no waste Archives • Dibber&Boots

Garden frames

June 2020June 2020Leave a comment

Frames can be made from all sorts of things. I don’t like wasting materials as you know, so I am always looking out for timber and steel I can repurpose. No matter how thrifty though, if it doesn’t do the job or look neat, then I’m out.

>> works and looks good <<

These frames are made from reclaimed steel and hardwood stakes. I had about two dozen stakes that were at the end of their working life, so lashed out for new ones – woohoo – should last about 5 years and so handy for all sorts of jobs. Today, they are holding up that frame.

>> think upside-down <<

See how well the metal frame carries the net without puncturing, and fits the bed width perfectly?.. They are actually old trampoline frame legs 😎 from the local recovery station (socially acceptable term for dump yard hehe)
The round frame sections left over will be welded together for an arbor… a project for another day.

>> peg and stake <<

I have used more of the stakes to hold the net down, but still easy to lift for access. I have a heap of metal hook pins (second hand turf pins) that I use to pin them into the bed. These nets would normally not be ideal, since the gauge is wide enough to hook birds, but since brassicas aren’t attractive to the birds, they don’t bother going near these. I also use reclaimed micro-net curtains for this job, but they are being used somewhere else.

So, there you have it – sturdy handy frames, no waste and look neat as a pin. There are many other frame materials and ideas I am sure. Please do comment with your solutions – we would love to hear them. BTW, do you like how dark and fluffy the soil looks in this bed?.. that is all down to trenching. Looks almost good enough to eat 😜🤓

Look wide; grow well, folks 🌿

Trenching, Level Zero

April 2020July 2020Leave a comment

JUST TO RECAP: You won’t see a COMPOST HEAP or worm farm at our place, and that can be a shock to some. Read here to find out why we DON’T DO COMPOSTING. We trench instead..

STEP 1: WHAT GOES IN, AND WHAT TO KEEP IT IN

>>> If it was once a plant, it’s in <<<

Fruit & veg scraps, coffee grounds, tea leaves, includes CITRUS & ONION, egg cartons, non-glossy paper like printer paper, tissues, serviettes..
*PLUS one non-plant item – egg shells*

>>> Keep it in stainless steel <<<

There are lots of nifty cheap containers, but most will rust, leak and fall apart in no time. Buy Once; stainless steel, so it can be rinsed out and last a lifetime. These two are our favourites and have lids as well – practical on the left and dang cute on the right.

stainless steel trenching bucket with lid — OZ Stainless Bucket

stainless steel milk billy can — Stainless Milk Can
2L,5L,10L…

🌿 UPDATE: Folks who use the Bokashi system have asked if this can be trenched rather than just using a scraps bucket – YES ABSOLUTELY. Bokashi is perfect for trenching, especially if you don’t have the space for larger composting. Get that Bokashi goodness into the ground, STAT!

Try the Bokashi system from BIOME — Try the Bokashi system.
You can get them from BIOME

STEP 2: WHAT STAYS OUT

>>> No meat, dairy, cereals <<<

There ARE ways to trench these, but not at Level 1. That story is for another time. For now, leave them out, as they’ll attract pests to scratch around after you.

TRENCHING TRAPS
Fruit stickers last forever and will be colourful and intact for years to come. Envelope windows used to be made of true cellophane. Not anymore. Keep them out too. Packing tape on the bottom of boxes is sometimes missed, and these days very glossy packaging print can often actually be vinyl wrap, not ink. Grrr.

STEP 3: OUT IN THE YARD

>>> Dig, dump & fill <<<
(in a good way)

Most plants and shrubs feed in the top 30cm of soil, so that’s where we would like our trenching, to be the most benefit. Dig a hole between plants, with a shovel, or trowel if in a pot. Retain the soil.

Scraps from your bucket go in (not complicated at this basic level of trenching) and if it is summer time or ground is dry, give it a splash with the hose. Moisture is needed to break it all down. Backfill with the soil from the hole. Job done.

If you have pets, then fill only half the hole with scraps and cover well so as not to attract attention with smells.
Don’t have clever doggies around when you dig, as they will see you digging and may join in after you leave.
Best not trench foods that are harmful to your pets in case they get stuck into it, or trench it in areas to which they don’t have access.

By the time you have trenched holes between all your plants and get back to the start in a few months or so (depending on the weather and your soil type) it may well be already decomposed – worms and the microbiome will have already had a field-day and turned it into plant food, bar the eggshells and avocado stones that take a bit longer.

STEP 4: CELEBRATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENT

>>> See all our trenching stories so far, here <<<

🕶👌 ☕️🍰🥂🧀

Try Trenching

April 2020June 2020Leave a comment

This is a big one – one of the main things folks REALLY WANT to see in action when they visit our produce garden. It is scaleable, flexible, fast and effective.

You won’t see a COMPOST HEAP or worm farm at our place, and that can be a shock to some. Read here to find out why we DON’T DO COMPOSTING.
Try trenching instead…

Trenching is so easy it feels like a scam. It is about getting the good stuff straight into the ground. At its simplest, it’s just a hole in the ground, with scraps tossed in, covered in soil that came out of the hole, and #tadaa – instant buffet for the microbiome. It is part of our zero-waste regime that has followed us from a tiny house and smidgey backyard to acreage, but still serves so well.

You can do basic trenching in all sorts of places:

Jump to
LEVEL 0

>> SMALL
Think 2 litres of green scraps in a hole between plants in a small yard or a balcony pot.
*******
THIS SCALE IS TO REDUCE YOUR WASTE
*******
This is the size we will look at today.

small trenching bucket — Level 1:
Stainless bucket of kitchen scraps

small spaces between plants — Food waste use in small spaces

try trenching in a medium family size garden

LEVEL 1
Medium

>>MEDIUM
Think 20 litres of scraps at a time in home veggie beds
*******
THIS SCALE IS GREAT FOR MAKING SOIL
*******
This is the closest to what we do here. Let’s explore this another day.

medium family trenching bin — Level 2:
use kitchen scraps + more

medium space in raised beds — Home garden bed ongoing maintenance

try trenching in a large community garden space

LEVEL 2
Go Large

>> LARGE
Think 200-2000 litres of scraps in long trenches on acreage or at a community garden
*******
THIS SCALE IS SUITED TO SITE REJUVENATION
*******
This is a cool project we can do in Spring.

large scale community trenching via food waste recycling programs — Level 3:
use kitchen scraps + much more

large scale site rejuvenation — Large scale, long term soil and site improvement

There is a LOT to learn and apply of course, to get the most out of your waste, but we have made a start.
SEE HERE FOR TRENCHING BASICS, LEVEL 1

🌿 UPDATE: Folks who use the Bokashi system has asked if this can be trenched – YES ABSOLUTELY. Bokashi is perfect for trenching, especially if you don’t have the space for larger composting. Get that Bokashi goodness into the ground, STAT!

Look wide; Grow well, folks.
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