There is a twinkle in my eye & a Wizard of Oz-ish magic as I come to life when given a chance to talk about compost. As the curtain is pulled back to reveal the mysteries of this land, you’ll soon understand the simplicity of composting.
Let’s take the biggest step first. ‘Why would I want rotting food in my yard?’, you may ask. The simple answer is that food scraps are not all that different from the leaves, perennials & grasses that are already there AND you are creating something that you normally have to purchase. Plus our native soils are terrible and need nutrients to grow most plants well.
Follow these steps; get a compost bucket for your kitchen. The BioBag liners are a must! The stink & growth stuck to the bottom was worse than nightmares of flying monkeys, if I didn’t wash it out each week. Ask my sister!!!
Next, get a black tumbling composter that is on a stand. It was fun to put together with my kids & they enjoyed riding in it a few times when it was new. I love this composter because rodents can’t get in, it is easy to turn and dumps into wheelbarrow when it is full. The black color warms up the innards & gets things cooking on the inside. For this reason I put it in the shade during the summer. And “we’re off to see the wizard!”
Then, add a shovel of soil – all of the little worms & microbes are already present. This is your ‘Starter Kit’.
Spin. Add. Spin. Add. Spin. Click your heels together and in about 6-9 months, depending on variables, you will have nutrient rich compost to add to your gardens. If there are some larger pieces that didn’t break down then just add those back to the tumbler or bury beneath garden soil. Note: if the compost smells you’re doing something wrong – easy as that.
What not to add, tips on what to add, and great info here.
Jump onto the Compost Crusade with me!
Save money by doing it yourself.
Simply, Go Garden!
