AUGGHHHH!!!! I spent this afternoon digging a gazillion rocks (about 8 gallons of them) out of what will be the site of my pallet compost bin. We put those rocks there about 15 years ago when we discovered that rain formed little "lakes" along our fence. Little did I know I'd be digging up almost every single one, but I am. I dug a lot of them out of the side fence last year when I wanted to plant some flowers there, and more earlier this spring at the end of that same flowerbed.
And now more today. Oh, well, it's not like I don't have the time; I can spare it, and I love being out in the fresh air. (Here, near the ocean, I think we have about the freshest air around.) The grass looked so nice and short after its mowing, and the dogs were enjoying sitting/running/lying on it. I finished de-stoning the compost bin site; now I'm ready to get on with that project, as soon as I find another pallet. I'll be driving past the city maintenance yard every afternoon until I find another one there--or at Home Depot. Sometimes they have them to give away, too, and I need to go there for the gate locks anyway.
It was so NICE again today (60), but a rather chilly wind came up around 4 p.m., which makes me wonder if it will blow in some rain. Weather report said there was a chance of rain tomorrow, and if there is a chance of rain ANYWHERE, there's a good chance it will be here. But that's OK; I got to work outside three days in a row, and for that, I'm glad. My plants will need some rain, anyway.
I hope I didn't put three of my tomatoes out too early; I heard Cisco say (tonight) to not put them out yet, and to put them outside, in pots, for longer and longer times for a week before planting them outside, so I'll do THAT with the rest of them. He also said he begins his tomatoes from seed on April 1, and that he puts them on heat pads (which I have but didn't use this year) until they sprout. Then he puts them in his unheated garage under florescent lights 2" (not sure, might have said 4 or 6") above the plants until he's ready to do the one week routine before putting them outside. He said if they stay in a warm place, like my garden window, they will get leggy, and a couple did. Lots to learn.
I DID get my loganberry into the ground finally; I bought it at the Hoquiam Farmers' Market about a month ago. Planting it was the easy part; first I had to dig down about a foot to root out as many husky grass plantlets as I could. I mean these grass plants were BIG! I think they may have sprung from hayseeds in one, or both, of the bales sitting nearby. But I got most of the grass out before I found I was being summoned to Feed the Hungry to help serve; all the usual highschool helpers were busy with family gatherings on Mothers' Day. I hurriedly put compost into the hole, and planted the berry bush before I rushed inside, changed from my overalls into clean jeans and went to hand out cookies.
When I returned home a couple hours later, I went back outside to the rock-removing project, which took til dinner time. I sure do like working outside, though, on nice days, even if I don't like picking rocks out of soil. Soon my new compost bin will be done, and I'll be able to turn my compost every 2 weeks as recommended. I like compost--I like the way it looks, I like the way it smells, and it gives me a good feeling to see grass, leaves, paper, and kitchen trimmings turning into cool, nutritious (for the plants, that is) soil!
I THOUGHT I read on a composting site that the ratio of brown to green is 30 to one! I thought it was much less than that, like 2 to one. I will check again, to be sure I read it properly. But if it's even CLOSE to that, it explains why my compost takes so long .
