Got Compost

Got Compost: Topp Dress your Lawn. Naturally!

2012-02-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Topp Dress your Lawn. Naturally!

Topp Dress your Lawn. Naturally!

2012-02-29T10:58:00.003-08:00

Got Compost: February Gardening Tips

2012-02-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: February Gardening Tips: The middle of February? Already?! We’re still feeling the sting of winter weather, maybe even using it as an excuse not to work in the garde...

February Gardening Tips

2012-02-17T16:58:00.000-08:00

The middle of February? Already?! We’re still feeling the sting of winter weather, maybe even using it as an excuse not to work in the garden. If you’re a dedicated gardener, you haven’t been wasting these precious weeks. And if you have neglected your planting beds, you definitely have time to prepare for spring.

Take a look at your trees, both shade and deciduous fruit trees. How about roses? These plants could undoubtedly use some help – a good pruning should do the trick. If you’re not familiar with correct pruning techniques it’s well worth the investment to hire a tree specialist. Hacking away at any old branch can spell trouble for these weather worn plants, possibly damaging future growth.

And did you know that February is bareroot season. Fruit trees, berries and roses are available for planting at a lower cost now than in the spring, when we find them in containers. Be sure to dig a hole larger than the root spread of the tree, mixing in plenty of Harvest Blend Compost with the dirt, to use as backfill when planting. Click here for tips on using compost to plant and care for trees and shrubs.

Are you planning for your vegetable garden? You can start beets, lettuce and spinach indoors to plant out later when the weather warms a little. If you don’t have the latest seed catalogs lying around the house, click here, scroll down the page and you'll find links to some of our favorite suppliers.

Warm days/cold nights. While February may see some warm days, nights will still be cold and there’s even danger of frost, so be prepared to protect tender plants. If you are unable to bring the plants indoors, try to group them together in a protected location up against the home or even under the eaves or a carport and cover them with a light blanket, sheets, tablecloth, polypropylene material or custom plant blankets or other cloth for the night. The south and west sides of the home are normally the warmest. If the container is too big to move, you can mulch around the container or wrap the base with a blanket or other cloth.

Covering a plant with cloth is one of the most effective ways of protecting a plant during extremely cold weather. Make sure the cover extends all the way to the ground so that it can trap in the heat. Plants do not produce heat but the soil does. Rocks and clothespins are effective ways to help keep the cover on and better insulate the plant from the elements. Be sure to remove the covers daily when the temps rise since the added weight of a wet cloth can break delicate branches. Wood stakes or tomato cages around the plant can keep the covering up and off the leaves. Small plants can also be covered with cardboard boxes placed upside down over the plant.

Don’t use plastic materials to cover your plants. Plastic can burn the leaves it touches on a cold night and it also cuts off air to the plant. In addition it acts as a greenhouse taking plants from nightly lows to much higher temperatures during the day. This rapid temperature change can cause serious freeze damage or can be fatal to plants.

And our favorite, Compost as mulch, protects soil from colder temps. For more on compost and its uses, visit www.GotCompost.com

Got Compost: Mulch with Compost - protect soil during winter

2012-01-18T16:37:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Mulch with Compost - protect soil during winter: Brrrr…temps are lower than ever! Mulching garden beds insulates soil & plants from the cold. When we hear the word ‘mulch’ we think of a pro...

Mulch with Compost - protect soil during winter

2012-01-18T16:35:00.000-08:00

Brrrr…temps are lower than ever! Mulching garden beds insulates soil & plants from the cold.

When we hear the word ‘mulch’ we think of a product; you know, like the multitude of bagged varieties you find on the shelves of our local garden centers. But did you know that mulch is an application? Yup, to ‘mulch’ your garden simply means you place a layer of organic or inorganic material on the surface of the soil. This is a good time of year to mulch our gardens since mulch acts as insulation for tender plants, roots and soil during cooler months. Mulch also protects soils against erosion; conserves water by slowing evaporation; controls certain plant diseases and decorates landscapes.

Mulching is one of the most widely used practices in residential landscapes. Many types of mulch used in planting beds are wood-based; made by grinding waste wood, e.g. pallets, tree branches, etc. The wood mulch is dyed to make it more attractive and to look more like bark, but has a very high carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio. Other types of mulch include synthetic sheeting, ground greenwaste and our favorite - compost.

Research has shown that compost when used as mulch can greatly improve soil fertility and plant growth. In studies comparing compost and ground wood used as mulch on ornamental plantings - mulching with compost increased soil organic matter, microbial activity, nutrient availability and tree growth. Increased microbial activity in soils has been linked to the suppression of many root diseases.

In comparison to wood mulch, the compost had a comparatively low C:N ratio and may act as high quality organic fertilizer as it decomposes. In contrast, high C:N mulch made from recycled wood caused nutrient deficiencies and reduced plant growth. The high carbon content of the mulch stimulated the growth of soil microbes which gobbled up the limited supply of nutrients, leaving nothing for existing plants, resulting in Nitrogen immobilization. Although the nitrogen-depleting effect of mulch lessens over time as it decomposes, this nitrogen immobilization by microbes may harm plants that haven’t established extensive root systems.

To be available to plants, nitrogen must be in an inorganic form, such as nitrate (NO3- ) or ammonium (NH4+). Plants aren’t capable of converting organic nitrogen to these inorganic forms. Fortunately, microorganisms commonly found in soil and compost convert organic nitrogen into inorganic nitrogen, a process called mineralization. Plants may then take up the nutrients released by this process.

Soils in urban and suburban landscapes often lack nutrient rich organic matter because topsoil is usually removed, disturbing soil during construction. Research results demonstrated that mulching with compost increases organic matter, microbial biomass, nutrient availability, and plant growth. The use of compost as mulch supports a healthy soil food web; restoring ecological processes to degraded soils, while diverting valuable natural resources from landfills.

To learn more about compost and its benefits, visit www.GotCompost.com or call Harvest Blend Compost @ 805-347-9998 for helpful recorded info.

Harvest Blend Compost builds healthy soil!

Got Compost: Perennials Hibernate, Too!

2011-12-19T16:25:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Perennials Hibernate, Too!: Of all the seasons, winter has always been the toughest on our garden plants, since the elements become too harsh for tender plants to survi...

Perennials Hibernate, Too!

2011-12-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

Of all the seasons, winter has always been the toughest on our garden plants, since the elements become too harsh for tender plants to survive. When warmer temps plummet into near freezing numbers we find it’s best to prepare our landscape for the season ahead. Among our entire landscape, our perennial flower beds need the most attention.

As we know, perennial flowers are those that bloom year after year, making them a vital component of any landscape. Since perennials retreat underground during winter months, now is the perfect time to prepare the soil around them (carefully.) Putting our perennial flower beds to sleep is pretty much like hibernation for these plants. They lie dormant all winter, gathering nutrition and moisture from amended soil. Warmer spring soil allows them to burst forth, stronger and healthier than ever after a long winter’s nap.

Here is a step-by-step guide to putting your perennial flower beds to sleep:

Cut back all the flowers to the ground. Flowers, stems, leaves, cut everything you see down to ground level. Remember that these types of plants are tubers and bulbs. That’s why they stay alive even if everything visible is cut back; the heart of the plant is alive underground. We like to mark each plant/bulb with Popsicle sticks or (upside down) plastic spoons. This way, we won’t plant on top of existing bulbs in the spring.

Remove the mulch and weed your flower bed. Once you’re done cutting everything, it is time to get busy weeding. First, scrape off all the mulch on the flower bed then pull out all the weeds. Make sure you weed thoroughly, pulling out the roots of the weeds to make sure they don’t come back.

Aerate your flower beds. This doesn’t mean that you have to dig holes in the flower bed. You simply have to stick a pitchfork or small garden spade into the ground and wiggle it a bit. This will loosen your soil, making it easier for the nutrients to reach the roots. Just be careful, you wouldn’t want to hit any existing tubers or bulbs.

Now, spread a thick layer of compost evenly over the entire flower bed. Compost is very important because it adds vital nutrients and oxygen to soil, increasing soil organic matter and water holding capacity. Compost also serves as your flower bed’s protection against the harsh elements that winter may bring. When you spread your compost, make sure that you spread a very thick layer (3”- 4”) over the entire flower bed.

Depending on your location, the layer of compost may be all the protection your soil and bulbs require. If you choose, you may place mulch on your flower bed for some added protection. Once the compost has been spread, just add a fresh new layer of mulch. This will protect your perennials throughout the winter, allowing them to sleep comfortably during the cooler weather.

Follow these simple steps and come spring, you'll begin to see signs of color. Before long your perennials will be back, stronger and more beautiful than the year before!

STA Certified Harvest Blend Compost adds all the nutrients soil needs to increase SOM to the necessary 5% level. For a Harvest Blend Compost dealer near you, click. Or call Jim @ 805.925-2771. Harvest Blend Compost builds healthy soil – Naturally!

Visit the USCC's Strive for 5% Facebook page to learn more about the value SOM plays in creating healthy soil.

Got Compost: Plant a Tree - Insulate Your Home

2011-12-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Plant a Tree - Insulate Your Home: We don't need to be tree-hugging environmentalists to realize the impact trees and other plants have on our immediate surroundings. If you’...

Plant a Tree - Insulate Your Home

2011-12-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

We don't need to be tree-hugging environmentalists to realize the impact trees and other plants have on our immediate surroundings. If you’ve ever hiked through a forest on a windy day you’ve discovered the quiet stillness trees provide. The further in you go, the less wind there is and the quieter everything becomes.

In the natural world trees call the shots; they set the conditions for other plants to grow. They provide shade and keep temperatures down in summer and shelter delicate species from the blasting winds of winter. Homeowners can just as easily use trees and shrubs to protect property from harsh weather.

Keeping a home warm with Trees and Plants

Our recent cooler temperatures have us thinking about various ways to conserve heat and protect our homes from cool winds.

During winter months, most areas of the country experience the usual cold breeze or wind. Once you know which direction it’s coming from, you can set up wind breaks with trees and shrubs. Evergreen species are more effective for this kind of role. Of course deciduous trees and shrubs, those that lose their leaves in winter, offer less protection.

Wish we could list all the trees that would offer your landscape the best protection, but local climate conditions and soils vary so much it’s best to visit your local landscape supply center and ask an expert. Or check out established trees and shrubs growing in your community for an idea of what will work in your neighborhood.

Once you have chosen your species, all you need do is find the most strategic places to locate them. You will be amazed at how much less electricity a well sheltered home uses for both heating and cooling.

Keeping a Home Cool with Plants and Trees

If you’re careful in your planting, shade trees and shrubs can reduce indoor temperatures by as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit, according to some studies. Protecting South facing walls from the full impact of the sun at midday is the most important consideration. If your attic is well insulated, shading the roof is not as important...but every little bit helps.

Strategically placed large tress can achieve shading but of course you need to be sure the roots are not too close to the home or they can damage foundations and/or plumbing. Leafy shrubs can offer similar protection to walls, at least and many species can be safely planted close by. For one story homes, shrubs might be all you need. And fast growing shrubs can offer protection very quickly.

House plants are surprising good at cooling interiors. It is the constant evaporation of water from leaves that gives the cooling effect.

Amend soil with compost to give your trees a healthy start:

You should have dirt/soil from the hole dug for your new tree. Before re-filling the hole with this soil, make sure to amend it with compost. The added organic matter increases soil structure, oxygen and water retention for a healthy foundation. Harvest Blend Compost builds healthy soil and plants. For more info, click here

To better help the homeowner, the US Composting Council has recently unveiled its Consumer Compost Use Program - to clearly identify the types of uses for which a compost product may be used. These uses are:

Remember Trees Need Pruning and Maintenance

Bringing a bit of nature into your yard is one of the joys of home life but trees and shrubs need some care. You’ll need to make time to clear leaves and prune routinely. Enjoy your beautiful trees (and your reduced heating/cooling bills!)

Trees & Shrubs
Flower & Vegetable Gardens
Lawn

Look for these icons when purchasing compost products to insure a quality product and a successful project.
“We now have an easy way for the homeowner to identify quality compost products that can be applied to their specific gardening needs.” Frank Franciosi, USCC President.

Got Compost: Compost Your Pumpkin!

2011-11-09T16:52:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Compost Your Pumpkin!: Pumpkins are at the very heart of our fall celebrations. Halloween and Thanksgiving feature the plump squash, either as a decoration or deli...

Compost Your Pumpkin!

2011-11-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

Pumpkins are at the very heart of our fall celebrations. Halloween and Thanksgiving feature the plump squash, either as a decoration or delicious food, but there’s one problem with this big old veggie. What to do with it when the holidays are over?

Did you know that the Department of US Census Bureau reports that in the USA alone more than one billion pounds of pumpkins were produced in 2010? The $101 million dollar pumpkin industry is potentially disastrous for local landfills. Pumpkins are pretty bulky, so they not only take up a lot of space in the landfill, it also takes a good deal of fuel to get 'em there. If we care about our environment we need to find an alternative to sending used pumpkins to the landfill.

Compost vs Landfill
Pumpkins, which of course are 100% natural, will break down quickly as compost in your yard, providing you with valuable nutrients for your lawn or garden. Pumpkins are an easy addition to your compost pile. All you need to do is to remove the wax and candles and put the pumpkin into your backyard composter. Some composters say it’s better to smash or cut the pumpkin up first before you put it in the composter. The smaller the vegetable matter the quicker it will compost.

New Life for Jack-O-Lantern

Your Halloween pumpkins can enjoy renewed life as compost, bringing a grin to your face when discovering all the benefits compost delivers to your landscape. The organic matter has been transformed into nutrient rich food for your soil - making it the perfect soil amendment and lawn top dressing. Naturally!

Compost Facilities Can HelpThe City of Santa Maria recently implemented a green waste recycling program, aimed at diverting organic materials from the landfill. This is the ideal spot for our discarded pumpkins. Just remember to place your pumpkin in the brown curbside bin...you'll be doing a good thing for your community. Click here for a curbside pick-up schedule.

If your city doesn’t offer this service contact your local compost facility to find out about alternatives. Let’s all pitch in to keep compostable organics out of our landfills! Everything we can do to reduce our contribution of compostable materials to local landfills is a reduction in greenhouse gas production.

For more info, check out http://www.gotcompost.com/ We're here to help you with all your compost needs. Naturally!

Got Compost: Healthy Soil is a Balancing Act

2011-11-07T16:38:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Healthy Soil is a Balancing Act: The health and beauty of a plant or the productivity of a crop is directly related to the health and vitality of the soil in which it grows....

