? about Composting.

lildevil968

Good morning ladies,

DH and I are in the initial stages of planning our first veggi garden, and the topic of composting came up. We have never done that before, and we where wondering how long the process takes, what kind of composter to buy, and what exactly can be composted? I was also wondering if there is any kind of special process for the winter time since we live in a cold weather environment? Thank you ladies for all of your help!

kdello

https://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/composting/by_compost.htm

 

You don't need to buy a composter. Just make a pile or build a small box. I live in a tropical climate, so no advice on the cold weather. Works great here. I started my pile this year and I already have dirt! 

lildevil968

Thank you!

dosafyre

Gardening and composting go hand in hand.

It can be as easy, or as intense as you feel like (and as cheap or expensive as you like too). Personally, I do a big yard waste 3-bin wooden composter out back...with "hot piles" (50% greens, 50% browns, moisten and stir) that I only turn every few months. It's a little faster then just throwing stuff in a pile and letting nature do its thing...but we have a big yard with lots of organic matter.

And then I do a small worm bin bench out front for kitchen/food scraps. My mom has had a worm bin she made out of those big storage tubs from target in her basement for years, turning out the "black gold"....no smell, no bugs.

I would highly recommend keeping kitchen/food scraps in a more secure bin (either worm bin or bury it, or buy a green cone, tumbler, etc)...since otherwise it could attract rodents and animals.

https://seattletilth.org/learn/resources-1/compost
https://www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Yard/Composting/index.asp

wifeofadam

We live in a neighborhood that won't let us have a big open compost area, so we had to make something to contain it.  Here is what we did.  It works great.

I don't do anything to it.  I just add my stuff and seal it off at the end of the year.  By spring when we are planting, the compost is ready.

nsees

We have a soil saver composter that we got at sams club for $30. We put leaves and food waste (no meat or dairy). It does great through winter. After everything defrosts in the spring it decomposes super quickly. Dh mixes it all up every few weeks.

Ridgebackmom

I compost but I need worms and more pointers. I haven't added soil or moisture in  awhile. Not sure how that works. What I do know is I am controlling what goes int he trash, that makes me happy.

lovetheme

We just used chicken wire and stakes haha..nothing fancy. We live in MI so cold weather galore. We are lazy composters though...we don't have a veggie garden yet so it's just somewhere to throw our kitchen scraps. I do turn it ever so often and water it if it hasn't rained..but otherwise nothing fancy. So far it's breaking down nicely. Just make sure you have a good combination of green/brown waste.