Composting in the City … Yeah, It Is Possible and Easy!

Sure, it’s easy to set up a compost bin and take out leftovers when you live in wide open plains. But what about when you live in a cramped city with minimal space and even less outdoor space? Follow our tips for composting in the city made easy.


Got a fire escape, rooftop, or terrace (lucky you)? Then you have space to compost. Here’s how you do it.
Get a large plastic or metal bucket with air holes (or poke them yourself).


Set it on top of two 2-inch thick blocks of wood so the air holes aren’t blocked. You can set a tray underneath to collect any drippings, too.

Now start your base with leaves, newspaper, finished composted soil, or low-moisture potting soil.
Then gradually add in your scraps (here’s a list of food you can add). Bury them a bit so they break down easier and keep it moist by watering every now and then.

You also want to turn it about once a month. As you get the feel of how the compost should turn out you can adjust by turning more or less.

And in 2-3 weeks, you’ll have amazing soil for your potted plants and mini garden.

You could also incorporate worms … but we’ll start you off simple.

It’s really super easy and doesn’t smell all that bad. If it does, you may be doing something wrong. Visit your city’s governmental website for organizations that hold composting classes and even sell bins in some cases.
If you’re not on board with the whole composting idea, you can still contribute.

Get yourself a kitchen compost container and add all your compostable scraps to that throughout the week. Don’t worry, they have a charcoal filters to absorb any odors so it won’t stink up your kitchen or apartment. Then at the end of the week, drop them off at a local farm, CSA, or compost drop-off center. Just check your city’s environmental page for places to drop them. And if your city doesn’t have

compost drop-off centers just yet, ahem … why not make a few calls and get one started.
View the original article here

Enrich Soil Naturally-How To Make Compost

Anyone who prefers to buy their vegetables and flowers from the local grocery store will have a difficult time understanding the gardener's delight digging into a smelly pile of compost, or having a truck load of manure dumped in their yard. Really, who in their right mind, would pay to have a substance excreted by animals brought to their home?

A gardener. One who knows that good manure and compost can be the difference between a lush garden and a sparse, struggling one. And lets not forget the aroma, a gardener will describe the smell of compost or manure, as "sweet", or "rich", the average person, with no interest in gardening, is more likely to use the word "disgusting".

An experienced gardener knows that compost and manure are the life-blood of a garden. It is the primary way to enrich your soil naturally, and provide all the nutrients your plants will need to grow healthy and strong. The addition of compost and manure can transform even the worst soil into black gold, given enough time.

Composting is a natural biological process where bacteria, fungi and other organisms decompose organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, and food wastes. The resulting product is called compost. Although composting occurs naturally, the process can be accelerated and improved by human intervention.

Where do you start?

In this article the focus will be on composting. If you are new to gardening, knowing how to start and build a good compost bin may seem a little complex, you may ask, "How do I build a compost bin" or "What can I put in my compost bin". Overall, making compost is relatively simple.

We will focus on compost bins and tumblers. Tumblers are excellent alternatives for gardeners living in the city who may not have room for a compost bin, or where city bylaws prohibit open compost bins. Putting kitchen scraps in the compost bin versus the garbage can have the added benefit of reducing foul odors. You will also have the peace of mind knowing you are contributing less garbage to the local landfill.

It is best to have two compost bins, one for fresh compost additives, and the other for use in your garden each season. Using two compost bins ensures you will always have good compost at the start of each gardening season. If you prefer to use tumblers, the same principal applies. One is in development, the other is ready to use.

There are two ways of composting, "Passive" and "Managed".

Passive composting

This is really very basic. You have a compost bin; you throw in all the various kitchen scraps, yard waste and so on. Once in a while, you mix it up; weather, bacteria, fungi and time do the rest. Hopefully, each year, you will have useable compost. Often referred to as "The Lazy Gardener's Compost".

Managed composting

This requires more time and attention than passive composting, but the resulting compost will be ready sooner, and better quality. A managed compost pile is often referred to as hot compost since the pile heats up as it decomposes, thus speeding up the process.

A managed compost bin can be ready in just 6 weeks, however, unless you are using tumblers, in most cases useable compost will probably take 2 to 3 months. Chopping or shredding leaves and other materials will speed up the process drastically.

Most of the organisms that decompose organic matter in a compost bin are aerobic - this means they need air to survive, so air circulation is important. This can be done by mixing (turning the top and sides of the pile into the center) the pile up every 3 or 4 days, or when the compost begins to feel cool. Building a bin with slats allows air to enter the pile from the sides. Using both methods is best.

How fast you produce finished compost will be determined by what you add to your compost, if you chop it up and how you mix them together. Layering is a common technique, but in most cases, redundant if you hand mix the pile.

The temperature of your compost pile is critical - If it is warm or hot, everything is good. If it feels luke warm, decomposition has slowed down and you need to add more materials such as grass clippings, leaves or kitchen waste. If you prefer to be very precise with the management of your compost, a compost thermometer can be used see how well your compost is doing. They are not expensive and readily available. If you can't buy locally, you will easily find them online.

Keeping your compost pile moist is important. Too dry, and the pile will not decompose as quickly. A compost pile should be moist, but not wet - add water or dry matter as required to maintain this balance. To much water will reduce air in the compost thus slowing down the decay process. A good sign of healthy compost is worms. Worms don't like it too cold, too hot, too wet or too dry - they can be used to monitor the condition of your compost.

A new compost pile will begin to heat up within a few days as the microorganisms thrive and your pile begins to decompose. Ideally, your pile should heat to about 140-160 degrees to kill weed seeds and diseases that may be present in garden plants.

Building a compost bin

A compost bin can be made from almost any scrap lumber. It does not need to be pretty; it simply has to hold all the different household and yard waste you will be adding to it. See the image to your right; this is typical of a compost bin.

A good design will be at least 3' x 3' x 3'. This will provide enough mass to generate optimal temperatures. A bin should incorporate removable front panels, usually in the form of boards, which can be removed one at a time. This is important since the weight of mature compost against a single large panel may make it impossible to open. If you want to get fancy, you can add a gate on the front.

There are many ways to build a compost bin, the details of which are too lengthy for this article. However, a simple search on Google using the term "How to build a compost bin" will provide numerous links to websites offering you many ways to go about building a compost bin. One website in particular that offers excellent information and drawings is: http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/g06957.htm This website offers a few alternatives for composting which we do not have room to include here. One is heap composting and the other is worm composting - although worms can, and should be added to any compost bin, regardless of design.

Compost bins need to be turned by hand (mixed) to help with the decomposing process and help recently added scraps decompose quicker. Mixing helps improve overall quality of your compost.

Compost tumblers

You have probably seen these on Internet or at your local garden shop. Basically, they are a round tub, mounted on a frame, or base, designed to turn compost and speed development. Many will also collect compost tea (excess nutrient rich moisture that seeps into the base of the tumbler).

Compost tumblers are perfect if space is limited, or city bylaws do not permit open compost bins. They are also ideal if you have a small garden and do not need a large bin. These bins work by rotating the bin every few days, which can speed up compost development by as much a 3 times. The rotation helps to mix compost evenly and create very good compost.

Pictured is a compost tumbler called the "Envirocycle Composter" which retails at $130 to $160 US.

What can you put in your compost? Grass Clippings (thin layers 1 - 2 inches) Leaves and yard waste Flowers Dead plants from end of season garden Weeds without seed heads Fruit and vegetable scraps Coffee grounds Tea bags Egg shells Citrus fruits (cut up) Pure wool jumpers and socks (cut up) Pure cotton articles (cut up) Blood and bone (with no meat) Shredded newspaper Small amounts of wood ash
Do not add the following to your compost! Any Type Of Plastic Foam Metal Weeds with seeds (personal recommendation) Bulbous weeds Weeds with runners Pet Droppings Dead Vertebrate Animals Uncooked Meats Cooked Meats Diary Products (Except Egg Shells) Pig manure (questionable parasites and bacteria) Big woody twigs Evergreen needles (unless you want an acidic compost)
Troubleshooting

Composting is generally not a problem and easy to do. However, sometimes things don't progress as expected and this can usually be attributed to a few common problems. Here are the most common problems and solutions: Bad odor There is not enough air, or your pile is too wet. Mix the pile, or add dry materials to the pile. Not decomposing Pile may be to dry or wet. If dry, mix the pile and moisten as you turn the compost. If wet, mix the pile and add more dry material. Compost feels right, but not heating up Lack of nitrogen - add items like grass clippings, manure, and other greens Animals attracted to the compost Are you adding meat or milk products to the pile. Avoid scraps likely to attract animals.

