DIY Homemade Berry Lip Stain

Lip stain holds an important place in every girl’s vanity box. Lip stain usually stays for a longer period than an ordinary lipstick. Moreover, it is smudge-proof and waterproof; therefore, you need not reapply it constantly throughout the day. Lip stains look more glamorous than lipsticks and give a subtle touch to your looks. Lip stains bought from the market may dry out your lips making them look more chapped and flaky. That’s why; it is advisable to go for the natural homemade ones. Here is the recipe to prepare your own chemical-free berry lip stain at home. It’s very easy to prepare, and you will for sure love its color and flavor.

Ingredients:

• 3 raspberries
• 3 blackberries
• ½ strawberry
• ½ teaspoon olive oil or sweet almond oil

Instructions:

Step 1- Microwave together all the three berries- raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries, until they become soft and tender. Step 2- Next, take them out of the microwave and mash them well to extract their juice. Use the back of a spoon or an electric blender to squeeze out the juice from the berries. Step 3- Add olive oil or sweet almond oil into the mashed berries. Step 4- Next, strain the juice out of the berries with the help of cheesecloth or coffee filter. Step 5- Transfer the contents into a clean and airtight jar. DIY homemade Berry Lip Stain is ready to shine on your lips! Tip: Since this lip stain is made out of fresh berries with no preservatives, it is advised to store it in a refrigerator to keep it safe and fresh.

How to apply?

You can simply apply this lip stain with the help of a cotton swab or a lip brush. And, for the sake of adding more sheen to it, apply a lip gloss over it. If you have chapped or flaky lips, lip stain will make flakiness more prominent. Hence, it is advisable to first exfoliate your lips, and post that, apply lip stain over your lips. Exfoliating will also keep your lips softer and smoother. Source- https://www.homeremedyhacks.com

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How To Get Rid Of Slugs In Your Garden – 9 All NATURAL Ways

Have you ever asked yourself “How To Get Rid of Slugs in Your Garden“? When planting a garden, slug menace and snails seem to show up in many gardens. Small in size compared to other “garden pests” slugs and snails can cause lots of damage to your plants and garden. Trying to get rid of garden slugs can be a challenge. Most garden owners use commercial slug pellets.

Going that route is not the best idea. For starters, when rains arrive the commercial slug bait becomes less effective. You cannot take advantage of this product at a time when a garden is bound to have the snails and slugs active and feeding. The other downside is the fact these commercial slug control products happen to be toxic. Hence, they can be harmful to the different wildlife and birds, typically found in a garden.

Throw in the desire to grow organically, and you eliminate some of the slug control options right away. There are many non-toxic natural ways by which you can get rid of slugs in your garden. Our favorite is using diatomaceous earth for controlling slugs and snails in the garden. Read on you’ll find 9+ all-natural ways to battle slugs and snails in the garden. Check them out below. Throw in the desire to grow organically, and you eliminate some of the slug control options right away.

There are many non-toxic natural ways by which you can get rid of slugs in your garden. Our favorite is using diatomaceous earth for controlling slugs and snails in the garden. Read on you’ll find 9+ all-natural ways to battle slugs and snails in the garden. Check them out below.

Change Your Watering Schedule

The snail and slug are known to be active during the night and comfortable in wet conditions. Making simple adjustments to your watering schedule can effectively reduce slug damage in your garden. So, if you have slug problems and you water in the evening, switch the watering schedule. Water in the morning instead as plants and the ground will have ample time to dry up before nightfall.

Use Diatomaceous Earth In Your Garden

Commonly known as insect dust, one of the many uses of Diatomaceous Earth is for controlling slugs and snails. DE the remains of skeletal microscopic creatures. It’s sharp and jagged, scratching soft-bodied pests such as slugs leading to their dehydration. Apply Diatomaceous Earth as a powder, sprinkled around plants and garden beds. It can also be mixed with water and applied as a foliar spray. Always purchase Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (buy it here) for use in the garden to enjoy all the advantages of natural and non-toxic slug control.

Use Seaweed As A Soil Amendment

Get your hands on some seaweed. Besides being an excellent natural slug repellent, it also happens to be a good soil amendment. Slugs don’t like seaweed because it is salty and slugs hate salty stuff. You need to mulch it around the perimeter of the bed or base of the plant. Pile the seaweed about 3” to 4” inches thick. When mulching, keep seaweed away from plant stems.

Use of Copper Tape Strips

With the help of non-toxic Slug Shield (copper-based), you can effectively keep away slugs. This metallic mesh can be wrapped around the flower pots or placed in the soil on edge to make a barrier/fence like construction.

• Cut 2 inches of copper and attach it around the lower part of the flower pot.
• Copper strip barriers will be effective around the wood barrels bring utilized as a planter.

Slug shields are not only weather-proof, non-toxic metallic, and reusable but it also happens to quite long-lasting. But why the mesh is made with copper? Well, a slug will get a mild shock (electric-like shock) when it will come in contact with copper. Hence, the product is made with copper only.