Healthy Soil is a Balancing Act

2011-11-07T16:33:00.000-08:00

The health and beauty of a plant or the productivity of a crop is directly related to the health and vitality of the soil in which it grows. When the pH is wrong, nothing works right - not fertilizers, not weed killers, and especially not the biological components within the soil. When the Soil Organic Matter (SOM) content is low, the soil is unproductive, and crops, trees or turf lack the energy sources to help them grow.

When soluble salts and chlorides are too high, the microbes that live in the soil and help aerate and digest dead plant material (turning them into organic material) are killed, thereby increasing soil compaction. When the soil is compacted, not enough air, water or nutrients can enter the root zone, so the plants suffer greatly.

Is your lawn telling you something?

Our lawns are a great barometer of soil health. They can’t lie, so if something’s wrong with the soil beneath your grass, it shows up in some not so subtle ways.

Symptoms of Sick Soil:

· Bare Patches – if grass won’t/can’t grow, soil is definitely not well

· Shallow Root System – anything less than 6 inches

· Compacted Soil – soil probe penetration less than 6 inches

· Puddling – water quickly runs off or pools in low areas rather than soaking into the soil

· Disease Prone – annual outbreaks of diseases; either the same disease during the same time period each year or different diseases through the season.

· Insect Infestations – like diseases, insect problems are many times related to thatch, but can also be a sign of low levels of soil nutrients.

· Thatch – dead grass stems, blades and roots that are not breaking down into organic matter, but accumulating on top of the soil and creating conditions that favor disease and insect problems, as well as restricting moisture from getting into the soil.

· Weeds – especially if there are a wide variety of weed types.

What causes ‘Sick Soil’?

When nutrients are out of balance with each other or just not available for the plant’s use, plants become unhealthy and are more susceptible to disease and insect attacks.

When secondary & micro nutrients are in short supply, plants become weak and are damaged more easily by wear & tear, drought conditions and insect/disease problems.

Soil in very poor condition may need to undergo a comprehensive soil test to find out what unhealthy conditions exist and what can be done to fix the problem.

If corrections are not made, lawns may develop thatch, weed, insect and disease problems. This means added chemical usage, mechanical intervention and unnecessary costs.

How to remedy sick soil?

Adding Organic Matter in the form of compost will raise, or help maintain, SOM to the 5% level. Top dressing lawns or amending soil with Harvest Blend Compost will correct many symptoms of unhealthy soil by:

1. Improving soil structure, porosity and density to ensure a healthier root environment.

2. Infiltrating heavy soils thereby reducing erosion.

3. Increasing water holding capacity of soil so that water is used more efficiently.

4. Stabilizing pH and improving the soil's ability to hold nutrients.

5. Supplying valuable microbes, micro and macronutrients and organic matter to the soil environment.

6. Helping to suppress soil-borne plant pathogens.

7. Binding and degrading specific pollutants.

When soil is healthy, all plant life is healthier and more productive; better able to survive weather and environmental stresses, and insect/disease attacks.

The US Composting Council is promoting healthy soil through their “Strive for 5%” campaign, educating the public on the importance of building Soil Organic Matter to 5%. Click here for details

Click here for more info on Harvest Blend Compost. Naturally!

Got Compost: Cover Crops & Compost - Protect Your Soil

2011-10-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Cover Crops & Compost - Protect Your Soil: Why go to all the trouble of planting a crop you won’t be enjoying at the dinner table? There are some important reasons not to let your veg...

Cover Crops & Compost - Protect Your Soil

2011-10-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

Why go to all the trouble of planting a crop you won’t be enjoying at the dinner table? There are some important reasons not to let your vegetable plots and planting beds go naked in the winter. Amending soil with compost and planting cover crops will keep soil healthy for next year's harvest by increasing soil fertility.

Using leguminous (from the pea family) seed for cover crops is referred to as "green manure." They’re used to manage a range of soil macronutrients and micronutrients. Of the various nutrients, the impact these cover crops have on nitrogen management has received the most attention from researchers and farmers, because nitrogen is often the most limiting nutrient in crop production.

Here are more specific reasons to plant compost and cover crops -- legumes, grains and grasses -- this season:

1. Soil quality improvements--Soil tilth is improved whenever a plant establishes roots and grows into compacted areas. Water infiltration is improved as well. When a field lays fallow for a period of time, the surface tends to seal and water will run off. Cover crops protect the soil surface and reduce sealing. Also, beneficial organisms in the soil, such as earthworms, thrive when fresh plant material is decomposing. Organic matter levels tend to improve with the addition of cover crops.

2. Erosion control--Cover crops reduce wind and water erosion on all types of soils. By having the soil held in place by cover crops during the fall, winter, and early spring, loss of soil from erosion is greatly reduced.

Fertility improvements--Legumes can add substantial amounts of available nitrogen to the soil. Non-legumes can be used to take up excess nitrogen from previous crops and recycle the nitrogen as well as available phosphorus and potassium to the following crop. This is very important after manure application, because cover crops can reduce leaching of nutrients.
Suppress weeds--A dense growth of winter rye or other cover crop can suppress weeds by soil shading. Allelochemicals (toxic plant chemicals) from cover crops suppress the growth of other plants.
Insect control--Beneficial insects, such as ladybugs or ground beetles, may be encouraged by planting cover crops.

So, In addition to protecting your beds from sun, rain and wind, compost and cover crops add/help build organic matter and hummus content, increase microbial activity, inhibit weed growth and increase your soil's fertility. In fact, plants leave 80 percent of their organic material in the soil, even after they're removed, thanks to their root structure. Why would you want to risk losing all that great organic material by just leaving it out to the elements?

What to plant?

Biomass crops are usually grains like wheat, rye, barley and oats. Grains should be planted in the fall while legumes and vetch can be planted almost any time except during winter freeze periods. A biomass crop also will protect your soil and add carbon to your soil. We just planted a cover crop after harvesting our last vegetable crop and ordered our seed from http://www.groworganic.com/organic-soil-builder-mix-raw-lb.html. Of course, we cleared the plot and amended soil with Harvest Blend Compost. It's easy to get your grain seeds and mixes into the ground. Just rake the soil and "broadcast," or toss, seeds randomly. In no time, you’ll notice little green sprouts making an appearance.

Finally, you can mix legumes, grains and other crops to get a variety. But be sure to pull all the cover crops up before they go to seed in March or May or you'll find yourself overwhelmed with weeds later on. For info on amending soil with compost, visit www.GotCompost.com

Got Compost: Peabody School Completes Playground Renovation

2011-10-13T13:55:00.001-07:00

Got Compost: Peabody School Completes Playground Renovation: On September 30, 2011 a dedication ceremony was held at Peabody Elementary to recognize the completion of the school’s renovated playground....

Peabody School Completes Playground Renovation

2011-10-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

On September 30, 2011 a dedication ceremony was held at Peabody Elementary, in Santa Barbara, CA, to recognize the completion of the school’s renovated playground. Representatives from Engel & Gray, Inc. were on hand to receive a certificate of thanks along with a large poster, containing messages and signatures from the students of Peabody.

Four months ago, Engel & Gray Regional Compost Facility delivered 160 cubic yards of compost to Peabody School, a participant of the City of Santa Barbara’s Food Waste Recycling program. Project manager, Jeff Holbrook, worked with Engel & Gray to arrange for delivery of the donated soil amendment, used to improve soil for a safe, revitalized playground.

Parents, students and teachers appreciate their food waste recycling program coming full circle. The students and faculty have regularly sorted their food waste and other compostables into 65 gallon bins, to be collected by Engel & Gray Regional Compost Facility in Santa Maria. Recycling Peabody’s organic materials into nutrient rich compost for use in renewing the playground is the ultimate in recycling – helping the community to successfully “Complete the Cycle”.
Santa Barbara has a waste diversion goal of 70 percent, and in 9 more years, an ambitious 85 percent.

With time, effort and education, students will learn to recycle and compost like it’s second nature. They will have years of hands-on experience sorting, recycling and composting their waste – and Engel & Gray, Inc will be on hand to serve and support the effort. Naturally!

For more all the details on compost use, click here

Got Compost: Don't Feed Your Plants. Feed Your Soil!

2011-10-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Don't Feed Your Plants. Feed Your Soil!: Still not sure why your soil needs compost? Here are a few reasons: Healthier Plants Plants do best in soil that is teeming with microorgan...

Got Compost: Don't Feed Your Plants. Feed Your Soil!

2011-10-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Don't Feed Your Plants. Feed Your Soil!: Still not sure why your soil needs compost? Here are a few reasons: Healthier Plants Plants do best in soil that is teeming with microorgan...

Don't Feed Your Plants. Feed Your Soil!

2011-10-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Still not sure why your soil needs compost? Here are a few reasons:

Healthier Plants

Plants do best in soil that is teeming with microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and earthworms. These and many, many other organisms (known as soil biota) create a soil food web that provides the nutrients that plants need to grow and thrive. All these organisms create an environment for roots that allow for uptake of nutrients. This is natures “fertilizer”, the ingredients the forests of the world thrive upon.

Healthy plants create their own defense mechanisms that fight diseases and parasites. Adding compost increases Soil Organic Matter, enriching soil so plants are able to draw the necessary nutrients to defeat pests. To be considered healthy, soil requires a minimum of 5% SOM (soil organic matter). Many soils contain less than 1% organic matter, preventing lawns and gardens from becoming lush and green. Think of your checking account; withdraw $20 here, $40 there, never depositing any green. You’d be bouncing checks in no time. Soil is the same. Lawns, gardens and plants ‘withdraw’ nutrients from the soil every day in order to grow. Soil needs a steady income of vital nutrients. No steady nutrient supply = bankrupt soil and lifeless plants.

Would chemical fertilizers help?

Using chemical fertilizer is like drinking a tall espresso. You get a sudden burst of energy, but benefits are short lived - soon you’re crashing, with no energy to complete your tasks. It’s the same with soil, requiring a steady source of nutrients to build healthy plants.

Conventional chemical fertilizers supply only a few nutrients. Like all of us, plants need a wide range, and these are all provided when the soil is alive. Organic composts are the basis of the food web from which all life feeds either directly or indirectly. Simply put - don't feed your plants, feed your soil!

Water Savings

As the level of organic matter is built up, your soil becomes more like a sponge. Water now soaks in rather than runs off. More air space allows more water to be held, meaning you use far less water.

This is probably one of the most important aspects of compost use. As in many states, California is in water conservation mode right now, and using compost can reduce you water consumption by as much as 50%. How great is that! Reduce your water bill while improving/ maintaining a lush landscape.

Improved Appearance

Applying compost to soil, lawns and gardens will drastically improve the appearance of your landscape. Amending soil with compost before planting is ideal, working it into the soil to create the perfect foundation for plant life. Of course, lawns are another matter. Lawn top dressing will renew a dull lifeless lawn without having to tear out existing turf. Simply apply a thin layer of compost (¼ to ½ inch) over the lawn surface. Work it in with a rake or stiff broom, water well and in a few days your lawn will come to life. If soil is compacted, you may want to aerate first. For all the details, click here.

Less Labor

Applying a layer of compost prevents a large percentage of weeds from germinating. For the few that do sprout, the soft soil allows them to be uprooted easily. If cultivating the top layer of soil is part of your normal gardening chores, you can remedy that task with a layer of compost. Soil organisms will work the organics for you. Just sit back and smell the roses!

Improved Pest Resistance

Healthy soils create healthy plants, and healthy plants are good at resisting pests and diseases. Using insecticides kills not only the targets species, but typically kills all the organisms in the soil. The end result is nutrient poor soil and weak plants. The cycle continues where the weaker plants are more susceptible, more pesticides are applied, etc. We don't want to ride that cycle!

For anyone who’d like more info on compost use, visit www.GotCompost.com. You’ll find helpful compost use tips under the DIY/Homeowner tab. If you need compost for your next project you can locate a Harvest Blend Compost dealer here.

Harvest Blend Compost - Building Healthy Soil...Naturally!

Got Compost: Confession of a DIY Composter

2011-09-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Confession of a DIY Composter: OK, hopefully DIY composters will read this and decide there is some value to my message. I’m a little afraid some may want to attack me wit...

Confession of a DIY Composter

2011-09-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

OK, hopefully DIY composters will read this and decide there is some value to my message. I’m a little afraid some may want to attack me with rotten tomatoes. Then I remembered that die-hard composters would never waste good rotten tomatoes! They go in the compost pile, of course!

Here goes, we’ve been composting at home for years now and I have a confession: I buy a couple yards of compost each year from a landscape supply center that carries compost from a local compost facility. They compost locally collected organics, supplying dealers with STA Certified Compost products.

Here are a few reasons to buy bulk compost:

Quantity: a home composter would have a difficult time coming up with enough compost to make serious improvements to a landscape. Many times, homemade compost will need to be supplemented with bagged compost, a costly addition if you’re amending soil or top dressing a lawn.
WEEDS!: Homemade compost usually sits in a spare corner of the back yard, attracting a multitude of seeds from ground and air. When lawns are mowed, seeds can be collected with the clippings, going right into the pile. Seeds can also survive in leaf debris or on mature weeds that you pull from your garden. The only way to kill off these seeds in your compost pile is to monitor the temperature of the pile. Within a week, temperatures in a properly constructed compost pile should reach 130 degrees. That quickly kills many seeds and stabilizes the composted material. But it takes 30 days of exposure to temperatures of 145 degrees or more to kill seeds from tougher weed species. How do you know whether you’ve achieved the right temperature? Though compost thermometers are ideal, you can also reach into the pile. If it is uncomfortably hot to the touch, you’ve probably achieved the temperatures you need.

Sound like fun? Didn’t think so. Plus, most home composters don’t have the time or energy to tend to a compost pile this carefully so weed seeds stay alive in the pile, just waiting for a chance to sprout in lawns and gardens. Leaving them unchecked is the same as physically planting weeds into flower and vegetable gardens.

The Solution

For less than $100 annually, you can bring in two yards of quality organic compost; top dress lawns, load it into flower beds and be done in one day. Can you imagine the time and effort it would take to make 2 yards of compost every year? You’ll be able to put those organic materials to work sooner and see faster results! A definite win/win!

Oh, just a reminder: fall is fast approaching. Our lawns could use a breath of fresh air about now, so why not take a little time and add a fine layer of compost over the entire lawn (top dressing) and work it in with a stiff broom. Water thoroughly and in no time your lawn will be strong and green. Contact your local Harvest Blend Compost Dealer for compost and all the details.