Compost is the best natural fertilizer for your garden. In most cases, it contains all the nutrients your plants will need. Compost made with a wide variety of materials, including manure (recommended) is the best.

Anyone who prefers to buy their vegetables and flowers from the local grocery store will have a difficult time understanding the gardener's delight digging into a smelly pile of compost, or having a truck load of manure dumped in their yard. Really, who in their right mind, would pay to have a substance excreted by animals brought to their home?

A gardener. One who knows that good manure and compost can be the difference between a lush garden and a sparse, struggling one. And lets not forget the aroma, a gardener will describe the smell of compost or manure, as "sweet", or "rich", the average person, with no interest in gardening, is more likely to use the word "disgusting".

An experienced gardener knows that compost and manure are the life-blood of a garden. It is the primary way to enrich your soil naturally, and provide all the nutrients your plants will need to grow healthy and strong. The addition of compost and manure can transform even the worst soil into black gold, given enough time.

Composting is a natural biological process where bacteria, fungi and other organisms decompose organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, and food wastes. The resulting product is called compost. Although composting occurs naturally, the process can be accelerated and improved by human intervention.

Where do you start?

In this article the focus will be on composting. If you are new to gardening, knowing how to start and build a good compost bin may seem a little complex, you may ask, "How do I build a compost bin" or "What can I put in my compost bin". Overall, making compost is relatively simple.

We will focus on compost bins and tumblers. Tumblers are excellent alternatives for gardeners living in the city who may not have room for a compost bin, or where city bylaws prohibit open compost bins. Putting kitchen scraps in the compost bin versus the garbage can have the added benefit of reducing foul odors. You will also have the peace of mind knowing you are contributing less garbage to the local landfill.

It is best to have two compost bins, one for fresh compost additives, and the other for use in your garden each season. Using two compost bins ensures you will always have good compost at the start of each gardening season. If you prefer to use tumblers, the same principal applies. One is in development, the other is ready to use.

There are two ways of composting, "Passive" and "Managed".

Passive composting

This is really very basic. You have a compost bin; you throw in all the various kitchen scraps, yard waste and so on. Once in a while, you mix it up; weather, bacteria, fungi and time do the rest. Hopefully, each year, you will have useable compost. Often referred to as "The Lazy Gardener's Compost".

Managed composting

This requires more time and attention than passive composting, but the resulting compost will be ready sooner, and better quality. A managed compost pile is often referred to as hot compost since the pile heats up as it decomposes, thus speeding up the process.

A managed compost bin can be ready in just 6 weeks, however, unless you are using tumblers, in most cases useable compost will probably take 2 to 3 months. Chopping or shredding leaves and other materials will speed up the process drastically.

Most of the organisms that decompose organic matter in a compost bin are aerobic - this means they need air to survive, so air circulation is important. This can be done by mixing (turning the top and sides of the pile into the center) the pile up every 3 or 4 days, or when the compost begins to feel cool. Building a bin with slats allows air to enter the pile from the sides. Using both methods is best.

How fast you produce finished compost will be determined by what you add to your compost, if you chop it up and how you mix them together. Layering is a common technique, but in most cases, redundant if you hand mix the pile.

The temperature of your compost pile is critical - If it is warm or hot, everything is good. If it feels luke warm, decomposition has slowed down and you need to add more materials such as grass clippings, leaves or kitchen waste. If you prefer to be very precise with the management of your compost, a compost thermometer can be used see how well your compost is doing. They are not expensive and readily available. If you can't buy locally, you will easily find them online.

Keeping your compost pile moist is important. Too dry, and the pile will not decompose as quickly. A compost pile should be moist, but not wet - add water or dry matter as required to maintain this balance. To much water will reduce air in the compost thus slowing down the decay process. A good sign of healthy compost is worms. Worms don't like it too cold, too hot, too wet or too dry - they can be used to monitor the condition of your compost.

A new compost pile will begin to heat up within a few days as the microorganisms thrive and your pile begins to decompose. Ideally, your pile should heat to about 140-160 degrees to kill weed seeds and diseases that may be present in garden plants.

Building a compost bin

A compost bin can be made from almost any scrap lumber. It does not need to be pretty; it simply has to hold all the different household and yard waste you will be adding to it. See the image to your right; this is typical of a compost bin.

A good design will be at least 3' x 3' x 3'. This will provide enough mass to generate optimal temperatures. A bin should incorporate removable front panels, usually in the form of boards, which can be removed one at a time. This is important since the weight of mature compost against a single large panel may make it impossible to open. If you want to get fancy, you can add a gate on the front.

There are many ways to build a compost bin, the details of which are too lengthy for this article. However, a simple search on Google using the term "How to build a compost bin" will provide numerous links to websites offering you many ways to go about building a compost bin. One website in particular that offers excellent information and drawings is: http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/g06957.htm This website offers a few alternatives for composting which we do not have room to include here. One is heap composting and the other is worm composting - although worms can, and should be added to any compost bin, regardless of design.

Compost bins need to be turned by hand (mixed) to help with the decomposing process and help recently added scraps decompose quicker. Mixing helps improve overall quality of your compost.

Compost tumblers

You have probably seen these on Internet or at your local garden shop. Basically, they are a round tub, mounted on a frame, or base, designed to turn compost and speed development. Many will also collect compost tea (excess nutrient rich moisture that seeps into the base of the tumbler).

Compost tumblers are perfect if space is limited, or city bylaws do not permit open compost bins. They are also ideal if you have a small garden and do not need a large bin. These bins work by rotating the bin every few days, which can speed up compost development by as much a 3 times. The rotation helps to mix compost evenly and create very good compost.

Pictured is a compost tumbler called the "Envirocycle Composter" which retails at $130 to $160 US.

What can you put in your compost? Grass Clippings (thin layers 1 - 2 inches) Leaves and yard waste Flowers Dead plants from end of season garden Weeds without seed heads Fruit and vegetable scraps Coffee grounds Tea bags Egg shells Citrus fruits (cut up) Pure wool jumpers and socks (cut up) Pure cotton articles (cut up) Blood and bone (with no meat) Shredded newspaper Small amounts of wood ash
Do not add the following to your compost! Any Type Of Plastic Foam Metal Weeds with seeds (personal recommendation) Bulbous weeds Weeds with runners Pet Droppings Dead Vertebrate Animals Uncooked Meats Cooked Meats Diary Products (Except Egg Shells) Pig manure (questionable parasites and bacteria) Big woody twigs Evergreen needles (unless you want an acidic compost)
Troubleshooting

Composting is generally not a problem and easy to do. However, sometimes things don't progress as expected and this can usually be attributed to a few common problems. Here are the most common problems and solutions: Bad odor There is not enough air, or your pile is too wet. Mix the pile, or add dry materials to the pile. Not decomposing Pile may be to dry or wet. If dry, mix the pile and moisten as you turn the compost. If wet, mix the pile and add more dry material. Compost feels right, but not heating up Lack of nitrogen - add items like grass clippings, manure, and other greens Animals attracted to the compost Are you adding meat or milk products to the pile. Avoid scraps likely to attract animals.

Compost is the best natural fertilizer for your garden. In most cases, it contains all the nutrients your plants will need. Compost made with a wide variety of materials, including manure (recommended) is the best.  Visit: >> www.compost.me.uk

Now, I ask, what more could a gardener ask for.

By Henry Reinders. Avid gardener and owner of http://www.usagardener.com Complete online gardening guide.

How to Compost Leaves the Easy Way

Did you know that leaves make great compost? Yes, I said wonderful leaves! Those leaves falling outside your window are a great source of organic material for making compost.

