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Make More Compost with Less Work
We all know composting your yard and kitchen waste is the right thing to do, both for your yard and for our planet. But it seems like a lot of work. Here are resources to get started composting with low effort and high yield. With these ideas in mind if will not seem like much work to get a lot that black gold.
Favorite Resources for Composting
- Soilsaver Review
- A look at a good low cost composter
- Information on Compost and Composting
- How2Compost has information on compost bins, compost tumblers, thermometers, and other tools to recycle your garden and kitchen waste.
- Compost Bin Store
- This store has a collection of compost bins from a variety of manufacturers. There is even a section of Composters under $100 for the budget minded shopper, especially for those just getting started.
- Compost Tumblers
- This is a collection of various types of compost tumblers from various manufacturers. There are crank operated, drum axle, and roller mounted tumblers, so there is likely one for any budget.
- Worm Bins and Composting
- Information on worm composting (or vermicomposting). Different types of bins and wroms.
- How To Garden Guide
- This blog has information on a variety of gardening topics, including container gardening.
- Composting at How to Garden Guide
- Gardening Tips and Advice including topics on Composting
- Advantages of Compost Tumblers
- Article that discusses the different advantages of Composting Tumblers.
Making Compost Fast and Easy
A Jump Start Guide to Quick and Easy Compost
You want to get started composting, but are afraid that it is a lot of work and expense. Composting is like most things in life, you can make it as easy as you want, or you can really tune up the process and with a little extra work be cranking out compost faster than you can use it. So let's get started.
What do you need to start Composting?
1) Material to Compost
What can you put in a compost pile?
Kitchen waste
- Yard Waste (vegetables and fruits, coffee grounds make good compost,etc.)
- Garden Waste
- "Borrowed" Waste
As important, consider what NOT to put in.
- Meat
- Grease, fats
- Dairy products
2) Someplace to put the material that's composting
Some typical places people use to compost
- A simple pile
- A trench
- A simple bin built from wood or concrete blocks
- A Commercial composting bin
- A Compost Tumbler
3) A basic compost recipe to follow
If you are into numbers, a pile built with a carbon to nitrogen ratio of about 30 is considered optimum. Most folks aren't interested in calculating that, so a good rule of thumb is to use about a 50/50 mix of green vegetation (grass clippings, fresh vegetation, coffee grounds (oddly they count as "green")) mixed with brown waste (fall leaves, sawdust, shredded tree branches).
Anything you do to break up the raw material (e.g. shred it, chop it, etc.) will work to accelerate the process.
Mix them in layers, about 6 inches of green and brown alternated. Add enough water so the end product mix is damp, something akin to a damp washcloth. It is possible to have either too much or too little water. Add in some old compost or just soil (or a commercial compost activator product) to provide a source of the micro-organisms that will start to compost the pile.
4) Decide on the time/ speed tradeoff for your compost pile
If you really want to get compost fast, then you need to help the pile along by moving material into the hotter middle part of the pile periodically. This can be accomplished a number of ways:
- Use a compost aerator tool like the Compost Crank to turn the compost in a single bin
- Use multiple bins, and turn the compost from one bin to the next to turn it over
- Use a compost tumbler, and simply turn the unit periodically.
Or you can just leave it for a few months and it will eventually break down.
That's it. That wasn't too bad, was it?
What do you need to start Composting?
1) Material to Compost
What can you put in a compost pile?
Kitchen waste
- Yard Waste (vegetables and fruits, coffee grounds make good compost,etc.)
- Garden Waste
- "Borrowed" Waste
As important, consider what NOT to put in.
- Meat
- Grease, fats
- Dairy products
2) Someplace to put the material that's composting
Some typical places people use to compost
- A simple pile
- A trench
- A simple bin built from wood or concrete blocks
- A Commercial composting bin
- A Compost Tumbler
3) A basic compost recipe to follow
If you are into numbers, a pile built with a carbon to nitrogen ratio of about 30 is considered optimum. Most folks aren't interested in calculating that, so a good rule of thumb is to use about a 50/50 mix of green vegetation (grass clippings, fresh vegetation, coffee grounds (oddly they count as "green")) mixed with brown waste (fall leaves, sawdust, shredded tree branches).
Anything you do to break up the raw material (e.g. shred it, chop it, etc.) will work to accelerate the process.
Mix them in layers, about 6 inches of green and brown alternated. Add enough water so the end product mix is damp, something akin to a damp washcloth. It is possible to have either too much or too little water. Add in some old compost or just soil (or a commercial compost activator product) to provide a source of the micro-organisms that will start to compost the pile.
4) Decide on the time/ speed tradeoff for your compost pile
If you really want to get compost fast, then you need to help the pile along by moving material into the hotter middle part of the pile periodically. This can be accomplished a number of ways:
- Use a compost aerator tool like the Compost Crank to turn the compost in a single bin
- Use multiple bins, and turn the compost from one bin to the next to turn it over
- Use a compost tumbler, and simply turn the unit periodically.
Or you can just leave it for a few months and it will eventually break down.
That's it. That wasn't too bad, was it?
Good Ideas on Finding Free Compost Material
Once you've got your compost pile working, where do you find more free compost material for your pile?
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Reply
- GeothermalVids GeothermalVids Sep 9, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
- Thanks for this interesting lens. I am working on going green and work with geothermal . I didn't know much about composting until looking at your lens.
