Chopping and dropping -- pruned zucchini leaves (healthy), excess kale and chard leaves

I had thought the "chop and drop" compost/mulch method meant cutting the matter into small pieces.  Happy to read that it's often just dropping the leaves etc. intact, no chopping needed.

Since I'm not using the compost bin any more (due to the odour issue with being so close to neighbours), I'm really happy to have this method.  Hoping it won't result in any odours!

It's a mind shift to get used to the appearance, but knowing it's great organic matter feeding the worms and soil etc. I'm happy to get used to the look.

Dug-in compost today (first time this year)

Into the north-of-air-conditioner bed, where lettuce will soon be sown.  Many worms were in there, hope they'll make it.

WOW! Dig-and-drop composting works SUPER FAST!!!

OMG!  I dug up several of my dig-and-drop composting holes today, curious to see what they look like.  There is essentially no sign of the original material in holes that were dug as recently as July 25th, i.e. 3 weeks ago!!!!  Also the older holes that I checked, July 5th and July 11th, no sign at all.  They all held a full fridge-bin worth of scraps.

The most recent one, from August 8th, is definitely still there, still ample recognizable chunks.

But the others!  I would have sworn I wasn't digging in the right spot, if it weren't for the large rocks and ziplock bags with dates that I placed over the holes.

Oddly, the soil in the holes looks dry and boring, not the rich gorgeous stuff that comes out of the compost bin.

Dig-in composting

This summer I started burying compostables directly into the garden soil.  When my fridge bin is full, I dig a hole and dump it in, and recover it with soil.

This is to avoid odours from the bin which I seem to get every year.  I don't mind the smell, but I'm sure my neighbours do!

I've put a rock over the spots, with a note in a little Ziploc bag showing the date it was buried.  Will be interesting to go digging later on to see how it's going.

So, the compost bin isn't getting much contribution this year.