It's true-leaves are an excellent organic material for making compost for a couple of reasons:
Since trees usually have extensive root systems, leaves end up being the recipient of all those nutrients gathered from the soil. Leaves are highly fibrous improving the aeration and composition of the soil.

Now, I can hear you saying, "I tried to compost my leaves, but it didn't work." Probably most people have had some negative experience trying to compost leaves. Actually, leaves can take several years to break down if you fail to compost them properly. Don't worry, learning how to compost leaves is not nearly as difficult as you may think. We are going to show you the easy way to compost leaves.

The first question many people ask is "What kind of leaves work best for composting?" Just about any typical leaf works great. Here are some of the most common leaf types:

White Ash American Beech Balsam Fir Eastern Hemlock Red Maple Sugar Maple White Oak

We should mention that if oak or beech leaves are used exclusively the resulting compost will be a bit more acidic making it quite suitable for plants such as rhododendrons and blueberries. You can tone down the acidity by adding some limestone to the leaves as you fill your compost bin or compost pile.

There are two important things that you must do when you compost leaves to ensure that your leaves will compost properly. The first thing is to make sure your leaves are shredded when adding them to your composter, compost tumbler or compost pile.

Shredding your leaves is quite easy. You can mow over them several times before you rake them up. Also, there are a number of manufacturers who make shredder / chippers that work great for leaves. I even had a gasoline powered blower that had a vacuum attachment for picking up leaves, which left the leaves in a nice shredded state.

The second important thing you must do when you compost leaves is to make sure that you add nitrogen to your compost bin or compost pile. Leaves contain very little nitrogen. It is this lack of nitrogen that causes the leaves to decay slowly. Adding nitrogen to your compost bin or compost pile will help to speed up the decomposition process of the leaves. Adding nitrogen can be as simple as adding grass clippings with the leaves as you fill your compost tumbler or compost bin.

Other sources of nitrogen include manure, dried blood, alfalfa meal, and bone meal. If you are using manure, use 1 part manure to five parts leaves. If you are using a natural source of nitrogen such as dried blood, use two cups per wheelbarrow load of leaves.

Once you have shredded your leaves and found an additional nitrogen source, you simply add your leaves and nitrogen source to your compost tumbler, compost bin or compost pile and keep the leaves moist but not wet and allow nature to do its thing. You will of course want to keep your leaves turned on a fairly regular basis if you are using a compost bin or compost pile.

If you want to make the composting process even quicker and easier, a compost tumbler works the best. With a compost tumbler you are able to easily turn your compost on a weekly basis keeping the organic material well-mixed thereby speeding up the decomposition process. With a compost tumbler you can have compost in as little as 3 or 4 weeks. Two great compost tumblers for backyard composting are the Envirocycle Compost Tumbler and the Tumbleweed Compost Tumbler.

Hopefully, at this point you will look on those falling leaves a little more favorably. Taking some time to compost leaves in the fall will result in great compost to use in your garden in the spring. So go outside, rake some leaves and make some compost!

For additional information on composting you may want to read "What Can You Compost?" Happy raking and composting!
"Don't throw it away, compost it!"

GoodCompost.com is your source for composters and composting equipment, as well as composting know-how. We are here to help you get started composting at home today. Come by for a visit. http://www.goodcompost.com/

How to Make a Compost Pile & What to Compost

It's pretty basic really, make a pile of mixed up organic (in the it was once alive sense of the word) items. You can use a commercial compost bin or compost tumbler, a homemade compost box of old wood scraps or chicken-wire, or even just make a big pile of compost in a corner of the yard. The important bit is what goes into your compost pile not how expensive it was to construct.

What Can I Compost?
Nature is already showing us what we can compost. In its most basic sense anything that was once alive will break down into organic components. So if an item is comprised of 100% natural materials it can be composted. So your goal when composting should be if something was once alive it can be added to my compost pile to prevent its goodness being wasted. Anything once alive will add goodness to your garden when it has been composted.

Now we all have preconceived notions of what can be added to the compost pile and need to work with these. If there is something on the list you do not already compost try adding it. You'll reduce your household waste and increase your compost heap.

* Compost your garden prunings, lawn clippings and weeds. Just make sure the prunings are shredded or broken up into small pieces and lawn clippings are mixed throughout the compost heap. Prolific weeds may be soaked in a bucket of water for a few weeks so they turn into mush which definitely won't survive the heat of your compost pile. Seriously diseased plants such as brassicas infected with clubroot may be burnt first and the ashes added to the plot to prevent the clubroot disease reinfecting your soil later on.

* Compost your vegetable peelings. All your vegetable waste from the kitchen can go straight onto your compost pile.

* Compost your paper and cardboard. All your uncoated paper and card should be shredded / ripped up and added to the compost heap. Don't forget to remove plastic windows from envelopes and plastic tape from cardboard packaging. Laminated papers and cards cannot be added as they'll leave a plastic film which won't break down so keep an eye on what kind of paper and card products you purchase.

* Compost your kitchen scraps even meat and fish. Meat and fish was once alive so will compost down into lovely goodness for your soil too. Just ensure your compost pile is pet proof and put these items deep into the pile, not just left on top for the local wildlife to feast on! Raw or cooked kitchen scraps will break down but if there is any issue with dogs trying to break into your heap cooked bones may be a problem as they are brittle and could be dangerous if swallowed.

* Compost dog waste. Again make sure the composting dog poop is always buried within the compost heap and it will break down fine. Poo (manure) is full of bacteria who love to break down organic items. Introducing manure to your compost pile will bring in these useful bacteria to help speed up the composting process.

* Compost manure. If you have other livestock or access to farmyard manure the addition of small quantities throughout the compost heap will heat things up and speed things along. Commercial organic compost activators are often primarily dried manure.

* Compost urine. This is probably best left to the boys. Urine is full of nutrients which will help activate your compost pile. Asking a gentleman to occasionally wee on the compost pile will do nothing but good.

* Compost human manure. It's no different to any other manure and can be composted very successfully. So if you have space for a dry composting toilet you can reduce your water usage and improve your compost creation in one step.

* Compost wood ash and sawdust. Wood ash from a wood burning fire is excellent added to the heap providing potash and other nutrients. Sawdust added in small quantities through the pile will improve bulk but may slow down the composting action if added too liberally.

* Compost pet or livestock bedding. Whether it be bedding from a gerbil cage or the contents of a hen coop, these natural materials (straw / hay / sawdust etc) will be covered in animal manure and urine and therefore fantastic additions to the compost heap. N.B. most commercial cat litters are not natural and thus not suitable for the compost heap - make sure you read the packet to see if the product is natural and was 'once alive'.

* Other natural fibers. So old woolen sweaters, cotton socks, hair (if you cut your own) or pet fur (if you trim theirs) will break down too. Don't forget to check for synthetic additions to clothing including buttons, zippers or just man-made fibers such as lycra.

Remember! Anything which was once alive, will break down into compost.

How to Compost
Unless you're using a commercial container for composting, a rough guide is to aim for a finished heap at around 1m (or 1 yard) cubed. Once you reach your finished size cover your pile with carpet or plastic sheeting to keep the worst of the weather off and leave your heap to do its stuff for six months to a year.

If you're using any kind of manure leave the heap for at least a year before putting it onto your soil. If the heap is working well all pathogens contained in the manure will have been long gone in around three months but its easier to wait longer and not have to worry!

Ensure your compost heap is pet-proof.
Make sure the heap is built with a mixture of items so it remains aerated throughout due to the different sizes and types of particles within it. If you're likely to have a surplus of one item such as grass clippings make a separate pile of this which you can then add at intervals onto the heap. Try to aim for a layered approach to the compost heap such as some kitchen scraps followed by lawn clippings, paper, dog waste, ash etc.

If you live in a dry climate add water / urine / washing up water to the heap. The compost heap is full of living organisms so it needs to be moist. Likewise if you live in a wet climate cover the heap to prevent all those living organisms drowning.

Be sensible. You're adding things that are starting to break down - food scraps, animal waste, so observe basic hygiene at all times - keep the kids occupied somewhere else and wash your hands!

