A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 How to make a compost bin III

To answer the best I can hoa today I got 2 1/2 bags of green lawn clippings from my landlord. It's the last mowing of the season so I took the largest bag over to the compost pile and spread it over the top of the entire thing. The I got the pitch fork and broke the pile up and then piled it back up so the new green is mixed in with everything else. And I did my best to get the pile 3 feet by 3 feet so that the center will get good and hot and quicken the decomposing. It still is getting warmish here during the day so there is a chance I can give it a good start on next year if I continue to turn it until it freezes I think. But I am a beginner and Weezie knows lots and lots more than I do.

So today I moved one of the bin under the lilac. I still have one bin left to move. In the new bin I put a lot of long wood sticks sticking out everywhere. I hope instead of turning the pile (which I will not do anymore bcs the weather will be very cold pretty soon), I will shake the sticks to give them some air. I would apprecitate if you guys have any comments so I can correct any error and can also apply to the second bin.

Hoa,
Just remember that the lilac bush will eventually
send it's little feeder roots over to there
to get at that nice dirt, and will get up into
the roots if left too long..

I know from experience they love that stuff...

I accidently put a elderberry bush next to one
too, wowwwwww, did it get a big root over to
that bin....

**And Tammy, for a beginner composter, you sure
are doing an awesome job...keeping up with it,
and making as much compost as you do...

*and if I know more than you, it's only cause my mommy and daddy composted for like all of my life, I was the offical compost dumper *kitchen scraps* my whole life up on the hill.. so, I've been around it for a wee~bit of time....
I've been in love with that black gold an entire life time it seems... I wanted to play in it
when I was little, much to my parents dismay!!!!
And when I would walk out into the woods, and see mother nature doing a humongous job of it...
I'd steal it for my little flower garden I had
when I was a teen...
Can never get enough of that compost...

It has been cold and there are a lot of snow those last 3 days. So I cannot do anything much. I guest I will move everything next year.
Now I will try to do a small batch in the garage, in a 35 gallons garbage can with used coffee, tea, leak and paper? If it will be too smelly even with a good ratio I will put them outside then. Still wandering if it would be OK in a huge carton. I would not consider a bigger garbage can because the delivery for a 45 gallons garbage can cost too much...

What do you mean by a huge carton??
Put the garbage can inside the huge carton,
or put the actual compost into the huge carton?

And what is the huge carton made of?

I have never tried it in the garage, so I would be very interested in your outcome..
My main interest would still be if it froze...

Here, I believe mine still would,
so, I don't do it..
Especially if one rodent were to smell that much
food in a can in a garage, frozen or not, it would be there in a heart beat gnawing at it.

Is your can plastic or metal???

They deliver them???
Are these the one's that like your town or county supplies for recycling????????

Hello Weezie,
- A 45 gallons garbage can is too big to fit into my car. So Home Depot offer delivery service with a fee. The whole thing cost too much for me.
- A carton is a box made of thick paper.
- So the rodents like vegetarian food also, Weezie?

They love grain but will eat anything including your drywall. Ok, maybe they aren't eating your drywall but they will tear it up right along with your insulation and curtains. Mice are very bad to attract to your dwelling and very hard to get rid of.

I think longy did a post on using cardboard cartons he really recommends them so if you have one I would look up that post. I think you will find everything you would want on that one.

Oh boy! Certainly I don't want some mice in the house. I am glad I asked you. Thank you very much, guys, for the warning.

We've had them here chew thru
plastic garbage cans to get to
a bag of birdseed..

If it's a cold enough winter, and too
deep for getting to the lawn underneath,
they'll love a compost pile...

For anyone that has advise on container!! I have enough to start a compose but a small back yard I don't want mice EEEEUUUOOOWWWWW! A metal trash can with holes drilled?? on bottom wouldn't that make it hard to 'turn'? I need to get started this week Hubby wants to throw out everything I've been saving trash day is Thursday!!! Dec 1 Help quick !!!!

Yep, a metal one would work fine....

And don't let the mice talk scare you
Or hubby...
They are everywhere...
and a pile won't attrack them any more or any less, just cause you have one...

but what we're saying is that one shouldn't
start them real close to your house,
because of ALL the factors involved in composting..

One of these days, I have to get to my neighbors house, they have a home made system, where he took a plastic one, and put it up on two posts like and slide a bar thru it and can turn it, like those compost tumblers....
I just haven't trotted over there to take a picture yet...

Wooow! Such a good idea.

Well the compost bin got turned today and a load of leaves got added to the compost pile. That pile has really shrunk. It is amazing how small it has gotten compared to where it started. But not for long evidently one of my landlords neighbors has a bunch of leaves she is getting rid of and I said I'd take all of them lol. Even if it is to much for the grass clippings I have now they will still decompose just slower. My grass clippings are barely getting warm anymore I guess it's just a little to cold but that's ok.

I have a ton of stuff acquired to add to my pile, but it has been raining or too windy for me to go out and be able to work with the pile. Sure hope the wind and rain quits soon!!!!

Here in Montreal, Canada, tonight it's getting warm, but it may rain tomorow. So I will see if I can do anything good between the showers. I really miss the indian summers. I wesh I can have a few more day to work with the compost piles.

Thanks Weezie! I 'll get a metal trash can tomarrow and drill holes I told hubby you said He can't scare me nor the Mice out of having a compose pile so
upon initial layering when should I first "turn" ?

I turn once a week but that's because I'm old and tired. lol

Tk! Old and Tired? You?the official blabbermouth? NAAAAAAAA!!
Well then that's what I'll do as well once a week turn,, I'm excited to get started came home from work with trash can in hand, I drilled holes in the bottom and a few 3 inches from bottom around sides put it up on cinder blocks Hubby promised me he'll cut a 'flapdoor on the side length ways and hinge it on so I can lay it on its side it's larger than 55 gallon . actually I believe the hinged door idea is keeping him from coming out and helping me turn it. Oh well what ever works!!!

When you get it all finished be sure to show us a picture of it Angelblossom.

Angelblossom,
Please keep us posted

I have a couple of those handrakes that I take the top half of the compost out with and then I tip over the can. When it's full I can't tip it over at all lol. You know if your bin is up on centerblocks, you could get a pan and put under it and collect the compost tea that leaks out. That is a great fertilizer from what I've heard. I think it can even be used as a foliar spray? Have to ask Weezie about that sometimes I get mixed up.

It sounds like you have a great set up so far. If your's is metal I'm thinking it is probably silver in color. If you want to you can get some metal spray paint and paint it black. That helps draw more heat to it which is a good thing. Just a thought. It certainly isn't necessary.

I hope your compost brings you as many beautiful plants as it is me.

Check this out..
It's an ad that shows up on the top
for the Google search..

I wish Santa would bring me one..
An indoor composter...

I'm cryin' here...

Wow Weezie...That would be nice to have and it is on sale right now:
Regular price: $450.00 Sale price: $399.00

Well if we wait they will come out with a cheaper model...Soon I hope.

Cheese, I wish we can invent one of our own. It must be something like a slow dryer.
For the moment, I have a lot of carbonated papers; are they any good for our regular compost?

WoW Weezie I don't think Santa would bring me one no matter how good I've been But I sure can get one for my self When Income tax comes back LOLOLOL Seems there could be a way to "Jimmy Rig" one HMMMMMMMM Lets think on this one LOLOL