By the way, we’re not going to give up on our compost pile. We’ll continue recycling our eggshells, potato peelings and coffee grounds, for a small harvest of the dark brown stuff. But to keep soil healthy, top dress lawns and grow the veggies our family loves so much, we invest a little "green" to gain a vibrant, healthy lawn and garden. Naturally!

Got Compost: Soil. It's What You Find Under Your Feet!

2011-08-25T15:27:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Soil. It's What You Find Under Your Feet!: What’s the difference between soil and dirt? Dirt is what you find under your fingernails. Soil is what you find under your feet. Think of s...

Soil. It's What You Find Under Your Feet!

2011-08-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

What’s the difference between soil and dirt? Dirt is what you find under your fingernails. Soil is what you find under your feet. Think of soil as a thin living skin that covers the land. It goes down into the ground just a short way. Even the most fertile topsoil is only a foot or so deep. Soil is more than rock particles. It includes all the living things and the materials they make or change.

Soil Organic Matter (SOM) is that fraction of the soil composed of anything that once lived. Most soil lacks enough organic matter to support healthy plant growth. The Strive for 5% campaign was developed to help us increase SOM for healthy soil!

Truly healthy soil has between 3% and 5% organic material. That level can be maintained ONLY IF you add organic matter to the soil at the surface year in and year out. The plants, the earthworms, and the microbes need that additional matter to sustain a healthy soil. In the woods and prairies, that added organic matter came from dead leaves or dead grasses decomposing each year. We need to replicate that process in our lawns to be able to maintain a healthy organic content in our soil.

But few residential landscapes have soil this rich with organic material. The reality is that the soil under American lawns typically contains less than 1% organic material. This is because over a ten or twenty year period not only was no new organic material introduced, but the most abundant natural sources such as leaves and grass clippings were regularly collected and disposed of in our weekly trash pick-up.

A healthy soil needs a steady source of new organic material. It is constantly decomposing and yielding nutrients for the grass plants and must be replaced. The black fibrous material (called "humus") that results from the decomposition of grass clippings and other organic material eventually has little food value left. But, it does have enormous value in aerating the soil, in storing water, and in feeding key microorganisms needed for other tasks.

While leaving grass clippings on the lawn provides some organic material, it is not enough to consistently provide 3 or 5 %. You must provide more. And how may I provide more organic matter, you might ask? The answer is simple; STA Certified Compost! Applying a layer of compost to lawns twice a year (called 'top dressing') adds vital nutrients, increasing soil's water holding capacity and soil structure. Top Dressing is widely recognized by landscape pros as the most environmentally responsible method of lawn care. Compost is also beneficial for erosion control, turf establishment, tree & shrub backfill mix and used in flower & vegetable gardens for vibrant blooms and healthy veggies.

STA Certified Harvest Blend Compost can do many things for your soil. Benefits include:

· Improving soil structure, porosity and density to ensure a healthier root environment

· Infiltrating heavy soils, thereby reducing erosion

· Increasing water holding capacity of soil so that water is used more efficiently

· Stabilizing pH and improving the soil’s ability to hold nutrients

· Supplying valuable microbes, micro and macronutrients and organic matter to the soil environment

· Helps to suppress soil-borne plant pathogens

· Binds and degrades specific pollutants

We encourage you to schedule a visit to one of the participating STA composting facilities to get a first hand look at the commercial composting process. To locate a facility in your area, visit http://www.compostingcouncil.org/ & click on "Buying Compost" under the Resources tab. Please visit the US Composting Council’s website for more information on the Consumer Compost Use Program and all issues related to compost.

And if you need compost for your next landscaping project, be sure to give us a call us @ (805) 925-2771 or email Info@HarvestBlendCompost.com. For the scoop on compost visit www.GotCompost.com

Got Compost: Cover Crops - Summer and Winter

2011-08-04T16:00:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Cover Crops - Summer and Winter: "Why should I plant a summer cover crop? You can get a head start on improving the quality of your garden soil for next season with some sim..."

Cover Crops - Summer and Winter

2011-08-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

Why should I plant a summer cover crop?

You can get a head start on improving the quality of your garden soil for next season with some simple steps taken in the summer - boost the amount of organic matter in your soil with summer cover crops. A summer cover crop will add significant amounts of organic matter to your soil, yielding a variety of long term benefits. Increased organic matter improves the water holding capacity of soil, improves drainage in clay soils and provides a range of macro and micro nutrients that optimize plant health. In a recent study conducted by a university Ag Department in the mid-west, plants that were grown in soils amended with compost did significantly better than those grown in un-amended soil.

Summer’s the perfect time to fix problem soil, so why not go all out! Work 1½-2” of compost into soil before planting your cover crop and you’ll have a vital foundation for future vegetable gardens. After compost has been added just scatter some seeds, water and before you know it you’ll have a carpet of green. A crop of hairy vetch and rye will add nitrogen equivalent to 13 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer and 57 lbs. of biomass to a 400 ft garden.

What are the best seeds to use?

There are several choices for cover summer cover crops in our area. Legumes of any kind make a great cover crop (peas, beans, soybeans, etc.) because they add significant amounts of organic matter and help fix nitrogen in the soil by taking it from the air and passing it into the soil through nodules on its roots. Buckwheat is another great choice. It’s known for its ability to keep unwanted plants in check, making weeding even easier. It matures quickly and can be tilled or dug in in as little as 4-5 weeks. (Remember that even if the cover crop doesn’t reach full growth while in your plot, whatever green stuff is there when you turn it into the soil will make a difference.) It also has pretty white blossoms but be sure to cut them before they go to seed. Another fast grower is annual rye grass which yields huge amounts of organic matter after only several weeks of growth.

How do I do it?

If you can sow seeds you can grow a cover crop. Whenever you have an area that’ll be unused for more than a few weeks, a cover crop can go in. Scatter seeds over the area, rake them in - more vigorously for large seeds like peas- and then water just like you do the rest of your garden. If there is enough time for the crop to get several inches high turning it under is easier if you mow it first. The mowing also chops the plants into smaller pieces which will break down more quickly in the soil. The plants should be turned in when they are in about 75% flower or, for buckwheat, when frost is near, whichever is sooner. A series of cover crops can be grown, one right after the other, if there is enough time in the season.

What about winter cover crops?

You bet! Cooler temps limit the variety of cover crops we can successfully grow, but there are a couple that will do the job.

For organic matter - Winter rye is excellent. It grows vigorously and produces lots of green stuff to turn under come spring. Just remember to turn it under at least 2 weeks (more is better) before you wish to plant your edible crops.

For nitrogen fixing - Austrian winter peas or hairy vetch produce a surplus of nitrogen fixing legumes for spring turning. And those few that don’t get turned in will give you some lovely blossoms, interesting greenery and make for some very happy bees!

Where can I get the seeds?

Check with your local nurseries or garden supply centers. If they don’t have what you’re looking for, click on Peaceful Valley Farm Supply - they’re a great source of many different types of cover crop seeds.

Remember, building your soil through the addition of organic matter is one of the best things you can do for your lawn and garden. Naturally!

Keep in mind the benefits compost offers lawns. A fine layer of compost spread over grass is called top dressing. Experts recommend top dressing lawns twice a year; during spring and fall. For the more info on lawn top dressing, click here.

Got Compost: New Brown Bin = Green Waste Recycling

2011-07-08T15:20:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: New Brown Bin = Green Waste Recycling: "Toward the end of June 2011, Santa Maria City residents were introduced to our community’s new Green Waste Recycling program. Getting to thi..."

New Brown Bin = Green Waste Recycling

2011-07-08T15:14:00.000-07:00

Toward the end of June 2011, Santa Maria City residents were introduced to our community’s new Green Waste Recycling program. Getting to this point has been a long road but thanks to the City’s Utilities Dept., headed by Rick Sweet, we’re on the road to becoming a “greener” community.

Green Waste Recycling may be new to our city but many other municipalities have been separating, collecting and composting this valuable resource for years. Santa Maria tried out a pilot program in February 2009, with every other week yard materials collections for three test areas. Collected materials were delivered to Engel & Gray Regional Compost Facility where they were recycled into premium compost, some of which was used to top dress City parks.

Each household in the pilot area diverted an average of over 360 pounds of yard materials from the landfill for a total of over 280,000 pounds of yard materials recycled during the five month pilot program. The success of this project saved valuable space within the City landfill.

Blue Bin, Brown Bin, Blue Bin, Etc.

By now we’re all used to placing our blue recycling containers out along with the trash bins every other week. All we'll need to remember is to alternate the blue can with our new brown lidded bin; instead of tossing leaves, brush and grass in the trash, we can now recycle these valuable resources by tossing them into the new container that will be collected every other week. One week: blue recycle container. The next week: Brown recycle container. It's that simple.

Our Green Waste recycling program will extend the life of the landfill and defer the capital costs to build a new landfill. In addition, the Solid Waste per Capita Disposal Measurement Act requires cities and counties not only to meet waste diversion requirements for their landfills, but also to implement a number of recycling programs such as a Green Waste program.

What can and cannot go into the Green Waste recycling container?

■ ACCEPTABLE: Leaves, fallen fruit, grass clippings, weeds, plant prunings, small branches, clean wood, plants with little soil

■ NON-ACCEPTABLE: Plastic bags, glass, paper, trash, animal waste, diapers, palm or yucca trimmings, painted, glued or pressure treated wood, rocks, gravel, dirt, asphalt, cement, metal, paint, oil, liquids, hazardous materials

For added convenience, refer to the quick guide label of acceptable/non-acceptable materials shown on the lid of your Green Waste container (brown lid).

How does the program work?

■ Curbside collection of Green Waste (containers with a brown lid) will be every other week, on weeks alternating with Recycling collection (containers with a blue lid), on your regular trash collection day. To assure pick-up, containers must be placed curbside by 6:30 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Please do not place your Recycling and Green Waste containers out the same week. Refer to your collection calendar for extra help.

Where do I place my container out for collection?

■ Please place your Green Waste container next to your regular refuse container, allowing five feet of clear space around each container. If your containers are located on the street, please make sure no vehicles are blocking access to them.

Where can I get more information?

■ For more detailed information about the Green Waste program, along with frequently asked questions and answers, visit the City’s web page or to request a copy of your collection schedule, call 925-0951 ext. 7270.

Got Compost: Add Organic Matter to Soil for a Healthy Landscape...

2011-06-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Add Organic Matter to Soil for a Healthy Landscape...: "If your soil and turf are healthy, you might think that the soil would be able to generate its own organic content. This is not necessarily ..."

Add Organic Matter to Soil for a Healthy Landscape

2011-06-08T11:42:00.000-07:00

If your soil and turf are healthy, you might think that the soil would be able to generate its own organic content. This is not necessarily true.

The ideal soil is open and crumbly, giving the grass roots plenty of room to grow full and deep. When digging, you should find a large population of earthworms and microbes; these are the good guys in your soil. When earthworms, microbes and roots die off they decompose, raising the soils’ organic levels for new soil life. This cycle is referred to as the Soil Food Web, where roots, earthworms, and microbes are constantly recycling themselves.

Truly healthy soil has between 3% and 5% organic material. That level can be maintained ONLY IF organic matter is added to the soil at the surface year in and year out. Plants, earthworms, and microbes need that extra matter to support healthy soil. In the woods and grasslands, that added organic matter came from dead leaves or dead grasses decomposing each year. We need to repeat that process in our lawns to be able to maintain a healthy organic content in our soil.

Very few residential landscapes have soil this rich with organic material. The truth is soil beneath our lawns typically contains less than 1% organic material. This is because over a ten or twenty year period not only was no new organic material introduced, but the main source of these materials such as leaves and grass clippings have been collected and transported to local landfills. What a waste!

Healthy soil needs a steady supply of new organic material. It’s constantly decomposing, adding nutrients for the grass and plants, and must be replaced. Decomposed grass clippings and other organic material don’t have much food value left, but they’re valuable in aerating the soil, storing water and in feeding key microorganisms needed for other tasks. Leaving grass clippings on the lawn might provide some organic material; it is not enough to consistently provide 3 or 5 %. This is why we need to add more.

How can we add extra organic matter, you ask?

The solution is simple, and one you may not be familiar with; top dressing. Top dressing a lawn is the process of adding a fine layer of quality compost to your lawn. The quick & easy method involves simply working the compost into the grass with the back of a landscaper’s rake or a stiff broom (making sure not to smother grass with compost) and watering thoroughly. In only a few days, you’ll notice your lawn taking on a strong, healthy appearance; greening up where before there were patches of brown grass.

The “Professional” method is the same process with one exception; aerate soil before adding compost. If you have an irrigation system you’ll need to make it’s marked with flags before aeration (don’t want to poke holes in pipes now, do we?) Then proceed as you would for the quick & easy method, making sure to water well when finished.

Organic Matter on Surface Is Lunch

When you top dress your lawn with compost, this organic material eventually begins to decompose. More important, the earthworms seek it out and pull it down into the soil and eat it. Happy earthworms = Healthy soil!

If you don’t regularly top dress your lawn, it’s high time to begin. It might sound like extra work, but it’ll pay off big time in contributing to the development of healthy soil; stimulating soil life to provide nutrients and opening soil structure so it holds air and moisture.

Harvest Blend Compost contains premium organic matter necessary to raise soils’ organic levels to the recommended 5%. Locally produced from quality, recycled organic materials, Harvest Blend Compost has passed the strictest testing methods to carry the Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) label. This means our products are free of weed seeds and pathogens, guaranteeing product safety for your lawn and garden.

Healthy soil translates into healthier grass. Growing in soil with 5% organic content, lawns can expand their considerable root systems, reaching deep into the soil to tap more dependable supplies of water and nutrients. They are more self-reliant, less dependent on us for nutrition and moisture. They do not suffer stress. The result is fewer problems with weeds, diseases and pests. Naturally!

For more info on Harvest Blend Compost and all its benefits, go to http://www.gotcompost.com/

Got Compost: Give-Away Distributes Over 12 Tons of Harvest Blen...

2011-05-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Give-Away Distributes Over 12 Tons of Harvest Blen...: "Say you want to hold a workshop to educate the public on all the good stuff compost can do for their lawns, gardens and community. Getting f..."

Give-Away Distributes Over 12 Tons of Harvest Blend Compost!

2011-05-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

Say you want to hold a workshop to educate the public on all the good stuff compost can do for their lawns, gardens and community. Getting folks to come out on a beautiful Saturday morning might sound a little tough, but we found the key: coffee, donut holes and an entertaining presentation! Oh, guess the free vegetable transplants and Harvest Blend Compost might have made a difference.

