Compost Bin for Under 30$

Materials 

(2) PVC 2" x 2ft pipe   $4 each(1) PCV 2" coupling    $0.90(1) PVC 2" cap            $2(1) 2ft bungie cord      $2(1) 32gal trash can with lid    $15(16) 6" 6D nails ( the ones that look like you could kill a vampire with) $0.10 each

Step 1

Drill Holes in both of your sections of pipe. 

Step 2

Take your sections of pipe and fit together with the coupling

 

Step 3 

Trace the pipe in the center of the trash can lid.

Cut the hole slightly smaller than the traced area for a tight fit.

Step 4

Put the pipe throughout the hole in the lid and have the excess as a chimney.

Step 5

Time to drill your holes for the nails in the trash can. Try to do 4 lines of three as seen below.

 

Use a 1/4" bit for a tight fitting nail. Push the nail into the holes drilled and wa la! Those are your compost pins for breaking down matter that has a tough time breaking down by itself. When you go to tip over your compost barrel they will tear through the organic material.

Step 6 

Fill with material, secure with bungee cord and giver er a roll!

Place your compost bin in a warm sunny area where it will heat up nicely to break down the material. 

Your chimney with the holes drilled will provide airflow to the material to break it down faster. Decomposition required oxygen, the heat just speeds things along. 

Roll your compost bin as often as you want. the more agitation the faster your road to beautiful soil for your garden! Trust me your flowers and veggies are going to eat this up!!!

HAPPY GROWING FROM THE GREEN THUMB GAL! 

Another Round for the Slugs Please!

  If you live in the Northwest, or in any damp place, such as myself you know all about these pesky buggers. Last year I had such a slug problem I sought all sorts of home remedies. I really didn't want to spray anything on my veggies so I tried the copper tape, I tried lining my beds with eggshell and salt, I tried everything I could find. 
  I was over at a friends house and a monster slug was creeping by as we sat on the porch and it sparked our conversation about slugs in the garden. I explained my frustration to her and she said that she had a remedy for my garden intruding slugs. GET THEM DRUNK! I told her she was crazy, to which she replied yes but try it anyway.  She told me to take a pie tin and put it flush to the soil in the middle of the garden. After that fill it with cheep beer and let the magic happen. Below is the home remedy slug trap. I set one every night for a week and I happily lessened my slug problem to almost complete extinction. The first night I had about 20 slugs in the trap, then fewer and fewer as the days went on. Basically the slugs crawl in, have a few beers and get too drunk to make it out of the pie tin and they travel to slug heaven. May their broccoli eating souls rest in peace.  Hope this helps save some plants, time, and frustration! 

HAPPY GROWING FROM THE GREEN THUMB GAL! 

Celery from Scrap in 6 Simple Steps

Want to grow celery? Here is the easiest way in 6 simple steps! 

Step 1 

Buy a head of celery from your grocery store for your instant gratification of a peanut butter and celery snack(Cause I know you want it now.) when chopping leave about 3" of stock at the base for your new plant growth. This is mine after bout 2 weeks of growth.  Once you have chopped your celery stock fill a small tupperware with water and let it sit in the window for around 2 weeks.  Make sure that your celery has at least an inch of water at all times.

Step 2

After you two week wait, it is time to get planting! Here is what you will need.

• a pot about 6in deep (if you are doing container gardening)
• your raised bed or garden
• Dirt and manure mix 
• steer manure
• any garden soil
• I used a bit of vermiculite for drainage only because my steer manure was very saturated

For the lack of a raised bed at the moment I have decided to plant my two celery starts in biodegradable pots.

Step 3

Throw some dirt in your pot...

 Step 4

Put your leafy celery stock in the pot…

Step 5

Cover and pack with dirt leaving a 1/4 in to an inch of stock above the soil….

Step 6

Now you have your very own potted celery plant!

MOST IMPORTANT PART OF ALL OF THE STEPS!

• WATER WATER WATER!
• THESE PLANTS HAVE BEEN IN ONLY WATER FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS OF THEIR LIVES THEY ARE GOING TO NEED WATERED EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK. THEN GRADUALLY LET UP ON THE WATERING AND YOU WILL BE EATING HOMEGROWN CELERY IN A MATTER OF WEEKS! 

Happy growing from the Green Thumb Gal!

Green Thumb Gal is a page created for people to gain knowledge about simple gardening and a way to find tips to make their experience fun and rewarding! Im excited to get going in the blogging world!