Composting 101

[Anonymous]

The other thread about composting got me thinking that maybe this is the year I finally start composting! Any tips on where and how to get started? I'm in N. Arlington if that makes a difference. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We bought this for our backyard:

http://www.amazon.com/Envirocycle-Systems-EBC-BK-Original-Composter/dp/B004FVEDAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397216203&sr=8-1&keywords=envirocycle+composter

And this for the kitchen:

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Compost-Bin/dp/B003ZFW0YQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397216163&sr=8-2&keywords=compost+bin

Aim for 1/2 brown matter (leaves, hay, drier lint) and 1/2 vegetable/fruit scraps, eggs shells, etc. from the kitchen. No meat, fish or grains. Add a few worms if you find them. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

This is what we do and have done for decades.

For kitchen scraps- all vegetable/fruits NO meat or dairy- we put it in a container that looks like this : http://www.storables.com/kitchen/kitchen-trash-recycling/composting/1-gallon-compost-pail.html

In our back yard, we have three recycled palettes attached in a u shape and we dump the kitchen waste there. In the fall, we put in some leaves and in the summer the occasional but of grass. Otherwise we leave it alone. Once a year in the spring, I take a shovel and shovel off the recent bits to a pile to the side. then I dig up the composted material and put it into our wheelbarrow and wheel it over to our vegetable and flower beds and spread it around. Then I go back and put the pile of recent bits back into the compost spot.

[Anonymous]

do you think i could compost my guinea pigs wood chips and poop? sorry for typing so badly, im typing with one hand.

[Anonymous]

once you start agging thing to the composter how long before you can start using the compoat? A year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:once you start agging thing to the composter how long before you can start using the compoat? A year?

it depends on you method-- we use a pile sort of like one of the PPs and generally I wait about a year, or sometimes 6 months, but if you are more methodical about it I think it will be ready earlier

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:once you start agging thing to the composter how long before you can start using the compoat? A year?

I started composting in October and just mixed the compost in with my garden 2 weeks ago. I had to pick out a few Brussels sprouts' stalks and broccoli stalks that hadn't fully decomposed, but other than that it was pretty well decomposed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We bought this for our backyard:

http://www.amazon.com/Envirocycle-Systems-EBC-BK-Original-Composter/dp/B004FVEDAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397216203&sr=8-1&keywords=envirocycle+composter

And this for the kitchen:

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Compost-Bin/dp/B003ZFW0YQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397216163&sr=8-2&keywords=compost+bin

Aim for 1/2 brown matter (leaves, hay, drier lint) and 1/2 vegetable/fruit scraps, eggs shells, etc. from the kitchen. No meat, fish or grains. Add a few worms if you find them. Good luck!

I've been looking for something to keep in the kitchen, this is looks great. Ordering it today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought this for our backyard:

http://www.amazon.com/Envirocycle-Systems-EBC-BK-Original-Composter/dp/B004FVEDAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397216203&sr=8-1&keywords=envirocycle+composter

And this for the kitchen:

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Compost-Bin/dp/B003ZFW0YQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397216163&sr=8-2&keywords=compost+bin

Aim for 1/2 brown matter (leaves, hay, drier lint) and 1/2 vegetable/fruit scraps, eggs shells, etc. from the kitchen. No meat, fish or grains. Add a few worms if you find them. Good luck!

I've been looking for something to keep in the kitchen, this is looks great. Ordering it today.

It is great -- go for it!

[Anonymous]

I wish garbage companies picked up the organic matter. I have neither the yard space for a compost unit (it's one of those postage stamp townhouse lawns) nor the garden to put the finished compost on, but I think throwing away organic matter is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

If you don't have a yard to compost in then I highly recommend Compost Cab, a service that will come pick up your food and do the composting for you! http://compostcab.com/

[Anonymous]

I love our compost tumbler. Go for it, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish garbage companies picked up the organic matter. I have neither the yard space for a compost unit (it's one of those postage stamp townhouse lawns) nor the garden to put the finished compost on, but I think throwing away organic matter is ridiculous.

+1

There's that company mentioned on the other thread but they charge 8 dollars a week. Not having that.