Going Organic... Help please

Hey guys,

I have been a lover of gardening for many years now i would like to say i have green fingers. As the world is getting more healthy i would like to get on the same track and get healthy. I have always brought my veg from the local supermarket, but no more. I want to start it off the wright way by making a compost heap. i have ordered in one of the compost boxes where you add waste and then the draw fills up at the bottom then releases the compost. But what kind of waste should i use when it gets here? I know that veg waste and dead tree leafs but what else? And then for someone that lives in Northern Ireland at this very cold time of year, what veg should i grow first? any easy ones for beginners?

Looking forward to your reply's guys!!

 

You can compost most anything that will rot down however I'd draw the line at throwing meat and bones into compost pile (attracts vermin). Layering is needed - layer of kitchen waste, layer of dirt/earth, layer of i.e. shredded paper, layer of earth PLUS water and you're cooking! I used to love watching the manure pile steam

 

Yard waste is a valuable add to a tower composter. Do not be surprised if you need two or more.

Also a pair of by-pass pruners to chop twiggy stuff into palm sized chunks.

 

The compost mix should be damp. We water our compost bins because we are in Texas (water challenged) and you may not need to water your compost in Ireland to keep it damp.
As Islandlife said, no meat or bones, and I'd add a warning about dairy products. You want to keep rodents and other critters out of the pile.
As to the vegetables you can start, leaf lettuces like Simpson's Elite and Midnight Ruffles and Deer's Tongue if they are avialable to you. Also broccoli and cauliflower do well in colder temperatures and can withstand a freeze. We start onions, carrots, and garlic in the colder (cold to us!) months.
Good luck with your garden, and please ask any questions you may have!

 

I bought a composter when I first started. After paying a hundred dollars for it, i realized that it wasn't a complicated thing to make. I had two old rubbermaid outdoor trashcans that I didn't use anymore (because my city mandated that I buy their special trashcans). Anyway, I cut the bottoms off of the trashcans and turned them upside down. I dug mine into the ground about a foot or so so it wouldn't tip over. I drilled some holes and it is almost the same exact thing that I bought. I turn the lid upside down and made one hole in the bottom. Now it sits like a bowl and collects watter that slowly drips into the middle. So, I have my expensive one, and the two I made. They all work the same.

I compost everything that can break down. Yard clippings, leaves, veggies, etc. It may take a little while for you to get the right ratio of "brown" to "green" down, but it is easy and you learn fast. I do not do meat, oil / fats, or dairy because they can stink and attract critters. I do same breads and pastas (wheat / healthy works better then white), but not too much at one time. I have learned that turning the compost speeds everything up and really helps the process. I just use a shovel and dig around, covering the new stuff you add. I also have a worm bin that I made that is really simple and those little guys eat good.

In my opinion, I think saving the fallen leaves and even some grass clipping, and using them for mulch in your garden. It does wonders for your soil, composting in place.

 

Oh, and kale does great in cooler weather. So I am told. It is January 3rd and today it was 85. That is normal for my winter....

 

Loads of info here guys!! I have learn't loads already. From layering with paper which i have plenty of old news papers, too not adding meats and dairy's which is a brilliant tip! I have already been on the phone to my friends and family so they can start saving all their left overs and peals etc. What about coffee? this is something i have read online and in my house we also go threw plenty of that. I am also going to give making my own compost bin a try, i like getting busy and creating things.

And for my first veggies i think i am going to go for sweet potato, Carrots and Eggplant, these are some of my favorites.

Thanks for the help guys it is greatly appreciated

 

Eggplant is related to tomatoes and peppers. They do better with warm weather so wait for that. Also, if your growing season is shorter (which it probably is in Northern Ireland) you can get a good head start by starting seeds indoors before it gets warm enough and transplanting outdoors when the soil is warm enough.
There are seed companies that specialize in cooler weather veggie seeds. Stokes comes to mind. I have to look for the opposite, veggies that do well in very hot weather. Ha ha. I miss the four seasons!

 

We get STOKES seeds here as our growing season is short(er). Apart from those mentioned above you can also plant peas, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, brussels, lettuces when it is still cool but I know that I can't grow eggplant here very well and I specifically plant my tomatoes where they get as much full sun and reflected heat as possible.

 

It's a great idea to start planting indoors first to get the seedlings ready for a full summer! broccoli, cabbage, turnips, brussels are looking really good to me so i can start there for now until the sun comes out. When starting the seeds inside should i use something like this http://www.for-sale.co.uk/seed-pots or do i use normal small plant pots?

 

Whichever way works best for you. I start seeds outside (on my back pourch) all year long. If you are doing it indoors, I guess your space available will dictate what works best for you. I normally use the jiffy pods and then pot up when they get big enough or just plant straight in the garden. If you want a good head start you will either need to start them in the 3 or 4 inch pots or pot up to that when they gets their first true leaves. They don't last too long in the pods or seed starters. Check out a couple seed catalogs, even if you aren't going to buy from them, and see what method looks like it would work for you. In veggie gardening, and seed starting, there is a lot of trial and error. But that's how we learn.