~Black Gold~

Gardeners are often heard referring to their compost as "black gold." I would love to have an abundance of it myself to work into my garden but time does not allow me to do that at the moment. So, I've been trying a technique new to me when it comes to fertilizing. My mother, the Master Gardener (she's come a long way from the days where she used to whiffle the plants I grew for her in Botany class), really frowns upon me using fertilizer in the garden - but I have really sandy soil that isn't good for growing anything really - but cactus. Before you chuckle, I seriously have cactus growing wild throughout our yard. And no, we do not live in Arizona or Nevada. Go figure.

I would love to have more time to compost and it truly is on my to-do list. I need to start a proper composting area. I have actually begun laying it out and deciding where I would like to have it. However, while my schedule is still busy I have been engaging in "in ground composting." It works for me and my schedule.

"A very simple way to compost your food scraps is just to bury them at least 8 inches deep in your garden. Garden soil provides a natural barrier that keeps out flies and other pests, and holds in moisture and odors. If you have dogs that like to dig in your garden, this approach may not be the best for you.

Food scraps can be buried in empty areas of vegetable and flower gardens, or in holes outside the drip line (below the ends of branches) of trees and shrubs. Use a shovel or post hole digger to dig a hole or trench about 1 foot deep. Add 2 to 3 inches of food scraps to the hole. Chop and mix scraps into soil, then cover the food scraps with at least 8 inches of soil to keep pests out.

Check occasionally for signs of digging by rodents, dogs or other pests. If you see signs of digging, it may be better to switch to a digester or worm bin.

Food scraps may take from 1 to 6 months to decompose depending on the season, moisture, soil and the type of food scraps that are buried. Seeds and small seedlings may be planted on top of buried food scraps immediately. Large transplants should not be planted until the food has decomposed. Do not bury more food scraps in the same place until the first scraps have been fully composted."*

The inground composting technique has worked very well for me so far. I simply keep a 5 gallon bucket out by my garden and I toss my scraps into it. If you are unsure of what you can put in your compost refer back to the list I posted awhile back. You'll be amazed at what you can compost!

My next adventure is Worm Composting. Then I might get super adventurous and make a food digester! You never know what you'll find up here on these 15 acres!

I'd love to hear from you and see what you're planting this year. I've scaled back our garden but we still have a decent variety. And my favorite this year: Atkinson tomatoes!! For those of you who know me well - my grandparents last name is Atkinson - and I've always thought they were the bees knees! I had never heard of Atkinson tomatoes but I'm excited about growing them! And as my Gram said the other day, "well, I've never heard of them but they HAVE to be good!"

Happy gardening!
Tammy