increasingly troubling side effect of climate change, and many communities are imposing restrictions on watering. As you seek out drought-tolerant and native plants, you’ll become more aware of the amount of water it takes to grow many popular landscape plants, and begin spending more time enjoying your garden and less time maintaining it.

Further Information

Xeriscape for Drought-Tolerant Landscaping
Landscaping with Drought Tolerant Plants
Environmentally Friendly Landscaping for Your Home
Water-Saving Gadgets for Your Lawn or Garden
The Debate over Organic vs. Chemical Fertilizers
Environmentally Friendly Way to Mow Your Lawn
How to Recycle Leaves in Your Yard
Green Garden Tools (Green Power Corporation)
Fossil Fuel and Energy Use (Sustainable Table)

How to Recycle a Christmas Tree

Julie Day — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:49:02 +0000

The end of the holiday season doesn’t have to be the end of your holiday decorations. Christmas trees, wreaths, and garland may be a bit dried out, but they can still serve a purpose in the garden. Rather than throwing your holiday decorations in the trash, consider recycling them in the garden and allowing them to return to the earth in a natural way.

Community Tree Recycling

Many communities offer a tree recycling service, picking up discarded trees and grinding them into mulch to be used in public parks and landscapes. Trees are usually dropped off at designated pick-up sites, though some cities may also collect them from the curb. To find out if your community has a program, contact your local agricultural extension agent or community lawn waste collection service.

In addition to mulch, you might be surprised at some of the innovative ways to recycle Christmas trees. Did you know:

The needles of many varieties of Christmas trees contain shikimic acid, an important ingredient in the manufacturing of the antiviral drug Tamiflu.
“Tree fences” made from discarded Christmas trees play a vital role in the protection of beaches and wetlands from erosion and hurricane damage.

Ground-up Christmas trees can actually be used as boiler fuel in manufacturing.
Some communities deposit trees into wildlife reserves, to provide habitat and nesting structures for birds and small animals. These habitats help attract and protect endangered species.
Dropped into lakes and ponds, old Christmas trees make a great habitat for fish, particularly in man-made lakes that may not have natural underwater structures.

Do-It-Yourself Tree Recycling

If your community doesn’t offer recycling, or if you prefer to do your own thing, check out these ideas for recycling Christmas trees and greenery:

Place trees and greenery around your yard to provide shelter for birds and small animals.
Take your wildlife sanctuary a step further by “decorating” your tree with festive outdoor goodies. Sprays of bird seed, strings of popcorn or cranberries, chunks of suet, small water containers, and even birdhouses will be appreciated by the creatures that live in your yard.
Cut the branches into small pieces, then add to your compost pile for use in the spring.

Once the greenery has dried, brush off the needles and use them to make potpourri. Mix with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, nutmeg, dried flowers, and dried fruit for an aromatic and colorful winter treat.
Use the wood from the branches and trunks. Long branches make great support stakes, and now is a good time to make sure plants are staked to protect them from winter storms. Larger branches and trunks can be used to make rustic fences, arbors, or garden crafts.
Evergreens can make great kindling and fuel for bonfires, and many revelers enjoy this on new Year’s Eve. Keep in mind that evergreens should never be burned in an indoor fireplace due to their extreme flammability and high sap content which can cause a buildup of dangerous creosote in chimneys. Decorated, artificial, or flocked trees and greenery should not be burned.

Deck the Garden with Boughs

Even if you don’t have a wood chipper, you can use your Christmas greenery as winter mulch in the garden, by simply laying the boughs over tender plants. The evergreen boughs will help protect the plants from drying winds and sun, while allowing for water drainage. Boughs also help to hold the soil in place on slopes. While most plants will do fine with a standard layer of 3”- 4” of organic mulch in the fall, a few plants might benefit from an extra winter application of mulch, such as:

Tender small shrubs.
Evergreen perennials.
Bulbs and tender perennials that have begun to sprout prematurely due to a warm spell.
Newly planted seedlings or plants that may not have time to establish roots before freezing weather.
Plants that are only marginally hardy in your zone.

Since the best time to apply extra mulch is after the ground freezes, holiday greenery is a timely solution. The late mulch application keeps plants dormant and helps to prevent frost heaving and damage due to late winter thaws.

