Composte Pile

[Pete]

I have a big one. Leaves and food trash. The critters don't mess with it. The bypass the compost pile to tear open trash bags I leave on my deck if I forget to put them in the can.

I put everything in mine. Meat, veggies, cat litter, and anything else that is not plastic, metal or paper.

[nomoney]

I've heard the no meat, oils, etc before - but I really don't know why. So why not?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by nomoney

I've heard the no meat, oils, etc before - but I really don't know why. So why not?

I even pee on my compost pile sometimes.

[BeenSpur'd]

I've had one for the last 25 years. I keep adding to it and using it as I need. I don't put food into it, I feed all that to the pig. I use manure, sawdust, grass, leaves, stuff pulled up from the garden, ect. I use the bucket on my tractor to keep it turned. Didn't have a bucket for a long time so didn't do much too it and it still made the most blackest, most excellent compost full of worms that a person could ever want. I have three piles now.

[PrepH4U]

If you need any horse apples or chicken poop to help keep it going let me know.

[JoeMac]

I have one in my back yard and I live in a townhouse. I don't have any issues with wild animals.

I have heard that any meats you should bury to keep animals away and the stink down. Meats are supposed to add nitrogen to the soil.

You want to use a ratio of 2 parts brown(leaves, dead plants, straw, pine needles) to 1 part of green(grass clippings, veggie scraps). Keep the pile moist and well turned to keep air to all portions.

Cat litter is NOT a good thing to put on, too many chemicals in the litter. Also saw dust needs to be untreated and no paint or stain on the wood.

If you growing a garden you should consider a green fertilizer, which is a cover crop on a certain portion of the garden over the winter months then you just till it into the soil.

[huntr1]

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

Anyone have one? Easy to make and maintain? I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash. We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider. I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.

Thanks for the reminder.
I have 3 compost bins around the backyard. Need to check on their status and see if I can empty them out yet.
Got them a couple years ago when Charles Co. had a truckload sale at the WalMart in LaPlata. I think I paid $20.00 a bin. This is the one I have

Check with the Solid Waste Dept. in all 3 counties and see if any are doing a sale this year. St. Mary's said last year that they were possibly going to do one this year.

No issues with animals in the one we throw food scraps into now that the dirt is above the bottom of the bin. One is right by the house, the other 2 are fourther out in the backyard (roughly 1 at the back, 1 in the middle and 1 at the front). The 2 further out ones are just for leaves and grass. I never turn the material, so it takes longer to breakdown. I do add grass clippings once or twice a year.

[huntr1]

BTW, with it being earth day, most greenie websites are having sales. If I read it right, compost bins are 40% off today on the site I linked to above.

Easiest compost bin is a round cylinder of chickenwire about 3' tall and 3' across. Put 4 stakes in the ground and then wrap the chickenwire around it. Instant compost bin for yard scraps. When it's ready to be used you just remove the chickenwire.

[ohsnoes]

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

Anyone have one? Easy to make and maintain? I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash. We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider. I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.

Turn your compost pile with a spading fork (like a pitchfork) or a shovel. Add some rabbit poo (that you can take from the community garden bins by the ballfields on Catalina) to make it "heat up". I live in the Ranchy Club and don't have any issues with critters. My dogs try to get into it more than any wild animals. I add my mulched up leaves in the fall, too. When you turn the pile and see thousands of worms, you'll know you're doing it right. Best stuff in the world to grow any kind of plants and it's free.

Also, the CRE garden club meets the 2nd Monday of the month in the lower level of the admin building at 7pm. You can stop by and get lots of good information. It's for home gardeners as well as the people who work the community gardens.

[Toxick]

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

Anyone have one?

There are several compost heaps currently posting in the fourms even as we speak.




Ask them if they'll come over and hang out in your back yard.