I want to start composting, what can/should I use from the household? Any help in building a compost bin is greatly appreciated. I've never done this before...
Composting Help
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OP
OP
I have some plastic buckets with lids from cat litter, can I make this into a bin for the kitchen, how do I do it?
GA Home Cook
Sous Chef
there are many of the bins online depending on what you want to use the compost for and how much you will have. I just bury my scrapes in the garden with a small shovel.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
You can use any vegetable kitchen scraps in compost. Don't use meat or eggshells; they will attract rodents. Depending on how big your yard is, you can just make a pile and turn it every few months.
DH built a two-part composter with wood surrounded by chicken wire to keep the stuff in. There's an opening at the bottom for removing the finished compost. It needs to be sort of open, so microbes and worms can get in there and break down the material into humus, so I don't think a bucket would work very well.
Here's more information: https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/HORT/HORT-49/HORT-49-PDF.pdf
DH built a two-part composter with wood surrounded by chicken wire to keep the stuff in. There's an opening at the bottom for removing the finished compost. It needs to be sort of open, so microbes and worms can get in there and break down the material into humus, so I don't think a bucket would work very well.
Here's more information: https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/HORT/HORT-49/HORT-49-PDF.pdf
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
I agree, I would just scatter the items over the area where your garden will be located or if you really want a designated place then a small square defined by some boards or cinder blocks will create a small compost pit.
I would add any vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, etc... and stay away from any grease, bones, leftover meat etc...
When you finally get your garden started switch over to mulching the garden with these scraps, lawn trimmings, even a layer of wet newspapers to help conserve moisture and keep the weeds from sprouting.
When you have an extra 20 minutes take a look at this old video on mulching from Ruth Stout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNU8IJzRHZk
Good luck!
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Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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My outside compost "bin" is 3 short sections of railroad tie. I have a little metal bucket with a filter in the lid in which to put kitchen scraps. It's attractive enough to sit on the counter. I empty it weekly into the outdoor bin.
sparrowgrass
Head Chef
bethzaring
Master Chef
Layering your compost pile with course materials is key to getting air into the pile. Compost needs air and moisture to decompose. Course materials are straw, twigs, anything to separate your kitchen additions. In my compost pile I use kitchen scraps, crushed eggs shells (we eat a lot of eggs), coffee grounds and its paper holder, spent garden plants, chipped trees and worms. I am not a compost pile turner. I let it sit for two years before I use it. This weekend I looked at my one year old pile and was pleased with its decomposition so far. The worms are thriving. I collect worms on the roads after rather infrequent heavy rains here and toss them on the pile.
Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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Use as is. Depending on the size, you may want to keep it under the sink rather than on the counter.
I don't turn my compost either. We have a nice worm farm going on.
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GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
You're talking about using these to collect scraps to take outside, right? I thought PF was asking about using them to compost in.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
I would not suggest using full sheets of newspaper as a mulch. If they get too wet or too dry, they become compacted and actually prevent moisture and gas exchange between the soil and the air. You can shred them and use them as part of the mix in a compost pile or bin. The author of this site, Linda Chalker-Scott, PhD, is a Cooperative Extension horticulturist. She has lots of great info for home gardeners: Horticultural Myths - Linda Chalker-Scott Linda Chalker-Scott | Washington State University
Whether you turn or not depends on how quickly you want the materials to break down. Creating a pile or using a bin and turning every so often concentrates the microbes and worms and the materials decompose more quickly - in a few months as opposed to a year or two.
Whether you turn or not depends on how quickly you want the materials to break down. Creating a pile or using a bin and turning every so often concentrates the microbes and worms and the materials decompose more quickly - in a few months as opposed to a year or two.
Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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Yes. I was thinking PF was talking about collection for outside. I take mine out weekly, otherwise we get fruit flies.
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
Composting does work. I have a compost pile outside. But a worm box works better. Redworms eat the kitchen veggie scraps and turn them into worm casings, one of the best, slow release natural fertilizers on the planet. There are many site that give plans for building worm boxes, or even sell them. They are odor free and give you great fertilizer.
I read about a man who dropped out of university classes and built a massive worm farm. He runs water through his worm bins and collects the runoff. It is a very good fertilizer, and is in high demand. His worm farm nets him over a million dollars per year (must be a very large worm farm). The worms of choice are red worms. You can also sell the worms to local bait shops.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
I read about a man who dropped out of university classes and built a massive worm farm. He runs water through his worm bins and collects the runoff. It is a very good fertilizer, and is in high demand. His worm farm nets him over a million dollars per year (must be a very large worm farm). The worms of choice are red worms. You can also sell the worms to local bait shops.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
OP
OP
Thank you for the response.
I want a bin for collecting in the house and then building a bin outside. A lot of information here and I appreciate the help.
I want a bin for collecting in the house and then building a bin outside. A lot of information here and I appreciate the help.
Zagut
Head Chef
Much depends on how much room you have and how fast you want compost.
I've got lots of room and plenty of time so anything goes in my pile.
If it will rot then I pitch it in.
I keep a couple of old plastic coffee containers next to the sink and put everything except recyclables and things that don't rot but can't be recycled into them.
When I want to use my compost I sift it through a 1/2" screen and into the garden that goes.
What's left behind goes back into the pile.
Smaller composting bins and fast turn around times take more research and effort then I'm willing to devote.
Good luck with your efforts PF.
I've got lots of room and plenty of time so anything goes in my pile.
If it will rot then I pitch it in.
I keep a couple of old plastic coffee containers next to the sink and put everything except recyclables and things that don't rot but can't be recycled into them.
When I want to use my compost I sift it through a 1/2" screen and into the garden that goes.
What's left behind goes back into the pile.
Smaller composting bins and fast turn around times take more research and effort then I'm willing to devote.
Good luck with your efforts PF.
Cooking Goddess
Chef Extraordinaire
True. However, PF, if you have a grassy area that you want to plant as a garden and are trying to kill the grass, you can layer about 4 sheets of newspaper onto the ground, then top with rocks to weigh it down. Even a nice layer or mulch or compost would work. Then when you're ready to plant, you need to chop up the paper, etc, with a tiller of sorts. However, if you wait long enough (a year or so?), the paper will eventually deteriorate.
Funny story about worms. I have a friend who lived in Heyworth, IL, a while back. She's a big-time gardener and had the compost bins and the worms and stuff when she lived near me. The first time I visited her in Heyworth she asked me if I wanted to see her "Wrigley Room". I figured she meant "wiggly room" and had build a worm bed in her basement to overwinter some worms and keep them working on composting scraps. Nope! She and her now-deceased hubby are/were huge Cubs fans!
What they had done was decorate his basement office like a mini-Wrigley Field, complete with a painted version of the ivy wall and the "355" pole along the left-field line!
OP
OP
Want compost fast...I have climbing roses coming. Those will be on the porch and north corner of the hose. Rose of Sharon along the back fence. North side of the house will have bleeding hearts, hostas and ferns. Lilacs at the front north border, lavender at the south with some poplar trees. A wild flower bed at the front south side of the driveway. Creeping thyme, Irish moss and blue fescue mounds on the street, around the Ash trees. That's it for this year...I have a lot of seeds and will be planting carnation, bachelor buttons, daisies...
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
OP
OP
Nice!
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
One thing came to mind, In our city we have a composting program. The city collects yard waste, tree limbs, Christmas trees, etc... and makes compost from them. The compost is free to anyone that will take the time to go and scoop it up. I doubt that your little town has a program but it might be worth checking in the city where you work. Good luck!
