Thank you, Starbucks!

Your Grounds for the Garden provide much needed food for our fungus through moldy, decaying nitrogen and carbon compound organisms. We've been using them in our compost tumbler with kitchen scraps to enhance the decomposition. At 120°F last week, I think we're on our way!

The mushroom in the photo below is an indicator of soil diversity to support the germination and growth of spores as available. The fungi in the tumbler are thick, white strands and less photogenic.

I'm a fan of this author. Perhaps you will be, too.

Teaming with Fungi He has a series of four books on microbes, nutrients and bacteria-all parts of the soil food web.

Peace

🕊️

John and Lee

The Blue Bucket Cycle

We keep a three-gallon bucket by our sink for kitchen scraps and non-soapy water.

Compost tumbler

Revitalization of our ancient, 14-year old tumbler is still in progress. Yesterday, a short trip to the hardware store for a pipe and some bolts to replace the rusted core.

Today, Lee and I were able to pick up a bag of "grounds for the garden" from our local Starbucks. We had fun breaking up the espresso clods into the tumbler. The leaves and steer manure are a week old but already look months old!

My temperatures are not over a hundred yet. It has been years since I made two-week compost. Next week, I'll put it all into my growing pile and start again. I've been using a leaf vacuum to shred the leaves but I think I need to increase my manure balance too.

P.S. the hose is for some water in a tub to de-gas. I'm sure the chlorine in the water set me back last batch.

No pineapple to worm bin

http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/are-pineapple-and-papaya-harmful-to-worms/

International Federation of Garden Composters

Wouldn't that be the group to join? There is something that warms my heart to hear about composting and composters. San Mateo has its own program "Master Composter Certification." Please see. Southern Nevada, you're next!