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Bridget
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| Posted: May 18 2005 at 5:24pm | IP Logged
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We built a composte bin a few years back but it's too big and too far away to be useful. i would like to have a smaller one closer to the house and garden, but that also is closer to our neighbor. I haven't done this enough to know: how much does it smell? How close to a residence can you get away with and not offfend?
thanks.
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MacBeth
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| Posted: May 19 2005 at 9:08am | IP Logged
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Not so dumb. I have never been a fan of large bins for composting. Under normal conditions, a compost pile will not smell much like anything other than cut grass.
Of course, never put any meat/fat into the pile, as these things will attract unwanted pests. Alternate wet with dry items. If you have nothing dry to add, place a layer of newspaper in the pile from time to time. Turn the pile regularly, and use the bottom in the garden!
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Tina P.
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| Posted: April 18 2007 at 11:53pm | IP Logged
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MacBeth wrote:
| as these things will attract unwanted pests. |
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We already have unwanted pests (I call them mice) in our backyard ~ left by the last folks who lived here? ~ and we don't even compost. They've chewed holes in our back steps and live under there and among the wood in the woodpile. Our rabbit lives outside next to the woodpile. Is the food that falls through the bottom of his hutch a problem? And won't composting compound the problem?
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: April 19 2007 at 12:40am | IP Logged
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bridget -
you're talking about wanting a FOOD compost pile closer to your house, right?
That picture with you turning it last Fall...was that just yard compost, or was that food too?
I always thought the general rule in non-rural areas (to me non-rural means you can actually see your neighbors and are concerned about them  ) was that it should be "contained" so that it doesn't attract animals/rodents. We have a worm bin and 2 green cones for food scraps. It doesn't smell at all. No meat or fat, like MacBeth said...only what is on the "approved list."
Then for other yard waste we have another more open location for that. I use the Seattle Tilth for all my crazy composting questions.
I think you should get those boys of yours to build and maintain a worm bin for you..... ....but then I'm sure you knew I was going to say that.
ETA: Our green cones and worm bin are about 6 feet away from our house/garage.
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chicken lady
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| Posted: April 19 2007 at 10:18am | IP Logged
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Bridget, I second MacBeth compost don't smell, and I love keeping mine right by the garden.
On a side note, Heart and Mind had a great article last year about composting including a unit study.
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Tina P.
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| Posted: April 19 2007 at 10:53am | IP Logged
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I don't know about Bridget, and maybe I'm really ignorant about this composting business, but I thought that you layered yard waste and food waste in a compost bin. That's what we did at our house in Alabama, and the compost bin was deep in the woods of that yard. Unfortunately, by the time our bin was up and running, we were close to having to move and we didn't get to see the results of composting. Anyway, the food waste/yard waste mixture was why I was concerned about composting when we already have unwanted critters damaging our stairs. Any ideas?
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: April 19 2007 at 11:48am | IP Logged
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Tina:
When you have a "deep woods" that's fine. That's what we always did growing up. Our garden and huge free-standing compost pile was a 10-minute walk from the house, so we weren't worried about attracting animals.
But when you're in a more populated / metro / development area.....you can't (or maybe shouldn't) really do this.
With contained bins / green cones for food waste....the animals can't get to the food.
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Bridget
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| Posted: April 19 2007 at 12:10pm | IP Logged
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We did move our bin to the center of the gardening area, and cut it down. We layer our yard and kitchen waste. We have great compost this spring!
Our cat disappeared last summer so we are looking for free kittens to be barn cats this spring. That should help with any rodent problems. So far we haven't noticed mice or anything there.
I'm not ready for worms on purpose, Suzanne.
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: April 19 2007 at 12:17pm | IP Logged
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oh my gosh.... ijust realized this was a post from 2 years ago!!!!!! hahahaha! And, TINA was asking a question, not bridget. blaaahhhh
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Tina P.
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| Posted: April 19 2007 at 12:57pm | IP Logged
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Yes, I admit that I resurrected this thread because I had the question, but I didn't want to start a new thread.
As for those worms, *we're* ready to build worm bins. 
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Bridget
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| Posted: April 19 2007 at 1:38pm | IP Logged
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Thats alright, we're all itching to garden and compost!
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simplemama
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| Posted: April 24 2007 at 10:55pm | IP Logged
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I am thinking of putting a wire caging under our deck where it is very shady and just throwing in our yard waste and kitchen waste and occasionally turning it and keeping it wet. Would that be how to get good compost? Or do I need to add anything or put the layers in a certain order?
How long does it usually take to get some good compost for a flower bed or vegetable gardetn?
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Bridget
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| Posted: April 25 2007 at 6:33am | IP Logged
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Compost will take a lot longer to break down in the shade, it really needs sun. Also, I don't think you want it too close to your house because of critter problems.
We started composting in earnest last year and this spring, we have some good looking compost. We layer yard waste and kitchen waste but my mom really only does kitchen waste and she gets good compost.
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momwise
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Ours is in a barrel left here by the previous owners. It has a handle with which we turn it over and it's painted black; presumably to help it heat up...but is the compost supposed to look black and crumbly when it's ready?? Because it doesn't look like that. The kitchen waste breaks down somewhat but it still looks like a pile of old leaves and stuff. Isn't there something (cheap) that you add to heat it up a little?
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: April 25 2007 at 11:21am | IP Logged
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You can add "amonium sulfate" to help it break down. It will acidify/lower the ph level, which will make it turn faster.
Buy lawn fertilizer with a 28-0-0 ratio, there is amonium sulfate in there. Sprinkle maybe a Tablespoon on the pile occasionally and be sure to keep it moist by watering it.
Amonium nitrate is what used to be used, but people use it to make bombs nowadays,  so they don't sell it OTC.
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Karen T
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simplemama wrote:
I am thinking of putting a wire caging under our deck where it is very shady and just throwing in our yard waste and kitchen waste and occasionally turning it and keeping it wet. Would that be how to get good compost? Or do I need to add anything or put the layers in a certain order?
How long does it usually take to get some good compost for a flower bed or vegetable gardetn? |
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Our compost bin is under our deck (which is tall enough to easily walk under). It is mostly yard waste and whenever I add any kitchen stuff I bury it deep in the pile. It works just fine. compost heats up without sun - it's the microbes that do the heating. But if you don't have much "green" stuff (kitchen waste, grass clippings, manure) it just takes longer. I still get pretty good compost and never have any smells. The odor comes from either improper ingredients (fats, meat, etc.) or the pile being too wet. Mine is usually on the dry side and needs extra water b/c we don't get much rain around here.
Karen T
p.s. I'm in a suburban area
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simplemama
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| Posted: April 25 2007 at 10:26pm | IP Logged
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Hey Karen, glad to hear you have done this. I'll go ahead and try it and see what happens! We do live close to some wheat fields and a nature park and so far have never had any mice. But we did discover a bunny hole the other day so we'll see what happens.
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Topic: Dumb Composting Question
