composting

okay how does one get started? this is something I would really like to do.

+1

I'd like some first hand info on this also.

The only thing I know about it is my MIL throws all scraps out in a big pit. The area also accumulates leaves, etc. She goes out there with a rake and mixes it every so often and it becomes dirt eventually. She throws peels, egg shells, etc in there. I'm not sure what you shouldn't throw in there, though.

Tara does indoor composting, if I remember correctly, with worms. I think if I did it it would definitely be outdoor composting. Can't stand the worms and we get enough of them every time it rains.

There are a number of way to start composting. I personally use a 55 gallon drum that is horizontal on a base off the ground. But you can go binless, or make a compost pile right on the ground. You can use wire fencing, recycled wood, or use 2x4's and plywood. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or expensive.

Here's a link on how to start, it also has what to compost and what not to compost.

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/composting/

To compost all you really need is a place to put your stuff in and your stuff. Its easy.
I have been doing it for years, so I have learned a bit over time.
You want a container that has good drainage in it. I have used an old plastic kitchen garbage can in the past, just drill a bunch of holes in the bottom for the liquid to drain out. If your stuff gets to wet, thats where the stentch comes from.
You need equal parts "brown material" and "green material"
Green material is considered "wet" stuff, like kitchen scraps, and yard clippings. you can use any kitchen scraps except meat, bone and dairy. I usually just scrape our dinner plates directly into my bin. easy peasy. You can put EVERYTHING in except those 3 things.
brown material is "dry" material like news paper, office paper, and dry leaves. I just take our junk mail shred it into strips and toss that in too. the smaller pieces you break it into the faster it will bio degrade. I also rip paper board boxes up and toss those in. like cereal boxes.
If you layer your scraps Brown, green, brown, green that really helps, and once in a wile mix them around a bit with a rake or pitch fork or something.
The last thing you need for composting is heat. The process its self will create heat from the center of the pile, but if your pile is out side in the winter under snow, it will freeze and the process will stop until it warms up enough.

I also do vermi composting, which is my worm composting, which I highly recommend. It really speeds up the process. Basically its just normal composting with worms thrown into the mix. Totally now a big deal, you don't have to see them or touch them or name them or anything.
you have to use special worms called red wigglers which just look like regular worms, but they like to live in compost. Each one can eat twice its body weight in food scraps a day. Then they poo it out giving you worm "castings" which are Super organic fertilizer.

I forgot to add that you can also compost dryer lint and the stuff you vacuum up. I just dump everything right on in. Basically anything that isn't metal, stone, or plastic.

okay sounds easy enough, might have to give it a go in spring.

now be honest do they smell?

if you do it right I IT WILL NOT SMELL. but, you have to do it right, the right mix of brown and green, and not to wet. I swear. I have my worm bin in my laundry room and it does not smell.
well, it does a bit, just because I just put an onion in there, but I have closed the lid and the next time I go in there it will not smell. Trust me, if it did, it would not be in my house.

Now, when I had my garbage can composter and it didn't have the right drainage, it got to wet, and when I went to dump it out it reaked up to high heaven, BUT not until I dumped it out. I buried it in the garden and the smell was done. I was also not using brown matter in that composter. it really helps take away the smell.

this is my worm bin when it was on my back porch for the summer. I had to bring it in so my worms wouldn't freeze this winter.




and it moved to my basement.



here it is opened so you can see what it looks like... WARNING.... there are worms in there... and you know, composting food, so if you don't want to see it... now is a good time to skip ahead...


























This post has been edited by PrairieMom on Feb 3 2009, 07:48 AM

Sounds easy enough..

FWIW- In the latest Costco magazine, they have a costco.com ad for Composters - 110 and 160 gallon units starting at $79.99.

so I could just get a big trash can, drill some holes in the bottem and start with that?


and Tara eeewww that looks really gross, but kinda cool at the same time

and how long till I have usable composte?

Depends on what you are putting in there, and how small you break it up. It takes a full season for my big garden composter to break everything down, my worms will break down a full basket in about 3 months. You can toss worms into any composter and it will speed it up by about 1/2.

also, make sure you put the can where it can drain and not ruin anything, like out in the yard somewhere. The drainage with stain your deck.

PS - putting things like sauces, gravies, oils... can contribute to the smell. You should only be putting natural food in there. Not processed. Like if you coated your veggies with butter... cooked them.. and dumping the rest, well, you shouldn't be.

Compost can be made in as little as six to eight weeks or it can take a year or more. It honestly depends on effort you put in it and if you use the hot heap or cold heap route. Since I have a producing garden all year long I go the hot heap route.