Compost bin: the first day

Got around to compost bin refurbishment last week. make new front, then emptying out the compost from the bin, then install new front. I toyed with the idea of getting a sheet of some kind of plywood from Wickes, probably something 6 feet by 2 feet expressed in metric. But then thought that I would have to go and fetch it and that I would have to cut it down to size. So why not use all the timber from the garden shed, not to mention estate agents' poles, kept all these months and years against just such an eventuality? 

And so it was, with the result shown. The slight muddle over which galvanised nails to use not being visible at this distance.

Full deployment of gear on the patio, as can be seen from this slightly posed snap, which looks as if had been taken after I had swept up the saw dust. The bench in the middle, slightly more than 50 years old now, doubled as a table during our bed-sit life. Made from timber salvaged from the building of Croydon art college. The tool box left, slightly younger, having survived been dropped fully loaded at the railway station at Potters Bar. I forget now what it had been doing there. Good quality rip saw, now very blunt, not having been sharpened for a very long time. Gold Block pipe tobacco tin, originally my father's, used for holding drill bits. Good brand in its day. The brace without bit, also visible, started life with him too, as did at least some of the other tools.

Three sorts of galvanised nails visible right, one the wrong sort.

Construction of the new front took something between one hour and two. So probably quicker than a sheet of plywood, once one took time and travel into account.

The end of the first day, bin getting on for half emptied. Mattock not needed in the event. Fresh compost lifted aside with small fork. Old compost cut out with small spade, off snap. Compost loaded into barrow with the shovel.

Compost very dry, despite the rain of a few weeks ago and despite the occasional watering. Quite a lot of fibrous roots from neighbouring plants in search of water, presumably accounting for the dryness of the compost.

Some evidence of rodent residence, although no rodents. Some bones and corks which had not rotted down. Some old books which had not rotted down completely, despite having been there for what must be several years. Crumbly, but legible. Quite a lot of thin plastic, presumably derived from the covers of books. All in the black bucket, to be put back in the bottom of the bin in due course.

Except one beef bone which was passed off as a dinosaur bone on a small boy on the other side of the back hedge. He seemed quite excited about it, although his minder was not so sure and was careful to impound it to be washed.

The day's haul of compost was heaped up behind the new daffodil bed, where maybe it will help the not very vigorous daffodils along. Alternatively, the carex pendula plants which found their way there - and seem to like the ground rather better.

And so endeth the first lesson.

PS 1: Google continues to fiddle with the blogging template that I use. The handling of images is getting better, although something odd has happened to the two snaps of the half empty compost bin, with the two not being quite aligned, despite being of identical size. probably the result of the first of the pair being a later addition. But very puzzling all the same.

PS 2: Some compost bin history in the form of references below. The last occasion being just 18 months ago. Gets a bit more hit and miss before that, although it is hard to be sure without a more careful reading of the record. While reference 4 suggests that around 2005-2010 there was quite a lot of action around rats and foxes, with reference 5 being an early sample. And reference 6 showing the worms we used to get before meat waste was banned.

Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/03/compost-bin.html. The last occasion, around 18 months ago. Amused once again by the picture that had fell out of the art book.

Reference 2: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2017/03/breakfast-for-worker.html. Possibly the one before that.

Reference 3: https://psmv2.blogspot.com/2014/03/new-front.html. Possibly the one before that.

Reference 4: https://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.com/search?q=compost+bin.

Reference 5: https://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.com/2006/12/stew-pot-rides-again.html.

Reference 6: https://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.com/2010/10/compost-bin-lid-1.html.