Articles

Keith Worley Tree Workshop Press Release 3.09 (pdf)

Tree Care: Watering tips for new trees
The correct amount of water is the most important factor in ensuring proper tree growth.  Too much water can be as damaging to a newly planted tree as too little water, so be sure to periodically check soil moisture by examining the soil in the area of the roots.  Follow these recommendations to help your tree establish in the landscape.
Click here to read more (pdf)
Fall Composting
Compost is technically decomposed organic matter. It’s a great way to recycle your kitchen and gardening waste to fertilize your yard with natural nutrients.
Here are some tips to get you started:

  1. Find a spot in your yard that’s level and well drained. Try to keep your compost in a shaded part of your yard.
  2. You can have a pile out in the open, but remember to keep it covered with soil. If you prefer a cleaner look for your yard, compost bins are available at many home and garden centers. You can also build your own bin by using mesh wire and scraps of wood.
  3. The smaller the better! Try to chop up whatever you add to your pile. It helps speed up the decomposing process.
  4. What to add...
    From the Yard: * Grass clippings * Leaves * Branches, twigs, wood – chipped * Pine needles – cut up * Straw * Hay * Wood ashes * Manure from cows, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks and other vegetarian animals.
    From the Kitchen: * Vegetable and fruit waste – corn cobs, melon rinds, carrot peelings, banana peels, apple cores, ect. * Tea bags * Coffee grinds and filters * Egg shells – crushed
    From the Home: * Cardboard – shredded and moistened * Paper, newspaper – shredded * Dryer lint * Hair * Sawdust
  5. There are certain materials that should not be added to your compost pile. They will either break down in the pile, bring pests and rodents to your pile or harm the plants you try to fertilize in the future.
    DO NOT ADD: * Oak leaves * Magnolia leaves * Holly tree leaves * Eucalyptus leaves * Black walnut tree – all parts * Poison oak * Poison ivy * Sumac * Any plants that have pesticides or herbicide residue * Peanut butter * Salad dressing * Fish * Meat or animal fat * Oil * Bones * Limes * Dog and cat droppings * Cat litter * Coal ashes * Charcoal
  6. You should turn your compost pile periodically to help break all the different materials down. This helps speed up the decomposing process for those particles on top.
  7. Finished compost should look brown, feel crumbly and smell like earth. When part of your compost has reached that point it can be used in your garden or yard.
  8. The most beneficial part about making compost is actually getting to use it. Here are some tips on how to add your new compost to your gardening: * Add compost 1 inch thick to your garden bed every year in the fall (September-November) * Add ½ inch of compost to your lawn now as well. * If you are planting a new lawn, add 2-3 inches of compost to help keep it fertilized.

 

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