A Philospher's Guide to Composting Condoms

Posted by: Derek Lowstuter, Mountain Region Extension

Can a likely made-up story about a famous Greek philosopher help us decide if something should be added to our compost pile?  The answer, much like the question, may surprise you. In a viral story about the Stoic philosopher, Socrates is credited with creating three questions we should ask ourselves before speaking. These “Three Filters” are: Is it True? Is it Good? Is it Necessary?  

These questions can help us understand the potential impact of what we say - before we say it. While this is especially important in an election year, the idea can also help us decide if we should add something to our compost pile. Just because something can be said doesn’t mean that it should be said. Likewise, just because something can be composted doesn’t mean that it should be composted. We can ask ourselves the three questions to help us make those decisions:

Is it True? / Does it decompose?

Is it Good? / Does it improve the compost? And,

Is it Necessary? / Does it need to be composted?

The title of this post wasn’t just to get your attention. I have been asked if all kinds of things can be composted: kitty litter, dryer lint, pet hair, cotton undies, and yes – even latex condoms. Many types of waste are biodegradable and can decompose naturally. However, that alone doesn’t make them good additions to the compost pile.

Let's look at dryer lint as an example of how we can apply the three questions.

Is it True? / Does it decompose? Dryer lint may decompose, depending on the clothes it comes from. Yes, clothes made from natural fibers, such as 100% cotton and wool, produce dryer lint that will decompose in home compost. However, synthetic (plastic) fibers, like polyester or nylon, produce lint full of microplastic pollution that does not decompose.

Is it Good? / Does it improve the compost?  Yes, dryer lint from natural fibers breaks down into organic matter and releases small amounts of plant-available nutrients. However, microplastics in lint from synthetic fibers can fill soil pores and even make their way into the food we grow.    

Is it Necessary? / Does it need to be composted? No, because there are usually other easy ways to dispose of dryer lint. If composting isn’t needed for disposal, then we shouldn’t compost it. Many clothes are made with natural and synthetic fiber blends, which can make it difficult to tell what is in dryer lint. Lint failed the three filters and should not be composted.   

Here are some other examples that could be composted – but should they?

Condoms made with natural latex can be biodegradable but are classified as medical waste, don’t benefit compost when added, and can be easily thrown in the trash. Practice safe compost. 

Wood ash has been used as a mineral fertilizer for thousands of years; however, it can harm compost and soil if overapplied – especially in Colorado’s alkaline soils. 

Animal waste from meat-eaters does decompose but can spread disease and complicate compost management. 

Cooked food waste decomposes quickly, but can attract pests, and promote anaerobic (stinky) compost conditions. 

Diseased plants (ex. tomato blight, powdery mildew) can be composted in active compost that is regularly turned and allowed to go through recommended heating cycles and curing. If you are lazy when it comes to turning your compost *sheepishly raises own hand* it would be safer to take infected plants to a commercial compost facility or create a separate static compost pile that isn’t used on annual crops. Nutrients and beneficial microbes in finished compost have been shown to help plants defend against pests and diseases, but care should be taken when potentially spreading diseases in compost.

To Compost or Not to Compost...

Composting is a simple, powerful tool for turning waste into value for our gardens. When well-managed, compost has been shown to improve soil and plant health, and even increase the nutritional value of produce. The “Three Filters” can help us boost compost benefits and reduce potential issues. 

Remember to ask yourself, 
Is it True? 
Is it Good? 

Is it Necessary?

                                       Happy Composting

Healthy Soil- Too much of a good thing?

Recently I attended our annual forum where all the Extension staff across the state come together and we learn and share.  The sharing of programs, county issues and among us plant folk, plant and soil issues are the most telling.  There seems to be a common theme this year, gardens being over amended and a misunderstanding of organics and fertilizer versus compost is evident.  Both compost and fertilizer can be organic, but they are not the same thing. 

