Admittedly, I haven't composted anything other my 401-K in many years. In Las Vegas things don't compost as much as they de-hydrate! I did try gardening a few times in our 24 years as residents of the wonderful Vegas valley without much luck. Seems vegetables try very hard to grow as thick of skins as possible to resist the summer heat or blazing sun.
I had a good start on my compost with the several mounds the former owners left, mainly around tree trunks. Seems they just piled pine leaves, grass cutting and pine cones under several of the large pines. This was like finding the "mother load" of deep, dark and very rich compost.
Several inches of the rich compost on top of several inches of deer alfalfa, several more inches of compost, more alfalfa and some water should help make for a great addition to next years garden tomatoes.
Additionally, just a few feet away from the compost pile was a mound of sand, which in concert with the layers of alfalfa and compost, should give us a great, loose soil to add to the garden.
I've widened and lengthened the pile to accommodate the volume of debris that I found on the property. By Riley's estimate our compost pile is 10 feet long, 3 feet high and 5 feet wide...what a heck of a lot of good soil we'll have next year.
There are many discussions on the web as to whether you cover or uncover the compost, with some saying it needs air while other saying the heat really helps. Personally I'd like to break it down as fast as possible because pine needles are tough little buggers. I do have a few holes in the tarp to allow for some ventilation so I guess I'm a fence sitter. My cement guy said he has tried a few times at composting but the bears get in there ripping it apart looking for rotting veggies or citrus. Personally that would make my job easier at turning the pile if they'd rough it up for me once in awhile.
No comments:
Post a Comment