Lawn care is somethign everyone does, but are you doing it right? Do you water your lawn enough? Do you weed your lawn regularly? Is your front yard a nice, lush, scene of greenery or a land of bald spots and horror? The Lawn Surgeon writes mainly on lawn care, and even has his own book he’s selling on how to make your lawn a showpiece.

From personal experience, I’ve had a lawn that has gone through its ups and downs. One particular summer comes to my mind where the season was so dry, my lawn became very patchy, and it took some work revitalizing it. I urge you all to take a look at your lawn and ask yourself if it is getting the proper attention it needs.
31 Jan 2007 The Organic Gardener

The winter months are definitely upon us, and if you are like me and live in the Midwest, then you are also in the wake quite a cold front. What is one gardener to do in this weather? It may seem hopeless, but you still have options!

Shrubbery and pine trees – These can add some color to your yard, and provide protection for any other winter plants you decide to plant (granted you look at your hardiness zone for winter planting). Look into a nice evergreen and a few shrubs.
Plan for spring – Take a look at your yard and do some planning for spring. What have you done right and wrong last spring? What can be improved?
Catalogs – Browse through catalogs to plan your plants out early. You can also research what plants you can grow in the winter.
Indoor planting – Some nice house plants should keep you occupied until the warmer season arrives.
We shouldn’t let the winter months drag us down. Explore your opportunities and see what positive results you can come up with.
05 Feb 2007 The Organic Gardener

Hello garden lovers! Great Big Plants has just started a Squidoo lense. Check out our lense for more helpful links on gardening. There will be more to come as time passes. If you have something you would like to add to it, let us know, we love to hear from you!
07 Feb 2007 The Organic Gardener

The benefits of Organic Matter are widely misunderstood. Although dairymen regard cow manure as a waste, commercial farming operations value it as a soil amendment; while many growers value it only as a fertilizer. As a source of primary nutrients, though, Organic Matter offers much less, pound for pound, than inorganic fertilizer. So what are its benefits?

First, Organic Matter does contain primary nutrients -Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potash – but in small amounts. For example, a grower would need 8 times as much horse manure as compared to a 5-10-10 fertilizer in order to supply a given amount of nitrogen. If you rely solely on manure to supply primary nutrients, you’ll need a pile! (literally.) Most growers supplement manure with other fertilizers.

Primary nutrients don’t supply all of the plant’s requirements, though. Secondary elements, such as; sulphur, calcium, and magnesium, are required in substantial amounts. Micronutrients; including zinc, boron, iron, and copper, are also needed in minute quantities. Organic Matter is usually an excellent source of these elements, as most inorganic fertilizers are not supplying them.

Not only does Organic Matter supply nutrients, it helps hold them in the soil. Particles of humus derived from Organic Matter carry a negative electrical charge which allows them to combine with many plant nutrients that carry a positive electrical charge. Sand is electrically neutral, which explains why it doesn’t hold nutrients well. Adding Organic Matter to sandy soil greatly enhances that soil’s ability to catch and retain nutrients and water.

The most important benefit of Organic Matter is as a soil conditioner. Mixing Organic Matter into a sandy soil is like introducing thousands of tiny sponges that help retain moisture. Organic Matter also helps loosen and aerofy a compacted clay soil.

Organic Matter also transport useful microbial hitchhikers. These living components of organic matter manufacture glues-like substances that cement soil particles into crumbs (aggregates). Crumbly soil is ideal as far as most plants are concerned because its structure allows it to hold both air and water. Thereby allowing roots to move easier through the soil profile and helping the plant conserve energy.

Once dissolved in water, most inorganic fertilizers are quickly available to plants. But slow release fertilizers, like Organic Matter, are also beneficial because they provide small amounts of nutrients over several years. When Organic Matter is applied each year, you’ll maintain a small reserve of nutrients that plants can draw on throughout their growing period.

Organic Matter does have some drawbacks though. Although, careful selection, handling and use can minimize these drawbacks will accentuating the benefits of Organic Matter use.
09 Feb 2007 The Organic Gardener

We all know what it is, but to what extent? Let’s take a moment to learn more about compost.

Stability and maturity are terms often used to characterize compost, yet opinions about what these terms mean vary widely. The term “stable” typically refers to a compost that is not undergoing rapid decomposition and whose nutrients are slowly released into the soil. The term “mature” typically refers to the degree of completeness of the composting process. In mature compost, raw feedstocks have sufficiently decomposed for 60 to 90 days under controlled moisture and aeration conditions and cured for another 30 days to result in a stable product that is non-phytotoxic to plants. Immature compost may contain one or more growth-inhibiting compounds (e.g., short-chain organic acids that are phytotoxic to seedlings), weed seeds, or other undesirable characteristics.

