The Pile

We had a monkey problem a little while back. They kept coming in through the windows and stealing bread and fruit. Someone suggested we make a ‘monkey pile’ away from the house, which we did. It serves a triple purpose:

1) Monkey pile – it does what it says and keeps the monkeys at bay

2) Compost heap – we stick all of our organic matter in there (except for citrus skins – apparently they mess with the ph of the soil)

3) Nursery for cuttings – I put in some Ibosa and some Leopard tree cuttings as well as some Aloes and they have all grown – the compost makes the soil rich

The Pile

Garden Essentials: Green Bin

This green bin is essential for any garden.  You can get them from most hardware shops and some nurseries for about R600.

I’ve always had a compost heap but this bin keeps any food waste away from the monkeys and the heat it generates speeds up the composting process.  I put grass cuttings, weeds and any organic waste from the kitchen into and in a few months it turns into good quality compost.

I’m now thinking of investing in an earthworm farm, which I think creates compost in only a couple of weeks and provides micronutrients that you don’t get from compost.  Any thoughts?

The Green Bin