Category: Agriculture

By Rick Hirsch/AgriLife Exentsion Agent

Homemade compost is popular with gardeners and landscape enthusiasts. Compost is an effective, efficient and natural way to treat the soil and you can make it yourself.

Composting is the controlled biological decomposition and conversion of solid organic material into a humus like substance. Various microorganisms such as bacteria, actinomyces and fungi break down the organic compounds into simpler substances.

During composting, the microorganisms consume oxygen while feeding an organic matter. By properly managing air, moisture and nutrients, the composting process can transform large quantities or organic material into compost in a relatively short time. Continue reading “Agriview: Making Your Own Compost”

By Rick Hirsch/County Extension Agent

May welcomes the approach of summer – a change of season and warmer weather. Busy days of gardening and landscaping are in store for outdoor types in completing spring chores and in preparing for summer. If you are looking to take up gardening, you’re going to need a shed to store any equipment. Gardening can be done on a budget, check out these sheds for sale today.

Plants should be mulched with pine straw, straw, leaves, etc. to conserve moisture (this may not seem important now but it will in June and July). A 4″ – 6″ mulch will help to control weeds and keep the soil cooler during the summer months. You may want to think about establishing a compost pile or bin if you don’t already have one. Organic materials such as leaves and lawn clippings will decompose when mixed with soil to form a good organic garden soil. Water from time to time adding a commercial fertilizer to aid in the decomposition process. When the time comes you can always add in something like https://agron.io/products/emerald-harvest-emerald-goddess-2-1-4 to increase nutrient levels even further. Continue reading “Agriview: Busy Time for Gardeners”

By Rick Hirsch

The answer is yes! Yes it is time to fertilize your lawn if you have not done so already this spring. Mid April is a good time for the initial lawn feeding if you have common Bermuda or St. Augustine turf in your landscape. It’s now time to get out my favorite mower and give my lawn all the care it deserves this spring.

A healthy, vigorous turf is a goal of most homeowners. Comprising the “essential element” of most landscapes, all good lawns start with three basic management practices – fertilization, watering and mowing. Remember, too, that a healthy lawn is less prone to insect, disease and weed problems. If this is something which you think will be too much for you then you could get some extra help from a professional such as Acworth Landscaping Company. They can do all hard work for you, all you have to do is sit back, relax and make sure to pay them at the end.

Soil fertility is important in a maintaining healthy, growing grass. The best way to find out which analysis of fertilizer is ideal for your lawn, how much of the fertilizer your lawn needs and when that fertilizer should be applied is to soil test. A kit with complete instructions is available through your county Extension office. If a test is not available or convenient, the following plan will work for most lawns, but a soil test is the best way to go. The rate of fertilizer application, the frequency of application, the ratio (N, P & K) of nutrients and the source of nitrogen all have a great deal to do with how fast the lawn grows. Continue reading “Agriview: Yes, It is Time to Fertilize Your Lawn”