Worm Bins

The City of Aliso Viejo donated 2 worm compost bins. Thanks! Pictured in front is a disassembled bin which consists of 2 screen, top, and bottom. Behind that is an assembly 1. We'll need a "home" for these bins, as they are most likely too small for outside use due to the small mass of material and being outside. These are more ideally suite for a home setup.

Good temps

Our compost piles are seeing temperatures in the 140-160F range, when following the UCCE "Hot" method. We're using 1 cubic yard wire bins.

Hazard

The bender board, installed by Valley Crest, was installed in many places with screws up to 2" too long in August 2011. As of today, Nov 14, 2011, many of these are still exposed. Since the slope of the plot is so steep, we have to assume that the DG will get washed away so the submerged long screws need to be cut off too.

Compost Day

Compost Day to get ready for the forecasted rain. Elizabeth and Ranya helped out and we turned and put together 3.5 compost bins, and the next day the temps were all in 140-160F range!!! I agree with Leia that the piles were too dry… probably from hydrated all the dry leaves. Also Elizabeth and Ranya tarped the pile of raw material we had waiting.
We also brain-stormed how we can get Valley Crest to chip/mulch the landscaping material easily and agreed if they can run the power mower over the material, that would do the trip… there was lots of samples of this in the material that they brought over. Click here for time-lapsed video.

10 hours in 2 minutes

Time lapse picture over 10 hours at SIG looking north.

Olive Trees Diseased

Soka Olive Tree... about 10+ years old

Healthy olive tree about same age:

The slow death of the olive trees on campus is caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, aka “Pierce’s disease” and “olive scorch”. This is very nasty stuff, and ruined our local wine industry years ago. "There is no known cure…. Pruning out the part of the plant showing symptoms may help the appearance of the … tree or shrub but will not save the plant.” Pictured is 10 year old olive tree on campus: sickly, stunted, dying parts… Valley Crest confirmed this finding last week.
Master Gardeners are required to clean their cutting tools with 10% bleach after contact with any plant with this type of disease. So should be include this in our compost? For more information:
http://www.symbiosis.ucr.edu/symbiotic-control-projects/pierces-disease/
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7480.html

Compost Day: Kitchen Waste

Leia came out for Sunday’s Compost Day (swimmers can take the rain). We had about 20 gallons of scraps from the kitchen collected Friday. Since it had been overcast and raining, nothing got too ripe. Leia and I did standard practice for kitchen waste: have absorbent material down (shredded paper), cover with compost and keep in wired container from critters. Leia also brought uncooked scraps from her meal and I brought hair from barbershop. So those that are active in our group, feel to bring anything we’ve discussed and add to your compost pile!

Work Day & Carts

Connor & Elizabeth helped on today's work day. The goal was to assemble the 2 new gardening carts. These carts have two wheels, axel under the weight, removable end for dumping, and level surface to haul all sorts of materials... all ideal for garden work.

New fencing

New fencing is looking as good as we thought it would.

Halloween aftermath

Where all good pumpkins belong: at the compost heap.

Fence Installation Begins

The fencing company, A-1 Steel Fence Co, began work today.

Composting Office Paper

Shredded office paper
We are now officially composting shredded office paper, and we got our first batch delivered by Cleaning a few days ago. We'll be posting signage on the 1/2 dozen shredders on campus letting folks know to not add glossy paper and to remove staples.
Also we have 3 team compost piles that we're following the UCCE "hot" method. The teams are tracking the progress on worksheets: temperature, moisture, height, and turning weekly.