The perils of compost

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I am almost at the bottom of last year's matured bin now, and have disturbed an ant nest. So there's me, leaning over the top edge fishing out nice fat spadefuls of the luscious stuff while the beasts run frantically over my hands and arms and under the tee shirt and into places that are very ticklish.

Thank goodness I am near the bottom. Of the compost...

[harm_less]

At least we don't have the bitey varieties here. I well remember one of my labourers ejecting himself very rapidly from a sitting position during a smoko break when I was surveying in the jungles of Borneo. He suddenly discovered he was sitting on a fire ant colony. The rest of the crew thought it was hilarious though as the victim very hurredly undressed and did his best to shake the ants out of his clothing and off of himself.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

These bastards bite. So I kill on sight. Did you know ladybirds bite? Teeny but noticeable...

[TinkandTiff]

These bastards bite. So I kill on sight. Did you know ladybirds bite? Teeny but noticeable...

Ants smell too when ya kill the buggers.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

That's the acid..

[Oh_hunnihunni]

So, having excavated a couple of Very Big Buckets of the riches and tossed it all under the peach tree, I smoothed it out and have tossed all my wildflower seed stash on top. With a good drenching to wash it in. Higgledy piggledy, should be fun seeing what germinates, what survives and what flowers - though I suspect the mirabilis will dominate. Such a glorious night scent, perfect for summer evenings with the doors above wide open...

[TinkandTiff]

So, having excavated a couple of Very Big Buckets of the riches and tossed it all under the peach tree, I smoothed it out and have tossed all my wildflower seed stash on top. With a good drenching to wash it in. Higgledy piggledy, should be fun seeing what germinates, what survives and what flowers - though I suspect the mirabilis will dominate. Such a glorious night scent, perfect for summer evenings with the doors above wide open...

I bet that will look glorious. Bee's will love it too.

[Praktica]

My dad used to talk about "well rotted stack bottom".

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Oh yes, there is nothing like it. Sweet smelling, soft and fluffy, and the most perfect seed bed for new babies. We are encouraged to be composters these days, it used to be every household had at least one steaming pile, that gave birth to the odd potato or kumara. Mine it seems has tomato seeds to donate to my garden. I'll bet they are the yellow pear cherries. Those things are positively prolific in my garden, and all from a single plant some years back.

[Olive]

It must be the time when ants are breeding. We found by surprise in the garden shed that a big folded up plastic tarpaulin was absolutely crawling with ants, millions of them plus millions of tiny white eggs. Had to open it up on the lawn and hose them off with a high speed water jet. I've never seen anything like it.

[TygerTung]

I am the sort of person who composts everything, but never uses it. It is quite amazing how long it will compost down for. I keep putting stuff in the compost bin, but it ever compacts and breaks down.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

We have three of those black bins, and one green takeaway one that I put perennial weeds in. But most of the tenants use the live compost bin which is great, but then when it comes time to take out the matured compost I seem to be the only one doing the blasted job. Still, I am the baby in the village, and I have made planty of gardens so maybe it is only fair I get that job too!

I am slowly and quietly converting border lawn areas to shrubberies. The mowing contracters don't mind, less silly bits of grass for them to do, but it is against the rules apparently. So I am sneaky about it, adding on a foot or two at a time, so no one really notices...

[TygerTung]

My neighbor has converted her grass verge to a rose garden. It is council land but no one cares.

We are in Cashmere too, so quite a posh area of town. Good to see there are some rebellious gangster gardeners here.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Spent the afternoon moving the garden furniture around. No doubt the complaints will come in soon.

My nose is sunburnt again.