Compost Delivered and Geese Flyby as Magpies Play

Moving the Compost

The last load arrived on the site today and I started moving my own compost mountain.


The first thing was to fill the deep borders in the greenhouses. Once the compost has settled a little, I’ll give them a good soaking to soften the soil and then use the Mantis to thoroughly mix everything. That took about ten barrow loads and a fair bit of time carefully manoeuvring the barrow through the door. I didn’t want to break any glass, obviously.


Using the Compost


Now I’ve decided that, apart from the greenhouses, the compost is all going onto plot 5, which is the one in most need of lightening the soil and revitalising it. I also calculated that there is about 1,200 square feet of allotment excluding the compost bins, shed etc and about 11 cubic yards or 300 cubic feet of compost left after the greenhouse borders were filled.


So that is just 1 cubic foot per 4 square feet or a layer three inches thick. I could just spread evenly but I think I will get more value by using it in larger amounts in some areas and buying another load next year (I must be mad!!)


For example, the potatoes will grow really well if I trench, fill with compost and earth up with it. May even reduce the slug damage, well I can hope.


I’ve a spot at the top of the plot where I can pile some of it up and the rest can be spread out. I know will do the most good in the top layer of soil so ideally I will run the rotovator over the dug areas to flatten the lumps out and then spread and rotovate into the top.


All this calculating is certainly much easier than actually moving the heap! I reckon I moved a tonne in total yesterday, so six tonnes to go.


It should be a bit easier if the paths dry out. I stepped back from the lorry yesterday onto a plot and slowly sank into the mud to the point where I thought I was going to lose my Wellingtons. I even noticed my bench seat sank six inches when I sat on it to watch the sunset!


Geese and Magpies


As I was locking the shed a flight of geese, well I think they’re geese, came over. I managed a photo but the quality isn’t great. Magical to watch the V formation fly past, better than the Red Arrows, I think.


Talking of birds, there were a couple of magpies really enjoying themselves taking a bath in a puddle. It was lovely just watching them splashing around. I didn’t know they did that, so another thing learnt.

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