Compost


FEBRUARY 27 2012 FILED UNDER Compost Veggie Gardening	Natural & Organic We’re adding McGill Compost to our list of quality, organic products this Spring. McGill Compost is a natural, safe alternative to chemical fertilizers and is the relacement to Nutrigreen Compost. Whether you are planting containers, creating beds, planting trees & shrubs, or starting a new lawn, this compost will: Improve soil quality by adding organic matter Restore microbial activity & maintain soil balance Facilitate nutrient uptake Increase pest and disease resistance Reduce water use by allowing the soil to hold more water during dry weather and drain faster in wet { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, February 27, 2012 }
MAY 9 2011 FILED UNDER Compost Veggie Gardening	Perfectly Natural. Naturally Perfect. Try new Black Kow® composted cow manure in your veggie gardens, flower gardens, with trees & shrubs, and even your lawn! Black Kow offers an all-natural, organic way to improve native soils. By simply mixing Black Kow cow manure with your soil before planting, you'll do 3 very important things: Provide moisture holding capacity to sandy soils. Black Kow cow manure holds water and nutrients in the soil around the roots. The roots can use the water and nutrients when needed instead of letting the nutrients leach through the soil. Provide aeration and moisture holding capacity to hard, clay-type soils. Black Kow cow manure helps break up those soils so that water and nutrients are available to the plant when needed. Give your plant's roots the optimum environment in which to get started. Black Kow cow manure contains millions of beneficial bacteria. These bacteria convert nitrogen and other nutrients into an easily available form for the plant. It is organic and contains nutrients that are released slowly without burning tender roots. These nutrients and moisture are held in the soil around roots until the plant needs them. Source: www.blackkow.com Selection varies by McDonald location { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, May 9, 2011 }
APRIL 20 2011 FILED UNDER Compost	A Post on Compost Try composting at home... the Earth will love you AND so will your plants! Along with water conservation and fuel efficiency, composting at home is one of the most environmentally beneficial activities. Finished compost is a nutritious fertilizer for gardens, buffering the soil pH and helping to retain water in the soil. Compost is a mixture of organic material and comes from the Latin word meaning “to put together.” And, that is exactly what happens when we compost-we put together materials to make a soil amendment or fertilizer for plants. Soil can always be improved with additional organic matter and recycling organic matter through composting is very important if you want a healthy garden. Natural composting began with the first plants on earth and continues today. As vegetation falls to the ground, it slowly begins to decay, providing minerals and nutrients needed for plants, animals, and microorganisms. By composting you can help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, suppress plant disease, cost-effectively remediate soils and produce healthier fruit, veggies and flowers. It costs very little to compost, aside from the initial investment in a composter, bin or pail. Since compost is a mix of a variety of materials, we suggest using the following items in your home composter. Soft and Green Items (these are nitrogen rich) • fruit and vegetable peels • grass clippings • green leaves • coffee grounds • peat moss • seedless weeds • eggshells Hard and Brown Items (these are nitrogen poor) • wood chips • ground-up twigs • sawdust • pruning scraps • brown leaves • straw • shredded bark A compost bin should be filled with alternating layers of soft/green matter and hard/brown matter. It will take approximately 4 months for organic matter to start breaking down. After 4 months, the organic matter should be ready to spread into your garden or on top of established beds. It’s best to use the compost as soon as it is ready because it will continue to break down overtime – losing essential nutrients. Your finished product is a rich and crumbly layer of organic matter. Put your compost to work as a potting mix or soil amendment. It is especially great for veggie gardens. Go organic in your garden this spring! { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, April 20, 2011 }
AUGUST 27 2010 FILED UNDER Compost	A Post on Compost Compost is a mixture of organic material and comes from the Latin word meaning “to put together.” And, that is exactly what we do when we compost - we put together materials to make a soil amendment or medium to grow plants. A soil can never get enough compost because soil can always be improved with additional organic matter, and recycling organic matter is very important if you want a healthy garden. Natural composting began with the first plants on earth and has been going on ever since. As vegetation falls to the ground, it slowly decays, providing minerals and nutrients needed for plants, animals, and microorganisms. By composting, you can help reduce the need for chemcial fertilizers, suppress plant disease, produce healthier fruit, veggies and flowers, and cost-effectively remediate soils. It costs very little to compost, aside from the initial investment in a composter, bin or pail. Since compost is a mix of a variety of materials, we suggest having a healthy mix of the following for your home composter. • Soft and Green (nitrogen rich) • Fruit and vegetable peels • Grass clippings • Green leaves • Strips of turf • Coffee Grounds • Peat moss • Seedless weeds • Eggshells • Hard and Brown (nitrogen poor) • Wood chips • Ground-up twigs • Sawdust • Pruning scraps • Brown leaves • Straw • Shredded bark A compost bin can be filled with alternating layers of soft and green matter, and hard and brown matter to create layers. It will take approximately 4 months for organic matter to break down. But after 4 months, the organic matter should be ready to spread into your garden or on top of established beds. It’s best to use the compost as soon as it is ready because the longer it sits the less nutrients will remain. Your finished product is a marvelous, rich and crumbly layer of organic matter. Put your compost to work as a potting mix or soil amendment. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, August 27, 2010 }