| Project by justjoel | posted 141 days ago | 1209 views | 0 times favorited | 7 comments |  |
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For the past couple of years now, at the end of the season, I have dug about a 3 ft diameter by 12+ inch deep pit somewhere in the veggie garden (usually a different spot each year), and put my last mowing of leaves & lawn in it, adding the usual suspects over the winter. This year, since I expanded my space, I put in two pits early in November.
Yesterday I dumped 4, two-gallon pots (from my failed peppers) on each pile and stirred them for only the second time since filling them (adding dirt and worms).
To day I put about 3-4 gallons of used coffee grounds (from two different Starbucks) on each pile and mixed those in as well. I’ll leave them alone for at least a month before I’ll turn them again.
In the spring I’ll just spread the amendment around the garden, and then fill the holes back in.
I know this isn’t a new concept, cold season composting, but thought I’d share my success.
-- There's a box?
7 comments so far
MsDebbieP
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13902 posts in 2139 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 141 days ago
that’s wonderful.
Having the dug hole is almost like doing a “double digging” spot in the garden. I nice way to enrich your garden.
If I wasn’t so lazy .. hmm…
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
justjoel
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897 posts in 1519 days
hardiness zone 7a
posted 141 days ago
Yeah, calling you lazy is like calling a bee lazy.
-- There's a box?
MsDebbieP
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13902 posts in 2139 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 141 days ago
trust me – I’m lazy. Don’t let the blogs/projects fool you.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
justjoel
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897 posts in 1519 days
hardiness zone 7a
posted 141 days ago
Too late!
-- There's a box?
MsDebbieP
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13902 posts in 2139 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 140 days ago
lol fool. hehehe
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
daltxguy
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778 posts in 1236 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 130 days ago
I thought winter composting would be impossible, but actually I just went out with a shovel and dug into my pile of leaves to bury the usual suspects.
I was surprised that, despite the below freezing temperatures that we’ve had here for about the last month, the compost pile is relatively easy to get into, only the top is crusted over. The leaves, while they hold moisture, are quite loosely packed so it hasn’t frozen solid.
I will continue to monitor over the winter – the worst is yet to come (I think).
-- Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves. - Thoreau
MsDebbieP
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13902 posts in 2139 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 130 days ago
Yes, winter is around the corner, I’m sure.
Leaves make a good insulator apparently. Friends of mine used to put a 12” carpet of leaves over their carrots and they dug carrots all winter long.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)