How to Improve Store-Bought Organic Compost
Can you further improve the quality of store-bought compost? You can by creating some homemade organic compost and mixing it up with the store-bought compost or even store-bought soil. You can adapt purchased compost to make it richer with homemade compost.
Store-bought organic compost
When you buy compost from your local landscape supplies store (such as Labrador Landscape Supplies), it is usually harvested from a single source such as cow dung, chicken dung, or mushrooms. While this single source is good for the soil, it only has a limited amount of nutrients, being a single source.
Homemade organic compost
Homemade organic compost can come from a variety of sources like chunks of plant waste, vegetable peels and ends, yard waste, coffee grounds, and yes, even chicken or cow waste. Thus, it will have literally thousands of different nutrients that are good for the soil. Since homemade compost is richer, mixing it with the store-bought variety will make for super-good compost.
Using only store-bought compost
If you want to use only store-bought compost because you don’t want to go through all the trouble of making your organic compost, you can mimic the richness of homemade compost by buying and mixing different kinds of store-bought compost.
- You can buy five to six different kinds of store-bought composts in any available variety – mushroom, top dressing, potting mix, veggie mix, chicken, cow, etc. You only need a small bag of each variety.
- For small garden jobs, mix a shovel full of each type of compost in a bucket, mix well, and spread onto the garden soil.
- For larger garden jobs, pour the entire contents of each bag on one end of a tarp. Roll the tarp and the compost to the other side of the tarp by lifting the heavy end. The rolling action will mix all the compost.
For homemade compost, do not include waste products from pets such as cats and dogs. Their faeces contain a lot of parasites and disease organisms that present health risks for plants and the soil.
Don’t get free compost from recreation parks. These may contain heavy amounts of lumber or wood products. The risk of weed seeds in that mix can be high. Also, it may contain too much peat moss. This can disrupt your compost since it is not organic enough to have nutrients for the soil.
High-quality compost from Labrador Landscape Supplies in the Gold Coast area
The right type of organic compost can make all the difference in your garden. Labrador Landscape Supplies can provide you with high-quality compost and even soil supply anywhere in the Brisbane and Gold Coast areas. Call us on 07 5537 2841 or visit us at http://landscape-supply.com.au/.
- Published in Landscaping Solutions
Never Include These Items in Your Organic Compost Pile
There are a lot of things in your home that you can make into organic compost. Even if all this rubbish is biodegradable, you’re helping reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills. However, some things are better left out of a compost pile for health reasons and better compost.
Dog and cat poop
Poop from dogs, cats, and other carnivores will not benefit your compost and the soil. Their waste contains microorganisms and parasites that cannot be introduced to plants or crops. However, if you can get hold of horse, cow, and chicken, they make fine additions to the soil.
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Keeping Bugs and Roaches Out of Organic Compost
Those kitchen scraps, fruit skins, and other organic kitchen wastes will benefit your garden by being added to organic compost that you’re making yourself. But, while your compost matter decays, you may have an issue with invading bugs, fruit flies, and cockroaches. Pests are naturally drawn to the compost pile, especially when it’s all quiet at night, so you can do various things to reduce the bug attraction.
Continuously turn the compost
Compost piles need to be turned at least once a week to naturally stimulate microorganism activity while the shifting and infused oxygen encourages faster decomposition. When turning the compost you also destroy potential bug nests. Place fresh compost materials in the middle of the compost pile or at the bottom when turning the pile. Burying the fresh materials keeps them away from the bugs.
Cover but let air in
You can use a secure container or bin such as a large plastic container, garbage can, or small barrel, but instead of using the secure cover, use a fine wire mesh to keep the bugs out of the compost. The wire mesh keeps the insects away but allows ventilation through the compost since this speeds up the decomposition. You can also add a layer of sawdust, paper shreds, or soil to keep down the smell and keep the bugs away.
If you see maggots in the compost
Maggots or grubs are helpful as they also speed up the process of composting. The common type of grub you will see is the larval form of black soldier fly. Just make sure that the compost is covered with the wire mesh. Another disgusting looking grub you may spot is the larval form of the Rhinoceros beetle. They are not harmful to the compost.
Keep the mosquitoes away
Another reason why you need to turn your compost once a week and use a wire mesh cover is to prevent mosquitoes from visiting your compost and laying eggs. A neglected compost will hold small puddles of water that can be ripe for mosquito eggs and larvae. You don’t want a mosquito breeding area that will produce more pests that may bring disease.
Labrador Landscape Supplies
If you need other materials or soil to add to your organic compost, or if you prefer prepared soil and compost mixtures, you only need to call Labrador Landscape Supplies on 07 5537 2841 or message at https://landscape-supply.com.au/. We have been in the garden and landscape business for over 25 years, providing materials, supplies, and experience to customers all over the Gold Coast and Brisbane areas.
- Published in Landscape Supply
Best Materials to Use for Homemade Organic Compost
Organic compost is combining organic materials for healthy decomposition. These wastes are layered together to create an environment for the growth of microbes, fungi, and other decomposing bacteria to make all-natural fertiliser. Of course, making organic compost requires time, patience, and choosing the right raw materials to enhance the soil in any garden.
What are the benefits of organic compost?
- Waste reduction – Composts convert waste into useful components for gardens, reducing waste sent to landfills. Waste and scraps become reusable resources that produce methane.
- Enriching the soil – Composts provide natural nutrients to create rich soil without relying on chemical fertilisers. It also balances the soil’s pH.
- Water retention – Compost helps raise the soil’s moisture retention and decreases runoff.
- Attracting useful organisms – Composts attract worms and beneficial organisms to aid in plant growth.
- Published in Garden Landscaping
How to Start Organic Farming (And Using Organic Compost)
Organic farming is an agricultural approach that advocates planting or livestock care that is free from components that are harmful to humans and nature such as industrial pesticides, insecticides, fertilisers, clones, GMOs, chemical medications, hormones, and growth boosters. Organic agriculture focuses on providing food harvests with maximum nutritional value using organic or natural practices such as organic compost and without the process of using synthetics.
First, learn basic organic farming
The first step in any natural and organic farming is to learn the basics. This will give you important aspects of what to expect and what tools and materials are needed. It will be necessary to invest in detailed research, enrol in organic farm training programs, and meet or talk with people already experienced in organic farming.
Where to start planting
- Your initial farming location plays a vital role in the venture and will determine how it will turn out. You can learn more of this from the above, but we offer some of our experience.
- Your organic farm site should be near a clean source of water.
- The farm’s proximity to the market allows easy transport of produce and materials to the farm.
- If the organic farm is non-commercial, the first factor on water is still important.
Plant to match the land
Before planting anything, it is crucial to assess the soil condition. Plants that are indigenous to the soil, temperature, elevation, and available resources are much easier to manage. As the farmer gains more experience, planting crops and plants that are not native to the soil can be done by using tried-and-tested workarounds for limited farming such as container and vertical gardening.
Prepare the soil and make organic compost
All good organic farming starts with good soil. Good soil means using organic soil nutrients (not inorganic soil treatments) for good growth. You can use a mixture of organic compost, leaf and grass clippings, manure, and some chosen mulch. Organic compost helps conserve water, cuts down on weeds, and keep wastes out.
Taking care of your crops
Water is a must for your plants’ growth. Regular watering 2-3 a day is necessary especially with food crops. Watering first thing in the morning is helpful since the water will not evaporate fast. Weeding is an important maintenance task. Weeds are unwanted plants that steal nutrients from the crops.
Labrador Landscape Supplies
When in the Gold Coast area, Labrador Landscape Supplies can provide you with the best organic compost, high-quality soils, soil-compost mixes, and other garden and landscape materials for any organic garden or farm project. Call us now on 07 5537 2841 or click on https://landscape-supply.com.au/.
- Published in Garden Landscaping
Soil Amendment Using Organic Compost
Soil amendments are additional elements placed in the soil such as organic compost, natural fertiliser, peat moss, or manure to improve the soil’s capacity to support plant life. Fertilisers only add nutrients to the soil. Peat moss makes soil texture and drainage better for plants, but adds no nutrients. Organic compost improves the soil’s texture and drainage while at the same time adding nutrients. Gardeners can have the choice of choosing only organic compost or a combination of two or all three, perhaps even adding mulch as a soil amendment.
Why is organic compost the best soil amendment?
Adding compost to your garden soil is a win-win for your plants. The amended soil enhances soil health and greatly benefits the plants. However, adding too much compost as a soil amendment may cause certain problems with specific plants.
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Organic Compost: Choosing the Best Trees to Grow in Containers
There are a lot of reasons to grow trees in containers. For urban gardens and those with little outside space, potted trees can make the surroundings feel cooler. A potted tree can make a terrace or patio feel like a garden, or they can make striking focal points when placed on either side of an entryway. After choosing the trees you like, you will need to choose containers with special considerations. Also, your trees will grow better if you mix organic compost with the soil.
Citrus
Any citrus fruit – tangerines, oranges, kumquats, limes, lemons – can be grown in large containers. Citrus trees make beautiful accents in any garden bed, herb garden, or patio. They can stand up to summer heat or winter cold.
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When is the Best Time to Add Organic Compost?
Healthy soil means a healthy garden. You don’t need to apply miracle chemicals or new-fangled fertilisers just to make your garden soil healthy. Adding organic compost to your garden soil is the best and least expensive thing you can do to produce beautiful garden flowers or a nice crop of vegetables.
For colder climates
Adding organic compost to your soil depends on your geographical location. If you live in cooler climates such as South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria, where there is only one major growing season, from late spring to early fall. Layer partially decomposed organic compost during the stated period, before the ground freezes and let it decompose through the winter. In the next spring, your soil will be ready for planting.
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Preparing Your Garden Soil and Using Organic Compost for Growing Roses
Some people like a decorative garden rather than growing a vegetable garden. This is a quick guide on preparing your garden soil and using organic compost for planting and growing roses. After all, roses can be successfully grown in every Australian state and territory. This means roses will survive and thrive in almost any soil in any garden on the continent.
Have the ideal pH
The acidity or alkalinity of the soil’s pH will affect how roses can get nutrients from the soil. If your soil has a very high pH, your roses will become stressed and not grow well. Roses grow better in typical natural garden soil, which is only slightly acidic to neutral (6.0 to 7.0). If you’re not sure about your soil, have it tested so you can make adjustments to your soil or just grow the roses in containers. (Labrador Landscape Supplies can test your soil and has adequate soil and organic compost for soil adjustments or container planting)
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Organic Compost: The Best Fruits to Grow in Your Garden
You don’t need an orchard to grow your own fruit at home. All you need is your backyard, no matter what the size. And if space is limited, you can grow fruit in containers. You can even use hanging baskets. You can even do container gardening if you want to do some planting indoors. However, you need to know what fruits will grow in a container. You also need to make sure you get the right organic compost for your fruits.
Consider these examples
Strawberries can grow in ground soil, containers, or even hanging baskets
They love sunshine and well-drained soil. This is how versatile this fruit is, even growing in window boxes.
(more…)- Published in Garden Landscaping