A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Organically Speaking... Composting; Gold in your Garden (TGH)

Enrigue,, you can use pallets too or watch for a house being demolished and go get wood from there,, Just be careful there aren't termites,, welllllll even if there are a few,, when the compost heats up it'll cook em!!

Great idea Angelblossom!! I think I will do the same as you did.. I do not want rodents!!

What size trash can do you think would be good?? I am gonna check your previous posts to see if you specified what you have now.

Mmmm cooked termites = protein! hahaha Kidding!

I wonder how creamed termites would taste like......EWWWWW!!!!!!!!What was i thinkin'????

If compost is gold,then how much is it worth per ounce???

I ain't good at puns.

it's priceless!

I believe it's a 45 Gallon one the big one with the wheels and hinged lid! :wink:

Ok.. thanks!! I will try to go with a smaller one then..

Today someone gave me a black plastic cone composter and my husband said the neighbors will hate me and I will hate the flies even more. Does anyone have experience with the cone? I always wanted to try to make my own compost but this one has a lid so small it looks hard to get into the container.
From what I read here it isn't supposed to stink and his only experience with a composter is a friend who tried it for a season, never got any compost out of it but neighbors couldn't stand her because of the smell. I don't want that.

Composting correctly should not cause horrible odor or flies. I don't know what a cone composter is exactly.
Never put any animal meat, dairy, grease, etc. into your compost. No meat eating animal waste like your dog droppings. All of these will certainly attract flies and other unwanted critters and smell.
If you use the proper materials in your compost it shouldn't smell anything other than earthy. Even if you use manure any smell dissipates quickly if it is properly used.
Compost is only beautiful to a gardener. So most are kind of hidden out of sight in the way back of your yard.
If your composter didn't come with directions, try a google search of the brand name and see if it will give you online directions on the proper use of it.

Hello! I'm new to the boards here, and just wanted to say I am thrilled that there is a composting topic. My father brought me a composter today so I am going to give it a try.

My family composted when I was a kid, but we lived in the country so we simply had a big pile in the corner of our garden that we turned with a pitchfork every once in a while.

Suburban composting is a new adventure for me.

Thanks for posting that list of things I can toss in. Very helpful.

New Jersey Ivy

Hi Ivy516 ... Lucky you ,, You have a composter! I made mine out of a huge rubbermaid trash can with a hinged lid,, Poked holes all around it sides and bottom so air could circulate and it works excellent, It only takes about 8 weeks. I make sure everything I put in there is cut, shredded,, up very small so it will break down faster, and cook!,
I love the smell of finished compost It;s sweet black gold!


Just remember about 75% brown( leaves, paper, lint,, floor sweeping,, etc dry things) to 25 % green,( raw foods, grass clippings etc) Keep it balanced like that and Like Tina said it shouldn't smell or have gnats,, IF it does smell there isn't enough Brown products put in it,! and Don't forget to turn it frequently ~ I turn (stir) every three days),

Angelblossom - Thanks for the tips. I didn't know about the brown/green ratio, and I definitely don't want a smelly pile. I will have plenty of leaves to throw in there, so I think I'll be ok.

The composter I have is basically an upturned trash can with holes, just like you made. One bonus is it has a little door at the bottom to shovel out the "gold" and also it comes with large plastic screws to hold it into the ground so it doesn't tip over in the wind. My dad got it for free from another guy who got it for free who didn't want it. So - my good luck! I hope it works well.

Your 8 week turn-around is fantastic.

I've been told I should put the composter in a sunny spot to help with the cooking. Do you do that? I'd kind of like to hide mine behind my shed, but it's shady back there.

Thanks again.

New Jersey Ivy

I BELIEVE since you have a container it shouldn't matter TOO MUCH about it being in the shade? It should still cook.
8 week turn around is excellent, angle!
I'm getting anxious for my compost. It'll probably be another month and a half before it's completly ready. I'm thinking of getting a big bucket and layering it with dirt from the ground and the unfinished compost. I'm thinking it should make nice soil in just a couple of weeks. what do yall think?

I always have mine in full sun, it heats it up good,,! I also put in Bone meal every now and then,,,,,,,........ WOW you really got a good deal with that composter,, The rewards are fantastic with the gardens,

I threw about 5 oranges worth of orange peels and I've been smelling this 'moldy orangy' smell. When I looked, the peels were covered with a blue-gray- mold (penicillin?) I covered them with come larger clumps of compost that was spilling out of the composter. It's still there...any ideas how to fix it? I don't have much green to put in the composter: mainly old potting soil (i heard it can be revitalized after a trip in the composter lol), dried weeds/grass from my weeding, and bits of chopped up twigs, the occasional wet newpaper torn to pieces. I can't get kitchen greens unless they come from the fruits I eat. My mom won't save them for me - she thinks the composter will attract raccoons and pests. Nope, she wouldn't listen when I assured her it wouldn't, nor do I put any meats/fats in it.

kennyso...I've heard that citrus should not be added to compost, I don't know the reason. I mainly do "slow composting" or "lazy composting," tossing greens and browns into piles and never turning. I have an "Urban Compost Tumbler" apparatus, fairly pricey, but I have yet to get the right green to brown ratio, it has mainly provided me with compost tea, I have time and space enough to experiment, but over 2 years and more, I have yet to harvest a good batch of "compost."
I'm not that concerned with the penicillum mold citrus forms, but perhaps I should be. I've always felt that the main problem was simply that the peelings never seem to break down. I guess composting them could eventually lead to strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, etc, all molds could be considered dangerous in that case.

