Gardeners and farmers must think about the next season in the middle of the current. Most plants have at least a 60 day cycle from seed to harvest. While farmers have the luxury of acres of land (and therefore, can appropriately rotate crops through different fields), urban gardeners must carefully plan for the entire year, not just each season, in order to maximize the space. Before the spring crops bolt, the summer crops have gone in the ground. And when the summer crops are in full force, fall seeds are planted.

So my first challenge is to determine where to plant. The spring crops were very tidy. I planted a row of lettuce, and they pretty much confined themselves within a few inches on either side of the row – leaving ample room for the coveted summer vegetables. And let’s be honest, when it comes time to plant the summer tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers and squashes, I get a bit zealous, planting as much as my yard can manage. I’m always surprised by how much they grow, and the boscage leaves little room for the fall crops.

Suffice it to say, I need to clear away something to make room for the lettuces. First out: the zucchini. I sowed about 20 seeds, hoping to get a few zucchini. So far, I’ve had nothing… though plenty of squash blossoms. And I’ve had my fill out squash blossoms. Next out: kohlrabi. I had planted 20 of those, too. As hard as I tried, spraying organic pesticide once a week, the aphids decimated at least half the plants. Of the remaining, only two plants showed promise of reaching maturity. The “mid-season” peas came out, too… the first batch were stringy, so it seems silly to take up precious space for a vegetable that will likely end up in the compost bin.

What's been spared: The tomatoes and eggplant continue to proliferate. And the Brussels sprouts, happily growing in the back corner, won’t be ready until Thanksgiving. The cucumber sprawl produced its first 3 this week, and I expect many more in the coming weeks. I will likely have enough to make pickles - an exciting prospect! And the chilies inconspicuously grow in the front.

I trotted over to the Department of Public Works this week to pick up my own composter. Basically it’s a black plastic bin (made from recyclable plastic, of course) with air holes and no bottom. The manufacturers claim that it is rodent safe and, if I compost correctly, will not emit any “off” odors. I set it up on a level plot of soil conveniently tucked in a corner, ironically right next to the A/C compressor. Perhaps this will off-set the pinky-toe of the carbon foot-print I leave from the summertime A/C usage? Probably not…

Many farmers as well as home gardeners compost. This process converts food scraps and organic “matter” (leaves, weeds, etc) into soil. Oxygen, worms and heat decompose all this from recognizable things to soil in a matter months. The soil is rich in nutrients and fortifies a garden depleted by growing plants. Ah, what a cycle – We take what the earth gives us, return it back when we’re done and then we get back. Now, more than ever, we think about reducing our carbon footprint, and what better way than to compost. Instead of filling land-fills with our trash (and which rots and creates methane gas), we convert it to nutritious soil so that we can continue growing without artificial garden enhancers. And as an added bonus, it’s cheaper to compost ($95/ton) than hauling trash ($97/ton).

Cambridge has just launched a pilot composting program. While it’s not as evolved as San Francisco, it’s definitely a start. I picked up my composting bin

at the DPW, which thankfully is just 1 block from my house. Unlike San Francisco, where the compost is picked up with the trash and recycling, I must drop off my composting at the DPW during open hours.

When I returned home, I promptly filled up the green 2-gallon bin with left-overs in my fridge that had been, em, er… aging. This is going to be a challenge. Less than an hour into the program, I’m already back at the DPW to unload. The obvious downside of this program is that I don’t want to run over to the drop-off center once a day.

I can also get a composting bin from the city. It's not particularly attractive and, unlike the bins available at Urban Gardener, the city-subsidized bins require heavy mixing. It’s a pretty basic contraption. The compost goes in the top, and drawers pull out of the bottom to get at the good soil. On the plus side, it's 1/3 the price of the "Tumbler" and require much less space. Two neighbors have used these... one still composts afer several seasons... the other gave up.

Given how quickly I accumulate compostables, I think I will try my own bin. Stay tuned…