Good Advice - An Update

Yesterday I stopped by a clinic to get blood drawn for my bi-weekly testing. While I was there I started a conversation with the Phlebotomy Technician about her lawn which she describes as HAY. I suggested she look for fertilizers with higher 2nd (roots) and 3rd (vigor) numbers. The 1st number is nitrogen which is wonderful if everything else is good. She mentioned using a weed and feed, so I reminded her to be careful about where she spread it. Such fertilizers can kill many beautifully flowering plants just as quickly as they do weeds - a Plant is a Plant - and a poison is created to destroy.

She mentioned that a friend had asked her to save her coffee grounds. I told her that she should use them herself. The coffee grounds are a great supply of nitrogen. She could either use them in a compost pile or sprinkle them on her lawn. They are slow to release the nitrogen, so the lawn is less likely to be burned.

As for a compost pile she mentioned that she had a large backyard. I should have given her my cell number, so I could come to her home and help her get one started. She asked about making compost in a bag. Sure you can - tho it will take a bit longer. I told her to fill the bag with grass clippings, coffee grounds, egg shells, vegetables (leaves, stalks, what ever you would throw away) - and I mean really fill the bag. Don't worry about moisture (especially in Houston). Poke several holes in the bag in the bottom half - let bugs + air + moisture in. She mentioned using a compost started - why pay for such - just add a shovel full of her yard soil especially from an area the is growing good. The microbes and worms in the added soil will do wonderful things to her compost bag.