Halton Hills Newspapers

Acton Free Press (Acton, ON), April 25, 1984, p. 53

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Dont discard clippings make a compost pile Georgetown Acton April 1964 Dont throw away those grass clippings and potato peelings Make a compost pile your garden will love you for It Soil from a compost pile is exceedingly high in hum us content and rich in plant nutrients Use it as a top dressing for lawns or im prove the soil texture in your flower and vegetable gardens Compost is also valu able as polling soil for houseplants and in the preparation of seed flats Building a compost pile is simple says Mike of the University of Gudphs grounds department Choose a partially shaded location to maintain a more even degree of moisture in the compost pile and protect from the coldest winds Most important chose a site that is easily not much household waste is go ing to be composted if you have to walk through wet grass or climb a snowbank Be sure the location is well drained On a waterlogged site a different type of decomposition can take place that causes foulsmelling gases Dig the area over well or pave it with patio slabs spaced to leave drainage channels You can construct a wooden container or build your compost pile of a convenient workable size about centimetres to 183 centimetres our to six feet wide and cm to cm three ft to four ft high and of any desired length Use a coarse material such as inverted sod or weed stalks at the base Then alter nate layers of organic refuse and soil Al most any organic material including animal manure if available can be used Avoid very woody materials and diseased plants Soil- m Make the top of the pile concave to catch as much rain as possible If you use dry materials such as hay or straw soak the pile thoroughly as you are building the pile Occasionally add a sprinkling of ground limestone available at garden centres to the pile as you build It to reduce acid condi tions which can impede decomposition Keep the compost moist but not wet Once a month turn the pile rebuilding so that the outer portion is placed in the centre of the pile Breakdown of organic matter occurs as the heat in the pile increases from zero degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Fahrenheit During winter months cover the pile with clear plastic to allow sunlight to heat the pile and prolong decomposition Remove plastic occasionally to allow air into the compost pile Time required to convert raw organic materials into a good humus suitable for garden use depends on a number of factors such as climatic conditions moisture con tent of the pile type and size of materials us ed and whether or not a commercial ac tivator to speed decomposition is used Bacterial action is more rapid in warm climates than in colder regions green materials decompose more rapidly than more woody materials and smaller materials break down faster than larger Use of some commercial activators can also speed the process of decomposition to such an extent that it is possible to obtain an humus in three to four months These ore available at local gardening cen tres Freshmaterial Slightly decomposed Partly decomposed Nearly decomposed Patio slabs or well drained sail Drainage channels- Win lawn weed battle Win the weed battle in your lawn this year through good lawn management says Horticulturist Jack of the Universi ty of horticultural science department Most weed seeds require light for germination In a thick lawn insufficient light at the soil level prevents or reduces weed seed germination To produce a thick lawn avoid mowing lower than four centimetres to five centi metres in height inches to two Inches Mow every six to eight days during good growing weather and return the dippings to the lawn to mulch Apply a ratio fertilizer at the rate of 15 kilograms to kilograms nitrogen per too square metres per growing season three pounds to four pounds per 1000 square feet Apply about two cm in of water at seven to 10 days Avoid sprinkling the lawn because this provides a moist seed bed for weed germination To kill weeds Ihey must be ac tively growing so that the herbicide is taken up quickly Herbicides should not be applied during drought or high temperature stress Most weeds can be selectively removed with postemergence herbicides Dandelion and plaintain are killed by 24D Mecoprop is effective for controlling dovcr and black medic wilt control weeds such as prostrate knot- weed two or three herbicides are ed together to provide broad spectrum weed control Wo do decorative window bars wrought Iron railings porch columns room dividers custom ornamental work Install replace vinyl top railings real estate sign holders custom plant bribing lib CUSTOM FABRICATION 55 Sinclair Ave- Georgetown For FREE ESTIMATE Cal 8770887 or 874422 BLOWS Versatile portable available at OPEN MONDAYTO FRIDAYS Country Mart Ltd 8339332 coWHsmirTfcaiaMioiocfMitMOmioFAcrow

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