Composting update

 After the last rip roaring post...lets get back to normal 

I have had a few emails, with questions about composting...

 if it is hard, smelly, yucky, buggy, rat infested etc etc

 Well, the answer is yes and no,

to all of those things

We started composting about 3 years ago and it is pretty much second nature around here.  

Ours is a triple bin composter,

with each bin in a different state of decomposition

The fist bin is fresh stuff from the kitchen and garden

This is where we mix the nitrogen (green stuff)  with the carbon (brown dry stuff)

I have to add it really helps to have one of those little compost buckets in your kitchen because you really get in the habit of using it.

I have a small stainless pail

with a charcoal filter in the lid 

but there are tons of good ones now,

which run around 20 dollars

All three bins get a really good soak of water 

about once a week...

It has been our experience that you need to add a lot more water than you think you will need

At this point the first bin is pretty horrible looking and you will have fruit flies

but it really doesn't smell...honest!

Remember never to add meat or anything like that...it will smell like a trash can, won't break down and can cause all sorts of health problems.  

You can read more info in this great book called 

Let It Rot

I bought it when we first got started!

Make sure to keep the lids down because rats, raccoons, cats and dogs love this stuff!

Once things start breaking down the compost from the first bin gets added to the second bin

Some people like to add some dirt from the yard at this point 

but it really isn't necessary

 That bin (#2) then gets turned and soaked etc until most of the big leaves, fruit and grass have disappeared

This stage is where you can really start to see things break down

 and the red worms are doing their job really well

You can buy red worms, which are not earth worms but another type of worm, on the internet 

 some nurseries have them too, but once your compost gets going 

you wont need to add any more worms

The other thing you may notice at this point is how warm the compost is

In the morning you can see steam when you dig around and start turning your compost

I have read that if you get the soil too hot it will kill the worms 

but we have never had that happen...knock on wood

 The we move it all again to the final bin

You can see at this point how the bin has broken down to the point where it looks about 1/3rd full which means it's about ready for the garden

 A couple of things I like about this bin is the galvanized top 

and the removable slatted front

 I think picking a good location is pretty important too...the bin is not all that great to look at and I like the fact that its close to the citrus orchard

 because we have so much rotten fruit on the ground...daily

 and so cleaning up is much easier

 Here is how the slats fit into the front...they just pull up and slide easily back into place when you are done digging around

 Chicken wire is pretty essential too, to contain all of the debris and allow air circulation which happen to be another component of making good dirt

 This compost bin sits directly on the ground which allows moisture to get in to the soil beneath and good bugs to make their way up into the leaves and clippings

This is pretty basic construction and if you have a handy friend 

or two 

you could easily build this in a day

The materials will run about $200 dollars

 if you use pressure treated lumber and redwood, which we did in this case

 The stuff at the very bottom is the best...super dark and rich

 Your compost should smell like dirt, be full of worms and there should be very little recognizable "stuff" that you threw in, in the very beginning

If you see anything too big just chuck it back into the second bin

 and let it break down some more

 oh and look who's here 

Mr Worm....a gardeners BFF

 I don't really worry too much if there are some sticks and leaves that are not completely broken down because once this gets added to the beds it continues  to decompose really quickly

 A full tub of compost will double the amount of soil in your beds 

and a little seems to go a long way

 After mowing the grass and adding to our  kitchen and garden debris, we will add a good amount of dried leaves on top, water well 

and call it a day

 This bed got a nice dose of compost today after the Basil 

froze to death and died last week

 I double dig the existing soil, add in the compost and dig some more

This bed will get planted next week and I will probably dig it again just to be sure every thing is well incorporated...sort of like making good cupcakes!

This is such a great way to spend a beautiful fall day...and my favorite time of the year to garden

I added this last photo...just for fun

Happy Gardening

; o )