Anyone Grow Veggies / Do a Compost Heap?

MayDay10

This is my first Spring owning a house. I have always wanted to grow veggies. I am going to grow tomatoes this year in a small run, and each year I am going to add an additional plant in a run and transport what I have learned to grow in a more permanent garden further back.
The run is within my fence and is sheltered from the wildlife (further back property backs up to a pond and wetlands). My permanent garden will be further back and Ill have to build in all sorts of protection.

I am interested in perhaps starting a compost heap, however, I read that you need a shady spot near a water source. Both of those would require being close to the house, which I dont want. Anyone have any good tips on a compost heap further away from the house? I have a shed in the far back and I was thinking behind that (its a Southern exposure).

GratefulJam

Composting is pretty easy. I would look into buying or building a square about 3x3x3 that has a easily opened lid.

I agree do not put it too close to your house!!

PM me an I can send you some pictures of mine.

Its really easy and rewarding, when you see all that great soil and worms its pretty cool.

drinkbigredinstead

I bought a compost barrel from Cost Co last year, it was around $50.00.

Easy to assemble and easy to use.

StillHere

you say you are near wetlands?
can you take advantage of that area for your compost heap ?
or is it too far from the house?

you can use a plain wooden frame or something more elaborate like a turning barrel
some folks don't even use the frame

congratulations on beginning your garden.
I do herbs and flowers and some veggies, a little bit, and its such a rewarding experience.

just make sure you don't use your compost until its "ripe"
i'm sure you know that

and above all...have FUN!

TIP: grow some lavender around your most susceptible plantings... its pretty well behaved AND it keeps the buggies away
and when the flowers bloom you can sprinkle the flowerheads among your seedlings or any plants being bothered by little critters. AND its super pretty and smells so good....fantastic all the way round.

AND marigolds around the root veggies and lettuce helps to keep the rabbits and maybe the deer out. (sometimes) i guess bunnies don't like the bitter smell/taste of the marigolds.

i keep a huge bag of dried lavender flower heads for my herb garden and it smells soooo good!

MayDay10

Ah, thats cool. Just looked at some ones at Home Depot that were in the $150 range. It sounds like it could be a cool thing and it would provide nourishment for my future vegetables.

MayDay10

The Wetlands arent too far back. My optimal heap location would be pretty close. There is a conservation easement at the very back of my property that would probably be violated if I put the heap on it. Is a compost heap a fire hazard?

Thanks for the Lavender/Marigold tips. Ill try that. Lots of wildlife around.

of.the.girl

I grow a boat load of stuff. It is the most rewarding thing to be able to go out in the garden and grab some fresh veggies and herbs and cook with them.

What are you looking to plant this year?

I also have a compost pile. It's the perfect 3x3x3 cinder block type. Nothing serious. But my boys love throwing the fresh stuff out there and seeing the worms eat it.


This year I'm planting tomatoes ( 4 different kinds), peppers ( 6 different kinds), cucumbers, zucchini, green beans, garlic, onions, scallions, and of course all my herbs and flowers.

Like Still Here said, the marigolds are key to planting around your tomatoes. It helps keep the bugs and little critters away.

polaris_x

composting is essentially an exercise in chemistry ... about maintaining the right balance ... it's not that hard once you read up on it and you take the time to actually do what you need to (turn it) ... a lot of people by composts and just assume they throw their waste in there and it will do its own thing ... nothing associated with gardening is like that ... once you start ... your compost will give you feedback ... worms are good ... smell is bad and too many bugs will be bad ...

good luck

brianlux

Everyone can compost. Throwing out vegetable scraps is such a waste! Many people living even in big cities compost and grow food in containers or on roof tops. Even a less than ideal compost heap (say one not turned or watered) will eventually break down into usable soil. We have two compost piles- one that incorporates fruit and vegetable compost as well as coffee grounds, used tea leaves and crushed egg shells (crushing helps them to break down more quickly) which makes the better usable soil and another for more coarse brush trimmings, pine needles and harder to break down plant matter. This second pile takes much longer to break down but eventually it does and it turns into dirt rather than smoke in the air which is what most of my neighbors produce by burning instead of composting.

RKCNDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-JqApyM ... re=related

^^^that's a video for making a simple compost heap-this guy has awesome videos. He has a bunch of them too.

I cannot grow anything in my yard, we have crappy soil and we're moving soon anyway. I grew roses for years and used a tobacco garlic mixture to keep the bugs away. Next house I will be growing veggies. So much cheaper than organic, since I refuse to use traditional pesticides.

Have fun!

dcfaithful

I cannot wait for the day that we own a house because I look very forward to growing a garden, and doing compost as well.

Don't have any tips for you though. :P

Have fun doing it!

mikalina

I grew up with my dad having a vegetable garden and he did have a compost pile way in the back of the yard.

All my dad ever did was take a rake and mix it up every few days.....

drinkbigredinstead

If you are a DIY person this is a good tutorial:

http://www.thegoodrumfamily.com/index.html?/compost_tumbler/index.html