January 2012: Horticulture Report

Posted on by

Plectranthus ecklonii is a sub-tropical plant from Africa which can be grown outdoors in Zones 9-11, but in colder climates it’s grown as a house plant.

P. ecklonii is an attractive fast growing plant which flowers profusely the first season after planting. The plant should be pruned back hard in mid-winter after its flowering season.

P. ecklonii is easily propagated from cuttings or seed.

The best time to take cuttings is spring or summer. Cuttings should be about 7 inches to 10 inches long, keeping the top leaves. Place cuttings in a shady, but well lit area, keeping them moist as rooting is rapid. Cuttings can be rooted in sand or other appropriate cutting medium.

P. ecklonii seeds can be planted in a shallow standard seed tray in standard soil. Cover with a thin layer of sand and keep moist. Keep in a shady, but well lit environment. Germination is rapid. The seedlings can be planted in individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle.

There are three P. ecklonii cultivars:

1. P. ecklonii ‘Medley-Wood’, which is the common garden cultivar with blue flowers

2. P. ecklonii ‘Tommy’, with white flowers

3. P. ecklonii ‘Erma’, with pink flowers

Read more here:
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/plectranecklon.htm

How to Make Leaf Mold

Posted on by

Leaf mold is a connoisseur’s choice for soil conditioning. Its attributes significantly improve the quality of your soil by:

  • Retaining moisture in the soil ( it holds 50% of its own weight in water)
  • Improving soil structure by making rich humus soil
  • Reducing evaporation
  • Cooling roots and foliage during hot weather
  • Increasing beneficial soil life, such as earthworms and beneficial bacteria
  • Absorbing rainwater, reducing runoff

It’s simple to make, easy to use, effective…..and it’s free!

You can incorporate leaf mold directly into your garden soil or use it as mulch around your plants. You can mix it with potting soil for use in your container gardens.

So, if you have a tree, or several trees, on your property then you have what you need to make great garden soil.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Leaf Mold : http://making-mulch-from-leaves

Do not use the following leaves for making leaf mold :

Walnut, plant growth inhibitor

Eucalyptus,plant growth inhibitor

Oak, takes longer to break down

Camphor laurel, plant growth inhibitor

——-
Carlotta Lucas
AGC Blog Editor

Re-Think: Food Scraps

Posted on by
An Information Source for Reducing/Reusing/
Recycling and Beyond
November 2011

In the developed Western world 30% of all trash collected from households is food waste. When this biodegradable waste is placed in landfills it can not decompose, due to the lack of oxygen. So this food waste turns into methane gas, which in turn releases into our atmosphere and contributes to global warming. We can help reduce this problem by composting our food scraps.

Composting food in a “regular” yard waste compost bin can be tricky. If done incorrectly pest like rats, mice, raccoons, opossums and other critters will be attracted to your compost. But, if you use a food digester to compost food scraps, vermin will not be attracted to your yard while worms are diligently turning your scraps into an nutrient- rich fertilizer.

Food-waste Digester
You can buy a pre-made digester, like the Green-cone by Solarcone, or you can make an easy do-it-yourself food digester following the steps below.

How to build a homemade digester:

  • Purchase a 20-gal or 30-gal galvanized metal garage can with a tight fitting lid. Note: If the lid is not tight, use a bungee cord (or two) to secure the lid to the base, this helps keep raccoons and dogs out of your newly added food scraps. (Do Not Use a plastic can!)
  • In the bottom of the can drill 20-30 drain holes ¼ -inch diameter.
  • In the lower third of the can drill 20 more holes around the outside of the can. This “lower-third” will be covered by soil.
  • Dig a hole about 15 inches deep in a well-drained hole, about half the depth of the container. Drainage is important to assure your digester works properly. Gravel can be added to the bottom of the hole if you need better drainage.
  • Place the can in the hole and push the soil back in around the sides. Tamp it down with your foot, or a shovel.

Now your new digester is ready to use!

Using Your Digester

  • Collect food scraps and store them in a container in your kitchen, then once or twice a week, throw your food scraps into the food scrap digester.
  • Add a little soil after the scraps, this adds more microbes and helps composting. You can also cover scraps with leaves, course sawdust, straw or shredded newspaper, all these help eliminate smells and fruit flies. Grass clipping can be used too but they need to dry out first (brown) before adding to the digester.
  • A digester will fill in 6-12 months, depending on your food habits. It’s helpful to install two digesters, this way when the first one is full it can be composting while you’re using the second one. The first one will be ready to harvest by the time the second one is full.
  • A tip: Place masking tape on the outside of the can at the level of the compost mixture, using a permanent marker, write the date digester was full on the masking tape. Check inside the can occasionally to see how much the level has dropped, and how well the worms are doing their job.

Compost Uses
The compost can be used as mulch on established plants, as a soil amendment at planting time, and in potting mixes. Food scrap compost contains more nutrients than yard waste compost, so it should be used sparingly. Applied one-inch of compost as a mulch around plants. Two inches can be dug into garden soil and for a potting mix, add up to 20% food scrap compost to potting soil.

Composting food scraps is a great way to reduce and recycle. By keeping food scraps out of the landfills we not only reduce the production of methane gas, we also reduce the amount of plastic bags going into landfills. Composting food scraps also provide an insight into how much food we waste.

Do Compost

Don’t Compost!!

Vegetable scraps

Meat

Grains and pasta

Fish and poultry

Fruit rinds and peels

Cheese

Breads

Oily foods

Coffee grounds, filters

Butter

Tea bags

Dairy products

Paper napkins & towels

Other animal products

Eggshells

Pet waste

Carlotta Lucas
AGC Blog Editor

Information:
http://cityofdavis.org/pw/recycle/FoodScrapcompost.cfm
www.seattle.gov/util/groups/public/@spu/@csb/…/spu01_001992.pdf
http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/8890/diy-food-scrap-digestercomposter

November: Horticulture Report

Posted on by

The fall colors are still on the trees and there’s snow on the pass, but it is not too late to do some garden winterizing.

It’s time to cut perennials to the ground, clean up the debris and fertilize.

Fertilize!

You might be asking, “Why fertilize, isn’t everything going dormant?”
“Won’t fertilizer just make plants grow and get killed by the frost?”

Here are some strategies for fall fertilizing.

  • Lawns are coming back before they take a winter snooze. Fertilize them to give them strength for their winter nap and spring flush. Give them plenty of nitrogen in the fertilizer made for lawns. That means a little more mowing before you put it away for the winter.
  • Perennials are dying above ground, but it is important to feed the roots. Fertilize for next year’s growth.Fertilize the roots not the shoots.Phosphorus (the 2nd number on fertilizer boxes) is the important one. A fertilizer like 0-20-0 triple super phosphate would be good.
  • Observe Shrubs and Trees, if they are not yellowish or have undersized leaves they probably do not need fertilizer.Wait until early spring before adding a slow release nitrogen and micro nutrients.It is best to clear out dropped leaves and replace with mulch to keep the roots protected against winter freezing.
  • Bulbs being planted need some phosphorus and lots of potassium. A handful of super phosphate and kelp meal would be good to add in the hole with new bulbs.I am staying away from bone meal now as it might attract small vertebrates and deer. For established and naturalized bulbs lightly cover area with compost.

Now is the time that I think about adding natural and micro nutrients for the spring growth. Remember the plant is not dead, but slowly taking up nutrients in preparation of spring.

  • Greensand is a natural source of iron and potassium.
  • Kelp increases root absorption.
  • Hold off on cottonseed meal and alfalfa, they are nitrogen rich and should be applied in the spring.


Gena Goddard
AGC Horticulture Chair