We use a tumbler composter that will make beautiful compost outta just about any organic matter... But if you don't have one you can just drive three t_stakes in the ground, put chicken wire round three sides leaving the front open and just put yer leave, grass clippings, kitchen scrapes (including shrimp shells) in therr and turn it twiwe a week with a pitch fork and you'll have great compost...

I composted everything until I got dogs. And then the wire and the stakes and gates and anything you could thing of wasn't enough to keep those mutts (even if they are good breeds, they're mutts when it comes to free food) out of it. Now I compost everything except table scraps, but I've been thinking about a tumbler. What is the capacity on your tumbler, and how often are you able to empty it out?

NOTE: If you use this method then I would suggest a sheet of T-11 on the bottom 'cause it will keep any surrounding trees from raiding it... Believe me...

Like I said, the dogs are the most immediate problem. They get so stinky so fast when they do that belly crawl under the fence wire.

I have a couple of stacks of finished compost to put out in beds this spring. And I was reading Martha Stewart Living this month and saw the same recommendation about the straw. I have been using that kind of sea hay in the stall in the garage where the dogs sleep. For now, my garden will be at the side of the house, out of their reach, because they're pretty hard on anything when they get racing around. But maybe I'll gradually be able to move part of it back into the back yard.

Kat and I have been talking back channel about putting in new beds. If you don't want to dig up new areas one fast and dirty (so to speak) method is the "no-till" approach. Put down a several sheet thickness square of newspaper pages, overlap the edges as you layout the bed, and put several (at least 6) inches of mulch on top and water it all in. After a while it will be yellowed and squishy dead plants underneath. I would wait a week or two then carefully poke a spade through it all into the ground and plant my bedding plants. Since you're not doing any other bed prep, you want to pay attention to your fertilizer and amendments (sprinkle them on top, they'll work their way through during the course of the year). Compost tea is good to give them a boost if they need it.

SRS