We had a great turnout at our Pro Am Series Lawn & Garden Workshop at Mussell Center last Saturday, May 21. More than 12 tons of premium Harvest Blend Compost and hundreds of vegetable transplants were given away to participants.

The City of Santa Maria Utilities Dept. set us up in a room next to the Community Garden – really handy since many of the participants have plots there. Our day began around 9:00 a.m. with Bob Engel, Harvest Blend Compost Vice President, taking the floor to introduce us to the composting process. He turned what could be a dry, scientific topic into something we wanted to learn more about.

Our garden/soil experts, Jim Gill and Chuck Nagel, then spoke about:

The importance of healthy soil for a healthy garden: the proper foundation is necessary for a healthy garden. Your veggies and flowers won’t thrive without the necessary nutrients. Compost provides those nutrients, as well as improving soil structure and soils’ water holding capacity.

Sustainable gardening: working with, instead of against, nature. Applying compost to lawns and gardens fits this definition. Buying and reusing recycled organic materials (compost) supports the diversion of these resources from landfills, lessening the impact on this already overcrowded area.

Lawn Top dressing: applying a layer of compost over a lawn, raking it in and watering, will create a strong, green lawn your neighbors will envy. Our authorized Harvest Blend dealers have all the literature you need to do it yourself. Click her for a dealer near you

Outside in the fresh air, guests were able to choose from a selection of vegetable transplants donated by Plantel Nurseries, Inc. Looks like we’ll be enjoying tasty salads of red & green lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and bell peppers this summer!

Even the kids had fun! This little guy couldn’t wait to get home to start his garden and kept asking his mom when he could “jump in the dirt pile” (actually compost, but we didn’t think that would change his mind).

Now it was the big kids’ turn to have fun getting dirty! Bags, pails, wheelbarrows and even truck beds were filled with premium Harvest Blend Compost. Those with a garden plot nearby trucked the compost to their gardens and began working it into the soil.

By 4:00 that afternoon the roll-off had been swept clean! More than 12 tons of compost had been given away to community residents who will now replenish the earth with this valuable resource; growing gardens, top dressing lawns and “Completing the Cycle”. Naturally!

For more info on Harvest Blend Compost click here

Thank you to everyone who donated their time, efforts and resources to make this event a success. We couldn’t have done it without your cooperation.

Got Compost: Sod Top Gardening - a Quick & Easy transformation

2011-05-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Sod Top Gardening - a Quick & Easy transformation: "The problem: your lawn is hurting, the grass is dying, and destructive weeds seem to be winning the battle. Here’s a solution you may not ha..."

Sod Top Gardening - a Quick & Easy transformation

2011-05-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

The problem: your lawn is hurting, the grass is dying, and destructive weeds seem to be winning the battle. Here’s a solution you may not have heard of: create a sod-top garden where before there was only dry grass and weeds. No tilling required!

Sod-top gardening is a simple, eco-friendly way to begin growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, and other plants right in your own yard. All you’ll need are a few layers of newspaper and some premium compost to create a new foundation for plant growth. Over time, the grass and weeds underneath die, turning the covering into a rich, friable humus in just a few months.

While traditional garden prep can be labor-intensive and pollution causing (if using a gas-powered tiller), this method is much easier and non-invasive, so earthworms and other microbes that enrich the soil are not disturbed.

Sod-Top Garden How-To

1. Mow the ground at your chosen site. Cut anything to the ground that you don't want in the garden, such as weeds or tall grasses.

2. Soak newspaper in warm water. Lay wet paper on the ground, six layers thick. This is your barrier that keeps the grass and weeds from invading your new garden.

3. Top with layer of compost - four to six inches in depth.

4. You may wait several months before planting for newspaper covering to turn into nutritive humus.

5. Plant vegetables, herbs, flowers, or shrubs of your choice.

6. Use an organic fish emulsion or seaweed for extra nutrients.

7. Water, and place decorative rocks around the edges, if desired.

Tip: Some gardeners suggest building your sod-top garden in the fall so that the soil will be nutrient-rich and optimized for planting in the spring. Here on the Central Coast we have ideal conditions to begin the process year-round. If you’re tired of your tired old lawn, now’s the time for a change!

Calling all gardeners! This Saturday, May 21, you can get the tools you need to get that garden started. Come to Harvest Blend Compost’s LAWN & GARDEN WORKSHOP from 9:00 a.m. – noon. BYOB: Bring Your Own Bucket and take home FREE Premium Harvest Blend Compost & FREE Vegetable Transplants!

Local experts will be on hand to instruct attendees on the uses and benefits of compost for lawn & garden. Top-dressing lawns with a fine layer of compost adds vital nutrients, increasing soils’ water holding capacity. Added to soils before planting, compost creates the perfect foundation for new plants, ensuring healthy veggies and colorful flower beds. Naturally!

For more info on compost use or details on Saturday’s workshop, visit http://www.gotcompost.com/

Got Compost: Compost – Buy it. Try it. My, it works!

2011-05-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Compost – Buy it. Try it. My, it works!: " This is what compost should look like! This week, the first week in May, is the one week we celebrate all things 'Compost' – and t..."

Compost – Buy it. Try it. My, it works!

2011-05-03T13:55:00.000-07:00

This is what compost should look like!

It's International Compost Awareness Week - the one week we celebrate all things "Compost" – and the reasons compost is the natural choice for responsible soil care. Much of the public has a concept of compost; the heap of food scraps and yard waste DIY-ers keep out back, tending month after month, hoping for one wheelbarrow of prized “black gold” to distribute over an entire yard.

But if you don’t have a year to devote to a compost pile and you’d like to get started on amending soil for your spring & summer gardens. You can buy compost now. That’s right! “Compost” isn’t only a verb; it’s a ready-made product that may be purchased locally. The hard part is in knowing what to look for? How can you tell high quality, nutrient rich compost from the “other" stuff?

The difference between good and not-so-good compost is similar to choosing fresh produce over fast food. Your first stop might be one of the large home improvement centers, where you’ll find bagged products with hard to decipher labels, touting a product that’s sort-of-like-compost. The cheap, too-wet/too-dry, heavy, generic stuff without a lot of info on the label, baking in the sun at a big box store isn’t our first choice (or second, or third, or…) It shouldn’t be anyone’s choice, really. The labels and names on cheap bags of “Maybe Compost” are generally somewhere between non-existent, confusing and extremely misleading (just like the materials inside the bag). Worst of all, this low-rent spread has probably been anaerobic inside that bag for a long time (no air means no live microbes to improve the soil).

Small, local nurseries may carry high end, expensive bagged products and possibly some bulk amendments. Sure, you’ll be able to buy products that say they will improve your landscape, but will they be a quick fix or the long term solution your soil is in need of. A key factor is in knowing where your compost originated. Is there a compost facility nearby? If so, you know for certain they are kept to the highest standards of production; destroying harmful weed seeds and pathogens in order to gain the Seal of Testing Assurance label -always look for compost that is STA Certified.

An ideal product for all your landscaping needs is Harvest Blend Compost, produced on the Central Coast by Engel & Gray Regional Compost Facility. As consumers, one of the most powerful things we can do is to purchase products made locally from recycled materials. Our compost is made from locally collected/recycled organic materials, much of it diverted from our landfill. The composting process occurs when micro-organisms break down organic material (leaves, twigs, biosolids & manures) into a dark crumbly soil amendment. The end product of this recycling process is Harvest Blend Compost; a stable humus product that is rich in nutrients and micro-organisms.

Compost has many uses; as a soil amendment compost adds structure and vital nutrients young plants need to grow; as top dressing, compost opens compacted soil, increasing oxygen and soils’ water holding capacity; use in gardens before planting for vibrant flower beds and healthy vegetables. Stop by one of our dealers for free application sheets to help you do the job right.

All natural STA Certified Harvest Blend Compost is available at authorized dealers near you, from Paso Robles to Santa Barbara. For a dealer near you Click and enter your Zip in our dealer search box

Final note: Composting is a complex process by which raw ingredients are transformed by living organisms and processes. Drying is not the same—not even close. Dried something-or-other can’t do all the wonderful things that living compost does. Naturally!

Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week! Buy Compost

Got Compost: Celebrate Earth Day - build healthy soil!

2011-04-22T16:37:00.001-07:00

Got Compost: Celebrate Earth Day - build healthy soil!: "Gardeners celebrate the Earth every time they plant a seed or harvest a crop. Spring is the natural time to remind ourselves that we may nee..."

Celebrate Earth Day - build healthy soil!

2011-04-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Gardeners celebrate the Earth every time they plant a seed or harvest a crop. Spring is the natural time to remind ourselves that we may need to do a little more to “go green” in our gardens. Here are some tips to do just that!

Buy plants in biodegradable pots. Ball Horticultural Co. and Bonnie’s Plant Farm – which provide millions of transplants to garden centers across the US – are now providing seedlings in biodegradable pots that you plant right in the ground. We’ve used these pots and like knowing we’re doing a good thing for the Earth.

Start your own seedlings in biodegradable pots, such as Cow Pots. Or recycle containers that you already have on hand. We incorporate recycling by starting seeds in foam egg cartons, newspaper pots and 2-liter drink bottles that have been cut in half. How about planting an herb garden in an old gift basket?

Recycle or reuse plastic garden pots. Check with the nursery or garden center when you buy plants to see if it will take the pots back and reuse or recycle them. Many large landscape supply stores do this, so it’s worth it to ask.

Use Compost! If you don’t have the time or energy to make and tend your own compost pile, and it does take both, remember that compost is readily available at many nurseries and landscape supply centers. Compost is made from recycled organic materials, so re-using it to build healthy soil and refresh your lawn and garden, is the perfect way to “Complete the Cycle”. Harvest Blend Compost is the perfect foundation for flower and vegetable gardens. A fine layer of Harvest Blend Compost worked into grass, called top dressing, will make a world of difference; creating a strong, vibrant lawn for family and pets. Click here for all the details.

Be water-wise. Use drip or trickle irrigation and consider reusing some household washing water in the garden. Or use a rain barrel. One inch of rain over 1,000 square feet of area yields 623 gallons. Rainfall at the rate of 1 inch per hour will yield about 10 gallons per minute per 1,000 square feet. It doesn't take long to fill a few barrels of free, un-softened water. The kind of water plants love.

Plant to attract beneficial insects. This is another aspect of using no or fewer pesticides – letting “good bugs” such as ladybugs and praying mantises help you out. Plant for bees, butterflies, birds, and other small wildlife. We humans continue to invade the territory that wild creatures call home, depriving them of places to live, breed, and find the food they prefer. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will help you discover what plants are native to your area so you can grow them and help repopulate our beneficial wildlife.

Using Harvest Blend Compost to build healthy soil is the most environmentally responsible action you may take in the garden. Naturally!

Got Compost: International Compost Awareness Week is almost her...

2011-04-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: International Compost Awareness Week is almost her...: "Congratulations to Heather Lawrence on winning this year’s poster contest! One month from today, International Compost Awareness Wee..."

International Compost Awareness Week is almost here - How will you celebrate?

2011-04-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Heather Lawrence
on winning this year’s poster contest!

One month from today, International Compost Awareness Week begins, running May 1-7, 2011. The theme of this year’s event is “Compost! Reconnecting with Nature." Across the United States and Canada, those who believe in the Compost Message (Completing the Cycle) will be planning events in their communities to promote the value of recycling previously discarded organic materials, freeing up space in our overcrowded landfills. All types of composting events — from “do it yourself” composting in your backyard to large-scale community-wide composting — will be promoted during the weeklong celebration.

What do we mean by “Completing the Cycle?” By recycling organic materials such as yard trimmings, food waste, manures and wood waste, previously used resources can be made into compost and reused as soil amendments; providing valuable nutrients to growing plants. This process illustrates the Organics Recycling life cycle; from earth to plate, and back to the earth – ready to repeat the cycle.

Our Compost Top Ten List -

1. By opening the soil structure, compost reduces run-off and erosion and improves soil’s water holding capacity; protecting groundwater supplies and helping crops withstand dry spells.

2. Compost is more nutrient dense than raw animal manure, and gives longer-lasting results than synthetic fertilizer or raw manure.

3. When made from a variety of plant materials, manures and other organics, compost can provide a more complete range of nutrients for plants than synthetic fertilizer or raw manure.

4. Compost reduces the tendency of clay soils to crust over, which can interfere with seed emergence. It also reduces the tendency of some soils to form compact clay layers or plow pans.

5. By improving soil tilth, compost can reduce the force needed to till the soil. This means less animal power or fuel is needed to operate your farm.

6. High-temperature composting can kill weed seeds, insect pests and disease-causing bacteria, and reduces the odors associated with animal manure.

7. By providing beneficial microbes, compost increases overall biological activity, which in turn improves nutrient cycling and boosts plant health.

8. Compost is known to suppress various root diseases in crops, and can help crops better tolerate insect attack.

9. Compost can build soil carbon and reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. This helps moderate greenhouse gas increases that contribute to climate change.

10. Compost stabilizes soil’s pH, improving its ability to retain nutrients.

Now that we know some great reasons to use compost, where can we use it?

Top dressing a lawn with Harvest Blend Compost benefits the lawn as it adds nutrients to the soil, improving soil quality over a period of time - sandy soils will be able to retain moisture better so the lawn will be more resistant to drought, clay soils will drain better thus improving root development. Another benefit of top dressing the lawn is that it will help to even out any lumps and bumps that are present on an uneven lawn, filling in any small hollows that may develop. Top dressing also stimulates the grass to produce new shoots and so results in denser grass cover, helping combat the onset of weed and moss infestation

Turf Establishment with Harvest Blend Compost opens soil structure, reducing run-off and erosion; adding oxygen and improving root systems and soils' water holding capacity.

Flower & Vegetable Gardens are given a head start when compost is added to planting beds. Flowers grown with Harvest Blend Compost are more vibrant and colorful while vegetables grow big and tasty. Why not try using our compost to grow a big pumpkin this year? You'll be amazed at the difference healthy soil can make!

Tree & Shrub Backfill Mix is improved by adding compost to existing soil. The added nutrients open up the soil, helping roots grow strong and healthy.

However you choose to celebrate ICAW, remember how important healthy soil is to the future of our communities. Then get out there and use compost to beautify your surroundings.

For more info, stop by your one of our authorized Harvest Blend Compost dealers, or visit www.GotCompost.com and click on the Homeowner/DIY tab. You’ll find instructions for all these uses.

Harvest Blend Compost builds healthy soil. Naturally!

Got Compost: Healthy Soil – vital to a healthy landscape

2011-03-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Healthy Soil – vital to a healthy landscape: "Every combination of soil type and land use calls for a different set of practices to improve soil quality, but there are a few standards th..."