Add Coffee Grounds To Soil

According to a study in June 2002 in the journal Nature stated:

“We have discovered that solutions of caffeine are effective in killing slugs or repelling slugs and snails when applied to foliage or the growing medium of plants.”

They discovered that slugs die when sprayed with a caffeine solution. The study also suggested spraying the caffeine solution on the plants to ensure slugs do not eat them. Note: The caffeine required to kill off the slugs are at a higher percentage than what it is in a normal cup of coffee. The rate is based on a natural caffeine based commercial spray. The caffeine percentage required is a solution of 1-2%. You can protect the plants in your garden to some extent with regular coffee grounds. Sprinkle a very small amount of used coffee grounds on top of the soil to ensure slugs can’t come in contact with the plants.

Install An Electronic Slug Fence

An electronic slug fence is a safe, non-toxic method for slug and snail control. The fence is twenty-four-foot-long, with a 5-inch ribbon-like barrier “powered” by a 9-volt battery. When slugs and snails touch the fence, they get a mild electronic shock. It will not kill the slugs, it only makes them look for somewhere else to forage. The “slug fence” will not harm other animals. So, your pet, birds, and different wildlife will be safe from the fence.

Give Them Some Stale Beer

Beer traps are a popular option. Slugs and snails love beer! Take a wide, shallow jar and put in a little stale beer. Bury the jar in the soil to the neck level. Prop up the lid using a small stick or stone to avoid rain diluting the beer. Leave enough space for the snails and slugs to enter the trap. When the slugs crawl inside the jar for beer, they drown, thus ending your slug problem.

Setting A Trap With Black Plastic, Grapefruit, and Overturned Flowerpot

When it comes to a natural method of slug control, you can get rid of lots of slugs at the same time by capturing them via a trap. Consider overturning a flowerpot and/or keeping grapefruit halves near the plants the slugs attack the most. This kind of trap will lure in many slugs that you can get rid of all at once with the help of an organic slug killer. Besides these, if at night you keep black plastic or a wood board near the plant, in the morning you will see slugs taking shelter in their “hiding places” for the day. You can also use this opportunity to kill them. Slug Repellents Made With Garlic Several brands like ECOspray Ltd. and others are introducing effective natural garlic-based slug repellents. More and more studies and test results are showing highly refined garlic products can kill slugs. [source]

Lava rock

Barriers made with lava rock make it difficult for the slug to get to the plants. Like DE the insect dust, it happens to have an abrasive surface.

How To Get Rid Of Slugs Using Crushed Eggshells Around Plants

Crushing eggshells and sprinkling them around plants works sort of like diatomaceous earth. Eggshells also work as a soil amendment when they decompose.

Pick Them Off By Hand

Overturn a flower pot, prop up the rim with a stone. Leave overnight, slugs will crawl under it and you can easily pick them off and dispose of them. Grapefruit halves as mentioned above work in a similar way and have the advantage of the good smell of fruits acting as bait. Setting a wide board on the ground in affected areas is also a simple method. The slugs will crawl under the board.

Give Slugs A Dash Of Salt!

Visit your garden at night with a flashlight and salt shaker. Look for the plant damage by inspecting the leaves even on the underside. Sprinkle a little salt on the slugs and watch them die!. This is the last resort and not particularly pleasant. Don’t use too much salt, it can hurt the soil.

Commercial Slug Baits

Commercial slug baits are made with two different formulations: Ferric Sodium and Ferric Phosphate. Ferric Phosphate happens to be non-toxic in nature and effectively reduce slug problems. Ferric Sodium is toxic in nature and is effective in controlling slugs. However, when using commercial slug baits select products that contain a Ferric Phosphate formulation. Note: Use this product somewhere near the plants and not directly on it or on the bed. This product takes time to kill slugs, meaning a slug can damage the plant to some extent before dying. 


Source: https://plantcaretoday.com

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20 Great Ways to Use Baking Soda in the Garden

Baking soda has been used in cooking to help make finished products light and fluffy and to leaven bread for hundreds of years. It has also taken center stage in recent years as a natural, chemical-free cleaning product for the home. It has also been used to remove food odors from the refrigerator, but did you realize that baking soda also works in the garden? Yes, that’s right. The powerful all-natural cleaning agent can also be used in the garden. Expert gardeners use this substance in a variety of green cleaning methods and to get rid of many harmful pests. Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate and is a highly alkaline substance for your garden as a natural cleaning agent, to care for plants, a soil amendment, to control weeds and pests, to treat fungal diseases, and more. Here are twenty ways you can use baking soda in your garden.

Baking Soda in the Garden

If you are one of the millions of households that have switched to green living, then baking soda has become an integral part of your life. Along with being a fantastic green cleaner, it has dozens of uses around the house and in your garden. If you are serious about tending an organic garden, then baking soda should be one of your top tools to use throughout the growing season.

