High Elevation Gardening Web Log "Blog"

Compost bins are located in inconspicuous, convenient locations and generally not the front yard, but some gardeners creatively disguise them as wishing wells or planters. It is good to keep some of last year's fallen leaves stored near the composting area for future use, as well. Picking up already raked leaves in bags along the street provides a ready supply or help a neighbor and take them home in a wheelbarrow, instead. Repeated layers of leaves or brown matter three to four-inches deep, about one or two gallons of kitchen scraps, and an inch or two of grass clippings, green matter, or coffee grounds makes great compost. Any brown organic matter, such as shredded newspapers, brush, or herbivore manure for green matter, may also be used. Adding gray water to the container of kitchen scraps helps to cut down the garbage smell and also provides the moisture necessary for the composting process.

Compost must be flipped when the bin is full. A door built into the bottom along the front of the bin provides easy access to the oldest layers. Simply shovel the compost from the bottom of the bin and then place it back on top of the most recent layer. A balanced ratio of brown to green matter, and water to air produces compost with an earthy smell. Too much water or green matter or not enough air or brown matter will make the compost smell rancid. Turning the compost incorporates air, so never pack it into the bin. Turning also mixes the layers.

Once the bin is ready to go, it is time to figure out which one or two of your favorite vegetables and/or flowers cost the most money and if they can easily be grown at home. Seeds are usually less expensive than buying plants and so is sharing or trading seeds and seedlings. Another top priority is choosing a location. In high altitude regions, most vegetables grow well in partial shade and only need full sunlight when grown during the winter. Walls, fences, decks, and trees all provide shade. They also serve as necessary windbreaks. In addition, the ideal location is near a downspout, the kitchen or the bathroom, or an outdoor faucet.

Garden spots do not have to be large, square, or rectangular or planted in rows. Peas and beans can run up a trellis or a fence with lower growing plants like carrots or onions below. Cabbage, broccoli, and kale can be interspersed among already-growing perennials or serve as canopies for leafy greens like lettuce and spinach that thrive in cooler temperatures. Moisture-loving squash and melons can spread across the yard from a two-foot circle and a small 4-foot by 6-foot garden can convert into a winter hoop house.

Learn how to make potting soil and start seedlings, and find more tips on low cost sustainable gardening--inside and out--in future articles here in the Master Gardening column. In the meantime, get started on the compost bin and save those Styrofoam egg cartons, frozen juice cans, and plastic dairy containers.

Rebecca Snow is a Master Gardener volunteer. Dana Prom Smith, a Master Gardener volunteer, is coordinating editor for the Master Gardener Column. He can be contacted at stpauls@npgcable.com. For gardening questions, please call the Master Gardener Hotline at 774-1868 ext.19 or visit the Master Gardener Web Site: highelevationgardening.arizona.edu