Got Compost: Healthy Soil – vital to a healthy landscape

2011-03-28T16:30:00.001-07:00

Healthy Soil – vital to a healthy landscape

2011-03-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

Every combination of soil type and land use calls for a different set of practices to improve soil quality, but there are a few standards that are commonly used in most situations.

Addition of organic matter
Periodic adding of organic matter is vital to many aspects of soil quality. Organic matter may come from crop residues at the surface, cover crop roots, animal manure, green manure, compost, and other sources. Organic matter, and the organisms that eat it, can improve water holding capacity, nutrient availability, and can help protect against erosion.

Whether your soil is naturally high or low in organic matter, amending soil with compost every year is undoubtedly the easiest and most important way to improve and maintain soil quality. Regular additions of compost will improve soil structure, enhance water and nutrient holding capacity, protect soil from erosion and compaction, and support a healthy community of soil organisms.

Practices that increase organic matter include: applying compost/amending soil with compost, lawn top dressing with compost, grasscycling, choosing crop rotations that include high residue plants, using optimal nutrient and water management practices to grow healthy plants with large amounts of roots and residue, growing cover crops, using low or no tillage systems, and mulching.

Avoid excessive excavation
Disturbing/excavating soil can trigger excessive organic matter degradation, disrupting soil structure, causing compaction. Reducing soil damage minimizes the loss of organic matter and protects the soil surface with plant residue. Compost has been used for years to regenerate exhausted, compacted, contaminated and marginal soils. It is critical to revitalize soil health following disturbance of a site through excavation, tilling, remediation, leveling, grading, cut & fill and fire damage.

Carefully use fertilizer and pesticides
In this century, pesticides and chemical fertilizers have revolutionized U.S. agriculture. In addition to their desired effects, they can harm non-target organisms and pollute water and air if they are mismanaged. Manure and other organic matter also can become pollutants when misapplied or over-applied.
Efficient pest and nutrient management means testing and monitoring soil and pests; applying only the necessary fertilizer and pesticide, at the right time and place to get the job done; and taking advantage of non-chemical approaches to pest and nutrient management such as crop rotations, cover crops, and manure management - organic gardening.

Ground cover should be increased
Bare soil is susceptible to wind and erosion, and to drying and crusting, none of which are conducive to growing healthy plant life. Without healthy vegetation animal life may be impacted, potentially suffering from malnutrition and disease. Ground cover and mulch protect soil, provide habitats for animal life and larger soil organisms, such as insects and earthworms, and can improve water availability. Cover crops, perennials, and surface residue increase the amount of time that the soil surface is covered each year.
Ground can be covered by leaving crop residue on the surface or by planting cover crops. In addition to ground cover, living cover crops provide additional organic matter, and continuous cover and food for soil organisms. Ground cover must be managed to prevent problems with delayed soil warming in spring, diseases, and excessive build-up of phosphorus at the surface.

Avoid soil compaction
Compaction reduces the amount of air, water, and space available to roots and soil organisms. Compaction is caused by repeated traffic and/or heavy play on sports fields. Deep compaction by heavy equipment is difficult or impossible to remedy, so prevention is essential. Adding Harvest Blend Compost opens up compacted soils, allowing oxygen and water to reach parched root systems, helping to create a lush, vibrant lawn and garden. Naturally!

Need compost for your spring project? Contact one of our handy Field Reps at Info@HarvestBlendCompost.com

Locate a Harvest Blend dealer near you on Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ptab=2&ie=UTF8&view=map&msa=0&msid=110019273164066754411.00044b6980a8eeffc68db&ll=35.021%2C-120.184937&spn=1.612692%2C2.614746&z=9

Got Compost: Top Dress Your Lawn - the Natural Way to Go Green!...

2011-03-15T16:43:00.001-07:00

Got Compost: Top Dress Your Lawn - the Natural Way to Go Green!...: "It’s spring once again. Time to take stock of your surroundings and make some needed improvements, especially after our winter weather has d..."

Top Dress Your Lawn - the Natural Way to Go Green!

2011-03-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

It’s spring once again. Time to take stock of your surroundings and make some needed improvements, especially after our winter weather has done a number on our landscapes. And what’s the area that suffers most? That’s right, our lawns! Luckily for us, there’s an easy way to liven up turf without a lot of hassle.

A lush, green lawn requires healthy soil as its foundation, but it’s difficult to make changes to the soil once grass has been established. Most gardening recommendations include “working” organic matter into the soil through digging or tilling before planting, but this can’t be done once the grass has grown. So what’s a homeowner to do with an established lawn that’s in need of some serious help?

When done the right way, the technique of “top-dressing,” or adding a thin layer of compost over your lawn, can improve the soil without harming the existing turf. Top-dressing gradually improves soil over time. As organic matter breaks down, it filters through the existing soil to improve texture and overall health. Top-dressing:

Provides nutrients to the soil

Adds beneficial Microbial Activity

Increases Water Holding Capacity

Suppresses Certain Plant Diseases

Increases Infiltration and Permeability

Stabilizes Soil PH

Increases Humus content, helping to bind sandy soils

Improves drainage and drought-resistance

Evens out the terrain

Reduces the need for supplemental fertilizers

Transforms your lawn into organic, low-maintenance, healthy turf

When to Top-Dress

Ideally, do it in early fall or spring since you’ll want to give your grass time to grow through 3-4 more mowings before temperatures change, especially if you are overseeding. There a 2 methods of Top-Dressing: Quick & Easy or the Professional way (aerate before top-dressing)

Quick & Easy Application

For best results, mow the turf short, approximately 1½ inch.
Apply 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of Harvest Blend Compost over existing turf (0.80 to 1.60 cubic yards per 1000 sq. ft.)
Work compost into turf with a rake. You can use the back of a wide 'Landscaper's' rake to spread the mix and 'brush' it into the grasses of the lawn. A good stiff broom will also do the trick. Make sure that the compost does not smother the grass. The grass should be showing through the Compost top dressing. The compost will replenish organic material in the soil with the result that the soil does a better job of holding moisture and nutrients for use by the grass. Compost is naturally full of air channels, so it does not block the air and moisture from traveling into the soil.
Water thoroughly after application.

Purchase Compost for Top-Dressing: You can find a Harvest Blend dealer near you by clicking here. If you’d like to speak to a Harvest Blend Field Rep, email Info@HarvestBlendCompost.com or call (805)925-2771.

Top-Dressing – the professional way

For best results, mow the turf short, approximately 1½ inch.
Flag all sprinkler heads and valve covers to avoid any damage during aerating process.
Aerate the area before top dressing using a commercial aerator or dethatching machine from a local rental store. This opens up the compacted soil to allow oxygen and water to penetrate. After aerating the turf the lawn should look like it is covered with cigar butts. (Do not worry, they will disintegrate and disappear within a few weeks.)
Apply 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of Harvest Blend Compost over existing turf (0.80 to 1.60 cubic yards per 1000 sq. ft.)
Work compost into holes and turf with a rake or drag unit. Use the back of a wide landscaper's rake to spread the mix and brush it into the grasses of the lawn. A good stiff broom will also do the trick. Make sure that the compost does not smother the grass. The grass should be showing through the compost top dressing. The compost falls into the aeration holes to replenish organic material in the root zone. The soil will now do a better job of holding moisture and nutrients for use by the grass.
Water thoroughly.

You can find a Harvest Blend dealer near you by clicking here. If you have questions or concerns, contact one of our friendly Harvest Blend Field Reps: email Info@HarvestBlendCompost.com or call (805)925-2771.

Harvest Blend Compost - We Build Healthy Soil. Naturally!

Got Compost: Garden Dirt: How to Plan a School Garden

2011-02-25T16:11:00.001-08:00

Got Compost: Garden Dirt: How to Plan a School Garden: "School gardens can provide an environment in which students can learn to work with teachers, parents and neighborhood volunteers while growi..."

Garden Dirt: How to Plan a School Garden

2011-02-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

School gardens can provide an environment in which students can learn to work with teachers, parents and neighborhood volunteers while growing plants and learning the relationship between people, plants and nature. The lessons that are taught at the garden site are limited only by one's creativity. School Gardens are a special kind of learning center. Like libraries, they need responsible and knowledgeable people to do all the jobs necessary to maintain them as functional places in which children will learn. They should be seen as permanent additions and must be utilized year-round. Below is a framework you might take into account before starting your garden. A recent survey by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom found that more than 60% of the students thought that cotton comes from sheep and vegetables come from the store. There is clearly a need for agriculture education for urban students. In addition, gardens create enthusiasm for learning, encourage nutrition and foster team-building.

Step 1 - Form a Garden Committee

As a teacher, you don’t have enough time to do it all. You’ll need a team to work the garden, find funds to support the garden, schedule educational activities, find and train volunteers, research and distribute information. Form a garden committee from a pool of dedicated people with those skills, and you’ll increase the success of your program. Look for volunteers among the school staff, parents, and local community. Or if you know of a gardener, ask that person to volunteer or to recommend another gardener. Find out who is interested in being involved by sending out a flyer announcing a meeting. Personally announcing the meeting to local groups (PTA, Rotary Club, teachers, churches, senior citizen centers, local garden clubs, etc.) is even more effective. Most school sites have websites and Facebook pages – posting your flyer on the internet is a great way to get a response!

Step 2 - Define the purpose and objectives of your garden.

Every school garden must fulfill some need or objective. This is why each garden is unique. All teachers utilize the garden as a learning aid. For some teachers it may reinforce natural science classroom studies. For others it may reinforce social studies. Some teachers may utilize the garden across all curriculums. Whatever your needs are, by addressing these issues, you will have a better understanding of the work involved in this stage.

Step 3 - Layout your students gardening activities

By outlining objectives early on, you will have the opportunity to look at your lesson plans to see when and what types of garden lessons are needed. If you need help finding educational exercises and activities, there are many resources available for teachers. You will need to decide which groups of students will be doing what and when, and determine how bed space will be distributed. The experiences and input from your garden committee will be helpful at this stage. This is your opportunity to schedule certain activities at specific times or assign jobs to your volunteers.

Step 4 - Define a year-round garden plan

You have identified what your garden will be like while school is in session. But now, you need to think about your garden during summer break. The main question is, "Who is going to keep this garden maintained until school starts?" "How do you want the garden to look on the first day of school?" A year-round garden plan will account for any school break. After all, we wouldn’t want all that hard work to go to waste over the summer now, would we?

Step 5 - Choose a permanent garden site and design your garden

Your garden site should be in an area that receives plenty of sunlight, has good drainage, and is close to water, electricity and is available to students, volunteers and teachers. The site should have enough room for your garden, tool storage, and students. Maintaining a large garden will use up a good deal of time and energy so select a relatively small area. Be sure to start your garden with the best foundation: healthy soil. Amending soil with Harvest Blend Compost will add structure and nutrients to compacted soil, enabling young plants to grow strong and healthy. Compost increases soil porosity and moisture retention.

For more info, visit www.GotCompost.com

If you need compost to get your garden started, just email us at Info@HarvestBlendCompost.com or EDUCATION@ENGELandGRAY.com

The following concerns should help you decide where plants will grow best:

A Vegetable garden needs 5-8 hours of full, direct sun every day for plants to be healthy - Hoses are heavy and often can't be left in the schoolyard. You will want to build your garden as close as possible to a water spigot or hose bib. Or install one near your garden site.
Drainage - Most plants will die if they sit in soggy soil. Make sure that the site you choose isn't the lowest place on campus. Watch where water sits longest after it rains and you'll know where you don't want to build your garden. You can build a garden on asphalt by using raised beds. If you are going to use soil that is already on campus, it is important to have it tested by a reputable company. Some vegetables can become unhealthy to eat if they are grown in contaminated soil.
Access - The garden needs to be close enough to classrooms that it can be used regularly. A garden that is out of sight is hard to monitor, maintain and enjoy!
Tool Storage - Choose a location to store and secure tools. Make sure it’s close to the garden so transporting tools isn't too difficult.

6 - Build your Garden according to plan

Now is when it all comes together - when teachers, volunteers, students and their parents pool their resources and build a positive addition to the school.

Resources:

Need Compost? email Education@ENGELandGRAY.com.

Welch's Harvest Grant: http://www.scholastic.com/harvest/register.htm

Gardening with Kids: http://www.gardeningwithkids.org/info.html

Got Compost: Got Compost: Recyclables, Compostables, Biodegrada...

2011-02-22T13:36:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Got Compost: Recyclables, Compostables, Biodegrada...: "Got Compost: Recyclables, Compostables, Biodegradables, OH MY!: 'Got Compost: You pick up a package in the market. It reads, “Bi...: 'You pi..."

Got Compost: Recyclables, Compostables, Biodegradables, OH MY!

2011-02-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Recyclables, Compostables, Biodegradables, OH MY!: "Got Compost: You pick up a package in the market. It reads, “Bi...: 'You pick up a package in the market. It reads, “Biodegradable”. You buy..."

Recyclables, Compostables, Biodegradables, OH MY!

2011-02-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: You pick up a package in the market. It reads, “Bi...: "You pick up a package in the market. It reads, “Biodegradable”. You buy it, thinking you’re doing the best thing for the planet, but are you..."

2011-02-18T14:01:00.000-08:00

You pick up a package in the market. It reads, “Biodegradable”. You buy it, thinking you’re doing the best thing for the planet, but are you? The good news is that there are many eco-friendly alternatives to traditional disposable packaging, flatware, cups and cutlery.

The bad news is that the terminology is often confusing and the best disposal method is sometimes unclear. Here's a quick & simple guide to cracking the code:

Recyclable: What does it mean?

'Recyclable' products can be collected and reprocessed to produce new items. Common recyclable materials are: paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum, and electronic waste. Recycling is very important in diverting waste from landfills.

How Do You Identify Recyclable Products?

Many simple paper and plastic products are marked with the universal “chasing arrows” recycling symbol. Many electrical products (mobile phones, computers, printers, etc.) contain parts and materials which can be recycled by taking the products apart. Other products such as batteries, paints and fertilizers can be specially processed to reduce the environmental impact of their disposal.

For more info, visit www.Earth911.org or www.Lessismore.org

How Do You Dispose of Recyclable Products?

The easiest way to recycle is through your municipal curbside garbage program, assuming such a program is available. Find out what sorts of materials are accepted through this program, and how the materials should be separated to ensure they are processed correctly.
Many communities conduct yearly collections of electronic recyclables. For recycled materials which aren't collected curbside, use a service like Lessismore.org to find a local drop-off center.

