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Bringing Life To Dying Soils

March 1, 2021 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

The BBC is writing a series of multimedia articles called Follow the Food. The series investigates the challenges farmers face to deliver food to our tables such as climate change, growing populations and ,of course COVID-19.

This particular article discusses soil degradation and the efforts to regenerate soils to meet the challenges for the future. Around the world, soils are in trouble. And unless we take action, so will be the farmers and consumers who depend on them. But some growers can see a way to save the ground beneath our feet.

Read How To Bring Life to Dying Soils

Composting in New York City Goes Big Time

June 16, 2017 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

If you thought you had an efficient composting system, you’ve got to read this article Elizabeth Royte wrote for the New York Times entitled The Compost King of New York.

The New York City Sanitation Department has instituted a Zero Waste program that asks residents to separate their food scraps and yard waste in separate brown bins which are collected curbside or via neighborhood collection bins. This waste is picked up separately to reduce the amount of methane producing refuse in the sanitation landfills.

Royte was curious where the food scraps she was leaving at her curbside or others were depositing in the various receptacles around NYC actually went.

She followed the trail and her findings are in this article for the NY Times. Royte visits a farm that accepts food scraps and produce waste from grocery stores. The organic material is composted in the familiar methods. The some of the resulting soil is used on the farm while the rest is sold by the cubic yard to help offset the farm’s expenses.

Elizabeth Royte will also introduce you to a man who is convinced his $50 million investment into an anaerobic digester will reap profits from the renewable fuel he will produce at his massive complex in Yapank, New York. The rotting of organic matter combined with sewage also collected will generate a biogas that will be captured to power his plant and possibly provide heat and electricity for surrounding homes. There is an unending source for raw material since New York City pays him to take the food scraps that sanitation trucks collect curbside each week.

You will also meet a man who has been studying rotting things his entire career and he will explain carbon benefits of composting versus anaerobically digesting organic materials.

If you are into composting as I am, you will find this article fascinating. Elizabeth Royte has written three books available on Amazon.

Royte has also published an article for Audubon about neonicotinoids and how the pesticide linked with bee decline might also be threatening birds.

Photo credit: Death To Stock Photography

Mike McGrath Explains Why You Should Be Leaf Composting

April 5, 2015 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

We’ve written about it many times that composting your leaves each fall will do more for your garden than any store bought fertilizer ever will.

Mike McGrath, hosts a weekly radio program on WHYY in Philidelphia called “You Bet Your Garden.” In this Ted Talk, Mike explains why you should be compost your fall leaves and not put them out for the trash collection.

[Read more…]

10 Interesting Facts About Red Wigglers

February 28, 2012 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

Though Red Wigglers are a species of earthworm, they are rarely found in soil.
Red Wigglers are photosensitive, therefore, they only work in the dark.
Red Wigglers will excrete a foul smelling liquid when handled roughly.
Red Wigglers when happy and healthy can eat about half of their weight in food each day.
Red Wigglers have gizzards that need grit to help grind up their food. Soil, shredded leaves, coffee grinds are examples of things that support the Red Wigglers digestive process.
Red Wigglers are hermaphroditic (they have both male and female sex organs) but two worms are needed to reproduce. The two worms join together and exchange sperm and both worms secretes cocoons that contain eggs.
Red Wigglers are ready to mate when their clitellums are orange in color.
“Red Wigglers — the Cadillac of worms!” was an advertisement that aired during a broadcast on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.
Teenage Red Wigglers eat more than adult Red Wigglers.
Red Wigglers love watermelon, pureed pumpkin and corn meal. I’ve heard that corn meal encourages Red Wigglers to reproduce prolifically but I have not witnessed that myself.

