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Born and raised in Michigan - the Great Lakes State. My gardening season ends in the fall with planting wint... (more...)
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Compost is Easy
Making compost that your plants will love is quite easy. You don't need an expensive bin or a fancy compost tumbler. All you really need is an enclosure of some kind and the organic ingredients to create black gold.
Black gold is what a lot of gardeners have nicknamed compost. Compost is full of nutrients which make it an excellent organic fertilizer.
I'll show you how to build a super simple compost bin (that just might not cost you a dime), what to put in your compost bin, how to make compost tea, and more.
What You'll Find at the Easy Compost Page
- Easy Compost Bin
- Don't want to build your own Compost Bin?
- What to put in your compost bin
- How long does it take to make compost?
- Compost Accessories
- A Recipe for Lazy Compost
- Get Your Compost Quicker with a Compost Tumbler
- How to Build a Compost Tumbler
- Compost Tumbler in Action
- Screen That Compost
- Compost Tea
- Grow These Wonderful Fruits and Vegetables With Compost Tea
- Compost Tumbler for Apartment Dwellers
- Why and how apartment dwellers can (and should) compost
- What you can use to collect your compost
- Fashionable Compost Containers
- Share your Compost Ideas and Adventures
Easy Compost Bin
Picture of my Compost Bin with the front skid off
Here is what I used:
- 8 Steel Posts
- 4 Pallets/Skids
You could get by without using steel posts. The 4 skids could be wired together at the top and bottom of each skid for stability.
I drove the steel posts into the ground and slid the skids onto them (2 posts to a skid). To get at the material in the compost bin I simply lift the front skid off of the posts.
I got the skids and steel posts at no cost. You can get skids pretty easy. Just stop at a local business that has things shipped to them on skids and ask for a couple.
The steel posts are not as easy to come by for no cost. You could stop by a farm and see if they have any old rusty ones laying around that you could take. Otherwise you could buy them at a home improvement or farm supply store.
The skids I used are not solid wood. You can see in the picture that there is ample room for air to flow through, yet still hold in the organic material.
You could also use a 5th skid for a floor and create additional air flow from the bottom. I haven't tried that as I am in no real hurry to make my compost.
Don't want to build your own Compost Bin?
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What to put in your compost bin
You can add just about any organic material to your compost pile. So I will highlight what NOT to put in your compost first.
Do Not Put These in Your Compost:
- Meat
- Meat Products
- Dairy Products
- Charcoal Briquettes
- Diseased Plants
- Dog or Cat Droppings
- Fish
- Any part of Black Walnut Trees
What you Should add to your compost:
- Leaves
- Grass Clippings
- Kitchen Scraps
- Coffee Grounds and Filters
- Straw
- Garden Refuse
- Egg Shells
There are a ton of items that fall under the Kitchen Scraps category that for the sake of space I neglected to list. Basically, make sure you stay away from any kitchen items from the list of what NOT to put in your compost and you will be just fine.
How long does it take to make compost?
Well, it all depends on how much time you want to spend making your compost. The title of this page is "The Lazy Man's Guide to Making Compost" so I won't go into great depths of how to churn out compost quickly.To get a batch of compost in a shorter time period you need to closely monitor the types of items you add to the compost. You also need to shred just about everything you add so it will break down quicker.
Also, the pile will need to be turned with a garden fork or you can also use an aerator tool (see the one available below) found at most home improvement stores or garden centers.
If you have a good mix of shredded materials, closely monitor the moisture, and keep air flowing - you could see your first batch of compost in 3-4 weeks.
I take a much different approach to composting.
Compost Accessories
Mantis Compost Thermometer #201101
Amazon Price: $25.39 (as of 05/16/2008)
Fiskars Compost/Mulch Fork #9655
Amazon Price: $42.78 (as of 05/16/2008)
The Worm Book: The Complete Guide to Worms in Your Garden
Amazon Price: $9.56 (as of 05/16/2008)
A Recipe for Lazy Compost
Each fall I peel back the top layers of material in my compost bin that have not fully decomposed. Underneath that top layer is some of the richest, blackest, garden soil around. I scoop it out and set it to the side of my compost bin. It either gets added to my raised beds or left until spring.
