Jul 05 2010
Fall Is The Perfect Time To Use Garden Irrigation In Your Garden
Each fall one of the most celebrated and iconic natural displays is the changing colors of leaves. This beautiful visual show of natural color comes out in bright splashes of red, orange and yellow just before the leaves begin to fall for winter. What many don’t know is that those falling leaves can actually be applied to your lawn or garden as powerful compost to help boost your plant growth!
The first step to making effective compost is to gather the leaves so they don’t harm your lawn. Either use a rake or leaf-blower and gather all the leaves on your property into one area. Leaving the your fall leaves spread across your lawn can actually cause your grass and smaller plants to suffer root rot and promote the growth of dangerous molds. For this reason, it’s important that you clear away fall leaves even if you aren’t planning to compost them.
Next, you’ll want to break down the leaves that you just gathered. This is most easily achieved with the use of a shredder. If you don’t have a shredder available you can easily use a lawn mower with attached bag to chop the leaves into smaller bits. Ensuring that the shredded leaves are neatly gathered after the shredding is key to this step.
The decomposition process is long and arduous. In some extreme cases a single batch of rich compost can take up to two years to mature. For this reason it’s very important that you give yourself every available edge in facilitating the decomposition process. To help give your compost a suitable texture and consistency for mulching you should add in additional supplemental materials such as coffee grounds or egg shells. This blend will provide the perfect balance of carbon and nitrogen for mulching.
Churning and stirring the compost materials is important. Once a month you should take a few minutes to stir the compost. This will allow fresh oxygen and air to pass through the compost and help to further facilitate the decomposition of materials. When laying compost you want to be sure that the weight of the compost layer on the soil is no heavier than a plant sprout would be able to break through. Additionally, the texture of the laid compost should be fluffy and gentle. If your compost layer is thick and matted it will restrict the growth of your plants.
Once the compost is ready you can begin applying it to your garden or lawn. The best way to apply compost is to spread it evenly and lightly. Make sure you don’t use too much compost or pack it too tightly as this will cut off the oxygen from your lawn or garden.
Consider the use of garden irrigation to provide constant and accurate supply of water in addition to your nutrient and compost usage. Precision irrigation such as drip irrigation can be an extremely effective way to get the most out of your garden and provide all of the vital elements necessary for great plant growth and development!
Composting and Garden Irrigation are both easy and effective ways to generate nutrient-rich mulch for your home garden or soil and virtually all of the ingredients are provided for you by nature! With a little time and effort and the use of Irrigation Systems you can easily reap the rewards of powerful compost. Garden Irrigation Supplies can be a great way to ensure that you get the most out of your home garden this year with precise and accurate watering and minimal effort.