Baking Soda Cleans Plant Leaves

Plants need photosynthesis to survive. To help all your plants make the most out of the sunshine, they do receive; you need to keep their leaves clean. You can do this by lightly wiping them with a sponge or cloth that is dampened with a diluted solution of water and baking soda. Add a half a teaspoon of baking soda to a liter of filtered water to make this gentle cleaning product.

Gives Your Plants a Boost in Your Garden

If your plants look listless, use baking soda to give them a little boost. This recipe can be used to water your plants to perk them up again. Add the ingredients to a large bucket. Stir to dissolve the baking soda and Epsom salt. Pour the solution on your plants monthly to perk up all your plants. Roses really like this treatment.

Baking Soda in the Garden

• One-gallon filtered water
• One teaspoon baking soda
• One teaspoon Epsom salts
• ½ teaspoon ammonia

Baking Soda Stimulates Blooming

Begonias, hydrangeas, and geraniums all like more alkaline soil. Since baking soda is alkaline, help stimulate their blooming by watering them monthly with a solution of two quarts water and one tablespoon baking soda. Feeding these plants every month with this unique tonic will have them blooming all season.

Keep Fresh Cut Flowers Longer

Mixing a tablespoon of baking soda with two quarts of water is a great way to keep your fresh cut flowers fresh for longer. For the best results, you want to change the solution every couple of days.

Adding Baking Soda Will Produce Sweeter Tomatoes

To make the soil around your tomato plants less acidic, add baking soda. For sweeter tomatoes, add some Epsom salt, as well. Sprinkle baking soda over the soil that surrounds your tomato plant and then water. Having soil around your tomato plants that is less acidic means you’ll have less acidic tomatoes. For plants that need acidic soil, use coffee grounds in your garden.

Soil Testing and Amendment in the Garden

Do a simple pH test on your soil with baking soda. Your plants absorb the minerals found in the ground through their roots. If the soil is too acidic or alkaline, it hampers this process. Conduct a simple home experiment using baking soda and vinegar to test your soil’s pH levels.

Use Baking Soda to Test Garden Soil

• Half a cup of vinegar
• Half a cup of water
• One tablespoon baking soda
• Two soil samples from your garden

Place the two soil samples into small cups. Add the vinegar to one of the cups. If the soil bubbles, the soil is alkaline. This means your soil has a pH level of seven or more. If it doesn’t bubble, use the other soil sample to test the acidity. Add the baking soda to the water and pour the solution into the second cup. If the soil bubbles, you have acidic soil with a pH level of seven or below.

If the test reveals that your soil is acidic, you can amend the problem by sprinkling baking soda over your soil just before you water. This should help to reduce the acidity of your soil. Continue to test your soil weekly until it no longer bubbles when exposed to water and baking soda.

Use Baking Soda to Prevent Fungal Disease

While baking soda won’t kill fungus on your plants, it will create a pH condition that is hostile to the growth of the fungus. To prevent the fungus from growing, you’ll need to do the following.

Fungal Disease Prevention

• One-liter warm water
• One teaspoon baking soda
• A few drops liquid dish soap

Combine the water, baking soda, and dish soap in a small bowl. Mix to dissolve the baking soda and add the solution to a spray bottle. Spray the tops and bottoms of the leaves in the morning, when the weather is cold, so the leaves have enough time to dry.

Treat Powdery Mildew With a Baking Soda Solution

If fungus and mildew have already set in on your plants, you can still treat it with a stronger solution that contains baking soda. Here’s a recipe for an all-natural mildew treatment for your plants..  

Baking Soda Mildew Spray

• One-gallon water
• One tablespoon baking soda
• One tablespoon vegetable oil
• One tablespoon liquid dish soap

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to mix. Spray the affected plants weekly on overcast days. Spraying this mixture on plants during the heat of the day will burn them. This mixture is especially useful for squash, zinnias, lilacs, and cucumbers.

Natural Gardening: Treat Tomato Disease

To prevent and treat fungal infections in tomato plants, create a solution of aspirin and baking soda. Spraying your plants with this solution will help to stop leaf spot and keep early blight from taking hold  

Natural Tomato Treatment

• Two gallons of water
• Two aspirin
• Two tablespoons baking soda

In a spray bottle, combine all the ingredients. Shake thoroughly to ensure the aspirin and baking soda have dissolved. Spray your tomato plants with the treatment.

Create an Organic Garden Spray from Baking Soda

This all-natural recipe is excellent for treating and maintaining a variety of plant pests and conditions. It serves as a homemade leaf miner spray and repels spider mites, aphids, black spot fungus, and powdery mildew.

Natural Organic Pest Control Spray With Baking Soda

• One-gallon warm water
• 3 to five drops of Superthrive solution
• One tablespoon baking soda
• One tablespoon fish oil
• One tablespoon liquid dish soap
• Two tablespoons ultra-fine horticultural oil

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray your plants with water first to knock off the beneficial insects, since this solution will kill them. Every month, in the late evening, spray your plants with the mixture.

