Composting anyone??

[justinesmith]

I really need a good composter and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions? THere are too many to choose from and since I am a new composter, I need some guidence. Thanks so much to any who offer advice! :D

[catdeveer]

check this out.

very earth user friendly.

http://squarefootgardening.com/

cat

[StarFire]

here in hawaii... we just use the ground!! but I realize that's not always an option for mainlanders!!! ;)

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/Flwr07.gif

[petlady]

I have an Earth Machine. If you're looking for something just to disguise the compost, this is a good option. I'm not completely happy with it though for a couple reasons:
* The door for accessing the compost is very small so harvesting it is difficult. Also difficult to get back on.
* Definitely not "animal proof"
* When I moved it to my new house, the top and bottom sections separated. I put it back together but it hasn't been quite right since.

Unless you live in an area where the neighbors are extremely uptight about composting, I would just do an open pile. I've done these before and it's really the best option. Just string some chickenwire up in a 4' square (or however large you think you might need) and start piling everything in. It's more convenient for harvesting the compost later and for turning the pile periodically.

If you go to your local library, you'll find a lot of information on composting. There's a huge book on it. I forget the exact title but I believe it's by Rodale Books.

[Conscious Midwife]

My Earth MAchine is cool.

A fancy smancy trash can that you could probabaly make yourself

The day I bought mine I had more money then patience and time so i bought it or $40... don't pay anymore. There are some over priced ones on the net and again it's just a fancy smancy trash bucket but it doe the trick.

Already started adding compost to my crep myrtyles and will redo my bush line and flower bedss this fall.

I add fresh inputs dail and now that I have a good balance of browns I have no problem with fruit flys or even a smell.

[justinesmith]

Thanks everyone! I will check out the earth machine. In my neighborhood the association would NEVER allow an open compost.... we have to clear our birdbaths with them (obnoxious, I know). Thanks also for the pros and cons.... good to know. ;)

[petlady]

Ouch. But they allow commercial composters?

[PATH301]

justinesmith,
Does your home owners assoc. have camera's on your yard or just nosey neighbors?
You could dig a under ground composter. Pick up one of those 2' x 4' x 2' deep black plastic farm feedres for animals, then dig a hole into the ground and stick it into the hole. Then make a Black 2 or 3 milimeter thick visqueen, with chicken wire and aluminum lid, Make sure everything is black so the sun will heat it up and so it blends in with the other flower beds. Then at night or early in the morning stick in your food garbage and some grass clipping and or some leaves, wait a couple of days and mix it up and so forth. You'll want to put it some where that it will get hot, so as to decompose. But also animal proof it, and neighbor proof it...LOL

[Mialsse]

Can we just dig a big hole in a corner of our yard, start throwing our stuff in, and then mix/turn it every few days? Or does it have to be more complicated then that? We're really not interested in buying a commercial composter, and we also don't want the "eye-sore" of just fencing in a section with chicken wire (we're military, living in base housing - our yard is TINY, and our neighbors are CLOSE). We figured a big hole would be ideal, but will it work just throwing the stuff in? Or should we put some kind of container/bin in the hole first? Does it need some sort of cover?

[Yogi Alicia]

Justine,

I live in one of those neighborhoods too (why do people have so much time on their hands to worry about this stuff!!!) My husband took one of our plastic garbage bins, drilled several discreet holes for venting and that was it. I was skeptical at first - figured I would have this seeping nasty goo but i've been surprised how unnoticeable it is.

Just make sure you have a good fitting lid so neighborhood critters don't get in - then that would be gross!

[PDXGeoff]

Also look at worm bins. They are easy to make and can stay in your garage.

see: http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/Easywormbin.htm

[firefaery]

we have a worm bin in our kitchen. So easy and the kiddos LOVE it!

[Freshy]

Real Goods or gaiam sells a japanese indoor composter. It's very interesting looking, I think some small organisms break everything down. It might work fast enough for you to keep moving it out to your yard, I'm not sure. We have SO much compost material on our raw diet! Can you build a privacy fence so no one sees into your yard? That's what I would do, or I would move :p . We laid down newspaper, horse manure and cardboard for some "permaculture" type compost.

[justinesmith]

Thanks everyone! I will check out the worm garden ~ that sounds like fun. At this time a fence ($5000) or moving (we just moved here from Minnesota 2 months ago) isn't an option but a fence will be someday. We really love the neighborhood ~ we're getting used to the association. I'll get something figured out.....

[ChaiLife]

My mom has a green thumb (it didn't get passed on to me!) and composts everything. It's almost a religion for her. LOL

Anyway, she told me to put all of my juicer pulp right under the plants. Or put banana peels right in the ground. So I just push the bits and scraps right into the ground or toss them under the plants. SO FAR it has worked just fine but it has only been a few days that I've been doing this.

I REALLY want this indoor composter but my financial advisor (DH) has put it on indefinite hold: http://www.naturemill.com/ Wouldn't bother neighbors or homeowner's assoc. :D

[casperlynn]

We compost using three methods: 1- A regular compost pile in the backyard. We too live in one of those HOA communities who do not permit compost piles because "it smells." Yeah, well, a healthy pile does not smell. Ours is a 4x4 wire system like petlady referred to, and we have it in a corner of our yard hidden by a 6' fence that encloses the entire yard.

2-A vermicompost bin in the guest bathtub. :eek: Ours is homemade...just an 18 gallon rubbermaid tub with airholes drilled in the sides and bottom.

3- Trench composting, which Mialsse asked about. It's a slower form of composting, but it works! Simply dig a trench or hole 8" deep, fill with roughly 4" of kitchen scraps, then backfill with soil. As a young kid, I got to help my mom dig the holes into which she deposited organic material. Next Spring, the area was perfect for planting!

Mialsse: Googling "trench composting" will bring up tons of links if you'd like to know more. Happy composting! :)

[trinity082482]

here in hawaii... we just use the ground!! but I realize that's not always an option for mainlanders!!! ;)

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/Flwr07.gif

thats too cool!

[tanishamarshall]

My mom has a green thumb (it didn't get passed on to me!) and composts everything. It's almost a religion for her. LOL

Anyway, she told me to put all of my juicer pulp right under the plants. Or put banana peels right in the ground. So I just push the bits and scraps right into the ground or toss them under the plants. SO FAR it has worked just fine but it has only been a few days that I've been doing this.

I REALLY want this indoor composter but my financial advisor (DH) has put it on indefinite hold: http://www.naturemill.com/ Wouldn't bother neighbors or homeowner's assoc. :D

I was looking at this myself, but I wonder does it make a difference that it heats up the scraps? I wonder does it affect the nutrients?

[justinesmith]

Hey Doc ~ from what I understand, it HAS to heat up in order to decompose. Otherwise it would take forever. I am also under the assumption that the heat isn't so high that nutrients are compromised....