The Garden Gourmet Composter ? Garden Leaves
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Showing posts with label Garden leaves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden leaves. Show all posts
Monday, October 5, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
How To Build A Compost Bin
For those of you with pesky neighbors who don't appreciate big piles of yard waste rotting in plain sight, there is the compost bin. The compost bin keeps your compost neat and tidy. Choosing the right type of bin for you is less about your composting needs and more about your personal preference. Your compost won't know the difference between being piled in a corner and rotting away behind the custom built cedar doors of a multi-bin setup.
The simplest compost bin you can build is to not build one at all. It's not an option for all of us but those in the country with lots of acreage can just stack up their yard waste in a pile.
Another easy option for a compost bin is to purchase a length of temporary wire fencing such as chicken wire, rabbit fencing or whatever you can get your hands on. Hammer a few posts in the ground so that the fence holds it's shape and stands upright and attach the fence with string or wire. Start filling it up with leaves and grass clippings and that's it you're done.
This last option will take the longest to build but will also last the longest and look the best. Compost will rot the quickest if it's in a pile at least 4'x4'x4'. That's four feet wide by four feet long by four feet deep. So building a cube out of four foot 2x4's is a great way to make a compost bin. Connect the four foot sections at the corners of the cube with galvanized nails or screws and then attach some of that wire fencing that was mentioned above, to the sides with heavy duty wood staples. As your needs for compost grow, build another cube and place it next to your first one. Now you have a multi-bin system. Start your compost in the first bin and as it decomposes move it to the next bin. Moving your compost to a new bin is a great way to aerate it.
Stay away from pressure treated lumber and just realize that your bin will rot in about 5-10 years. Seems fitting that a compost bin will eventually turn to compost itself.
Whether you take a wire fence and bend it into a circle or you break out your woodworking skills and create a masterpiece, your compost bin will help you keep your garden healthy and happy.
Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of WatchItRot.com - The Compost Guide. For more information about building a compost bin, visit http://www.watchitrot.com.
The simplest compost bin you can build is to not build one at all. It's not an option for all of us but those in the country with lots of acreage can just stack up their yard waste in a pile.
Another easy option for a compost bin is to purchase a length of temporary wire fencing such as chicken wire, rabbit fencing or whatever you can get your hands on. Hammer a few posts in the ground so that the fence holds it's shape and stands upright and attach the fence with string or wire. Start filling it up with leaves and grass clippings and that's it you're done.
This last option will take the longest to build but will also last the longest and look the best. Compost will rot the quickest if it's in a pile at least 4'x4'x4'. That's four feet wide by four feet long by four feet deep. So building a cube out of four foot 2x4's is a great way to make a compost bin. Connect the four foot sections at the corners of the cube with galvanized nails or screws and then attach some of that wire fencing that was mentioned above, to the sides with heavy duty wood staples. As your needs for compost grow, build another cube and place it next to your first one. Now you have a multi-bin system. Start your compost in the first bin and as it decomposes move it to the next bin. Moving your compost to a new bin is a great way to aerate it.
Stay away from pressure treated lumber and just realize that your bin will rot in about 5-10 years. Seems fitting that a compost bin will eventually turn to compost itself.
Whether you take a wire fence and bend it into a circle or you break out your woodworking skills and create a masterpiece, your compost bin will help you keep your garden healthy and happy.
Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of WatchItRot.com - The Compost Guide. For more information about building a compost bin, visit http://www.watchitrot.com.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Benefits of Home Composting
Along with fuel efficiency, water conservation, and reduction in meat consumption, home composting is one of the most environmentally beneficial activities of modern society. Yard and food wastes make up approximately 30% of the waste stream in the US. Not only does composting successfully divert a significant portion of your family's waste stream from the landfill and water treatment facilities, it is a natural method of recycling organic materials into valuable humus.
Finished compost is nutritious enough to use as a soil amendment, buffering the pH and helping to retain water in the soil. It can cool the soil's surface, and help mitigate erosion. Why buy topsoil when you create your own endless supply? Home composting also serves as an invaluable educational tool, teaching youngsters about conservation, the cycle of life, and inter-connectedness of the natural world. If it gets your child thinking about science or biology, or voluntarily participating in gardening and yard work, isn't it well worth the effort?
Like death and taxes, composting happens - whether we want it to or not. Though all organic matter will eventually decompose (despite neglect), the trick is to get your pile to decompose as fast as you can fill it. The rate at which breakdown occurs depends on several factors: oxygenation, temperature, water content, particulate surface area, and the carbon-nitrogen ratio. Like painting, composting is more art than a rigid science, and can at times require a bit of finesse and skill. However, with patience and a little practice, you can have ready-to-use humus for your garden in 6-8 weeks.
For a HUGE selection of composters and supplies, and for a great selection of eco-friendly furniture visit http://www.composters.com and http://www.eco-furniture.com
Finished compost is nutritious enough to use as a soil amendment, buffering the pH and helping to retain water in the soil. It can cool the soil's surface, and help mitigate erosion. Why buy topsoil when you create your own endless supply? Home composting also serves as an invaluable educational tool, teaching youngsters about conservation, the cycle of life, and inter-connectedness of the natural world. If it gets your child thinking about science or biology, or voluntarily participating in gardening and yard work, isn't it well worth the effort?
Like death and taxes, composting happens - whether we want it to or not. Though all organic matter will eventually decompose (despite neglect), the trick is to get your pile to decompose as fast as you can fill it. The rate at which breakdown occurs depends on several factors: oxygenation, temperature, water content, particulate surface area, and the carbon-nitrogen ratio. Like painting, composting is more art than a rigid science, and can at times require a bit of finesse and skill. However, with patience and a little practice, you can have ready-to-use humus for your garden in 6-8 weeks.
For a HUGE selection of composters and supplies, and for a great selection of eco-friendly furniture visit http://www.composters.com and http://www.eco-furniture.com
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