It is good practice to cover anything animals might find interesting within the heap. So either dig a small hole whenever adding kitchen waste etc or keep a batch of weeds / law clippings / straw etc to cover the interesting stuff whenever you add it. This will deter animal and insect pests. If you leave a piece of leftover roast chicken breast on the top of your compost heap you would expect a few birds, flies, cats and dogs to take an interest so cover up the interesting stuff! This will also keep the smells in.

Your finished compost will smell like rich woodland soil, crumbly and dark. But obviously if you're adding poo to your pile you don't want the smell of poo around before the composting action gets going. So cover up or bury within the heap, all the smelly stuff!

Once you add your own made compost to your garden you'll never want to buy another bag of the shop bought stuff
again and you'll love have less household waste to dispose of elsewhere. So go on get composting. It is the most basic method of reducing waste and recycling. Mother Nature's always done it and now, so should we.

The Catalan Gardener.

For more interesting articles on composting, manure and organic gardening visit http://www.catalangarden.com

Practical Compost Making

Whether you are an ordinary gardener, or an organic gardener which doesn't use of any sort of chemical additive for fertilization or pest control, a quality compost becomes one of the most important factors in determining the ultimate success of your garden. Compost is one of nature's best mulches and soil amendments. With a good quality compost there is no need to use any sort of commercial fertilizer, and one of the best features of compost is that it can literally be made without spending a dime.

What Exactly Is Compost

Compost is the remnants of any organic material that has been aerobically decomposed. Compost is often also called humus. In earth science "humus" is defined as any organic matter which has reached a point of stability, where it will break down no further and can remain essentially as it is for centuries, or even millennia. So both words, for practical gardening purposes, basically mean the same thing; the end product of decomposed organic matter. It is also important to note that this decomposition is a result of a aerobic process as opposed to an anaerobic process. For example, vegetables placed in an airtight plastic bag will still decompose but will do so in an anaerobic manner since there is limited oxygen available. Anaerobic decomposition is what produces the foul odor that most of us are quite aware of.

The Compost Decomposition Process

The decomposition of organic matter is actually a process of repeated digestions as organic matter repeatedly passes through the intestinal tracts of soil animals or is attacked by the digestive enzymes secreted by microorganisms. Compost is the end product of this complex feeding pattern involving hundreds of different microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, worms, and insects. In reality composting simply replicates nature's natural system of breaking down materials on the forest floor. But fortunately for us, the organic gardener, this process results in a product that significantly improves soil fertility and helps keep the soil in a healthy balanced condition where nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus will be produced naturally.

Compost Ingredients

Although almost any organic material can be used for compost pile, caution should be used when backyard composting as most backyard systems will not reach high enough temperatures to kill pathogens or deter vermin. So generally pet feces, non vegetarian animal manure, meat scraps, and dairy products should not be used unless you can be sure that an adequate temperatures will be reached.

To ensure proper composting your compost pile needs the right mixture of carbon rich "brown matter" and nitrogen rich "green matter". Brown matter can consist of such items as dried leaves, straw, sawdust, wood chips, and even non-inked paper and cardboard. Green matter can include green plant material such as grass clippings, fresh cut hay, weeds, animal manures, fruit and vegetable table scraps, seaweed's, and coffee grounds.

The Composting Process

This speed by which the composting process will occur will depend to a large extent on amount of effort you desire to put into creating the compost. Passive composting obviously takes the least amount of effort on your part. You simply mix the materials together in a freestanding pile and allow them to sit and rot on their own. This process may take a year or two but eventually you'll have compost.

However, by actively managing your compost pile, you can often get finished compost in as little as one month. You can actively decrease the amount of time it takes to create compost if you're willing to take the time to chop up your materials since shredded organic materials can heat up more rapidly and decompose quickly.

Heat is an important factor in effective composting. Hot composting allows aerobic bacteria to thrive. The ideal condition is for pasteurization to occur in a hot compost. Pasteurization will occur when the temperature reaches 55° Celsius (131°F) or more for three or more days. This will kill most pathogens and seeds. Pasteurized compost is valuable to the home gardener since the pasteurization process is otherwise both expensive and complicated, and adding chemicals to produce pasteurization is not an acceptable alternative for organic gardening.

Compost Tumblers

For many gardeners, space is often an issue, and even you have adequate space in your backyard you may not want to have a large unsightly compost heap. Compost tumblers offer a reasonable and effective alternative to the compost pile. And while the claims of some compost tumblers to produce compost in as little as 13 days may be slightly exaggerated, they do offer several benefits over the standard compost heap and they actually can accelerate the decomposition process because of their convenience.

There are a number of benefits of compost tumblers. First, they are generally easy to use and come in a number of sizes and styles that make the turning of your compost piles much easier. Second, because they are fully enclosed they are pest proof from such common pests as squirrels, raccoons, rats and dogs. Also, because tumblers are in a closed environment it's much easier to retain moisture so your compost doesn't dry out. Also in wet weather it won't get too soggy. The enclosed environment also keeps unpleasant orders inside the compost tumbler (however if you're keeping your compost properly aerated by proper turning there should not be any unpleasant odors).

Whether you garden by more modern means, or are a strict organic gardener, one thing is certain; healthy plants come from a healthy and nutritious soil. By making your own compost (a.k.a. gardeners black gold), not only are you being environmentally friendly and very economical, you're producing your own natural black gold for your vegetables, herbs and flowers and providing healthy, safe, and great tasting food for your loved ones.

Katie Collins is a gardener, mother and writer. For more great articles and advice on gardening please visit our websites at Great Vegetable Gardens [http://www.greatvegetablegardens.com] and Better Organic Gardens [http://www.betterorganicgardens.com/blog]

Garden Composter - How Long to Make Compost?

So you're a .


