September Gardening Duties: A Look Back at Traditional Methods
In the autumn season, as leaves fall from trees and tomatoes ripen, it's the perfect time to consider creating a compost bin for garden waste. This article will guide you through the steps to build a simple and effective compost bin using recycled materials, and provide tips on preserving extra tomatoes as paste.
Making a Homemade Compost Bin
To create a compost bin, you can repurpose old wooden pallets, boards, bricks, straw bales, or woven sticks to build walls for your compost bin. The bin should ideally be at least two, one for active composting and another for curing. Aim for bins that are roughly 4-6 feet high and 3-5 feet wide for proper decomposition[1][3][4].
- Build the Bin(s): Arrange and fasten the pallets or boards to form a square or rectangular enclosure with at least one side partially open or removable for easy turning of the compost pile[1][2][3][4].
- Location: Level the ground and clear weeds before setting up your bin to improve drainage and access[3].
- Fill the Bin: Layer green materials (kitchen scraps, fresh grass clippings, manure, coffee grounds) and brown materials (dry leaves, straw, shredded paper, cardboard) in the bin. A balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio around 30:1 helps efficient decomposition[1][5].
- Moisture: Maintain moisture like a wrung-out sponge; damp but not soaked. Add water if dry or dry materials if too wet[1].
- Aeration: Turn the pile regularly (using a pitchfork or shovel), especially during the initial heating phase. The pile should heat up to 130–140°F, indicating active microbial breakdown[1][4].
- Curing: After active composting, transfer the material to a second bin for curing to stabilize the compost. This phase takes a few months[1].
Preserving Tomatoes as Paste
Take notes on methods for preserving extra tomatoes as paste. Paste tomatoes are best for freezing tomato paste, but other tomatoes can be used with longer cooking time. To prepare tomatoes for freezing as paste, wash, pare out stems and rotten spots, cut into pieces, blend, strain, and simmer until desired consistency. Simmered tomato paste can be poured into individual freezer bags or frozen in ice cube trays before transferring to freezer bags[6].
Growing Plants in Low Light and Dry Conditions
Coleus, wax begonias, fuchsias, pelargoniums are plants that can flourish in low light and tolerate dry conditions. Rooting cuttings in water can be found in "Rooting Cuttings in Water on Your Windowsill". Taking cuttings from choice container annuals is beneficial for winter preservation[7].
By following these tips, you can recycle garden and kitchen waste into nutrient-rich compost for your garden plants, saving money and reducing landfill waste[1][4]. Additionally, allowing wild evening primroses in the vegetable garden can serve as a natural Japanese beetle magnet[8].
[1] https://gardenmyway.com/composting/ [2] https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-make-a-compost-bin-4123642 [3] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/compost/how-to-build-a-compost-bin.htm [4] https://www.almanac.com/plant/homemade-compost-bin [5] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/compost/carbon-nitrogen-ratio.htm [6] https://www.almanac.com/article/how-to-freeze-tomato-paste [7] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/propagation/taking-cuttings-in-water.htm [8] https://www.almanac.com/article/growing-evening-primroses-in-the-vegetable-garden
- Although fall brings changes in the garden with tomatoes ripening and leaves falling, this could also be an opportunity to enhance your home-and-garden lifestyle by designing an elegant and sustainable interior-design setup with the compost bin as a central piece, displaying various types of potted plants, including coleus, wax begonias, fuchsias, pelargoniums that thrive in low light and dry conditions.
- After the composting process has ended, take advantage of your home-garden ingredients by using the tomato paste left over from preservation in cooking to bring a touch of the greenery into your interior-design decor, blending well with the natural and sustainable ambiance created by your compost bin and successful plant growth in low-light conditions.