Shredding Leaves

February 6, 2012 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

As I mentioned in a previous post, I use a leaf blower/vacuum to collect the leaves in my yard and then add the shredded leaves from the bag to my compost bins. This works out nicely as the vacuum does break down the leaves to smaller pieces that will compost faster than the whole leaf. But I watched my neighbor use her chipper/shredder on the leaves and I was a bit envious since the leaves were shredded to almost dirt particles. The chipper/shredded makes twice as much noise as my leaf vacuum but at least she was not wearing the vacuum bag on her shoulders like I was doing. Perhaps, there was something to it. But then my neighbor got a branch stuck in the feeder and she had to turn off the machine and unclog things. It did take some time to unclog the feeder and restart the machine.

I decided to try using my string trimmer rather than the vacuum. I must say – I was happy to take the collection bag off my shoulders.

Leaves in container ready to shred with string trimmer.

I found a 45 gallon storage container in the shed. Brought it outside and using a rake put some of the leaves into it. I started the string trimmer and proceeded to shred up the leaves in the container. It took only a few minutes to grind the leaves into pieces less than the size of a quarter. It sure did make quick work. I was able to add some of the shredded leaves to the compost bin and to top off my garden beds.
My leaf blower/vacuum has a metal impeller that does shred the leaves before entering the bag but I did find that the string trimmer shredded them to a finer degree. Both methods, leaf vacuum or string trimmer, require lifting, bending and hauling the leaves or shredded leaves. But it might be possible the the string trimmer does the better job.
Shredded leaves ready to put in compost bin
Oh, BTW, I did try shredding the leaves in an empty garbage can but I found that using a container that tall prevented some of the leaves on the bottom from getting touched at all by the string trimmer. The storage container was wider and shallower which permitted the trimmer to hit all of the leaves.

Review of The Complete Compost Gardening Guide

January 16, 2012 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

Written by Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin
Paperback

This is overflowing with information about composting in the kitchen and garden. They discuss simple things you can do in the house to collect your kitchen scraps like keeping a 5 gallon bucket with a secure lid just outside the kitchen door. As you prepare your meals, you throw the cuttings from your veggies into the bucket. Easily incorporating the compost process into your everyday life encourages you to continue with the process. Every few days, you will take the 5 gallon bucket and dump it into your large compost bin in the yard.

The authors include wonderfully easy and economical ways to facilitate your composting process from building an easy “sling screen compost sifter” to constructing a worm bin from a plastic storage container to preparing a more complex “Pit of Plenty.”

The Complete Compost Gardening Guide does not promote a lot of expensive products to perform your composting chores. The authors of course do discuss these products but also suggest and explain how you might be able to create the similar product function with cheaper materials. For example, in their discussion of rotating composters like the one pictured below they also explain how to build one yourself using a plastic garbage can and some bungee cords which costs a lot less.

I’ve seen some reviews of the book that state that the book is too complicated for a novice. I don’t think that is true. I think if you read through the book in its entirety you’ll find things that you can do quite easily without too much work. As you see that those things worked and worked well, you may want to take on a few other projects/tasks that seem reasonable to you.

Reading Part 3 of the book which talks about plants for the composter’s garden, I learned that borage is a great plant for composting. This is great for me because borage has those beautiful blue blooms and the deer which are numerous in my area will stay away. During the summer, I can harvest the stems
of the borage and add it to my compost piles.

All in all this is a great book and a wonderful addition to any gardener’s library. Pick up your copy today.

Autumn Leaves – Compost or Mulch?

January 16, 2012 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

Yeah, I know it is the middle of January and I am still tending to autumn leaves. I have so many trees on and around my property that it seems like I rake leaves for months. In my defense I did take care of all the leaves in the front yard, side yard and immediately behind the house in the back yard before Thanksgiving. But there are many more leaves behind the main paths of the backyard that still need to be raked.

During the fall, I do see bags and bags of leaves piled up by my neighbors for the trash. But I haven’t given the trash men one leaf since moving into this house. In the front yard, I vacuum all the leaves up using a leaf blower/vacuum. I collect the leaves in the attached bag and then spread them as mulch around the trees and in garden beds. In areas that have gotten a little weedy, I spread newspaper and then layer the shredded leaves on top of the paper. It makes a great weed barrier.