You have learned the way to make compost. You have made, acquired, borrowed or stolen a compost bin. You are adding garden waste and recycling kitchen scraps. Now the ungainly bit - the wait... How long will it take to make the compost? If you've a moderately massive compost bin ( say one metre cubed ), the likelihood is that you could go on filling it indefinitely. As you add to the top, the garden and kitchen waste beneath will slowly be roting, composting and making humus. As it does this the organic material shrinks.
That leaves you more space on top, to add more garden and kitchen waste. The quandary is, if you never run right out of space for the garden waste, chances are high that you will just go on, adding more and never seeing the advantage of the wealthy garden compost you made! For people with smaller compost bins e. G the beehive compost bin, or a kitchen composter, no such fears.
You may run right out of space comparatively quickly and so instantly stop adding more garden waste and naturally wait patiently for your new garden compost to be made. In your case you'll have discovered pretty quickly you will need at least 2 compost bins! Cutoff point for Making the compost pile Unless you've got a compost bin you simply fill fast you must set yourself a cutoff point for making the compost heap. And, you're going to need to stick to it! The best way to do this, is to make a record of when you started your compost pile. Then, according to available space and time you hope to take to fill it, assign yourself a date when you may stop putting garden waste on that heap. We have diverse compost tons of different sizes from 0.5 m cubed to 1m cubed. For the smaller compost piles I give myself three months in which to make the pile. For the bigger, we give them six months of 'creation '. Once that date is reached we cap off the compost heap and start making another. 'Capping Off ' a compost pile For those using sealed compost bins, this step isn't needed. But if you are making compost out in the open, for instance in a wooden bay with no lid, you want to offer protection to the compost heap from the elements a bit.
- first if its been dry throw on a bucket or 2 of water to dampen the entire heap.
- Then add a layer of thick insulating organic material. Like grass clippings or manure. This may keep the heap warm, and seal in smells so no vermin ( or pets ) are drawn to the compost.
- If you experience torrential rain, cover with old carpet, plastic sheeting or an old tarpaulin to deflect the most heavy rainwater. * Note down the date of 'compost heap completion '.
- Wait! When will the Compost be Prepared ? O.K , so how long you wait for the compost to be prepared depends basically on the following : * Climate - in hotter weather decomposition is quicker.
- Moisture - you want to guarantee the compost heap is damp ( not saturated ) through the time you are waiting for it to turn into total garden compost.
- Content Type - most garden and kitchen waste will break down fairly fast. But specific foodstuffs like bones and egg-shells are pretty dense.
These will take six months or even more to break down. Fertilizer from folk ( humanure ) or animals from non organic farms may contain vet chemical remains. These will be gone in 3 months. But if you farm organically and sell your produce, you might need to stick to Soil organisation guiding principles requiring you not to use such composts ( including non-organic pig or birds fertilizer ) for at least half a year.
Yes, but How Long do I actually need to hang about for My Compost?
As a rough rule. If it isn't getting too cold, and you've been a good garden composter, building a diverse compost heap it should be crumbling hummus in 3 months. You will still see the peculiar egg-shell or bleached bone ( in which particular case throw them on the following compost heap, and smack them up a bit before adding to heaps in the future ), but generally your garden compost will be complete. If you add fertilizer from any omnivores or carnivores and you are uncertain the heap has been working efficiently give the pile half a year before using.
How to tell the compost pile is Working Efficiently. I suggest frequently having an impertinent look under the cover of your compost heap to discover how its getting on. If it appears terribly dry you are able to add some water. If the compost appears extraordinarily wet you can leave the cover off and let it dry out! Your compost should get hot in the first month of you 'capping off ' the compost heap. On occasions the compost can really be dangerously hot so watch out. If you see steam, don't touch it! I've been caught out by roting grass clippings, which break down so quickly and give off such great amounts of heat and steam, to burn the hands when checking the compost heap.
This heat is the thing that quickly kills off any evil pathogens in the compost heap. Those pathogens will probably come from food and fertilizer. They are nothing to stress about while you remember harsh cleanliness rules when handling compost ( you are not going to eat it, now are you? ). Cold Compost Tip : If your compost does not get hot, decomposition will still happen, but may take a little longer. This is very often found in cool climates where the compost struggles to become a fast hot heap. Once the compost has heated, it'll cool again. At about that point - when you see no more steam, you can turn the compost. Turning a rubbish pile Now, some of the people swear you've got to turn compost and others ( like myself ) swear you don't! Personally, if the compost is warming nicely and roting I actually don't see the point.
However a compost heap which isn't turned may run the ( not too heavy ) chance of having non-decomposed matter around its edges. However because we've 'capped off ' the compost heap with garden waste which breaks down simply we should not have that problem! I never turn my compost heaps. Now and then I am doing find the wierd woody bit of matter round the edges of the heap that has not utterly broken down. I do not see it as a significant problem.
I just throw any such bits and bobs onto the following heap. if you truly want to turn your compost heap.
Here is how its done : * Pull everything out of your compost bin or compost making area. * Put everything back in your compost bin, or compost heap area. Not complex in any way. However you must confirm the stuff originally from across the edges of the heap, goes into the middle of your new one. And, inversely all of the stuff originally from the middle of the heap, goes round the edges of the new one. Once the compost heap has been turned, you must find it'll heat up again which may speed up decomposition. Unless you've a compost heap which is free-standing and cold with no organic material you can insulate it or cap it off with, I find turning the heap pointless.
Don't turn your compost heap unless you want to, and are about to do it completely. Otherwise it's going to be a waste of your time for a massive quantity of effort.
When is My Compost Prepared ?
I am hoping this answer helps. 
A well made compost heap should be prepared in 3 to half a year. any garden composter will change due to site and contents. How long compost takes to be prepared is highly variable.
If you use plastic or wooden sealed compost bins you may be fairly confident the compost will be prepared in a quarter, as they make sure the compost stays wet and warm.
And when yours is ready grow some lovely potatoes like the ones above!
I have lots more articles on gardening. Please check out my page and go to my blog from there!

Composting and Composters: A Basic Introduction

Why Compost?

Recent studies show that an average family throws away approximately 200 pounds of organic kitchen waste every year. Combine this with all the leaves, grass clippings and other organic garden waste accumulated over time and that's a lot of household waste being added to the already mountainous waste disposal problem. Some local authorities are refusing to take away green waste from gardening and others charge for the service in an effort to curb mounting costs and then when you add in the environmental costs of adding new landfill sites, road transport emissions from ferrying all this waste around and potentially incineration and the fumes that releases the environmental advantages of composting are clear.

In a touch more self-centered terms, if you're a gardener then you may know the comparatively heavy price of fertilizer.

Well, OK a mean gardener's annual fertilizer spending isn't going to cost a bomb but when you can get fertilizer for free out of the stuff you ditch then it starts looking very costly. Composting simply makes good environmental and monetary sense and it's so simple to do there's nothing stopping you. What does one Need to start? A compost bin, box, enclosure or convenient place to put an open compost heap. Inexpensive plastic composters and compost bins can be purchased from all good garden centers and are quite cheap dependent on your necessities. A plastic compost bin is often the least expensive while wood composters are usually more interesting additions to your garden but a touch more expensive. An open heap ( just make a pile somewhere ) is also a choice but it's sensible to have some variety of cover like a tarpaulin available for chillier times of weather. Another subtley different alternative choice to composting in the traditional sense is vermicomposting or worm farms. These utilize a special type of worms to damage down kitchen scraps manufacturing a fine compost-like material fromtheir casts and a nutrient filled liquid plant food which is superb for feeding indoor pot plants.

If do plenty of greenhouse gardening or have plenty of houseplants then a worm farm could be the top choice for the disposal of home waste. If you don't wish to essentially spend cash on a composter then building your own isn't precisely troublesome if you don't mind picking up a hammer and nails. Nail together a few wooden pallets as an example and you have an enclosure appropriate for composting. For plans and ideas on the right way to assemble your own composter at tiny cost, simply head to your fave search website and type in phrases like "build your own composter" or "compost bin plans" for a never ending supply of easy concepts generally costing under $30. Where To Put Your Compost Whether you buy a composting bin or make your own composter you've got to make sure you've got a flat, well drained place in your garden not so far away that you begrudge taking your kitchen scraps out to it. Compost bins shouldn't be placed on concrete, terrace areas and so on. As you would like to permit the insects, worms and microbes which help degradation of your waste materials the liberty to migrate into and out of your compost without hinderance.

Additionally, select a site which suits your climate. Heat and moisture helps the composting process so place your composter in some place which receives a fair quantity of daylight and shelter from the wind if you live in a cooler climate and if in a warmer climate, make sure you give it shade to stop it drying out. What Materials are you able to Compost? Just about all of your organic household and garden waste is an elligible applicant for composting though there are one or two exceptions. Things to especially avoid are meat, fish, bones, fats and oils, dairy foods like milk and cheese, dog and kitty crap as these can attract animals, create foul smells as they degrade and carry unpleasant sicknesses.

Also, while weeds and plants can be added, it is suggested to dry out persisent weeds and remove seed heads before adding these. Ashes are also best evaded, as are glossy mags though shredded paper and card are fine to add. Be at liberty to add waste fruit and veggies, crushed egg shells, coffee grounds ( worms love them ) and tea bags, hair, leaves, grass clippings and other organic waste.

As a rule, if uncertain leave it out but most organic waste will rot down just fine and if you shred it or cut it up smaller, it'll compost quicker.

How Long Before It Becomes Compost? This is dependent on the balance of materials in your compost heap, the weather and the quantity of time you can give to the project. If you'd like to take an active managed approach to your composting then you may have afully composted pile in three months but if your one want is to lose kitchen and garden waste in a 'green ' demeanour then it can take six months to a year or longer. Managed composting can produce a 'hot rot ' with really instant results it does need further effort for you to keep it going. A managed, hot compost heap with a wonderful balance of materials can reach temperatures of seventy degree celsius but needs regular turning and nurturing with careful layering and balance of browns and greens in the mix, shredding materials and maintaining a good moisture level. An unmanaged cool heap is however far easier to maintain and rots down at almost thirty degrees celsius with small input from you. Just throwing your waste on the heap will give you a cooler heap which may rot down slower but is fine for green waste disposal purposes. There are methods to increase the rate of the composting process in every case by, for instance, adding composting worms, or by employing an activator which help speed up the method. The addition of a scattering or soil now and then or pony fertilizer will also add micro-organisms to hurry up the composting process free.

For The Best Compost use a good range of different materials. The more sundry the materials you add to the compost pile, the nutrient rich your last compost will be. Compost made of kitchen and garden waste is the best food for your plants and simultaneously you are helping the environment and saving yourself and your local central authority money into the deal.

