Happy Fall Equinox Y'all!

It was clear and sunny with not a cloud in the sky today. It warmed up enough this afternoon we had to close up and turn on the AC. When that sun comes over the building and blasts the wall....didn't help I used the oven to cook some chicken but it was only for a few hours. All is dark and cool and fall feeling now. Having it cool at night is making it much easier to sleep well. 

 

There was a free mulch/compost event starting this week from the SD Green Waste. Luckily one of the locations was a fifteen minute drive from where I live. My only problem was collecting sufficient containers that would bring home enough.

I used what I had as much as possible. Bags would work as well but harder to shovel compost into. This compost was drier than a popcorn fart and very dusty so I didn't want to waste bags too much. I had hoped that there would be yard type garbage bags in the rec room but the assistant manager brought out the same kind of kitchen trash bags I have. I used them to line most the crate and then dumped out the orange bucket that had my collection of trashed plastic containers and the cat litter bucket. Had to bring my own shovel too and at least remembered my moving gloves (cotton gloves with black rubber dots on both sides)

I first was just going to leave the soil as is in the crate, putting one of the log pieces on top to deter critters. I then decided to take the bags out and just use the crate to put all the compost in as a planter..... well it being very dry and dusty... that wasn't such a good idea. I happened on the cardboard box on the patio and it just so happens to fit perfectly. I'm concerned about the larger slots on the side but once the compost gets wet I think it'll work out okay. I'm hoping to use it for potatoes or maybe bulb onions. All that compost needs to be wet down thoroughly and guess what doesn't reach all the way to the end of the garden anymore? I also covered the orange bucket with a bag and hope that will deter any diggers. 

So all totaled I think I might have gotten maybe enough compost to fill the crate.  Not nearly enough to replenish the raised bed. Enough for adding to the south bed a little and definitely will be saving some for the west bed when everything is done. That raised bed will have to wait until I can get some bags of actual potting soil to go in there. Can't do anything with the west bed right now though because everything is still growing.

So this little critter was on my screen this morning, I think it's one of the fig beetles and about 3/4 inch long. I tried to flick the screen to scare it off but it just shifted position. Funny how those pictures are taken almost the same time but different angles, the close up is angled more to the north so some clouds are visible in the sky but nothing in the other one. 

That was my excitement for the day. I might dump all the compost into the crate box and go get two more containers tomorrow. The compost is fine as an additive into native dirt but would need some perlite and maybe some larger bits or some native soil if I wanted to put it into the crate for growing. 

Yay for dirt!