I'm an old gardener who still hasn't done a lot of things after many years of gardening.
I've grown tomatoes for probably forty years. This is the first year I've grown heirlooms from seed.
I've used compost a lot in the past, but it was always purchased compost. This year, we have a lot of winter Rye grass lawn clippings and other organics like oak leaves around. I also have a forty five gallon plastic trash container with a lid. I drilled some 1/2" holes in the sides and bottom of the container and started putting the organics in the container. We are adding coffee grounds with the filter. Banana peels, spoiled veggies from the frig. and vegetable trimmings to the grass clippings and lawn mower chopped leaves. I even added a cut up watermelon from the store that wasn't worth eating to it yesterday.
Since I have drain holes in the bottom of the container, should I leave the lid off or should I leave it on to let the heat speed up the decomposition?
At some point, I will probably remove the bottom from the container and replace it with 1/2" square wire mesh material. I will then build some kind of frame for the container to sit elevated on with a catch pan under the container to catch the compost as it filters through the wire mesh.
If the material in the container needs occasional mixing, I can fasten the lid on with some bungee cords and simply roll it around on the ground. Does it need to be mixed?
Any thoughts or ideas on what I am doing will be appreciated. I would like to have some compost this season to make compost tea for my garden.
Ted
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scoobdoob808
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rainbowgardener
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It doesn't have to be mixed, but tumbling it will speed up the process.
But its a choice of whether you want to be doing continuous addition or batch composting. If you want to be able to continuously add compostables through the season, just keep adding things at the top and letting compost fall out the bottom, without mixing. That's how compost bins like this work:
[url=https://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=423356&pid=_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=664039]compost bin[/url]
If you want to do batch composting, where you fill your container up with compostables, then don't add any more until those are done, then tumbling makes the process go a lot faster. https://www.compostumbler.com/StoreFront/IAFDispatcher
You just have to have some where else to collect your kitchen scraps and yard waste while that batch is processing. If you keep adding, the raw stuff and the finished stuff get all tumbled up together, and you've got no way to get the finished stuff out separate from the raw stuff. And though they advertise "14 days" what I've heard (haven't tried it myself) is that is exaggeration and it is still going to be a month or two.
If you can leave the lid off, I think that helps with air circulation, but it depends on your critter population. If you have raccoons, possums etc, you have to be able to keep them out of it.
But its a choice of whether you want to be doing continuous addition or batch composting. If you want to be able to continuously add compostables through the season, just keep adding things at the top and letting compost fall out the bottom, without mixing. That's how compost bins like this work:
[url=https://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=423356&pid=_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=664039]compost bin[/url]
If you want to do batch composting, where you fill your container up with compostables, then don't add any more until those are done, then tumbling makes the process go a lot faster. https://www.compostumbler.com/StoreFront/IAFDispatcher
You just have to have some where else to collect your kitchen scraps and yard waste while that batch is processing. If you keep adding, the raw stuff and the finished stuff get all tumbled up together, and you've got no way to get the finished stuff out separate from the raw stuff. And though they advertise "14 days" what I've heard (haven't tried it myself) is that is exaggeration and it is still going to be a month or two.
If you can leave the lid off, I think that helps with air circulation, but it depends on your critter population. If you have raccoons, possums etc, you have to be able to keep them out of it.
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gixxerific
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
- Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B
I had a trash can bin setup last year due to no space for an actual compost pile in my newer yard at that time and no room in the than too small garden.
I left the lid on sometimes and sometimes took it off. It was a black trash can. I did the same thing with holes all over the sides and bottom. I did have the lid so I could tie it on and rolling it around is the best, if it is not to heavy maybe give it a shake up and down as well or turn it end over end. That and the rolling will mix it up good. It worked pretty well I got some nice compost out of it. Though in retrospect I believe a pile or bin out in the elements (air) works a bit faster, Yet the trash can method is surely doable and will give you compost.
good luck.
p.s. the wire mesh bottom would be great. It would give more oxygen to the pile and let it drain better. I believe that my system got to moist and stayed that way, it might have been better if I "mixed" it up more though. Not to mention better access for our buddy the worm.
I left the lid on sometimes and sometimes took it off. It was a black trash can. I did the same thing with holes all over the sides and bottom. I did have the lid so I could tie it on and rolling it around is the best, if it is not to heavy maybe give it a shake up and down as well or turn it end over end. That and the rolling will mix it up good. It worked pretty well I got some nice compost out of it. Though in retrospect I believe a pile or bin out in the elements (air) works a bit faster, Yet the trash can method is surely doable and will give you compost.
good luck.
p.s. the wire mesh bottom would be great. It would give more oxygen to the pile and let it drain better. I believe that my system got to moist and stayed that way, it might have been better if I "mixed" it up more though. Not to mention better access for our buddy the worm.