Bed Prep and Compost
With topic of bed preparation and compost there are a lot of issues. But with issues there are always solutions, and that is what my special assignment group is aiming to do so we can create a bountiful garden.
Bed preparation is preparing the bed to grow crops. One method of bed preparation that is effective is double digging. Double digging makes the bed fluffy and very easy for roots to grow in and for water to reach the plants. The process of double digging is quite simple. To double dig a trench has to be dug across the trench horizontally (preferably) and 12 inches deep. Remove that soil and soften up the dirt that was dug out. Then put that soil back into the trench and repeat this process until the entire bed is double dug. It is important not to step on the dirt that has been double dug because this will compress the soil. Compression of soil won’t allow adequate water flow to the plants roots which will then in turn, kill the plants in the long run. Of course this is only one method used to prepare a bed for planting. There are a lot of different methods that can be used for any garden.
The accomplice to bed preparation is composting. Composting is the decomposing of bio-degradable and organic matter into. Some things that are good for composting are: all organic waste from your garden and kitchen, all fruit, vegetables, flowers and leaves, tea and tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells (preferably crushed). Some more things good for composting are: weeds, grass, shredded twigs, prunings and cuttings. Also Waste paper including tissues, kitchen towels, newspaper, printer paper, corrugated paper/card and cardboard but not too much; it should all be torn up or crumpled and well mixed in with the rest of the compost.
There is more than one way to compost. Different methods of composting include, pile compost, closed bin compost, and worm compost. These are just a few methods on the list of many. Pile composting (also known as heap composting) is a form of composting consisted of throwing bio-degradable materials into a heap and letting the pile decompose over a period of time. The pile should be turned periodically to ensure everything (bio-degradable material) is being decomposed. Closed bin composting is the exact same thing as heap composting except for the fact that all compost contained in a bin. Worm composting is a very good method of composting because worm castings are very rich in nitrogen and other nutrients vital to good soil. Just like bin composting, worm composting is done within a bin.
Of course not everything can be composted. There are a lot of things that shouldn’t go anywhere near compost piles as well. Basically anything that is non bio-degradable (anything that cannot break down over time) cannot go into a compost pile for the obvious reason; nothing will happen. Non bio-degradable items include metals, plastics, radioactive waste, etc.
With all the advancements in science applied to agriculture today, the future of our compost and crops for that matter isn’t looking so bright. Because of chemical and man-made pesticide use in current agricultural practices across America, farmers are unknowingly slowly killing their crops. Pesticides are any substances used to kill pests harmful to crops. Herbicides, another form of pesticide used to kill weeds around the crops are just as corrosive as pesticides. The thing is, pesticides and herbicides have chemicals that are actually harmful to the soil. Pesticides kill bacteria in the soil which play a key role in gathering nutrients for the soil. So basically, more pesticides equal more dead plants in the long run because of malnourished soil.
There are pros and cons to pesticides as viewed differently. Some pros are that with the help of pesticides there are claims that people have been saved from diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and typhoid. Also they destroy unwanted pests. Now some of the cons are that pesticides have a negative effect on wildlife and soil. One major con is that approximately 275 weeds and about 500 insects have adapted to become resistant to at least one pesticide. Because of this adaptation to pesticides, farmers today are losing more crops then in the 1940’s.
Pesticides will soon be the major cause of decreasing crop yields each year. After creating such nutrient compost, we don’t want that all to go to because we just don’t want to use pesticides. This is where the alternatives come in. There are many methods that can be taken into account that will help protect crops and leave absolutely no waste to the environment. The first alternative is the most tiresome of all, and that is handpicking all the weeds in the garden. If a garden is very large, this may not be the best option seeing that a farmer would have to weed the garden for an immense amount of time. Another alternative is technique called “trap planting”. This is where a plant(s) is/are purposefully planted away from the crops that the farmer wants to keep safe that will definitely attract pest. By using this method, pests will migrate to that plant and then that plant can be removed from the garden. The last method to mention is called “companion planting. This is when a crop with a natural repellent is planted next to another crop that has a pest that the other crops repellent repel away. To put it in simpler terms, a crop that repels a certain pest is planted next to a crop that has pest that the first crop repels against. Not only will alternative methods protect the compost, but also the plants growing in them as well.
Alternatives with pesticides aren’t the only thing that people today can do to perfect their gardens. We also need to take into account how the capacity at which we can compost. On average, a household wastes about 14% of the food bought. According to a study done at the University of Arizona, roughly 40-50% of produce ready for harvest never gets eaten. With that being said, there needs to be an implementation of compost bins all around America, even around the world at some point. If All Americans composted the 14% of food wasted each year (taken into account what can and can’t be composted), not only would their food go to waste, but this alternative would make for a very sustainable household. As for the 40-50 percent of food wasted on farms, if they implement compost bins on their farm and start composting their food wasted, that would do wonders for their garden. If Americans could get started on this path of non wastefulness, we could improve the stated of farms across America, and nothing would go to waste.
Alternatives to well know practices know today are the key to a brighter and healthier future for all. All we need to do is take the time to do what is right and make the world a better place.
Sources
“Pesticides.”2009.Wikipedia. 14. Oct 2009
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“Herbicides.”2009.Wikipedia. 14. Oct 2009.
Ann R. Waters, “Alternatives to Pesticides”.2009 Pesticide Control Program. 14. Oct 2009.
“Some Tips on Making Compost” 2001. Envocare. 14. Oct 2009 .
“Composting Methods.” University of Illinois Extension. University of Illinois. 14. Oct 2009.
“Composting with Red Wriggler Worms.” City Farmer. 2009. Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture. 14. Oct 2009.
“On average, American households waste 14 percent of their food purchases.” 2004. The Medical News. 14. Oct 2009.
“Pros and Cons of Pesticides.” 1998. Pesticides. 14. Oct 2009.