Biodegradable:

What Does It Mean?

'Biodegradable' simply means that a product will break down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass within a reasonable amount of time in the natural environment. The term 'biodegradable' however has no legal enforcement or definition therefore the term has been used loosely by some manufacturers.

Biodegradability is a desirable feature in products such as cleaning agents. Conventional cleaning agents will often release harmful phosphates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as they break down, but biodegradable versions will not.

How Do You Dispose of Biodegradable Products?

Products that are labeled as 'biodegradable' can be disposed of in your garbage. However it is important to remember that landfills lack the microorganisms and oxygen required for waste to biodegrade in a timely manner, so you should still try to minimize your use of items that are not recyclable or compostable.

Compostable: What Does It Mean?

'Compostable' products are biodegradable, but with an added benefit: when they break down, they release valuable nutrients into the soil, aiding the growth of trees and plants. These products degrade within several months in an industrial composting facility and produce no toxic residues.

Compostability is a desirable feature in traditionally-disposable products such as plates, bowls, cups and cutlery. These products are commonly made out of PLA (Polylactic acid), bagasse (sugarcane fiber) or vegetable starch. It is environmentally responsible to use disposable products that are labeled 'compostable' rather than just 'biodegradable'.

How Do You Identify Compostable Products?

Look for the compostable logo on all bags and packaging. It's the only logo that ensures the item you're buying will effectively break down when taken to a commercial compost facility. This is what the logo looks like:

How Do You Dispose of Compostable Products?

Products that are labeled 'compostable' should enter an industrial composting facility to fully degrade into organic matter.

Note: Engel & Gray operates the only Regional Composting Facility in Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo County permitted to handle all organic feedstocks. Since 1993 Engel & Gray Regional Compost Facility located on the Central Coast of California has emerged as an innovative leader in Biosolids and Green Waste recycling, offering services to municipalities, agricultural, and landscape companies and individuals.

Visit www.EngelandGray.com for more info

Together with the City of Santa Maria and its other partners in composting, Engel & Gray is permitted to recycle 400,000 yards of materials every year – waste that might otherwise end up in our already overused and capacity limited landfills.

If your city has a composting facility, place these products in your compost collection bins to be picked up. Compostable products will typically degrade in 30-120 days in an industrial composter, depending on the product size and material used.

If your city doesn't provide industrial composting, you can dispose of compostable products in your backyard or home composter, but they will take longer to degrade.

Do not put compostables into your recycling! They are not recyclable and will contaminate the recycling process.

Complete the Cycle! When shopping for garden supplies look for recycled and reclaimed materials. When you use Harvest Blend Compost to amend soil or top dress your lawn, you'll be caring for your landscape in the most environmentally responsible way. Naturally!

Got Compost: Got Compost: Grounds for Learning - Education in t...

2011-02-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Got Compost: Grounds for Learning - Education in t...: "Got Compost: Grounds for Learning - School gardens are becoming...: 'Orcutt Jr. High School Garden - growing strong with compost Do our chil..."

Got Compost: Grounds for Learning - Education in the school garden!

2011-02-01T15:19:00.001-08:00

Got Compost: Grounds for Learning - School gardens are becoming...: "Orcutt Jr. High School Garden - growing strong with compost Do our children know where food comes from? Many would answer McDonald’s, Taco..."

Grounds for Learning - Education in the school garden!

2011-02-01T15:19:00.000-08:00

Orcutt Jr. High School Garden - growing strong with compost

Do our children know where food comes from? Many would answer McDonald’s, Taco Bell or whatever grocery store their family frequents. Given the fact that our children are facing a health crisis - we need to go back to where food begins: the garden. And if we think about it, aren’t school gardens the perfect learning environment?

For details on Welch’s Harvest Grants visit http://www.scholastic.com/harvest

School gardens are a powerful way to involve our children in a lifelong love of learning. The garden engages students by providing an active environment for students to observe, discover, experiment, nurture, and learn. It is a living laboratory where lessons are drawn from real-life experiences rather than textbook examples, allowing students to become active participants in the learning process. Math and science curriculum are supported in a school garden, while social skills are strengthened as students learn to work together toward a common goal.

And the end product isn’t bad either - healthy food! Produced through cooperation, physical labor and knowledge gained in this outdoor “classroom”, students may choose to share their harvest with the school cafeteria or donate it to a local food shelter. Whatever the final destination, students have created something good where before there was simply a plot of land.

Another lesson to be learned from a school garden is environmental responsibility. Creating a healthy foundation for a growing garden is vital to the garden’s success. To replenish lost nutrients, soil should be amended with compost before planting. Adding good microbes to the soil increases soil organic matter and water holding capacity, delivering oxygen and nutrients to growing root systems. Plants then have what they need to grow strong and healthy.

Now that the garden has produced all this good food and it’s been enjoyed as delicious lunch or dinner, what happens to the food waste? We can “Complete the Cycle” by recycling those scraps, transforming them into compost. We’ll be saving literally tons of room in our landfill while creating a healthy soil product for future crops. Naturally!

For more info, or for help acquiring compost for your garden, contact Info@HarvestBlendCompost.com

Ten Reasons Why School Gardens are an Excellent Idea

1. Magic happens when a child harvests a vegetable he or she has planted and nurtured. The child will want to eat it! It will increase interest and improve attitudes towards eating fruits and vegetables.

2. Students will learn where food really comes from - a carrot grows in the ground, a green bean on a vine and Brussels sprouts on a stalk!

3. School gardens foster an increased awareness of environmental issues. They will learn to respect and care for the soil, where our food comes from.

4. They will get to share their bounty with their classmates. Eating with their peers is one of the most important motivators for children to try new foods.

5. It gives children an opportunity to be outside and away from computer screens and, at the same time, significantly increase science achievement scores.

6. They improve self esteem, behavior, social skills and interpersonal relationships as well as help develop life skills including working with groups.

7. Research shows that hands-on gardening and cooking programs are the two things that are actually effective in behavior change; they get kids to eat more vegetables.

8. The gardens are beautiful spaces that connect students to their school and help them develop a sense of pride and ownership, which in turn improves attitudes towards school and discourages vandalism.

9. They provide opportunities for community involvement including neighbors, volunteers, parents, and local businesses.

10. School gardens promote good nutrition and exercise. The health of our kids and the health of our planet are fundamentally connected.

Got Compost: Local Field of Dreams is a Reality

2011-01-27T15:50:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Local Field of Dreams is a Reality: "If you’ve followed the progress being made on Orcutt Jr. High’s soccer field, this will be our final installment on the revitalization proje..."

Local Field of Dreams is a Reality

2011-01-27T15:48:00.000-08:00

If you’ve followed the progress being made on Orcutt Jr. High’s soccer field, this will be our final installment on the revitalization project.

On January 20, 2011, the renewed sports/soccer field at Orcutt Junior High was celebrated with a dedication ceremony. Local students arrived bright and early, along with Superintendents Bob Bush, Assistant Superintendent Ken Parker and other administrators, to honor the contributions and hard work of all those who made the project a success. A sign recognizing all the participants, donated by Engel & Gray, Inc., was installed on a wall overlooking the new field.

Does your yard need a breath of fresh air? For more info contact us at Info@HarvestBlendCompost.com

It all began back in May of 2010. This is one of the main fields used by Orcutt United Soccer League: comprised of 1400 children, aged 4 thru 18 in 140 teams. Constant pounding of all those little feet had torn up the field, compacting the soil at the same time. With all this wear and tear, the grass was dry and the soil was unable to retain moisture, creating potholes which made the field unsafe for play. Since children playing on an unstable field are at an increased risk of injury, something had to be done.

A partnership between Nishimori Landscape, Engel & Gray, Inc. and Orcutt Union School District made this project a reality. Local sponsors included Tim Trenkle, President of Orcutt United Soccer League, Orcutt Union School District and Craig Reade of Betteravia Farms.

With direction from Jim Nishimori, old grass was raked and hauled away. After disking, Engel & Gray, Inc. donated and delivered 400 yards of Harvest Blend Compost to be used as soil amendment after which Nishimori Landscape was on hand to spread it over the field. Hydro seeding came next, and soon there was a lush green turf where before there was an unsafe field of potholes.

This beautiful new field illustrates what can happen when a community works together toward a common goal. Drop by Orcutt Jr. High soccer field (across from the District Office – 500 Dyer St.) and see the results for yourself!

For information on how to refresh your landscape, contact one of our friendly field reps at Info@HarvestBlendCompost.com

Got Compost: Humus - Food for Thought!

2011-01-17T16:10:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Humus - Food for Thought!: "Boy, what a difference one letter can make! As most healthy eaters know, “Hummus” is a soft food from Greece and the Middle East that’s made..."

Humus - Food for Thought!

2011-01-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

Boy, what a difference one letter can make! As most healthy eaters know, “Hummus” is a soft food from Greece and the Middle East that’s made from mashed garbanzo beans and eaten cold with bread. Yummy! But take away an “m” and we have "Humus" - another food substance, only we don’t think we'll be spreading this stuff on toast or crackers any time soon.

In general terms, Humus refers to the organic component of soil. Humus formation begins when the organic remains of decaying plants and animals meets up with microbial life in the soil. The carbon compounds contained within the remains were synthesized by the plant or animal when it was alive, and now become food (protein and energy) for the various bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes involved in the decay process. Finished compost is frequently referred to as humus.

Visit www.GotCompost.com for more info

During humification of organic matter, microbes dismantle most of the sugars, starches, proteins, cellulose and other carbon compounds and use them for their own metabolism. Most of the nutrient energy absorbed by the bodies of microbes is re-used by other microbes when they die. Some is mineralized back into plant food and some is transformed into sturdy compounds that build up as elements of humus.

So, we can think of Humus as mainly a gigantic storage battery containing energy that first came from the sun. This energy is used by many varieties of soil organisms that carry out different functions in the soil, like recycling nutrients and changing them into a form that’s usable by plants. Eventually the plants die and slowly decay in the soil where the whole process is repeated.

The best way to sustain the humus in soil is to amend it with quality compost. When added to soil, locally produced Harvest Blend Compost will add nutrients and oxygen, increase soil’s porosity and water holding capabilities while providing a lush, healthy landscape for all to enjoy. Adding compost to gardens or as lawn top dressing is, without a doubt, the most environmentally and biologically sustainable way to maintain soil’s health and fertility. A healthy soil builds strong, vibrant plants which are much more resistant to disease and need less fertilizer. Naturally!

Click here to find Harvest Blend Compost in your area.

Got Compost: Wet Winter Garden Tips

2011-01-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Wet Winter Garden Tips: " January is usually a wet and cold month on the Central Coast, and 2011 is no exception. All that rain in December may have kept you ou..."

Wet Winter Garden Tips

2011-01-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

January is usually a wet and cold month on the Central Coast, and 2011 is no exception. All that rain in December may have kept you out of the garden, but don't let a few puddles stop you. We should see more rain in January, along with cold days and very cold nights – so adding compost to your soil could do a world of good by replenishing lost nutrients. Gardeners on the East Coast and in the Midwest may be busy trying to dig out of the snow - dreaming of spring planting while drooling over seed catalogs - but we Central Coast gardeners can still actively enjoy our gardens.

Click here for a Harvest Blend Dealer near you.

Besides the usual garden cleanup - leaves to rake, pruning and dormant spraying of trees and bushes, local gardeners can still enjoy planting cool season crops. Many folks think nothing much can be planted in what seems to be the dead of winter, but there are a surprising number of things that can be put in the ground this time of year besides the usual bare root roses. Here are some suggestions for your vegetable garden:

asparagus
globe artichokes and rhubarb from roots
broccoli
cabbage and
cauliflower from transplants, if you can find them in a nursery or garden center.

Unfortunately the selection of vegetable plants available at local outlets is limited, so you might consider starting your own transplants from seed next year, or get a head start on spring planting this year with a selection of seeds, such as:

carrots
kohlrabi
lettuce
parsley
peas
radishes
turnips

Yes, we did say lettuce, which will tolerate some frost and can be grown all winter long in our area. Think of fresh lettuce from your own garden, tender and sweet, not that stuff from the grocery store. Leaf lettuce is the best bet, and most rewarding. Did you know that head lettuce (aka Iceberg) was developed in the 1890's? Iceberg became successful because its firm, round shape and long shelf life made it good for shipping long distances – for the first time people could enjoy salads all year 'round, not just in the summer. The downside is that head lettuce just doesn't have the flavor of leaf lettuce, which tastes best when fresh. Our favorite is a Bibb variety called Tom Thumb which produces sweet and tender miniature heads perfect a "single salad" - just add a little dressing and enjoy!

A Word About Compost

Before planting, always add Harvest Blend Compost to your soil. It is the best investment you can make in your garden and an essential step in garden preparation. Compost adds organic matter to your soil, increases water holding capacity, adds nutrients and improves soil health. If you are preparing a garden bed, apply a layer of 2 to 4 inches of compost and work it into the soil before planting. For planting bare root shrubs or trees (rose bushes, fruit trees, berries, etc.) add compost to the soil as you refill the hole in which you are plating them. Add compost and watch your garden grow. Naturally!

Visit www.GotCompost for more info on Harvest Blend Compost

Got Compost: Green: it’s not just for Christmas!

2010-12-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Green: it’s not just for Christmas!: "OK. The presents are opened; the remnants of that holiday meal are just waiting to be discarded. Wrapping paper and cardboard – crumpled and..."

Green: it’s not just for Christmas!

2010-12-27T15:05:00.000-08:00

OK. The presents are opened; the remnants of that holiday meal are just waiting to be discarded. Wrapping paper and cardboard – crumpled and stuffed into garbage bags – is reduced to a faint reminder of the recent festivities.

Does this mountain of wasted packaging give you a twinge of guilt? If so, you’re becoming more environmentally responsible and you’ll want to look into reducing this load. What’s the solution? Recycling! And that means your live Christmas tree too!

"The City will begin its citywide curbside collection of Christmas trees Monday, Jan 3^rd through Friday Jan 7^th ", said Bob Engel of Engel & Gray, Regional Compost Facility in Santa Maria. "Trees will be processed, along with regular green waste, into nutrient rich Harvest Blend Compost to be used as a soil amendment for landscape and agriculture".

Engel & Gray asks that you properly prepare your Christmas tree for recycling: please remove all ornaments, tinsel, and stands. Trees with stands and flocked trees will not be accepted and cannot be recycled. Place your Christmas tree on the curb, at least three feet away from your trash container on your regularly scheduled collection day.Recycling is the environmentally responsible way to dispose your live Christmas tree. Sending them to the landfill is a waste of natural resources. Transforming fresh trees into compost, which is used to make healthy soil and grow more trees, is the perfect way to “Complete the Cycle”.

