A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 How to make a compost bin III

When I saw it... I was like YEAHHHHHHHHHHH~BABY!!!
Ohhhhhhh, I could use that..
I could use about 4 of them.....
What I wouldn't do just to get ONE ....

It looks really nice and it looks like
a good concept...

Geeeeeeee, wish I could have them send me
one just to test and give my "Weezie Report"

WOW! I WANT ONE! SANTA, ARE YOU LISTENING?

Even though it was freezing outside today, I was able to check on my compost pile, of course it is frozen right now, but has shrunk down and looks good. So I'm pleased with my efforts so far!

AngelBlossom Good ideal bout tax refund to buy one, and I agree...no need for me to ask Santa either. I won't be getting a tax refund, but I will be getting $$$$$$$ from family members instead of gifts, I'm hard to buy for LOL

Glad your pile is looking good. Mine has shrunk quite a bit too. I can't wait to dig underneath it in spring and get all that good stuff working. It's going to be so much fun.

THAT IS ALL THE FUN OF IT....

It pays off and you (almost) forget about
all the work you did putting it in and together...

Well even though it was cold outside, DH was complaining about this pile of stuff I had in the house, I informed him it was for the compost pile, he said well then put it out there, It was shredded paper, cardboard etc, so I thought well ok...So I also had some kitchen scraps that were building up also...I loaded up the wheelbarrow and made a stop by a hay pile to rake up some of the rotted hay that was scattered on the side, and off to the compost pile I went...I couldn't turn the pile but did dig around in it, and added all this new stuff from the wheelbarrow. Pile is rounded up high again. DH ask when I came back in..what have you been doing all this time...I just looked at him and smiled, and said doing what you ask me to do...

I may never have menmtioned this for winter
composting.. when everything is frozen...

When adding your materials..
add them as you would like lasgna's...
brown first, kitchen scrap's, more brown,
green stuff...

Always layer, you won't be able to turn the
pile once frozen and the new stuff will also
freeze in time... so, the layers will be in
place as they thaw come spring time..
and you won't have to worry so much about all green thawing together and turning into a real
slop...

Comfrey... if your DH isn't a gardener, it's
very hard for them to understand piles of piles...
Mine still does not like it..
but he knows it stretches my dirt $$ come seed time, and he knows I don't have to go buy extra stuff for the garden dirt come planting time...
so, he just kinda grumbles to himself now adays...

He'd love that indoor composter, no more zip lock baggies of veggies sitting in the back room,
but I'd be saving for a long time...

Well I think even with the indoor composter...We would still have bags and piles of stuff just waiting its turn to get in the composter LOL. I did layer the new stuff after I stirred the old stuff, and I figured adding the rotted hay would help cover up anything that was loose or interesting to a critter.

Today I went out to turn My new Compost pile What a day for me I guess I'm doing something right I opened the door and my glasses fogged up!! Yipeee it heating up!! only been at it a little over a week I added canadian peat moss today and poured my left over coffee over it> Now My Hubby's in on the action and doesn't throw away eggs shell coffee veggie's or the sunday paper!! thanks everyone for all your help more questions later tho' I'm sure!!!!

Angelblossom...I have found it doesn't take long to train DH's on what not to throw into the trash can, I even went so far as to place a sign on the wall stating the a certain trash can was for compost stuff only...like paper, cardboard etc. I have noticed when other people come over they read the sign and then use the other trash can beside the one marked compost only...they have no clue LOL

That warms the cockles of me heart, dontchya kin....

You know it's one thing when a gardener starts to compost, but when a non~gardening "other~half" starts to do it too.... that's just music to my ears...

Here's my compost, when I'm starting seeds...

Yes I know Comfrey I have a small plastic container in the kitchen that says compost 'scaps' No MILK OR CHEESE PLEASE!!.. My grandsons were over for the weekend after Brkfst sat am My oldest Grnson read the container and just put in his eggs and left over waffles

Angelblossom,
You'll have "FUTURE GARDENER'S" on your hands
in no time....
They'll remember that and when they can will garden too... once the tiniest little seed is
planted... that's all it takes...

Wow weesie cannot wait 'tell mine looks like that!! Does the bottom develope first and do I take out and put in airtight container as it developes??? or wait untill the entire 'lot' is black gold??

I sift it..that's the end product you see in the wheelbarrow..

But in the compost bins, I leave mine alone and start a new one..and let that one work....

Come spring time, *or fall, I do both*

I sift it in like April when it's all cold outside.. *I have some put in black bags, or big 68 qt containers.. and I sift outside into my wheelbarrows.. then mix in a tiny bit of seed starting mix...*that stuff is really expensive*
I like to do it when it's spring time, still chilly in the air.. can't do any gardening, usually tooo wet and tooo cold yet, so I sift... getting ready and dreamin' big while I sift..
**It is monotonous and tiring, but I LOVE playing with the end result...

did you make a sifter or can they be bought I thought about on old bicycle rim(I once made a fishing net outta one LOLOL) maybe I could somehow attach metal mesh to it> maybe hook like a 18 or 16 gauge wire thru mesh and stick the wire thu holes in rim and put a fishing sinker ball on other side or a strong bead of sort to hold in place on outter rim of rim Heck I dunno any thing to save a buck!! or two!!!

Wow great looking compost Weezie Angelblossom..do a site search or look back through this thread...and look at the sifter that Bill made.

My metal trash can is Full! I started another pile thanks to my GR-Kids telling My daughter to save her 'left-overs' and scrapes for me! and the front side zipps to close. should I remove the plastic? Thanks for any suggestions,, I have been successfull with the can!! Appreciate all your help!

That's great angelblossom!!!

Today it was nice weather and had been warm yesterday, so I talked DH into turning my pile, and even though I started it late, it is breaking down rather nicely.

hey, its already winter here and my lease ends in june, any point in trying to compost before then. i had a bunch of root-filled planters from harvested plants that i emptied into a heap to compost the roots, if i add scraps to it throughout the winter is there a chance they'll do anythign but freeze by may??

Considering the cost of moving stuff I'd wait until I got to the new place. But that's just me. You certainly have time for some of it to turn into compost if it dethaws around late march in your area. Or atleast that's what I'm assuming and we all know about that word lol. Good luck with your move.

Well Weezie is the expert on this but, my opinion is go ahead and start a pile...June is along way off and you may be pleasantly surprised what you end up with.

Bodhigaea,
Add all your stuff now, it may and will freeze,
but if you layer properly come time when it's spring and stuff thaws, it'll start motivatin' right away... and it will be on it's way to breaking down from it freezing and thawing..

You should get about 2 months *theorically*
to start the composting process.... then and when
you move, just baggie it up in Black/Dark Brown garbage bags, and take it to your new place..
*I might load the bag into a plastic garbage can, to hold the shape of the plastic bag and nothing pokes out thru or leaks... in your move*

And keep us posted on how it turns out for you,
we're all composting addicts here and love to hear of your adventures...

It was so warm today...

How warm was it you ask?

It was so warm that I got out there and turned the compost pile. Yeppers I sure did. That must have been my Christmas present from Mother Nature. She let me play in the compost.

I added more stuff to my pile today...I have decided that even though my pile is pretty large, I'm just going to keep adding stuff to it for about 2 more months, Then I will have to find a new place to start another pile. I think I am going to try the pallet method (using them to make the sides for a bin)