Mark Falco is the webmaster of the British gardening shopping guide found at http://www.ukgardeningsupplies.co.uk which includes where to buy composting accessories including composters, compost worms and accessories as well as garden tools, furniture, plants and gardening accessories online for UK delivery.

Garden Composter - How to Choose?

How does one select what type of garden composter to use? Clearly the choice is an exceedingly private one, dictated by budget, style and how swiftly you hope to make garden compost. We'll have a quick look at those you should purchase and those which are free, to aid you in deciding which option to go for. To start lets take a look at the most commonly utilised styles of garden compost bin available to buy : Enclosed Static Garden compost cans These are compact garden composters which keep vermin and rain out, while keeping heat in. These have a tendency to be the most inexpensively acquired kinds of garden compost bin, and the most favoured by those new to garden composting.

They keep everything tidy. You can select between wooden beehive composter or less expensive plastic compost bins.

Ensure there are ventilation holes to permit oxygen in to your compost. Ideally go for a model that has an opening at the base to make allowance for simple removal of the finalized profuct. Garden composters are widely available made of 100 pc recycled plastic so don't be too concerned about the environmental impact of purchasing a plastic model. The problem with enclosed bins is that it can be tough to turn the compost, unless you have got a terribly robust chum to help take the bin off the compost itself. On the positive side, because they keep the garden waste warm and wet composting is comparatively fast and you could have made some rich compost even without turning. Usually these sealed garden compost bins should offer you high quality compost inside half a year.

Using these in especially cold regions or where the quantity of garden waste and kitchen scraps is miniscule, could mean the compost takes up to 2 years to be made. However that is the most extreme case eventuality and not a typical one. In Britain ( unknown for agreeable summers ) a sealed budget plastic compost bin always provided good hummus in under half a year. Rolling Garden compost cans These are a pretty new and trendy improvement in the routinely sensible arena of garden composting. The rolling bins can be rolled to wherever your garden waste is, filled, then rolled off to anywhere you like. Giving them a quick roll every couple of days will mix up the garden waste and kitchen scraps, permitting oxygen in and speeding up decomposition. These keep vermin and rain out, and heat in like the static bins. But they make aerating the pile simple. The drawback is they do get pretty heavy when full. They're handy if you have heaps of flat space as you can roll the bin around your garden from project to project for filling. Compost Tumblers or Revolving composting bins These plastic garden compost bins come in a selection of styles. All of them permit the whole bin to be turned on its axis to mix up and aerate the contents. So effective are these, that they give the opportunity to form handy garden compost much faster than ordinary. Some gardeners say they can create compost inside a few weeks using these bins.

They may simply split the period of time it takes your compost to be made. Some models have a collection system to give you simply with compost tea, which is a great concentrated plant food.

A few have 2 chambers which is an excellent choice ( funds allowing ) as it suggests you can always have one compost pile ready, while another is being made.

If considering a Compost Tumbler be sure to try and avoid those which revolve on their short axis. Though these are frequently the less expensive options, and great to start with, they swiftly become extraordinarily heavy to really revolve. Far easier to use are the ones that are horizontal, revolving on the long axis means it takes a lot less effort to get them spinning. Though dearer than static compost bins these are becoming increasingly popular because they produce the completed compost so speedily. The sole real downside with these bins is they have a tendency to be not much larger and more expensive than static bins. However their speed and potency more than compensates for that. Worm Composters Vermiculture or worm composting is also growing in popularity. Worms create compost extremely swiftly and are delighted to consume a large range of kitchen scraps to do that. Such a small, contained system is excellent for those with some space.

However worms need management. This isn't a system you can forget. Temperature particularly can be a problem so considering where you can site a worm farm out of cold drafts, and hot daylight is significant.

Worm Farm Garden Compost Bins are most straightforward kept inside where temperature fluctuations are less sure. Properly managed worms will break down your kitchen scraps extremely quickly and once more you can simply collect the compost tea they produce.

So as well as fast compost, you get instant liquid plant feed too. These are a good way to reuse kitchen scraps but you'll still need a garden composter if you create much garden waste. But this keeps all vermin captivating food waste inside so means you can decide for a rather more open ( and less expensive ) garden compost bin. Open Garden Composters in the interests of fairness I include these open garden composters. They're a valid option. We have used open systems to form fabulous ( if slow ) garden compost. But I can't advocate stumping up for one. They aren't that dear but I'm certain you might use bits of wood or wire fencing to form a similar thing. For double the cash you can get an enormous plastic compost bin and create your garden compost in a small fraction of the time. They're handy if cash is no option. These are an excellent way of keeping different composting materials clean and prepared to put in a hot garden composter. The right way to select a Garden Composter Truly budget is the key in which garden compost bin you select. There are variations in size but most types of garden composter can be incorporated in even the littlest garden. For me, a compost tumbler is maybe the winner because it works so swiftly, but I should say the common-or-garden static plastic garden compost bin is always a fave. They're inexpensive enough to purchase a few over time so that you can have different states of compost avaiable. They're usually quite fast acting and they last for all eternity. Often I suspect basic is best, so I could be a fan of the basic plastic garden compost bin, but that is just my point of view. One note - consider the color. Lots of the garden compost bins come in a confusing range of shades of green. Not all will vanish into your garden view.

Black, from an alternative perspective always vanishes into the background. Now you have got some.

There are so many ways of garden composting and so many different sorts of garden compost bin available information on what your options are if looking to buy a garden composter.

I have lots more articles on gardening. Please check out my page and go to my blog from there!

Small Garden Composters Start With a Beehive Compost Bin

If you're a new recruit to garden composting and have small space for a Garden Composter you could be engaged with the way the garden compost bin will effect on the garden. I would like to suggest new home composters with little gardens to begin with a beehive compost bin if at all possible.

It's right that in several gardens the home made compost pile is usually a untidy affair, and the bought garden compost bin is commonly not a gorgeous option either, all brown or green plastic. In several scenarios this is fine, and indeed acceptable. But in smaller gardens especially, where things can't be concealed and each garden fixture and fitting has a result on the entire, it is good to achieve the garden recycling dream about home composting without detracting from the fantastic thing about the garden. A wooden beehive compost bin will give you an efficient garden composter while improving the great thing about your outside space. It is sensible, in a little garden to have a comparatively little garden compost bin. It must still be practical. The compost bin must be massive enough for you to take at least 3 to 6 months to fill.

Then you leave for 3 to half a year to rot. In that time you want another compost bin to fill.

If you only have one compost bin, you'll need to take out the rotten contents from the base of the bin constantly, while still ceaselessly adding to the pinnacle of the bin. This is possible but a long way from ideal. 2 garden compost bins, or a twin chamber compost bin, is best. But I admit after you get the home composting bug, you well desire more.

Indeed we have 4 at present but in the future, who knows! My first expedition into the sector of home composting was with a municipally funded, 2 hundred litre capacity, plastic compost bin.

I must say it worked very well. The plastic stops the compost drying out and keeps things warm. The garden compost we received from our plastic bin was fine and crumbling and truly gave me the garden composting bug. But that large plastic compost bin failed to look that great in the small urban garden we then had.

Local councils often sponsor compost bins and water barrels.

Check with yours. That was how we were given our first water barrel and plastic compost bin.

It made both extraordinarily inexpensive indeed. The hideousness of those plastic compost bins is a turn-off for some though . Indeed I have mates with tiny gardens who just wouldn't have one in the garden to ruin the view. Although they love to be 'green ' and 'eco ' in alternative routes they could not bring themselves to reuse kitchen waste and recycle garden waste thru such an eyesore! Silly I suspect, but true and some distance from rare thoughts, I imagine. Let's accept it, as much as many of us like to reduce our result on the earth we have certain needs and wants. And, if yours is keeping the garden pretty and / or plastic free, the plastic compost bin and water barrel combo isn't for you! This is the reason why I'm such hot for the wooden beehive composter. They're attractive. Indeed I might love one, although it might be completely unrealistic as we compost vast amounts of organic material. They are just so engaging! I suspect having the ability to get a pretty product is a great thing. If you are not one of life's natural garden composters, satisfied with bins made from pallets, plastic and chicken wire, a hint of glamour may actually inspire you. I can not see any reason why you would not wish to visit and constantly top up such a pretty garden compost bin! Shockingly they are not as pricey as I believed they'd be either, and actually do make a feature out of whatever spot in the garden they appear in. I would always counsel having as huge a compost bin as practical and indeed composting as much garden, kitchen and animal waste as practical. I'm the proud owner of a dry compost loo, so I know whereof I talk. However for small gardens and just those new to home composting, I believe getting a pretty compost bin is a smart idea.

