Composting

[Seth Daniel Willard]

I have had a compost pile by the garden for a couple of years, but it takes forever to get the end product. My method is to put all the scraps into a black container and add to it for awhile, then dump it in a chickenwire half circle cage, which is my pile, to let it finish, starting over in the bucket.

I don't really adhere to that and seem to be constantly adding to both of them, which of course is not a good idea. I also don't stir it very often.

I would like to know what other people do to make compost. I have seen the tumblers, but would rather make do with stuff around the farm instead of buying something special.

My pile is mostly made up of vegetable matter and grass since we don't have any manure producing animals right now.

[GreenZone]

Everyone has their own method no doubt....here's what's worked for me.

I alternated layers of horse manure and old hay. We are talking good size piles here...a pick-up load of manure and about equal volume of hay. After moistening thoroughly, these piles heated up despite night temps in the mid twenties I think.

As you noted, continually adding new stuff doesn't work too well...unless the pile is already hot and then it might. Other common problems include running the pile too wet or too dry, inadequate air, too much carbon (meaning dry stems etc) and not enough nitrogen, or just a pile that isn't big enough to heat well. If a person can get the pile cooking decently, it only takes a few weeks to get a good finished compost.

Hope this helps a bit.
--Randel

[lovetogarden]

I make my compost bins using 10 dollar trash cans. First cut out the bottom and drill 1 inch holes around the sides. Keep the lid on as this holds in moisture. Turning the pile is easy. Just lift the trash can off the pile, place in a new spot and then shovel the contents back in. I have been composting this way for 6 years now and it has worked out well.

[PhilosopherStorm]

My own pile ends up being mostly leaves and the remains of the garden plants as they reach the end of the season. It takes a full year to create decent compost, which is acceptable to me because it does so without any additional effort on my part. That said, I did notice one major difference between this pile and those I have had in the past which leads to far slower decomposition: sun. Be sure that your pile gets sufficient sun and moisture (though not too much moisture). This will aid in decomp enormously. In my own situation, the available sunny areas are too few and too precious to use on compost piles to speed up the process, so I dedicate them to vegetables instead with the understanding that I will not be able to make enough compost to support the garden. Every year or two I get a truckload of compost to add to the soil (terrible soils here) to suppliment what I make myself.

[Rynnix]

I built a nine foot long, three foot wide three bin system several years ago out of 1/4 inch hardware cloth and scrap lumber. Everything goes into the bin: kitchen scraps, yard waste, rabbit droppings, hay from the chicken coop, weeds, leaves, manure... I also went to a bail shop and bought two containers of red wigglers to add to the mix when I first started. It was a good investment: five years later, the little devils are still in there chomping away!

The best trick I've found is to alternate layers of brown (hay, leaves, etc.) with layers of green (fresh grass clippings, scraps, weeds) and keep it moist. (Not wet -- that might drown my helpful worm colony!) If you keep it moist enough it will get hot enough to kill the weed seeds and cook quickly.

During the summer I turn the bins (by emptying one into another) once every two weeks; I let it sit fallow in the winter to give both it and me a rest. The chickens give it a good going over every day, by the way -- ever since they discovered the cockroaches that live in and around the pile it's been their favorite place to hang out!

Once the pile has cooked down to about half its original size and it looks like more soil than scraps, I pitchfork it on to a screen that fits over the top of my wheelbarrow. What falls through goes in the third and final finished soil bin; whatever stays on top goes back on to the current pile.

It may seem a little labor intensive, but, honestly, it averages out to less than a hour every two weeks invested in the compost -- that includes the daily trips out to add something to the pile -- and it certainly pays off in highly improved soil and bigger, better veggies!

[TomatoLover]

After reading everyone else's compost methods, I feel like I'm cheating. I have one of those CompostTumbler bins. I fill it mostly with grass clippings from the grasscatcher on the lawnmower and sawdust, which we get free at a local sawmill. I give the bin a few cranks to turn it everyday when I go out to the garden and have several bushels of wonderful compost in two weeks. The initial investment is a little expensive but the amount of compost it produces makes it worth it. We have enough compost to put on the garden and all the flowerbeds.

TL

[Jodi]

I appreciate everyone sharing their methods of composting. Seems I pick up tips almost everytime the topic comes up.

My method isn't really scientific. I alternate layers of brown and green with a little soil or compost after layers of each. My dairy goats, kitchen and garden scraps, and lawn clippings keep it fed. minimum size being about 5 x 5 x 4. How fast it decomposes depends mostly on how often I turn it; ideally turned by hand every two weeks. No fancy container that someone gets into; no fancy bin (that the neighbors longhorns nearly rain over) to heap it in. Just a plain ole heap of composting brewery.

another method I use sometimes is digging a trench in between my rows of plants in the garden and fill it up and then cover with soil. This works great as long as it isn't wonderful kitchen scraps that someone wants to dig up and eat, or maybe you have your garden fenced off so that it doesn't matter anyway.

And another tip. Never put meat, meat by-products, or anything greasy in your compost. It doesn't compost very well and will choke out your worms!

For more tips from someone that knows from a personal and business perspective get the book Four-Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman.

[lovetogarden]

I know it goes against the grain of thought on this issue, but I compost everything that I can, including dairy and meat. This is warned against because
of the ability to attract rodents, and the time it takes for bones to decompose.
I have a lot of compost, so I bury the items deep. This deters any pests. The pile heats up fast and within a month it is gone.
I never had a problem, but I would not recommend this for the backyard gardener.

[ozarkshillbilly]

Mr. Willard, As we all know everyone has their own ideas and methods of making compost. I won't go there but you mentioned you were interested in making your bins out of material around the farm? I just made one for myself out of a couple of cattle panels. I cut the panels in to four foot lengths and then placed (wired) one inch chicken wire inside each section. The sections are wired together to make the compost bin. The cattle panel is nice and sturdy and I imagine will last me the rest of my life. I only have one right now and when I want to turn the pile I just unwire one corner and remove the bin setting it back up right next to the old spot. I'm good to turn the pile again. There is a little initial expense for the panels and chicken wire but the bins should last a life time as there is no wood to rot, etc. Hope this idea is helpful.

[Seth Daniel Willard]

Thank you, ozarkshillbilly. That is a great method. We have cattle panels around so the cost wouldn't be a factor there.

Thanks to everyone who posted here for their help and ideas. Appreciate it!-Seth

[skip]

One way to speed up the compost and not have to turn it very often is to take 1 1/2 inch plastic pipe and drill holes into it and as you add another layer to your compost pile every 2-3 feet lay 2-3 pipes on top and cover up with new material this will allow enough air circulation and speed up the compostin process. :cool: