Spring and Summer Lawn And Garden Tips
When it comes to your lawn and garden, the presence of clay soil can create a number of problems:
Soil management advice for a successful garden
Never work with wet or damp soil. When you try to work damp soil you drive out the air and force the components to stick together, negating space and air needed for future roots.
Soil assessment basics
A good soil assessment is a critical component to a successful garden. The soil condition will ultimately determine which plants will thrive and which plants will merely survive in your garden.
What is Double Digging?
Double digging is a process that improves drainage by breaking up hard surfaces in the soil. When planting a garden that has not been cultivated, double digging is necessary to assure proper draining. The steps in double digging are standard. Dig the first trench about 24 inches wide and as deep as the spade head. Then break up the soil at the bottom of the trench and mix in organic matter like manure.
Testing your garden soil is important to grow healthy plants
In determining what plants will thrive in your garden it is important to examine the surroundings in which you will plant. The soil texture and ph are important attirbutes of the soil that need attention.
Soil Improvement with Coffee Grounds
As more gardeners attempt to improve their soils, there is a rather recent interest in adding used coffee grounds to the compost pile. Perhaps with the rapid growth of Starbucks and other coffeehouse chains combined with the movement to green ideas, some sage gardener began collecting used coffee grounds; whatever the cause, I recommend you begin incorporating this change into your gardening book of tricks.
The best application for used coffee grounds is to add it to your compost pile. The grounds are as rich in nitrogen as manure, smell far better, do not have the concern of introducing pathogens, as one who uses manures must deal with; and easier to handle. One gardening friend mixes leaves with the grounds; in volume, about 4:1 leaves to grounds. Once the mix is composted he either works it into his soil or applies the compost as mulch.
The grounds actually help heat the pile quicker and to a higher temperature than manures; and this heating effect lasts longer. As the pile heats up you stand a good chance of killing pathogens and weed seeds. Weekly turning of this mixture is also part of the routine. Adding water frequently will keep the pile from drying out and also serves to hasten the composting. The damp grounds encourage the growth of microbes. Periodically add a small hand full of a nitrogen fertilizer to provide energy to the bacteria that turn organic matter into compost.
The brewing of coffee removes almost all of the acid that we think might be in the used grounds. In fact, studies have shown used coffee grounds to be nearly neutral or around a 6.7 to 6.9 pH factor.
In addition, earthworms are attracted to the grounds. By encouraging earthworms to live in your garden you reap the benefits of nutrients added plus they aerate the soil.
If you have yet to start composting, at least spread the grounds around the base of your plants, work them into the soil, cover them with some leaves, and water. This quick and easy mulch will improve the soil for your plants and the earthworms will like it, too.
Visit Starbucks or McDonalds or other places where coffee is consumed daily. Take them a 5 gallon bucket with lid, and maybe your name and phone number. When you stop by to pick up, drop off a clean bucket and lid and you will some have a constant supply of coffee grounds.
Whatever the source, used coffee grounds will help work wonders in your garden and by reducing the waste stream to the landfill you will be supporting the transition to a greener community lifestyle.
