Noob compost brag.

[Ben E Lou]

This is my first time composting. I've been doing hot piles because there are a lot of weed seeds in the green matter from my yard. We got hit with 13 inches of snow this week, but my piles are still gettin' it done!

(Yeah, I'm a little too excited about this. #GrownManScienceProject)

 

[so lucky]

I predict in a year you will be growing red worms in your basement. (Worm castings are the Cadillac of compost) Lol
Seriously, anyone who can get composting right the first time is a winner in my book.

 

[Ben E Lou]

I predict in a year you will be growing red worms in your basement. (Worm castings are the Cadillac of compost) Lol
Seriously, anyone who can get composting right the first time is a winner in my book.

Hehehe. We'll see. I attended a composting class with the extension service, and they spent maybe 20% of the time on vermicomposting, so I feel like I have a solid base of information to try it, but my initial reaction to it was that it doesn't generate enough material for my tastes. (Well, unless I'm willing to spend hundreds of dollars on tons of worms, but a big part of my motivation for composting myself is so I don't *have* to spend hundreds of dollars amending my soil...)

That said, once I get the 1,000-ish square feet of soil I'd like to use in better shape, I might be up for generating smaller amounts for targeted plants. But for now, I've got a large swath of crappy soil to improve.

 

[thistlebloom]

Good work Ben! I have to say I'm impressed with how you just jumped right in to the deep end.

I predict your garden expanding and you getting blue ribbons from the county fair for your produce. Then you'll get a flock of chickens, maybe a rabbit or two.....

Beware of cats and gardens though (per your post on another thread). They love garden beds more than litter boxes.

 

[Nyboy]

I am a lazy composter I make a pile leave it for a few years, always works given enough time

 

[Ben E Lou]

@thistlebloom Unfortunately, my HOA only allows dogs and cats as outdoor pets, which is a real shame given how big the lots are around here. We'd already have chickens were that not the case.

 

[baymule]

One year, before we moved, the boys across the street were hired by the lady next door to rake her leaves. I paid them to rake them to me and to put them in the chicken coop. There was a huge pile of leaves on the side of the front yard. Husband and I went to the horse pasture and filled truck with horse manure. We mixed it with the leaves, along with a bag of lime. I planted potatoes in it, come spring. I got the biggest, prettiest potatoes I ever raised in that pile of leaves and manure!

 

[Just-Moxie]

I love composting. Some years it does better than the gardens!

 

[bobm]

@thistlebloom Unfortunately, my HOA only allows dogs and cats as outdoor pets, which is a real shame given how big the lots are around here. We'd already have chickens were that not the case.

We have a member with a similar situation... his chickens are now classified as
"ground parrots " ... problem solved

 

[Ben E Lou]

We have a member with a similar situation... his chickens are now classified as
"ground parrots " ... problem solved