After watching Steve's video this morning over on 'Steve's seaside allotment' I've been out and had an hour tidying the garden. I decided to have a compost experiment so I am going to see how long it takes for this tub of garden waste to turn into a nice crumbly compost. I intend to turn it every day or so and chop up any bigger bits that come to the surface as I turn it.
I chopped it all up and gave it a really good mix.
Then I added a small pot of partially rotted reindeer poo which I had been given... It does not smell of Christmas trees and candy canes. It almost smells of nice sweet earth. Nothing nasty at all.
Then I refreshed another of my half water butts with reindeer poo and decided to transplant one of my yellow fruiting courgettes. It might be a bit too late in the year but it might just give me a few courgettes too. As soon as the tub of tomatoes behind it finishes I will refresh the compost and plant it up with some of the spinach seedlings that are just starting to show through.
 |
| Fingers crossed for the courgettes. |
It's all looking very lush and green in the plot right now and the recent rain has done it the world of good.
The celeriac are really starting to form a good base so I am hoping for a good crop
The swedes are swelling nicely and we will enjoy these through the cold dark months
The spring onions that I trimmed and transplanted the other day are pushing new greenery out so I have high hope for a decent crop of these too. I've sown beetroot for baby salad leaves in between the rows
Nearly all the seeds that I sowed earlier this week are coming on a treat. There's two varieties of radish, spring onions,beetroot and spinach. The lettuce haven't appeared yet but that's fine as they will get transplanted into beds as soon as space become available.
The dwarf Pak Choi that I transplanted has perked up and the rainbow radish are all through in the pedestal planter. There's also spinach for baby leaves coming through and some spring onions too. I think I am probably being a bit ambitious here but the radish will be eaten in a few weeks as they grow really quickly.
Looking oh so good & productive. Mine is non existent at the moment & I had high hopes for September, but we've had extreme winds again & I just don't like working in that sort of weather & we've also had nearly half the months rain in the first week of the month. We did have one very warm day, but I'd like to see some more sunshine, minus the wind. Enjoy, take care & hugs.
ReplyDeleteSusan, you have shattered my illusion of Oz being wall to wall sunshine. :-)
DeleteI do love a picture-heavy post. I also love home-made compost, such a satisfying by-product of growing your own. Your plot is looking surprisingly alive after the year we’ve had!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that next years growing will be a bit easier as it's been a really trying one so far.
DeleteThe home made compost with real reindeer poo is super! Can I have some for Christmas please??? You are very good to chop it all up too. I keep on meaning to do that with my monstrous heap. Lulu x
ReplyDeleteIt's already starting to break down so I am looking forward to seeing how long it will be before it looks like compost and not chopped vegetation,
Delete