Clematis: ClematisGuru's 2009 Hardwick Hall Clematis Garden, 1 by ClematisGuru

ClematisGuru wrote:
as we are still waiting for so many blooms, thought i would share the hardwick hall composter with you. this is one of two cages we have right next to each other. actually they are hubbies. into these, (he got the cages years ago a recylcling center for like 5$ each) we put grass clippings when we have them, ( most mowing done mulching style )leaves (not all the leaves on the property, wouldn't fit) ALL kitchen compost, very small garden clippings and weeds, NO STICKS. have learned this the hard way. the huge cages are sitting on cinder blocks to create access form below.
we do not aerate or turn it, so it takes longer , but they are huge so it doesn't matter. once in awhile i throw some enzyme accelerater on it. and we do water it from top and into middle. we put the kitchen refuse in it all year, even in winter when it is not active. we put leaves on top of the kitchen stuff or bury it in the leaves or grass clippings year round.
i pull "black gold" as i have heard compost referred to from the bottom, as needed or when it looks ready.
these are not in view from the house or lawn, they are behind one of the landscape berms. so accessible, but not obnoxious.
i am not sure what the cages were intended for, nor is he, but they work fine for our composting, even if our process is slower. there are no chores associated with it except for removal from bottom of the composted materials. hubbie gets all the credit for this. we have had the black plastic composting units, and the worm composter which we gave away and they just were not big enough and did not work for us. these cages are full of live worms year round, even in winter in the middle. thanks hubbie for this one!