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thingstodo · 06-01-2009, 04:22 AM

We have a container by the kitchen sink for vegatable scraps and put most in there other than anything that has any amount of animal fat. That slows the process and also attreacts animals. Then we have a larger bucket on the porch. From this we drop materials into the actual compost bin. Mine is about 40 gallons or so with a trash can like lid that vents and also has vents on the side. There is a slide up door at the bottom to pull out good compost. I also found a device with two wings on the business end and a t-handle at the top. You push it down and then pull it back up. The wings open and help you effectively turn the compost as you pull up, like a fish hook but the collapses when you push in back in the pile.

We've been using this container, puchased at Whole Foods for about $30 for several years and love it. It sits right on the ground using nail-like tent stakes. When I first started the thing I added grass clippings, leaves and some household materials along with some grass fertilizer (I read you should do that to get things started). I've never noticed much difference with grass clippings and keep them on my lawn anyway for fertilizer. Leaves in the fall are awesome! I had a 4X4X4' wooded bin in NC that I literally filled several times over each fall and had great compost just from that material. Now I mainly use the household stuff with some leaves.

We've never had a odor problem and you shouldn't. We live in MI and dump stuff in all winter when it is frozen. As soon as spring hits it is nearly full but then quickly begins working and is reduced by half in just a week or two. Pretty amazing. We've never actually filled it other than by adding leaves and it just keeps processing. And we dump everything from the house in there, coffee grinds, tea bags (no staples) all uncooked veggies scraps...I say uncooked because we sometimes use butter but mostly use olive, walnut or canola oils ut I just don't like the thought of cooked food scraps unless they are really just the food. I haven't paid attention to the percentage of brown vs. green so can't comment there.

If you sure just starting my key advice other than the previous poster is to add fertilizer.

06-01-2009, 04:22 AM	#3 (permalink)
thingstodo A Storm Is Coming Location: The Great White North	We have a container by the kitchen sink for vegatable scraps and put most in there other than anything that has any amount of animal fat. That slows the process and also attreacts animals. Then we have a larger bucket on the porch. From this we drop materials into the actual compost bin. Mine is about 40 gallons or so with a trash can like lid that vents and also has vents on the side. There is a slide up door at the bottom to pull out good compost. I also found a device with two wings on the business end and a t-handle at the top. You push it down and then pull it back up. The wings open and help you effectively turn the compost as you pull up, like a fish hook but the collapses when you push in back in the pile. We've been using this container, puchased at Whole Foods for about $30 for several years and love it. It sits right on the ground using nail-like tent stakes. When I first started the thing I added grass clippings, leaves and some household materials along with some grass fertilizer (I read you should do that to get things started). I've never noticed much difference with grass clippings and keep them on my lawn anyway for fertilizer. Leaves in the fall are awesome! I had a 4X4X4' wooded bin in NC that I literally filled several times over each fall and had great compost just from that material. Now I mainly use the household stuff with some leaves. We've never had a odor problem and you shouldn't. We live in MI and dump stuff in all winter when it is frozen. As soon as spring hits it is nearly full but then quickly begins working and is reduced by half in just a week or two. Pretty amazing. We've never actually filled it other than by adding leaves and it just keeps processing. And we dump everything from the house in there, coffee grinds, tea bags (no staples) all uncooked veggies scraps...I say uncooked because we sometimes use butter but mostly use olive, walnut or canola oils ut I just don't like the thought of cooked food scraps unless they are really just the food. I haven't paid attention to the percentage of brown vs. green so can't comment there. If you sure just starting my key advice other than the previous poster is to add fertilizer. __________________ If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. Last edited by thingstodo; 06-01-2009 at 04:28 AM..