Search Results for: label/fertilizer

61 results

Too Much Phosphate

Mr. Homegrown
Gardening, Soil
6 Comments
...tion: the bad effects of too much phosphate. An overabundance of phosphate can interfere with a plant’s ability to uptake iron resulting in interveinal chlorosis, a yellowing of the leaves between the veins. So adding fertilizer that contains phosphate to soil that doesn’t need it is a waste of money, damages the environment and can kill your plants. Of all the soils I’ve tested in Los Angeles, all are already high in phospha...

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4 Vermicomposting Tips

Mrs. Homegrown
Composting, Gardening, Vermiculture
11 Comments
...t as a soil drench (for watering) when diluted with 16 parts water. In its straight form it can be used as an insecticide. 4) Darren’s favorite way of using worm castings is new to us and quite interesting. Castings are fertilizer, but more than that. They can help bring life to your soil. He takes golf ball sized plugs of fresh castings and buries them here and there in his garden beds (or pots). Used this way, they are little beneficial m...

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How to Plan a Vegetable Garden

Mr. Homegrown
Garden Design, Gardening, How-to, Vegetable Gardening
21 Comments
...ns, I can say that my best years in our vegetable garden have been when I follow his methods (minus frequent double digging). Planting Compost Crops Jeavons stresses the importance of learning how to grow your own compost and fertilizer. I adapted the food/compost ratios suggested in the Ecology Action pamphlet to match our climate. Instead of growing a big winter compost crop (Ecology Action is in cooler Northern California) I decided to treat t...

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Worm Composting

Mr. Homegrown
Composting, Gardening, Vermiculture
2 Comments
...to recycle their kitchen scraps. The whole set up is isolated in a plastic bin which can live in the kitchen or in a cool, shady spot on the balcony. The worm castings (poop, if you will) are odorless and make an outstanding fertilizer that you can use on your own potted plants or give to friends with gardens. Believe us, they will be very happy with your gift of worm poop. Do not let SurviveLA’s failure discourage you from giving this exc...

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Get a Soil Test!

Mr. Homegrown
Gardening, Lead
7 Comments
...ocal companies indicate that they don’t. So let the buyer beware here too. Wondering about bagged soils? Susan Carpenter, at the LA Times, tested a bunch and found no problems.  She did find a possible lead link to fish fertilizer, however. We’ve used all three of these services. UMass is the cheapest by far, but gives the least analysis. However, if you just want your lead level numbers, that’s not a problem. Wallace Laboratori...

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Saturday Linkages

Mr. Homegrown
Saturday Linkages
5 Comments
Not exactly sure if this is a good idea. Maybe if it collected and diluted urine for use as fertilizer! Combination Urinal Concept Surprisingly Blends Sink & Toilet | Designs & Ideas on Dornob http://dornob.com/combination-urinal-concept-surprisingly-blends-sink-toilet/ Making Shelter Simple: An Interview with Lloyd Kahn: http://boingboing.net/2012/05/15/making-shelter-simple-an-inte.html Horticultural myths: http://www.puyal...

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La Alternativa

Mr. Homegrown
Resources
RLeave a comment
...ry soap made from the jaboncillo tree. What we like most about Gálvez is that she is a strong proponent of urban gardening, maximizing every available space for food, a contrast to Martha Stewart’s useless pesticide and fertilizer drenched flower gardens. See the the film Power of Community How Cuba Survived Peak Oil for more on Cuba’s inventive urban gardening. While we hope that the US does not face a Cuban style economic crisis, we...

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What’s in Worm Leachate?

Mr. Homegrown
Composting, Gardening, Vermiculture
3 Comments
Garden Professor Jeff Gillman analyzed worm leachate (the liquids the flow our of your worm bin) from a home vemicompost setup. It’s pretty strong stuff! Gillman concludes, this could be a great liquid fertilizer if it were used properly.  I’d recommend diluting it somewhere between 1:1 and 1:5 worm juice : water before applying it, and I’d only apply it once every week or two.  If you want to use it, try it on something that you’re not t...

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Parkway Plantings

Mr. Homegrown
Vegetable Gardening
1 Comment
...8211; Cima di Rapa Novantina, which matures in 55 to 80 days and Cima di Rapa Quarantina, which matures in 32 to 35 days. Broccoli is somewhat difficult to grow and requires vigilance to keep pests under control, and frequent fertilizer applications (organic, of course). The faster growing Quarantina, is easier to grow since the crop is produced faster and bugs have less time to munch on it. We grew both of these varieties last year and marveled...

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