Surprises about composting:

1. If you do it scientifically it doesn't smell bad.

2. It is hard labor! Turning this almost daily with a shovel has aggravated my back.

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Day19

I'm on week 9 (day 63) of composting now, and I thought it was time for another update. You didn't really think I'd do a day by day account of stuff decomposing did you?

Here's a close up on the current status:

I never did get my pile as hot as it was the first 4 days. It seems to hover at 65 F. However, as you see things are breaking down. There is nothing really recognizable in this close up except some live oak leaves and a green strand of cilantro from the old bunch I threw in there yesterday.

Yes, I continue to add to my nearly-done pile: grass clippings, spent flowers, green kitchen waste, shrimp shells, and other chopped vegatable scraps. However I'm discriminate about only adding greens that break down quickly, as I've already started to use this mess for planting tomatoes and ferns. Just couldn't wait.

I'm secretely hoping that adding more nitgoren-rich greens will kick-start it into action. Apparently Cold Composting is a legitimate way to compost, butit takes longer. I think the term was invented by people like me who failed at hot composting but are still getting viable compost.