Hi. I posted here about this time last year and you all were very helpful. I started my compost bin, and threw in as much as I could from angelblossom's great list. I even tried to keep a good green/brown ratio.

The last time I mowed my lawn in the fall, I threw in a bunch of grass clipping and chopped up leaves (I usually use the mulching feature on my mower and let the clipping decomposed into the lawn, but I thought my compost could benefit from that last crop).

So, my bin was full and I left it alone all winter. A few weeks ago I paid it a visit with a pitchfork to stir things up. To my disappointment, it seems to have nothing but leaves. There's a little door on the bottom to scoop out decomposed material, but when I opened it...more brown leaves. What the heck?!

Did I do something wrong? I just read an article http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/compost-things-you-always-wanted-to-know.aspx that mentioned you should keep your compost moist. It's pretty dry in there right now--should I give it a bit of water?

What else could I do?

Michelle

Yes composting does take water. I am sorry that that was not clear here before. Water and stirring will help break it down a little quicker than just leaving it be.

Thanks Tina--I will add water and see what happens!

Michelle

I turn mine in the winter time too.

I added water and have started adding more "green matter" also. I guess I need to keep a closer eye on it, turn it, make sure it's moist.

So, since I don't have compost to add into my soil this spring, which is what I was hoping to do, can anyone suggest an alternative? Should I just use a commercial fertilizer? What about just taking some of the leaves and grass and stuff that's in there and mixing it with the dirt?

I have a few beds that have had nothing added to them since I moved here two years ago, and I'm pretty sure that the previous owners were not doing much out there for quite a long time before that, based on the condition of the beds. I'm worried about the plants I've put in over the last two summers...

You can purchase composted manure to add to your beds. It is about the least expensive thing available. Just make sure it says well rotted or aged or composted. And toss a bit into your composting heap too. It will help jump start it.

Michelle~~~ I pour left over coffee, soda, beer, tea in my compost I rarely add water from the hose or tap,, I usually have enough moist veggies and fruit left overs that provide enough moisture as well as left over drinks, I keep a lid on mine and stir it often to help it break down more. I also put the corners of bonemeal left in the bag, potting soil that's left in a bag, soil from an old plant (provided there isn't any fungus or bugs in it) all go into compost, as why I never mentioned adding water,, it isn't absolutely necessary if you put enough moist green items in there. the ratio is normally 75% brown(leaves, paper, lint, broom sweepings) to 25% green,( veggies fruit peels, Grass clippings, left over drinks, wet coffee grinds, tea bags etc)
I have compost ready in about 6 to 8 weeks, depending how much I make, what I use, how often I stir it and how small I break thing up (I use an old Blender and press Chop) BEFORE it goes into the compost bin. every thing compost down soooooooo much faster :wink:
You can go to Homedepot, lowes, any garden center and Buy compost, Mushroom compost is good!,,BEFORE you purchase it make sure bagged compost feels Moist in the bag, Hopefully there is a bag there with a little 'rip' in it, Try to smell it, if it smells 'Earthy" and rich it's good compost, if it doesn't Don't buy it.

as far as taking clipping and leaves and adding to your soil before it is broke down remember it will heat Up (cook), as it decomposes, you don't want to cook roots of your veggies or flowers

I have to buy my compost here...I buy a seafood blend.

Boy Diane, you're good.

Do you add grass clippings directly to your flower or vege bed? I've been doing that without composting them and it seems to keep the weeds under control. I don't put them directly around the plants themselves though.

Grass clippings around it is okay Sheri,, works for you that's great it keeps weeds down,, Good idea! I've never heard of that, I'll give that a try !

Thanks again everyone - I will follow your tips, and I wouldn't have thought about dumping extra drinks in--that is especially good after a bbq! Is tea ok if it has milk in it? It's a small amount...but still.

Angelblossom--I think my big mistake was adding a huge amount of dry brown stuff to the top of the bin (all of the grass clipping and leaves I mulched with the mower during my last mow) when it was already cold in the fall, and then not touching again 'till now. I should have added some moisture and stirred a couple of times. Now I know. I am hoping that I will make some good compost this year with a little extra effort.