Compost image, Colorado State

I want to point out before I go further, that Extension and Extension staff have conventional and organic options on all our factsheets and that we all care about our environment, it’s why we have the jobs we do because we are passionate about our world.  I think it is very important understand and get the facts about your soil prior to adding amendment or fertilizer.  This is very similar to practicing IPM- Integrated pest management where you observe / monitor, proper id, learn more about the issue (or system), determine action, choose tactic(s), evaluate.  IPM is monitoring the situation, gathering the facts and doing something when needed.  https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2020/01/GN-100-Integrated-Pest-Management.pdf  So think of these similar steps in your landscape and how to improve your soil.  Get the facts before applying anything and to improve when you need to improve, plant the right plant in the right place and you will be successful.  If you have never done a soil test, this is the foundation of the garden and a good place to start.  The CSU lab is currently moving so not testing currently, other great laboratories that understand our Western soils are Ward Laboratories https://www.wardlab.com/, Servitech https://servitech.com/crop-consulting/soil-sampling and American Agricultural Laboratory Inc. https://www.amaglab.com/

Once you pick a lab, stick with them as their procedures might be slightly different.  You want to be able to compare apples to apples down the road.  Please read how to take an appropriate sample and tell them exactly what you are planting (your crop): buffalo grass, tomatoes, plum tree- the more specific you are, the better the recommendation they can give you.

	University of Hawaii Soil Management

Let’s go back to the word organic.  It was first used to describe the organic matter (basically plant material: leaves, roots, stems, & microorganisms) that is in the soil.  We still use it this way, but it has also morphed into products that are naturally based.  Here I am sticking to the original definition.  Our native soils in Western Colorado are naturally 1-2% organic matter.  This is why our native plants do not prefer high amounts of compost being added to our soil, it’s not what they are acclimated to.  Then somewhere along the way organic morphed into meaning using naturally sourced fertilizers and pesticides.  We know from experience and as shown in the soil pie chart that we want up to 5% organic matter in the soil for the general typical landscape plants and vegetable and flower gardens.  When soil test results get closer to this 5% organic matter, the need for nutrients like nitrogen will drop because it is being released of some nutrients from the organic matter (plant based and microorganisms).  This article from Minnesota gives a good explanation of other reasons too much organic matter is not good.  https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/compost-and-soil-organic-matter-more-merrier Of course our soil is going to be different, but the having too much organic matter is the same.  We general have good minerals (phosphorus, potassium, sulfur) in our soils.  Occasionally we will see a micronutrient low due to the pH of the soil, high pH affects the accessibility of certain nutrients to specific plants.  Example: Silver maples have trouble accessing iron in high pH soils resulting in chlorosis.  Adding more iron to the soil doesn’t work unless it is chelated. 

Microbes in the soil, invisible to the naked eye-

                                                                    Colorado State
Example 2: Someone was having trouble growing vegetables, since the pH was high they continued to add sulfur, which was already at a good level.  This caused a toxicity of sulfur in the soil which causes a reduced rate of growth and necrosis.  Since we have high amounts of calcium carbonate in our soils and there already is enough sulfur, our soils are buffered which means it is very hard to change the pH so we focus on what we can change and improve.  So please do a soil sample, talk to Extension if you need more explanation, pick the right plants for your soil and you will be successful. 

Lastly, pick the right soil amendment if your organic matter is below 5%.  This includes using compost and it is ok to ask for a sample of compost and have it tested before you buy or use it.  Compost is a soil amendment, though it may help with nutrients down the road, it is not considered fertilizer or a major source of nutrients. https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/choosing-a-soil-amendment/

If your plants are needing fertilizer, than use the appropriate fertilizer. Here is understanding fertilizer.

https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/232.pdf

Hopefully that helps in understanding that you can have TOO MUCH of a good thing.  It is like finding out that watermelon is good for you and you eat the whole watermelon, you might not feel so good afterwards.  It is important to keep things in balance.  By adding too much of one thing, other things have to become out of balance.  Look back at the soil pie chart, if there is too much water, there would be less air.  If too much organic matter, there would be less mineral particles, water or oxygen.  ALL are important. 

So hopefully if nothing else, you will do a soil sample and think about what your soil needs before you add something.

