Weeding and Compost

  • Post published:08/09/2011
  • Post comments:3 Comments

A 40 foot Herb Bed lies in front of our house where lilies and roses vie for space with rue, parsley, basil, variegated sage and thalictrum at  the west end of the building

past the Welcoming Platform where you can see yarrow, golden marjoram, sage, tarragon, rosemary, Ashfield black stem mint and chives

to the end of the Bed where there is more basil, horseradish, lemon balm and dill that was knocked down by the rain that fell briefly last night. An Herb Bed in August is not a lovely thing because herbs are not neat plants. I have seen photographs of beautifully pruned herbs in simple and symmetrical beds or in complex knotted designs, but I have never seen one in the flesh. I am willing to believe such herb gardens exist, but for the cook and gardener who is only interested in using herbs the herb garden is much more apt to be unruly, but productive and useful.

Today, after at least three weeks without weeding (Life interferred in the most delightful ways) I set to. I filled a wheelbarrow with all manner of weeds, some of them embarrasingly large,  but I am not done yet.  When I have a large amount of biomass which includes roots and seedheads I grit my teeth as I toss the load in the compost pile. I fear that those weeds are not totally dead and will infect the pile. This doesn’t happen, but I get nervous every time.

Birrell Compost Bin

When I visited the Birrell garden in Seattle and saw this compost bin I was instantly struck with compost bin lust. Anyone can make a big practical wooden bin with two segments – and fill both of them, BUT no bin I have ever seen has this unique removal system. Note the bottom two boards with hinges and locks.  When it is time to remove the compost you just lift the locks and open the bottom two boards, making it easy to remove finished compost. What an idea!

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Lisa at Greenbow

    My compost pile is surrounded by some squash that self seeded and other less interesting plants. I love that removal system in the pictured compost bin. I also like that it is large enough to actually hold a lot of debris. I would need one that large if I composted everything.

  2. Pat

    Lisa – I loved the size of that compost bin too. It is what is needed for many of us.

  3. Faye

    Oh Pat,
    I have compost bin envy…I tried it down here once, but only once. Living in a ‘condo’ a compost bin does not make for happy neighboring.

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