Romaire asked:
It’s 28 degrees outside and the ground is frozen. I live in a close community (not much land between houses) so I have to be careful about odors. We also have lots of wildlife.
I’d like to start a compost but don’t know anything about it. Any ideas?
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It’s 28 degrees outside and the ground is frozen. I live in a close community (not much land between houses) so I have to be careful about odors. We also have lots of wildlife.
I’d like to start a compost but don’t know anything about it. Any ideas?
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February 8th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
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We just do trench composting. It’s very easy and “recycles” all of the food products in our garbage can. Each day I put the cantalope rind, apple cores, veggie pods, everything edible in a covered pail, and we dig a trench in the garden and put the food in the trench. We cover it up with garden soil and it composts into the soil on its own. Every plant, shrub and tree on our property thrives on what we would be throwing away. Our temps are low, but the ground isn’t totally frozen yet, so we find a sunny place and dig and bury!
Obviously there are many composting gadgets for sale, and some are very expensive. You really don’t need much equipment unless you want to go into composting big time. I like trench composting because it’s in the hole and done. By spring it will be part of the earth.
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February 8th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
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February 8th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
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Are there still dead leaves around? If so, you have a good carbon source. Mix them with a high-nitrogen source, such as finely-chopped vegetable scraps. You want 2 parts high-carbon to one part high nitrogen. Other high-carbon sources are sawdust and shredded newsprint. Be careful; newsprint tends to mat. High nitrogen sources are barnyard manure and grass clippings. Never use any meat, oil, dairy, grease, or cat or dog manure.
Mix the materials well and add a bit of soil, if you can. The ideal size compost heap is 4′x4′x4′, give or take a foot in any dimension. A well-managed pile will heat up, even in winter, reaching a maximum of 140°F for a brief period.
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February 9th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
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Read up on composting; you need temperatures above freezing.
Don’t put meat or dairy products into the garden for composting.
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February 9th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
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Check out these sites:
Home Composting Brochure
A 4-page “how-to” fact sheet containing information about food and yard waste composting. Available from the Cornell Waste Management Institute.
Composting to Reduce the Waste Stream: A Guide to Small Scale Food and Yard Waste Composting-1991
Explains how to construct and maintain a compost pile. Outlines factors that affect the composting process including aeration, moisture and temperature. Illustrations, tables, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions for constructing compost bins. Produced by and available from the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES), Cornell University, 152 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853; 607-255-7654, $8 (NRAES-43).
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