Friday, May 1, 2015

Sustainable Surplus Board Secretary Walks the Talk


WELCOME!  This is a new feature of our blog where SSE members share their sustainable stories

A post by SSE board secretary, Shari Joyce - 

Living in San Diego I had no trouble growing anything green inside or out. My yard was a gift from God with very little help from me. I was excited when I started my own vermi-composting and had my red wiggler worms in my kitchen in plastic bins. It was the proverbial win-win situation; It gave me a convenient way to dispose of organic waste, such as vegetable peelings, It saved space in the county landfill, which is good for the environment, it created beautiful nutrient rich compost from the castings and It gave the worms a happy home and all the free “eats” that they could want.
I am now living in The Woodlands, Texas which is approximately 35 miles North of Houston. I am still
secretary of the Sustainable Surplus Board and try to do my part to respect the environment wherever I am.
The first year living here I just kind of watched to learn the pattern of the weather (there is none). I was not used to so much rain and waking up to huge branches in the middle of my yard which break off the trees in a good wind. Towards the end of 2014, I took three gardening classes on consecutive Saturdays and I can say that I now know enough to be dangerous. I signed up for the water challenge and stopped watering my lawn in November and have not watered it yet. That will depend on rainfall.                                        
I purchased two compost bins that stay out in my back yard and I collected all the fall leaves and pine needles and mixed them with my organic fruit & vegetable scraps from the kitchen.
I had a finished product just in time to cover the drip hosing I put in around my azaleas. By fall these babies should be in beautiful full bloom – I’ll have to send a follow up photo.

Why use compost?

Compost improves low quality soils
by adding organic matter and nutrients. 
Plants grown in good soil are healthier 
and have greater resistance to diseases 
and insects. By greatly reducing the 
need for pesticides and fertilizers,
you save money.

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