I've committed several sins in starting my new pile.
At my mom's house, I had an open pile, but now that I'm renting, I thought it would be better to have it contained and covered (my landlord lives just across the driveway). I picked up a cheap garbage can and started throwing stuff in there.
My sins:
- no ventilation (at all; kept the lid on)
- did not add any brown material
- added meat, dairy, and cooked items
- haven't stirred it once
I can't remember how soon after moving in we started the bin, but it's well over six months. I drilled some holes in the bottom to start letting it drain, but do I need to throw out the whole bin and start fresh? Or can I dump it out (gag! it's pretty rank due to lack of ventilation), drill some ventilation holes up the sides of the can, and put it back in with layers of brown material?
- Moonshadow
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- rainbowgardener
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You are right about all the things you listed as mistakes. And unfortunately I agree with MG about pitch it and start over. Most of the other mistakes could well be salvageable, but putting meat in there makes it sort of over the top. Rotten meat is not only very nasty, but could have some nasty toxins.
I do put small amounts of dairy in my compost, well mixed with lots of other green and brown ingredients and don't seem to have much trouble with that. I wouldn't overload it though.
I do put small amounts of dairy in my compost, well mixed with lots of other green and brown ingredients and don't seem to have much trouble with that. I wouldn't overload it though.
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I agree with burial, it still has a lot of good nutrients in it.
Meat and dairy will smell bad, but they are full of nitrogen. I can't really think what kind of 'toxins' you're referring to, rainbow, unless you mean bacteria.
Something like this could be salvaged, layered between dry browns, and eventually it would make compost, but due to the gooey nasty stench, I like the burial option.
Meat and dairy will smell bad, but they are full of nitrogen. I can't really think what kind of 'toxins' you're referring to, rainbow, unless you mean bacteria.
Something like this could be salvaged, layered between dry browns, and eventually it would make compost, but due to the gooey nasty stench, I like the burial option.
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So... 3-2 now. Hmmm. If the stench is the main problem with trying to fix it, I can deal with that. I work in a produce warehouse and I've smelled some pretty nasty stuff. (A room full of rotten watermelons is no joke!)
Burying it won't do me any good nutrient-wise, since I'm going to be planting in containers.
Burying it won't do me any good nutrient-wise, since I'm going to be planting in containers.
I garden in pretty suburban plots. The usual pest over the past 40 years has been one of more neighboring dogs.
A holding can (like what you're using) lets stuff putrify and make the compost bin unpaliatable to Fido.
Layered in with some browns (yard waste) its worked for me.
If it was alive, it will rot.
A holding can (like what you're using) lets stuff putrify and make the compost bin unpaliatable to Fido.
Layered in with some browns (yard waste) its worked for me.
If it was alive, it will rot.
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I'm with tomc. Put it in a bigger bin open on the bottom to the ground and smother it with a mix rich in browns.
I like the Pallet bin approach personally. Spread a thick layer of browns on the bottom. Stick Experiment 1 in the middle. Surround it and then cover with fresh feed stocks of browns mixed with greens. Add water. Extra points for turning after a month or so and covering again or just keep adding water for another 6 months.
Not a major disaster. With the meat and dairy you just want to keep that thoroughly, deeply covered. I avoid that stuff myself because then I have to manage it more carefully to keep the smells and the vermin away.
Good information in the link here. I refer back to it myself every so often.
https://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/compost-info/
Watch what happens as time goes by and adjust things then.
to sense
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I'm with tomc. Put it in a bigger bin open on the bottom to the ground and smother it with a mix rich in browns.
I like the Pallet bin approach personally. Spread a thick layer of browns on the bottom. Stick Experiment 1 in the middle. Surround it and then cover with fresh feed stocks of browns mixed with greens. Add water. Extra points for turning after a month or so and covering again or just keep adding water for another 6 months.
Not a major disaster. With the meat and dairy you just want to keep that thoroughly, deeply covered. I avoid that stuff myself because then I have to manage it more carefully to keep the smells and the vermin away.
Good information in the link here. I refer back to it myself every so often.
https://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/compost-info/
Watch what happens as time goes by and adjust things then.
to sense
..
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I vote for layering w/ lots of absorbent browns in something big enough, yet air-accessible.
the only penance one must do to atone for the sin of a big bucket of anoxic stink is having to deal with it. you may not smell good, but you'll be gardening-pure when you're done.
re: botulism, etc - please don't eat your unfinished compost, otherwise you should be okay. I agree the biggest risk in using meat or dairy scraps in compost is pests (dogs, rats, raccoon, etc) making a mess.
the only penance one must do to atone for the sin of a big bucket of anoxic stink is having to deal with it. you may not smell good, but you'll be gardening-pure when you're done.
re: botulism, etc - please don't eat your unfinished compost, otherwise you should be okay. I agree the biggest risk in using meat or dairy scraps in compost is pests (dogs, rats, raccoon, etc) making a mess.
Thank you potatoes. people have been hunting this particular unicorn since at least the middle nineties.!potatoes! wrote:re: botulism, etc - please don't eat your unfinished compost, otherwise you should be okay. I agree the biggest risk in using meat or dairy scraps in compost is pests (dogs, rats, raccoon, etc) making a mess.
Your responce is the most temperant I have seen.
Again thank you.
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If you cover the pile with a thick layer of whatever browns you used, or any other non-putrified composting material, it will absorb some of the odor.
If those batteries sit a long time between uses, they can lose the ability to hold a charge, especially if they are the big heavy NiCd type. This is the worst thing about older battery powered tools - they are not good for people who don't use them often. The newer NiMH batteries won't do that, though. Battery technology has improved quite a bit.
If those batteries sit a long time between uses, they can lose the ability to hold a charge, especially if they are the big heavy NiCd type. This is the worst thing about older battery powered tools - they are not good for people who don't use them often. The newer NiMH batteries won't do that, though. Battery technology has improved quite a bit.
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