I need composting help!

[Percheron chick]

I would dump what's in the bins in the garden. Screen it if you can to just get smaller brokendown pieces. Rake it out so you have a nice thin layer that will melt into the soil in the next 2 months. Place the chunky leftovers, vines and the duck poop back in the bins to start a fresh batch of compost. Water. Keep the leaves in a pile off to the side saving them to mulch between the row once you plant. I like to get a load of wood chips to top dress the leaves. Makes things look cleaner, keeps the leaves from blowing away, suppressed weeds, reduces water evaporation and gets a jump on next year's soil amendments.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I would dump what's in the bins in the garden. Screen it if you can to just get smaller brokendown pieces. Rake it out so you have a nice thin layer that will melt into the soil in the next 2 months. Place the chunky leftovers, vines and the duck poop back in the bins to start a fresh batch of compost. Water. Keep the leaves in a pile off to the side saving them to mulch between the row once you plant. I like to get a load of wood chips to top dress the leaves. Makes things look cleaner, keeps the leaves from blowing away, suppressed weeds, reduces water evaporation and gets a jump on next year's soil amendments.

Here’s what I ended up doing yesterday, some is what you suggested. Both my bins had stuff in them that I had forgotten about but it isn’t ready. So I emptied them and that’s what that pile on the far left is. I thought I’d need it to compost more, no? Just add it to the ground now?

I filled one compost bin with all new stuff (leaves and duck bedding) but left the other empty so I can try @Sally PB mixing tip and just move it back and forth between bins. Then the rest of the leaves I just have in the wagon for now until I can make some kind of bin or something for all the extra leaves. And I really wanted to get some compost going since I have so much stuff to put in so I didn’t put any of my vines or stalks in yet so that’s what the far right pile is.

Am I heading in the right direction??

 

[Sally PB]

Yes!

 

[Percheron chick]

Hard to say but the pile on the left looks usable right now. You can rake it out and let it sit for 2 months until it's warm enough to plant. You can go ahead and make your rows and mounds as normal then take the unfinished compost and "mulch"in between. Mix in the leaves. Lightly fork it in. As it breaks down over the summer, it will release nutrients into the soil and improve the texture.
Any organic material that you can add is only going to help. It will take years and sometimes it might feel like you aren't winning but you are. Much of what are dealing with now is chores that you can do in the fall. Clean the duck pen out and add directly to the garden. Add the leave right on top. Run the lawn mower over the leaves and poop to chop them up then let it snow...

 

[Percheron chick]

View attachment 3026773


I filled one compost bin with all new stuff (leaves and duck bedding) but left the other empty so I can try @Sally PB mixing tip and just move it back and forth between bins. Then the rest of the leaves I just have in the wagon for now until I can make some kind of bin or something for all the extra leaves. And I really wanted to get some compost going since I have so much stuff to put in so I didn’t put any of my vines or stalks in yet so that’s what the far right pile is.

The problem with doing the back and forth flip method this time of year is the pile doesn't heat up to decompose. Check the temp first. You want it between 140-160 for optimum and fastest decomposition. It will break down at lower temps but it will take a lot more time. The other problem is the design of the bin. Unless you can pull the top off, you'll flip it once and be over it. Are the sides vented to allow air flow? If not take a 3' piece of PVC. Drill holes every few inches. Drive it into the middle of the pile. That design is great for a fill and forget it or when you have rodents.
I have enough area that I can have a dozen compost bins. Originally I just dumped it into a walled off area. Was far from the chickens and coyotes started picking them off when they wandered up there so I built one closer to the coop encircled with cattle panels. Worked well and the holes were the right size for chickens. Moved and built a 3 bin wooden pallet set up. Looked a little too hillbilly for me and found free black plastic pallets on CL. Black helps absorb heat, the holes help aerate the pile, orderly.. Throw a pallet on top and you can keep animals out. Perfect for the chunky high volume waste

 

[BabyGotQuack]

The problem with doing the back and forth flip method this time of year is the pile doesn't heat up to decompose. Check the temp first. You want it between 140-160 for optimum and fastest decomposition. It will break down at lower temps but it will take a lot more time. The other problem is the design of the bin. Unless you can pull the top off, you'll flip it once and be over it. Are the sides vented to allow air flow? If not take a 3' piece of PVC. Drill holes every few inches. Drive it into the middle of the pile. That design is great for a fill and forget it or when you have rodents.
I have enough area that I can have a dozen compost bins. Originally I just dumped it into a walled off area. Was far from the chickens and coyotes started picking them off when they wandered up there so I built one closer to the coop encircled with cattle panels. Worked well and the holes were the right size for chickens. Moved and built a 3 bin wooden pallet set up. Looked a little too hillbilly for me and found free black plastic pallets on CL. Black helps absorb heat, the holes help aerate the pile, orderly.. Throw a pallet on top and you can keep animals out. Perfect for the chunky high volume waste View attachment 3027704

I’ll have to get a thermometer to check the temp, I don’t have one. And yes the bin tops come off and there are lots of holes on all 4 sides for air flow.

 

[Percheron chick]

If you have a meat thermometer, you can make that work.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

If you have a meat thermometer, you can make that work.

Just give it a good wipe before you check to see if that Turkey is done or not.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Just give it a good wipe before you check to see if that Turkey is done or not.

Good call!

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I just got a pair of rabbits and have heard their poop is great for the garden and composting.

My question is can the whole litter box be dumped into the composter? It has pine pellets, bits of timothy & alfalfa hay and obviously their poops. I didn’t know if the hay could go in the composter? Or if that could somehow make alfalfa grow in my garden?