Happy fall and welcome back, gardeners!
The second work day went swimmingly. Volunteers learned about composting, which was great since our compost needed a little love. We moved all the almost-finished compost that looks pretty much like dirt into the bin on the far right. The new compost will be in the far left bin. Help us out by dumping your foods scraps in the left bin and layering on top with some dead leaves found in the middle bin. A special shout-out to Pat and Garnet who shoveled compost for over an hour!
Some volunteer questions:
Q: Will cabbage continue to produce leaves over time, even if it's ripe?
A: Here's what I found. The 9th and final stage in cabbage growth is called the mature stage. The cabbage head reaches a diameter of approximated 15-30 cm. There is no visible leaf production after the head has reached the maximum size and hardness. The cabbage head should be harvested soon otherwise it may split.
Q: How much carbon or nitrogen is in each food scrap?
A: I have uploaded a useful chart from composting 101 onto this website so everyone can use it as a reference.
| Estimated Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratios | |
| Browns = High Carbon | C:N |
| Ashes, wood | 25:1 |
| Cardboard, shredded | 350:1 |
| Corn stalks | 75:1 |
| Fruit waste | 35:1 |
| Leaves | 60:1 |
| Newspaper, shredded | 175:1 |
| Peanut shells | 35:1 |
| Pine needles | 80:1 |
| Sawdust | 325:1 |
| Straw | 75:1 |
| Wood chips | 400:1 |
| Greens = High Nitrogen | C:N |
| Alfalfa | 12:1 |
| Clover | 23:1 |
| Coffee grounds | 20:1 |
| Food waste | 20:1 |
| Garden waste | 30:1 |
| Grass clippings | 20:1 |
| Hay | 25:1 |
| Manures | 15:1 |
| Seaweed | 19:1 |
| Vegetable scraps | 25:1 |
| Weeds | 30:1 |
Some volunteer suggestions for future workshops:
How does drip irrigation work?
We have a rain barrel and drip irrigation system set up already, so we can definitely go over how and why that works.
Again, thanks Hannah, Patrick, Braeden, Garnet, Harry, Kristen, Rebecca, Dan and Diana for all your help!!! Look forward to seeing you again.
Volunteer work days this fall:
Monday, 3-5 pm
Thursday, 2-4 pm
Upcoming workshops:
Thursday, September 20th: How to eat seasonally
Monday, September 24th: Plant ID game
Thursday, September 27th: Natural pesticides
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