Susan Carter, Tri River Area Horticulture and Natural Resource Agent

 

 

Downtown Flowers Signal Summertime for Puebloans

 By Sherie Shaffer, Horticulture Agent, CSU Extension-Pueblo County

My favorite part of the flower display, in front of Pueblo Union Depot

These two are Craig's favorite containers

Every year, Puebloans are signaled to the beginning of summer when the huge, beautiful containers of petunias and geraniums appear downtown.

These beauties are in front of local boutique, Razmataz

Everyone loves the smell of fresh petunias in the morning

The Pueblo Union Depot, along with B Street and a good portion of Union Avenue get decked out with these blossoms every year in May, thanks to local business owners the Koncilja’s. The flowers are purchased from a local nursery, but you may be wondering, who cares for them and keeps them looking stunning all summer long?

Looking down B Street from the Union Depot

Patrons of the cafes on B Street get to look at these containers while they dine

Some of the containers are hanging, while some are on the ground

The answer is two guys, Craig and Brandon. We got an opportunity for an insider tour of the daily care of these flowers, thanks to the fact that Craig is my brother. Turns out it’s no small feat to keep these blooms looking brilliant during the heat of a Southern Colorado summer.

Craig with his trusty hose reel 

Turns out it doubles as a fun ride

A close up of the reel

Unless it rains, which is not something that happens often around here, the flowers need to be watered daily. Craig and Brandon have portable hose reels, that they wheel around downtown and hook to multiple different spigots around where the flowers are located. They must start early, not only to beat the heat but also to beat the morning downtown buzz. Turns out it’s a lot easier to stretch the hose out when the foot traffic is low.

Luckily he's tall to reach the hanging containers

The hose spigots have keys to turn them on

As they water each container individually, by hand, they also do whatever deadheading needs to be done on each plant. This keeps the plants looking nice and encourages them to keep blooming all summer long. Sometimes, when a plant gets a little leggy, they will trim them up to keep the shape looking nice and compact.

Right in front of the doors to the Union Depot

These containers are in Tandoori's courtyard

More beautiful flowers

Of course, water and TLC aren’t quite enough to keep the flowers looking their best. They also get fertilized weekly. The Petunias get fed with a 20-3-19 water-soluble Petunia Feed that includes Magnesium. The geraniums get a 20-10-20 general-purpose water-soluble fertilizer. To deliver the fertilizer, they use a Dosatron nutrient injector. First, they mix about 10 cups of the dry fertilizer in a bucket, and fill it with water, this is the concentrate. They then set the injector to the appropriate level and insert the hose of the injector into the concentrate bucket. The water supply is then hooked to the injector and it delivers the desired concentration of fertilizer into the irrigation water.

The fertilizer they use to keep the blooms looking beautiful

The Dosatron fertilizer injector

Pest and disease issues haven’t been too bad in the past. During really hot spells some of the petunia leaves will become sunburnt from the reflected heat of the sidewalk, and they have dealt with some small aphid infestations. Nothing a call to the local Extension Agent/sister and a strong stream of water couldn't handle!

Another view of Tandoori's courtyard

These lucky flowers get some morning shade

So, although it’s no small task to keep these flowers looking great all summer long, the people of Pueblo are so glad that they are purchased and cared for to keep our downtown looking bright and beautiful!

Aeration Done Right

Posted by: Alison O'Connor, horticulture agent in Larimer County

I'm first to admit that when I give advice it's a "do as I say, not as I do" recommendation. When it comes to lawn aeration (AKA core cultivation), Extension recommends that you aerate at least once a year, twice if you can afford it. The last time I aerated was...well...a few years ago. I did it myself (with the help of burly men to help lift the machine) and it was, quite frankly, an effort!

Aeration is the best!

Last week I was driving by a park in Windsor and saw someone aerating the turf. I was impressed by how great of a job he was doing, so I stopped to chat. It turns out that Mike McFadden, of Barefoot Farms in Windsor, is passionate about doing aeration correctly. After talking for a few minutes, I hired him to aerate my under-aerated turf the following day.

What Mike probably didn't realize is that I'd be photographing him. So thanks to Mike for his willingness to be the subject of this blog.

