Compost: It’s In the Stars

 Astrophysicists tell us that without the birth and death of stars complex molecules would not be possible and our sun and planet would not exist. Likewise, the stuff we are made of was once a part of life before us. Ever since there has been life on our planet, there has also been the reuse of organic compounds as a by-product of that life. Plants grow from the recycled bits and pieces of other plants, animals and mineral elements in our soil combined with sunlight. Composting, whether it is the stuff of stars or stuff in our soil, is an integral part of our lives. We can easily compost the organic refuse of our kitchens, yards and gardens. Natural recycling of these nutrients improves the soil in our yards and makes it more productive while reducing waste that would go into trash cans and landfills.

There is no secret to composting. It is a controlled natural process that decomposes organic materials like leaves, grass and leafy food waste by bacteria and other organisms. The end product is called compost or humus, which looks and smells like rich soil. The practice of placing composted materials on the soil surface to control temperature, moisture, and weeds is called mulching. The added advantage of applying mulch not only improves the soil, but feeds the pants growing there. It is what makes composting worth it. Free fertilizer AND soil conditioner from waste is a good thing!

Composting is a little like cooking. The recipe, ingredients, temperature, and timing are crucial. Once you get it all down it is easier each time and you get a feel for it. That said, it can be trial and error to get there. The following link takes you to our publication on home composting. It includes the recipe (table 1), ingredients (table 2), and time and temp is under aeration. Different variations are included (table3). There is even information on making your own compost bins, uses and troubleshooting problems!

Consider adding a compost bin to your yard. It is an easy way to be green and improve your soil. If it is good enough for the stars it is good enough for all of us.

 Home composting: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ho/ho75/ho75.pdf

Hey! I thought it was spring...?

Hey!  I thought it was spring…?

When I woke this morning and looked outside, I wondered if I had only dreamed of spring.  Here it is March 26^th and I am watching lazy fat snowflakes dancing past the window as if to say “We are holding Lady Spring hostage until April can rescue her!”

Everyone is so tired of the dark doldrums of winter weather.

As usual Kentucky and the calendar refuse to play nice this spring. We can’t help but wonder…is the soil ever going to get dry enough to work it?  Will we see the sun and feel warm spring breezes and most important, when can I get back out in the garden?!

Taken from an article by Aimee Nelson*:

Well, Tom Priddy, UK agricultural meteorologist does shed some light on the problem, “Simply put, the eastern half of the country is stuck in a negative Arctic weather pattern, that’s a big part of the reason for the lingering cold and wet weather we have been experiencing.”

Priddy said it means a blocking pattern has kept an enhanced trough of low pressure over the Eastern United States, which results in cooler temperatures.

“Kentucky is very susceptible to Canadian or even Arctic outbreaks,” UK agricultural meteorologist Matthew Dixon added. “Fortunately, the pattern is going to break, but not before April.”

Priddy said outlooks are trending toward above-normal temperatures in both April and the three-month outlook into June.

“That’s a welcome sign for sure as Kentucky farmers and gardeners get further into the planting season,” he said. “Some horticultural crops have already been delayed.”

Priddy summarized based on the current outlooks, the upcoming planting season looks to resemble years in the recent past.

“In typical Ohio Valley fashion, the weather pattern will throw another curveball at the planting season,” he said. “While well below-normal temperatures and wet conditions will continue to postpone field operations through the end of March, we will get a warm-up going into early April and ‘spring’ will finally arrive.”

           

 

            This is welcome news as we wait for Spring to escape the icy clutches of Old Man

            Winter and bring us fair sunny skies for both our gardens and our souls.

           

           UK Agricultural Weather Center: http://weather.uky.edu/ukawc.shtml.

           Forecasts: http://weather.uky.edu/outlooks.html.

           Interested in our weather?  Check this out:

           http://www2.ucar.edu/news/backgrounders/weather-maker-patterns-interactive-map#map .

*Taken in part from an article by Aimee Nielson

http://news.ca.uky.edu/article/spring-will-have-wait-pattern-holding-wet-cold-weather-over-bluegrass

Good Afternoon Louisville! Welcome to the first edition of “Practicing plant parenthood”, a walking commentary on the nature of plants, gardening and Jefferson County. Let me know what you think and the horticultural topics you are interested in. In the mean time I’ll jump right in.

Spring in Kentucky! This past week we have seen rain, sunshine, wind, low and mild temperatures and now possible snow this weekend. Weather in Jefferson County is never boring but it makes gardening and working in our yards very frustrating. Although it is too early for tomatoes and peppers there are early crops that you can grow now. These crops produce their vegetative growth during spring’s short, cool days. Most of these plants are grown for their leaves (lettuce, spinach), stems (celery), flower buds (broccoli, cauliflower) or immature fruit (peas). If planted too late in spring, longer warm days can reduce their quality by causing some to flower and form seeds (to bolt) and others to develop strong bitter flavor, poor texture and little quality.

 Plant as soon as the soil is workable but dry enough not to form wet clods. Working in the soil when it is wet can ruin the texture for years by compaction. Wait for good soil conditions regardless of how bad your fingers are itching to work in the garden. (This applies to landscape planting as well.)

In the following table you can see that there are many suitable crops for an early garden. Jefferson County is considered central Kentucky.

Pick out your favorites and practice some plant parenthood of your own this spring!

Tip – Do not mulch in early spring. Let the sunlight warm the soil to aid root growth. After the first of May apply organic mulch to conserve soil moisture and temperature as well as for weed control. 

Earliest and Latest Planting Dates -from ID-128

Click to see the full publication ID-128 Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky