Yesterday, the winter batch of compost was dumped onto the perennial bed.
When we first moved into the house, trying to plant in the red clay was a disaster. In order to ready the soil for flourishing plants, numerous loads of compost were added.
Here are pictures of the latest batch of winter compost dumped into the bed. This batch 'cooked' all winter.
When we first moved into the house, trying to plant in the red clay was a disaster. In order to ready the soil for flourishing plants, numerous loads of compost were added.
Here are pictures of the latest batch of winter compost dumped into the bed. This batch 'cooked' all winter.
I call this 'black gold'. Nothing treats this Southern clay better than compost.
The next job is to incorporate the compost into the exiting soil.
Notice how verdant the plants look and how lush the bed is already and it is only April.
I wanted to let you in on one of my tricks on saving vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and egg shells. My father must be smiling looking down from heaven. I think he saved every egg shell that was ever cracked in our house growing up to throw into his garden out back.
After finishing a gallon of milk, I rinse it out thoroughly and get my kitchen shears out. Next I cut off the top of the carton leaving the handle.(I keep 4 of these clean, empty containers under my sink for the next batch of peelings.) What is left is a convenient container to transport scraps from the kitchen to the compost bin.
I never leave the bin in the kitchen overnight. If I am in a rush, I just leave the filled bin outside the back door.
I can't tell you how many of these filled milk cartons I have carted outside. But I will continue to save my scraps to help enrich that Southern red clay and turn it into more 'black gold'. I have had awesome results thus far.
I call this 'black gold'. Nothing treats this Southern clay better than compost.
The next job is to incorporate the compost into the exiting soil.
Notice how verdant the plants look and how lush the bed is already and it is only April.
I wanted to let you in on one of my tricks on saving vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and egg shells. My father must be smiling looking down from heaven. I think he saved every egg shell that was ever cracked in our house growing up to throw into his garden out back.
After finishing a gallon of milk, I rinse it out thoroughly and get my kitchen shears out. Next I cut off the top of the carton leaving the handle.(I keep 4 of these clean, empty containers under my sink for the next batch of peelings.) What is left is a convenient container to transport scraps from the kitchen to the compost bin.
I never leave the bin in the kitchen overnight. If I am in a rush, I just leave the filled bin outside the back door.
I can't tell you how many of these filled milk cartons I have carted outside. But I will continue to save my scraps to help enrich that Southern red clay and turn it into more 'black gold'. I have had awesome results thus far.
Ha! I know what you mean about this red clay. We don't have a composter yet so I am just burying it in the backyard like the Japanese. I have always wanted to call my home "The Hermitage" but after digging in the soil, I am calling this house "Soggy Bottom." I'll have to change the name, of course, once it stops raining, to the "Hard Rock Garden."
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