Composting

I have been attempting to compost for awhile now without the success I would have liked. Basically there has been no compost coming out after a few years now. When we took the garden down last fall all of the plants were piled up with the hopes they would become part of the compost. They did not break down much over the winter. My brother recently began to use the lawn mower to break down the plants and other material that had been in the compost pile. We combined this with what was in the compost bin. The weather got really cold so the pile we had created sat for a little while until the weather improved and we could put everything back in the bin. 

Here is the pile in the center of the garden area. One change we are working on is to keep it wetter.

This area is my compost bin, basically stakes and plastic netting. You can not see my standing plastic compost bin since I moved it once it was empty. You can see the rolling bin which we left alone.

To augment the compost my father brought over a bag of chicken manure. I also got a bag of coffee grounds from a coffee shop near work that they offer for free.

While moving the compost we kept it wet to make sure it would be damp throughout.

We also kept the new pile wet and mixed the manure and and coffee grounds in as we shifted the compost mix over.

It is awesome to see the shift in Katie and what she can do to help each year as she gets older. When we started she grabbed her shovel and started working without even being asked, she shoveled with me for a large part of the time, she also jumped in with the hose to keep things sprayed down.

She insists on wearing a dress and her dress shoes but I am still proud of her wanting to help. On another note her main play with play-doh is to make a flat surface, poke holes then make seeds and plant them. I like to ask her what she is planting, it ranges from common vegetables to things like rainbows, wouldn't it be nice to plant and grow a rainbow?

My happy helper

I do not have a photo of the new compost pile since we worked until we lost the light. The hope is that if we shift it around in the next couple months it will be ready to work in the soil for this years garden, I will keep you updated on the progress.

Recycled Shelving

My library has been undergoing some reorganization and moving of furniture. Part of this process was removal of shelving. The shelving was old solid wood, a perfect opportunity to obtain some good wood for projects.

One of the first projects my brother wanted to build was a planter box. He began cutting up the shelves into the needed sizes and constructing the box.

After the box was built it needed legs, it is quite heavy and was going to need substantial support. Again he cut the shelves into the pieces needed.

The box fits into a space against the back of the house.

We filled the box with compost, mulch and some other things to help create a good soil.

We have put lettuce, carrots and other vegetables in the box and so far they are doing well.

Compost in my driveway

One day last week there was a delivery in my driveway. We had compost delivered to assist the soil in my backyard. Unfortunately they came a little early and blocked my car in the garage but I still made it to work thanks to my Mom.

When Katie and I went out to look at it she kept saying "Its dirt!"

My brother had already tilled the yard in preparation for the compost.

Katie and Kevin got to work, first they shoveled the compost into the cart.

Then they started wheeling the cart to the backyard.

They went down the side of the house to get there, Olive helped too.

Then they dumped the cart in the garden area.

They worked on it all day, Katie changed clothes and eventually the pile of compost was worked down.

But they continued to move it.

Until it was all in the backyard and a fresh layer of compost was ready to be tilled into the soil.

You might notice in the corner the compost bin and a new structure.

My compost bin has been very full. I looked into getting another bin or building one but the cost was a little excessive. My brother came up with making one with chicken wire, did you know it comes in plastic now? He used some posts from my parents house and zip ties. Now there is plenty of space for the composting to expand.

Compost

A compost bin is a great way to get rid of yard waste and kitchen garbage and get some great mulch. As a housewarming gift we got a compost bin. In December Katie and I put it together.

We put it in the back yard and filled it with the leaves that accumulated in the yard, trimmings from around the yard, grass clipping from the two times the lawn has been mowed since we moved in and kitchen scraps. My brother and I have turned it once. The hope is that some of it will be ready for the garden in a few months.

Here is a peek inside, with some fresh kitchen scraps and its ready for some more turning.

I have realized I might need to get a second one for when the grass starts to really grow and to keep a rotation  of new stuff and what has broken down.