Topic: Black Gold

[duh]

I was talking to a friend that I gave some compost to this spring for her tomato and cucumber plants.  She is thrilled by the way the plants are thriving.  She couldn't believe the growth and the number of flowers.  I'm so thrilled that it worked for her.  She plants in containers and I've never done that but evidently the same holds true for planters and for the good old veggie bed lol. 

[Dianna]

I will be happy when I can start composting again. Even my little five-gallon bucket was better than nothing! I just haven't had the "want to" since my last episode with composting. 

I can't believe you gave compost away! You are a treasure, duh, to all of your friends...

[duh]

Well my gardening space is very small and I have friends who donate grass clippings and leaves so it's share and share alike.  That way everyone benefits.  And I get the exercise which I really need. 

I was wondering if anyone knows what the breakdown ratio is for compost.  I mean how much raw material creates how much compost.  I know it shrinks considerably but I'm curious as to how much.  Anyone seen any information on that?

Now you have me very curious what happened to your last compost pile Dianna?

[Dianna]

by Duh:

Now you have me very curious what happened to your last compost pile Dianna?

Do you remember me posting about composting in a five-gallon bucket on another site? Well, when we had our porch put on over half of our deck, someone must have had to "go" really badly. You guessed, didn't you? Whoever took a in my five-gallon bucket is really on my poo list now...

We learned a lesson. Do not contract for someone to do something around your home even if you have a trusted neighbor/handyman working as the supervisor.

[Jim]

I've put some composting bins on the list, but there are a number of other things in front of it that have to get finished first.  With the grass and garden this time of year there isn't much time for anything else. 

[duh]

STOP WAIT you don't need bins.

Composting is a natural occurance in nature.  All you need to do is mound up your grass clippings and in a year if you don't do anything at all you will have compost at the bottom of the pile. 

Bins are more for people who live in towns where the pile might be considered unsightly to the untoutored eye.

I started out using a big wheeled garbage can.  It was a pain dumping out and then reloading it every week to turn the compost but I did it.  Then I got smart.

There was a corner of the garden...ok [weed patch] that I could reclaim, sort of, that was out of the way.  So I began dumping my grass clippings and leaves there.  And I would just mix it up and move it from one side of the space to the other to turn it.  Much easier.  And I got a much bigger return. 

So don't wait just pile it somewhere mother nature will take care of it herself if you don't have the time. 

One good reason for turning this kind of pile is so that plants won't grow on top of it lol.  Every plant seems to love the compost pile and will head for it if it can.  By pulling it apart and rebuilding it every so often they can't get a good purchase on it. 

The other good reason is so that it will breakdown faster. 

The only thing you have to know about compost piles is that they should never get as large as 6 cubic feet.  The reason being that they can at that size get hot enough to spontaneously combust.  Not something that you want to happen.

i'm sorry to hear about your composting booboo or should I say poopoo...oh dear I shouldn't have said that 

I hope this will help you get started on your compost pile.  And believe me the difference compost makes to clay is down right amazing.   

In fact one thing you will find is the clay underneath the soil will become soft and rich and a good place to plant after the compost has been there a year.  It's the same principle as Lasagna composting to create new flower beds only without the steps to kill the weeds. 

[Dianna]

Duh, the reason I want a bin or barrel is so it can be enclosed. My five-gallon bucket had a lid on it and every time I needed to turn it, I just rolled it around the yard. 

We have a lot of wild critters out here in the country and I don't want them to scare me to death every time I go add, turn, or have anything to do with the compost. We have fox, snakes, coons, snakes, alligators, and even snakes. Did I mention snakes?

by Duh?

i'm sorry to hear about your composting booboo or should I say poopoo...oh dear I shouldn't have said that

 

I am still raging over that!  I am still amazed that someone would have that lack of manners when they are hired to do a job for someone. We did not pay him to add to my compost bucket. I had Jim take the whole bucket to the dump...

Is there any way I could twist your arm to start a lasagna gardening tutorial for us. I am thinking about using that method to do my mother's memorial garden...

[duh]

If you don't use kitchen scrapes you don't have to worry about critters.  Well other than worms and other insects.  I think they like the heat. 

I rather thought I was stirring the pot when I mentioned that.  I'll refresh my memory and see what I can come up with.  I've only done it once because I'm to impatient for the most part to do it that way.

[Pharmerphil]

Jim, I'm with Duh, You have a GREAT advantage..that lil tractor...
I'd have  windrows of compost-composting if I had me a lil tractor to turn it

[duh]

Woohoo!  I got out there and turned about 2/3 of the compost pile.  Of course I took a cold capsule first and they have that stuff in them that makes me act like I'm on speed but at least I got something done in the garden which is super great.

As always happens this time of year I could definitely use lots of browns but the grass clippings that were on top of the compost pile are turning brown so they will do lol.

The rain didn't penetrate to the center of the pile so I made a depression in the center of the pile to help the rainwater soak in.  It looks like it might rain today.  I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[Jim]

Dianna thought this was cute, so I thought I would share it.  I still haven't got anything going for compost here but it is on my list.



It's kinda funny but has a great message.

[Dianna]

Gosh, I thought that was pharmerphil for a minute there! 

[duh]

All you need is a place to pile your grass clippings they will take it from there given a chance.  I really hope you try it.  I wasn't a big fan when I began composting I was just bored lol.  Now, I love it.

I have to laugh this morning.  I put wheat seeds on top of the a/c unit for the sparrows.  And this morning it was all gone.  I couldn't figure out why the sparrows were comming right up to the window.  They are normally much shier than that.  So now that I've added more seeds they are all chirping when they come to visit.  I love watching them as I post of the computer.

[duh]

I was looking at my compost pile this morning and boy howdy has it shrunk.  I know it's all the heat we've had.  Hopefully the landlord will bring me another load of grass clippings sometime this week.  Then it will be ready to be turned again.