How to Take Great Photos of Your Vegetable Garden (article)

Nothing says success as a gardener more than when the first vegetables start sprouting. All of that hard work, from cultivating the soil, adding in compost, and growing your seeds indoors has all finally come to a positive climax. However, it doesn't have to end there. With the many blogs, message boards and groups on vegetable gardening, why not share your results with other gardeners with some photos. With today's digital cameras and photo editing software, you can have wonderful pictures uploaded and online in no time. Here are some tips to make sure your shots make your veggies look pristine rather than dumpy. Take a Close Up Even though you might have the latest and greatest super zoom camera, I have found that my best photos have come when…

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Ten questions with Michael Mulvaney, Ph.D.

Hey everyone, stay tuned for my upcoming interview with soil scientist Dr. Michael Mulvaney.  I will be asking him all of your burning questions about (you guessed it) dirt! Are paper and cardboard destructive to your compost?  Is turning your compost pile really necessary?  Will food scraps high in citric acid destroy your compost pile? All this and more coming soon.  I can't wait to hear his replies, this guy really knows his stuff!

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Are Compost Crocks Really All That? (article)

Yesterday, I wrote an article summing up my thoughts about the kitchen compost crock and its effectiveness...here we go: I've been composting forever, and just recently I decided to curb my curiosity and try out a "compost crock". Are they really necessary, or just a fun item? It's definitely a glamour item, and since my kitchen is in really bad shape, it's the beacon of light. It's also become the beacon of stench. Here's what happened: I got the thing, filled it to the brim all at once (which I think may be why) and within two days I wouldn't have known there was a charcoal filter in the lid. However, day three came around and now I don't notice anything, other than that the crock is super hot...pretty cool. …

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