Composting. http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?RZASZ 31 July 2008 Composting If there is one secret to composting, it is chop the vegetation into small pieces, place it on the pile and forget it. A machete on a block of wood works just fine, and gives a small workout. Once or twice in the season mix it with a fork or rototiller. No silly container, or starter is utilized. The microbes will do their job. This pile will added too as required, and placed on the garden in early Spring 2009.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?QUIGD 8 August 2008 Chopping vegetation for composting This pile will be ready come Spring about April 2009. I keep addding until about the end of October. The odour of the pile is so nice, I should trap it and sell it as Channel 29.
I was impressed by your recommendation that we use machetes. Then I saw that you yourself use a chipper. Hah! I myself recommend that everyone eat nothing but soy. Regrettably, I am allergic to everything but lobster or I would do the same. Being myself chipper-less ("less than chipper" sounds wrong) I just dump everything in the compost bins and drive shovels into the piles at random times - like after an argument with my eldest teenager. Works equally well.
"Less than chipper" is the usual state of mind of the teenage boy. I add comfrey a lot, two or times a year, and it seems to speed things up, as well as controlling the comfrey, which is bent on taking over the world. Otherwise nothing fancy, and lovely compost.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?KQATV 13 August 2008 Mixing compost pile Using rototiller to mix vegetation in the compost pile. My neighbors grass clipping were a bit deep so I worked them into the underlying compost pile, using the rototiller.
Hardly valid or logical following from my post. I mentioned the block and machete, since with a small garden it is uneconomical to purchase a chipper/shredder. I used a block and machete for years. The essence of my post was: reduce vegetation to relatively small pieces to achieve reduction of the material in a reasonable length of time.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?RYRSF 23 August 2008 Adding vegetation to compost pile. Total time 15 minutes. http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?FHVJI 2008 Composting experience.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?AWMOS 28 August 2008 Reducing vegetation for composting. Some spent plants ere removed from the garden, and chopped for efficient, timely composting. http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?FHVJI 2008 Composting experience.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ASDRY 6 September 2008 Reducing vegetative waste for composting Removing and chopping spend vegetation from the garden. Total time 25 minutes. http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?FHVJI Summary: Composting experience.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?INGIG 27 September 2008 Mixing Compost Pile The compost pile was mixed today and some material was put on an area of the garden for planting garlic about the 15 October 2008. The pile was wet but still working as judged by the heat and odour. http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?FHVJI Summary: Composting experience.
