Free Dirt

Besides being a gardener and a thrifter and a recycler, I am a composter. It seems, at least to me, that all of these activities just naturally go hand in hand. Whenever I'm preparing a meal you will find nearby a big red 2 pound former coffee container filled with goodies for the compost bin. Tea bags, egg shells, banana peels, onion skins, potato peels and apple cores never, ever go down the garbage disposal at my house but, rather, are tossed into the red bucket, along with any other organic, non-protein matter that will keep the compost cookin'. When the meal prep is complete, the contents of my red bucket are simply tossed into the composter. Besides kitchen scraps, leaves, spent blooms, a little newspaper (B & W only) and grass clippings make wonderful additions. A great freebie I take advantage of is the coffee grounds that Starbuck's will happily give you, if you only ask. Be careful with this one though, because the first time I requested some I was rewarded with a huge black plastic trash bag that was so heavy I could hardly lift it!

On the whole, composting is virtually effortless, as Mother Nature takes over and does the real work. It helps to gently turn it from time to time but, if you are unable (i.e. lazy) it will be just fine, though it will take a little longer to finish. So, if you want quicker compost, turn it. The key is to get the outside parts into the middle. With patience comes the reward, and within a matter of months you will have the most dense, rich, organic soil you could imagine. Your garden will thank your for it and produce prolifically in it's season.