Hello Friends,
I am going to share some tips I have learned along the way about composting.
The photos I will share are of our new compost bins that my husband built for us last October. Our bins are tucked in the corner of our backyard, you cannot see them from the main garden.
We use pallets to make our compost bins, we have a rotation of three.
We have one pile cooking while we use the other.
Here we go with composting 101...
We line our pallets with cardboard.
You need a mix of brown... dead leaves, old soil from pots, dead plants.
You need a mix of green... kitchen waste, egg shells, coffee grounds.
Oh and you can toss cardboard and newspaper in the compost too.
You do not want to put sick plants in the compost. It would be better to toss them into the garbage if you are able or burn them.
We turn our pile as we add more waste.
You may need to water your pile if you do not receive rain for several weeks. The pile should be damp.
Black Gold... the compost is added into our raised beds giving fresh nutrients to our old soil in the raised beds.
It is FREE, that is the big bonus. If you have room to build a couple of bins to keep your garden waste and kitchen waste, you soon will have your own homemade compost/soil.
Ernie approves of the compost bins.
Do you spy the little copper dog?
♥
Carla
Ernie does blend in nicely with the background! Love your homemade bins. I use a plastic compost bin. I don't pay too much attention to the correct amounts of compost materials- I pretty much just everything that's compostable in the bin. I know that eventually, everything will turn into compost. Have a great Monday!
ReplyDeleteGood morning! I love your composting system. Since we've gotten cows and chickens, we don't make our own compost and the pigs eat most if not all my kitchen scraps, but we don't plan on raising pigs next year so we may need to compost the scraps again. I'm definitely going to show my hubby your system.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any space for a compost pile but I think it is so smart!!
ReplyDeleteHa Ha I do see the little compost manager. Such a cutie. This is so amazing Carla and a win win. You get great compost for your beautiful garden and you also give back to the environment. Best of all it is free!!! Happy Monday Have a great week. Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteI think composting is sensible. I live in a 6th floor apartment and I think the tips you are sharing is very good.
ReplyDeleteMy Monday blog post is up but this time did not appear in the Blogger news reader.
I have mentioned in this post about these issues as well as letting people know when my new blog posts are published.
I hope you have a lovely week ahead.
This was an interesting read. Your compost bins look great.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips. We tried composting a few years ago and it just become a bug magnet.
ReplyDeleteHow genius to make the bin from pallets!!
ReplyDeleteWe had a compost bin at our old house but the garden here is mainly lawn with a couple of raised beds that are full of lavender so there really is no need for us to do composting here. And thankfully our council collects garden waste and food waste separately so I feel like I'm doing my bit. Many residents are not using the food waste bins, partly due to foxes getting into them and making a mess but also some of them just don't seem to have the right mentality about recycling!
ReplyDeleteErnie is so cute sitting there, watching over the piles! We don't really have a great spot for a compost area, but we could use one for sure. I should show the hubby and maybe he could put on his thinking cap! Pinning!! xo
ReplyDeleteI have never composted as I live in an apartment and do not have a garden, but this was an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteGood tips on composting, Carla. You seem to have much knowledge on this. Yes, I see Ernie! And I love that pumpkin photo. Have a blessed May week, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteGood tips. We do the same with ours. Janice
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely, practical guide, simple, clear, and rooted in experience, which makes it feel very approachable. I especially like the “black gold” moment; there’s something satisfying about turning scraps into something so useful.
ReplyDeleteI miss having the finished compost, I gave up my roller. But if I had more space I'd gladly add it back in. Your set-up and instructions sound perfect!
ReplyDeleteI find compost bins so fascinating, although as you know I am no stripe of a gardener. We don't have room for this but I don't do a small compost bin in the kitchen either ... my late mother-in-law always had a sawn-off gallon milk carton sitting beside the sink that she would dump food waste into and in addition to having to look at garbage every time you walked over there, the smell of onion always hovered over her sink area. That's just not my vibe, hahaha! 🏴☠️
ReplyDeleteThis is so neat Carla. If I lived at the farm, I would do this... We actually live in town and there are so many restrictions. I am ready to move to the farm for sure. I know that this sure makes for some healthy veggies and such. Thanks for sharing...Maybe someday I will be able to do this.
ReplyDeleteLove your compost bins! I had one built last fall, and I am loving its use this year. It really makes a huge difference in the garden to use your own compost! Have a blessed May!
ReplyDeleteWe have a composter that turns. That's about as much compost as we can handle. The rest goes to the city.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tutorial, Carla! I wish I had room to do this. My youngest son keeps a compost area in his yard and I will show this to him for some extra tips. You and your hubby are a great team. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the compost bin passed Inspector Ernie's test! This is very cool and must be why you have the best gardens!
ReplyDeleteThat is very interesting. You guys are really good at all that you do. Ernie is just too cute!
ReplyDeleteLOL I did spot Ernie :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan