Composting Part II: Advantages and Disadvantages of Compost Bins and Piles

Image Courtesy of nycompost.org

Various types of compost bins are now available for purchase. Some are completely enclosed, some are open at the top. Some are made of wood, some are made of plastic. Some are tall, some are wide. All of these are viable compost makers. Compost will happen with or without a fancy contraption. Compost will happen in a pile on the ground.

Composting - Part I, All About Compost

Compost Bin

For many gardeners, composting is just another part of gardening--a way to continue the cycle of life in the garden. I have been composting for over 25 years, and I enjoy having a way to reuse the waste from the garden and the kitchen. It has become a part of my gardening and cooking rituals. Whatever can decompose naturally in the compost pile goes in the compost pile. And within a few months, I have a natural and nutrient-rich soil amendment for my plants. I love composting so much that when the opportunity arose for me to teach composting in my community, I easily accepted the volunteer position. Most people are excited and anxious to begin composting once they learn how easy it is to do. Rarely do I encounter someone who finds the entire process a waste of time.

My Garden Notebook - April 2013

March has been a month of extremes. We have had several snowfalls and a few days of temperatures in the 50's or 60's. Spring is definitely moving in like a lamb. Although I am yearning for more of the warmth and color of spring, I do relish the snow. I yearn for it so desperately in the winter that when it comes, whenever it comes, it is hard for me to complain.

A childlike sense of wonder seems to come over me, and I table my yearning and savor every snowflake, every frost covered branch, every sweep of alabaster across the landscape. It is almost as if I think I will never see it again. Perhaps it is a way to honor its presence before it retreats for the season--for I will not see it again for many months.