Compost for the beginner

[DrYellow]

Beginner gardener here, so I want to know how to set up a simple compost?

 

[DancingLady]

It will depend on how much space you have and if racoons and such are going to be a problem for you. Some people with large yards just have a compost pile, while others with small yards, in town, where you can't let the critters find it, will need to use compost bins that are sealed.

 

[claudine]

It's easy You can compost almost anything that is organic, especially fruits, vegetables and other kitchen scraps. If you have pets, buy a compost bin.

 

[zigs]

Best to make the biggest heap you can at once if possible. Build alternate layers of kitchen waste and dry material, if you havent' got dry stuff then crumpled cardboard is good.

If it's all built at once then it'll "turn on"

That is, it'll heat up as the bacteria start to work, hopefully killing weed seeds.

 

[ChanellG]

See the thread I started on composting. It has a lot of information on the different ways in which to compost and the requirements for each. Once you've looked through it, you can then determine which method is best for you in the space that you have.

 

[Rosyrain]

I usually just throw my scraps and yard clippings in a bucket and give it a good stir every once in a while. If you are thinking of composting yard waste, you should monitor it because the composting process can cause the debris to ignite and start steaming. I used to work security at a compost company and it smelled like pine needles. I did fire watch for them to make sure that the piles did not catch on fire. My friends all laughed at me when I had that job.

 

[Micheleteresa]

I work at an Organic Recycling yard, so that's an easy supply of compost, state approved organic soil and mulch. As Rosyrain stated compost can ignite. As can processed Mulch piles, you can see the steam coming from piles from the internal heat and we did have a major fire that took three days to extinguish when the worker who checks on the place after hours and when closed was in the hospital due to an emergency and no one knew. I doubt anyone would have a stock pile in their yard when it is for home/personal gardening but still something to keep in mind and be aware of.

I have found a lot of indoor compost bins online for those who have limited space and not to expensive either..for those who have no yard compost space.

 

[globulon]

Thanks for all the tips in this thread! I'm considering starting my own indoor compost pile and I'm finding it an intimidating topic. I'll definitely check out the resources in this and other threads!

 

[ShinobiSol]

I'm also finding these beginner's pointers to be very useful. I'm heavily considering investing in a simple compost bin for when the Spring comes around and I start to plant some more seeds. Unfortunately we have had an extremely wet and cold series of winters which has resulted in me making the decision to completely restart my garden again. This is something I'm excited about though, and I find it to be more of a blessing than a burden!

 

[Smartmom]

This is something that I really want to get into. I want to make my own compost. I recently wrote an article about making compost. I learned a lot as I did the research. I feel that it saves a lot of money in terms of purchasing potting soil. The idea of recycling is right down my alley.