Spring 2013

Welcome to Spring 2013!

What a mild winter we had, and now it's being followed by some AMAZING spring weather too!

I chose not to Winterize my compost bin in the fall. I made this decision based on where my bin is located and what our typical winters are like. I knew even with the Winterizing techniques I'd read about, our winters get cold enough that the compost would likely freeze anyway. Also, my bin is located across the lawn, and I was not about to trudge through the snow every week!

So instead it sat, and froze. I did throw out probably about 1/3 of our foodscraps, but the rest went into empty cat litter containers and sat outside to freeze. Only once did I come home to find rotten food strewn about the yard from the dogs! Did I go too far? Maybe, but for that 2/3's of winter I could simply not bring myself to throw the food out!

Also, we'd moved the bin in the fall to the side of the shed instead of up against the fence because one of the dogs was using it to get over the fence! I like the new place it sits better anyway, and I turned the original spot into an all-browns compost. We tend to have more yard scraps than kitchen scraps, so having a spot for the yard scraps to sit and wait for their time in the bin means more will be composted naturally! Yard scraps will compost on their own, without the added kitchen scraps, but it takes a LOT longer and it tends to turn into this white, powdery stuff (I'm assuming due to the high carbon).

Jarokko had to check out what I was doing

 My bin was sitting about half full from some of the yard scraps I'd raked as well as the food scraps I'd saved over winter. It was still partially frozen on the bottom and it didn't seem to be composting at any sort of rate so I'd decided it would benefit from another large turn over.

My bin has two removable front panels. This makes it really easy to turn only half the pile, or should it need it, the entire pile all at once.

I removed both panels and began pulling all the compost out.







I did find that the bottom/middle had a lot of rich, dark compost compared to the high grass/leaf compost on the top! I debated creating a 3rd pile for the compost which is further along but decided I'd wait to do that. My compost has a ways to go yet before I think I can get enough dark soil out of it to be added to my plants!

Since a portion of the compost was still frozen solid I left what you can see below pulled out of the bin. My whole composting area has a small fence to keep the dogs out (otherwise I would not leave it exposed!). We have such beautiful weather right now that I'm sure it will thaw in now time at all!

 

 Last summer I'd also ordered a "kitchen compost" counter bin. It comes with a charcoal filter that supposedly you don't have to ever change. However, mine went moldy and while the bin still contains the smell pretty good my main concern would be flies (particularly fruit flies!). So shortly after the filter began to mold the container moved outside! It now hangs on a hook just outside the back door.

When the container is full, I bring it to the compost bin and empty it in! (Remember; every time you add your kitchen scraps cover them with a layer of lawn scraps too! This will help the decomposition and keep the smell down too!