More Holiday Waste Prevention Tips

You can help reduce the amount of waste generated in Santa Barbara County by taking a few of the following simple steps:

- Flatten, save, and reuse gift boxes, wrapping paper, bows and gift bags;

- Buy cards and wrapping paper made with recycled paper;

- After receiving new gifts, donate old items to a local charity or thrift store;

- Save and reuse holiday decorations (and gift bags) for future years;

- Cut up brown paper grocery bags to wrap parcels for mailing;

- Use comics, old posters, and shopping bags to wrap presents;

- remember: Styrofoam can NOT be recycled. Offer packing peanuts to local private mailing stores. Some companies are using starch based “compostable peanuts” that will dissolve in water or compost piles. Test peanuts by holding a few under running water – if they’re biodegradable, they’ll dissolve.

Now that you’ve recycled that mountain of organic materials, you’re on your way to a brighter, less cluttered New Year. Naturally!

for more info visit www.GotCompost.com

Got Compost: A New Year! Resolve to Keep it Clean

2010-12-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: A New Year! Resolve to Keep it Clean: "We've had an unusual amount of rain recently, which is both good news and bad news. Restoring depleted water supplies is alw..."

A New Year! Resolve to Keep it Clean

2010-12-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

We've had an unusual amount of rain recently, which is both good news and bad news. Restoring depleted water supplies is always a good thing, but how about the bad? Have you thought about the unexpected negative effects this rainfall may provide our lakes and streams? How on earth can organic yard waste contaminate bodies of water? On the Central Coast, rain flows across lawns or hard surfaces such as rooftops, paved areas, and bare soil. As it flows, this runoff water carries sediments, leaves, grass clippings, litter, and other landscape waste into streets and gutters leading to storm sewers. Unlike household wastewater, stormwater runoff receives almost no treatment. As a result any particles that enter the storm drain will probably end up in a stream or lake.

We have a problem when excess nutrients allow the growth of algae and rooted plants in lakes and streams. Too much algae in the water can use up valuable oxygen, kill fish, create bad odors, toxin production, and ugly surface scum. Too many rooted aquatic plants can clog boat props, hamper fishing, pollute beaches and limit fish growth. Although plant material and nutrients slowly build up in lakes and streams, a neighborhood or community with poorly managed yard waste practices can be a major contributor to the problem and cause unnecessary degradation of lakes and streams.

What is Landscape Waste?

Sources of landscape waste include grass clippings, leaves, tree and shrub trimmings, organic mulch, and plant materials from vegetable and flower gardens. By weight, grass is the largest component averaging half of all yard waste. Leaves and brush each provide nearly one quarter. Other landscape wastes add less than 10 percent. On average, nearly 200 pounds of yard waste is produced per person each year.

Managing Landscape Waste. Controlling organic waste and reducing potential contamination of surface water can be accomplished in several ways. One way to control landscape waste is through source reduction. Amending soil with compost, grasscycling and lawn top dressing will reduce large amounts of landscape waste.

Grasscycling is the natural recycling of grass clippings by leaving them on the lawn when mowing. Leaving grass clippings saves time, money, and protects the environment. Mowing takes less time since bagging and disposal aren’t involved. The clippings add beneficial organic matter and nutrients to soil. This in turn reduces fertilizer and water needs, which can minimize nutrient runoff entering storm drains. Be sure to cut grass when the surface is dry, keep mower blades sharp and never blow, sweep or hose clippings onto the street.

Compost benefits
Amending heavy clay soils with compost improves water infiltration and drainage by improving soil structure. Compost also absorbs water and improves the water and nutrient holding capacity of sandy soils. To conserve moisture it is essential to have soil with good water retention. In addition to improving soil structure, decomposing compost will slowly release plant nutrients. Check out Google Maps for a Harvest Blend dealer near you.

Lawn Top dressing
Topdressing the lawn is the process of adding a layer of compost to the lawn surface. Top dressing benefits the lawn as it increases soil quality, adding nutrients and oxygen to plant roots. Sandy soils will be able to retain moisture better, and so the lawn will be more resistant to drought. Clay soils will drain better, thus improving root development. Another benefit of top dressing the lawn is that it will help to even out any lumps and bumps on an uneven lawn, making the surface safe for play. Top dressing also stimulates the grass to produce new shoots, resulting in denser grass cover, which helps combat the onset of weed growth.

Top dressing with aeration: aerating a lawn before top dressing will allow nutrients in the compost to reach the soil. This is the best treatment for hard, compacted soils. Professional aerators may be rented from equipment supply centers.

Using Landscape Waste as Mulch
Using an organic mulch can help gardens in many ways. Mulch reduces weeds by cutting off their oxygen, so they’re unable to grow. Mulch also maintains consistent moisture conditions in gardens. Water loss through evaporation is decreased and soil erosion is decreased by reducing the effect of heavy rainfall. Soil temperatures are modified by mulch. And last but not least organic mulch adds nutrients and humus to the soil as they decompose.

Tree and shrub trimmings are another source of yard waste. These materials are a greater challenge since they are woody and don’t break down easily. They need to be shredded or chipped for quicker decomposition and to reduce waste volume. Chippers and shredders may be available to rent at local landscape supply centers, so give ‘em a call. A 2- to 3-inch layer of shredded bark provides good weed control. Wood chips are slower to decay than shredded bark and can be used for pathway material in gardens.

Limiting Landscape Waste

The best way to deal with landscape waste is to limit its production in the first place, or at least produce as little as possible. Choose trees and shrubs with their full growth in mind. Plants that need little or no pruning don’t produce much landscape waste. Sound yard waste management will benefit the landscape as well as surface and groundwater resources. No matter where you live, the size of your home, or the amount of time and money invested in the yard, everyone can do something to improve or maintain water quality.

Here are a few ways we can help insure clean water and a healthy environment through positive yard waste management.

Add Harvest Blend Compost once or twice a year to build healthy soil and increase nutrients in the soil.
Mow often enough to leave grass clippings on the lawn.
Sweep grass clippings off of paved areas. Place them on the lawn or in a compost pile.
Keep fallen leaves out of the street gutter or ditch, using them around the yard as practical or composting them.
Do not dump yard waste down a storm drain or near surface water.
Plan your landscape with the environment in mind, reducing intensely maintained areas.
Recycle organic waste through sound composting practices and mulching.
Mulch annual and perennial gardens with yard waste compost.
Use organic mulch to suppress weeds, conserve soil moisture, and reduce soil erosion.

Have questions or concerns about compost use? Visit our website for more info. Naturally!

Got Compost: Dreaming of a Green Christmas? Quit dreaming - it'...

2010-12-16T11:06:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Dreaming of a Green Christmas? Quit dreaming - it'...: "The most wonderful time of year? Maybe. Trashiest time of the year? No question. Boxes, Styrofoam, packaging, wrapping paper, disposable pl..."

Dreaming of a Green Christmas? Quit dreaming - it's possible!

2010-12-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

The most wonderful time of year? Maybe. Trashiest time of the year? No question.

Boxes, Styrofoam, packaging, wrapping paper, disposable plates, cups and utensils, bottles, cans and food waste - our trash bins overfloweth. But there are ways we can minimize the amount of waste we produce. Mainly, remember the simple phrase "reduce, re-use, recycle" - and they're in that order for a reason.

Reducing what we buy and consume will have the greatest impact on the environment. That includes the number and type of gifts we purchase and how we acquire them, as well as careful menu planning related to the number of actual guests expected. Look at your trash from a fresh point of view. Getting rid of one bag of trash this season may seem like small potatoes in light of America's mountain range of landfills, but if every household filled one fewer bag, imagine the difference we could make.

Meal planning: reduce before that holiday meal - greening up usually takes a little extra time and thought, but it’s well worth the effort. Here are two options for “waste reduction”:

Casual option: Look for compostable tableware and bags – they may cost a little more than the run of the mill plastic stuff, but you’ll be “Completing the Cycle” by re-using recycled materials. And don’t throw the compostable items in the trash. Does your community collect food waste? If so, be sure to place your compostables in the food waste bin. It may look like trash, but these are valuable natural resources that can and should be recycled into compost. Note: paper plates and cups advertised as biodegradable are made to degrade in a commercial composting facility (read the fine print on the package). Added to a small, home compost pile, they may take many months to degrade.
For more info on Compostable Events and Food Waste Recycling:

melissa@lovecompost.com

Formal option: A meal served on china surrounded by silverware, glasses and cloth napkins will take longer to clean up than disposable dishes and plastic ware (taking labor to buy them, and time and fuel to drive to the store). But china and glass are classier, and you can recruit guests to pitch in after dinner – put on your favorite Christmas tunes and the time will fly.

Tips for a Greener Christmas:

Live trees provide habitat for critters, are a renewable crop, and when grown locally, create local jobs. Making an event out of visiting a tree farm to cut a tree, have a wagon ride and drink hot cocoa can be a pleasant family memory. Note: don’t send your trees to the landfill – recycle ‘em! To properly prepare your Christmas tree for recycling, make sure to remove all ornaments, tinsel, and stands. Trees with stands and flocked trees won’t be accepted and can’t be recycled. Trees over six feet should be cut in half.

www.lessismore.org for more info on Christmas tree recycling and scheduled pick up in your area.

An artificial tree re-used for 10 or 20 years would be cheaper and result in less consumption than buying a live tree every year. However, it can't be recycled and is not biodegradable, so when thrown out, it will be a landfill lump.

Economics can be a challenge of going green. Green goods sometimes cost more, but on the other hand, the prices of trash disposal, pollution and energy continue to rise. Complete the cycle by re-using recycled materials and you’ll be helping your community (and have a Greener Christmas) - naturally!

For more info: visit

www.GotCompost.com

And what about trees? Even environmentalists debate whether a live-cut or artificial tree leaves a smaller footprint. Designate a recycling bin for guests to use, and asking them to bring containers for leftovers. Remember to buy local!

Got Compost: Improve Soil Structure - protect your landscape du...

2010-12-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Improve Soil Structure - protect your landscape du...: "At this time of year we need to make sure our garden soil is in the best shape possible. Cold temperatures and rain can destroy plant life,..."

Improve Soil Structure - protect your landscape during the winter months

2010-12-02T15:50:00.000-08:00

At this time of year we need to make sure our garden soil is in the best shape possible. Cold temperatures and rain can destroy plant life, especially if soil is compacted, sandy or clay based. It isn’t easy to change a soil's basic texture, but you can improve its structure--making clay more porous, sand more water retentive--by adding amendments.

Compost is the most nutrient rich, readily available soil amendment you can choose to improve soil conditions. It’s jam packed with beneficial microbes tired, sandy and compacted soils are lacking. The organic matter opens up the soil structure, increasing oxygen to plants’ root systems, helping them grow strong.

Compost is composed of the decaying remains of plants and animals. As it decomposes, organic matter releases nutrients that are absorbed by soil-dwelling microorganisms and bacteria. The combination of these creatures' waste products and their remains, called humus, binds with soil particles. In clay, it forces the tightly packed particles apart; drainage is improved, and the soil is easier for plant roots to penetrate. In sand, it lodges in the large pore spaces and acts as a sponge, slowing drainage so the soil stays moist longer.

Though the particular organic amendment you use is often decided simply by what's available at the best price, many experts favor compost over all other choices. Harvest Blend Compost is simply your best choice! It’s registered with the United States Composting Council Seal of Testing Assurance program (STA) – a compost testing, labeling and information disclosure program designed to give you the information you need to get the maximum benefit from the use of compost. Only the highest quality compost is awarded the STA label. It’s your guarantee of excellence!

Click here for a Google map of your nearest Harvest Blend Compost dealer

Adding amendments: when and how
New beds for landscape plants should be amended before any plants go into the ground. For long-term benefits, choose an amendment that breaks down slowly. Shredded bark and peat moss hold their structure the longest, taking several years to decompose. It's a good idea to include compost in the mix as well; though it breaks down in just a few months, it bolsters the initial nutrient supply available to soil microorganisms--and these will contribute humus to the soil, improve soil aeration, and help protect your new plants from some diseases.

In vegetable and flower beds: amend the soil before each new crop is planted. Compost is preferred by most gardeners, since they dramatically improve the soil's structure, making it hospitable to the fine, tiny roots of seedlings. Un-amended soil may dry into hard clods that small roots cannot penetrate, and plants may grow slowly, be stunted, or die as a result. Compost will break down after several months--so be sure to add more before you plant each crop.

To add amendments to unplanted beds, spread the material evenly over the soil, then work it in by hand or with a rototiller to a depth of about 6-8 inches. If your soil is mostly clay or sand, spread 4 to 5 inches of amendment over it; once this is worked in, the top 8 inches of soil will be about half original soil, half amendment. If the soil is loamy or has been regularly amended each season, add just a 2- to 3-inch layer of amendment; you'll have a top 8-inch layer of about three-quarters original soil, one-quarter amendment.

Permanent or semi-permanent plantings of trees, shrubs, or perennials benefit from soil amendment too, but you need to do the job without damaging plant roots. It's often sufficient simply to spread the amendment over the soil surface as mulch; earthworms, microorganisms, rain, and irrigation water will all carry it downward over time, gradually improving the soil's top layer. If the plant isn't a shallow-rooted type (that is, if it doesn't have many roots concentrated near soil level), you can speed up the improvement process by working the amendment into the top inch or so of soil, using a three-pronged cultivator.

Where the climate is generally mild and winters are rainy, amend the soil in established plantings annually after fall cleanup. In cold-winter regions with spring and summer rainfall, do the job as you begin spring gardening.

For more info, visit

www.GotCompost.com If you have questions or concerns about compost and it’s uses, we’re happy to help. Naturally!

Got Compost: Foodscraps ► Compost - Santa Barbara Successfully...

2010-11-17T21:50:00.000-08:00

Got Compost: Foodscraps ► Compost - Santa Barbara Successfully...: "On Saturday morning, Nov. 14, the City of Santa Barbara welcomed home a load of dark brown, nutrient rich compost – demonstrating the succes..."

Got Compost: Foodscraps ► Compost - Santa Barbara Successfully...

2010-11-15T15:16:00.000-08:00

Foodscraps ► Compost - Santa Barbara Successfully Completing the Cycle!

