HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-05-09, Page 21THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019. PAGE 21.
Home and Garden 2019
Compost is key for bountiful fruit, vegetable gardens
MS –The season for fresh fruits
and vegetables grown right in the
backyard is upon us. Warm weather
breathes life into fresh berries,
tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers and
many other delectable fruits and
vegetables.
Home gardens can be
supplemented with delicious finds
from the supermarket or farmers’
market, including melons, corn and
more.
The bounty of the garden can be
made more abundant and fruitful
with the addition of the right soil
amendments. Compost is a key
element of rich, nutritious soil.
Scraps from items that have been
grown in the garden can then be
reused in the production of the
compost that feeds that same garden.
It’s a continuous circle of garden
life.
Getting started with compost is
relatively easy. Homeowners should
choose an outdoor space near the
garden but far away from the home
so that it won’t be disturbed by kids
or animals. Some people opt for an
open compost pile, while others
choose closed bins to contain the
possible smell and to camouflage the
compost. A sunny spot will help the
compost to develop faster, according
to Good Housekeeping.
The next step is to start gathering
the scraps and materials that will go
into the compost. Better Homes and
Gardens suggests keeping a bucket
or bin in the kitchen to accumulate
kitchen scraps. Here are some
kitchen-related items that can go into
the compost material:
• Eggshells
• Fruit peels
• Vegetable peels and scraps
• Coffee grounds
• Shredded newspaper.
In addition to these materials,
grass and plant clippings, dry leaves,
bark chips, straw, and sawdust from
untreated wood can go into the
pile.
Avoid diseased plants, anything
with animal fats, dairy products, and
pet feces.
A low-maintenance pile has an
equal amount of brown and green
plant matter in the compost
plus moisture to keep the
bacteria growing and eating at the
right rate.
Aerating the compost occasion-
ally, or turning the bin when
possible, will allow the compost to
blend and work together.
Compost will take a few months to
form completely, says the Planet
Natural Research Center. The
finished product will resemble a
dark, crumbly soil that smells like
fresh earth.
Compost will not only add
nutrients to garden soil, but also it
can help insulate plants and may
prevent some weed growth. It is a
good idea to start a compost pile as a
free source of nutrition for plants
and a method to reduce food waste
in an environmentally-sound way.
15TH ANNUAL
OPEN
HOUSE
Saturday, May 11, 2019
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Annuals • Perennials
• Trees • Shrubs
Bring in t
h
i
s
A
d
for a FRE
E
b
o
x
p
l
a
n
t
.
Valid for
t
h
e
m
o
n
t
h
of May.
So take a drive, and see what’s growing at Sunset Springs!!
Bring in your pots for custom planting anytime
or we can help you do your own.
Leave the mess with us!
Don’t forget Mom
Mother’s Day
is May 12!
RR#4 Walton, Ontario
43079 Hullett-McKillop Road
519-527-0761
Dave Franken
CONCRETE FORMING
For All Your Concrete Needs!
COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL
• Foundations • Floor Finishing
• Circular Tanks • Sandwich Walls
FREE ESTIMATES
RR#3 Blyth ~ Fax 519-523-9604
519-523-9971
The circle of life
By composting the right kinds of materials, fruit and vegetable gardens can flourish, providing
not only great food for a home, but also great byproducts to be composted back into the
harvest for the next year. (MS photo)
MS –Despite their diminutive
stature, ticks are a big concern for
people, particularly those with pets.
As the weather warms, ticks are
out looking for a host to climb on
and get a blood meal. Ticks are a
significant concern because they can
be infected with bacteria, viruses or
parasites, says the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky
Mountain spotted fever, tularemia,
and babesiosis are just a few of the
many tick-borne diseases. These
pathogens can be passed to humans
and pets via the bite of infected
ticks.
In 2018, at least one variety of
disease-transmitting tick had been
found in all of the lower 48 states,
according to the CDC. In addition,
researchers at Cornell University
identified 26 species of ticks along
the east coast of the United States
alone. Preventing tick bites has
never been more important. The
process starts right in one’s own
backyard.
According to Consumer Reports
and the New York State Integrated
Pest Management Program,
controlling wildlife that enters one's
yard can help keep tick numbers
down. Open access means animals
can enter and so can ticks. Fencing
and pest management solutions may
help.
Other ideas include landscaping
techniques that can reduce tick
populations:
• Remove leaf litter from the yard.
• Clear tall grasses and brush
around homes and at the edges of
the lawn. Mow regularly to keep the
lawn short.
• Create a barrier between wooded
areas and the yard if it abuts a
forested area. According to
D. C. Craig
Excavating
• Excavating
• Bulldozing
• Septic Systems
• Drainage
519-523-4966
Keep the ticks away
Continued on page 24