Mossline — allotment notes from plot 12 Field notes on growing, compost, and the slow repair of clay soil.

A compost timeline, kept honestly

Why keep a timeline

The compost bins get asked one question every spring: is it ready yet? This page is the answer, kept honestly, with dates.

Week 0 — the fill

Bin one filled over four weekends: spent tomato vines, coffee grounds from the café on the corner, and a shameful layer of windfall plums. Thermometer in, lid on.

Week 2 — first heat

62°C at 30cm. The heap smells of cold tea, which the books say is fine. Turned once, badly.

Week 6 — the stall

Dropped to 22°C and stayed there. Too many plums, not enough brown. Restacked with shredded card; the neighbours judged the noise.

Week 12 — verdict

Dark, crumbly, worm-full. The thermometer reads soil temperature now, which is the point.