6 Benefits of Backyard Composting

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Attention all organic gardeners; are you composting? If you answered no, you should be. Backyard composting has many benefits that fit naturally into organic gardening. It’s easy to get started and unless you buy a compost bin, it won’t cost you a penny. The big plus is you’ll be cutting down on decomposable household waste and feeding your garden with organic ingredients.

Slow-Release Plant Food

Compost slowly releases its nutrients over time. This benefits your organic garden because it gets fed all season long without the need for chemicals. In early spring and late fall when the soil is cool, compost releases nutrients at slow rates. As soil temperatures warm, the release of nutrients speeds up when plants need them the most to produce flowers and fruit.

Over time, nutrients build up in the soil making it healthier and better able to retain the nutrients left behind from compost. Healthy soil needs less amending, i.e. less and less compost season to season.

Better Soil Aeration

Soil that doesn’t get enough air circulating through it becomes compacted. Compacted soil prevents water from soaking through which leads to pour seed germination and brittle, dry plants. Adding compost helps prevent this problem by allowing air to circulate and water to penetrate.

Fewer Plant Diseases

Did you know a touch of compost helps to prevent and control plant disease? Well, it does. According to a handful of studies referenced in Organic Gardening’s Make Compost in 14 Days, compost helps to prevent certain kinds of plant rot, turf diseases and mildew.

Drought Protection

Soil that contains compost has an easier time retaining moisture. Soil granules form in compost rich soil. These granules sop up water and hold on it. Furthermore, once compost has completely broken down it turns into humus. Humus rich soil is incredibly moist meaning you’ll spend less time watering the garden.

Put an End to Erosion

Loose and compost free soil has a hard time retaining water; when heavy rains and strong winds hit, they tend to wash it away. Mixing compost into the soil will help it retain moisture and grow strong plants preventing erosion. Humus rich soil is even better at preventing erosion.

Benefits the Environment

Composting benefits the environment in many ways. First, it cuts down on the amount of biodegradable kitchen and yard waste that takes up room in landfills. It also returns nutrients to the earth, naturally benefiting the environment around it. Using compost eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers as well.

Besides feeding my garden and being good for the environment, saving money is one of my favorite benefits of composting. Composting doesn’t cost a thing unless you invest in a composting bin. All the compost ingredients are found in and around the home and using compost in the garden eliminates the need to spend money on chemical laden fertilizers.

Additional Composting Articles

Compost: Nature’s Organic Plant Food

6 Benefits of Composting

List of Good and Bad Compost Ingredients

How to Make Cold Compost

How to Make Hot Compost

How to Tell if Compost is Finished

How Much Compost to Add to the Garden

Calculating How Much Compost You Need

Reference: Organic Gardening (2007). Make Compost in 14 Days. Rodale Inc.

How to Control Weeds Organically Using Mulch

Photo: rfduck, on Flickr

Weeds are the bane of many gardeners and I know I’m not alone when I say I could do with out them. Besides crowding the garden and stealing water and nutrients from plants, weeds take time to pull and control.

Some people turn to chemicals to keep weeds under control but that method doesn’t fit into every style of gardening. If you’re like me and grow and organic vegetable garden, applying herbicides and other chemicals isn’t an option - and that’s okay.

My solution: mulch, mulch, mulch.

What is Mulch?

Mulch is basically any material, organic or not, spread around plants.

Benefits of Mulch

Mulch is a great way to control weeds organically. It also keeps the soil moist and warm which is a big plus here in Maine. Mulching around plants helps keep the soil from compacting which makes it easier for water to penetrate.

How Much to Apply

In order for mulch to be most effective, a good 2 to 4 inches of it must be evenly applied.

When to Apply Mulch

I like to apply my mulch as soon as possible. When you have transplants, go ahead and mulch around those immediately as well as any areas between rows. When it comes to seeds, mulch around your rows but not directly over where your seeds are planted. Once seedlings emerge and are a few inches high, mulch around those to finish the job.       

Leave an inch of un-mulched space around the main plant stems for good measure. If you’ve rototilled but won’t be able to get out and plant your vegetable garden for a week or more, cover it with mulch to prevent weeds from growing. When you’re ready to plant, rake away the mulch from your rows and do your planting.

