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Who composts?

Cubslover
I've been reading up on the science of composting and gardening. It's really quite intriguing.

I'm building a compost bin tomorrow. I have a 6' privacy fence already. I probably set 4x4 posts and frame in a 4'x4'x3.5' square against the fence. Then wrap heavy fencing around the inside, and plywood on the outside. A hinged panel in front for access.

Any tips or advice?
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Comments

17 comments

Date Votes
  • fishermanben
    don't get too detailed. You only need a place to stack yard waste. just fencing should do the trick just fine. If you don't like stuff falling through, you put a carboard backer against the back once a year. It's that easy.

    Ben
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  • Cubslover
    It'll be used for the garden, I've been reading a TON on them. I was going to enclose it to keep the animals out.
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  • 1911a1-fan
    you can start with printing out some of the topics here on gb, there is enough sheet in there to get any compost going

    make yourself a list of desirable kitchen scraps, get some biodegradable 1 gallon bathroom trash bags, use a coffee can to collect it all, and toss it in the pile every few days

    food scraps, egg shells, coffee grinds, you can buy some enzyme for an accelerante that works pretty good, use some plastic to accelerate the heat too, but you probably already read all that
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  • Cubslover
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    you can start with printing out some of the topics here on gb, there is enough sheet in there to get any compost going


    Shiite, you mean?
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  • longsantafe
    don't get too complicated,just a pile with a tarp [to keep in moisture in some places, keep it out in others], also a bag of dolomite lime [$3/20#] and ammonium sulfate [$3/25#] can help even out the carbon/nitrogen ratio.

    check out steve solomans "gardening when it counts"
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  • Colt Super
    I compost.

    Just not on purpose.

    Doug
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  • JamesRK
    Composting is one of those things you can make as complicated or as simple as you want to. You can get books on the subject, and buy "compost starter".

    I just have a couple of compost piles. If you want to make it rot faster, turn it from time to time and put some water on it. If there is no great hurry, just let it rot. It's pretty hard to do it wrong. [:D]
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  • JamesRK
    My reason for two compost piles is one is last year and one is this year. I like to let it all be composted before I move it. If you just keep adding to the same pile, you'll always have some un-composted material in the pile.
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  • yoshmyster
    Mine's a combo worm and kitchen waste (just vegitable trimmings) compost bin. The worms break down the veg matter pretty quick. The cool part is I get a nice worm casting on the top layer. As long as you stay with veg. matter it won't stink unless onion is in the patch (like in mine[:D]).
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  • JamesRK
    Yeah, I forgot to mention that. Raw vegetable matter only. Nothing with salt in it. No meat, cooked or raw.

    Grass clippings and leaves make good compost, but grass clippings run the risk of live grass and weed seeds. Even shredded newspaper makes good compost. No color print.
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  • fishermanben
    quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
    Yeah, I forgot to mention that. Raw vegetable matter only. Nothing with salt in it. No meat, cooked or raw.


    unless it's fish guts[^]

    Ben
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  • 11b6r
    We have about 3 acres of LEAVES from oaks, hickories, and poplars. You BET we compost! Leaves we shred- add grass clippings (got a bagger for the mower and a vacuum shredder for leaves) toss in kitchen wastes (vegetable only) throw in a shovel full of lime from time to time, turn it. You can make it complex or simple. Key is the ability to turn the stuff over every couple of weeks. When a pile gets to cooking, it gets HOT -about 160 degrees. We have a big garden, and compost is great. You can use composter starter enzyme to get your first one cooking, then use a bit of that to start your next one.
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  • rossowmn
    Pee on the pile whenever possible and it will speed up the process. (Tip, not quite so bluntly stated, from Paul James, the TV "Gardener Guy." As he put it, you can pour beer on the pile, or you can drink the beer first, then deposit it.)[:D][:D][:D]
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  • Queen of Swords
    Like James RK said, it's not "rocket surgery".
    My biggest problems with composting are that kitchen waste, especially eggshells, seem to draw the critters (racoons, bears, and so forth...)
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  • oldgunner
    I'll let Rosie O know her house is ready...
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  • bobski
    be ready to fend off night critters, dogs and roaches. they WILL COME.
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  • spryor
    I made a composter out of a 30gal. water heater tank. Cut a small
    door in the middle and welded on hinges and a lock clasp, welded a
    couple rods on each end to put into some steel posts that are concreted
    into the ground.
    To turn the organic matter just give it a spin occasionally, and can
    pull a wheelbarrow or wagon up under it when the dirt is needed.
    Most practical for small scale composting.[:)]
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