Composting during the winter

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Permalink Reply by GardenThymeGirl on December 23, 2008 at 4:33pm

Hello Becky--I will be teaching vermicomposting (composting with red worms) at the Bullington Center on Jan 22, 09/4:00 - 5:30 p.m. The charge is only $10.00 and it really benefits the center in many ways. You may want to check it out.

You are doing the right thing above--I would do a free soil testing with the Extension service. It can really be a benefit to know your soil. Dawn

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Permalink Reply by Becky Mojica on December 23, 2008 at 4:51pm

Hey Dawn
I will be in DC, at the Inauguration that week so unable to attend that class. I have a vermicompost container (my first) in the garage! My questions have to do more with what I can be doing right now to prepare these beds. did you get my voicemail concerning the trade?

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Permalink Reply by GardenThymeGirl on December 23, 2008 at 5:39pm

I bet you will enjoy the Inauguration--I worked for Pres Bush's (Daddy Bush) inauguration. I was a driver for their Inauguration for sixty days. It was an experience!

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Permalink Reply by Polly McDaniel on December 23, 2008 at 10:13pm

The thing I am wondering about your adding garden beds on top of existing lawn is how are you aerating the soil? I guess what you are doing will work .... if you make it deep enough. Are you planning to till this stew in the spring?

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Permalink Reply by GardenThymeGirl on December 24, 2008 at 11:19am

I missed the "on top of lawn" part--if you have layers that will suffocate the lawn area, it will definitely work. Some people call it the "lasagna" application. Layers of newspaper are very effective because they mat down when wet. Chopped up leaves also will help. A mix of carbon and nitrogen will do wonders. Some light tilling--like Polly mentioned, will help too.

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Permalink Reply by Becky Mojica on December 24, 2008 at 4:31pm

I have a fabulous book on composting, learning about different types of compost heaps: cold and hot, etc. One of the suggestions for creating a new garden bed was what I described above. In the spring, I should be able to just chop up the whole mess, including the cardboard layer at the bottom and work it all into the soil below and hoping the lawn has indeed suffocated.

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Permalink Reply by Kaya on January 3, 2009 at 12:08pm

Are you implying that you will be tilling this in the spring? I strongly recommend you don't do that or all the progress will be undone. Just keep layering. If the top layer is not what you had hoped for to plant in then top it with something that is. Also, consider cooking the top layer by covering it with plastic sheeting on a sunny day to reduce weed seeds.

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