composting methods and why i do what i do

[flowerbug]

...
It's like big rabbit poop...not much smell at all if it's not concentrated into one place and peed on.

we have plenty of rabbit poo around here. i just can't shoot them and hope the coyotes and semi-feral kitty will get most of them. at least with all this warmer weather they're not stripping the tree bark yet this winter.

 

[baymule]

rabbits

 

[Beekissed]

rabbits

Your dogs don't keep those cleaned up for you, Bay? Between our cats and the dogs, our rabbits are few and far between.

 

[baymule]

Your dogs don't keep those cleaned up for you, Bay? Between our cats and the dogs, our rabbits are few and far between.

They chase them, but the rabbits pop through the fence and get away.

 

[digitS']

I have seen our Mountain Cottontails ..

. pass through a chainlink fence. They didn't do it quickly but they accomplished the passage. It's amazing how many bean seedlings and cabbage transplants they can consume, overnight. Well, not really ...

I once hit Benjamin Bunny with a rock. He honestly didn't seem to know where it came from. Made me feel kinda guilty but there must be all the sympathy and tolerance in the world from my garden neighbors for these pests!

The owls are only modestly accomplished at limiting the bunny population. They are apparently much more interested in eating the European doves, with a few mice as appetizers. The coyotes must not be around often enuf. Neighbor says he shot a badger once ... I'm not sure if that wasn't misdirected.

Steve

 

[Nyboy]

Since the coyotes moved in no rabbits or cats. Lack of cats made the chip monk population exploded . The evilest vine of all POISON IVY

 

[flowerbug]

Since the coyotes moved in no rabbits or cats. Lack of cats made the chip monk population exploded . The evilest vine of all POISON IVY

but it doesn't grow as fast as wild grape vines... much easier to control via manual means.

 

[rainey]

When we moved into our present house 15 years ago we had adobe clay soil. Not kidding or exaggerating. Growing anything was tough.

My first composting set up was a heavy vinyl wrap around thing about 24" in diameter that had a cute little matching coolie-type hat. The best compost I got from it was what remained underneath it when it was emptied. Those worms and beasties worked 6" down into the soil! So I moved it from spot to spot each year.

By that time I had the bug so I went looking for a spot for a larger set up. I got bigger vinyl wrap-arounds that were at least 36" in diameter and put them in permanent spots supported by a cinderblock wall on one side and, eventually, a chainlink fence on the other. Now my composing area is about 12' x 8' with big piles on both sides. I've joined the wrap-arounds (which have held up for 10 years or more) into several sections so my piles are about 6' long and 3' wide.

It takes most of a year to fill one. I usually pile them 4' or so high before I consider a pile "done". They're totally passive. ...tho a friend set up irrigation above them so they get watered more regularly now.

There's always one finished in the Spring. The wrap-arounds come off. That's the only time I turn them: when they're mostly humus. And that's when things like partially composted stumps, roots, bones, shells and anything else that needs more time goes on top of a working pile. The bottom of the newest pile if they're actually stumps.

I sift the humus that I keep in big trash bins to use throughout the year. What stays in my sieve goes in another bin as mulch. When I'm doing heavy planting, I just dig through a finished pile without the sifting and sorting.

I am happy to say that after 15 years of composting I have really nice planting beds. Some still have that heavy clay if I dig down more than 6" but I see less and less of it every year. ...at least in the planting beds. The lawn is still adobe that turns into a slip-and-slide when it's wet.

 

[digitS']

I've joined the wrap-arounds (which have held up for 10 years or more) into several sections so my piles are about 6' long and 3' wide.

It takes most of a year to fill one. I usually pile them 4' or so high

That's a large amount of compost material for most home gardeners. Does this mean that you have a very large garden? Are you bringing material from somewhere?

These wraparounds, I have just noticed that the nearby elementary school has a couple of these. They installed a small greenhouse last fall so, it looks like they are teaching the kids about gardening!

I can't see if they are for composting or used as growing beds. Of course, they have a large playground to mow and could collect grass for compost but I don't see where they would be growing outdoors except in those wraparounds. Maybe I can walk through this weekend.

Rainey, is that Lorraine? Or a wish?

Steve

 

[rainey]

The things I use don't seem to be made anymore but they're something like this. You can connect them and make an enclosure that fits the space you have available. And, when you break a pile down, they roll up for easy storage until you start a new pile.

My big piles do make a lot of compost. Thank god! My yard isn't big but since I have adobe clay soil I need as much as I can get! And I don't believe there's any such thing as too much humus. I think if we could ask the plants, they'd agree. I've never had a problem finding folks who are grateful for anything I don't put to use. They've got this clay too. It's most rich and organic but you've got to be able to dig through it first!

Hooray for schools teaching gardening, composting and good nutrition! Our local elementary school kept a veggie patch going for the early grades for a couple years. Then I just seemed to go away. Shame, but a nearby middle school has an ongoing elective in gardening. ...and simply beautiful grounds!

My grandson's elementary school is very big on gardening and green technologies. They actually have a garden specialist teacher. They serve the kids a vegan lunch from campus-raised produce.

Rainey is short for Lorraine but, given the extreme drought California has been through for most of the last decade, it's a strong wish as well!