Making a compost

[GreenThumb]

Creating a compost is not hard. My children and I have set up one using a trash can. Add browns (leaves, wood) and greens (grass, vegetables and fruits) in the trash can. Keep the stuff moist and roll it around each day. That is it. You will soon will have a rich soil.

 

[zigs]

There has been some research here with adding crumpled cardboard to kitchen waste to balance out the Nitrogen / Carbon ratio.

They also tested it for contaminants from the printing ink, but could find no trace in the finished compost.

 

[claudine]

For me making a compost wasn't so easy because I have a little, courious and always hungry dog and I was afraid that he will try to steal some of it . I had to look for a special container.

 

[ChanellG]

I have been looking at various means for composting and I am beginning to consider having worms indoors if I can find a space for them. I have some scraps in the freezer and plenty of paper bags to get started outdoors; I now have to just prepare my container. I think I have settled on using a lidded blue storage bin since I already have one on hand.

 

[claudine]

I have been looking at various means for composting and I am beginning to consider having worms indoors if I can find a space for them. I have some scraps in the freezer and plenty of paper bags to get started outdoors; I now have to just prepare my container. I think I have settled on using a lidded blue storage bin since I already have one on hand.

Worms indoors? Aren't you scared of them? I hate worms, I don't want them under my roof or anywhere near me

 

[ChanellG]

ROFLOL! No, I am not afraid of them. As a kid I even managed to bait my own hook on a couple fishing trips. It's not as if they bite or anything. The vermi compost containers are very well self-contained. There is no reason for the worms to get out and it's a faster way to recycle kitchen scraps.

It's also cheap since you can use storage bins you already own, shredded newspaper, etc., and you only have to buy the worms, which are not at all expensive. Keeping them indoors is safer than outside where you would have to be concerned about the weather.

 

[zigs]

If they get out of the compost they crawl under things and sulk, keep having to round them up & put them somewhere they'll be happier.

 

[ChanellG]

Ha! Well, then you had better see that you contain them better in the future, hadn't you? I saw a homemade three tiered bin that I may end up replicating on a slightly smaller scale so that I can collect the liquid at the bottom, have the worms in the middle, and I am really not sure what the top one is for, lol. I'll have to go back and read the article again.

 

[lovinglife]

I believe the top is where you add fresh trimmings.

 

[maddie]

I have been looking at various means for composting and I am beginning to consider having worms indoors if I can find a space for them. I have some scraps in the freezer and plenty of paper bags to get started outdoors; I now have to just prepare my container. I think I have settled on using a lidded blue storage bin since I already have one on hand.

That is what I have done.. I just ground up the kitchen wastes in a meat grinder with some dried leaves put the grounds in a pot and added some wormy compost to it...
There are eggs in the compost and the will hatch new little worms that will eat up all the stuff.. and give you nice wormy compost.
I had done this maybe about ten years ago and forgotten all about it. I have been racking my brain about composting and remembered this stuff.. Its working well for me.

 

[Victor Leigh]

I always make my compost outside the house. What I do is I just dig a hole in the ground. Then I fill it up with all kinds of left-over organic things from the garden. Grass and leaves are the main components. Then I cover it up and let nature do its work.

 

[ChanellG]

@Victor, I would do that also, but it isn't very feasible where I live. The closest I could come to that would be to recycle potting soil in a bucket or trash can with kitchen scraps.

@Maddie, I didn't realize worms laid eggs. It has occurred to me that once they multiply I will either need an additional bin or will need to start talking friends into vermi composting.

@Loving, I went back to the link and yes, you put the worms in the bottom and fresh stuff in the top. Eventually they migrate upward to where the food is and you harvest from the bottom. Seems a little complicated to me compared to one bin and something to catch the liquid.

All:

I will probably use this method first:
http://organicgardening.about.com/od/compost/ht/storagecompost.htm

I considered something like this for just leaves since I have those collapsible laundry bins already, though I would need a lot of leaves to fill one and make my own leaf mold.

Maybe when the Japanese maple blooms there will be enough leaves to collect and fill at least one hamper. It's wearing out anyway.

 

[thenextGeek]

Without putting potting soil into your compost, will it alone turn into soil? I mean, even if you don't put any soil into it and your compost only contains scraps, leaves, and grasses?

 

[ChanellG]

Yes, food scraps, grass, pine needles, etc., will turn into soil. Potting soil gets depleted of nutrients so putting it into the recycling bin is a way to replenish it. You never want to use the soil from a diseased plant though, because then you can spread the problem.

 

[mrsbatista]

That seems simple enough. but is there ever a problem with the compost attracting bugs or unwanted animals? I'm also a little worried about the smell.