I also like the idea of using grass clippings in the beds as a mulch to keep the weeds down. I am going to try that with my first mowing this year. I might be able to get away with hauling "real" mulch for my front beds only. That would be a nice break.

Michelle

Michelle, I even pour what's left in a coffee cup with creamer in it,, But that is rare, I hardly ever leave coffee in a cup

Just remember to stir your compost often and break things down small before it goes in if you want compost faster than the norm :wink:
let us know when you get your first batch,, remember it's good to Sift it as well, I went to a restaurant supply store and bought a big fryer basket and sifted my compost into a wheel barrow,, the bigger pieces ( chunks) I put to the side until I was finished with the entire batch, then Started a NEW batch of compost with the larger chunks that didn't go thru the sifter, it gives a new batch a head start!

I've never poured left over drinks in but I'm going to start. My compost will be high on caffeine by the end of the week.

This last summer I stumbled upon composting using what the Japanese call Bokashi. Using a culture of "effective microorganisms" that contain Lactobacillus casei (Lactic Acid), Rhodopseudomonas palustris (Photosynthetic bacteria) and Saccharomyces cerevisae (purple yeast) and other naturally occurring microorganisms in one liquid culture. I had read an article about water kiefer and what a nice pro-biotic it made. I thought gee, I bet that would work nice on my plants. So I started researching Lactobacillus (the same bacteria that is in yogurt)and eventually found the Bokashi Method. Rather than composting with aerobic bacteria, it instead relies on anaerobic bacteria which "pickles" organic waste rather than decompose it. Two weeks in the bucket and you bury it in your raised beds. You can even mix it with distilled water and molasses to multiply the bacteria and spray or pour it directly to your plants, just like compost tea! What is unique is that you "compost" anything that is organic. Now I have a nice way to recycle all my orange peels, cheese, meat scraps,fish waste and other things that I wouldn't put in my compost pile. it's some pretty nifty stuff.

I have used grass clipping as mulch for years--and it works great--the only thing is, I do not use tall grass that may be going to seed---

I especially like to use it at the base of my blackberry plants (well I did back when I had blackberry plants)--I added new clippings after most grass cuttings, so as to keep the moisture in & the weeds down.--made the berry line look nice too.

I have read over this most recent forum on composting... I always try and compost but it never seems to make very quickly. So in reading over the posts I've gotten some ideas on how to improve my compost heap. My DH (69 yrs young) would very much like to retire by July of this year. So we are looking at all our expenses to try and figure out how to reduce. One of the ways is our solid waste expense... $425 a year! And we don't have very much, I save anything that can go into my compost, I recycle, so that leaves very little in the trash container every week. We burn coal and wood for our heat so we can burn everything burnable.....now coming to my point. I have always had heavier paper not break down in my compost heap...like regular copy paper. So, if I were to shred it some, then put it in the blender with water, would that be ok in my compost heap? But what about the inks? If newspaper is ok, is the ink on other pieces of paper ok? It seems too early to be thinking about my garden here in NE WY, but it is hard not to start drooling with the thought of fresh vegies! Have a Warm and Wonderful day

Shredded paper should be good for the compost, in layers with other things. Most states have laws about what inks can be used any more. The plasticized or shiny paper is not a good idea though. There really is no need to blend it as well. It will break down more quickly than the leaves you add in there.
I put my junk mail in my worm bin. Once in a while when I turn it, I run into little plastic 'windows' from the those envelopes that I just pick out and toss.

I laughed out loud, Tina, when I read your post. We have almost no trees.....high prairie desert. Also our town is now about 25 years old...we are just youngins'! I do have a neighbor that has a few cottonwoods that are big enough to have a nice gathering of leaves, and I go rake them up for them. But leaves are hard to come by here. Also I have to be quick, if we have a wind come up the leaves are in Nebraska before I can get to them. OK, so I won't whirl the paper in the blender, but I am going to add more of the paper and make sure it is wet! Have a Warm and Wonderful Evening

I've sort of gotten out of the habit since Andy and Pete torn down my compost fence. Gotta start again.

I have a pile of compost from cleaning up last year but I have no idea what state its in. We just added to it and added to it last year. This year I'd like to make proper like bins or fenced in areas for the compost. I think we ended up with a wood pile next to the pile of compost and they both kinda moved in on each other. Hopefully we can set up a better system them year. I'm glad this thread got moved back up, it was an interesting read going back to the beginning.

I'm going to move mine closer to the garden spot so I don't have so far to haul it. Wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow - it gets tiring.

I know what you mean Sheri, I moved my closer as well,, I DO however makes everything that goes in as small as possible I find that it actually does break down faster,, it could be because of the warm weather we have here? it heats up every day but I have mine in a very large rubbermaid trash can.
I rake leaves up and bag them for year round, a lot of times by the time I get to some of those bags of leaves they have already begun to break down.