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Reply
- paperfacets paperfacets Mar 13, 2009 @ 11:53 am
- Thanks for joining "To Compost or Not To Compost?" Group. This is a good informative lens.
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Reply
- Debs Debs Apr 21, 2008 @ 3:07 am
- 5 *****s from me too!
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Reply
- flowergardener flowergardener Mar 19, 2008 @ 12:40 am
- 5 from me too, a few more and it should get higher!
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Reply
- d-artist d-artist Mar 13, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
- why would someone leave you 3*s??? this is a very informative lens 5*s from me
- Load More
Composter Reviews
A Look at Some of Our Favorite Compost Bins and Tumblers
- Urban Compost Tumbler Review
- This is a great value for a compost tumbler. It comes in 2 sizes, and has a patented ...
- Can O Worms Composter Review
- The easiest fastest solution to composting your kitchen waste is a worm bin, and the Can O Worms is a best seller for a reason...
Pros and Cons of Compost Tumbers
Compost tumblers are the ultimate composting tool. They allow you to make compost quickly,and a tumbler often requires less work.
Here are some pros and cons of compost tumblers.
Easy Rotation of Your Compost Pile
The key to quick composting is to work the pile every few days, to get all the waste material to get to the hot center of the pile. This active center is where the action is, but it can be difficult to get all the material into the middle of the pile. Simply spinning or rotating a tumbler is the easiest way to get this done.
Conserving Compost Pile Moisture
With its enclosed sides, a tumbler will do a better job of retaining moisture in hot dry weather. It will also keep excess moisture out during the rainy season. A pile that's too wet can be a smelly pile.
Pest Control
Compost tumblers, especially those that stand above ground, make it hard for rodents, ant, and other pests to get into the waste pile, and the goodies and food you have stored there.
Easy of loading/ unloading
This varies a lot based on the individual composter design. A higher mounted designs will be easier to unload into a wheelbarrow. Some of the roll around varieties are easier to put material in to, but if you don't dump the material out directly into the garden then it may be more difficult to unload.
Aesthetics
Many gardeners like the looks of a free standing compost pile, but many people prefer the look of an enclosed bins to keep the pile out of view.
Here are some pros and cons of compost tumblers.
Easy Rotation of Your Compost Pile
The key to quick composting is to work the pile every few days, to get all the waste material to get to the hot center of the pile. This active center is where the action is, but it can be difficult to get all the material into the middle of the pile. Simply spinning or rotating a tumbler is the easiest way to get this done.
Conserving Compost Pile Moisture
With its enclosed sides, a tumbler will do a better job of retaining moisture in hot dry weather. It will also keep excess moisture out during the rainy season. A pile that's too wet can be a smelly pile.
Pest Control
Compost tumblers, especially those that stand above ground, make it hard for rodents, ant, and other pests to get into the waste pile, and the goodies and food you have stored there.
Easy of loading/ unloading
This varies a lot based on the individual composter design. A higher mounted designs will be easier to unload into a wheelbarrow. Some of the roll around varieties are easier to put material in to, but if you don't dump the material out directly into the garden then it may be more difficult to unload.
Aesthetics
Many gardeners like the looks of a free standing compost pile, but many people prefer the look of an enclosed bins to keep the pile out of view.
Amazon Composting Products Plexo
Urban Compost Tumbler Uct-7 - This Garden Composter Is Far Superior to an Old Fashioned Compost Bin. Makes Composting Fast, Easy & Clean. Great Gift Idea for a Gardener
Produce your own all natural black gold for your v more...0 points
Home and Garden Innovations CMP02 Pyramid Composter
The exclusive peaked lid lets in just enough rain more...0 points
Mantis 201100 Ringer Compost Activator
Ringer, 2 LB Compost Maker For Hard To Compost Mat more...0 points
Envirocycle Composter-Green
With the EnviroCycle drum/turning bins compost may more...0 points
Ceramic Compost Crock
You won't mind leaving these attractive Crocks out more...0 points
EZCB E-Z Compost Bin
Turns yard and garden debris, grass clippings, lea more...0 points
More information on composters
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byTips to Speed Up Your Compost Bin
When You Think Mother Nature Could Use Some Help
You can always take the slow road, most things will eventually compost over time. Eventhe largest fallen trees in the middle of the forest eventually decompose. But, here are some tips to try if you are interesting in trying to get compost in just a matter of weeks.
1) Watch the carbon to nitrogen ratio. Keep the ratio of brown to green materials at about 2:1.
2) Use a chipper or a shredder to break down the raw material.
3) Turn your pile often. Simply turning the compost pile with a pitchfork can do the trick, or use a tumbler.
4) Monitor the moisture level of the compost pile. The material of a working compost pile should feel like damp sponge. Let it dry out and things stop working.
Try these tips to jump start your compost pile, and you should have "black gold" in no time.
1) Watch the carbon to nitrogen ratio. Keep the ratio of brown to green materials at about 2:1.
2) Use a chipper or a shredder to break down the raw material.
3) Turn your pile often. Simply turning the compost pile with a pitchfork can do the trick, or use a tumbler.
4) Monitor the moisture level of the compost pile. The material of a working compost pile should feel like damp sponge. Let it dry out and things stop working.
Try these tips to jump start your compost pile, and you should have "black gold" in no time.
by jsr54
I enjoy gardening and writing gardening articles. This includes raised bed gardening and gadgets like compost tumblers, garden sheds and birding items...
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