So many folks think making garden compost is mucky, or tricky, or tough work, that for them, building a spread of compost boxes is rarely going to be even a concept.

Except for anyone that starts home composting even just one or two kitchen scraps and grass clippings in a comparatively small ready made compost bin, it still is a decrease in commercial composts sold, peat bog devastated and rubbish heap filled. So , although I won't have one, I totally see the point of the gorgeous, country wooden beehive compost bins and still lust after them in my girlier gardening moments.

Except for me the entire point of garden composting is to make as much hummus as practical so they might never be practical here. I suspect they'd make a good pressie for somebody ( with a pretty garden ) who still has to be converted to the advantages of composting garden waste or kitchen scraps too. For those folks will see 'what is compost? ' quickly and thru the rose colored glasses of someone with a very attractive compost bin! Sealed garden compost bins are good for composting without caring about vermin or indeed children getting their hands on the kitchen waste. In wet climates your sealed bins mean you do not get the full heap too damp ( which would stop the microbes having the ability to function ). They also stop all of the goodness leaching away.

Sealed compost bins are similarly cool in hot climates where the heap could dry out ( microbes do need clammy conditions just not saturated ones ). If I was only starting out garden composting or a looking out for a tiny garden composter, I might definitely look into the wooden beehive compost bin option. Whether to improve the look of a small garden or because you are only composting kitchen waste on a small scale, they work well and look great.

I have lots more articles on gardening. Please check out my page and go to my blog from there!

The Best Small Compost Bins For Small Gardens

When gardening in a little yard it is critical that all of the parts be perfect, or as near to polish as we will manage. With space expensive we want to select the best tiny garden composter suited to our desires. After reviewing both standard little compost bins and yard tumblers here are my top 3 garden compost bins for tiny gardens. All of my top 3 compost bins for tiny spaces will give you great garden compost. All are ventilated, vermin explanation and made from dark plastic.

This gives all 3 the facility to produce fast, hot compost from your garden waste and kitchen scraps. And all should prove sturdy enough to last thru the years of composting to come. Your financial position and just how tiny your little yard is, will naturally define which is more suitable to your requirements. But all of the top 3 tiny garden composters are a handy place to start before deciding. The Envirocycle Compost Tumbler This is a great small yard tumbler. It comes in a range of colors. In a tiny space black appears farther away so that's the one I might select.

Also being black has an advantage of inflating the heat within the drum, so helping in making your garden compost quicker.

This is a perfect yard tumbler for tiny gardens as it sits low to the ground so having much less impact in a tiny space. As the design is low to the ground there is also less of a problem if you've got an imperfect place to site the bin. Whilst those on high metal frames must be placed somewhere fully level and out of the way to stop knocks, this one isn't going to go anywhere regardless of whether it gets the peculiar knock from running kids or pets. Being a comparatively tiny drum which spins on its short axis, this is one compost tumbler which remains straightforward to spin irrespective of how full it becomes.

All that spinning means you never need to turn or mix the composting material in any alternative way. One of the things I particularly like is that it has a decent guaranty. Some of the more expensive tumbling compost bins come with far shorter guarantees which makes me fret about there more convoluted designs. The Envirocycle compost tumbler has a manufacturer's guarantee of five years for the drum, two years for the base.

Another feature is that the material is fifty percent post purchaser, recycled plastic that means purchasing the Envirocycle helps the environment that bit.

Though making compost in four to six weeks is very fast, I would stress that ideally ( space allowing ) you'd need 2 of these bins to offer a year round home to all of your organic waste. The SoilSaver composting bin This is as basic as manufactured garden compost bins have a tendency to get. This is inexpensive but it's also sturdy, simple to install, and square that means it is even better fitted to tiny spaces. Being a static bin, means this composter will not typically produce garden compost quite so fast as the Envirocycle. it is well insulated and black so it'll still produce quality compost within just a few months. The sole point which wishes ot be remembered about the SoilSaver compost bin is that it'll only work correctly if sited on flattened ground.

This is as it is square with sliding sides ( making removing compost straightforward ) and a locking lid ( to keep out vermin ). If you don't place this on flat ground the corners will be under pressure and the lid is not likely to remain firmly fitted. This is easy to get together and made of seventy five % post shopper, recycled plastic. So although the name is not as 'green ', this is essentially the most green garden composter of the 3. This tiny composter is awfully cheap but robust and robust. So much in order that it features a 25 year guarantee, establishing the religion the makers have in their product. Again, space allowing you would need two of these garden composters to guarantee year round collection of your organic waste. The Earthmaker Garden Composter This looks like the best garden composter for a little garden because you shouldn't need any extra compost bins. This system incorporates 3 bins into one. You add new organic waste to the top. Then once a month utilise a tool to slip the chamber base so that roting materials fall down into the lower chambers. Once the system is set up, and you have been using it a bit you ought to have a non stop supply of finished garden compost in the bottom.

At the exact same time you must also always have a space at the very top in which to deposit more garden waste and kitchen scraps. This is significantly more costly than the 2 options above but if space is your supreme problem, it might provide a reply to your composting wants. This is a really efficient, hot, system of making compost.

Once established your waste should become garden compost inside a month. The makers suggest you will be making ten gallons of compost each a month but manifestly that depends much on how much waste you have got to put in it.

It is displeasing that there's no info available about any extended guaranty either on amazon or other ( costlier ) stockists. Though as it is created from strong plastic, without any complicated metal framework or wheels it at least looks extremely sturdy. This constant composting system is the one I would choose if I actually couldn't accommodate 2 composters into my garden.

However if your small garden isn't quite that small I suggest the Envirocycle compost tumbler for easy use or the Soilsaver for no-nonsense, long lasting garden composting.

I have lots more articles on gardening. Please check out my page and go to my blog from there!

Best Type of bin Composter

To restate a popular phrase : "compost occurs" and indeed it does. Make a mound of shredded leaves and grass clippings, stir it up now and then and so long as it is getting rained on infrequently you'll at last get compost. Worms and minute creatures will do their thing.

While this process is easy enough it does have downsides. Not everybody has a good location for this pile of compost hopeful. Another problem is it is tough to control the moisture level of an open pile of composting material which you don't need to wet or too dry. With the open pile design you cannot immediately remove some compost when you're prepared for it, you want to hang fire till the pile has finished composting.

So you can finish up with multiple masses of compost in your bin that are at assorted stages of completion. To help address a number of these issues we have come up with tactics to boost the method. Many of us use upright bins to compost.

These can be as easy as a frame of shipping pallets on their sides to form a box. This kind of composter will actually help in making your composting more than a spreading pile. This kind of composting will also permit more urgent oxygen to reach all areas of the composting material. You'll also find it fairly simple to mix up the composting material. 2 issues still remain. First this is still essentially a batch process and 2nd, moisture control is tough unless you tarp the container. There are more recent made bins that come nearer to getting it right, with the idea being that you add the material in the top and remove compost from some form of drawer in the bottom as you want it. The tenet sounds excellent but with many of those composters it is tricky to correctly mix up and add air ( aerate ) the compost. Whether or not you're able to do a good job stirring it up you are back to fundamentally a batch process without the intended downward and out flow. Yet if you don't stir it up well and just keep adding material to the top, the absence of oxygen will significantly slow or halt the composting process with this sort of composter. A new big step in composter evolution was to head to a straightforward drum style compost tumbler. Fundamentally , a barrel was attached to some kind of stand that permitted it to be revolved.

