Compost

 Compost

This has happened nearly every year, that there are clumps of white roots in the bottom of the compost bin. It makes it difficult to turn and seems to reduce the overall amount of compost I get at the end. Reddit says to try putting cardboard underneath which was what I was thinking as well.

I got a compost thermometer on Amazon, and it is not even in the warm zone. The answer to how to heat up compost is simple: nitrogen, moisture, bacteria, and bulk.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Heat And Compost – Heating Up Compost Piles https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/heating-up-compost-pile.htm

I think my pile is def too small and even after I added all those windfall apples, still too low in greens. Next year, get rid of the black containers and make a 4' by 4' pile. If you have the motivation, build three wooden containers. 

Zucchini

Well, another year with no good zucchini. Out of four plants, I only got two small, misshapen zucchini. I think, if Im going to try again I should direct sow and try more plants, maybe it is a pollination problem and there are not enough plants to pollinate each other. Also, the "wet" herb bed probably doesn't really need the extra water. Maybe next year, curve the hose around and double up on the drip heads to give the zucchini plants more water. Also, I didn't really dig a deep hole to plant. Next year, make a spade sized hole and add a bunch of compost and fertilizer at the bottom.

Cherry Tomatoes

This years tomatoes were very small and many cracked. It could have been that we had such a wet summer with many rainy days.  However, I also tried the "no dig" idea, which I didn't really think worked. This fall I'll clear out the whole bed and dig in a good layer of my own compost. Then in the spring I'll do the same and see what happens. 

Also, it seems like Roma tomatoes are better for roasting and Bruschetta, which is what I like them for. So next year,  plant four cherry tomatoes in the back of the bed, and four Roma in the front of the bed.