Composting 101

The How Do Gardener ^ | June 17, 2012 | Rick Bickling

[orsonwb]

Composting. Learn the basics, benefits, components, no-no's, and six ways to get started...

[trisham]

That's a good idea, but our soil is like cement. All of our gardening is done on raised beds. I may have to break down and spend some serious money on something that I can keep in the yard. The worm composting method sounds interesting, but we have so much material I'm not sure that it would make sense. We eat a lot of shellfish, which I love to compost. The Mastiff next door loves it, too. :)

We do compost yard waste, but don't use it on our gardens. We have three areas where we just throw weeds, branches, small trees, leaves and so on. This compost is not accessible, however, since this is a very hilly piece of land. We leave as much of the grass as we can on the lawn, but if it's too heavy, it has to be raked. I'd like to gravel in the entire back yard.

[trisham]

They add calcium to the soil. My Irish grandmother would grind them up and eat them, but I’m not sure how.

[Bigg Red]

Those Irish grandmothers were tough, huh?

[Sarajevo]

My wife built a compost bin out of 2- 4x4's, cut in half; and 3 pieces of 4ft x 4ft heavy wooden lattice. The front is 5 pieces of 5/4 decking slid into a groove. The bin is inexpensive, free standing, and 4ft x 4ft x 4ft holds quite a bit of trimmings, scraps, grass, etc. We recently covered it with plastic deer netting to keep the chickens out of it. They could empty the bin in a days time.

You might find that the compost will loosen up the underlying soil unless it actually is rock or concrete.

[WorkingClassFilth]

I have several piles going simultaneously. The biggest has upwards of a hundred straw bales for the C component. Kitchen waste, chicken coop litter, weeds and grass cutting keep the critters fed. Alernatively, when I have a surplus of green (like now) I have some soft drink syrups (scrounged 5 gallon boxes) to wet the pile down. When things are in balance, watch out! Some piles are like rocket fuel; I lost a garden tool in one once and found it the following year with a melted handle.

[Sarajevo]

I’m not able to compost any longer because it was attracting bears, dogs, coyotes, mice and who knows what else?

Sorry, I completely missed this post when I answered. Chicken wire or chain link fence may keep out dog or coyote, but I am at a loss about the bear. Double 00 buckshot, maybe?

[trisham]

LOL! I think I need something that I can keep within our six foot fence, and move near to the steps to the deck in winter. We’ve had as much as four feet of snow in our backyard. I’m going to do some research. It will be safer and more convenient if I won’t have to venture out beyond the fence, the gate of which is often impossible to open in winter.

[trisham]

Mine was quite a character. :)

[trisham]

My wife built a compost bin out of 2- 4x4's, cut in half; and 3 pieces of 4ft x 4ft heavy wooden lattice. The front is 5 pieces of 5/4 decking slid into a groove. The bin is inexpensive, free standing, and 4ft x 4ft x 4ft holds quite a bit of trimmings, scraps, grass, etc. We recently covered it with plastic deer netting to keep the chickens out of it. They could empty the bin in a days time.

********************************

Your wife is amazing.

[tubebender]

Have Compost... Will Travel

[Cindy]

Thanks for the ping Red Devil 232.

Thread Bump.

[Jean S]

“Do you shred the cardboard?”
No, I just cut it into pieces that fit around the tomatoes and the cages. It haa helped a lot. Diana in Wisconsin gave me several suggestions for mulch, cardboard was the easiest for me. She also suggested regular fertilizing and using a copper based fungicide. After I took her advise on mulching, fertilizing and using copper spray, I have had barely any fungus in the last two years.
She also told me to never water tomatoes from the top.

Thanks Diana!

[tillacum]

I don’t think I’d contaminate my dear compost pile with that anti-productive piece of trash. It’s so unproductive, I don’t think it will even burn.

[Viking2002]

Bookmarked. Does anybody have any good links to building an efficient composter that won't cost an arm and a leg, but won't look like it was built out of salvage from a redneck's back yard? Down here in this part of Alabama, our soil is compacted red clay - I tell family up north that the soil is so bad, I can't even grow dirt down here. LOL I switched to large container gardening a couple of years ago and it works great, but I'd like to minimize soil replacement after it gets nutrient-poor at the end of the season.........

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

[Red_Devil 232]

My compost pile is just that a pile on the ground. Works fine for me. I can walk around it and turn it with a pitch fork.

[dervish]

I have been composting for years, but my pile or bin never gets hot. Eventually it breaks down but it takes a year or more.

What am I missing?

[Red Badger]

It’ll keep the earthworms warm and fuzzy..............

[Red Badger]

I'd like to get some of these Australian earthworms. I wonder if they are legal here?.............

[trisham]

I’m considering this one, because it seems sturdy, has a fairly good capacity, is covered but sits on bare ground and isn’t insanely expensive. I don’t think my dogs will be able to tip it over, either. I’m going to keep looking.

http://eartheasy.com/yard-garden/composting/wibo-compost-bin-160-gallon

[whd23]

Do pine needles make good compost? We have a gazillion white pine trees in our yard and my husband always rakes up the dropped needles and burns them in the fall.

I don't know about the composting of pine needles, but I understand they make a great mulch.