I’m not afraid to admit it. I love compost. There’s an irresistible alchemy involved when you can start with garbage and end up with a wildly nutrient-rich substance that has been likened to Ghiradelli chocolate for earthworms.
We alternate our layers of leaves, chopped garden vegetation and coffee grounds — plus kitchen peelings and parings — between two large compost bins made of recycled construction lumber. The two of us, prodigious vegetable peelers and coffee drinkers, produce enough compostible material allow us an inch of top dressing on most of the garden, twice each year. I keep an eye on the pile as it cooks itself into readiness — it gets turned once, and then is periodically poked with a sharpened tomato stake to introduce air deep into the heap. It seems to progress best when it’s slightly damp.
Our parfait of decay includes: exhausted garden plants and weeds, hedge and grass clippings, piles of leaves collected from our neighbors, fruit and veggie peels, eggshells (rinsed and crushed up), dryer lint, coffee grounds, and a handful of garden soil now and then for a bacterial boost.
We don’t compost woody plant material or the thick stems of broccoli, synthetic fabric or its lint, meat or any cooked food scraps, plants with seed heads or plants that show signs of disease.
Our warm, humid climate helps speed the rate of decomposition. I have been assured that urinating on one’s compost pile is the ultimate accelerator, but — being an urban gardener — I lack the courage to use that technique.
What are your favorite compost recipes?
I love love this post!! I’m a composter from Way Back! ;-)
i have started a small, hole in the ground, compost site for the veggie scraps and coffee.
but, lint….. really. that’s awesome.
starting to save egg shells to spread like lime in the tomato area.
although i must admit, that the more i read about gardening, the more i am getting a little stressed out.
btw…. saw the coolest job posting the other day. Monticello is looking for a veggie gardener. looks like that person would be in charge of the entire, 2 acre, veg garden plus saving seeds.
if only i had developed my garden interests earlier.
also don’t be afraid of the urine. my grandmother said she had a friend when she was younger who would put her morning urine on her FACE and had the BEST complection ever. so i say, go ahead, pee on it. give it a good whiz. but let me know first so i can come take picture for my farm/garden photo project.
I don’t have any but I’m so glad you posted this because I was searching around the net for some tips! We’ll be setting up our compost next month and while I heard about the layering technique (the peeing too), I wasn’t sure exactly what were the do’s and don’ts regarding food scraps. Thank you for such an interesting and eye-appealing post (love the illo…I’m thinking happy worms! happy worms!)
How funny the so-called coincidences happen… Last week I was researching at the Net about composts for my husband. As we’re living now at the rural area, he wants to start composting the ground, and we’re at level zero about it, totally ignorant on the subject! I’ll keep an eye on this post the next days to get more tips from you and your readers! :o)
Thanks for your sweet words on my page, Val, they’re always very very welcomed.
Kisses from Nydia.
COMPOST FOR LIFE!!!!
I’m a compost junkie for sure. I love doing it and love the beautiful results of near-black gold. I compost every bit of kitchen leftovers (no meat or fat), coffee & tea, debris from the garden, and occasionally toss in the odd bit of lint too. When my two compost bins are full and not yet ripe, I have been known to dig a hole or trench in my garden and bury goodies. In fact, these little holes/trenches tend to turn into compost a wee bit faster, truth be known :)
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If you are in town and feel self-conscious about peeing on your compost, pee in a bucket in the house and bring it out to pour on the pile. Nobody will be the wiser for it.