The compost post

I finished The Rodale Book of Composting this morning and felt inspired to take my composting game up a notch.

Pictured above: Turned, chopped, grass-clipping-infused, leveled, wetted, and partially cardboard-covered pile that I’m hoping will mostly turn into compost by spring.

Not pictured: My aching back and disgusting hands.

I read somewhere that people who get into composting for the health of their gardens often end up finding composting more fun and satisfying than growing vegetables. That remains to be seen in my case, but I would be thrilled if my work and newfound knowledge turn this garbage into magic in a few months.

Rodale is big on using manure in compost, but I absolutely draw the line at putting manure in my car and bringing it to my home.

They’re also big on chopping and shredding things before they go into the pile, and that is the part I definitely need to do better. I don’t think it really matters for kitchen waste, but I pulled tons of 3-foot-long woody stems out of this, and it would make a lot more sense to chop them up on the front end.

Also, if you read this far and are interested in compost, no-dig gardening, or soothing British accents, I highly recommend Charles Dowding’s YouTube videos.