Combat Spider Mites and Aphids Around Your Plants

Spider mites and aphids can be harmful to your plants. Spider mites suck the contents from the leaves of plants, draining them of their nutrients. Use baking soda as a mild detergent to take care of these pesky insects. The best part of this recipe is that it won’t harm the beneficial insects in your garden.

Spider Mites and Aphids Spray

• Two cups of water
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• One teaspoon baking soda
• Blend the ingredients and pour into a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the affected areas every couple of days until the aphids and spider mites are gone.

  Baking Soda Will Eliminate Harmful Insect Infestations

  Don’t let harmful insects ruin your plants and infest your garden. With this simple combination, rid your plants of pesky insect infestations quickly

Baking Soda Garden Insect Infestation Recipe

• One-gallon warm water
• One tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• One tablespoon baking soda
• 12 drops liquid dish soap

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well to mix the ingredients. Spray on plants every three days until the insects disappear. Follow up weekly, spraying your plants to prevent reinfestation. For a more long-term approach to fight insects around your plants consider using diatomaceous earth in your garden.

Natural Ant Killer Baking Soda

Powdered sugar and baking soda are a natural ant killer that creates a fatal bait. Mix equal amounts of the ingredients and sprinkle over anthills. When the ants eat the mixture, they carry it back to their nests, killing the ants within. The sugar attracts the ants, while the baking soda kills them. Be sure to use powdered sugar and not granulated sugar, as the ants will pick out the granulated sugar, leaving the baking soda behind.

Kill Gnats In Your Garden

If your yard has leaf piles or you have a compost pile, then you probably have a gnat problem. As with hydrogen peroxide for plants, baking soda works to keep gnats away from your garden.

To get rid of gnats you can use four tablespoons of baking soda with a gallon of water and a teaspoon of biodegradable soap. Spray or pour the mix over your pile of leaves or compost to kill off the gnats.

The Perfect Organic Insect Repellent

This recipe makes an organic insect repellent concentrate. Add two tablespoons of the concentrate to a cup of warm water.

Insect Repellent Solution

• One teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup mustard oil

Add the ingredients to a plastic or glass container with a tightly-fitting lid and stir the ingredients to mix. Return the top to the jar and store at room temperature. When ready to use mix two tablespoons of the dry mixture to one cup warm water in a plastic or glass spray bottle. Shake to mix. Spray the solution around any area where you want to get rid of unwanted bugs and as an effective mosquito repellent spray.

Use Baking Soda to Eliminate Ground Dwelling Pests

Gardens attract ground-dwelling pests like slugs and roaches.

To eliminate the slugs, silverfish, and roaches that like to hide in your garden and feed on your plants, sprinkle baking soda lightly around the soil. Alternatively, use neem oil for plants to get rid of slugs. Let the area dry, and reapply after it rains.

Sprinkle Some Baking Soda to Kill Slugs

Slugs eat and destroy the plants in your garden. A little baking soda kills these unwanted garden wreckers quickly. Sprinkle the slimy creatures with baking soda. Be careful not to get the baking soda on your plants.

Get Rid of Cabbage Worms in the Garden

Cabbage worms are hungry little caterpillars that feast on cabbage, kale, and broccoli. Kill them with a mixture of equal amounts of white flour and baking soda. Dust brassicas plant with the mixture to get rid of destructive cabbage worms. Apply the mixture every three to four days to keep the garden free from cabbage worms.

Natural Way to Kill Crabgrass

Wet the crabgrass and weeds in your yard. Apply a thick coat of baking soda to the base of the weeds and directly onto their leaves. Avoid getting baking soda on plants you want to keep, as the baking soda burns the leaves.

Baking Soda Weed Killer

Sprinkle baking soda weed killer without resorting to harmful chemicals. To get in between the sidewalk cracks and spaces between pavers, use a whisk broom to sweep the powder into those hard to reach areas.

While baking soda can be a handy tool for natural gardening, you don’t want to rely upon it entirely. Like with any other natural ingredient, if it is overused, it will lose its efficiency. This is why you need to establish a schedule for sound garden management.

Baking soda is an excellent alternative to the harsh chemical products that you may use to kill weeds, battle pests, and defeat diseases. We hope you liked learning about the different ways you can use baking soda in the garden. If you found this guide helpful, feel free to pass it along to your friends.


Source : https://www.tipsbulletin.com

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Homemade Miracle Grow Recipe

his homemade miracle grow is one of the best plant food recipes you will EVER make! We’ve tried and tested it and we’ve had nothing but a great success! Plants loved each and every ingredient in this DIY miracle grow recipe and we also saved a bunch of money! On top of that, this homemade miracle grow recipe contains all-natural ingredients so you know your plant is getting the best every time you feed it!

YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 gallon of water (about 18 1/2 cups of water)
• 1 tbsp Epsom salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp of Household ammonia

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a big bucket, mix all ingredients together until well dissolved.
2. Pour the mixture directly onto the soil of plants once a month.
3. The amount you use will depend on the size of your plant. So for example, a small, indoor plant will only need a cup’s worth, while a fruit tree may need the whole bucket!

