The Key to a Flourishing Vegetable Garden

There are several keys to a flourishing and healthy vegetable garden. However, few are as important as rich, fertile soil. The soil needs to have enough nutrients for the plants to feed from and grow. Without rich soil, the produce from the garden is often small in size and flavorless.

The question is: What are the factors to fertile soil? There are several answers.

• Steer manure has proven to be very beneficial in my garden. For larger gardens, 6 bags at least will be needed (1 cubic ft. per bag). For smaller gardens, 4 bags at most will be needed (1 cubic ft. per bag).
• Kitchen refuse is excellent for garden compost: banana peels, orange peels, rotten or old produce, etc. But do not use moldy or mildewy foods, as mold can harm and destroy plants.
• Some natural compost is: pinecones, pine needles, dead leaves, grass clippings, dead flower heads (NOT dandelions) mulch, and moss. However, do NOT use weeds, dead or alive, as they may spring up later.
• Fruit and vegetable remnants, egg shells, nut shells, tea leaves, tea bags, and coffee grounds
• Lint, shredded paper, saw dust, straw, bird seed and sea weed
• Dead plants from last year's garden

Although everything mentioned above will decompose over time, a faster way to compost is with a composter. There are outdoor composters and indoor composters, which conveniently fit right into your kitchen. Outdoor composters are faster, however, as the sun warms the food and quickens the process.