sheet composting from above
Monday, January 25, 2010 at 5:28AM When we move into any house that's not brand new, we move into someone else's space. Some of the things in that space will inevitably cause us to scratch our heads in wonder. What went on here? What did they mean by this? Did they think about us when they put this here? Much of it we simply don't recognize.
But I would have to be blind not to recognize this:
Oh, yes, I have moved into a house with a backyard full of compost materials. Bins of hay, boxes of old manure, and this:
There are two heaps of what looks like potting soil here, and lying around the corner is a good pile of miscellaneous lumber. I know what to DO with all this. All of this will make a garden bed extrordinaire. Can this possibly be luck? I think it can't be. Obviously, God Himself has reached down and filled my backyard with compost materials to stop my incessant whining over having to move.
I am no longer whining.
First we'll just put this flattened cardboard box down over the little piece of this garden bed that's still grass, to encourage the grass to go ahead and die:
Then my fabulous brother-in-law Jeff (hi, Jeff!) will spread all the potting soil evenly over the bed.
As you can see, we took the scrap lumber and cobbled together an edge to the bed. We aren't staying here forever, are only renting, in fact, and don't want to invest a great deal of money or effort in the landscape. Fortunately, sheet composting doesn't require a great deal of money or effort. (Especially if you magically discover lonely compost materials sitting in bins in your backyard.)
Next we dumped that hay on the spread-out potting soil and raked it out into a fat layer.
And then, oh beautiful thing, we shoveled all that aged manure right on top.
Jeff assures me it's going to rain Tuesday, or I'd hunt me up a hose and wet the whole thing down. Then, since it's already time to plant some things here (sorry, those of you in the frozen North), we'll get some bagged topsoil and smooth it over the top to make a nice, finely textured place to plant our seeds. They'll start growing in the topsoil, and by the time they hit the hay-and-manure layer, it should have started rotting away nicely and give them an excellent boost.
And now, well, now I need a piece of paper, a pencil, and a seed catalog. Because gardening season is open.
~MB~
Reader Comments (10)
It looks like there's a bit of sun too! I don't think Cali has seen that for awhile.
wow, jealous you can already plant and that it's nicer weather, we've had freezing cold rain here. miss all of you. happy gardening.
That's the spirit! Here Erin, lemons! Now go make some.....flower beds!
Jaime, Jaime! You can plant too! In GA it's already time to plant lettuce, peas, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, kale, onions (spring and sweet), potatoes, radish, spinach, mustard, AND turnips. Well, okay, when the freezing rain stops. Brrr.
How wonderful! First the sewing room and now the garden...things are coming together.
Ok, I bought seeds today for my first garden. Do I really have to use manure?
You don't HAVE to. Manure makes everything better, though. As long as it's not new manure. Older is definitely better. Bagged manure from the store should be perfect. Yes. Use that. Good luck!
-E-
Celebrating with you! Best wishes for claiming this corner of earth and making it bloom :)
(and yes, as I member of the frozen north, I am, indeed, very jealous...)
In a good way. Really!
I'm glad you are going to get some use out of the things I convinced Cam to leave behind. Sorry you couldn't also discover the 2 50lb barrels of compost that came with us in the trailer ;)
Hey Erin! Well, I've been called a lot of nice things, but no one--not even my wife--has thought to call me God just yet! I'm glad you're enjoying the organic material I left behind for you. That blue house down the street with a huge hill of a front yard--I absconded with their lawn several months ago, and you are now using it in your garden! It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed every moment of it, and now you are reaping (no pun intended) the benefits. I'm going to start gardening soon here in frosty Georgia. Wish me luck.