Once I’ve gotten all the beds covered, trees surrounded and weedy areas covered in shredded leaves, I then start adding them to the compost pile. I have a few of these wire bins that work perfectly to collect my excess leaves –

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I take the shredded leaves from the vacuum bag and dump them into the wire compost bins. I keep a hose or watering can nearby because as I add more leaves to the bin I water each layer. It is important that the shredded leaves are damp before add the next layer of leaves.

On mild days throughout the winter, I will go out to the leaf piles and turn them. The fourth side of the bin slides off and I can easily set it up next to the pile to accept the turned leaves. I make sure I have the watering can nearby during this task too. Because as I add the leaves to the reestablished bin, I add water to dampen the leaves. Turning the pile, fluffs up the leaves provided much needed oxygen to the decomposing process.

Granted, turning a few piles of leaves is a tedious and labor-intensive process but it is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise on a mild winter day.

I don’t have much grass on the property – grass does not grow well under all these trees. So, I rely on my neighbors who don’t compost to add their grass clippings each week. During the spring and summer, I collect the grass clippings from my neighbors or they deliver them. Then I turn the piles and incorporate the grass clippings as layers into the shredded leaves. By the end of the summer, I have fresh compost to add the the beds before then next season of leaves begin to fall.

My Worm Bin Is Attracting Yellow Jackets

July 18, 2011 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

I’ve had a worm bin for the last three years and have been very pleased with the end result – “black gold.” I’ve always put watermelon rinds in the worm bin and this year was no different. Just midway through July and I find yellow jackets swarming the bin as soon as the box is uncovered. I’m sure the sweet scent of the watermelon attracted the yellow jackets to the bin. I did not feed the bin for two weeks for fear of getting stung.

I’m unable to find a nest and truth be told I’m afraid to stumble into it. So, I’m going to try a yellow jacket trap. I’ll edit this post after a couple of weeks of using the trap and let you know how well it works.

Is There A Fully-Automated Lawn Mower Designed to Mow By Itself?

July 17, 2011 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

Well, the people at Kyodo America who manufacture the LawnBott series of automated mowers believe an automated lawn mower is in your future.

As you may have noticed from the various posts on this website, I’m not crazy about having a lawn. I prefer to grow creeping thyme and various clovers to keep the soil in its place. The clover enhances the soil quality as do other green manures and the creeping thyme, while not exactly improving the soil, has been filled with bumble bees this season. Lawns do require a lot of attention as well as fertilizer and a high water demand, though I’ll admit grass clippings in the compost heap really get the compost pile cooking. Believe me, during the growing season, I’m not above asking my neighbors with lawns for their grass clippings to add to my compost piles.

One of my neighbors says mowing the lawn is like a meditation. He is able to just walk up and down the lawn pushing his mower and accomplish two things at once – regain his sanity from a hectic work week and ensure that his lawn is the greenest and park-like lawn on the street.

However, for those of us who find mowing a lawn, even the smallest of lawns, a tedious and time consuming weekly task, I ask you to consider the Evolution Automated Lawn Mower. The manufacturer claims …

The LB3210 Evolution is for the discerning homeowner who wants only the best. It is the only robotic mower with Adaptive Programming Technology. Its learning computer actually reprograms itself to adapt to the cutting requirements of your yard. This not only conserves battery life and lengthens the runtime and durability of the electric motors; it also contributes to a healthier looking lawn.

The LB3210 model has a maximum cutting area of 33,000 square feet. It works using a wire to designate the perimeter of the cutting area similar to your dog’s invisible fence. However, the manufacturer suggests that you not bury the guide wire but leave it exposed above ground so that you can easily adjust the cutting areas. It takes about 3 hours to charge the battery and then the automated mower can run for 3 – 4 hours on a full charge.

I know – you’re wondering about the kids toys left on the lawn. Will the LawnBott get stuck by a bicycle wheel expend its battery charge while digging up a patch of lawn? Nope, the LawnBott is equipped with bump sensors just like your son’s motorized car. If the automated mower bumps into an object, it will stop, reverse and then head off into another direction.