Keep in mind some of the challenges of evergreen bough mulch:

Woodland creatures love to burrow into evergreen branches, and they may also decide to feast on your plants. If you have a rodent problem in your garden, this method may not be best for you.
The boughs create a pocket of insulated air around the plant. Once the weather warms, this pocket can breed mold and fungus – be sure to remove the mulch as soon as freezing weather is over in the spring.
Be kind to wildlife by removing all tinsel and wire ornament hangers before putting trees outdoors.

Further Information

Used Christmas Trees Provide Key Tamiflu Ingredient (Desert News)
Treecycling Zip Code Finder (earth911.com)
Recycle Christmas Trees (National Christmas Tree Association)

How to Recycle Leaves in Your Yard

Julie Day — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:55:02 +0000

Leaves are nature’s perfect mulch.

Every year, our friendly neighborhood shade trees remind us that Mother Nature has a mind of her own, as the leaves begin to flutter down and cover the ground like a crunchy snowstorm. Left to their own devices, those leaves would form a dense mat under the tree, choking out competing plants and breaking down to provide nutrients back to the tree. It’s a brilliant system—if you’re a tree! But we homeowners—with our driveways, lawns, and gardens—find all those fallen leaves quite a nuisance.

Instead of sending your leaves to the landfill, consider recycling them to feed the plants in your garden. Leaves are a great, free source of nutrients and insulation for your garden if used correctly, and you can keep your lawn neat while still allowing nature to work its magic. Here’s how to make use of fallen leaves in your garden.

Mulch small amounts of leaves directly into your lawn.

Mulch Mowing

The easiest way to recycle fallen leaves is simply to leave them alone. Up to an inch or two of leaves can be mowed and left to break down in your lawn, adding nutrients and a bit of mulch to your lawn grass. Make sure your lawn mower has a mulching function and sharp blade, so that the leaves are thoroughly shredded and spread thinly.

Shredding Leaves

If you have large amounts of leaves, you can use them for other purposes in the garden, but they must first be shredded. Whole leaves (especially large ones) form an impenetrable, moldy mat that will suffocate nearby plants and make a mess. There are several ways to shred leaves:

Lawn Mower: Mow over leaves while on the ground with the lawn mower and either pick them up with the bag attachment or rake up after shredding.
String Trimmer: Rake up leaves and put them in a garbage can. Crank up your string trimmer and use it to shred the leaves while in the can.
Leaf Blower: Use the shred and vacuum feature on some leaf blowers.
Shredder: Run leaves through a commercial shredder.

Shredded leaves break down much faster.

Uses for Shredded Leaves

Once you’ve got a nice pile of shredded leaves, there are many great uses for them:

Compost Pile: Add shredded leaves to a compost pile. Shredded leaves are a great source of carbon for the compost pile. Layer them with nitrogen-rich waste such as leaf clippings, and keep some extra on hand to sprinkle over messy kitchen scraps.
Leaf Mold: Some gardeners like to process leaf compost separately to produce a super-rich mulch and soil additive called leaf mold.
Container booster: Fill your planting containers about half-full of tightly-packed leaves, then add regular potting soil and plants. The leaves will break down slowly and feed the plant, saving on the cost of potting soil.
Instant bulb bed: To create a bed of spring woodland bulbs such as daffodils, first layer shredded leaves and topsoil, then place a layer of bulbs, then cover with layers of leaves and topsoil to about 8”- 10” deep.

Leaves are great for suppressing weeds under shrubs.

Mulch: Spread shredded leaves around shrubs, trees, flowers, and vegetable gardens to use as Mulch. I like to use leaves in areas that need deep mulch, such as back behind large shrubs where it’s hard to keep weeds under control. Since leaves tend to blow in the wind, you may find that your mulch migrates back into the lawn on windy days! If this is a problem in your yard, try sprinkling the mulch with water or adding a thin layer of regular wood mulch, pine straw, or topsoil on top.

Gardening Tip

Many tree leaves (including black walnut, eucalyptus, and sycamore) beat the competition by releasing chemicals that inhibit the sprouting and growth of seeds. If you’re planting new seeds or transplanting seedlings, hold off on the leaf mulch until the plants are established.