This was a genuine jump in composting technology as you now could monitor and control moisture content, comprehensively mix and aerate the composting material and the composting could occur on a neat enclosed space. For all of the benefits, one enormous downside still stayed. This was the ongoing problem of the batch nature of pretty much all composters. How could a composter be designed so the composting would continue as a continuing process with finished compost removed as it is required? The answer was the development of a composter with a drum inside a drum. This double drum system allows material to be added through a door in the side of the outer drum and as it breaks down into compost it'll exit out a discharge port at the end of the rotating drum. This development has solved the last of the major hurdles to effective yard composting.

No more batch composting! With this kind of composter, a good mixture of greens and browns, and a little water, you'll get your first compost in a fortnight and keep making across the warm part of the year or all year long in warm climates. When you are looking for the quickest most effective yard composter, you actually need to think about a composter that incorporates the double drum technology. Another benefit we've found is that youngsters love to discover how the compost appears to magically appear from the output port although it was grass and leaves for example. That was added to the feed port.

moments before rotating the drum. This has allowed these high tech composters to be an interesting educational tool to help us impress upon children how they can be involved in the stewardship of our fragile earth.  

Derrick Walters MBA has degrees in biology and chemistry. Derrick is a partner in a business that markets "green" products. To contact the newest in high tech compost tumblers you can visit http://midstatecomposters.com where you will find top rated composters and lots of composting information and tips.

Tumbling Compost Bin

Any person that gardens can swear to the seriousness of nutritive additions when adding to the ground additional minerals. Composting is a method to do that and besides being cheap ; it forestalls the necessity to haul the organic material to a dump.

But making a compost pile and maintaining it's not always that simple. You have to turn the compost often to extend the aeration, which hastens the method. Cold composting, simply putting the compost in a pile and making sure to keep it wet, takes just about a year in a number of cases. While a good mix in the pile impedes odours, some towns and municipalities don't permit you to have an open area compost pit. If you aren't keen on the view of crumbling organic material for the year, turning the pile, or making a hot compost pile hastens the method down to roughly ten weeks. Turning compost by hand is a hard process. It needs time and effort.

Routinely the composter uses a pitchfork to lift and turn the pile. Turning the pile is far less complicated if you employ a tumbling compost bin. These barrels enable you to feed it air steadily and help to maintain the moisture levels of the compost. Folk frequently bag grass trash , for example grass clippings and leave it beside the road for the rubbish man. Those that think green see it as a waste of a handy resource. Grass trash like grass clippings and leaves are the base material for composting. If you have a tumbling compost bin, after you mow the grass or rake it, you can simply put it into the bin and add it to your pile already cooking. Composting needs micro-organisms to achieve success. These mini employees help break down the organic materials and are required for good composting. Some folk who compost use a little bit of the soil they made in a prior batch to supply the new batch with the micro-organisms. If you use compost barrels or a tumbling compost bin, you can simply add new material to it as you go. Compost barrels or a tumbling compost bin aren't just engaging methods of storing compost, they've a valuable purpose in the procedure. The tumbling bin, in particular, saves the preliminary step of premixing the compost. Since the tumbling compost bin enables you to mix the cooking it comprehensively as you turn it, not like the standard bin, there isn't a need to layer and stack as there is with standard compost containers.

Both the compost barrels and tumbling compost bin also help forestall it from drying. The compost will not break down if it does not have moisture. While you may have to add water intermittently, during even high drought seasons, the enclosed barrels and tumbling bin frequently inhibits the moisture from evaporating and yet permits the air to infiltrate the compost. Using table scraps in compost piles can create an invite for wild animals like skunks, to come to your smorgasboard.

The protecting enclosure of tumbling compost bin helps stop animals from joining you for dinner and bringing along chums.

You can cushty vegetable-based table scraps into these bins without troubling they will be all over your grass the following day.

If you would like to compost in the town, a tumbling compost bin or compost barrels are the way to go. They're odor-free, but keep the pests from raiding the compost pile, make sure they are neat and don't present an eyesore to the public. Using these bins may be the only way the urban or suburban gardener can create their own soil.

Nicole Roberts
Compostshed.com provides Compost Tumblers and Accessories for the Urban Gardener. Whether you have a small garden, a patio with potted plants or a driveway lined with flora you can compost with our tumbling compost bin and have organic compost for your vegetable and plant gardens in a very short time.

Why Using a Home Composting Bin is So Great!

Have you heard about composting, but just aren't sure what it means? Not sure why how compost can be advantageous to you? If you have not started composting at home yet, now may be the time! Home composting is far more than just a growing trend among gardeners, it's a way to reuse your kitchen scraps and yard refuse into something you may use compost! So what's compost and why is it so favorable? Compost is a fresh black material equivalent in appearance and texture to potting soil. It is produced naturally when organic material breaks down and rots ( a technique a. K. A composting ). The ensuing compost is loaded in nutriments that plants love, making it one of the very finest sorts of manure you may use.

Compost, often referred to as black gold, can be tilled into the soil before trees, plants, or other plants are planted. It may also be applied to the soil around existing plants. Compost will help plants grow larger, quicker, and stronger than you ever thought attainable.

Better composting is a method to recycle! Everyone knows that recycling is the honest thing to do. The more items we will be able to keep out of our landfills, the better.

And in fact, why dump things you can turn into valuable compost? Straightforward stuff like plant peelings, dead leaves from your trees, and plant clippings can all become compost.

It just sounds right to reuse these things into compost instead of throwing them away. So how do you start with home composting? Well, first you want to choose what kind of composting you need to do. There are 2 basic sorts of composting, aerobic and anaerobic.

Anaerobic composting makes reference to techniques like a compost pile. Compost piles are one of the simplest techniques of composting. They need minimal effort and nearly no upkeep. Simply pick a spot in your yard ( ideally a great distance away from your home ; keep reading and we'll explain why ) and begin a bunch of the organic materials to be composted. Sounds straightforward, right? While anaerobic composting is straightforward, there are some downsides.

First is the length of time needed. The microbes that break materials down in anaerobic composting are extremely inefficient. When you pile things up in a compost pile, it can take one or two years for them to totally break down and become finished compost. The second problem is the odour produced. Many of us think about composting as a stinky process, and when it comes down to anaerobic composting, they're correct.

Anaerobic bacteria produce methane and sulfate gasses as a side-effect of the composting process, and these are gasses that we find awfully offensive and pungent. Aerobic composting, from another perspective, is a completely different process. Like the name would suggest, aerobic composting needs oxygen, suggesting that the organic materials being broken down must be aerated continually. A compost pile can be mixed and turned frequently to prompt aerobic bacteria ; but this is typically a tricky and labor-intense process.

The best way to compost materials aerobically is to purchase a compost tumbler. Compost tumbler bins are built to be revolved, so the aerobic microbes get the oxygen they require to make finished compost. Against this to anaerobic bacteria, aerobic microbes are very efficient and fast. A compost tumbler, under the right temperature and moisture conditions, can mostly produce finished compost inside about six weeks.

Even better aerobic bacteria don't produce smelly gasses like anaerobic bacteria, implying aerobic composting is a just about unscented process. Compost tumbler bins can be simply acquired thru many online and mail order stores. Irrespective of what sort of composting you settle on, home composting is still a superb idea. Not only is composting good for the earth, it is also great for your plants and garden. And , you may have the satisfaction of turning rubbish and yard waste into something truly valuable you can use. Home composting is not just for master gardeners any more, so what are.

you waiting for? Start composting today!

Visit Home Products 'n' More for more information on home composter units. We also offer free shipping on compost tumbler bins!

Composting workshop offered

Master Composter Sarah Everson and UW-Fond du Lac Assistant Professor of Biology David Demezas will teach a workshop on do-it-yourself composting from 9-11 a.m. Saturday.

Participants will build a bin on the campus of UW-Fond du Lac and learn how they can make compost in their backyards.

Composting is an easy way to reduce the quantity of yard waste and create a soil amendment that can be ready for your spring garden. In addition to providing nutrients, compost makes soil healthier.

Registration is not necessary. Participants can bring lawn clippings and shredded leaves they would like to contribute to the first round of compost started in the new bin.

The workshop will take place rain or shine at UW-Fond du Lac. Participants should dress for the weather.

The new compost bin will collect scraps from Linstrom's Catering and staff break rooms. The compost produced will be used on campus flower beds.

View the original article here