Then, when I rake the leaves in our yard I fill the compost bin with as many as I can. I don't bother shredding the leaves - I am in no hurry. I let the pile pack down during the remainder of the fall and the following winter.
Non-diseased plants from my raised beds are pulled up and added after the growing season is over. I add kitchen scraps (no meat or dairy, remember?) throughout the winter and await the spring.
In the spring I turn the compost and make sure the kitchen scraps added during the winter when the pile was frozen are good and mixed in. This aerates the pile and I have more room so I add some more leaves from a stand alone pile next to the compost bin.
I might turn the pile once or twice during the summer. It depends on how ambitious I am and if the mood strikes me. I also occasionally douse it with the garden hose during the hot and dry parts of the summer.
Come fall, I repeat the process from above.
Finished Compost
And that is how you make "Lazy Compost".
Get Your Compost Quicker with a Compost Tumbler
For those of you who don't want to take this "Lazy Composter's" advice and kick back while your compost cooks, a Compost Tumbler is right up your alley. You can have compost in a few weeks with one of these.
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Here is a neat way to build your own compost tumbler without it being too complicated. I actually have an empty trash bin that we don't use and plan on building something similar to this.
When mine is completed I will post photos and instructions.
Until then, click on the photo to view photos, instructions, and a list of materials you will need. Pretty ingenious.
Most compost bins have some basic draw-backs that make urban composting a pain:
Compost Tumbler in Action
Tumbleweed compost tumbler product video
Learn about the Tumbleweed compost bin. Available from cleanairgardening.com.
Runtime: 2:52
4064 views
3 Comments:
Screen That Compost
If you followed my guide to Building a Raised Bed you might have some left over hardware cloth. I simply built a simple frame from some scrap 1"x4" lumber and attached some 1/2" hardware cloth with heavy duty staples.
My Compost Screen sitting on my wheelbarrow
I made mine so it will sit on my wheelbarrow. I just scoop up shovelfuls of compost and toss them on the screen. A couple of quick shakes of the compost screen and my wheelbarrow has some nice clean compost in it.
Look at all of the stuff I kept out of my compost.
I built my screen to fit over my wheelbarrow so I only have to scoop up the compost once. Some compost screens are standalone affairs that have you screen the compost directly onto the ground. This means you have to scoop it up again to put it in your wheelbarrow.
Not exactly the method for the "Lazy Composter" - that's me :).
Compost Tea
Ahh, look at that nice amber colored tea. Your plants will thank you for a drink of this.
You have all heard of Sweet Tea, Iced Tea, Ice-T, and Mr. T. But have you ever heard of Compost Tea?
Compost Tea is the elixir that your plants will thank you for by growing and growing and growing. I try to give my Raised Beds and other garden plots a drink of Compost Tea about once a week (this is in addition to regular "plain" water).
Who needs Miracle Grow when you can brew batches of Compost Tea all summer long?
Making Compost Tea
I use a couple of 5 gallon buckets and old tube socks (just make sure the holes are not too big) to brew my Compost Tea.
- Fill a sock about half-full with some of your compost.
- Tie the top portion of the sock to the bucket handle and fill the bucket to the top with water.
- It might help the process to run the water directly over the sock (or teabag if you will) and even swirl the sock around in the bucket after it has been filled.
- I like to let my compost tea "brew" until the water is a nice warm temperature and the tea is a nice amber color.
- Pour the tea into your watering can or dip your watering can (if it isn't too large for the bucket) into the bucket and apply a good soaking to your garden
I plan on updating the growth of my plants throughout the summer growing and harvesting season. Hopefully it will show off the benefits of brewing up Compost Tea.