Compost stability and maturity are difficult to assess by simple sight or smell. In general, though, mature compost will not contain recognizable feedstock material, should smell like rich soil, and should not smell foul or ammonia-like.

Indicators of Compost Stability
Composting Pile Temperature. In moderate climates, if the temperature of the composting pile is more than 15°F (8°C) higher than the ambient air, the compost may be unstable.

Respiration Rate. The rate of oxygen utilization and/or carbon dioxide release may be used to assess respiration rate, a measure of biological activity. The Solvita test, available from Woods End Research Laboratory, is a quick test for respiration rate. However, composts that are cold or dry or that have a high salinity content may not respire even though they are unstable.

Length of Composting Process. In general, compost from an aerobic windrow should be processed for a minimum of 60 to 90 days, although even after this time the compost may still be unstable. Most compost should be actively processed 90 to 120 days to be considered stable. This additional processing time results in compost that is sometimes referred to as being “cured.” Some experts believe that compost should be cured for six months before use.

Carbon:Nitrogen (C:N) ratio. The C:N ratio usually decreases during the composting process and consequently is sometimes used to indicate compost stability. However, for this ratio to be used meaningfully, you need to know relative C:N ratios at the beginning and end of the composting process. Ideally, C:N should be approximately 30:1 at the beginning. If the C:N ratio is low at the beginning (e.g., around 10:1 or 15:1), then a low C:N at the end may not indicate stability. Assuming the beginning C:N is approximately 30:1, the C:N of stable compost at the end of the process will be between 10:1 and 20:1, with the most stable composts falling in the lower end of this range. A final C:N above 20:1 may indicate a compost that will not readily release nitrogen, while a final C:N above 30:1 may indicate a compost that will inhibit nitrogen mineralization and tie up nitrogen from the soil.
13 Feb 2007 The Organic Gardener

Planting and gardening is a passion for many people, but have you ever thought about getting your kids involved? You would be teaching them valuable things to take with them into adulthood such as responsibilty and hard work. Above that, you will also be spending time with your child and bonding. What are some things you can do to get your children involved and having fun while doing it?

Start by letting them choose a favorite house plant to grow from ground up. It could be a project for them where they take pictures of its progress and post it on a big poster board or construction paper. They could even experiment with two different plants and try different ferilizers, lighting, etc. and compare them. This could easily be a school science project.
If you have a vegetable garden outside, let them start their own favorite plant, like tomatoes. Give them advice when they need it and guide them along the way. Tell them that when they get ripe plants, you will make a special dish out of them. They’ll be proud that they have done something by themselves, and that they get to eat something they grew.
Decorate the garden. They could draw pictures of their plant and put it on posts next to their plants. Let them be creative and have fun!
Have them help you when you garden. Make them feel like they are really helping you a great deal. It can be as simple as watering.
These are just a few ways to get your kids involved. The important thing is that they have fun and learn something while doing it. The more creative it is for the child, the more fun it can be for both of you.
22 Feb 2007 The Organic Gardener

Spring time is coming soon, and it is a perfect time to start thinking about gardening. Petunias are popular in many gardens. Growing them is easy. Here are some helpful tips:

Plant seeds around the last six weeks of frost indoors.
If you are simply transplanting, plant in the beginning of spring, after the last frost.
Petunias do best in a lot of sunlight, so make sure they have plenty of access to it.
Make sure to use loose, well drained soil.
Fertilize regularly (about every four weeks), you can even use Great Big Plants.
Any worn blooms should be removed to promote healthy, robust growth.
Typically, you can space them about a foot apart. This can vary depending on the variety.
It won’t be long before people get spring fever, so it is never to early to start thinking about that garden. take a look outside and think about some of the plants you want to see this year.
01 Mar 2007 The Organic Gardener

Great Big Plants energy drink for plants has been announced for purchase for consumers. This is exciting news because now customers can experience what lawn care and other professionals have been using for years. Check out the full story at 1888pressrelease.
15 Mar 2007 The Organic Gardener

I was recently introduced to an interesting forum page at flowersforums.com. Here you can post tips, ask questions, or just get to know other gardeners. You can even upload pictures to your profile so others can admire your flowers. Take a moment to visit the site and see what you think!
19 Mar 2007 The Organic Gardener