WHY THIS WORKS:

The ingredients found in Miracle Grow and other feeds and fertilizers also contain the above ingredients. The only difference though is that these commercial feeders also contain other unnecessary chemicals and preservatives which your plant does NOT need. Try using this feed instead of commercial feeds so that your plants will last longer and be healthier. If you’re growing edible plants, such as fruits or veggies, this homemade Miracle Grow is also a better alternative as it can then be called organic – free of pesticides, chemicals, and preservatives!


Source - https://plantinstructions.com

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How to Start Composting (It’s Easier Than You Think)

You can make your own compost at home, with mostly kitchen scraps and yard waste. Here’s more about the benefits of composting and how to get started. Whether you live on a homestead, have a backyard garden, or container garden your patio, spring is the season to get your hands dirty and get planting. But how do we grow those juicy red tomatoes or crunchy carrots without dousing the whole thing in dangerous chemical fertilizers?

How can we grow healthy, nutritious, safe food for our families? Composting! But isn’t that just code for cow poop? Nope! You can make your own compost at home, with mostly kitchen scraps and yard waste. Here’s more about why you should compost and how you can get started. 

Benefits of Composting

Better dirt quality

It all comes down to the dirt. Literally. All organic material eventually breaks down and becomes the dirt under our feet and in our gardens. Because we want to grow the best tomatoes and the healthiest carrots, it pays to have good soil in those gardens and adding compost can improve soil structure, nutrient retention, and drainage.

• If your soil is sandy: Sandy soils can be a challenge since they’re dry and loose, and the “soil” will run through your fingers when squeezed into a ball. Composting allows sandy soils to hold onto moisture, so delicate roots don’t dry out.
• If your soil is clay-like: Heavy clay soils are dense and sticky, making it difficult for roots to spread and grow deep in search of nutrients. It’s also hard for water and air to get below the surface to plant roots. And since water doesn’t drain well in clay soils, it’s easy to over-water, causing root rot and other plant problems. Composting breaks up dense chunks of clay, allowing for better drainage and air penetration.

Better for the environment

Even if you have rich, dark and beautiful Midwestern soil, compost will still enhance your dirt’s quality and the eventual quality of your food. That’s because compost-rich soils are high in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, which are the major components in chemical fertilizers because they’re vital to a healthy and thriving garden. Compost is also full of micronutrients like zinc, manganese, and copper, which allow plants to more efficiently absorb other nutrients they need to thrive. Because of this, composting reduces the need to use chemical fertilizers, which are devastating to the environment. Fertilizer laden runoff from gardens, farms, and lawns poison waterways and cause algal blooms, which lead to dead zones and fish die-offs. Because fertilizer speeds up growth, fruits and vegetables grown with fertilizer aren’t as nutritious—they have lower stores of essential nutrients like calcium, zinc, and iron. Even worse, fertilizers can be hazardous to humans. Studies have linked fertilizer use to immune, endocrine, and neurological problems, as well as certain cancers.

Better way to get rid of food waste

Of the massive amount of food waste in the U.S., only 3% is composted while the remaining 97% goes into our landfills.

According to the EPA, this rotting food contributes to 18% of all methane emissions in the U.S., which has a global warming potential 21 times more intense than carbon dioxide. (Source.)

So, just like you recycle your paper, aluminum cans and glass bottles, why not your banana peels and potato skins, too? Composting is recycling you can easily do yourself, right at home. And it doesn’t just keep food scraps out of the landfill, it actually turns them into something useful.

What Can You Compost?

There are a few rules you should follow when composting to ensure your pile (bin, heap or bucket) breaks down well. Compostable items are generally broken down into two categories: greens and browns, with a few exceptions.

Greens

Greens are high in nitrogen and moisture. They are quick to break down, which helps your compost pile heat up. And because they are wet, they keep your pile from drying out. Greens also provide protein for microorganisms who help turn scraps to dirt. Here are some common examples of greens:

• Vegetable Scraps
• Fruit Scraps
• Coffee Grounds (Even though they’re brown! A good way to remember: Coffee beans are green before they’re roasted.)
• Eggshells
• Tea leaves
• Grass Clippings and weeds
• Shrub and Plant prunings

Browns

Browns provide structure and support to your compost and are a carbon-rich food source for organisms in the compost. Without slow-decaying browns, all the green items would form a dense, wet clump, prone to mold and anaerobic bacteria. By adding browns, you allow air to permeate the pile and keep it healthy. Here are some common examples of browns:

1. • • Dry Leaves, twigs, or pinecones
     • Straw
     • Sawdust
   1. • Corn Stalks
      • Newsprint (not glossy) and Paper
      • Corrugated Cardboard (no waxy or glossy coatings)
      • Horse, chicken, rabbit, cow, and chicken droppings

   When you compost, you alternate green and brown, but there’s no need to be precise. Compost will happen even if your ratios are a little skewed.

   What Not to Put in Your Compost Pile

   Although there are a ton of things that are great for composting, there a few things you should never put in your compost pile.