So it all sounds pretty great, right? But what about those grass clippings? Am I going to have to come home and clean up after my automated mower has cut the grass? Well, that’s another feature of the LawnBott! It is expected to be run a couple of times a week – so the grass is never that tall and the clippings are left on the lawn as mulch thereby improving the lawn’s soil.

Price is a bit steep at first glance but when you consider what you might pay for a weekly lawn service it might be worth the investment. The manufacturer wants to protect your investment from theft and programmed the mower with password protection. The mower will not run without entering the correct PIN.

Specification	Value
	LB3210	LB3250
Coverage	33,000 sq/ft	38,000 sq/ft
Mower Size (Length x Width x Height)	22×16.5×10″	22×16.5×10″
Weight with Battery	21 lbs.	24 lbs.
Cutting Disc	4 blades	4 blades
Cutting Width	12″	12″
Cutting Height	.75-2.75″	.75-2.75″
Average Working Time	3 hours	4+ hours
Charging Time	2.5 – 3 hours	2.5 – 3 hours
Battery Type	Lithium Ion x 1	Lithium Ion x 2
Hill Capability	27 degrees	27 degrees
Auto Recharge	YES	YES
Auto Programming	YES	YES
Rain Sensor	YES	YES
Alarm	YES	YES
Software Update by Internet	YES	YES

From the manufacturer’s website – Is the LawnBott Safe?

The LawnBott comes equipped with many safety features, such as an automatic blade shut-off if it’s lifted, and bump sensors. In many ways the LawnBott is much safer than conventional lawnmowers, because you do not have to be present when the mower is cutting; avoiding injuries all together. Please keep in mind that just as with any mowing device, simple precautions must be taken. Always read your owner’s manual.

A Word About The Micro-Herd

May 5, 2011 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

Ahh bugs – can’t live with them, can’t live without them!

It’s a fact. Soil cannot be healthy and food cannot be grown with out microorganisms. Therefore, we cannot be healthy without bugs – of all sizes – except for the moment we will focus on the microscopic ones. Microorganisms or the micro-herd as organic gardeners call them include bacteria, fungi and other species. They are extremely diverse and they are everywhere – in water, in soil, in oceans, in air, in rocks and all living things.

The micro-herd are essential for growing food and nutrient. They enrich soil to deliver nutrients to the crops we grow and fix nitrogen in the soil. Nitrogen, in balance with other elements like carbon is essential for the healthy production of crops. Microbes on the roots of plant capture nitrogen and use it for plant growth. The nitrogen that is available in the atmosphere, precipitation, grasses, fertilizers, manures and crops that decay in the fields, is captured by the micro-herd and is transformed into plant food. We depend on these bacterial and fungal organisms to breakdown garden, lawn, food waste and other organic matter and turn it into compost.

Compost is a dark, pleasant – smelling valuable resource that is extremely beneficial for improving structure, drainage and moister control in the soil. It reduces soil erosion and water runoff. It allows roots to easily work through the soil. With compost which is produced by the interaction of the micro-herd with decaying organic material serves as as exceptional organic fertilizer needed to sustain the prolific growth and development of plants, crops, fruits and trees.

Compost made by the micro-heard helps make plants strong and disease resistant, purifies the soil, can help maintain proper pH and provides vast amounts of minerals. When composting, a proper balance of carbon producing brown material must be mixed with nitrogen releasing green material. While the carbons keep the microbes alive as they digest organic material, the nitrogen helps the microbes grow and thrive.

Although, bacteria are considered among the simplest of organisms their origins go as far back as 3,100 million years. Soil would be sterile without them and literally nothing would grow. Nitrogen from the air could not be transformed into plant food, and plants, animals and man could not survive. The number of bacteria needed t maintain life is mind boggling. Consider this – just one gram of garden soil may contain billions of bacteria and other microbes!

Source: The Tormont Webster’s Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary.

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