Rappa-Grow Will Be Available Saturday

I don’t consider myself a gardener, but I do like to dig in the dirt and grow a few flowers and vegetables. I occasionally daydream about being an urban farmer and planting my entire city lot with enough produce to sell at the farmers’ market. I read gardener’s blogs and talk to my friends who are urban farmers and one thing I have learned about gardening in the last few years is the immeasurable value of compost.

Adding compost to your existing soil will improve the soil structure that in turn increases water infiltration and allows for stronger root growth. Soil will be less compacted and be easier to cultivate and I can definitely speak to that! I lived in a new development for a few years and all of the top soil had been removed during construction. The heavy clay that was left contained many rocks and was as hard as a brick in the summer. I mulched with three inches of compost around the azaleas and shrubs the developer planted every fall for three years. Without even turning it into the soil, the compost worked its way into the soil and is easily dug with a spade now. Compost also reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides.

Rappa-Grow Compost is a soil amendment produced at the Regional Landfill and is made by combining wastewater biosolids and yard trimmings. The controlled biological decomposition process of composting requires the correct ratio of organic materials, proper moisture content, and temperature. Rappa-Grow is monitored throughout the composting process. Decomposition is
performed by naturally   occurring bacteria and fungi that use the organic material as an energy source. When mature compost is finished decomposing, the temperature drops and after a curing period, Rappa-Grow will not produce unpleasant odors. I have used Rappa-Grow for a few years in my vegetable beds for tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and beans and I can say that I am pleased with the results.

This great soil amendment is available for purchase at the Regional Landfill in Stafford for $5 per 5-gallon bucket on Saturday mornings between 8am and 12pm. You are welcome to bring your own bucket or pay a $5 refundable deposit on ours. We are catering to the homeowner with small garden beds to gauge interest and to determine how much demand we will have for our product. With your purchase you will receive information on nutrient levels and tips on how to use Rappa-Grow in your landscape.