Now that we’re about to experience wonderful springtime weather, it’s a great time to prepare your landscape before the heat of the summer rolls in. One task you’ll want to be sure to do is to clean your tools and maintain them. Regular maintenance ensures that tools remain in good condition and they’ll last longer, too. So, you’ll want to sharpen them and clean and sterilize them, especially if you’ve used them to prune diseased branches.

Start a compost bin

It’s an excellent time to get started on a compost bin. By beginning the process, you’ll be on your way to creating nutrient-rich soil for free. You can create compost by using kitchen scraps, yard clippings, and other ingredients. You’ll want to include a mix of carbon and nitrogen ingredients. An optimal ration will consist of 3 to 3 parts of carbon matter to 1 p[art nitrogen matter. We’ll break down some of the ingredients that you can use to create carbon and nitrogen sources below.

Carbon sources: Woody branches, dead leaves, bark dust, sawdust, shredded office paper, cardboard, coffee filters, brown paper bags, straw, and the wood ash you can college from your fireplace or wood stove.

Nitrogen sources: Fruit and vegetable scraps, freshly cut grass clippings, green plant trimmings, eggshells, used coffee grounds, kelp, and seaweed.

If you’d like more information on how to compost at home, you can learn more here.