It was time to bury another bucket full of Bokashi today so I took it up to where I buried the last lot on August 29, almost a month ago! My how time flies! I was curious to know how well the last lot I buried had broken down and I remembered saying on my blog that I would let you all know how it went. If you recall I said in THIS POST That I gathered up windfall citrus to bury with the bucket full of citrus peels, vege scraps, eggshells, and other waste from the kitchen mixed with Effective Microoganisms to help it break down.
I started to dig where I had buried the last lot and was very surprised at how soft the ground here was. I turned over a spadeful of the most delicious smelling compost! It's kind of fruity and sweet smelling and very moist.
For the most part, the scraps and peels had broken down completely, although there were still some little bits of citrus mixed through.
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| Citrus in the compost |
I think that the bits of citrus that had not broken down yet might actually be from the whole ones I put in that I picked up around the yard. Anything that had been cut into small pieces and processed in the bucket prior to burying was gone!
I am really very pleased with this.
The vege patch continues to thrive, despite the potting mix we planted it in being quite hydrophobic and not holding moisture very well.
We have Roma Tomatoes coming on nicely!
We actually put some soil on some of the veges, from the bokashi compost pit, to see if it helps at all with moisture retention. We won't be doing the 'no dig' gardening method again, though. It hasn't really saved us any work because of the time involved in trying to keep the roots moist.
I am reading a good book at the moment called Frugavore: How to grow your own, buy local, waste nothing, and eat well by Arabella Forge. I'm really enjoying it and will post a review once I have finished it. Sandra is reading Changing Habits, Changing Lives by Cindy O'Meara and I want to read that after she is done with it.
Broody Update: Bertha sat all day again, today. I think she may have
been up for some food and water early in the morning, but hadn't
stirred again all day. It was a very warm day and I was concerned about
her, so I went and tried to put some water on her beak to tempt her to
drink from a little bowl I had with me, she told me where to get off! 
I left her alone after that, but when I took a wet mash up for the
other girls this afternoon, I offered some to her in her own little bowl
and she ate about 1/4 cupful. That is food and water mixed together
with some egg added so I am content that she won't starve or dehydrate.
I've left a small bowl of water and a little bit of mash next to her
nest for her as well. She must think this is the life. No egg laying, a
comfy secure box all to herself and room service laid on! 
I left her alone after that, but when I took a wet mash up for the
other girls this afternoon, I offered some to her in her own little bowl
and she ate about 1/4 cupful. That is food and water mixed together
with some egg added so I am content that she won't starve or dehydrate.
I've left a small bowl of water and a little bit of mash next to her
nest for her as well. She must think this is the life. No egg laying, a
comfy secure box all to herself and room service laid on! 
