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Show The Daily Herald ; Sunday, October 13, 1896 With garden winding down and leaves beginning to fall, it is time to think compost. It is a shame to waste a!! the excellent humus you can make with a compost pile by burning your garden wastes or sending them to the city landfill. What is compost? It is any organic material, animal or vegetable, that is partially decomposed to be used as a soil amendment. Compost can improve the quality of garden soil be improving its ability to retain moisture and oxygen content, both ingredients needed by the plant roots. How do you build a compost pile? It needn't be elaborate. A ring of snow fencing or chicken water makes an excellent container for compost. To be effective, it should be no smaller than three feet square. That is the smallest sie to i enough heat for rapid generate ' composting. The compost pile can be placed in concrete enclosures, wooden boxes or een pits in the ground. ; Many gardeners plow leaves and ; clippings into the soil at the end of season. This material will ; the j break down in time, but it doesn't have enough mass to heat up. If the pace and the garden sie to justify it. you can build three in a row. The first is empty, j bin. i waiting for compot to be added, i The second contains compost in progress and ready to turn, and the contains decomposed com-- ; ; third post ready to be worked into the garden soil. For an above-groun- d compost pile, don't build it to high. A pile ; five or six feet high is too tall to . turn or work efficiently. Further-- I more, the sheer weight of the I material may compact it so the ; oxygen is pressed out. and the moisture and microorganisms that work to decompose the material can't function. What materials are best for ; ; composting? Using a variety of materials will give you a better ! balance of pH and nutrients. You n.-I can leaves, grass clippings, weeds (if they haven't gone to seed), spent garden plants that are . not diseased, straw, sawdust, !hay. domestic animal manure. paper (not colored) and kitchen scraps. Some gardeners don't recom-- ! mend all kitchen scraps because they can attract rodents. It is important to reduce the materials to the smallest particles possible. Large garden branches ! think compost ?nwXut ill break down, but it could take vears Many gardeners invest in electric or shredders to break down the materials. Composting will reduce the bulk of waste materials from d to For paper and wood chips, a shredder is essential. By PAUL WILLS w hurry to get the compost, you y ay want to try some, but a fine compost pile can be built without them. Moisture is also needed. The new pile should be about as moist as a w rung-osponge. Too much moisture will make it impossible for the microorganisms to do their work. It's just like an over-- atered plant: the oxygen supply is cut off. Should the pile be turned? Yes, If it is possible to do so. Turning the pile, or chopping through it, 1 will allow for the penetration of more oxygen, which the pile needs to heat up more. At the outer edges, your pile may contain leaves and grass that Garden Editor look gray or powdery. This is a fungus material which thrives in How do you build the pile? It the cooler areas. It is less effective in breaking down the material than is best to build it up in layer four to six inches in depth, alternating dry the heat and microorganisms in the and green materials. As you build center. It is a good idea to turn the pile, add moisture and a layer these gray materials into the center of the pile so they can decompose of manure if it is available. Othermore rapidly. wise you can sprinkle some comCan I keep adding to the pile? mercial fertilizer that is high in nitrogen over the layers. Nitrogen It is better to start a second pile than to add to one that has already is used up in the process of decomstarted to decompose. in it the accelerates fact position; How can I use compost? The process. You don't w ant to w ind up best use is to work it directly into with a compost that is totally so provide the pile the soil before you plant. It can with more nitrogen. It is better to also be used as mulch on top of the soil to retain soil moisture and add too much than not enough. Mist nurseries and garden sup- nutrients. Some gardeners even use it as potting soil for house ply companies offer compost activators - material that w ill speed up plants, although it should probably the decomposition. If you are in a to sterilized first. gas-driv- Newspapers Knigrrt-RicW- Consider adding little bulbs to your garden en one-thir- one-tent- ut Fa UcUfl ZiisiagfEisaVy1 nitrogen-d- eficient, The leek is an outstanding member of the vast onion family, though it still is largely unknown and untried in our home gardens. This potential w inner is a large, that you white onion look-alik- e sometimes see displayed in supermarkets with large price tags, but seldom find growing in this country. Some plant researchers consider it the next vegetable most likely to succeed with us gardeners, and. indeed, there are indications in supermarkets ftnd elsewhere that it is growing in popularity. This trend is surprising only in that it has been so long in coming. The leek is a very popular fall vegetable in Europe where so many of our ancestors originated, and it is sometimes referred to there as the gourmet's onion. But the leek has enough character to stand on its own as a favorite of those w ho seek good things to eat. It does not form a bulb like the onion: instead, it makes a cylindrical white stem underground, topped by flat and heavy leaves. The leek is milder in taste than the onion, but the sweetness and flavor do not disappear in the cookpot. Instead, they seem to "enhance and bind flavors together as few other ingredients do," according to one garden catalog. By NANCY BRACHEY Knight-Ridde- r Newspapers Bold, bright and beautiful, tulips, hyacinths and daffodils grab the spotlight in March and April. Yet the scene isn't complete w ithout a smattering of little bulbs. Small, often tiny, these