Save Money with Rain Barrels

Water being our most precious resource, it makes sense to conserve it wherever and whenever we can. After all, an average person can live on water alone for about eight weeks, give or take about a week for an over- or underweight person. That same person, without water, will perish within only a few days, depending on the temperature and how much they are sweating. And not only is water important for our own personal consumption. We also need water for our washing, gardening, cooking and pets.

One very smart way of conserving water is with a rain barrel from www.BestComposters.com. We have a number of sizes, shapes and colors that will provide your household with rainwater runoff. You’ll get ‘free’ water and reduce your monthly piped or well water consumption and your water bills. You’ll also be saving the energy that would be required to purify that rainwater in a treatment plant. Runoff from roofs can add up quickly, to like over 16.5 thousand gallons per year, or 65% of the annual water needed for an average landscaped yard – from a two thousand square foot roof. And untreated rainwater is better for plants.

Fresh water prices in the U.S. are averaging about $1 per 100 gallons, and we use typically 69.3 gallons per capita every day. Your savings will add up quickly with a rain barrel or two in your yard, on your patio or deck. Visit www.BestComposters.com today for competitive prices and great customer service!

Container Gardening

With times as they are in this economy, having vegetables and herbs grown at home can really stretch a budget. I’ve been spending a lot less at the grocery this summer with the produce from my garden as a supplement. We’re fortunate to have room in our yard to have a sizable garden, but you can grow your own fresh organic vegetables in containers very easily.

I like to set up a drip irrigation system for my container garden, ala my husband, since plants do much better if they are on a set watering schedule. We feed them regularly, as well, and nip off dead or yellowed leaves. I recommend tomatoes in sunny locations, whether upright or hanging ones. There are so many different types of tomatoes you can choose from, too, and a plethora of recipes that can accommodate this versatile veggie.

Some of the benefits to container gardening, aside from the fresh produce are:
- bugs and slugs are virtually non-problematic
- weeds are usually not a problem either
- you can have as many as you can fit or as few as you want to deal with
- almost anything can be used as a planting container, as long as it holds soil and has adequate drainage
- potting soil can be used with confidence, since they have the proper pH balance
- containers can be brought indoors when the weather turns cold so you can prolong your growing season
- container gardening beautifies your patio, porch or balcony with color and foliage
- even small, tight spaces like as window sills and steps can be utilized to grow herbs
- they love the compost that you've, hopefully, been making!
Happy Composting!

What to Do About Powdery Mildrew on Squash Leaves

There seems to be a lot of 'talk' on gardening websites about this common problem, but not many folks have a sure fire answer about what to do when your zucchini, yellow squash and cucumber plants develop a white, powdery mildew on their leaves. Some gardeners have said that it's a natural occurrence as temperatures begin to drop. Others say not to plant too closely together, as overcrowding can lead to the fungus. Still others have said their plants just develop this at the end of the season, so they do nothing.

Here in the Denver area we've had pretty steady high temps...fortunately for my veggies, but unfortunately for me! And I certainly hope that mid-August isn't to be considered close to the end of the growing season! Can't do anything about overcrowding at this point, unless I just want to get rid of otherwise healthy and productive plants. So my husband and I decided to try a product from BiOWiSH™ that is newly available in the US: BiOWiSH™ Crop. As always, we strive to make our gardening 100% organic, and so we're happy to be able to use BiOWiSH™ products because they're all 100% organic and environmentally safe. Some of the benefits of Crop include:
•Increases nutrient availability
•Reduces habitat for fungal spores
•Improves yields
•Improves plant health
•Increases total number of crops per annum
•100% natural and biodegradable
•Non-toxic and chemical-free
We saw a huge difference within 24 hours! The Powdery Mildew was almost completely gone. And we've got lots of lovely flowers on the plants, which I hope will turn into even lovelier zucchini and yellow squash...since I haven't made a single batch of zucchini bread yet!
Happy Composting!

Cleaning Up Naturally

We have a friend with a miniature golf course close by who was lamenting to my husband the other day about having to clean the bathrooms every night after the 'mishaps' of their cherished customers. Of course while they appreciate the business that their clients bring in, it's not a lot of fun cleaning up after them!

But they're closing times been much less gruesome now that they have BiOWiSH Cleaner-Deodorizer helping them. These hard working folks deserve a few breaks, afterall. Their stinky, germ filled chore is taken care of with a quick spray of BiOWiSH Cleaner-Deodorizer. It eliminates, instead of masking odors, because it digests the bacteria. And one package of BiOWiSH Cleaner-Deodorizer equals 2.5 gallons of cleaning and deodorizing power,so it costs under $5 per gallon. An all natural cleaner, completely safe around children and pets, and economical too!

Cleaner & Deodorizer is a unique chemical-free cleaning treatment for every household and office surface. Rid yourself of the worry of chemical cleaners with all BiOWiSH™ cleaning products, including Floor Wash, Odor, Septic Tank Aid, BiO-Stix Drain Cleaner, Pond & Fountain, Aqua and Cleaner & Degreaser. Visit us and view product details at www.BestComposters.com.