As the leaves on the trees begin to change color, I can't help but get excited for the bounty of leaves that will be available soon. No vacuum truck load for me this time, because moving the giant pile from the front to the back of the property was alot of work last year! Instead, i'll utilize the big red truck to confiscate bagged leaves left by the curbside. I might just have to wear a ski mask while doing it, too. hehe...Anyway, to make room for the new arrival, I decided to consolidate the 2 piles of finished compost. After giving 9 large dry dog food bags full to my friend Truitt, this is what is leftover. Yeah, it's still alot! This pile will be covered with plastic sheeting over the next few weeks, to protect it from the elements....
Photo below - here's the working pile in bin #1 that was started around the first of August. Several ingredients have since been added to it - even some coffee grounds, especially since the particle size of the contents had shrunk significantly already. Anyway, that leaves me with 4 bins to fill with the new arrival of fallen leaves, and several more bags will be on hand to keep them filled as they shrink over the winter. This is gonna be the laziest compost cycle ever experienced around here, and it's much welcomed...
Photo below - since the weather has been nice, I decided to go ahead and add another layer of landscaping timbers to the 4x8 box at the end of the property. With a total depth of 14" now, this bed should grow some awesome melons next year. I'm thinking 4 plants - allowing 2 plants to run along the trellis above it, and 2 more to run along the trellis to the right. I think it should work like a charm, but won't know until tried. It'll be topped off with fresh compost in April, then planted with some pretty big melon varieties. Maybe "Mountain Hoosier?"....It just might happen, and I think that getting one to reach 80 lbs. is possible this time around...
Photo below - ever seen a sweet potato flower before? It was a new one on me, and thought it was a morning glory until following the stem to where it was growing from. Yep, they flower!
In other news, the cool temperatures of late has put me into full construction mode, and i've been constructing stuff like crazy. The rush is on to get the little greenhouse finished, and some attention to the coldframes is needed, too. Speaking of the 4x4 greenhouse, it's getting quite a makeover from previous plans. Due to the freezing weather arriving earlier than normal, it might just have to wait for an automatic opener of some kind. Since the main garden has been cleaned up already, I have until the end of the month to get everything into place. Wheels will be added to the coldframes for easier relocation, because I just can't damage my back again this year. Oh, to be 21 years old again - I could easily lift 300 lbs. back then....
I've also got the squirrel trap trigger mechanism finished, and you'll laugh when you see it. Ha! It's got all kinds of crazy homemade parts in it. I'll put a post together on it, and reveal it in a couple of weeks....For anyone that enjoys my version of backyard "Junkyard Wars", you're really gonna like this one - it's redneck engineering at it's finest!
Take care, and happy gardening!
EG
8 comments:
I bet that I have a lazier compost pile then you do!! I just put everything in there. I try to layer green and brown of course, then I turn it every once in a while.
Can't wait to see the redneck engineered squirrel trap!
A whole truckload of leaves is really hard to deal with. It makes my back hurt just to think about it. At least this year you won't have to deal with so much. Though the cbopped up leaves are really nice. I'm wondering if I'm going to chop leaves this fall or just pile them up. I like them chopped a lot better, but the time involved is huge.
Lovin' it, EG. My SP have flowered before. They're so pretty, aren't they. Imagine mine on the front walk in huge pots with those drooping vines and purple flowers. They were beautiful for a while.
I'll continue to live vicariously though your compost piles.
Robin - this is gonna be a relaxing winter - except for construction projects, of course..
Daphne - those shredded leaves were sure handy, but i'll just settle for the whole ones this time around. I can't wait!
ribbit - yes, the flowers are quite pretty!
Just finished building our first compost pile in the new vegetable garden. I love picking up the neighbors leaves all bagged and ready to go home. I never have worn a mask. It might make it a lot more fun.
Great picture of the Sweet Potato bloom and thanks for the larger version I am going to mention this in my blog!
So jealous of your copious amounts of leaves.
I'm very intrigued by your melon bed with the trellis "spilling" out of the bed. How tall is your trellis and how far out from the bed does it run to the right of the bed? So 4 plants in a 4x8 bed, hm? With my garden expansion, I'm trying to figure out if I can make any room for melons, winter squashes and pumpkins. I read that granny had *one* butternut squash plant growing in a 12'x20' area, and thought that there's no way I could grow these big cucurbits. But if you think you can grow a 80lb melon in this space, then maybe I can do something with my little space, too...
thyme2garden - the trellis is 5 feet tall, and 24 feet long. 4 melon plants in a 4x8x14" deep bed is easy - it's the foliage that needs more room....That's why the extended trellis system is really handy to have. It may not be possible to get an 80 pounder, but I bet quite a few 20-30 pounders will develop.
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