Composting method NEWARK, Del. - This is the time of year when en thusiastic gardeners like to trade secrets on how to raise two-pound tomatoes or keep insects away from their peppers and eggplants by various practices. One idea that many would welcome is for an easy way to prepare compost. University of Delaware Extension vegetable specialist Dr. Michael Orzolek has just such a recipe. Compost is one of those natural materials no organic gardener would be without. But an application of well- rotted compost wiU benefit any garden, no matter what t your philosophy about growing plants. Compost can be prepared from many different materials, including tree leaves, lawn clippings, coffee grounds, straw, sawdust, dead houseplants, dried flowers and other organic material. It can be applied to soils in the same manner as manure. In areas where lawns are to be seeded, broadcast 500 described pounds of compost per 1000 square feet of ground and mix this into the top four to six inches of soil, to prepare a good seedbed. Use it in your vegetable garden as an enriching soil conditioner. Besides improving tilth, it will increase the soil’s water-holding capacity. To prepare compost for the home garden, Orzolek says it’s desirable to use a bin that’s fdur feet high and four feet wide, and long -enough to hold the material to be composted. (If you have the room, it’s even better to have two bins, side by side, so that compost ready for use can be kept in one container, while new compost is started in the other.) Chicken wire or other fencing nailed to posts will give you satisfactory bin. It doesn’t need a floor. The top of your compost -pile should be kept flat so that it will catch rain water. Apply five pounds of a complete fertilizer such as 10-5-5 to each 100 pounds of organic matter that you put in the bin. During the initial preparation of the pile, it will be necessary to add water if, you use dry plant residues. The best moisture content for the composting process is between 50 to 70 per cent. In dry weather you’ll have to water the pile liberally to facilitate the breakdown of organic matter. A layer of soil about an inch deep spread over the top of die pile will help prevent the loss of nitrogen. After you’ve prepared your- compost heap, let it stand for about three weeks. Then turn and mix material thoroughly with a spading fork. Repeat this turning process at intervals of about two or three weeks. 'The compost will crumble easily in your hand when decom positidh is complete. This will take about three to four months. You can start your com post heap at any time of year, says the vegetable specialist. Just remember that piles started in the Fall when temperatures are low will require a longer period of time for decomposition. classl LOCAL CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES 12c per word 1.68 minimum charge Use This Handy Chart To Figure Your Cost |l|lssuel3| Issues 1 68 4 03 1 80 4 32 1 92 4 61 2 04 4 90 216 5 18 2 28 5.47 2 40 5 76 Words 14 or Less KEYED ADS (Ads with answer coming to a Box Number, c/o Lancaster Farming) 50 cents additional Ads running 3 or more con secutive times with no change billed at 20 percent discount Deadline Thursday morning at 9, of each week's publication Lancaster Farming PO Box 266 Lilitz. PA 17543 Phone Lancaster 717-394 3047 or Lititz 717-626-1164 TESTERS...What—and how much—these cattle eat is carefully studied. They are part of a Clay City, •Nebraska research project by geneticists at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Cen ter to identify feed efficiency characteristics among cross bred cattle. Vegetable Servings From a 16-ounce can of vegetables, three or four servings of drained vege tables and two or three serv ings of canned greens can usually be expected Dried vegetables increase con siderably in weight and volume during cooking be cause they absorb water Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 11,1978 mm PHONE 717-394-3047 or 717-626-1164 FARM EQUIPMENT For Sale - 1975 3400 Int. diesel tractor with back hoe unloader, excellent condi tion. 717-259-0612 days, 717-259-9606 after 5 P.M. For Sale - Complete line of farm equipment, Int. 1466, low hours, JD 4230 and 2030, JD 38 chopper with 2 heads, 2 JD 216 forage wagons, 1 214 Blazer, 175 bu. mixer feeder wagon, NI 1500 gal. liquid manure spreader and more. 215-345-7370 or after 6, 822-3910. For Sale -165 MF diesel trac tor, 1500 hrs., multi power, heathouser. 215-273-3095. For Sale - MF 2135 tractor with MF 200 loader, MF mounted plow 316” bottoms, like new. 215-285-6246. Specials - One Of A Kind -19 ft. Folding Drag on wheels, equipped for hydraulic lift. 17 ft. x 22 inches Land Holler on wheels, equipped for hydraulic lift, roan width 12 ft. 6 inches. 14 ft. x 22 inches Land Roller on wheels equipped for hydraulic lift, road width 8 ft. 94 inches wide x 20 ft. long Trailer tandem wheel 10,000 lb. capacity, equipped for road hook-up ana tractor hitch with four wheel brakes. Call for price, phone 215-682-2781. For Sale - JD 2 row planter, 3 pt. hitch, good condition $240; Oliver 60 baler, ready for field $5OO. 302-378-2408, Middletown, Del. For Sale - 12% KW Deutz generator set, like new, used hay tedder. 717-354-7113. For Sale - Badger 14 ft. chuck wagon, 3 beaters, ex cellent condition. 717-426-3135. When strength, economical space and beauty are combined... With Rigidply Laminated Rafters you get a lot more than a quality farm building. First, all of your inside space is useful, with a clear span from floor to ndge Second, you have maximum resistance to wind and snow because laminated rafters are far stronger than the wood itself Third, the attractive arches provide all of the roof support, while providing you with complete freedom for a more efficient interior designed to your very own needs Rigidply Rafters, Inc. Telephone: (717) 866-6581 P.O BOX 189 A - RICHLAND RD 1, PA. 17087 (301) 334-3977 OAKLAND RD 2, MD. 21550 1 flop FARM EQUIPMENT V For Sale - JD pull behind equipment, 7 ft. KBA disc, hyd. or rope $225,55H plow 3 K’s on rubber with tractor release $225, #8 mower $275, #290 com planter with fer tilizer boxes $2OO. 609-397-2569. For Sale -1973 N 1705 power unit with a thru row 760 forage harvester, also, a 1974 717 uni-combine with a four row com head, both are like new. 919-786-2067 Mount Airy.NC. Melrose 444 Bobcat $2500.00; Owatoona 1000 skid loader $3500.00; John Deere 440 A log skidder $8500.00; Franklin log skidder $5975.00; John Deere 440 log skidder $6500.00; Chevy with log loader $2900.00; John Deere 1010 Diesel dozer, winch $4975.00; 1973IHCTD8 - 6 way dozer $14,500.00; 1969 Cat 977 K loader $22,975.06; 1973 Cat 9418 loader $22,500.00; John Deere 400 hoe & loader $7500.00; Case 580 hoe & loader $7500.00; John Deere 4508 hoe & loader $15,500.00. Others. CaU 814-793-2829. CURRY SUPPLY MARTINSBURG, PA For Sale - NI cut-ditioner, 9 ft. cut used less than 50 acres. 814-3714261. For Sale - Irrigation system complete, 1,490’ 6” Tico pipe; 1,710’ 5” Tico pipe, Hale pump & all accessories included. System like new. 6- row Planet Junior Cedar 3 pt. hook. Ph. 717-5864316 or evenings 717-586-0226. FOR SALE Blackwelder Tomato Harvester Used Very Little First Eastern Bank, N. A. Conyngham, Pa. 18219 (717)788-1151 69
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