Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Pumpkin Compost Pie Anyone?


I thought that this back corner of the yard would be an ideal spot for my compost. Those lattice panels were left in the garage (now turned office/workshop) when we moved here. I thought I would put them to good use. The picture above was taken the year we moved in. I read somewhere that you should not place a compost near mature trees because they would drain all the nutrients - but everywhere I've used my compost, BIG things have happened so I'm not worried about it. In fact, in the heat of summer that Silver Maple and evergreen shade the compost nicely.

This year I'm offering my compost as a buffet table for all my feathered and furry friends. Why shouldn't they feast on Thanksgiving, too? Here, the table is set ...



I used the lattice panels to make three "bins." We used pipe driven into the ground and strapping to secure each panel in place. I try to put "green" stuff in one bin, "brown" stuff in the other, and use the center bin for "mixing." I don't make it complicated. I am certain I mix up green and brown. But all in all it it seems to work. I empty my kitchen scraps in the center, add some stuff from the other bins, turn it each time. In the Spring, I will empty the center bin and spread it around my beds then start all over. I stash my grass removals here - from when I make new beds - any flowers that have fallen over or need cutting back, weeds that have not yet gone to seed, grass clippings, house plant clippings, old potting soil and all sorts of yard and garden waste. The compost is directly across from my shed and in between are my vegetable beds. The layout works out really well. Here was an initial early sketch to give you a better idea ...



Let's see what goodies we have placed out for my friends ...



Petite pumpkin appetizers among the Sunflower stalks ...


A grand Zinnia biscuit!


Some delectable greens I am sure Mr. Rabbit has his eyes on.
(I just harvested some of these for myself today!)

 
Squish jello mold with sprigs of Black-eyed Susan and Cone seeds - yum!


Gourmet gourd ...


Butternut squash - one of my favorites!


Who could resist some dried Sunflower drumsticks?


And of course, there is pumpkin pie with Nightshade berries for dessert!
It looks like someone tasted dessert before the main course, hmm?

My little friends should be as stuffed as I'll be this Thanksgiving holiday. We'll see what surprises pop up in the Spring, too. Hope all of you who celebrate, have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I certainly am thankful for great family & friends, all the little things ~ creatures, for discovering blotanical, and meeting and sharing my garden with fantastic gardeners -
all of you.

6 comments:

  1. Hello VF,
    I am smiling now because of this post! Great spin on the compost! How kind of you to share your leftovers with the little creatures of your garden.
    It is okay that you posted under your husbands aocount, I have done that with my daughter's account and I was super embarrassed because her log in was Shantypanty. Oi.
    Rosey

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  2. I am passionate about compost! You should definitely mix green (nitrogen) with brown (carbon) in your heap. It needs both to start the chemistry going.

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  3. what a great idea! we always try to do a Christmas tree for the animals (pinecones rolled in peanut butter and bird seed) hung on a pine tree, but we never have done a Thanksgiving compost feast. My boys would love that.
    I hope you and your family have a very wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!!

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  4. Great post!!I love your commentary all throughout... and photos..fun! Those pumpkins are so cute..and love the zinnia biscuit..and those sunflowers are cool! Great post..fun and entertaining!

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  5. Very practical AND entertaining. Not many people can do that in a post about compost. Great job!

    I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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  6. Thank you all for your comments. I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As gardeners, I am sure most of us compost - but if by chance you aren't, just try it! Get started. As I mention here it does not have to be complicated. There are lists available of what is "green" and what is "brown." In the perfect combination, you will have beautiful compost - fast. But as I mention here, I do not always know where that "list" is and really don't have it memorized and tend to mix it all up anyway. There is always room for improvement. But one outcome is certain - compost makes for a great soil and you don't need an expensive mixer to make it happen.

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Thank you for joining me in my garden in the making!

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