Black Gold....aka my compost bin

17 years ago

At least 5 years ago, I "invested" in a bin that stacks up 3 panels high and has a cover...for "making" compost. Well, it looked easy enough, but it's harder than it seems. I never could get the mix right, too much brown or green and not enough water or ??? Last year, I took a course in organic gardening (this was after the post about the chemical warfare to kill fungus gnats that could have done in a couple of "pesky" coworkers too!). So, I have concentrated on my heap of green and brown and have tried to be good about mixing it and watering it. AND TODAY...I was rewarded with a 4x4x2 foot pile of yummy compost. I put it into the veggie garden and will mix it in...this year I am going to buy a second compost bin that is more barrel shaped and spins to avoid the back-breaking job of mixing and turning (although if I kept on in it, the organic matter would break down faster and I wouldn't have such a big job!)

Speaking of veggies, this year I am bound and determined to "pest" proof the garden. I bought bird netting and will build a PVC cage over which I'll spread it. I got so few tomatoes last year, even though the plants had plenty of fruit. Also, I'll have the Have-a-heart trap at the ready 'cause the possum and racoon (the night raiders) aren't going to be ignored this year!! HA.... I've heard that if you spread dog hair around the garden, they are supposed to be repelled...but I haven't found that to work. Maybe I keep my dogs too clean for their hair to be scarey!

:-)

Kristi

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Comments (4)

phoenixryan
17 years ago
Congrats on your black gold!

I have one of the compost tumblers. It does take the back-breaking labor out of turning the compost. Unfortunately it dries out so fast in my climate, I'm constantly watering it.

Ryan
pumas
17 years ago
Maybe you need one of those Air Canons that they use at the Airports to keep pests away.You could tell the neighbors you got one because it says your name over and over KA-BOEHM! KA-BOEHM ! whimsical eh?
Yah those compost barrels are great design.Could work real well for you there
Peace,Mark
P.S I want to see the Mutants Seed Pod!
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jodik_gw
17 years ago
My compost pile consists of just that... a pile! I never turn, mix, or water it... I let Mother Nature do her own thing. Yes, it takes longer to be able to pull black gold out from underneath it, but I don't mind waiting. The only thing I really did to contain my piles is make a ring of cheap wire fencing to surround it. Within 2 years, I can dig some decent loamy soil from the bottom!

I've wanted a barrel composter, but they cost too much for me to justify buying one.

Very good, Kristi! Isn't homemade compost awesome?!

Larry has spent many years hunting and trapping, and he says that if you urinate around the edge of your yard, most deer and other larger animals won't bother your yard and garden... it doesn't always work... it depends on the animals and how used to humans they are. He says female human urine would probably work better because it has a stronger odor. Other than that, not much works... there are lots of wives tales, but not many are really effective. Possums don't really bother gardens much, but deer, coons and skunks will want to eat!
haxuan
17 years ago
Kristi, congrats on the compost! I love love love love them!!!
But I could never have any. Maybe, like you, I didn't have the right composition or that I didn't set my heart on doing it right!
Must learn from the start again.

Xuan