Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Susie's Composting 101 - Project Genesis

I'm hooking up with Suzan at Old Grey Mare for Project Genesis.  If you haven't already, head on over and take some time to read about it.  Suzan is an amazing advocate for keeping our planet healthy, has a wealth of information and if she doesn't inspire you....nothing will!  I know I have a long way to go to live as 'Green' as I would like....it's a process.  It makes us do things we aren't 'used' to.  Change is good, and there's so many 'simple and easy' things we can all do.

One thing that I am totally sold on is "Composting". I can remember searching for information about composting.  There's entire books about the subject:

Check out this book....all 1007 pages!


If I have one gardening book, I have 25 and most of them have information about composting.

I have a folder with magazine articles about composting, and how to build a 'fancy' way to keep it intact!
"Composting:  Make It or Buy It?"
"How to Bake Compost"
"Layering Green and Brown"
"Ratios"
"Build Your Perfect Compost Bin"

Well, I say "phooey" on all that....it's just way to complicated for my simple little country mind!
So, here's "Composting Susie's Way": 

1.  Know what to compost (now you may want to read up on this a bit, but here's the condensed version)
 ~Brown materials:  leaves, branches, wood chips, straw  - These add carbon
 ~Green materials:  grass clippings, discarded plants, well rotted manure (personally I don't have any of this laying around), kitchen scraps (no meat or bones)  - These add nitrogen

2.  Now don't get me wrong, I would love to have a fancy bin.....but I just find an outta the way place (easily accessible and not too far from the kitchen) and get started:

    Here's My Compost Pile (not so pretty, but effective)

2.  The books will give you complicated measurements for  layering.  Here's what I say:
~Start out with some brown stuff, add some green
~Throw on kitchen scraps, brown and green whenever you have 'em

3.  Get ya a good pitch fork and turn it when you feel like it (if I throw in a lotta kitchen scraps, I usually dig 'em in a bit).

4.   Water it now and then

5.   Wait a little bit, and before you know it, you'll have the most wonderful 'dark, garden gold' and it doesn't cost a penny!

Could it be any easier?
I don't know about you, but composting makes me feel good!
Now go dig them salad scraps outta the garbage and feed your compost pile!

Keep it Green,
Susie





11 comments:

  1. Susie this is perfect! Take all the hubbub out of something and just do it!
    No excuses.

    I love it!

    Suzan

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  2. Hey Susie,
    Love your newest banner. I've wanted some of those zinc stencils forever. I will go check out Suzan's blog, I've always had a compost pile. I hate to admit I haven't always done it to protect our planet as much as to enhance my soil. It really makes a difference to work that great stuff into your garden. What a cool book you showed too. You know, they really knew what they were talking about back then. Lisa

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  3. Great post, Susie! We've been composting for years. I'm still astonished when I see people throw their vegetable peelings and tea bags into the garbage...(not too many people I know do that, fortunately).

    It does make the most wonderful soil!

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  4. I started composting a few years ago and if I had taken everything I read to heart, I would still be reading! It is so simple if you let it be. I have a pallet bin (made it myself!) and an open pile. No critters, beautiful compost! What's not to love?

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  5. Teensy, weensy garden, so no room for a compost heap...but I'm happy to say that in Ontario we have a 'green bin' program. So all those kitchen scraps go into a bin which is picked up once a week and taken to the community compost heap. Now (between the two of us) with recycling cardboard, glass, paper and plastic, we barely have a half a garbage bag to be picked up each week.

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  6. well, great minds think alike!! i posted the same type of message about composting! like you, i don't make a big deal out of it...all those porportions and temperature taking and all is a real turn off. your compost book with 1007 pages is hilarious, but the model on the front sure looks happy! happy composting to you,
    erin

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  7. We have two balconies and not a lot of room for composting, but if I had a yard I would definitely be doing it. There's no soil around here, only sand. Everything always has to be made out to be much more complicated than it actually is or should be. People just want to write books and sell them I guess so gotta wrire about what they think people want at the moment. I do my best to watch what I am buying and reuse what I can. Kuwait is way behind when it comes to littering and recycling, but I do what I can. Wishing you a great rest of the week. :) Tammy

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  8. I can't imagine living without my compost pile or why ppl wouldn't have one. It so easy. The only hard part is turning it once and awhile.

    It's all about the soil....want a great garden START there!!!
    great post!!!
    xx
    Carole

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  9. Kudos! Yes, simple is better. With it laid out this simply, more folks are apt to give it try. I have friends who have done it in just this style for many years. One year they threw their halloween pumpkins into the mix. It was really fun the following Spring when they spread out their compost and in a few weeks pumpkins were sprouting up everywhere! Big seeds take a while to compost, lol.

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  10. I agree composting doesn't have to be hard!
    Simple is just as good and makes our Earth and plants so happy!

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