Started my COMPOST pile today!

[sattie]

Hey guys... today I finally started my compost pile. I have been thinking about this for a while now and finally did something about it. I try to do 'green' in my life and knew all the wasted fuel I threw out in my trash daily was not being put to good use. So I made my compost pile using some chicken wire and a heavy duty trash bag with the bottom cut out. I have leaves and some random foilage in the mix and have set aside a repository for produce leftovers so I can cart it all from the house to the compost.

Since this is my first time trying this, I would really love to hear any tips you folks have about this. I really interested in what all I can dispose of into the compost and how often.

Thanks DC'ers!

 

[expatgirl]

oh you will be so glad and your garden, too, that you've started one---we did add some mulch to ours in the beginning to get it started but after that we only had to add grass clippings, vegetable peels, etc.............note of warning.......because the pile will generate some heat some critters may want to move in which was fine with me but just be aware.....once I found a nest of bunnies and just took the mulch from around them....they didn't seem to mind but the mind blowing experience was when I was heaving mulch out one day (ours was kept in a chicken wired cage by the garden) and I unearthed a wriggling not too friendly-looking snake--now I know why God gave us adrenaline.....I actually jumped straight out of the 4ft. enclosure--straight up and over in one leap....hubby did the rest of the mulching after that---happy mulching--you'll be glad that you did

 

[Katie H]

Great to hear, sattie. I'm entering my second year with composting. I don't have a "pile" per se. Instead I'm using a castoff wheeled commercial trash can.

When our refuse company changed containers they left us with the old one. I couldn't think of a way to throw a trash can away. How does the trash man know you are throwing the trash can away?

So, I decided to turn it into my compost bin. I drilled about a dozen 1-inch holes in the sides near the top so that air could escape. Couldn't drill them in the lid because rain would get in.

I've been composting for about 18 months now and am amazed at how little trash we throw out and how nice and black the compost is getting.

I throw in all the wet matter I can, such as veggie peels, etc., egg shells, coffee grounds and tea bags. I also supplement with the grindings of our paper shredder as the dry matter. Let's see identity thieves get their hands on that stuff!!

I stir regularly with a hoe to make sure it's mixed nicely. I'm very pleased at the results.

We couldn't do as you do with the chicken wire, etc. because "critters" would feast on the ingredients.

I add daily. I have a large cottage cheese container I use to collect the day's accumulation and try to dump it every morning. Otherwise, the stuff would start to "spoil/rot" in the kitchen. Not a nice sight or smell. Once you get into the rhythm of it, it becomes second nature. You might want to add some earthworms to get some things "working" there, too. I add some when I see them after a rain.

Good luck and happy composting.

 

[sage™]

mixing in a little dirt at first is good to get them started too..its really needed

 

[YT2095]

Layers!

the key is making it in Layers, so that you get plenty Air between each, so don`t throw on all wet leaves and grass, but if you have more Woody bits (avoid sticks with a larger diameter than your little finger) then make a cross hatch layer with them and then you can put on more wet stuff.

don`t use any cooked food, or meat products on it either. but egg shells are fine as is the contents of your vacuum cleaner bag!

 

[buckytom]

yup, ya gotta layer the greens with the browns. that is, as yt mentioned, you'll get better results if you mix in layers of wood (branches, woodchips, etc.) with the greener stuff, like grass clippings and kitchen waste.

just make sure that you don't make the pile so big that it's too difficult to turn. 2 or 3 smaller piles that are turned will produce richer soil much faster than one giant pile that just sits there undisturbed.

 

[suziquzie]

I've started a pile several times in the same spot, but I'm never sure how often I should turn it.
And what do you do in the winter just keep piling on top of the snow on it? We had a cheap plastic bin at our old house but we left it there, we didn't have it long enough to get compost out of it before we moved out.

 

[buckytom]

squzie, the ground by you should be frozen solid so i doubt you'll be turning it. unless you want to break out the pick-shovel.

 

[YT2095]

in Winter, I keep a thick sheet of plastic on mine held down with a few bricks.
it keeps the rain and snow out.

these things will slow the composting right down and you Don`t want that, it Also wastes many as the nutrients in run off

 

[suziquzie]

hmmm lemme see.... no. I'm thinking I wont be turning much til April. maybe july.

 

[alisontomsmum]

I love our compost bin aswell. Ive got a special little kitchen caddy to put the stuff in aswell, and cant believe how much i have!! I also put (cardboard) egg boxes and empty cerial boxes and flour bags in mine for the "dry" stuff!

We also throw very litle away in our "real bin"!

 

[sattie]

YT... contents of the vaccaumm bag??? Really? Wow!!! This will be great!!!! Now you all got me excited as well! Should there be a cover for the receptical?