Composting

    

       Who else is ready for this snow to be gone and the warm weather to return? I'm so anxious to get started on the gardens again! 

     I came across the "Square Foot Gardening," and love the idea! So for this year I want to experiment with that and try a better soil mixture for our raised beds! This is an awesome book that has detailed information on the square foot gardening. They swear by "Mel's Mix" for the raised bed soil mixture. It consists of a mixture of 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 compost. I'm excited to use this and see how it works out! Yesterday I decided to start a compost pile, so we'd have fresh compost to use! I saw that you could use a plastic container to start one..And with all the snow on the ground I thought that would be the best way to go right now! Also, using a smaller container, the compost will decompose faster. I'm hoping it'll be ready in time! (Fingers crossed)   

                 Ok, so here's how I did it.....

                             

     Take a plastic container..Any will do, as long as it has a lid that fits. Next, you'll want to randomly drill holes all over the container..Including the bottom and the lid. This will allow the moisture to get in, while the holes in the bottom will allow water drainage and the ones in the lid, for air to circulate.

      Once you have that finished, you'll want to add some kind of dirt..Any kind of top soil or dirt should work. I had this ^^ organic seed starting mix, so I decided to just go ahead and use that. I poured maybe half the bag in. But before doing this, I got some straw from the goats pin out of the barn (with the manure in it). Goat manure is said to be great as a fertilizer in garden beds and can create optimal growth for your plants! Plus, the goat manure doesn't attract insects and burn the plants, as does cow and horse manure. So why not add it to the compost?!? I put that in the bottom of the container and then poured the soil on top. Now, you can also use grass clippings, dried leaves, twigs, etc., but those obviously aren't available right now. 

      Next, I added some eggshells and fruit peelings we had on top. Lastly, I filled a spray bottle with water and misted everything -- This gives you the desired moisture level, and can be done each time adding new waist. There you have it, a compost pile! One last thing to remember..Mix your compost up often!

    Here's a list of what to add and what not to add to your compost! 

Also, a few composting tips...

COMPOSTING TIPS:                              * You want your compost to remain moist like a sponge. This provides the perfect conditions for the articles to decompose. 

  * If possible, place your bin in an uncovered area, to allow rain water to moisten your compost. 

   * Never add any foods that have salt or butter added to it.   

   * Never add any meat or dairy products to your compost. If it grew in the ground, you can add it. 

   * Wet your compost each time you add waste. This will give you the desired moisture level. 

  * Adding worms to your compost will really speed up the process.

  * The smaller the items you add to your compost, the faster they will decompose. So try cutting or peeling into smaller pieces before adding. 

      I'll keep you all updated in the coming weeks how it's coming along. I hope you all have an AmAzInG Thursday!! Happy composting!! :)