Garden compost

Our family has planted a small garden this year, it is our first real gardening effort. We are lucky enough to have lots of worms in our soil and a watering system installed. Our garden is doing great & we have enjoyed our fresh lettuce, tomatoes, snow peas, and soon our green peppers and artichokes. Our kids love to eat the peas as snacks and I know it is because they helped plant them, otherwise they would not be as interested. We plan on expanding our little garden and I just read about making your own compost so if you have a garden or would like to get your plants healthier read this article:

(okay I have to put a small disclaimer in here about my garden, it is not my first garden technically...I grew with a mom that is an amazing gardener and I learned from helping her. So this is just my first garden on my own)

All gardens benefit from compost -- and preferably you can make your own on site. Hey, it's free! Compost feeds plants, helps conserve water, cuts down on weeds, and keeps food and yard waste out of landfills (where it produces methane), instead turning garbage into "black gold." Spread compost around plants, mix with potting soil, use to bolster struggling plants…it's hard to use too much!
According to Country Living, the best compost forms from the right ratio of nitrogen- and carbon-rich organic waste, mixed with soil, water and air. It might sound like complicated chemistry, but don't worry too much if you don't have time to make perfect compost. Even a minimally tended pile will still yield decent results.
1. To get started, measure out a space at least three feet square. Your compost heap can be a simple pile or contained within a custom pen or bin (some can be rotated, to improve results).
2. Add alternating layers of carbon (or brown) material -- leaves and garden trimmings -- and nitrogen (or green) material -- such as kitchen scraps and manure, with a thin layer of soil in between.
3. Top off the pile with four to six inches of soil. Turn the pile as new layers are added and water to keep (barely) moist, in order to foster microbe action. You should get good compost in as little as two months (longer if it's cold).
4. A properly maintained compost pile shouldn't smell. But if it does add more dry carbon material (leaves, straw, or sawdust) and turn it more frequently.
5. Even if you live in a city, you can do some composting under your counter with a tidy worm kit, or partner with a community garden.

*from http://www.thedailygreen.com/

Vinegar, glorious vinegar!

* This article was taken from the www.thedailygreen.com
7 Smart Uses for Vinegar
Save money, feel better and get clean clothes and a non-toxic home. Then
By Brian Clark Howard
Now that you know ketchup can be used for shining copper and repairing hair, or that vodka can be used to repel insects and freshen laundry, you may have been wondering what tasks you can get done for cheap with other household items. Since May is National Vinegar Month (did you forget??), we thought we'd take a closer look at this inexpensive, versatile good.
According to the Vinegar Institute, the useful stuff was probably discovered by accident (most wine drinkers know what happens when you leave a bottle sitting around too long). In fact the word vinegar comes from a French translation for "sour wine." Over the centuries vinegar has been produced from many stocks, including molasses, dates, sorghum, fruits, coconut, honey, beer, maple syrup, potatoes, beets, grains and more. But the principle is the same: you get acetic acid (a.k.a. vinegar) after first fermenting natural sugars to alcohol, and then fermenting again.
As Michael de Jong, TDG's Zen Cleaner and author of the Clean series of books, points out, vinegar has been pressed into service for many uses over the centuries. It has been prized as a foodstuff, condiment, preservative and natural remedy.
What's so great about vinegar? Besides being effective, vinegar is cheap and widely available. It is non-toxic and lasts for a very long time without losing strength. It does not pollute land, air or water or combust. It's much safer to have under your sink than bleach, ammonia or other toxic cleaning products. Many folks also swear by the benefits of apple cider vinegar.
In the spirit of green cleaning, green thrift and green creativity, we put together this list of alternative uses for vinegar. Add your own in the comments!
1. Clean Windows
Instead of spending money on window cleaning chemicals -- especially ones that include toxic or potentially toxic chemicals -- make your own! Mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon of water, and dispense into a used spray bottle. Squirt on, then scrub with newspaper, not paper towels, which cause streaking.
Gerville Hall/Istock
2. Get Spring Fresh Laundry
Got grass stains? No problemo, says Michael de Jong. Make a mixture of one-third cup white vinegar and two-thirds cup water. Apply the solution to the stain and blot with a clean cloth. Repeat this process until you've removed as much green as possible, and then launder as usual.
When your big washing day comes around, toss in a capful of white vinegar. Your colors will come out bolder and your whites whiter. If you've recently had an encounter with a skunk, it will take more than a capful.
After washing, get a sharper crease in pants by dipping the cloth in a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Then wring out the cloth and press the creases. Now you look like Dilbert!
3. Clean Carpets
According to this TDG community member:
"Spots in carpets often remove with a simple dilution of one part vinegar, one-sixteenth part lemon juice and eight parts distilled water."
Thanks for the tip!
4. Wash Produce
According to the green team at Ideal Bite, vinegar can help remove bacteria and pesticide residues from fruits and veggies. Mix three parts water to one part white vinegar, and dispense in a spray bottle. Then rinse with water. The site claims the wash kills 98% of bacteria on produce.
Luca di Filippo/Istock
5. Break Bad Bonds
Having trouble getting that annoying sticky label residue off a product? Or accidentally glue something together? Vinegar can be used as a solvent to dissolve many common adhesives. Vinegar is also good at cutting grease.
6. Fight Hiccups and Cramps
If you often get foot or leg cramps in the middle of the night, you may want to try boosting your potassium levels. There are a number of great superfoods rich in potassium (way beyond bananas). Some folks have also suggested trying this remedy: Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of honey and a cup of hot water. Then drink before bed. Yummy!
Some have also said they were able to cure pesky hiccups instantly by swallowing a teaspoon of vinegar. Hey, if the Roman legions drank it, it must be good for you!
7. Deter Cats
We love cats here at TDG (even LOLcats!). But sometimes you don't want them doing their business in the kids' sandbox. Or in your flower bed. According to HomeEnvy, a simple solution is to pour vinegar around the edges of the area you want to protect every few months.