Last weekend, when the weather actually allowed people outside without Thinsulate®, I checked out how my compost had faired over the winter. Not too shabby. The maple leaves were mostly broken down, but there were still some remnants of squash, tomato stalks and a few coffee filters.

It will be about 6 weeks before we put mulch around my garden, so it should be done by then.

Now here's my dilemma, do I start putting things on top of my already working, almost done compost pile? Then how do I get the good stuff out in a couple of weeks to spread around my garden?

I know, I know; I should have been composting all winter long. The compost will keep breaking down even when it's below zero outside – the decomposition process produces heat. But the location of my bin and the darned snow this winter, kept me throwing my goodies down the garbage disposal.

Now that the snow has finally melted, I look at every celery top and carrot peel as potential fertilizer!

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/119269804.html

This article points out that the GREENEST of organic fertilizer is compost. Especially if it's from your back yard and reducing waste to your local garbage dump! I'm organic in my vegetable garden; I try to be green with household cleaners; and I'm a GreenGirl so I better live by "green-principals."

So now what? I'm too cheap to buy another black bin – plus, the one I have will be empty in a month. And, I don't have room anyway. Does anyone have ideas?