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’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.

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 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

Improve Soil Structure - protect your landscape during the winter months

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!