Compost gardening - a brown thumb's dream.

For those of you that don't yet have a compost, you may want one after reading this. :)

The pumpkin story

At the local pumpkin farm

Back in the day at my last home, we had a big 'ol pile of horse and hay 'compost' from mucking out the stalls. My then very young son desired a pumpkin in the garden. Trouble is, I didn't have a garden. So I bought a pumpkin seedling and stuck it on top of the compost pile instead.

Well let me tell you, that thing exploded in a good way. In no time the pumpkin plant on steroids was sprawled out covering the ENTIRE massive compost heap. And THEN the pumpkins started to grow.

Oh my word. I counted 27 HUGE pumpkins from one plant.

Here's the best part. Near harvest time, I knew they were nearly done but I wanted to leave them on the vine until the 11th hour. I wanted the freshest carved pumpkins we could muster.

The day before Halloween approached  I wandered to the back 40, and what I saw made my jaw drop. All 27 pumpkins had rolled to the bottom of the compost pile. When they were done, they simply broke free of the vines and rolled down themselves. Like they picked themselves. It was freaky and fascinating all at the same time.

And here they are!

Kidding! But close. :)

The moral to this story? Composts make wonderful carefree gardens.

Last week I head to the gardening center for a few more plants. I had room to plant the flowers, but not some of the veggies. Now what?

Now it so happens, my friend Vic was by on the weekend and came and planted stuff in my garden.  Here he is a couple years ago doing the SAME. THING. How a girl can get this lucky is beyond me. Thanks Vic!

And when we ran out of room in the garden, without warning, he plunked a zucchini plant in the middle of the 'good' compost. And it made me smile and remember my pumpkin story.

So today, I got to replay that. I planted my corn and pumpkin in.. where else? The 'weed' compost pile. It's hard to make out, but the sticks mark where I planted seedlings. The bush behind the sticks is the never ending rhubarb gone mad.

Why compost gardens are cool:

1. You never have to worry about feeding your plants. 

2. Your plants will always have lots of friends! (weeds you don't have to weed)

3. Loads of room for the whole entire plant family. 

Want more proof it works?

This is my weed compost. All the plants growing are throw away flowers and plants I TRIED to kill. But they flourished, big time. So I leave them and let them bloom. And then ignore them and throw weeds on top of them when they are done. Only to find them return next year. It's a great way to cover up those heaps of weeds, isn't it?

I challenge you. Plant something in your own compost. Anyone wanna zucchini race just for kicks?!?

Ever try this? What's your own secret to keeping your plants happy and healthy all summer long?