Week 1 of results from using Compost Tea
Week 3 of results from using Compost Tea
In just 2 weeks you can see that the plants have doubled in size.
Week 4 of results from using Compost Tea
Look at those tomatoes and eggplant grow!
End of Season Report:
We had our second child over the summer and instead of taking photos of my garden I was taking photos of our new baby.
I will say that this was our most productive year for our garden. We churned out plenty of tomatoes, more eggplant than we wanted, excellent zucchini, and numerous quarts of strawberries and green beans.
It was another dry summer here in Michigan and daily watering plus a shot of compost tea every other day definitely helped with our production.
Grow These Wonderful Fruits and Vegetables With Compost Tea
They even delay your shipment until it is time for you to start the seeds indoors or when it's time to plant any bare root plants you might have ordered.
Here are some of the bestsellers:
Park's Whopper CR Improved Hybrid
Park's Original 60-cell Bio Dome Seed Starter
Tomato Better Boy Hybrid
Cucumber Park's Bush Whopper II Hybrid
Strawberry Plants (25) & 2 Growin' Bags
Compost Tumbler for Apartment Dwellers
While building this lens on Compost I was inspired to experiment with a Tiny Compost Tumbler that folks in condos and apartments could use for their container gardens or indoor plants.I was inspired by the "Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker" to create a "kick the can" type of compost tumbler. I took one of my large (39 oz.) empty coffee cans and peeled off the label. Air holes in the plastic lid were made with a hammer and nail. I used some hunter green spray paint to help it absorb the heat from the sun and make it look a little neater. I would have used some flat black paint, but I was all out at the time.
I added some old lettuce leaves,strawberry hulls, carrots, green pepper cores, eggshells, and coffee grounds to my Tiny Compost Tumbler. The idea is to shake and/or roll the Tiny Compost Tumbler once a day and possibly add water if the moisture level gets low. Here is what it looked like after I added the initial compost ingredients.
Looks yummy, huh?
Results After 1 Week
I added a small bit of water the other day. Things are cooking quite nicely.
Conclusion:
Do NOT add water. I rushed things a bit by adding water and it turned my wonderful little compost tumbler into a smelly mess.
It seemed to work rather well on its own. I will try this again in the springtime and see how things look without adding water.
Why and how apartment dwellers can (and should) compost
Compost in New York City
Why and how to compost while living in a New York City apartment...
Runtime: 5:47
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What you can use to collect your compost
I cut the top off of an empty gallon milk jug while preserving the handle. I store it in the garage and whenever I go out the back door I grab the milk jug container and dump the contents into our compost bin.
Another option is to use a large coffee can. Place your scraps in and seal it shut with the plastic lid. This should help to eliminate any pesty bugs and possibly prevent nasty odors.
To truly eliminate pests and odors check out one of the options below.
Fashionable Compost Containers
Norpro 94 Stainless-Steel Composter Keeper
Amazon Price: $49.95 (as of 05/16/2008)
Norpro Ceramic Compost Keeper
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 05/16/2008)
Compost Bucket Large (9.6 Quart)
Amazon Price: (as of 05/16/2008)
Share your Compost Ideas and Adventures
Do you compost? Share your ideas and thoughts on composting here.
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CherylK
Excellent! Great information and I'm going to lensroll it and favorite it (in case you update). Good job! Posted April 23, 2008 |
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TheresaMarkham
Great lens! Lots of wonderful how-to directions - including make your own compost bin & compost tea. I made a Squidoo lens that lists over 200 items you can put into your compost pile - see it here. All the Best, Theresa Posted March 19, 2008 |
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Stephene
Thks for useful information.. i hv bookmarked this lense and joined your fan club.. (^o^) Posted March 16, 2008 |
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GypsyPirate
Pallets and steel stakes. Brilliant! Thanks. Posted March 13, 2008 |
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rms
Wonderful lens full of great information. I'm lensrolling this to my ladybugs are good for your garden lens! Posted March 13, 2008 |