   • Animal-based proteins like meat and bones should never be composted because they can attract unwanted critters to your pile and also risk introducing pathogens.
   • Tea and coffee bags. Although you can put tea leaves and coffee grounds in, the bags are often made of synthetic material that won’t decompose properly.
   • Dog and cat poop, because their waste could contain harmful microorganisms and parasites.

   Types of Compost Piles

   When it comes to the hows of composting, you have a few options depending on space, location, and need. If you live on a 15-acre homestead with a huge garden, you’ll need more compost and have more space to compost than if you live in a Manhattan loft with a small container garden on your fire escape. Composting is absolutely possible for everyone, even if you just keep a small bin under your kitchen cabinet. Here are your options:

   Compost Pile

   The first option and the one people usually think of first is the compost pile. It is exactly what it sounds like, a big pile you add your greens and browns to, and turn over with a pitchfork every once in a while. Compost piles, sometimes called heaps, are an effective way to produce large amounts of compost for a large garden plot. Heaps can be contained within walled structures that allow air to flow through and sometimes have more than one section to allow more than one pile to compost at once. One drawback of a large heap or pile is that they can be physically demanding. Turning compost is not an easy task and maintaining a pile can be labor-intensive. The ideal candidate: A compost pile or heap is best for big spaces—think farms or homes with a lot of acreages—and an active person capable of turning heavy piles.

   Compost Tumbler

   One alternative to a compost pile is the compost tumbler. Basically a large bin on a wheel, a compost tumbler is a quick and efficient way to make compost with a much smaller footprint than a traditional pile. Tumblers speed up the composting process by allowing the compost to heat up at a much quicker rate and allow users to spin the container, mixing the material much more effectively than with a pitchfork or rake.

   • Here is a compost tumbler that’s easy to use and holds quite a bit!
   • This one is also super popular and looks sturdy

   The ideal candidate: A compost tumbler is a great happy medium—no huge pile to turn, but no potentially stinky bin in your kitchen. It’s best for those with a modest-sized garden in a suburban setting.

   Kitchen Composting

   Kitchen composting is when a small container that is kept on the counter, in a cabinet, under the sink or in the garage. Choosing the right container, either ceramic or stainless steel, with a tight-fitting lid, is essential. Some compost containers, like the one below, come with deodorizers or charcoal filters to minimize odors and speed up decomposition.

   • I love this kitchen compost container since it also includes a charcoal filter to prevent off odors. 
   • Here is a larger compost container for the garage or a closet.

   The ideal candidate: Since a kitchen compost is an easy-to-maintain option for small spaces, this is great for apartment dwellers or anyone with a small container garden.

   How Do You Start a Compost Pile?

   Once you’ve chosen the perfect method for your space and your needs, it’s time to actually get composting!

   Choose your spot

   Choosing the right spot for your compost pile is an important first step. Avoid low areas that allow water to pool. You don’t want your pile to stay soaking wet or it won’t break down properly. Also, avoid areas subject to direct wind. A nice, protected, dry and sunny spot with good drainage is ideal.

   Collect materials

   Add material to the pile, alternating green and brown. No need to be precise. Compost happens even if your ratios aren’t spot on, so don’t stress about how much of what. Just start adding material. Shred or chop materials as small as possible before adding. Little chunks of material break down much fast than large pieces.

   Water your compost

   To maintain adequate moisture, you should water your pile when you turn it. To properly break down, compost should be moist, not soaking. If you dig in and notice that it’s super dry, water it more frequently. Conversely, if it’s still wet from your last dousing, hold off for a few days.

   Turn your compost

   Every time you add to your pile, you should turn it over. Burying new items in the middle of the pile encourages decomposition and turning the entire pile every week or so will speed decay. You’ll know compost is happening when your pile is warm to the touch or you see steam rising from it in cool weather. When the bottom of your pile is dark brown, you’ve successfully made compost and it’s ready to use. There are a few options for exactly how to use your compost, and again, it depends on your needs.

   How to Use Compost

   1. Mix it directly into your garden plot or raised beds to improve the quality of the existing soil: When you add compost directly to garden soil, there really is no right or wrong. Just add as much as you can and mix it with the existing soil. Check the texture as a test. When composted soil is squeezed into a ball, it should be crumbly, not dense; it should stick together but be easy to break apart with your fingers.
   2. Use it as the sole potting soil for a container garden: When using compost as a potting mix, use 100% compost in your containers.
   3. Or, brew a compost tea and use it as a liquid fertilizer

    
   
   
   Source: https://www.mamanatural.com

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How to Compost – Magnificent Garden Soil

Do you compost? Oh my gosh, if you don’t, why not?!!! It is easy, it’s great for the environment and it will result in amazing nutrient-rich soil that surpasses anything you can buy from a store! Some of the additional benefits are that you will reduce the amount of trash you produce and keep things out of the landfill.

Keep reading to learn How to Compost and create your own magnificent garden soil!

