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Composting update: Adding another bin + stirring
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A few months ago, I shared about our homemade composting bin (a modified garbage can). It's been working great for us! Here's the latest.
We started out by filling one whole garbage can (layering carbon and nitrogen as described in my original post) with the remains of our former compost pile. We then started a new compost bin for this summer.
Recently, with the eating of many many garden-fresh foods and lots and lots of corn on the cob, our second compost bin was completely full!
We have found that as the bins get full, it is difficult to impossible to turn them by rolling the can. And rolling partially-full cans does work, but tends to actually separate the layers of carbon from the nitrogen layers (we were using newspaper and cardboard for carbon, and kitchen scraps for nitrogen).
So, we transferred our full compost bin to a new bin, mixing with the shovel and layering in more carbon. Now we'll let that one sit for a while (late this fall or early spring) before repeating that process and seeing how far along the compost is.
Above, you can see what the bin looks like that was filled with fresh compost just a few months ago! It, too, was too full to turn, so it just sat. It's not finished yet, but is getting black and spongey! And the bin, that was absolutely packed with garbage is now about 1/3 full. It takes a lot of food scraps to make compost!! :)
I'm hoping to work this compost into our garden plot in a cople months. I wonder if it's better to do that in the Spring or the fall... When do you usually add stuff like compost to your garden?
Composting is so much fun! :)
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When to add compost...
You're compost looks great! Isn't it fun to see the progress? And isn't it astonishing how much compost shrinks?
When to add your compost to the soil depends on how well it is broken down. If you're in a hurry and want to add stuff that is still composting (to get more room in your bins, or for some other reason), you wouldn't want to plant directly in that soil until things have broken down a bit more. The composting process might burn the seeds.
If the compost is completely finishing (not giving off any heat) then you can add it to the soil, stir it in, and plant the next day.
Just my two cents!(Translation: Working in our small garden doesn't make me an expert, so double check this in a gardening book. :))
When to add compost
Depending on if you mulch your garden beds (with shredded leaves or whatever) its acceptable to compost at any time of the year. The nice thing about adding compost in the fall, is you can cover with a layer of shredded leaves and you don't have to mix it into the soil, it will take care of itself. This is really handy for flower beds and perennial beds (asparagus or strawberries, etc).
Otherwise it really doesn't matter. You will just have to wait until the ground thaws out to add the compost and mix it in.
Out of laziness we have always added compost in the fall. We also have several large trees that fill our gutters with leaves within hours of them getting cleaned, so we use lots of leaves as mulch.
Rebecca (not an expert, just words of experience)
Our Compost is.......
We had a compost pile, but our chickens were eating any and all food scraps we put into it. So, we just feed our leftover scraps to the chickens now. Chickens are better leftover eaters than dogs!
Our compost pile is strictly manure now.
Laralee
http://PlymouthRockRanch.com
Recording the Faithfulness and Provision of God for Future Generations
I love your blog!
I nominated your blog for an award, come over and check it out! I do love your blog, by the way!
Compost
I usually wait until the spring to add compost to my beds but you could do it in the fall too.
Great looking compost! I made a compost bin out of a garbage can too. I bungy corded the lid and roll it around my yard.
Anthony
The Compost Bin Blog
I like to add it in the
I like to add it in the fall, cover with mulch (leaves,cardboard), then pull the mulch off or aside to plant. Compost will break down over winter (some mulch too) and you can get things in quickly in the spring when there is so much to do. If you have it, you can add a bit more when you plant.
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I'm still thinking about
I'm still thinking about getting into composting, so I can't answer this question. Had one of my own though.. should you not roll the can until it's full in order to not separate the layers?
I have a lot to learn before I try this, I think! ;)
The rolling part was to mix
The rolling part was to mix the layers. Other methods of mixing would include using a shovel, stirring with a hoe, etc...
Rolling didn't work for me because all of the kitchen scraps settled to the bottom, and all the newspaper shreds went to the top! I'm not sure if this would be an issue if you were using materials that wouldn't settle like that...
Layering is a good second-option. We have ended up just layering "greens" (nitrogen-rich materials) and "browns" (carbon-rich materials) and allowing it to sit (no rolling) for a few months... then mixing with a shovel while transferring to another bin (otherwise it would be impossible to mix at the bottom).
Our way takes longer, but it does eventually break down! :) It's actually fun to watch. This summer, two big tomato plants grew out of the holes in the side of the oldest compost bin! The drill holes are only 1/2-inch, but there were two huge plants and they even had tomatoes on them! :)
My boys also help me tear paper to add to the compost pile. It's fun! :)
My parents' compost pile
My parents' compost pile (which wasn't to make compost--it was/is just a way to not put food scraps in the trash) has grown squash and other veggies--sometimes weird hybrids.
compost
The cows in our pasture eat ours. We started it last yr. & when the cows came we just put the fence around it. So right now I have none.
It is funny that we have canalope growing by my gr. beans. It was in the compost.
A friend turned me on to
A friend turned me on to 'lasagna' gardening. One (of three) garden beds is the compost bed for the season. We just layer our greens and browns in the bed, water occasionally, and give it a good stir every once in awhile. It's ready to go once the next planting season rolls around. Since we live in the Southwest (ie no winter to speak of), we can garden year round. It's pretty tough to keep stuff alive in 120 degree heat, but we give it a go.
I'm the only one in the neighborhood who gardens, so everyone gets a good laugh when I ask if I can rake their fallen leaves. The things we do for good veggies.
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