Compost
- Thread starter mrsmac82
- Start date
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Ms crabber.....on the grass clippings, i am to assume (and i hope i dont make an a$$ outa u and me) but what about chemicals, if any, are used on the lawns in your area...i know most of my neighbors use them year round
What are you looking to compost down? Just kitchen scraps? Garden waste? All your fall leafs? Collect leafs and yard waste from around the neighborhood?
Here's one resource to read: http://www.composting101.com
I keep messing up my traditional compost pile by constantly adding more stuff and not just letting what is in it compost down so I would have a mix of new waste and finished compost. Kitchen scraps were a big part of what I was constantly adding. Now my outdoor traditional compost pile is just for yard scraps. My kitchen scraps go to a worm bin style composter.
There isn't too much to a pile or bin. I certainly would not go out and buy a bin that cost anything over $10, that is if you have any skill with a hammer. It can be a simple pile, a ring of wire mesh about 4 feet in diameter, three pallets fastened together with a board across the bottom of the front.
A pitch fork was a really nice splurge making turning the pile easier but not necessary.
Here's one resource to read: http://www.composting101.com
I keep messing up my traditional compost pile by constantly adding more stuff and not just letting what is in it compost down so I would have a mix of new waste and finished compost. Kitchen scraps were a big part of what I was constantly adding. Now my outdoor traditional compost pile is just for yard scraps. My kitchen scraps go to a worm bin style composter.
There isn't too much to a pile or bin. I certainly would not go out and buy a bin that cost anything over $10, that is if you have any skill with a hammer. It can be a simple pile, a ring of wire mesh about 4 feet in diameter, three pallets fastened together with a board across the bottom of the front.
A pitch fork was a really nice splurge making turning the pile easier but not necessary.
Hi MrsMac,
You came to the right place.
If you are just composting your kitchen scarps, I suggest you consider these options.
If you are composting a small amount each day a couple of 5 gal. buckets with lids might be all you need.In the bottom of the bucket drill about 8 - 1/2'' holes in the bottom and the top. the first bucket would be the one called the finish bucket. You will add daily your scarps and if you can collect a few hands full of leaves, or grass from neighbors you should add that in layers. The optimum compost has green and brown waste. Green cooks brown covers. In order for your compost to cook you will need to water it from time to time.Just water it lightly to keep it moist. Your top layer should be a cover layer to help hold in the heat. Set you cooking bucket in a sunny spot. If you have wildlife that might get in the bucket, hang it in a tree. I have seen them hanging from rope about 4 feet off the ground.If you are hanging it, you might want to invest in a cup of worms, a bait shop should have what you need. If the bucket is on the ground...the worms will come Once the 1st bucket becomes full that is your finish bucket. It will settle as it cooks down so You may want to add a little more brown stuff as it settles. When it begins to settle then you should "roll" the bucket. No need to open the lid, just roll the bucket for about 5 minutes to get things stirred up. (it is good exercise too) Now you can begin a new bucket that will be your working bucket.
If you need more than that, graduate to plastic garbage cans or as Lyn does, you can make a wire cage. I use wooden pallets and make 4x4x4x4 cubes. That is large scale but no matter what the size the principle is the same. This is a thread started a while back. You might get info by reading back through this. Let us know if you have any questionshttp://www.gardenforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20
You came to the right place.
If you are just composting your kitchen scarps, I suggest you consider these options. If you are composting a small amount each day a couple of 5 gal. buckets with lids might be all you need.In the bottom of the bucket drill about 8 - 1/2'' holes in the bottom and the top. the first bucket would be the one called the finish bucket. You will add daily your scarps and if you can collect a few hands full of leaves, or grass from neighbors you should add that in layers. The optimum compost has green and brown waste. Green cooks brown covers. In order for your compost to cook you will need to water it from time to time.Just water it lightly to keep it moist. Your top layer should be a cover layer to help hold in the heat. Set you cooking bucket in a sunny spot. If you have wildlife that might get in the bucket, hang it in a tree. I have seen them hanging from rope about 4 feet off the ground.If you are hanging it, you might want to invest in a cup of worms, a bait shop should have what you need. If the bucket is on the ground...the worms will come
Once the 1st bucket becomes full that is your finish bucket. It will settle as it cooks down so You may want to add a little more brown stuff as it settles. When it begins to settle then you should "roll" the bucket. No need to open the lid, just roll the bucket for about 5 minutes to get things stirred up. (it is good exercise too) Now you can begin a new bucket that will be your working bucket.If you need more than that, graduate to plastic garbage cans or as Lyn does, you can make a wire cage. I use wooden pallets and make 4x4x4x4 cubes. That is large scale but no matter what the size the principle is the same. This is a thread started a while back. You might get info by reading back through this. Let us know if you have any questions
http://www.gardenforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20
Last edited:
dirtman775
New Member
Hi MrsMac,
You came to the right place.
If you are composting a small amount each day a couple of 5 gal. buckets with lids might be all you need.In the bottom of the bucket drill about 8 - 1/2'' holes in the bottom and the top. the first bucket would be the one called the finish bucket. You will add daily your scarps and if you can collect a few hands full of leaves, or grass from neighbors you should add that in layers. The optimum compost has green and brown waste. Green cooks brown covers. In order for your compost to cook you will need to water it from time to time.Just water it lightly to keep it moist. Your top layer should be a cover layer to help hold in the heat. Set you cooking bucket in a sunny spot. If you have wildlife that might get in the bucket, hang it in a tree. I have seen them hanging from rope about 4 feet off the ground.If you are hanging it, you might want to invest in a cup of worms, a bait shop should have what you need. If the bucket is on the ground...the worms will come
If you need more than that, graduate to plastic garbage cans or as Lyn does, you can make a wire cage. I use wooden pallets and make 4x4x4x4 cubes. That is large scale but no matter what the size the principle is the same. This is a thread started a while back. You might get info by reading back through this. Let us know if you have any questions
Ms crabber.....on the grass clippings, i am to assume (and i hope i dont make an a$$ outa u and me) but what about chemicals, if any, are used on the lawns in your area...i know most of my neighbors use them year round
For years I used a plain circle of left-over fence wire with 2x4 inch holes. 5 ft high. I filled it in the fall with leaves, added scraps all winter, then in spring I'd drag the wire over a few feet and fork the leaves over into it. In other words I turned it only once. At the bottom of the pile was always rich black composted material I could put on the garden. I added to the wire bin all summer until the leaves fell, repeat. Can't make compost where I am now, I have only a few containers for tomatoes.
Dirtman,
Very good point to bring up.
We are very rural,lots of "big" land and in some cases if they cut the grass at all it is a surprise. You can pretty well tell the chemical lawns for the organic yards.
Most people say "what about weed seeds?" If it gets hot enough you have no worry there, as it will cook the life out of them.
Very good point to bring up.
We are very rural,lots of "big" land and in some cases if they cut the grass at all it is a surprise. You can pretty well tell the chemical lawns for the organic yards.
Most people say "what about weed seeds?" If it gets hot enough you have no worry there, as it will cook the life out of them.
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