Mike McFadden of Barefoot Farms

Why should you aerate? For many reasons, including better water infiltration to the turf root system, to combat thatch build-up, to allow for better oxygen exchange for roots and to add organic matter to your lawn and soil. And it helps alleviate soil compaction.

Steps to aerating correctly:

1. Water your lawn a couple days prior to the aeration event. In order to pull deep plugs, the lawn should have good moisture. If the lawn is too dry, the plugs pulled will be very short or the machine will simply bounce around the surface.

2. Before you start aeration, mark your sprinkler heads. I used somewhat unorthodox markers, simply because I didn't have flags. But it's very easy to hit a sprinkler head with the machine. The aeration machine generally has one speed--fast--and they aren't very easy to maneuver.

The tree stump and mini American flag mark sprinkler heads.
The design of my irrigation system is another story...

3. The goal of aeration is to "Swiss cheese" the lawn--make as many aeration holes as possible. Up, down, back and forth, horizontally, vertically, diagonally. Try to get the holes on 2" centers. If the plugs are 2-3" deep, this is also excellent. This is where commercial aeration may fall short if they only make one pass. One pass tends to result in very few holes several inches apart and quite frankly, does nothing to improve the health of your turf, except that it makes you feel good that you aerated. Following aeration, your lawn should look beat up and ugly. This will pass in time. In the long run, aeration is incredibly beneficial. (As a note, Mike made four passes on my lawn.)

A lovely little plug. Not too much thatch and 2-3" long.

4.  If you rent equipment, you have the luxury of being able to control how many passes you make. Honestly, you can't make too many holes. Ok, well if your lawn is mud following aeration, maybe you made a few too many. But really--the more holes the better!

Lots and lots and lots and lots of holes is key.

5. Leave the cores on the lawn once you're finished. If you can't stand the sight of them, then rake them up and put them in your compost pile--don't throw them away. They are full of wonderful organic matter. If you leave the cores, they will break down with a few mowings.

6. Need to seed or fertilize? It's the P-E-R-F-E-C-T time following aeration. The holes you just created are ideal "germination chambers" for seed. Seed that drops into the holes will stay moist, have good contact with soil and be protected during germination. Fertilizer will also reach turf roots better following aeration (be sure to water it in). On a side note, if you applied crabgrass preventer to your lawn this spring, wait until August to seed--the crabgrass preventer will kill seedling grass.

It took Mike about 35 minutes to aerate my 3,000 square foot lawn. And I was thrilled with the result. He did mention that I have a much heavier thatch layer in my front yard (oops) and that doing it again in fall would be wise. So if it's been a few years, do your lawn a favor and aerate! It does the lawn good.

The chickens loved the freshly disturbed earth and had a heyday with worm bits. 

Sixty Second Secrets for Gardening Success: Houseplants: Rubber Plant

Today on Sixty-Second Secrets for Gardening Success: Rubber plant.

If you’re looking for an easy to grow plant for your home or office, consider a rubber plant. Rubber plants are long lived plants which adapt quickly to the conditions in your home or office.

Just be sure that night time temperatures do not drop below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Because rubber plants don’t like to have wet feet, plant in a pot that has a saucer and drains well. Remember to water and fertilize regularly and after watering, drain any excess water out of the saucer.

If your plant is in a warm, brightly lit location, remember that it will require more frequent water, fertilizer, and repotting.

To keep the leaves clean, simply wipe off with a moist rag. For extra shine, spray the leaves with a leaf shine product available at your local nursery or garden center.

For more information, on houseplants, contact your local CSU Extension Office.

Sixty-Second Secrets for Gardening Success is a production of Colorado State University Extension.

CSU Extension: Extending knowledge, changing lives.

Banish Those Mid-Summer Gardening Blues

Posted by: Micaela Truslove, Broomfield County Extension

Late July is a tough time in the garden.  It’s warm--really warm--and the beautiful little transplants and seedlings you had in June are now beginning to show their age, while the weeds and insects seem to be growing stronger and more plentiful by the day.  It’s enough to make any gardener frustrated, but before you throw in the trowel and give your garden over to the beasties, let’s step back and talk about some tools that will get you through the long, hot mid-summer days, sanity intact.

