I want to start a compost pile, but I don't know how to start?

Question

I live in the south west were it can get very hot in the summer.So Im a little worred about the smell & attracting bugs. Is there a container I can buy to hold the compost? And how do I start one once I find a contaner?

Answer 1

There are so many tips and tricks out there for starting a bin it's confusing to the beginner. The good news is, you can ignore a lot of what you've heard so far because things rot pretty much on their own. They don't need your help. The object is to create the optimal situation for organic material to break down.

Dimensions and ingredients are really the two most important things. Your bin should be a yard (or a meter) on all sides and should allow for the passage of air. I made my bin out of some spare wooden planks that I cut to the right length and simply stacked into a cube-shaped container.

Wherever you put the bin, keep it in a shady area so it can be protected from the drying rays of the sun. Damp materials and low light are crucial to the bacteria and mold growth that will speed along the decomposition.

When you have your bin, start adding fall leaves and fresh lawn clippings. When you have a good mixture (roughly half and half) then you can start adding kitchen scraps. Anything at all can be added provided it's not made from dead animals or dairy products.

Manure is a wonderful ingredient as well. Just make sure it comes from an animal that is primarily vegetarian -- horses, cows, goats and the like. No cat, dog or human poo will do.

If you stay away from non-organic stuff, there won't be any smell at all. If you're really concerned about the smell, try planting fragrant flowers near your bin. The fence adjacent to my bin has creeping wisteria that's just starting to flower. Even if there was a stink, I wouldn't be able to smell it.

Next, simply moisten the bin's contents whenever it looks too dry and turn the contents regularly with a shovel or fork so a good mixture is maintained. A lot of people will talk about layering your pile, but the contents should be homogeneous throughout.

A lot of people will also tell you to add some kind of material -- soil from the garden, mature compost, gypsum, etc. -- to get your pile "jump-started." This is not necessary. I never added any of these things and my pile still eats leaves, grass and vegetable scraps hungrily.

A sure sign of success with your pile is when you reach into the center and feel heat. If you stir it in the wintertime, you might see steam. These things are compost heap pay dirt -- no pun intended. It means the bacteria are working hard to break down the materials you've put in the bin.

When your compost is mature, it will be dark and crumbly. Mix it into your garden to increase the amount of organic material in your dirt. This will help the plants better than any store-bought fertilizer.

I knew nothing about compost when I started this project about 8 months ago, but now I'm almost ready to work some compost into my new vegetable garden. Keep it simple and you can't go wrong. After all, everything rots given enough time.

Answer 2

cheap way is to simple dump the compost onto a "pile" and flip it every week with a shovel or a pitchfork. This tends to make a messy area in the garden and the good compost is alway on the bottom of the pile so you have to dig for it.

A better system looks like a bingo cage made with chicken wire. You dump the compost in the cage and turn it every few days. The Good compost will drop out of the chicken wire into a useable pile on the ground under it. Then you just shovel up what you want and spread it in the garden.

Found a site that shows a lot of different bin types:
http://www.compostinfo.com/tutorial/Bins.htm

Answer 3

In the city where I live, we are not allowed to compost on the ground so I have 2 bins that spin on frames.

We put our compostibles in a brown paper bag and throw it in bag and all. the compostibles are:

veggie and fruit scraps
eggshells
dryer lint
cat hair and hair from when I barber my son
small pieces of cooked fish, no more than an ounce a week

I spin it every 3 days when the weather is warmer than 40 degrees. I never add water, in fact I sometimes tip it so water can run out! If it smells bad I add chopped leaves or shredded paper.

I have one being filled and one just being spinned, all the time. The one that's just being spinned will be dumped out in May or November, whichever is soonest. I dump it on a tarp and then drag it to a spot in the yard where it can be covered for 6 months. I let the earthworms crawl up through it but keep the top covered so rain won't leach away the nutrients. I leave a pint or so of compost in the bin to start the next batch. Start your first batch with a clod of rich topsoil.

I have enough compost for all my flowerbeds on 1/4 acre and I never have to screen it.

Answer 4

Any big container with a lid would work to hold the compost, but yes, you can buy containers that are meant for compost piles. I suggest starting it with a little loose soil and leaves and stuff on the bottom, then just dump in your fruit/veggie extras from time to time. Never put meat or non-decomposable items in your compost. It's actually a good idea to layer a bit of soil on top of your compost every few inches, because the soil provides the micro-organisms that decompose the compost. I think I read somewhere that coffee grinds are good for your compost pile too. Who knew? Here's a website I found that explains it in steps:
http://www.ehow.com/how_3541_begin-compost-pile.html
You're right about the smell and the bugs; it smells just like an open garbage can and attracts as many bugs. Just don't put your compost pile too close to your front door. :)

Answer 5

Just find a bare piece of ground in one section of your garden and divide it up into three sections. one for new kitchen scraps, lawn cuttings, dry tree rubbish, leaves and fine bark and any old plants and weeds that you have pulled out. The heat in the pile will kill any seed of the weeds.
Turn this heap every four or five days to let air filter through and the worms will do all the work for you. Adding a small handfull of blood and bone fertilizer will hurry it up also. when that heap has been going for about two months start another beside it divided by a wall, maybe a sheet of chicken wire that will let the heap airate. repeat as you did with the first pile and continure to turn both heaps when your first heap is justabout ready to use start your third heap when the first one is ready to use and repeat the cycle and you will have a steady supply of compost all year round.
Good luck, I hope I have been helpfull.