Gardening Golddust: The Benefits of Organic Composting Material

One of the most important ingredients at the disposal of the gardener is well-rotted organic material. This covers a wide range of materials, from farmyard manure and garden compost to spent hop waste and old mushroom compost. Whatever material you have, it should be capable of breaking down into a rich, fibrous substance that will not only help feed plants but also improve the structure of the soil. Most organic materials are rich in nitrogen and usually in other nutrients as well. The fibrous material helps to break up the soil as well as holding a certain amount of moisture. It frequently also has the effect of darkening the soil, which, in turn, helps to warm up the ground more quickly in spring.

One source of organic material that is available to all gardeners is garden compost. This consists of the remains of all vegetation that is not required. Grass cuttings and the remains of plants are the main source. weeds can also be used as long as they are not in seed and not perennial variteies that will continue growing. In theory, the compost heap should get hot enough to kill both the weed seeds and the perennial weeds, but in practice a lot always escapes and becomes a nuisance on the ground on which compost is used. Non-cooked, vegetative kitchen waste, such as peeling and discarded leaves, are another good source of compost.

Tougher stems and hedge-cutting should be avoided unless you have a shredder. This machine is invaluable if you have a lot of such material because it will chop it up into fine pieces and it can then be composted and returned to the garden as mulch or soil conditioner. It can be either kept in its own bin or mixed with other compost.

Cottage gardeners used to throw everything in heap for a year, but although this works, it is not the most efficient way. A properly constructed compost bin, either purchased or homemade, is ideal. This keeps the compost together, allows air in at the sides and keeps the heat in. Make or buy at least three bins - the first is the one to which you are currently adding material, the second is rotting down, and the third is the one from which you are taking compost to use on the garden.

Material is added to the compost bin as it becomes available, but try not to put too much of one type of material into a thick layer, especially grass cuttings. the process can be speeded up by the addition of a chemical activator, which can be purchased at a garden centre. Alternatively and preferably, you can add a layer of farmyard manure. Add water to the heap if it is dry, but cover it with a sheet of polythene so that the pile does not get too wet. some bins have lids to help keep the heat in. As the compost breaks down it is likely to get very warm - this is a natural part of the composting process and is, in fact, to be encouraged.

There a number of other sources organic material if they can be found. Farmyard manure is one of the best, but it must be well-rotted, because if it is left to decompose in the ground it will extract nitrogen from the soil to aid its progress and thus deplete, rather than supplement the nutrients. Bear in mind that some farmyard manure will contain a lot of weed seeds from the hay that was given to the animals.

Waste from various processes is also useful, but some kins will have involved chemicals, which will still be present in the waste. Hop waste, which is available from breweries, is excellent, as is spent mushroom compost. However, you should be aware that the mushroom compost incorporates horse manure, and to counter the acidity, mushroom growers add chalk - do not use this near lime-hating plants. Waste from the forest industry is becoming widely available in the form of chipped and composted bark. Chipped bark has not broken down far enough to be used in the soil but it makes a good top dressing. Composted leaves are an invaluable material in the garden, but make your own and do not raid the woods.

 Alfresia is an online supplier of garden furniture.

Garden Maintenance in November

Late autumn and winter are the most vital times of year in the garden: true spring is the busiest time, but your actions in November and December will set the agenda for the rest of the year and if you do manage to get a lot done, then your garden will be better for it.


Whilst there are many jobs that need doing this month, today we shall focus on the less glamorous, yet essential maintenace jobs that you need to do this month to ensure your garden's success in the spring/summer.


You should only really get on with jobs when the weather allows you too: it is not always suitable. Never try to get onto the soil when it is wet - you will do more damage than good to the garden. Don't use this as an excuse though: if you are able to work steadily through November and December you will make life much easier later on.


The first maintenance task is to clear up leaves and use them for composting. You should endeavour to collect leaves as soon as they fall. This is because the longer they lie on the ground, the more difficult they are to clear up. Not only do they smother plants, they create perfect conditions for fungal diseases and slugs to thrive, both of which will damage your garden. Leaves can be used to make leaf-mould, and thus should always be composted as this is a valuable commodity. Never burn them or throw them away, instead put them into a leaf pen. Knock four posts into the ground and stretch mesh wire around and over the top. Fill the pen up with the leaves. They should rot quickly giving you space. What remains of them can be used to make the soil moisture retentive, make the perfect mulch or as potting compost.



You should also look at draining down or lagging all outside water pipes. Frozen pipes can cause major disruption to you and your home. You could find yourself without water, being forced to brave the cold because your central heating stops working or having to deal with an expensive clean up operation if your water pipe bursts. Use appropriate lagging to insulate your pipework. Lagging can be purchased from most DIY stores but simple household items such as towels can also be used to wrap up pipes and keep frost at bay. If you are wanting to lag outdoor pipes you need to make sure that the lagging you are using is waterproof or your pipes will not be adequately protected.




Now is also the time to shred wooden material  like hedge trimmings and the remains of herbaceous plants. By shredding them into small pieces, they can be composted for three months and then spread back on the garden as weed-free mulch.


Also, think about your vegetable crop for next year: most of it won't need to be planted yet, but planning in advance is always a good idea!




Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.

Why own a patio cover?

Purchasing some outdoor patio furniture is a great way to turn your patio into a comfy and welcoming space for you and your family. If you have bought some furniture, you will know it isn't necessarily cheap. This means that you'll want to protect your investment. The easiest way to do this is by also buying some furniture covers. These give your furniture crucial protection against a number of threats.

 

#1 – Protection from the elements – Bad weather is extremely damaging to patio furniture, and keeping it in a decent condition despite this threat is a priority. If your area tends to experience snowfall and frost, then you definietly need to keep the furniture protected. Indeed with snowfall becoming ever more unpredictable, you need to be sure this winter that your furniture will be kept safe. Equally, if you live in a more tropical region that snow never affects, you will want to have covers because they protect against rain too!

 

#2 – Prevent Fading – Another important task that patio furniture covers perform is to protect your furniture from the sun. It might seem strange that, after extolling how important it is to protect against rain and snow, we suggest protection against the sun but following prolonged exposure to the sun, your furniture may begin to fade and look old. This is a natural process but it is not unavoidable. Patio furniture covers are actually designed to protect your furniture from the sun, as well as wetter weather, and they will ensure that your furniture will not fade in the summer.

 

#3 – No Animals – Animals can easily damage your patio furniture. If the furniture is not covered, you may have stray cats on your furniture tearing at it with their claws, or if you have a lot of birds your furniture may get covered in bird excrement. Patio Furniture Covers prevent this.

#4 – Prolong Life – Having spent already on your furniture, you probably don’t want to have to purchase it all again the next year. After spending so much money, you must ensure that you get as much use as possible out of the patio furniture. Thus purchasing patio furniture covers can help to prolong the life of your patio furniture. Even though the covers will cost a bit of money, the price is no where near the amount you'd pay for a new set of furniture!

So if saving money seems a sensible idea to you, take a look at our range of patio furniture covers on Alfresia.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.