Deadheading can result in
beautiful bouquets for your
home. (Photo M. Truslove)

Provide the right environment to keep plants healthy.  The first step to give plants a fighting chance is to make sure they have everything they need to remain strong in the face of mid-summer challenges.  When plants are run-down and weak, they are far more susceptible to disease organisms and insects, just like us (well, minus the insect bit).

Practice smart watering.  Making sure plants have adequate water is obviously important when temperatures begin to rise, but avoid the “more is better” approach.  Soggy soils can be just as harmful as dry soils.  Remember that ideally plants need equal parts oxygen and water in the soil to grow properly. Proper watering rather than overwatering will help keep plants hydrated and happy.

It’s never too late to mulch.  One way to conserve water and ensure even soil moisture is to mulch.  At a recent talk about caring for woody plants during drought, Fort Collins City Forester Tim Buchanan said “Good things happen to people who mulch”.  Mulching is important for many reasons, including keeping plants cool and hydrated.  Even if you applied mulch in the spring, now is a good time to make sure you still have good coverage.  Three to four inches is generally adequate.  Apply and wait for good fortune to befall you.

Fertilize wisely.  Avoid the temptation to douse ailing plants with a heavy dose of fertilizer. Some plants, such as annuals and those kept in containers, may benefit from a light application of water soluble fertilizer.  They often start losing steam mid-summer because the nitrogen reserves in the soil have been depleted.   Some vegetables are heavy feeders, such as corn and potatoes, and also benefit from a small boost of fertilizer later in the season.  A good sign that they are low in nitrogen is that the leaves begin to yellow, starting with older leaves at the base of the plant.  Remember that nitrogen promotes leafy growth over flower and fruit production, so avoid excessive applications of N late in the summer.

Avoid the temptation to fertilize perennials this late in the game. These plants are past the initial growth spurt that naturally happens earlier in spring and summer and are winding down for the year. Fertilizing late in the season encourages succulent new growth that will be vulnerable to insect attack and cold injury in winter.

Remove plants that are past their prime.  Sometimes tough love is the best love.  This goes for annuals and vegetables that are limping along so you can glean one last harvest or one final bloom.

These new beet seedlings will
be ready to harvest by fall.
(Photo: M. Truslove)

These plants are magnets for pests and diseases, so remove them, add them to the compost, and know that their death hasn’t been in vain.  Replace them with fresh, new plants, or in the case of vegetables, plant a second crop for a fall harvest.  In the Denver metro area we still have roughly 70 days until the first average frost, so choose crops and varieties that will mature before the first week of October.  Good candidates are leafy greens such as spinach, swiss chard and lettuce, beets, carrots, turnips, broccoli, radishes, and peas. Be sure to check seed packets as different varieties of the same vegetables can have wildly different maturity rates.

Deadheading.  Also in the category of tough love is the practice of deadheading.  Yup, sometimes plant decapitation is just what the doctor ordered.  By deadheading, you are thwarting the plant’s mission to reproduce, so it keeps making more flowers to complete its lifecycle, which we are artificially prolonging for our viewing pleasure.  Ingenious.

In addition, cutting flowers more or less at their prime not only satisfies the need to deadhead, you can also create beautiful bouquets for your home.  If deadheading is not your style, you can let plants go to seed, which is appreciated by many species of birds, and will increase the number of plants you have without having to buy more.  Also ingenious.

This bindweed clearly should
have been pulled long ago. There
are plants in there somewhere...
(Photo: M. Truslove)

Weeding and more weeding.  Some folks love to weed--all...summer...long. I have to admit, this isn’t me.  I do love the look of a newly weeded, tidy garden, but by the time mid-summer rolls around, it brings less joy and feels like more of a chore, but it is important to keep it up.  Weeds are contending for the same water and nutrients as your more desirable garden plants, so give your plants the advantage and keep it up.  Staying on top of the weeds will also ensure that you’ll have fewer to contend with next season.

When late July rolls around and both you and your plants are feeling less than perky, it is important to keep on top of those small tasks.  Following the tips above will keep your garden healthy and looking its best into fall.