All composting articles

garden fundamentals

Worm Composting 101

Discover what worm composting is and how you can use it to help your garden. We teach you how to make the bins, how to harvest worm castings, and more.

garden fundamentals

Smart Compost Shopping: Buying Bagged Compost at the Store

Compost provides your garden with rich, organic material to help your plants grow. If you want to add to your garden soil or get your compost pile started, these four types of store-bought compost can help.

garden fundamentals

How to Create a Compost Pile

Any plant material is prime for composting. Whether you choose a compost bin, compost pile, or other composting method, composting is a great way to recycle kitchen and garden waste. Plus, nutrient-rich compost is great for your garden.

garden fundamentals

How to Make Compost Tea

Composting helps create great soil, which is key to beautiful, healthy plants and huge harvests. The most effective way to deliver the benefits of compost to your plants is to whip up some compost tea.

garden fundamentals

How to Know When Your Compost Pile is Ready to Use

Composting requires patience because it often does not mature during prime vegetable planting times. Divide compost bins and look for these signs that your compost is done and ready to use in the garden.

garden fundamentals

Why You Should Keep Your Compost Pile Moist

You may be surprised to learn that your compost pile needs just as much water as your live plants. Dry compost doesn’t work. There are several ways to ensure your compost is getting the adequate amount of water needed to do its job.

garden fundamentals

How to Use Manure as Fertilizer

If you’ve been gardening for any length of time, you’ve probably know of folks who use composted manure as fertilizer. After all, it’s high in nutrients and can work wonders in the garden — plus, it’s free! It can be difficult, though, to know not only which kinds of manure to use, but also when it’s safe to put in your garden. Use this handy guide to the most common types of animal manure.

garden fundamentals

Rooftop Gardening

It can be difficult to grow a garden in an urban environment. Garden writer Ellen Spector Platt shares her tips for rooftop gardening.

garden fundamentals

Prep Soil Now for Next Season

Before you lock up those garden tools for the winter, here’s a great idea for getting a jumpstart on your spring garden: Spend a bit of time improving the soil in your beds. Not only will it put you on the path to a healthy, productive garden...

garden fundamentals

Organic Mulch: A Gardener's Good Friend

Organic mulch is an effective way to conserve soil moisture while also cutting down on weeds and enriching the soil for the future.

garden fundamentals

9 Essential Practices for Organic Gardeners

New to organic gardening? Here are 9 good, sustainable practices that every organic gardener should know about. Try them in your own garden.

garden fundamentals

Good Soil Means Good Vegetables

Vegetables need good soil. Roots will grow deeply and soak up nutrients for healthy, productive plants. Here is how to prepare your garden soil.

garden fundamentals

10 Tips for a Screened Garden

Placing your vegetable garden behind a privacy fence gives you the freedom to experiment and not worry about maintenance 24/7. It also provides the separation you need to create a garden destination.

garden fundamentals

Incredible Eggs in the Garden

Many gardeners use eggs in the garden to boost soil nutrients. Try putting eggshells in your compost. You can also plant eggshells or a whole egg in the hole before planting tomato plants.

garden fundamentals

Feeding the Soil Feeds Your Plants

One of the most important elements of a successful garden is good soil. Without it, plants just won't flourish. Find out how to feed your soil.