Natural and Organic Food

Welcome back to the organic food blog that is in need of some new posts, I believe! Ok, well, to get the ball rolling once again, I thought a good way to do that would be to mention something that is useful in the garden and can be a part of your garden recycling program, which is really the making of your own compost. the tool in question are the extremely handy garden pruners!

Garden pruners are used for a variety of jobs in the garden not least of those being the regular pruning of shrubs and woody plants that are either getting to big for their place or need pruning to encourage lots of new, bushy growth, or to make more flowers or fruits.

When I have nothing better to do, I also use my pruners for cutting up longer woody stems into shorter ones for scattering on the compost heap in amongst all the other garden and kitchen waste. This helps to vary the material in the heap and also creates more small pockets of air to help the bacteria do their job of breaking down the plant matter into usable compost in a few months time.

Ok, this was never going to be a long post but its important to know that there are many things you can do in your own garden that will result in less waste being sent to landfill and more natural goodness for your own soil where you will grow, hopefully, your own fruits and vegetables in order to take a step back from the chemical laden produce that turns up in your local supermarket or even your local farm shop.

Remember, even organic farms are permitted to use certain pesticides ad chemical on their produce and it is a rare farm indeed that uses none whatsoever. If you have one of those near to you, then you are very lucky indeed. Otherwise, make a point of growing at least some of your own food without any chemicals to give your body a chance to stay as free of agricultural chemical residues as possible. And get your own garden pruners out and get on top of things!

If you’re looking for a little more reading matter on this subject, here’s a decent article that expands upon the benefits of a good pair of garden pruners!

Terry Didcott
Natural and Organic Food

Here’s a continuation of my mini FAQ on the benefits and concerns and all things to do with compost.

7. Can I put leaves on a compost heap?

Of course, as long as you mix them up with other plant matter to form a good mixture of different types of organic debris. Leaves on their own will rot down but take a long time. Alternatively, if you wanted to produce leaf mould, which is a type of compost that can be used in many different situations, the easist way is gather all the leaves you sweep up and place them all together in a large black plastic bag and tie it shut. poke some holes in the sides with a garden fork and then leave the bag in a corner of the garden for a full year. In that time it should have rotted down nicely into a good pile of humous-rich leaf mould.

8. Should I dig compost into the soil or leave it on top?

You can and should do both, especially if your soil is in poor condition and in need of some TLC. Digging compost into the soil a few weeks before planting starts is a great way of enriching and feeding the soil. The amount you dig in really depends on how much compost you have and the general condition of the soil. A rule of thumb is that the poorer the soil the more compost you should dig in. Once you have planted out your crops, mulch them with a layer of compost. This will help the soil retain moisture and protect the plants from the worst infestations of pests and diseases as it naturally strengthens plants boosting their own natural defences against these.

9. Can I use compost for pot plants?

Yes, absolutely! You should mix compost with equal amounts of sterile soil and sharp sand to make a great potting mixture. To sterilise soil, place some on a baking tray about an inch or two thick but no more and place it in a hot oven for twenty minutes or so to kill weed seeds and soil-bound diseases. Make sure the cook of the house doesn’t find out though!

That’s it for this part of the mini FAQ. I’ll post more at a later date, or if anyone has any questions not covered, leave me a comment and I’ll respond and even put your question with my answer in the next part of the mini-FAQ.

Terry Didcott
Natural and Organic Food