Here is the compost bin ready to be harvested. This was started last Spring. We keep two bins going.
One filled and one being filled. We compost by what I call the cold method, we just put the organic matter there and let it sit for a year after it is filled up.
Here is my husband Frank, sifting the compost. We find the sifter a very necessary tool if you want a fine and crumbly compost. We found the sifter at Redenta's Garden nursery and own two of them so we can both do the work.
Here I am proudly showing the beautiful compost. We harvested 5 of those big buckets full, more than enough for all our flower beds and our wild flower slope.
What a fun day we had! I enjoy doing that more than going out to eat.
Josephine.
Nothing like fresh compost! :)
I use the metal hardware cloth over a plastic garbage can and push the clumps through the 1/2 inch holes. One can get 'lost' in compost sifting. Do you?
We too love our compost. We turned our pile last week on a 25 degree day. Look at theat heat!
Wow!
I see the hose nearby to put it out.
Really that is wonderful, looking good. Awesome!!
I dug into mine yesterday. It looked great and made it all feel worthwhile. I spread a thin layer in my front beds and the rest will go in the yard. I had avoided putting in sticks or limbs and it was thin enough that I did not even have to bother with sifting it. It had been cold composting for over a year. We are putting the house up for sale soon, so I have to take a break from composting. :( I rolled up my bin (it's made from hardware cloth lined with weed fabric), but I think I will save a couple trash bags of brown stuff in the storage building to get the next one started.
Can't wait to start making compost again. I have two 96 gallon trash cans full of compost that I saved from last year and within three weeks I will start back up. Can't wait to get back to making that black gold. All the materials such as leaves, sticks/branches and other dead materials were all ran thru a chipper/shredder last fall for this years composting using two ComposTumbler's. It takes 12 to 14 days per batch to make. Anyone else use the ComposTumbler's?
Hello TQS, I have never used them, but I hear that they work very well, especially if the materials are shredded. We have a shreder too, but we use the shredded materials for mulch, because it stays down so well.
You are right, making compost is a lot of fun. And besides, it works. I had some perennials coming up that were looking rather yellow, so I put some compost around them and two weeks
later they are bright green.
Josephine.
Hello frostweed, before I started using the ComposTumbler's, I made piles and it took a long time to get the results. I saw a ad in a gardening magazine and got one ComposTumbler. When a got it, I put the right ratio of green and brown materials in and within two weeks I had black gold. That amazed me taking only two weeks to make great compost, so I ordered another one and since then, I make more than enough compost. I shred up a lot of materials and also use them for mulch for retaining moisture. The evaporation rate here is incredible and also only can water twice a week. I use compost and also spray compost tea, which keeps everything looking green and healthy. Do you make compost tea or use it?
Only once in a while when it looks like something really needs it, or to feed the little potted plants. It looks like you love organic gardening and are having a lot of fun with it. I love it too, it is really the only way to go.
Sincerely, Josephine.
Josephine,
WOW, you have a great web site, thank you so much for sharing. I grew up on a cattle farm back east and organic gardening is what we did. What I learned from then 40 years ago, I still use those methods today and still learning. In my opinion, organic is the only way to go also. It is a passion / hobby to me.
Thanks again for sharing.
Terry
This message was edited Mar 19, 2005 2:13 PM
Yes, using a ComposTumbler here, too. After years of cold composting and then pretty much quitting gardening, the ComposTumbler put me back into action! Would like another one. When the one is full and I'm still a mowin....So I fall back on my old compost corner with the now rotted "frame" and throw the leaves in which will be ready months later. Compost on!
soozer, glad to see that the ComposTumbler brought you back from the cold to the warm side of things. A friend of mine just got his 18 bushel ComposTumbler this past saturday. He got a reconditioned one for 398.00 with shipping included. He use to do the cold method also until he saw my operation. I am thinking about getting another one. More the merry.
Have you looked into the double ComposTumbler or similar one by Mantis? Smaller drums but then you can get a smaller batch going and the other drum to hold the kitchen scraps, etc. until the BIG ComposTumbler is done cooking. Just a thought. Seems so efficient...to cover all your compost bases.
Also -- Mantis just sent me a packet of info today :)
I have been looking at the Mantis ComposT Twin tumblers for some time now. I have never used one or seen one in person. It has 2 more bushels more than the ComposTumbler and about 50 bucks cheaper. They also have a 4 month payment plan without any fee's too. I like to idea of making smaller batches to make specfic types of compost for certain plants. Interesting, may get one. Maybe someone here at DG has use one before or using one now?
