Composting is a very useful thing to do and have.

Lane says composting is the best thing you can ever do for your garden and yourself. Compost is rich in nutrients so it helps enrich your soil.

If you use compost in your soil you will have very healthy vigorous plants that don’t need chemical fertilizer. We use no chemicals and haven’t for years, ceptin this spring when there were some black bugs in the yellow squash. Lane used some seven which remained from years past. Next time we will use diatomaceous earth.

Lane uses only compost and believes, if you can see the details of the pictures we have posted of the garden, it makes for wondrous plants.

Lane makes her compost by first choosing a spot close to the garden. We have two piles. One is the in process pile and the other is the one for current use. Lanes are woven wire enclosures which we have woven old skis into to keep the material in its place. Start by throwing any kind of green plant material, rotten or not. Old manure works well as a base and source of bacteria to keep the pile working. Lane turns hers once a month.

Any thing goes into it other than diseased plants, animal products or bread products. Leaves, yard waste, weeds, wood ash, straw, and other such items you find in need of a home.

You know it’s ready to use when it looks like dark soil. Usually about twelve weeks or so will start to produce what you want. Lane tells me that’s all she knows of. If you have anything to add and wish to start a forum we can do so in the right hand column under the participate heading or speak to the wish in the comments section and we will do what we can to make it available.