Now, I totally understand if you are living in the big city in an apartment and really don’t have space for compost let alone potted plants (but if you do want to compost, read more about worm composting in a container.) However, f you have a yard, you really should be composting! It’s easy, it takes very little time, and my little wiggly BFFs (aka worms) do all the work for you.

That’s right, they eat up all your kitchen and yard waste and turn it into beautiful black soil. How do they do it? If I tell you, you have to promise that you won’t get grossed out. They poop it out. LOL. Yup, compost is decomposition and worm castings (a nicer word for worm poop.) Please don’t run away, find out how easy it is to create this magnificent garden soil.

What can be composted?

• Kitchen scraps
  • raw fruits
  • vegetables
  • eggshells
• Coffee grounds and the filter
• Newspapers, non-glossy cardboard, paper towels
• Leaves (brown for carbon and green for nitrogen-rich)
• Grass clippings
• Plant & flower clippings
• Yard waste

What can’t be composted?

• Meats
• Dairy products
• Processed foods
• Plastic
• Man-made substances
• Metals

Location:

Your pile doesn’t have to be anything special. A simple a hole in the ground is fine. Find a partially shaded spot in your yard. A shady spot is ideal so the pile doesn’t get dried out in the hot sun. If you’ve had a dry spell for a while, go ahead and water the pile. If you have pets, put a little fencing around it to keep them from getting into the compost. (Eating decomposing food can make them sick.) Don’t worry too much about wild animals (unless you have a serious pest problem.) Animals will come sniffing around and may dig a scrap or two out of the pile, but they rarely take up residence in your yard. However, if you are concerned about pests, go ahead and purchase a closed bin for your yard.  Otherwise, save your money, a fancy tumbler or bin aren’t necessary for the compost to produce.

How to Compost:

Keep your compost bucket in your kitchen. (We keep our pail under the sink, but if you have a pretty container you can leave it on the countertop.)

After cutting veggies or fruit, toss the scraps in the bucket. Coffee grounds can get thrown in, filter and all! Eggshells are also great for your compost.

When the bucket is full, take your scraps outside to the compost pile. Clear a hole in your pile, dump the scraps and cover them over with dirt or soil (this will prevent attracting too much wildlife to your pile.)

Occasionally throw in some torn up strips of newspaper to add some “carbon” source to the pile. The key to a healthy compost is to have a good mixture of green (nitrogen-rich) vs. brown (carbon-rich) materials. Don’t overload on grass clippings or yard waste.

Flip some fresh soil on top of the scraps and walk away! That’s it. What about my BFFs, the worms? If you start the pile, they will come. Trust me, they’ll find your pile. If you’re super antsy, you could buy some red wigglers from a fishing bait place, but honestly why bother? Soon you’ll have big fat overfed worms happily working for you for free. Go back in 2-3 weeks and check on the progress of your magnificent garden soil.

I usually grab my magnificent soil from the bottom when I need it. But, you can split your pile in two. Use one side to add scraps to and let the other side “marinade” to perfection. Then switch sides. Frankly, my little worm army works pretty fast. Within a month they have produced enough compost to fill some potted plants and more. I rarely buy soil anymore unless I need a huge amount.

What about composting in the winter? If you aren’t under dumping of snow, your pile can still work in the winter. In fact, you’ll be surprised to see the warm steam rising from the pile when you dig into the center.

Compost Tea:

Now that you have a-Rockin' compost pile you may want to learn how to make a compost tea to further nourish your plants and help them be healthier and heartier! I haven’t tried it yet, but you better believe I’ll be brewing some compost tea this year.

Source- https://www.prettyhandygirl.com

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7 Ways to Use Coffee Grounds in the Garden

The next time you finish your morning coffee, think twice before you toss those used coffee grounds into the trash. Coffee grounds have many uses in the garden. They enrich the soil with nitrogen, potassium, and other minerals, improve soil quality, and plant growth.

Here are 7 ways how to use coffee grounds in your garden. You may be amazed at how versatile this item is!

1. Composting

Add coffee grounds to your composting bin. They’re a valuable source of nitrogen.

2. Pest Control

A barrier of coffee grounds around the plants may protect them from slugs and snails.

3. Cat Repellent

Put coffee grounds in the soil to keep cats away from digging in your garden.

4. Acid-Loving Plants

Place coffee grounds around the soil of your acid-loving plants such as roses, rhododendrons, fothergillas, holly, gardenias, and so on. Coffee grounds increase acidity and nutrients in the soil.

5. Easy Fertilizer

Add 2 cups of coffee grounds to a 5-gallon bucket of water and allow it to steep overnight. Mixing these two ingredients is one of the simplest ways to make your own homemade fertilizer.

6. Mulch

Using coffee grounds as mulch can help control weeds and keep your vegetable plants more hydrated during the heat of the day.

7. Boost Carrot & Radish Harvest

Double your harvest of carrot and radish, mixing your carrot and radish seeds liberally with coffee grounds.

