Composting is beneficial in so many ways. The product
of composting provides a soil rich in nutrients that is more beneficial to
gardens and lawns than fertilizers. Compost is also cheaper than fertilizers
and keeps some of our household kitchen wastes out of the landfill. What you
need to get started:
A container that will keep the compost contained, yet allow air in. (Wooden pallets, or a piece of metal fence can work great) (You can also purchase an already-made container)
A pitchfork or shovel to turn the compost
Compost material (see chart below)
What To Add To Your Compost
What Not To Add To Your Compost
Bread
Coffee grounds
Egg shells
Fruits
Grass clippings
Hay/straw
Leaves
Other yard waste
Paper (not colored)
Sawdust
Twigs/branches/etc. (chopped as small as possible)
Vegetables
Weeds
Wood ash
Turn the layers regularly (weekly or monthly) to allow oxygen to circulate
and encourage decomposition
Check the moisture level: If it’s too dry it will take longer to
decompose- too wet and it will start to smell. Add water or dry materials as
needed to balance the moisture level.
Add the finished product (this can take several months to a year) to your
garden, flowers, etc
Living in
the Adirondacks can make caring for a lawn much more challenging than caring for one in
the suburbs. The climate, soil, and other environmental conditions can make caring for
your lawn a frustrating experience at times.
Fertilizing:
Test your soil before fertilizing to see what
fertilizers will work best. Over fertilizing can be harmful to the lake in
runoff as well as harmful to your wallet.
Make sure you pay attention to adding the correct
amounts of fertilizers as well as adding them at the proper times of year.
Applying fertilizer at the wrong times, too often, etc can harm the water as
well as be unproductive for your yard.
When buying fertilizer, consider buying low or
no-phosphorous blends. (See our list of Lake
George area retailers that sell phosphorus free fertilizer.) A bag of 10-3-10 mixture means that the blend
contains 10% nitrogen (N), 3% phosphorous (P), and 10% potash (K). Because there is
already phosphorous in the soil, adding more phosphorous won’t make your
lawn grow that much better, but it will make the algae and aquatic weeds in
the lake grow healthier. So... Don't "P" on your lawn!
Grass:
If you feel that a “normal” lawn is needed consider planting native grasses. They will be more adaptable to this environment and will require less care and maintenance.
Keeping your grass length a little longer than say a putting green, will allow your lawn to naturally shade itself and will therefore require less watering and will look healthy.
Consider not bagging your grass trimmings. They act as natural mulch for the soil, helping to keep moisture and nutrients like nitrogen in.
Plants/Flowers:
Again, native is better as they will require less maintenance and can naturally repel or defend themselves against certain predators, especially in companion planting.
On hillsides, native plants often hold the soil back better than a cultivated lawn.
Mulch is a
great investment for your yard. Use mulch around plants and in garden beds. Not only does
mulch provide a visibly pleasing background surrounding plants, mulch also provides
numerous benefits. A layer of mulch on top of soil helps prevent the damaging effects of
wind and sun.It also prevents soil from
eroding during a heavy rain.Mulch helps the
soil retain water, cutting down on the frequency of watering.Mulch also helps to cut down weed growth and makes
weeds that do sprout up more visible and easier to locate and remove. Mulch not only looks
great, but it never stops working for you. As it decomposes, it becomes dark, rich humus
that adds valuable nutrients and enriches the soil.
Instead of using pesticides, here are some lake-friendly ways to
deter those problem bugs and animals that eat your hard work before you can.
General
Bug Problems:
A hot
pepper spray (pureed and strained hot pepper mixed with some water and a drop of dish
soap) can repel many different kinds of insects and even squirrels.
Minor
problems can be handled by hand picking.
Natural plant borders repel certain
insects.
Featured Pest - The Slug: A common pest preventing an otherwise
healthy garden is the slug. Slugs are vegetarians that love to eat everything leafy and
green. This is bad news for the vegetable garden. Here are a few tips to help prevent
slugs from damaging your garden:
Cultivate garden soil in early spring. Slug eggs do not
hatch unless the conditions are right. Prime conditions are dark, and moist
soil. Cultivating the soil brings the slug eggs closer to the surface and
may cause them to dry out and die.
Planting certain plants near your garden may also be
helpful. Certain plants, including Corn, Sunflower, Geraniums, Pumpkin as
well as certain herbs like mint, chives and basil, naturally repel slugs.
Slugs love beer. Place a container (old tuna can works)
and place it in the garden close to the plants where you’re finding the
slugs. Place it in the ground so that the top is level with the ground and
fill it with an inch of beer. The slugs will come in droves! Clean out the
slugs and refill the beer as needed.
Download
LGA
desktop wallpaper 
