Finished my Compost Bin this weekend...and realized that Composting is a lot like when you first learn to use Linux...suddenly you have "seen the light" and must convert everyone around you.
It is strange. Kind of a religious experience. Suddenly everything around you falls into two categories. Compostable and non-compostable. Those annoying mailers shredded and into the bin. Just think of how satisfying this will be during the political season. Morning egg shells and coffee grounds off to the bin. Potato peels...banana and apple skins...dropped in the box. That photo that makes your ass look enormous...gone...baby...gone. The cotton-gauze skirt that has been worn past transparency...ripped to small pieces and...outta here. Jimmy Hoffa? Okay...that may take a while. Maybe the Mafia was just being environmentally friendly? The Green Hand.
Costa Nostros Reciclare.
"Yah....da bosses tomatoes are lookin' particularly good this year."
And simple. A large Rubbermaid tote with tight fitting lid...a cordless drill with a half-inch bit...and compost items. The holes for air circulation. The bin light enough to tip from end to end to turn the compost. Mine is sage green to fit into the decor. Starting with a green (fresh grass trimmings...produce trimmings et al) layer...adding a layer of earth (to encourage microbes) and a handful of redworms from the garden (for castings)...topped with a brown dried layer (...paper...dried fall leaves...coffee grounds...used straw bedding) continuing lasagne-like with the following layers. Turned frequently to encourage decomposition. I can't believe as many years as I have gardened, I never tried this before. By the end of Fall it will become rich top-soil to add to the garden for next Spring's garden.
And the top of the tote? A warm place for the cat to sprawl...or a hassock while sitting on the patio...or a flat surface for a stack of books- summer reading...or maybe a jarred candle while sitting out in the evening...or a space for plants and baskets...the possibilities are endless.
For a good reference and a pdf of what can and can't be composted:
http://www.squidoo.com/compostingbasics