TIP: If you personally don’t drink coffee, you can get the grounds for free from Starbucks. You could also ask for any coffee shop or restaurant for their grounds. They probably would be very happy to give them to you on a regular basis.

Source- http://yourhouseandgarden.com

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9 SUPER CHEAP FERTILIZERS YOU HAVE AT HOME

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Once your plants are in the ground, the work has just started. Gardens need cheap fertilizers. Yes, you can run out and purchase your own fertilizers, but then you are spending unnecessary money. There are plenty of ways to save money while gardening!

Many of the things you have in your own home can be used as fertilizers. The first thing that you need to know is plants need three essential nutrients to grow: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).

• Nitrogen is essential for leaf and green plant growth.
• Phosphorus is necessary for flower and fruit-bearing.
• Potassium is necessary for the growth of the entire plant.

Of course, your plants depend on other important micronutrients for their growth. Calcium, magnesium, and sulfur are just a few other ones.

It is important to remember that plants are also affected by the acidity of the soil. Some fertilizers can increase the acidity in the soil. While some plants enjoy extra acid, many don’t. You will need to ensure you don’t increase the acid too much. You can use a soil tester that determines the pH balance of your soil. They’re relatively cheap.

Cheap Fertilizers for Your Garden

• Coffee Grounds
  If you’re like me, you have no issues gathering coffee grounds. Instead of tossing out the k-cups or coffee filters, but the grounds into a bowl. Coffee grounds are an awesome sort of nitrogen. However, coffee grounds do add acid to your soil. You must be careful not to add too much. Some flowers, such as roses or magnolias, love extra nitrogen. There are veggies that thrive in soil with additional acids such as radishes, sweet potatoes, peppers, rhubarb, and parsley.
• Banana Peels
  If you have kids, you probably have a plethora of banana peels in your compost or trash can. Banana peels are rich in calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, making them excellent for plants that flower, such as zucchinis. There are a few ways for you to use banana peels. You can chop them up and bury them in the dirt surrounding your plant. As they decompose, all of the nutrients leech into the soil. If you want to make a banana spray fertilizer, soak banana peels in water for two to three days. The water absorbs the nutrients.
• Epsom Salt
  I love to soak in a tub with Epsom salt, so I typically have a bag laying around the house. Bags of Epsom salt are less than $5, super cheap! Epsom salt provides magnesium and sulfur to your plants. I typically sprinkle Epsom salt around my tomatoes; they love it! You can water your plants with Epsom salt. Simply mix one tablespoon of the salt with a gallon of water. I just put it in my watering can. Plants love it and it helps to increase their greenness.
  
  
  
  
  


• Egg Shells
  Whether you have chickens or not, you probably have eggshells lying around at times. Instead of tossing them away, you can add them to your compost OR use them directly in your garden! Eggshells are rich in calcium, promoting cellular growth in your plants. Tomatoes love and need calcium for proper growth. If you bury them around your tomato plants, you help to reduce blossom end rot. Another way to use eggshells in your garden is to make a spray but boiling 20 eggshells in a gallon of water.
• Grass Clippings
  Chances are you cut grass each week. You have tons of grass clippings, either left behind the mower or in the bag. Grass clippings are high in nitrogen. They also make great mulch! There are a few ways to use grass clippings! Try mixing the clippings into your soil. You can just sprinkle them around the base of your plants. Another method is to fill a five-gallon bucket of grass clippings then fill with water. This mixture has to sit for three to five days. Strain and spray!
• Compost
  Without a doubt, compost is one of the best ways to fertilize your garden for free. Once you have a compost set up, you can put all of your brown materials, such as leaves, weeds and grass clippings, and green materials from your kitchen. You can add eggshells, fruit scraps, and veggie scraps. You should mix your compost with your soil as you plant your veggies. You can also make a compost tea by soaking compost in water and then straining it. Compost is free, and it helps to reduce the amount of trash your family outputs.
  
  
  
  
  
• Fish
  When the Pilgrims arrived in North America, they struggled to grow food in the soil. The soil near the coast lacked vital nutrients. Once the Native Americans, such as Squanto, decided to help the pilgrims, they survived and thrived. One trick the Native Americans taught the pilgrims was to bury a fish with their seeds. While you don’t have to bury fish with your plants, you can take a similar approach. Fishermen can keep the scraps of their fish and blend them with water and milk. If your aquarium needs to be emptied, be sure to use that water on your plants. It provides multiple different vitamins and nutrients to your plants.
• Milk
  Do you have milk, or powdered milk, in your kitchen that is nearing expiration date? Instead of tossing it away, use it on your garden. Milk is a source of calcium, along with protein, sugar and vitamin B, which aids the overall growth of the plant. You mix milk with four parts of water. It helps with blossom end rot, commonly experienced in tomatoes and zucchini.
• Fireplace Ash
  Ash contains calcium carbonate and potassium. You can add the ash directly to the soil and mix it with your hands. Be careful with fireplace ash because it will boost the acidity in the soil.

Source: https://www.familygrowingpains.com

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