Posts Tagged ‘building a compost bin’

Composting for Beginners – Do’s and Don’ts, Bins and Tumblers

In order for your garden and plants to sustain a healthy and long lifespan, having soil rich in nutrients is a necessity. Composting is the solution to this dilemma that many new gardeners come across, and this article explains what composting is, what you should and shouldn’t use, and the composting systems available for you to get started.

Lots of novice gardeners believe that their plants and vegetables only need plenty of water and sunlight in order to sustain a healthy and fruitful lifespan. However this is not entirely true as plants also need healthy soil rich in nutrients to be able to survive and grow properly. The solution to this dilemma is composting.

Now, most of us aren’t too sure of what the heck composting is or what it even entails – I know I didn’t! An easy way to explain it is composting is a way for us to give back to the earth by using organic materials such as food scraps, vegetable scraps, grass clippings, leaves and manure from grass eaters like cows, sheep and rabbits. In general, composting is a wonderfully organic process that benefits your garden and the environment tremendously. In today’s article we’ll go ahead and talk about the benefits of composting, what you should and shouldn’t compost, and some composting systems you should consider investing in.

We all know that when anything dies it starts to decompose – humans, animals, plants, it’s all a very natural process. But did you know that in turn, the soil becomes very rich in nutrients and new life starts to grow? That’s the true benefit of composting and that’s what you want for your garden. In addition to improving your soil, it saves you money, makes for terrific mulch for your garden, and places less burden on landfills.

Before you start undertaking a large composting project, there are a few key things you should keep in mind, like what you can and can’t use for composting. Let’s start with what you shouldn’t compost; this includes weeds full of seeds and/or diseases, pesticide infested plants, wood ashes, lime, barbeque charcoal, meat, grease, bones, dairy products, cat, dog and/or human waste, plastic, metal, glass, branches, wood chunks, anything contaminated, and large loads of soggy matter. Obviously anything in the aforementioned list would have an adverse effect on your compost, or won’t decompose properly, especially the bones, but we’ll go more into that later on in a future article.

With that said, it’s highly recommended that you use grass clippings, leaves, non-diseased and seed sprouting weeds, dead plants, food scraps like fruit and veggie wastes, cow, sheep or llama manure, straw/hay, coffee grounds, and even hair and lint when composting. These items break down quick and easily, giving you the end result that you’re looking for.

The next thing that you need to keep in mind is where you’re going to be doing all of this composting work. While some don’t mind working on their compost heap out in the open, like in the woods or in an open area preferably away from prying eyes (I never said it was a pretty looking process), I suggest looking into a compost bin or tumbler system. There are a couple of compost bin systems that you should consider: the one bin and multi-bin systems. For the money conscious the one bin system is the preferred method since it is easy and most municipalities even work with manufacturers to make this method available to the public. In addition, it’s easy to move about, most can hold heat well and is sturdy enough to keep rodents and other wildlife out. The multi-bin system is for households that produce a lot of waste; it generally does the same thing as the one bin method but it allows you to stockpile your materials in one bin and in the other when more materials become ready. Both methods take anywhere from three to eight months in terms of ready to use compost.

Another method you can consider is working with a compost tumbler, which isn’t cheap, but it is small if you’re working with limited space. Think of the benefits though: tumblers rotate which keep your compost aerated and generate heat, which in turn means that you’ll have a batch of ready to use compost in about three weeks. The wire collector is another option to weigh. Great for garnering up quick, ready to use composting, it’s cheap and you can even make one yourself out of rabbit wire or field fencing. However, I don’t really recommend it too often because it’s easy for wildlife to break in to and it doesn’t hold in heat very well. But the great thing about it is after your compost is done and ready, all you have to do is just remove the wire covering.

Do keep in mind the laws of your city. You wouldn’t think it, but check with your local government agency to see what your city will let you compost, like food scraps and what not. After all being cited for not composting within the legalities of your city isn’t very green. And when choosing the ideal composting system, think about your needs, how much waste you can you’d regularly add to it, how animal-resistant it is, and whether you can easily remove your ready to use compost. I know it’s a lot to think about before you begin, but trust me, it’s well worth the effort. In our next installment I’ll go ahead and talk about the science and art of composting – stay tuned!

*Referenced from Home Composting Made Easy by C. Forrest McDowell, PhD and Tricia Clark-McDowell, 2002.

Urban Composting

Whether you live in a high rise building or in the country, you can easily compost your kitchen waste. Using an indoor automatic compost machine turns your kitchen scraps into rich compost in two short weeks.

Composting indoors turns your kitchen waste into rich compost for your plants and garden. Even if you live in an apartment or high-rise building, you can compost using an indoor, automatic composter.

Urban Composting

Most people have heard of using a compost keeper, such as a pail or bucket, to accumulate kitchen scraps that can then be used in a backyard composter or compost bin. But what if you don’t have a yard? Now there is an indoor compost machine that runs on electricity (as little as 50 cents per month) that will turn your kitchen waste into rich compost. Nature Mill makes an automatic kitchen compost machine that makes indoor composting easy. Simply add your kitchen waste (see the chart below for what can be composted) and some brown materials (such as sawdust or coffee grounds) and remove the finished compost every two weeks. The machine itself, when used properly, produces little or no odors due to its sealed design and air filter. When the compost is removed, you will need to cure it outdoors before using it in your indoor plants. This can be accomplished using a tarp on a balcony or rooftop. If you are using the compost outdoors, there is no need to cure it before use.

What to do with the Compost

Once the compost is cured it can be used on your indoor plants. However, you may have more compost than plants. Compost can also be used in a garden or on the lawn. If you have more compost than you personally need don’t fret, there are others who would love to have it. You can give your compost to a friend or donate it to a local park, landscaper, or garden center. They will be grateful!

What Kitchen Items go into Compost

With experience, you will get a feel of what composts well and what does not. A good rule of thumb is that any material that you can recognize in the final compost should be avoided in the future, or cut into smaller pieces first. Certain materials, such as meat, fish, and dairy, can be used in indoor composters, but not outdoor composters where rats, raccoons, and bears can be a problem. Some items compost better than others. Coffee grinds decompose easily. When in doubt, add just a little and then check the end result carefully! Listed below is a general chart of what can be used in an automatic kitchen compost machine.

Recommended materials

Add a mix of "green" and "brown" items:
"Green" items:
fruit, vegetable scraps
meat, chicken, fish
fish bones, shrimp tails
cheese, eggs, egg shells
tea leaves, tea bags
grass & plant clippings

"Brown" items:
sawdust, wood shavings (untreated, unpainted wood)
bread, rice, pasta, grains nuts, nut shells, straw
dry flowers, small yard leaves
coffee grounds, paper filters

Not Recommended Materials

pourable liquid, chemicals, soap, cosmetics, medicine
plastic, metal, glass, rubber, alcohol, cigarettes office paper, newspaper, magazines
hard or fibrous items: chicken & steak bones, lobster & clam shells, wine corks, avocado & peach pits, corn cobs & husks, coconut shells, lemongrass
diseased foods, human waste, disposable diapers
limit very acidic items to 2 lbs (900g) per load: oranges, grapes, berries, plums, pickles, tomatoes
1-2 piece limit for lemon, lime, grapefruit, pineapple

Indoor composting machines have opened the door to urban dwellers to actively engage in composting. To see more details on the Nature Mill machines, please visit my website (www.backto-nature.com).