Garden blanket: Mound leaves around and over tender perennials and shrubs to provide extra winter insulation. In the spring, gradually remove the leaves to allow the soil to warm. You can also move containers of perennials and shrubs to a sheltered area and bank with leaves for the winter. Keep some extra leaves on hand to cover plants in case of a surprise spring freeze.
Amend soil: Leaves are full of nutrients and very beneficial additives to both clay and sandy soil. Use leaf compost, or simply spread a thick layer of shredded leaves on your vegetable garden to be tilled into the soil. The leaves will break down slowly in the ground and substantially improve the quality of your garden soil.

Some gardeners even raid their neighbors’ leaf piles!

Leaf Recycling Tips

A few parting thoughts as you go to work recycling those leaves:

Leaves are often acidic. Check your soil pH and amend with lime, if necessary, to keep the pH neutral.
Avoid mulching with tree seeds, such as maple tree “helicopters” and oak tags. You’ll end up with a lot of sprouts to pull!
Tougher leaves, such as oak leaves, are slower to break down. For this reason, you may choose to compost them separately or mix them in with other types, keeping in mind that some will break down faster than others.

Further Information

Leaf Shredding (video)
Leaf Compost (video)
Tip for Bagging Leaves (video)
How to Make Compost For Your Garden (video)
How To Build a Compost Bin (article)
Using Mulch In Your Garden (article)
Allelopathic Plants: Nature’s Weedkillers (Earth Friendly Gardening)

Phosphorus Fertilizer in Your Lawn or Garden

Julie Day — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:39:26 +0000

Most fertilizers no longer contain phosphorus.

“Why are many fertilizer bags labeled ‘phosphorus free’? I thought phosphorus was one of the three important nutrients for plants?” -Madison

You’re right that phosphorus is an important nutrient, but fertilizers containing phosphorus are a major source of groundwater contamination. Did you know that phosphate fertilizers:

Run off into streams and lakes to create algae blooms that are toxic to humans and kill fish.
End up in the ocean, where they contribute to oceanic “dead zones.”
The methods to process rock phosphate cause the release of radioactive waste!

Many states now have regulations limiting fertilizers, detergents, and other products made with phosphates in an attempt to control pollution. That’s why the phosphorus number (the middle number) on your fertilizer bag is usually zero. The exception to this is so-called “starter” fertilizer, which contains higher phosphorus levels specifically to help new seeds to sprout.

If you test the soil in your lawn or garden, you’ll probably find you don’t need to add phosphorus, since most soil contains enough naturally.

I use bone meal and/or compost when planting new shrubs.

There are only two times when I want extra phosphorus for my garden:

When planting shrubs and trees, especially if I’m transplanting something with lots of broken roots. Phosphorus helps with root growth and establishment of new plants.
Mixed into the vegetable garden. Phosphorus helps with the production of fruits and vegetables, particularly root crops.

Here are some lawn and garden tips for protecting the environment:

Use compost! Composted fruits and vegetables provide plenty of natural phosphorus for your garden in a slow-release, organic form.
Adding organic matter helps the soil release natural phosphorus to your plants, making it (and other nutrients) more absorbable.
When you need additional phosphorus, use an organic source such as bone meal, soy meal, manure, or bat guano. While rock phosphate is considered an organic source of phosphorus, the radioactive byproducts formed during production can be detrimental to the environment.
Avoid fertilizers, dish detergents, and laundry detergents that contain phosphate. Manufacturers are catching on, and many products are now clearly labeled phosphate-free.
Educate your community about the need for reducing fertilizer runoff.

Always choose phosphate-free products.

Further Information

Use Phosphorus-Free Lawn Fertilizer (EPA)
Phosphorus Pollution (State Environmental Research Center)
Fertilizer and Fertilizer Production Wastes (EPA)

How to Build a Compost Bin

Danny Lipford — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:46:55 +0000

Composting lawn and garden waste is a great way to obtain organic material for your garden while reducing the environmentally negative aspects of trucking yard waste to the landfill. This DIY compost bin is easy to build and made from pressure treated wood so it will last for many years to come. It has a removable top along with a hinged door on one end for easy access when filling the bin and removing compost.

While you can make your compost bin any size desired, the one we built was 2’ wide by 3’ long by 30” high. Pressure treated 4” x 4” posts were used for the corners and 5/4” by 6” treated lumber for the sides and top. Be sure to leave gaps between the boards to allow for air to circulate in the bin. Here’s how to go about building a compost bin for your garden.

