Compost corner

Just after we moved in last Easter, a friend offered us a spare compost bin. Great, I thought, I'll have no excuse not to turn the compost regularly if we've got 2 bins...

Should've known better - I only installed the 2nd bin this month. We've had it nearly a year.

The sticking point was getting around to buying a base plate (to let the worms in but keep the rats out). I finally ordered one a couple of weeks ago through GetComposting.com

& here it is in place:

(Yep, this muppet forgot to take a photo of the base plate in position & I only realised once the job was done.)

The big green ThermoKing we bought last year has been going great guns, although we still make the same composting beginner mistakes:

• Too much grass in big layers.
• Too many large stems not chopped up.

Despite our ineptitude, it soldiers on:

The plan is to use the King for the fresh stuff & the Dalek for the finishing stage. Advice I've seen recommends at least 3 bays but tended to only use 2 at the old place. We'll see how this arrangement goes & add a 3rd if need be.

I opened the bottom doors front & back of the King; dug out the bottom layers & decanted them into the Dalek. The front hatch was easy to deal with, but the back hatch is in the beech boundary hedge. Like an idiot I managed to whack myself in the eye with an thin whippy beech twig. Ow..

No matter. Let's get this done. Who needs eyes anyhow...

With about an hour's heaving & shovelling, the compost was split:

When splitting the compost, I did notice a distinct lack of worms... Slugs, yes, & woodlice too, but not a single worm now I think about it. I wonder if the clay underneath the King is too compacted? Maybe I should invest in some worms...?

& talking of investments, as well as buying the base plate, I splurged on a new pokey stick... erm.. aerator. In the past I've just used the fork, but it can be tough to get down to the bottom & really stir the muck.

New stick has flaps that fold flat as you push down & then open out as you pull back, just like a child's ears in a set of railings.

(Photo shamelessly blagged from GetComposting)

With any luck, & a bit more prodding, we'll have bags of garden-ready compost & not a moment too soon - our claytastic soil will take all the organic matter we can throw at it.

Early Spring blooms

Few things lift my heart quite like Spring's pioneers when they raise their beautiful heads from the cold ground.

Residents

The garden has a number of established early birds.

Snowdrops are up first, naturally:

We also have a giant variety:

Next up, the crocuses/crocii:

They're jewel-like in the low sunshine.

So chuffed this garden came with hellibores:

Still no clue what this shrub is: 

For most of the year it has kept on producing these clusters of white/pink flowers that go on to produce deep purple berries. What a trooper.
Update: Ali says Viburnum Tinus :)

Newcomers

On to things we've added since we moved in.

Hubby's pansies have soldiered through the Winter:

The 1st flowers have appeared in the 3 tier bulb pot I did last Autumn:

Many more to come, with any luck :)