2010-11-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning, Nov. 14, the City of Santa Barbara welcomed home a load of dark brown, nutrient rich compost – demonstrating the success of the city’s Foodscraps Composting Program. We say “welcomed home” because the ingredients began their journey in Santa Barbara, where they were collected by Engel & Gray, Inc. and recycled into compost @ their Regional Compost Facility in Santa Maria. Santa Barbara Environmental Services hosted this celebration in honor of the program’s one year anniversary, and the donated compost was there to illustrate the end product of the participants’ recycling efforts.

Photo: SB resident having bucket filled with Harvest Blend Compost, donated by Engel & Gray, Inc.

Who participated?
114 local businesses and 21 schools (8000 students) have contributed the success of this program, separating their food scraps for composting. In the last year Santa Barbara has diverted over 3.5 million pounds of waste from the landfill. Many of us think of food waste as just that -waste. But these vegetable culls, meat trimmings, coffee grounds, etc., are really a valuable resource - a vital component in compost.

During the past year Engel & Gray has collected and transported Santa Barbara's foodscraps to the Regional Compost Facility in Santa Maria. After blending the food waste with additional organic materials (feedstocks) it’s placed in piles, called windrows. The piles are carefully monitoring, insuring a quality product, and in a matter of months the raw organic materials are transformed into quality Harvest Blend Compost. Adding compost to soil will increase soil’s microbial activity and water holding capacity, improve oxygenation, create a healthy root system, bind and degrade harmful chemicals and destroy pathogens.

The ultimate in recycling: when we put compost, made from 100% recycled organics, back into the ground - we’re putting previously discarded materials back to work. Think about it. Instead of allowing these food scraps and other compostable materials to rot in our landfills, transformed into compost they’re put to great use: on lawns as top dressing, in the soil as an amendment, in flower and vegetable gardens, for planting trees and shrubs, and as an environmentally responsible erosion control solution.

While some folks were familiar with compost, Saturday’s event allowed others to discover its many uses and benefits. Residents were asked to B.Y.O.B – bring your own bucket – and fill ‘er up with the donated compost. Santa Barbara has always been beautiful, but adding Harvest Blend Compost to its soil can only make the surroundings more vibrant. Naturally!
Way to go, Santa Barbara! Thanks for being great “sorts”!

For more info on compost, its uses and benefits, visit

www.GotCompost.com

BEE CAREFUL! Use Compost, Forget the Chemicals

2010-11-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

There was an article in our local paper today, shedding some light on the recent problem of vanishing honeybees. This post is dedicated to the hardworking, yet feared and misunderstood, honeybee. Without them, where would we bee? (sorry for the pun)

Recently we began hearing the buzz about honey bees, mysteriously vanishing from their hives. Only the queen bee and a few baby bees were left behind. The odd thing is there were no signs of the usual predators, like wasps, bears and other honey-loving animals. There have also been no signs of bee diseases or mites (they attack full grown bees). In the past, this phenomenon has happened when bees have died of chemical contamination. The concern now is that this is taking place on a large scale.

Why Should Disappearing Bees Cause Concern?
Most of us run screaming when we spot a bee heading our way, but the part they play in our ecosystem should earn them some respect. Since honeybees are the most important insect for the human food chain, so their disappearance would be a tragic loss. The reason being, the honeybee is the main pollinator of hundreds of types of food crops, nuts, flowers, vegetables and fruits. Recent articles suggest that this kind of disturbance in our food chain could result in widespread food shortages. Yikes!

Colony Collapse Disorder
...or CCD, is the title given to the disappearance of bees, and it’s a phenomenon that is very real. As far as scientists are concerned, it’s possible that CCD could impact honey and food production in a big way. Many scientists feel…

Bees Could be Disappearing due to Pesticide use Many think that the growing use of chemical herbicides and pesticides, which are ingested by bees when they make their daily pollination rounds, are a likely reason. Commercial beehives are also fumigated regularly with chemicals to get rid of harmful mites. Genetically modified crops, which could be producing pollen with poor nutritional value, is another suspect thought to be responsible for bees disappearing.

Use Compost Instead of Chemical Fertilizers
Compost is natural. Amending soil with STA approved compost conditions and heals the soil. Binding and degrading harmful toxins so they are no longer a danger means that plants grown in this soil won’t need chemical fertilizers, lessening the danger of bees collecting contaminated pollen. Of course, we need to be careful when using pesticides. There are natural alternatives out there, so we need to be careful when trying to get rid of pests. When it comes to using herbicides on your lawn, there are really no safe alternatives. Your best bet is to top dress your lawn with Harvest Blend Compost twice a year, insuring the healthiest foundation for a healthy, green lawn.

Ladybugs are a natural enemy of many garden pests, so attracting them to your yard will be very beneficial. Ladybug tips:
Want more ladybugs in your garden? Plant plants with pollen or nectar, such as dill, calendula, Queen Anne’s lace, fennel or cock’s comb.

Ladybug larvae are very aggressive against many garden pests. Be sure to learn to identify what they look like so you don’t accidentally kill them thinking they are problem pests.

The next time you spot a busy bee buzzing about its business, stop and marvel at this little creature, thanking it for the great job it does – because if this trend of disappearing bees continues, we may not see them around anymore.

For more info on the natural solution for problem soils, visit www.GotCompost.com. If we can bee of help, don’t hesitate to call or email.

Got Compost: Use Compost - Get Off the Chemical Merry-go-Round!...

2010-10-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Use Compost - Get Off the Chemical Merry-go-Round!...: "OK, by now you all probably know that compost is organic matter that has been broken down through the action of aerobic microbes and the hea..."

Use Compost - Get Off the Chemical Merry-go-Round!

2010-10-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

OK, by now you all probably know that compost is organic matter that has been broken down through the action of aerobic microbes and the heat they produce then subsequently built up into humus. The art and science of making compost for use as fertilizer has been around for centuries. Engel & Gray Regional Compost Facility has combined this art with today’s science, equipment, and proven methods to produce compost that can help solve many agricultural and waste management problems.

More of a bad thing
In the 20th century, composting seemed to disappear as the use of chemical fertilizers increased. Growers thought the “New and Improved” chemical technology was the answer to increasing crop production. The use of chemical fertilizers has increased yields in many crops but their intense use creates crops that aren’t able to defend themselves against insects, microbial pathogens, and invasive weeds. To combat these problems, agriculture has increasingly developed and used insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. In the beginning, the chemicals protected the crops. Soon the crops became resistant, needing stronger, more toxic chemicals to do the same job as before. Only now, communities are in danger from more and more harmful chemicals entering the environment.

Compost – making a comeback!
Compost is an alternative to the agricultural chemicals and fertilizers currently in use. Composting began a comeback toward the end of the last century with interest growing in recent years. Economic and environmental factors have started to change the way the world looks at crop production, the environmental concerns chemical agriculture raises, and the waste society produces. Utilizing compost means fewer chemicals are being put into the soil, while binding and degrading harmful chemicals already in the soil.

Landfills – are they land-full?
Another huge concern: our overused and overcrowded landfills. Many cities ban yard waste from entering landfills and insist on recycling glass, metal, plastic, and paper items. In the US yard waste is increasingly ground and composted either by the municipality itself or by a composting facility that takes the yard waste and composts it. Composting is an effective way to reduce the amount of organic material entering our landfills.

So, what’s the problem?
Compost sounds like the perfect way to get off the “Chemical Merry-Go-Round”, doesn’t it? Most folks will say they believe in composting and all the environmental good it does, but is compost use a part of their normal gardening/landscaping routine? Is the general public aware of the many benefits of compost use? Does your gardener know where to get 3 yards of Harvest Blend Compost to amend compacted soil or top dress a lawn? This lack of knowledge is keeping nutrient rich compost from being put back into the ground to “Complete the Cycle”. All the recycling efforts go out the window if the final product has nowhere to go.

Be part of the solution!
We can all make a difference. Instead of yard waste and food scraps going to waste in the landfill, we can put our valuable resources back to work – as lawn top dressing, soil amendments, in flower beds and also as an environmentally responsible solution to erosion control.

Visit http://www.gotcompost.com to locate a Harvest Blend dealer. Healthy Soil Begins With Harvest Blend Compost!

Got Compost: Pumpkins - Waste Not, Compost!

2010-10-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Pumpkins - Waste Not, Compost!: "Pumpkins are at the very heart of our fall celebrations. Halloween and Thanksgiving feature the plump squash, either as a decoration or del..."

Pumpkins - Waste Not, Compost!

2010-10-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the Department of US Census Bureau reports that in the USA alone more than one billion pounds of pumpkins were produced in 2009? The $101 million dollar pumpkin industry is potentially disastrous for local landfills. As you know, pumpkins are pretty bulky, so they not only take up a lot of space in the landfill, it also takes a good deal of fuel to get 'em there. If we care about our environment we need to find an alternative to sending used pumpkins to the landfill.

New Life for Jack-O-Lantern

Compost Facilities Can Help
If you don’t have your own composter, check with your local city garbage collection service. More cities are implementing green waste recycling as an additional service, and this is the ideal spot for our discarded pumpkins. If your community doesn’t offer this service contact your local compost facility to find out about alternatives. If you use pumpkins at Halloween, make a little extra effort to keep them out of the landfill.
Greenhouse Gas News reports that global methane emissions from landfill are estimated to be between 30 and 70 million tons each year. Most of this landfill methane currently comes from developed countries, where the levels of waste tend to be highest. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that municipal solid waste landfills are the second largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States, accounting for nearly 23 % of emissions in 2009.

Let’s all pitch in to keep compostable organics out of our landfills! Everything we can do to reduce our contribution of compostable materials to local landfills is a reduction in greenhouse gas production.

For more info, check out http://www.gotcompost.com/ We're here to help you with all your compost needs.

Got Compost: Composts - Are They All Created Equal?

2010-10-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Composts - Are They All Created Equal?: "At first glance, this may seem like a silly question. You might be thinking, “Any waste that sits in a pile long enough will decay and turn..."

Composts - Are They All Created Equal?

2010-10-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

At first glance, this may seem like a silly question. You might be thinking, “Any waste that sits in a pile long enough will decay and turn to compost”. Yes, but what kind of compost? Will it be nutrient rich humus or just a damp mess of debris. What goes into the pile and how well it's maintained will determine the quality of the finished product. Reputable compost manufacturers know the best way to insure a quality product is to put it to the test!

How can I be sure the compost I buy is safe for my lawn and garden? When purchasing compost it’s important to look for the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) label. Only composts that have passed strict testing by approved labs may wear this label.

What is STA?
It’s a compost testing, labeling and information disclosure program designed to give you the information you need to get the maximum benefit from the use of compost. The program was created in 2000 and has the approval of many of the leading compost research scientists in the United States. STA is the only compost testing program available to compost producers or compost buyers that provides this kind of information.

How does the STA program work?
All participating manufacturers or marketers regularly sample and test their compost products based on production volumes, or as otherwise prescribed by the STA program administrators.
Participants will complete test analyses for the required compost properties. Also, any and all testing required by applicable State and/or Federal regulation (e.g., pathogens, heavy metals, pesticides, inerts, etc.) to assure public health/safety and environmental protection must be completed.

All lab analyses are conducted at ‘approved laboratories’ which have certified that they are capable of performing the test methods specified in the Program Rules. The Participants, or their compost testing lab, will provide the appropriate lab analyses results (and updated Compost Technical Data Sheet) to the USCC. Test results are available to any person, upon request, using the STA Program’s “Compost Technical Data Sheet”. The Compost Technical Data Sheet includes directions for product use, a list of product ingredients and analytical test results.
A Participant’s composting facility must certify that it is in compliance with all applicable government regulations and it must remain compliant to remain in the STA Program.

STA Certification
The USCC will certify an applicant’s compost product when the specified criteria are met. Only then will the STA label be awarded, assuring the compost buyer a quality product. When buying compost in bulk, be sure to ask the sales person if the compost is STA certified.

Harvest Blend Compost is proud to wear the STA label, providing you with the highest quality compost products for your residential, agriculture and commercial needs (Cal Trans approved!). Check out our website, http://www.gotcompost.com/ for more info. Naturally!

Got Compost: Healthy Turf = Fewer Sports Injuries

2010-10-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

Got Compost: Healthy Turf = Fewer Sports Injuries: "Top dressing playing fields can significantly reduce the number and severity of sports injuries. How can improving the soil actually help in..."

Healthy Turf = Fewer Sports Injuries

2010-10-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

Top dressing playing fields can significantly reduce the number and severity of sports injuries. How can improving the soil actually help increase the safety factor? Well, when a field is dry and compacted, uneven and riddled with pot holes (see photo above) players are way more likely to suffer painful falls or step in one of the pot holes we just mentioned, causing a season ending sprain or tear. Ouch!

Note: Photo taken in May, 2010 right before renovation began. For a look at the after photo, please scroll to the bottom of this post.

How About Artificial Turf?
The dangers here are related to the playing surface becoming compacted and uneven in spots. We also need to remember the risks associated with heat build-up on artificial turf. These conditions can take their toll on an athlete, no matter what his/her age or level of play.
In May of this year, Orcutt Jr. High Soccer Field was in need of help: the turf was hard and uneven. You couldn’t take more than 10 steps without hitting a pot hole. The field would be vacant for a few months, so it was the perfect time for a renovation! Engel & Gray Regional Compost Facility to the rescue! A team of community partners was assembled to carry out the project. What a difference top dressing can make!

Here, the field is being disked - loosening grass,

rocks and old dirt for removal a little later

When the field was cleared of old grass and debris, Engel & Gray began delivering the twelve truckloads of Harvest Blend Compost they had donated for this project. All in all, this amounted to 400 cu yards of compost! Amending the soil with compost added valuable nutrients while increasing soil structure and water-holding capacity. Compost acts as a kind of conditioner for problem soils, with the added oxygen giving a boost to fragile root systems.

Workers from Nishimori Landscape are busy spreading compost evenly over the field

Pre irrigation sprinkler pipe was generously

donated to the effort by Craig Reade

Craig and his company were also responsible for the final disking and laser leveling of the area.

Then it was time to Hydro-Seed the entire area. It was so nice to see it all coming together, especially since this process colors the field a nice green while adding the seed.

And here's the field, dressed in a coating of green hydro-seed. Kind of gave everyone a hint of what was to come!

July, 2010: the first blades of grass made their appearance! A little patchy, but coming in nicely.

August, 2010: the new turf enjoying it's first watering

Finally, the field was ready to take on the pounding of little feet! Thanks to our community partners, and with help from parent and student volunteers, local residents will be able to enjoy their own field of dreams for years to come. Naturally!

For info on top dressing your lawn, or compost use in general, visit:

www.GotCompost.com

Harvest Blend Compost - Healthy Soil Starts Here. Naturally!