Tools:

Tape measure and pencil
Square
Safety glasses and ear plugs
Level
Circular saw
Drill/driver (drill and screwdriver bits)
Post hole digger

Materials:

2 – 4” x 4” x 8’ pressure treated pine
9 – 5/4” x 6” x 8’ pressure treated pine
1 – pair hinges
1 – screen door latch or barrel bolt
Corrosion resistant deck screws

Cutting List:

Corner Posts: 2 – 3½” x 3½” x 42”
Top Boards: 4 – 1” x 5½” x 38”
Top Cleats: 2 – 1” x 2” x 22”
Side Boards: 10 – 1” x 5½” x 36”
End Boards: 10 – 1” x 5½” x 24”
Door Cleats: 2 – 1” x 2” x 17½”

Building Note:

Pressure treated wood is often slightly thicker and wider than standard dimension lumber and may require minor adjustments to the lengths on the cutting list.

Building the Compost Bin

Start by cutting the posts square and to length.

Next, cut the side, end, and top boards square and to length.

Attach a side board flush with the end and edges of two of the posts using screws. Check to see that the board is square with the posts.

Position each of the other four side boards, using 5/8” spacer blocks, and attach them to the posts with screws. Repeat this process to assemble the other side.

Dig four holes with a post hole digger for the corner posts.

Set the side units in the holes so the outside of the boards are 2’ apart at each end. Check to be sure the sides are level and plumb, then loosely fill the holes with dirt.

Screw the top end boards to the posts, positioning them flush with the top of the post and aligned with the outside of the sides. Use the spacer blocks to position the remaining boards on the back end of the compost bin, and attach them with screws.

Rip the cleats from a piece of leftover 5/4” lumber and screw three of the end boards together to form the door. Use the spacer blocks to position the boards the correct distance apart.

Attach the hinges to the door and mount the door on the end board of the compost bin. Attach the bottom end board below the door using a screen door latch or barrel bolt to hold it closed. Pack down the dirt in the holes.

Assemble the top of the bin by screwing the top boards to cleats so that the outside boards are spaced 24” apart with an even gap between each of the other boards.

Finally, fill the compost bin with leaves, grass clippings, and other lawn and garden waste. The amount of time it takes to turn the waste into compost will vary depending on the materials used, the outside temperature, and the humidity. To speed up decomposition, turn the pile with a pitch fork from time to time and keep the mix damp by wetting it down if it dries out. Remove the compost from the door on the end of the bin when it is ready.

Further Information

Environmentally Friendly Landscaping for Your Home

Danny Lipford — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:31:02 +0000

Eco-friendly aspects of the landscaping for this green home include:

Native Plants: Since they occur naturally in the area, native plants are better suited to the local environment and more resistant to disease. This allows them to require less water, pesticides, and fertilizer.
Permeable Patio: The flagstone patio has a permeable base of reclaimed, crushed concrete to allow it to serve as a natural drainage area for the backyard. Clumps of mondo grass were planted between the stones to further increase absorbency.
Irrigation: The SmartLine irrigation system from Weathermatic employs water saving sprinkler heads and a built-in weather station to monitor the moisture in the air and reduce unnecessary watering.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Well, a lot of people assume that landscaping because it’s with plants means that it’s naturally green and environmentally friendly, but that’s not true. There is a lot of plants that people use in the landscape that are very hard to grow here and they require a lot of work, pesticides, they require a lot of fertilizers and lot of care and water. So what I did here is look for plants that were native to this area, so that they had a natural resistance to disease, to the pest and water requirements.

The patio in the back is a flagstone patio, but it’s set in a permeable base and what we did there, it’s a natural drainage area for the backyard and we have to figure out what to do with the water but still have a nice usable patio. So what we do, we use some reclaimed concrete, it’s called R base which is also environmentally friendly because it’s not going into landfill. They crush it, we use that as the base below it and then we set the stone in and planted mondo grass and what that area does, it allows the water from the backyard to run into it and percolate through that down into the soil. It takes any pollutants, any pesticides, fertilizers out and allows the water to go back into the ground water clean.

The irrigation system is called the SmartLine by company called Weathermatic and it is designed to save water and to use water smarter. It’s what it does, from the head that were used to the controller and it has a weather station. Now, the weather station allows it to based on your zip code and where you live and weather conditions. Everyday it measures evaporation, what they call, evapotranspiration which is the amount of moisture in the air and so it knows what’s going on around your yard.