I must be such a nerd. Any other nerdy people out there who make their own DIY compost? I can hardly believe I’m blogging about this but somehow it seems so important and satisfying. Believe me – it is!
Throw in grass cuttings, leaves, pruned shrubs, twigs and the odd weed. Add a spadeful of garden soil complete with its bugs, worms and creepy crawlies and let them feast on the delicious mixture. To make it even more special, we add coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, apple cores etc and it all gets stirred up and left to fizz.
Fizz and buzz it certainly does. Sometimes those little bugs create so much heat you can hardly put your hand in. Often there is an explosion of worms, all writhing and wriggling around before your very eyes, just like a miniature version of Indiana Jones’ snake pit.
I make sure it is moist enough, not too wet or dry, just right. I poke a garden fork in from time to time and stir it a bit with the nerdy attention to detail. Other than that, our little production line carries on producing the most rich and well balanced compost for the garden. It certainly does work well to improve the texture of our clay soil.
Captivating nerdiness
Seeing our little production line working is so satisfying, especially when it comes to seeing the final result. It just seems to have worked well for our three bins neatly supporting a three year cycle. In other words, we get a bin full of lovely compost each year. Bingo! It works.
STOP! Stop being a nerd, it’s dangerous
As much as I like the idea of being a nerd, I know it could lead me down a dangerous and tedious path. Before I have blogged about the craziness of owing a vintage car (link below). Surely that is the ultimate in nerdiness, or do people have vintage boats, aeroplanes etc?
However, those are guaranteed money pits and potential marriage wreckers – to own a vintage car you have to be very focussed and know what you’re doing. Being an expert, even an authority on something, doesn’t have to involve money, or does it?
Back to DIY composting. At least it is something fairly harmless and cost free. Plus it serves a worthwhile purpose of turning waste into something good for the garden.
Although satisfying and fascinating, it’s compost for the garden. It doesn’t quite scratch that itch.
My trouble is that I seem to know a little bit about lots of things. I am the classic ‘Jack of all trades’. One day, I will stumble across something that will totally absorb me and I will become a real expert on something. Hopefully that’ll be something useful, not too expensive, doesn’t take up too much room an d something that fits family life. But what could it be….?
Related post – Reasons to never buy a vintage car
And a previous post about composting – The strangely fascinating world of making compost
Related website – I came across the compost guy which shines a light on the whole world of home composting. I never knew it was so involved!
I too am a compost nerd. I don’t produce much garden waste as no lawn, so mine primarily consists of uncooked kitchen scraps – vegetable peelings and eggshells. I also add egg cartons. Recently I’ve noticed that Boots hands me my medication in a compostable bag made from potato starch, so that goes in. I’m such a nerd that I purchased ‘specialist’ compost worms to add in. They really flourish and multiply. On my birthday list is a compost thermometer. Nerdo!
I share the love: 4 compost bins including one we made ourselves!
Ant and Caree Risover – I am so impressed that you are both fellow composters!