Designing a Compost Bin

[Higgs Boson]

Sounds like you live in a really kewl rural area - woods! Wow!

As I said earlier, gardener had been putting grass clippings in the composter until I stopped him doing it every week, but by then, it was bulging.

if not then you don't need a gardner. =A0If after your gardner leaves you have to rake up debris then you are being

No, I don't have to rake up debris. Gardener sweeps and blows. Blowing is considered a capital offense by the City, so he has to be very careful and blow at low revs in order not to get busted. There are nuisance gardeners who blow loud and long, but he is not that kind.

=A0People who end up with lots of clippings on their lawn it's because they mow at too great a speed. =A0You really ought to consider mowing your own lawn.

Actually, I have considered it from time to time. if I did, it would be with an old push mower, as I don't have anywhere near 10 acres; just a front & back lawn. Part of the back is consumed by the veggie garden.

I keep the gardener because on alternate weekends he does a heavy job that I don't have time, ability, or patience to do. All of his work is class A.

Friday I will ask him about the mulching blade.

HB

[Brooklyn1]

Usually grounds keepers in surburbia bag the clippings and take them away. When I lived on a small lot in surburbia I had a gardener come once a week to mow, edge, and blow... put down chems regularly, etc. Was only $25/wk so it hardly payed to own a mower. But ten years ago I retired to my roots and live very rural, I like tending to the grounds, and keeps me active. Quite a few people I worked with retired to a condo where they mostly looked out a window, they didn't last long. I don't work hard but I don't sleep till noon and lounge about all day. My favorite part of retirement is not wearing a watch... I only need to know day time and night time. My cats are my alarm clock, 6 AM every morning. This quiet life is not for everyone but I love it.

[Higgs Boson]

Move over, I'll be right there. Is my cat welcome too?

HB

[Billy]

Lol. I can just hear Shelly now.

[Higgs Boson]

Witrh 20-20 hindsight, I should have done just as you did, instead of buying the (supposedly discounted, but not very good) bins the City was offering. Even the previous bin, which had an outlet at the bottom, was not your Class A composter.

I am selling my Smith & Hawken bio-something composter and will in future rely on the City's 4x yearly free distribution of fine-ground compost. It will now be enriched w/table scraps since they have starting allowing/inviting us to add all table scraps -- including meat & other no-no''s -- to the garden waste bins.

May also cut back somewhat on growing food. In such a small household, with access to four (not cheap!) farmers markets and an organic co-op, it almost doesn't pay to grow -- except possibly for "spiritual" reasons.

HB

HB.