Last year I received a cylinder type composting bin. I loved it, but realized that it took a long time to make the compost and at most the finished product was about 10 gallons of 'black gold' as I call it down South. The red clay soil needs serious attention in order to grow plants and this compost does the trick.
That doesn't go very far when spreading in the flower beds.
The only other option was to create one.
Last November on a rainy Veterans Day, Mr. Thrifty had the day off, we decided to go out and find free wooden pallets. Because there is such an interest in up cycling pallets into furniture, businesses are not charging for the pallets.
Our last hope was stopping at the Glidden paint store. Success!!!! In the pouring rain, we found 6 pallets in great shape. Here they are loaded up in the car.
Mr. Thrifty hauled them to the backyard the following weekend.
He tacked extra boards to the base so the compost would not fall through.
After nailing the sides on, he took a heavy duty piece of twine and made hinges on one side of the front door.
Then, the autumnal leaves and green grass clippings went into the bin. Not all of these bags went in at first. Over the winter and spring, leaves, and bone meal were added to the mix. Mr. Thrifty tried to turn the matter at least once a week. It is important to keep it moist, so as the Mr. says, 'it can cook'. I have to chuckle.
What is so great about hinging the front, is that you can easily open the door, and use a pitchfork to turn the contents of the bin during the week. Close the door back up for the next week.
By the beginning of this past April, the Mr. had unloaded 5 wheelbarrows of the richest compost seen in these parts. He spread it around the newer flower bed on the hill.
The plants are thriving beautifully. They love it. Besides all the nutrients put back into the red clay, the thick layer of compost keeps the moisture around the roots to allow better growth.
The whole process was started again. Besides the raked leaves, bone meal and green grass clippings(nitrogen), I add onto the heap daily my vegetable peelings, coffee grounds and rinsed egg shells.
Looking back, my dad composted forever and ago. We always teased him about saving egg shells, corn cobs and remnants of any unused vegetables for his garden. Unfortunately it took me years to achieve the wisdom that he really did know what he was talking about. I know he's smiling up there in heaven knowing that I learned a bit late, that he was right all along.
He tacked extra boards to the base so the compost would not fall through.
After nailing the sides on, he took a heavy duty piece of twine and made hinges on one side of the front door.
Then, the autumnal leaves and green grass clippings went into the bin. Not all of these bags went in at first. Over the winter and spring, leaves, and bone meal were added to the mix. Mr. Thrifty tried to turn the matter at least once a week. It is important to keep it moist, so as the Mr. says, 'it can cook'. I have to chuckle.
By the beginning of this past April, the Mr. had unloaded 5 wheelbarrows of the richest compost seen in these parts. He spread it around the newer flower bed on the hill.
The plants are thriving beautifully. They love it. Besides all the nutrients put back into the red clay, the thick layer of compost keeps the moisture around the roots to allow better growth.
The whole process was started again. Besides the raked leaves, bone meal and green grass clippings(nitrogen), I add onto the heap daily my vegetable peelings, coffee grounds and rinsed egg shells.
Looking back, my dad composted forever and ago. We always teased him about saving egg shells, corn cobs and remnants of any unused vegetables for his garden. Unfortunately it took me years to achieve the wisdom that he really did know what he was talking about. I know he's smiling up there in heaven knowing that I learned a bit late, that he was right all along.
No comments:
Post a Comment