Food prices are set the rise this summer, and a garden could come in handy as drought in California forces prices up.

A recent study by Arizona State University predicts that some prices will spike by as much as 50 cents per pound.

Lettuce could be hit particularly hard, with prices rising by 31 to 62 cents to as much as $2.44 per head, according to the study done by ASU.

Lettuce however is a good candidate to grow in your own backyard along with radishes, turnips and carrots, said Gretchen Groenke, a community health organizer with LiveWell Montezuma.

One of the first steps to growing a successful garden is making sure the soil is healthy.

“We grow soil, and soil grows plants,” is a motto of Groenke’s.

Gardening with compost can be affordable way at help reduce the need for herbicides and pesticides by improving plant health

Here are some simple ways to get started.

The basic heap

The most basic strategy is a compost heap with greens that are high in nitrogen and browns that are high in carbon.

The greens can be any fresh organic waste such as grass clippings and food. Carbons can be dried leaves or cardboard.

Flipping the pile and adding worms – specifically, red wigglers – can speed up the decomposition process.

Composting in place

Another strategy is to build topsoil within a garden – sheet mulching. Start with a layer of cardboard, followed by a layer of manure, followed by straw or leaves. The cardboard should completely cover the soil to prevent grasses and other weeds from coming through.

“With our clay soils, and our really dry climate, we need to mulch our gardens,” Groenke said.

Before using manure in a garden, it is important to make sure the animals were not eating hay that had been sprayed by herbicide because it could prevent broad leaf plants from growing.

Winter composting

A worm bin inside can keep worms alive and build up a store of soil to use in the spring, said Judith Selby, who is going to be selling composting worms locally.

Red wigglers, commonly used for composting, will not survive a winter in this area unless the compost is huge or heated. But it can be a clean and scentless endeavor. Adding shredded paper can help keep the bin from getting slimey and smelly.

If it starts to smell

It is likely that the balance of carbon materials and nitrogen materials is off.

The compost pile might also need to be aerated. When there is no oxygen in compost, the anaerobic bacteria can create a smelly situation.

If you would like to learn more about composting, a soil-building workshop will be held at the Mancos Public library on Saturday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

mshinn@cortezjournal.com