SATURDAY, June 13th @ 11:00 AM

WORKSHOP

COMPOSTING A Demonstration and Question & Answer Session

Composting is the decomposition of plant remains and other once-living materials to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that is excellent for adding to houseplants or enriching garden soil. It is the way to recycle your yard and kitchen wastes, and is a critical step in reducing the volume of garbage needlessly sent to landfills for disposal.

USING COMPOST

You don’t need large flower beds or a vegetable garden to use compost. Here are the most common applications:

1.  Mulch: Apply compost up to 3″ deep around trees and shrubs and in planting areas to suppress weed growth, provide a long-term supply of nutrients, conserve moisture, prevent soil erosion and compaction, and moderate soil temperature changes. Especially effective in fall and spring.

2.  Topdressing: Spread compost 1/8″-1/4″ deep on top of existing lawns with a spreader or rake. Finished compost should be sifted or “screened” to remove clumps and twigs. Build a simple, inexpensive sifter using hardware cloth and a frame of two-by-four lumber.

3.  Sidedressing: A 1″-2″ layer of compost can be spread around vegetables (especially tomatoes, peppers, eggplant), shrubs and flowers during active growing season to replace nutrients and protect root systems.

4.  Soil Amendment: Mix 2″-3″ of compost into the top 6″-8″ of heavy clay or sandy soil with a mechanical tiller, garden spade, or shovel. Compost will improve drainage and moisture retention, prevent compaction, supply nutrients and make existing nutrients more available to plants.

5.  Potting Mediums: Sifted compost (1/3 part) can be mixed with potting soil and vermiculite or perlite to create a superior potting medium.

SATURDAY, June 13th @ 12:00 PM

SOIL TESTING

The best lawns and gardens have one thing in common — good soil. A soil test allows you to choose plants wisely. You can also make changes to your soil so that the plants you are trying to grow can do their best.

A soil test is a process by which elements (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, manganese, copper and zinc) are chemically removed from the soil and measured for their “plant available” content within the sample. The quantity of available nutrients in the sample determines the amount of fertilizer that is recommended. A soil test also measures soil pH, humic matter and exchangeable acidity. These analyses indicate whether lime is needed and, if so, how much to apply.

Bring a sample of your soil for testing on Saturday, June 13th between 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. We recommend 2-3 baggies tagged from different areas of your yard.

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