FACE eS ne rc TIME TO engage in a little garden alchemy. No, we are not about to turn lead into gold; well not quite anyway. If you meant garbage into gold (or ‘black gold’ to be more precise) you would be closer to the truth. Who would have thought you could pile almost all of your gar- bage into a big heap and do nothing but turn it over once in a while and it would turn into a valuable commodity? If you have not figured it out by now, I am talking about compost. Every year we spend too much time and energy trying to get rid of our compostable garbage when in fact there is a whole world of microbes just waiting to do it for us. These microbes not only deliver us from burning, bagging, and/or hauling, they pay us to do so. You give them half-eaten tomatoes and grass clippings and they give you compost in retum. Now that’s what I call a bargain. Compost is loaded in organic fibre, the prime ingredient in all rich topsoils. In addition, this decomposed material will return many of the nutrients that were in the original substances. This something-for-nothing ser- vice may not provide you with quite enough incentive to start a compos? pile. If this is the case choose one of the following: Let’s say you want to save yourself a significant amount of money by not buying soil amend- ments in the spring and reducing the cost of garbage collection. Find an inconspicuous corner of the garden that is flat, well-lit, and will receive ample rainfall. The microbes need moisture, air, and the heat of the sun to do their best work. If the best site you can find looks as though it may become an eyesore in the future; don’t worry — be happy. You can always use garden gate You could be unhappy about the smoky skies on those burning weekends and wish to stop con- tributing to the Greenhouse Effect. Or you could be one of those real weirdos that truly betieves recycling is the best route to a healthier, more productive, less destructive future. Whatever your rationale, com- posting is much easier than you think. Geoff Tobiasson the first return on your investment of garbage to create shrub bed to screen the area. A simple, open-sided oile will get the job done. There are, how- ever, more sophisticated meihods of construction that offer tidiness and functionality. 1 prefer the three-bin unit myself. It allows you to fill one side while leaving one of the re- LOVESEAT (Chair is also available) 15 - Friday, November 25, 1988 — maining two to rot and making use of the other. This cyclical method keeps you supplied with rich soi! amendments at all times. Whichever bin arrangement you use, make sure the walls are porous; use wire mesh or spaced boards. You will also find it easier if you build on a concrete slab; this may slow the rotting process slightly but make it easier to shovel it out. Remember, almost any organic material is compostable, but some materials are better than others: sawdust will rot, but not before the turn of the century and not before robbing the surrounding compost of its nutrients. Other materials to avoid include needles and cones from coniferous evergreens, walnut leaves, horse chestnut -leaves, diseased plant parts, roots of perennial weeds, cooked foods, fats and grease. If you include any tempting bits of food, cover the pile(s) with a wire screen, The masked bandits of the North Shore (raccoons) will be more than happv to accent your North Shore News invitation to dinner. Grass clippings should be mixed in with other material to avoid clumping. Matted material will not receive proper amounts of oxygen, without which proper decomposi- tion is slowed down or halted. The finer the material the faster it rots. You should try to shred coarser stalks and stems before adding them to the pile. To achieve the best results, put a two-inch layer of soil on top of every eight inches of packed com- postable material. The addition of a sprinkling of high nitrogen fertilizer will speed up the process. I prefer blood and bone meal. If you want a really rich com- Post, try mixing some well rotted manure or seaweed into the soil, between the layers. Once the pile has reached max- imum height, keep it moist, turn it occasionally, and wait for your ‘black gold.’ Work it into your flower and vegetable beds in the spring or apply as a mulch around trees and shrubs. FACTORY AUTHORIZED SALE This is our contemporary style sofa & loveseat with inviting pillow back and high density super sofa seat cushions. Choose from a variety of fabrics to match any decor. Many more Living room Suites to choose from at greatly: discounted prices. Silk Plants and Trees Standard agd Custom-Made.2 . * Buy direct from the Factory and SAVEI* Mager FACTORY OUTLET _— 2206 Dougias Rd., Burnaby m (2 buildings east of Thunderbird) Phone # 299-3172 COLDEN TOUCH INTEEIORS STORE Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. HOURS: Sun., Noon-5 p.m.