The 3 bay composting system was set up last spring assisted by the brother-in-law who provided 10 old pallets. (Thanks Francis!). I have just read Goff Lalor’s article ‘Dreaming About Perfect Compost’ in the winter issue of Crann, Ireland’s tree magazine. Goff fills the outside bays alternatively, tipping the contents of each in to the middle bay to finish the composting process in turn. This sounds like a good method which I’ll try out. Always happy to learn new horticultural tricks!
In my case, the tumbler composter sits beside the 3 bay system collecting and aerating kitchen waste. Meanwhile the first bay collects the old garden greenery, cabbage stalks, rhubarb leaves, hedge clippings etc. In the second bay, I layer the rejected garden material from the first bay with the softer kitchen waste from the tumbler. When the second bay is full, I fork it in to the third bay to continue composting. This leaves the second bay free to fill up as before once more.
The third bay has now yielded its first batch of reasonably well broken down compost. It’s not as attractive as Goff Lalor’s photo sample. However, it will do fine as a soil conditioner in the newly dug beds and vacant veg beds I am covering for the winter. Even if it has viable weed seed in it, the black plastic sheeting will prevent weed seed germination until I can get to work hoeing the soil in the spring.
Digging out the first batch of compost from the 3 bay composting system – supervised by Garfield the cat – who dislikes getting his paws wet.
Trevor is co-founder and was, until his appointment to Government, a board member of Sonairte, the Irish National Ecology Centre, near Julianstown, County Meath which is an Agricultural Training and Visitor centre with a 2.2 acre walled organic garden. He is also a member of Amnesty International, the Dublin Food Co-op, the Irish Organic Farmers’ and Growers’ Association, Organic Trust and a former member of Macra na Feirme. A former teacher and fluent Irish speaker, he relaxes by reading, walking and playing music. His favourite form of relaxation is tending to his prolific organic garden at home in Balbriggan, North County Dublin, an area known by many as Fingal.
Source: Trevors Kitchen Garden – Using First Batch of Compost on Newly Dug Beds – Trevor Sargent