Types of Organic Mulch

• Bark
• Pine Needles
• Newspaper
• Cardboard
• Straw
• Hay
• Compost
• Wood Chips
• Leaves
• Grass Clippings
• Nut Shells

Organic mulches break down and add those beloved nutrients to the soil. Since they do break down eventually, they will need to be reapplied every so often.

I use mulch hay in my vegetable garden which I apply every summer. Thankfully, I live on a small farm so this type of organic mulch is readily available to me. To save money on mulch in your own garden, use organic materials that are readily available in your area.

Though mulch is an effective way to control weeds organically, expect to see a few persistent weeds pop up here and there. These will be easy to pull because the soil beneath is moist and isn’t compacted. 

Does mulching to control weeds organically sound like a good idea to you?

Compost: Nature’s Organic Plant Food

Photo: normanack, on Flickr

Ah compost, one of nature’s many valuable gardening resources. I love compost and I use it in my vegetable garden every year whether it’s from my backyard compost pile or composted manure from the farm. There are many reasons why you too should use compost.

What Exactly is Compost?

Compost, as defined by Princeton University, is “a mixture of decaying vegetation and manure; used as a fertilizer.” Vegetation can be anything from leaves and grass clippings to kitchen scraps. Manure of course, is usually cow or horse or mix of the two as is the case on my family’s farm.

Both vegetation and manure are organic materials which break down naturally in a compost pile. The end result is beautiful, dark soil full of nutrients that plants love to feed on. Telling the difference between compost and screened loam is all about the smell; compost has a forest-like smell to it.

Benefits of Compost

Compost has lots of great benefits and they are noticeable. To get the most out of compost, apply it to the garden in late fall before the ground freezes. This allows nutrients to work their way into the soil and replenish it come spring and summer.

Compost isn’t a one shot deal. What do I mean? Compost releases its nutrients over time, feeding your garden throughout the entire growing season. Here’s a list of additional benefits in case you need more convincing.

• Great for Amending Sandy and Clay Soil
• Helps Retain Moisture in Soil
• Produces Healthier Plants
• Produces Fruits and Vegetables with More Nutrients
• Helps Soil Retain Nutrients Longer
• Releases Beneficial Organisms
• Cuts Down on Pests
• Reduces Need for Pest Control

So there you have it, the many benefits of using compost in the garden. For more information on how to make and use your own compost, check out this Homeowners’ Composting Guide. 

Do you have any composting tips to share?

Related Articles 

6 Benefits of Composting

List of Good and Bad Compost Ingredients

How to Make Cold Compost

How to Make Hot Compost

How to Tell if Compost is Finished

How Much Compost to Add to the Garden

Calculating How Much Compost You Need

Vegetable Seeds vs. Transplants: The Benefits of Each

A common question among aspiring green thumbs is, “Should I use seeds or transplants?” While both have their benefits, my advice is to use a scattering of both. Why? Some vegetables don’t transplant well and some have short days to maturity so transplanting really isn’t required.

On the other hand, some vegetables take the entire growing season to mature, sometimes a little longer, so a head start during the growing season is welcomed.

4 Benefits of Using Vegetable Seeds

• More Options: Using vegetable seeds gives gardeners a wide array of options when it comes to choosing varieties to suit their wants and needs
• Better Prices: Seeds are less expensive
• More Room for Error: If the vegetables you grew from seed don’t do well in the beginning, you can sow another patch using leftover seeds
• Availability: There’s always a large supply of vegetable seeds in stores, catalogs and online for purchase

I use a mix of seeds and transplants in my garden each year. I grow vegetables like corn, beans and peas, carrots and radishes, and cucumbers and squash from seed. These types of vegetables grow well in Maine’s short growing season. I choose early varieties that suit my needs.

Sayan Samana / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

4 Benefits of Using Transplants

• Less Work: Planting a row of transplants takes less work and time than direct sowing seeds. Plus, there is no thinning required
• Head Start: Transplants give gardeners a head start. There is no waiting for germination, which is great for vegetables that take a long time to mature - something the Maine gardener has to be weary of
• No Waste: Buy only what you need
• No Guess Work: Plant nurseries sell transplants that grow best in their specific USDA zone

When I head off to my local nursery I’m looking for tomatoes, potato and onion sets, broccoli and cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and pumpkin and watermelon transplants.

Which vegetable transplants will you be on the lookout for at your local plant nursery?