Some days... I'm an organic gardener

The first warm day of the year brings out the Master Gardener in all of us. We ignore all the wayward garden decisions in the past... it is all about optimism. Though I am the prodigal daughter of the compost bin, I have once again vowed to add to the bin regularly, as well as turn it often. This was after I cleaned it out in what has turned out to be a bi-annual clean out.

Though I do not clean it out often, I have developed a few methods that make it easier. I have an Envirocycle composter. It is easy it add items, spin, and it makes compost tea!


The challenges was how to get the rich soil back out and what about the bits that are not ready yet. The first was solved by a narrow shovel. I choose one with a short handle. The latter was solved by riddling the compost.
What? Never heard of riddling compost?  It's a process to remove all the bits from the soil. There is a tool called a "riddler" in the UK and a sieve or sifter here.

Not wanting to spend on a sifter, I used an old baking cooling rack over my wheelbarrow.

So this year I will be better at adding to the bin, spinning it and I will net a full wheel barrow of compost in one year instead of two!