Drought Conditions Call for Healthy Soil!

With persisting drought conditions and water shortages here in California, drought-tolerant  
landscaping is definitely the way to go. While planting drought-resistant plants and water conservation are important factors, truly drought-tolerant landscapes begin with the soil.

For plants, grass and trees to be able to thrive in drought conditions, they require nutrient-rich soil that is properly aerated and able to disperse water efficiently. To prepare soil for a water-wise landscape, you should first till and loosen soil roughly a foot deep. Highly compacted soil makes it difficult for roots to spread. It also makes it harder for water to penetrate the soil adequately before it evaporates. Important to keep in mind is the fact that healthy soil is as important to landscapes comprised of rocks and cacti as it is to those with lawns, shrubs and flower beds.

Once the ground has been loosened the addition of compost, rich in organic matter, will provide the nutrients your plants need to grow healthy and lush even in tough conditions. Soil straight from your backyard just won’t do the job, neither will just any compost off the shelf of your local garden supply center. All compost is not created equal. As a result of the variety of organic materials that go into the compost feedstock, there can be a wide variability in the characteristics and quality of compost products. As a result, you may ask, “How do I buy compost that meets my landscaping needs?”

One answer is to purchase only compost that complies with the terms and conditions of the USCC’s Seal of Testing Assurance [STA] Program. This will provide you with the information that you need in order to make an informed buying decision

Ideally, you should prepare your soil and complete your planting before the hottest and driest parts of the year. If your plants have time to develop a healthy and deep root base before the hottest and driest parts of the summer, they will be stronger and better able to withstand drought conditions.

After you have prepared your soil and completed your planting, you should then cover the ground with a thick carpet of mulch. Not only will mulch reduce the number of weeds that will use up water and nutrients, it will prevent the water from evaporating at ground level before it has time to penetrate the soil.

Because almost all drought tolerant plants have a vast, far-reaching taproot that seeks water out deep below the soil’s surface, well-amended soil is a must when planting a drought-tolerant garden. Compost must be added to native soil if drought-tolerant plants are to survive. Even if you are planting a sloped area, adding 1 or 2 inches of compost to native soil is imperative; water must soak deep into the soil where, in times of drought, plants’ taproot systems can have access. Adding Harvest Blend Compost to your native soil will greatly improve the texture, aeration and draining capacity, so this should be your first priority when planting a water-wise garden. Naturally!

For more info email info@harvestblendcompost.com or call (805)925-2771

 

Spring Cleaning in the Garden

Spring has sprung. In California this season normally signals warmer temperatures, strong breezes and the dwindling of our rainy season. For Central Coasters though, the weather still carries remnants of winter chill and dampness.

So what’s a gardener to do, you ask? We suggest you slog through messy garden beds and soggy lawns to assess your landscape’s condition. If you’re like most of us, general garden clean up is in order. Yeah, yeah, we know…the maintenance end of gardening holds little magic for most of us, yet it is crucial to the success of spring and summer planting.

Some garden jobs best done in March and April:

- Lawn top-dressing

- Plant bare-root (packaged) perennials

- Tend flowering shrubs – clean up spent blossoms, feed with acid fertilizer

- Sow annuals – cosmos, nasturtiums, sunflowers and zinnias

- Sow: carrots, spinach and chard

- In April – set out transplants of tomato, peppers and squash

- Sow: beans, corn and squash

- Water

Interestingly enough, the rainy weather helps indentify low spots that might hamper drainage. Make note of these areas, using soil amended with compost to fill them in. Since it’s too early to do much planting, you’ll want to focus on prepping soil for future plantings; both flower and vegetable. In addition, you may amend surrounding soil as well as soil in planting beds you’ve designated for spring and summer vegetables.

Victory Garden author James Crockett calls compost “the caviar of organic materials” for its ability to retain moisture and provide the necessary 5% Soil Organic Matter to soil. Harvest Blend Compost is a premium compost; wonderful for use as lawn top-dressing, soil amendment, tree and shrub backfill mix and in flower and vegetable gardens. Click here to locate a Harvest Blend Compost dealer near you.

