Category Archives: compost

Fall Garden Chores

bulbs, compost, containers

When the Other Half and I returned from gallivanting around the lovely Emerald Isle, we were greeted with colder temperatures and rain. The rain subsided this past weekend, so we were able to get out into the garden and get some seasonal chores done in the sunshine and crisp, autumn air. Having lived on the Lot for six years now, we find ourselves following a similar routine each October.

Get ‘Em in the Ground

Whether it be end-of-season plant sales or spring bulbs, in our Zone 6a the time is now to get those suckers into the ground. I still had a weigela, goji berry, and rose to work into the landscape yesterday. I have yet to find a place for a beautiful, little rue I brought back from Portland with me. I try to plant any stragglers as close to the beginning of the month as possible so they can become settled in their new home before the winter arrives. Halloween has been a nice deadline for planting spring bulbs.

Bring in the Crockery

We have a handful of planters on the Lot, most being terracotta. Our first winter here, I found terracotta is not something you leave to overwinter in the garden. Moisture will freeze, expand, and destroy those lovely planters. Statues, supports, planters, wind chimes, solar lights… all of it is stowed in the garage or in the basement until spring.

Unhook Rain Barrels & Hoses

The first winter we had rain barrels installed, I learned a full, half-frozen rain barrel is unwieldy and may crush you if given the opportunity. Drain the barrels and unhook / stow the pvc now. Pull up soaker and garden hoses and put them away.

Utilize Those Clippings

The Other Half and I are not fans of paying the city to dispose of grass clippings and leaves. Both ingredients are gold for providing nutrients to the lawn and garden. The Lot always has its grass clippings mulched back into the turf. During the fall season, some of those clippings and shredded leaves are placed in both the compost bin and raised veggie beds as a balanced combination of greens and browns.

Make the Veggie Beds

Growing season is coming to a close in Zone 6a. Beyond the parsnips and a handful of cool crops, most plants are finished producing. We usually clean up the vegetable beds in the fall, removing any decaying produce and plants. The beds are then filled with equal parts shredded leaves and grass that will break down over the winter.

What Not to Do in the Garden During Fall

It kills me each fall, but when the garden is overgrown and crazy at the end of the summer and October has arrived, put away the pruners! When a plant is pruned it responds with a new flush of growth. Energy will be put into this action instead of into stores for the winter and the upcoming growing season. Don’t send those mixed messages to your plants. It’s just not nice.

Are there exceptions? Of course! If you need to prune away seed heads of aggressive self-sowers, that’s okay. Most of the time those guys are thugs anyway. I’ve also cut back hostas after the first frost has zapped the foliage.

Worms & Margaritas

compost, education, fellow gardeners

What is better than enjoying Happy Hour sipping made-from-scratch margaritas with my friend and fellow gardener Mrs. R? Enjoying Happy Hour, sipping made-from-scratch margaritas with Mrs. R while sorting her vermicompost bin!

Just this past January, the Other Half had lovingly purchased and constructed a vermicompost bin for our home. We moved Jim into his new home, and he has since been happily devouring our garbage. However, we are probably another six months out until we will need to sort the bin. That’s why I was so stinking excited I couldn’t stand it when I drove over to help Mrs. R yesterday.

First the bin was hauled up out of the basement, into the garage, and the contents were dumped onto a tarp. The contents of the bin had the smell of fresh, rich soil.

Vermicompost Bin Contents

We then both pulled on some gloves and began sorting the contents of the bin. The castings (worm manure) were set aside for use in the garden. The worms along with the majority of the intact compost and remaining bedding were placed back in the bin. It was fun to discover nests of worms in the hollow of an eggshell or an avocado pit. There seemed to be a good variety of worm generations active in the bin.

Compost Worms

Finally, when all the worms were tucked safely away back in their bin, we hauled the tarp of castings out to the garden beds. Mrs. R chose to use the worm manure to top dress one of their raised beds.

Worm Castings in Garden

As we were sorting the bin, chatting, and enjoying our cocktails, I kept thinking “This is such an inexpensive and near effortless way to reduce waste and get amazing nutrients for the garden. Plus, its fascinating. Why doesn’t everyone do this!?”

Adventures in Vermicomposting

compost, Uncategorized

As I mentioned back in January, my Other Half finished the construction of a worm bin for us. Vermicomposting, or composting utilizing worms to break down food wastes, creates a rich organic fertilizer for use in the garden. I’ve been wanting to try this for awhile because 1) we do not like tromping out into the snow and cold to the compost bin in the winter, and 2) it’s so freakin’ cool! I mean, these little guys eat most of your garbage and give you awesome fertilizer in exchange.

The Book

Worms Eat My GarbageThere are numerous articles online that give instructions on how to vermicompost, from creating the bin to what to feed the worms. However, Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof is considered one of the best books on the subject. When we were ready to go pick up the worms from Flowerfield Enterprises, I chatted at length at the shop with Nancy about if I had correctly set up everything. She was great and happily answered my 21 questions on the subject.

The Bin

To begin with, we decided to go with a 13 gallon plastic storage container to use as the bin. Plastic does not rot like wood, and keeps the contents of the bin neatly contained with an easy snap on-and-off lid. We chose an opaque container so light would never distress the worms whose skin has photo-sensitive cells. Holes (not too large) were drilled into the lid, around the top rim of the bin, and into the bottom of the bin. This provides air and drainage if needed. The bin was placed up on some bricks with a pan beneath it to catch excess liquid if it is ever present.
Worm Bin

The Bedding

We chose to go with shredded paper for bedding. My gardening friend Mrs. R. got us started with a few bags full, and we have a steady supply now because of our home offices. The paper is dampened, not drenched, with water when placed in the bin. Along with food scraps, the worms also eat the paper. I was advised each time when food scraps are added, I should also add a handful or two of dry shredded paper. The moisture from the food will dampen the newly added paper. Some people spritz newly added paper with a water bottle, but we have yet had the need to do so with our bin.

Meet Jim!

Isn’t he great?! Much to many people’s surprise, Jim is not composed of nightcrawlers. He is a team of red worms (Eisenia fetida). Our common nightcrawler (Lumbricus terrestris) burrows quite deep and works much more slowly. Red worms hang out more closely to the surface with other types of microbes to break down waste. They work and reproduce fairly fast. For this size of bin, we started out with a pound of the red worms.
Eisenia fetida

The Food

Nom, nom, nom! Below is Jim munching away on a banana peel and some spinach scraps. A handful of soil from our outside compost bin was introduced into the worm bin at the beginning so other beneficial microbes could help break down the food and make it easier for the worms to digest. The food we give Jim is mostly produce scraps. He loves our banana peels and apple cores. You can also feed composting worms bread and rinsed eggshells. In fact, Mrs. R. has said her worms like to use eggshells as nurseries for their young. We do not feed Jim bones, meat, or fats. Because of this, worm bins do not smell.
Wigglers and Kitchen Scraps

It Begins Indeed

So, as with many things in this gardening journal, I am not claiming to be expert. I’m simply going to keep tabs on how we go about All-Things-Gardening on the Lot, what we screw up, and what we do better next time. Wish Jim and us luck!