Composting

Ahhh….a beautiful, sunny day here in the Piedmont.  I have been transplanting hosta today and soaking up some Vitamin D in the process.

As promised, I want to share my composting methods with you.

First and foremost, I make it as easy on myself as possible.  I found this little jewel at Target and, thankfully, it made its way under the Christmas tree this past year (thank you, Kiss and Rob).  It is stainless steel and has a charcoal filter in the lid which completely eliminates odors.  The recommendation is to change the filter every month or so but I have been using it daily since Christmas and have not had to replace it yet.   I put a little bit of shredded paper in the bottom of the pail after I empty and wash it which may help prolong the life of the filter.  Once full, I empty it into my larger bin outside.  Though it normally gets emptied several times per week, I have gone as long as a full week without emptying it and there was no odor in my kitchen whatsoever.  Love it!!!

This is one of my outside bins (and my beautiful Golden Girl, Bailey).  I use this bin in the winter for my kitchen scraps.  Since it is black, it absorbs the heat from the sun and expedites the transformation of the materials inside into compost.  Periodically, I throw in a little peat moss, some extra shredded paper and any earthworms I can find.  My husband drilled holes, approximately two inches apart, around the top for air circulation (thank you, honey).  Once or twice per week, it gets turned over on its side and rolled around to keep the contents loose and mixed up.  If you are interested in getting one of these for your composting needs, let me know.  I may be able to get you one for a better price than the stores can offer.

And finally, this is my large compost bin on the corner of my property.  It is approximately 3’x 6′.  My husband built this using fencing material.   The front side is latched but can be opened so that I can get inside and turn the materials.  Yes, this is where I put yard waste (grass clippings, leaves, etc.) but I also add kitchen scraps and earthworms in the summer.  Due to the fencing and the fact that I do not ever put any meat (cooked or uncooked) or any cooked fruits/veggies in my compost pail, barrel or bin, I have not noticed any issues with rodents, etc.

And there you have it… how to make your own compost for your lasagna garden.  It surely beats having to pay outlandish prices for bags of it… and  I see it as just another way to recycle and reap the  benefits of my labor.  Besides…I just really like picking up earthworms 🙂