My First Green Johanna Compost Harvest

I harvested finished compost from the Johanna, nearly 11 months after I first got it.  I could have done this sooner, but have been distracted by family issues.

So, here it is, spread out around my fruit trees.  I like to put this down and then a layer of mulch on top for winter.

It wasn’t much.  Perhaps 1/2 cubic yard.  But it is at least enough to feed the trees. 

Some observations:

1. the compost became very compacted under

Bones, wine corks, bio bags all had a difficult time breaking down in the Green Johanna

the weight of the stuff above it.  It took me nearly an hour to dig it out.  Not so good

2.   there were lots of roots in the compost – so apparently, I didnt’ get it hot enough.

3.  Harvesting from the bottom is difficult.

4. bones did not break down, but I don’t think they would attract vermin in the state they were in (see picture left).

5. bio bags do not break down entirely.

6.  wine corks don’t break down at all. (see picture left)

 

This harvest has only bolstered my opinion that the Johanna works, but it is not the beginner’s composter.  I still love mine, but I’ve had to invest a lot more time and energy into composting than the marketing materials would have you think.  My bottom line:  the ability to put “no-no”s in the composter still outweighs the drawbacks.