Search Results for: composting

Compost and Fungus Gnats the Little Critters

I have no photographs of fungus Gnats because they are very small, little critters like miniature flies. Houseplants with wet compost attract and breed gnats and the more organic matter the greater the brood of little flies. Fungus gnats are the most common flying insects found in and around compost bins. Problems with Fungus Gnats On their own they do no damage to your plants but their offspring will. The Gnats or flies lay eggs on the surface of damp…

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Sustain Your Sustainable Garden

To coin a phrase ‘Sustainable Gardening is for Life not just a passing fancy’. It is easy to drop sustainable gardening when it gets tough but here are a few tips to help you stay the distance. Composting Good compost contains huge, free food resources and conserves moisture in the soil. You know you could do more. Save money on fertilizer by adding Comfrey leaves to compost bins to boost nitrogen content. Do not put animal and fish bones on…

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Healthy and Unhealthy Roots

Roots come in all shorts of shapes and sizes but are all designed to help the plant grow and remain healthy. To achieve that the roots themselves need to remain in peak condition and this is where the gardener can help. Start with the right hole in the right place and understand what and why you are doing something.

Summer Insects

A late start to the gardening season may not deterred insects. Bees and hoverflies are spoilt for choice of nectar rich flowers in the summer months Summer My main beef is with the lily beetle. The red insect needs to be caught and squeezed to death as it’s hard shell protects it from most other treatments. The eggs it lays and the grubs that develop are what can devour a nice lily in next to no time. Moluscus and in…

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Controlling Moss in Lawn

Unfortunately, my lawn has a lot of moss (if you look closely) this is because I’ve gone for the ‘wildlife effect’ i.e. too lazy to mow the lawn. Moss is a signal of a lawn with problems. To control the moss, it is important to tackle the underlying causes of moss. Causes of Moss Damp, poorly drained soil. Dry sandy soils which are infertile. Acid soil Too Much Shade. Moss is almost inevitable in heavily shaded areas. You could cut…

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Carbon Neutral Garden

They are not making ‘Carbon’ anymore nor is carbon ever totally destroyed. Carbon is one of natures greatest recycling projects. Carbon is present in gaseous form like Methane(CH4), Carbon dioxide(CO2) and Carbon monoxide(CO). Carbon is also dissolved in water particularly the oceans but is naturally present most notably as a solid in rocks such as limestone, minerals like oil and coal plus trees and plant matter. Do you think about the carbon cycle? Is your garden carbon neutral? Are you…

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Gardening Jobs We Hate To Do.

Cutting the grass is hard work, (you could just leave it like this natural meadow) Gardening is a beautiful pastime, working with plants is one of the most rewarding activities. But, there are sill some jobs that never seem particularly attractive. These are some of the jobs I try to avoid doing, or at least get someone else to do. (It’s about time to invite my Mother to cut my edges) 1. Dealing With Slugs There is no easy way…

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How To Make Your Garden Eco Friendly

There is a lot more interest in organic and eco friendly gardening. There is no better place than the garden for taking practical steps to help the environment. These are some simple suggestions that are quite easy to implement in your own garden. Dealing With Slugs The ubiquitous slug pellet can be quite damaging to wildlife, birds or cats may eat them by mistake. Instead of slug pellets there are many organic methods you can use. Beer traps. Slugs are…

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