Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 How do I make compost? For now I am just throwing coffee grinds, peelings, and other organic (non meat) things in the bin. Since it is winter there are no leaves to toss in so will I still be making future compost? How long will it take for usable stuff to come out the bottom? And what do I have to do to it besides through my organics in? I feel like a need a compost book for dummies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 You need to put in a mixture of 'brown' material and 'green' material. Your peelings count as green. If you don't have any brown (shredded twigs, etc.) then scrunched newspaper of ripped up cardboard works. If you just put in greens, then your pile will go solid and slimy, rather than composting properly. This is a good website to start you off. I've composted successfully for four years, so I know it's possible. Mine is usable in about six months, but would be faster if I turned it more often. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkd Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Turning it/ mixing it every week or so speeds up the decomposition process. Avoid not just meat, any animal products (dairy, eggs). You actually could compost these, but it becomes more complicated have to maintain a specific heat over prolonged time and can be stinky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillian Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Coffee grounds work well too. Do not put meat in it. It attracts animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 Thanks Laura. Very helpful site. I just ran a newspaper through my paper shredder and added that since no browns available. Will I need to shred the leaves/twigs before adding them? (I know not to shred these in the paper shredder but a yard shredder) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfletcher8091 Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 The smaller the pieces that you put in, the quicker they will break down into compost. Shredding is almost always a good idea, if you can manage it. Turning it is probably your biggest factor in how fast the compost will be finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I agree with what the other posters have said. There are several good composting books out there. My favorite is Barbara Pleasant's Complete Compost Gardening Guide. Maybe your library has it like ours does? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 The smaller the pieces that you put in, the quicker they will break down into compost. Shredding is almost always a good idea, if you can manage it. Turning it is probably your biggest factor in how fast the compost will be finished. Got it, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 I agree with what the other posters have said. There are several good composting books out there. My favorite is Barbara Pleasant's Complete Compost Gardening Guide. Maybe your library has it like ours does? They have it, will get it today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 So now my next question, how many compost bins does a typical family of 4 need? Knowing all that can go in there has me thinking it will fill up pretty fast (mine is about the size of a small washing machine (outer dimensions). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshin Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 If the items in your bin aren't in direct contact with the soil, you will also need to throw in a shovel-full of soil from your yard to introduce the microbes that do the composting. Keep the pile as moist as a wrung out sponge -- dry materials won't compost and overly wet materials rot. Temperature is important. In winter, our piles slowly grind to a halt because it becomes too cold, although the middle of the piles sometimes stay warm. As others said, frequent turning helps. It really depends. We fill up one bin with kitchen waste during the winter when stuff isn't breaking down quickly. As soon as temperatures begin to go up in spring and I can resume turning once or twice a week, it breaks down quickly. We usually have two bins going for our family of four -- one we're filling and one that is almost ready/completely ready to use. We could use a third one for fall when we clean up the garden, but that's because we generate quite a bit of yard waste at that time. Usually I just throw the overflow in a storage tub and wait a couple weeks for the bins to begin composting and settle, then I add the contents from the tub. We have no greens (nitrogen) in winter, except for citrus peels and coffee grounds. This seems sufficient for our pile to still take off in the spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 So now my next question, how many compost bins does a typical family of 4 need? Knowing all that can go in there has me thinking it will fill up pretty fast (mine is about the size of a small washing machine (outer dimensions). Don't forget that it will reduce in quantity quite dramatically. Any time I put a large amount in, it reduces by about a third in volume within a week, then carries on reducing. What do you have that will go in? If it's just kitchen waste, I would imagine that the size you have would be fine. The only problem that I can see is that you will be continually adding stuff, so some of your compost will always be 'raw'. I have always had two bins, so that I can stop using one and allow it to finish composting, whilst putting the raw stuff in the new bin. Another option is to fill the bin then tip it out to finish composting: heaps work fine, especially if the composting is already underway. Then you can carry on filling your bin. I don't know what kind of space you have. We have a lot of lawn so tons of grass clippings. I have three big bins (like this picture but with an extra bin) - currently all three are almost full and there is a small heap of 'almost done' compost alongside. I hoard newspapers and shredded office paper to mix with grass in the summer. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 And humidity matters - I get very little rain and have very low humidity. I have to water my compost or it doesn't make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 WOW, lots to consider...but all this info is very helpful. We live in Iowa and right now all is pretty cold and frozen so things probably will just pile up in the bin until spring. Guess having two or more bins will be useful, Get this one going and then start another and then another (makes sense) staggering when we start them. All this info is very much appreciated. Maybe with some top notch compost I will have luck with my pumpkin patch I have tried 6yrs in a row with no success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Here in Florida, mine "cooks" all year, but I have a similar problem. We don't have a lot trees that drop leaves, so I have to be creative with brown material too. I rip toilet paper and paper towel tubes, as well as paper egg cartons and put them in. Anytime I get cardboard I rip it up and add it to the bin. We don't take a newspaper but the free weeklies always litter our driveway. They get torn up and put in the bin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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