Composting

[cstronks]

I normally have 3-4 compost piles on the go.I make sure they get alot of sun and if they start to dry out i give them a good soaking. Here is a little list of stuff you can use. (not sure where i grabbed this from but has been sitting in a folder on the computer.

• Aquarium water, algae, and plants (from freshwater fish tanks only) add moisture and a kick of nitrogen.
• Chicken manure has high amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
• Dead houseplants add a dose of nitrogen, but don't include thorny or diseased plants.
• Fresh grass clippings should be mixed with plenty of drier, brown material, or you'll risk creating a smelly pile.
• Green garden debris, such as spent pansies, bolted lettuce, and deadheaded flowers, can all be recycled in the compost bin.
• Horse manure contains more nitrogen than cow manure.
• Manure from pet rabbits and rodents (e.g., gerbils and hamsters) can be composted with the accompanying wood or paper bedding.
• Vegetative kitchen scraps (carrot peelings and the like) should be buried in the pile so they don't attract animals. Eggshells are okay, too.
• Weeds can be composted! No joke. Just remember never to add weeds that have set seed or weeds that root easily from stems or rhizomes.

• Brown garden debris, such as corn and sunflower stalks, dried legume plants, and dried potato and tomato vines, adds bulk to the pile.

• Hedge prunings and twigs help keep a pile fluffy but should be chipped first so they decompose faster.
• Leaves are an abundant carbon source and full of nutrients. Stockpile them in fall so that you have them on hand in summer.
• Pine needles decompose slowly. Add only small amounts to your pile. Use excess needles as a mulch.
• Straw bulks up a pile, but it should not be confused with hay, which often contains weed and grass seeds and shouldn't be added to compost (unless you want to deal with the potential consequences).

Only things i steer clear from are meats and cheeses.

cheers
matt

Interesting idea regarding the aquarium water. I have a few tanks and normally put the old water down the sewer drain outside. I want to start composting now that I am keeping chickens, and I want to make sure that I add the right stuff so I don't screw up any natural processes. I'll be sure to print out this list and reference it when composting!!

 

[spotts]

I love the aquarium water to use in the compost. Great idea.

Susan Potts

 

[sane cat lady]

we just started a tote based worm composter in our bathroom and i LOVE it we bought 1000 worms off amazon and a roughreck tote from walmart for 15 pounded holes in with a nail filled it with damp shredded newspaper and cardboard along with a weeks worth of kitchen scrap and it is working wonderfully

 

[BunnyLover44]

Hey new to this composting thing... how long does this compost take because I just want it for the worms my chicks are going to eat?

 

[3forfree]

I love the aquarium water to use in the compost. Great idea.

Susan Potts

Use your aquarium water on your garden plants. You'll be surprised.

 

[Kikiriki]

Hey Composters! We need a resident expert in this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/766347/zone-9-and-florida-gardening/40#post_11408017

Looking for advice specific to the issues of the south, like fireants, and someone who has dealt with drought conditions, as well as flood. I have never suceeded in getting a compost pile to actually compost...

Would someone jump in and be our expert? Pretty please?

 

[bowen012]

I never turn or water my compost. Mainly because I compost with humanure via my composting toilet. We also add our weeds, dead garden plants, egg shells, left-overs (we're vegetarian, so never any meat). Our chicken bedding goes in as well and the mix from our compost toilet seems to aid in the composting of the pine shavings relatively rapidly. Currently a 2 bin system made with pallets; one for active and one for aging. I think primarily the compost toilet keeps moisture levels perfect. I've never had to water my compost and the piles are always healthy and active. Plenty of appropriate worms and insects which obviously move in and out, or around the perimeter of the pile as the temperature and habitat changes. I don't know that I would ever compost actually, without a humanure method. I'm amazed at the rate in which compost piles lose moisture as is (our pile shrinks by maybe 80% in hot weather months), but they never stop 'working.' Almost everyone I know who composts traditionally that has compost piles fail; it's almost always a lack of appropriate moisture. When we cover our C. Toilet addition with organic material (leaves, hay, weeds, etc) it supplies a cushion of aeration so that we never need to turn the pile. It's a lazy persons compost really; no watering, no turning, etc.

 

[3forfree]

here's my compost pile, grass clippings and leaves, turned once a week, watered when it rains, and mixed with dirt or peat moss makes some of the best soil for whatever you want to use it for. We filled flower pots for around the outside of the house and barn, started all our seeds for the garden. Sure makes some nice dirt.

 

[3forfree]

The neighbors have a cottonwood tree and when it spits cotton it makes my yard look like it had just snowed. As the tree has finished its spitting I decided to clean the eaves on the house. The stuff that's in the eaves is going to be a beautiful addition to my compost pile. This stuff already started to break down as it was wet from a recent rain.

 

[3forfree]

I'm getting a trailer load of horse manure on monday and will start composting it for my new garden spot. My old garden spot has been in the same place for over 20 years, and with the trees growing up on the west side it doesn't get more than 5-6 hours of sunlight. I'm moving the garden to the east side of my barn where the sun shines all day. This manure is fresh, and I'm going to pile it up and layer it with grass clippings, water it down and cover it with a tarp. I'll leave it like that for 2 weeks and break down the pile and move the inside out and the outside in and pile it up again water it and cover it up. As this ils composting I will get another trailer load and make another pile. These piles will eventually be raised beds. I will mix these piles with compost I will buy from the city as they compost yard waste, and at $12.50 a yard the price is right. I'm going to make 4 4x8 raised beds.