To amend soil with compost: you will first need to loosen the soil. If the soil is too wet from too much rain, let the soil dry for a few days as wet, heavy soils are difficult to work. For dry soil or new garden plots that have not been worked before, a thorough watering a few days ahead of time will make your job easier. Using a rototiller for large areas or a fork and spade for existing beds, break up the soil to a depth of approximately six to twelve inches (the lower range is appropriate for existing beds).

Spread compost evenly over soil. Blend compost into the soil using a gardening fork or your rototiller (if you don‘t own a rototiller, they’re often available through equipment rental locations). After you have thoroughly worked the materials into the garden soil, level the area with a rake.

Your soil is now properly replenished for the upcoming planting season. Over the next few months, the organic amendments you have added will continue to break down, building healthy soil for a plentiful gardening season ahead; providing a slow-release of nutrients that will benefit growing plants. Remember, these nutrients won’t last forever and should be replenished periodically throughout the year.

Many organics naturally occurring in your yard are ideal for building up your garden soil. A simple lawn mowing provides one of the best resources for organic garden soil improvement. Mow your lawn and bag or rake the shredded leaves and grass clippings to work into your soil. Not only will the grass and leaf bits break down to provide essential soil nutrients, but they will work to loosen and aerate the soil as well, increasing root health during the next spring and summer growing season. This will aid in soil drainage, too.

Before you know it, we’ll be experiencing warm evenings and even warmer days; perfect for planting all the tasty vegetables we’ll be enjoying throughout summer and fall. Naturally!

For more info on compost use and benefits, visit http://www.gotcompost.com/

Top-dress for Success

And Help the Environment While You’re at it!

Did you know that -

Santa Maria’s storm drains aren't connected to the City's wastewater treatment plant? When surface water flows through streets from storms, any pollutants run into storm drains. Storm drains flow directly, without treatment, to the Santa Maria River or into the nearest local retention basin where the water percolates back into the groundwater. Both our river and our underlying groundwater eventually flow to the ocean. Any pollutants found in the water, stay in the water untreated, and causes ocean pollution affecting our beaches, our coast, and our ocean life.

A major contributor to the pollution problem is lawn pesticides. Think about it - if there was a way to make your lawn lush and green without using harmful pesticides and harsh fertilizers, wouldn’t you want to know about it? The key to a good lawn is healthy soil. It’s the foundation of a vibrant lawn. If your soil is dry and compacted or clay based your lawn won’t be able to get the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Root systems need room to grow and that won’t happen in tired, dry soil. Healthy soil contains high organic content and is teeming with biological life, supporting the development of healthy grass that is naturally resistant to weeds and pests. Once established, an organic lawn uses fewer materials, such as water and fertilizers, and requires less labor for mowing and maintenance. More importantly, your lawn will be safe for children, pets and your local drinking water supply. Follow these tips to start transitioning your lawn and you'll be well on your way to a lush, green, pesticide-free landscape.

Top-dressing – what is it?

The process of applying a layer of compost over the surface of a lawn is called Top Dressing. Top Dressing may be applied after lawn aeration, or alone as a Quick & Easy application. Golf courses and sports fields have always realized the value of top dressing the turf, but this practice has only recently become popular on home lawns. Top Dressing with Harvest Blend Compost is the most environmentally beneficial way to a greener, healthier lawn. Naturally!

When should I top-dress the lawn?

Spring and fall are the best times to top-dress. Lawns based on poor soil will benefit from top dressing the soil twice each year. Lawns based on good quality soil might not need top dressing every year but if you want a lush, green lawn then once a year will keep it that way. Professional greens keepers regularly top dress to ensure a top quality turf. If you want a beautiful lawn that can meet professional standards then you should top dress your lawn annually.

What product should I use for top-dressing?

Harvest Blend Compost not only beautifies your landscape, it’s environmentally responsible and benefits your landscape 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 – so they stay out
of our water system

If you need more info, or want to know where to find Harvest Blend Compost, visit us at http://www.GotCompost.com
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