flowers brighten the scene from the first blooms of snowdrops in icy January to the blue blaze of scilla well into May. Now is the time for action to add these charming and inexpensive assets to y our garden. You see anemones, eranthis, galanthus, muscari. irises, crocuses, leucojum. scilla and other little bulbs in catalogs and in boxes at garden centers, usually near the n Oxford tulips bigger, better-knoand Dutch Master daffodils. Because many of these little bulbs are native to very cold regions of Europe and Asia, they'll want to bloom in January or February. Our winter feels like their spring. The small, winter crocuses, in soft shades of yellow, blue and lavender, bloom several weeks ahead of the Dutch crocuses, often emerging in the gray gloom of midwinter. The Dutch versions have larger flowers and, in addition to white, come in brighter shades of golden yellow and bright purple. w Snowdrops are another early winner that never fail to charm, with their glistening white flowers that rise 6 inches on sturdy green stems. These are botanically named Galanthus nivalis. The common name is confused sometimes with the snow flakes, whose flowers look similar, but the snow flakes grow twice as tall and don't bloom until April. Plant your snowdrops in a place that stays dry in the summer because this will extend the life of the bulb. Winter aconites are another early bloomer that look wonderful against the background of a tree trunk. Botanically. this plant is named Eranthis cilicica. The flowers are small yellow blossoms that resemble buttercups. They are quite short, just a couple of inches above ground: give them only a thin layer of mulch. A few others to consider are: Leucojum aestivum. the g snowflake, is a charming, asset to the flower bed. Chionodoxa luciliae. This is a lilac blue flower that grows jus! 6 inches tall and makes a good companion for early yellow daffodils. n Iris reticulata, a plant, this dwarf iris is particularly gorgeous in royal blue. . long-lastin- rock-garde- I ' - - . :- w. r: -- - - - - 1 ; ; ; ' Tropical plants come indoors for the winter By NANCY BRACHEY Knight-Rida- Newspapers The first chill of autumn signals that one of two destinies are ahead for tropical plants. Either freezing weather will get them, probably in late October or early November, or you will save their lives by bringing them indixrs for the w inter. The second choice is this: Tropical house plants must come indoors when night temperatures sink to 50 degrees. Some tropicals, such as ferns, spider plants, dieffenbachia and dracae-nmake the move indoors rather easily because the low light they require is typical of most homes. ; But larger plants, such as hibiscus and mandevilla present a dif--; ferent set of challenges to the gar-- ; 0 GGG a. , dener: bright light and space. Both plants grow quite large. The hibiscus can evolve into a 'large shrub, the mandevilla vine. into something resembling Jack's bean stalk. Neither are suited for the living room mantel. But That doesn't mean they should await death by freezing. Tropical mandevilla may go into cool dormancy through the winter. Before temperatures drop below 40 degrees, cut it back to about I foot and withhold water Then store it in a cool but not freezing corner of the garage, storage shed or the crawl space under your house. Water the plant a few times during the winter, especially during warm stretches of weather, say 60 degrees or higher. Next April, wake it up by placing it in the shady outdoors during warm days and giving it water-solubfertilizer. The tropica! hibiscus needs a different treatment. Pick a sunny spot indoors, estimate the size the plant should be, then trim it back now. Treat it like a house plant. ; As our guests, we'd like every nation to take home memorable images of us and the Olympic Winter Games in Utah. It all begins with a General Theme. (And that begins with will remember from our games. At this time, it requires no your input.) The General Theme will help shape the images the world drawing, no "slogans," no artwork of any kind. Anyone can participate. All you need is a sense of pride in our area, and a desire to share your feelings and ideas. We appreciate any thoughts or suggestions you may offer by filling out this form. Hosting the world in 2002 is a once in a lifetime opportunity. im 3ar ' le G0G.G.OCD0O tfOG GO I Which of the following do you like best about Utah's landscapes? Rugged mountains Q Canyonlands Q Modern cityscapes 2. Which of the following would you like visitors to remember about our itn,vi acst rxi: 3. Which of the following best describes Utah's heritage? Ohmpk Winter Gomes? Native Americans PioneersSettlers Natural beauty Ql Story of our heritage CowboysRanchers Peoplehospitality Quality sport competitions Early explorers Unique Olympic Winter Games Mountain men Olympic focus Children Q Changing seasons inal lh public outreach activity arranged by tfie Salt lake Organizing Committee for me Olympic Winter Gomes of 2002 ideas for the Olympic Winter Gomes of 2002. I hereby acknowledge and is tor me (SlOC! purpose of snoring, discussing, and developing title, ond interest (including, but not limited to, copyrights and rights ogree that wiP waive all rights and claims, and assign to SlOC all rights, m trademarks, and service marks) in ideas, information, or materials that I may share in the public outreoch octivity. SlOC may use, My j 4. Which of the following important to nclude n t theme of our Ohmpk Winter Gomes? Q Friendly people Q Diverse landscape Deserts I aim J t r understand any develop, modify, or register with respect to the foregoing without limitation, ond without any financial, moral, or other obligation to me Signature of Participant or Guardian of Minor exoiieeie forrra cannot be accepted. Printed noma et Participant or Guardian of Minor 6ewl Theme wriN be amounted in 1997. 5.0lher suggestions or ideas. International focus Please read, sign, dale and send this form by October 31, 1996 to: Ovtreorh Activity Box 115020 Soft Lake City UT S4M74C20 SLOC Pubftc K Thank You CCBynV W4SWX Mntfrnm-- mi |