Garden Girl TV: Simple Easy Compost Bin

[jbibm81]

what do you do about turning it? Do you add soil to speed it up?

[BeWellMyFriends]

I love that idea about the cheap and easy compost bin. I saved this video in my favorites. I would like to make compost and I have questions about worm bins. 

[bluesdog88]

What about pulp from the juicer, isnt it better to bury that stuff in your soil?

[Henrie818]

This is a great video. The tips are so easy and simple. It just shows the type of things we can do ourselves to help the environment. Your tips reminded me of a video I did on my show Talking with Henrietta about all of the benefits that trees give us to improve the environment and to add beauty to our lives. Trees are one way to fight global warming & it is a plus that we can use the leaves from the trees to enrich the earth.

[Jefferdaughter]

Nice for an urban backyard. In a rural setting, I leave the leaves to protect the lawn grass over the winter, and mow them in the spring. They are quickly incorporated into the soil.

In the suburbs, I just mowed the leaves in the fall as they fell, and let them nourish the lawn along with the grass clippings. (I only pick up the grass clippings if they are especially heavy.) BYW, most lawn grasses should be allowed to grow at least 3" tall, 4 is even better, expecially in summer.

[alaznist]

I started a compost bin a week ago and it should be ready to use next week. I googles fast composting and it came back with the Berkely method. It takes 2-3weeks to completely finish. Use an equal amount of grass clippings and leaves or any carbon. Shredded boxes or newspaper if you can't get leaves, and water. you can also use saw dust mulched tree limbes or sticks even some table scraps. Great stuff.

[RawkStarrPrincess]

I'm no expert, but I thought that for a good compost you need to balance the "browns" and the "greens"? Browns being yard clippings and greens being fruit and vegetable peals, egg shells, coffee grinds. ect. I thought that balancing these things is what helps keep the PH balanced and helps the compost to decompose at a better rate and become more nutritious? Or was someone just feeding me a line of ... compost?

[jihadacadien]

@RawkStarrPrincess Well the ''right way '' to compost everywhere is just to get optimal results. In my opinion it makes composting seem harder than it is. You can trow all you organic stuff anyway you want mixed with some dirt. I'll compost anyway but might take more time.

[RawkStarrPrincess]

I agree. When I was first beginning and I was very excited about gardening and starting my compost, it really did complicate things. I felt a little over whelmed with all the information. Now, I just use an old piece of chicken wire fence formed into a cylinder and tethered with some zip ties. Then I throw in all my coffee grounds, fruit and veggie scraps, egg shells... you know what goes in and then every now and then some horsey poo.. I have plenty :-S. I added worms and it composts fast now!

[dontlikenumbers]

If, by any chance, your compost pile starts to smell bad, it is a sign that the nitrogen level is too high, add a little carbon to the mix. I have at one time had to use some clean wood ashes to deodorize it. The mix can be important, if your pile doesn't decompose well you can pass bad stuff back to your garden plants.

[RHEAD100]

@RawkStarrPrincess They were feeding you some really good info. for someone that likes to keep things complicated and work hard. I don't like to work hard. SO; I Kiss (keep it simple stupid) my compost pile. Any organic material in contact with dirt and or water. As for PH , just check your garden dirt once a year and add lime as needed.

[AnnieNM06]

can i put egg shells in my compost? Thanks

and thanks for this great video. This is the most clear and simplest how to make a compost bin video ever. Thanks

[jihadacadien]

@AnnieNM06 Of course you can! maybe break it a little so it degrades faster. It won't add much to the dirt but there's no reason not to put it in! =)

[dontlikenumbers]

Yes, egg shells are best ground up a bit. They add calcium which is good for fruit production, like tomatoes.

[featherlightful]

Patti, thanks! This is how we're going to do it.

As usual, brilliant tips! Jeanne

[thewheatguy]

Nice one! Good money saving tip!

Looks like this will be my plan for the winter here!!

Since you are in the urban/suburban area food scraps are not the best idea (nor is any fresh manure) - but out in the country...both are fair game for the compost pile.

So, you don't turn it, water it or anything?

Super intro and vidoe!

Best Blessings!

Donna Miller

[bm5447]

many people compost with rabbit or chicken manure! I don't think you really know what you are talking about!

[dazigg]

God city people are entertaining.

[botchalism]

sssss

[Inga4020]

This is a great idea G. I live in Las Vegas and the dirt here sucks. I dug down into a raised cement flower box that extends down one whole side of my backyard and took out the nasty dirt down about 3ft and made it my compost area. It is a 2'x 8' area and it helps alot but I have been wanting to make a bigger area for composting. I have 3 huge garbage bags of leaves from last fall sitting up against my cement wall...now I now what to do with them. Thanks so much for this idea.

[theblackhen]

Also, it helps to mix regularly and keep it moist. I also add all the paper from my shredder (yes, I do have some credit cards in my garden but they work like vermiculite).

[jumpdance24]

You should NOT compost paper or newsprint....it contains a fair amount of poisons from the ink. If you want roughage in your finished compost shred wood or bark NOT any form of plastic.

[1kingconan]

so no paper, newspaper in compost is what you are saying? I suspected that ink might be bad i knew it. please confirm this to me somone thanx. Oh and does anyone know why milk products can be dangerous for compost piles?

[jumpdance24]

eeeerm, I think when I said "You should NOT compost paper or newsprint"...it was clear enough ?....Inks contain POISONS.

As for milk products they are 'greasy' and will inhibit breakdown unless you use a specialist rotating /wood pellet composter.

[1kingconan]

lol I know it was clear I just wanted to make sure it was true.  So what kind of poisons? and how much is too much? or is just a sheet of newpaper too bad for you? This is a bit important to me sinse i put some paper in my compost. thanks for reply dance :)

[leiatyndall]

Usually the concern in vermicomposting (worm composting, which usually uses newspaper for bedding/food), is that some inks contain lead. However, many newspapers use soy-based ink, so you have to find out which type of ink your local papers use (lead or soy-based). Also, it's usually recommended to only only plain newspaper, not the colorful stuff. I figure if it's OK for my worms, it's OK for my other compost.

[MasterOutdoors]

newspaper is not printed in the poisonous ink anymore.

[astrialkil]

BS ! what are u afraid of? SOY INK?

U ARE JUST SPREADING FUD

[MasterOutdoors]

I meant that they dont make ink out of lead, pencils too. lead is a known mineral that causes cancer so it was banded in the us

[LitCrit101]

banded?

banned?

[astrialkil]

most news papers now use SOY INK .

so ask your newspaper what they use for ink.

soy ink is safe.

[mukwah1111]

Hi Patti If you use your weed wacker to mulch down those leaves inside the composter ...just stick it in and buzz them up....not only will they break down faster but it will allow more room to add more leaves or plant materials. Adding fresh kitchen waste or green matter between leaf layers also breaks it down into a complete compost. Happy composting !!!

[valleah]

i was told you have to stir them and keep them moist (but, i do live in california where it's drier) and i've heard conflicting information about adding weeds to the bin. will the weeds grow and multiply if i add them?

[carmel2750]

this i can do...thanks

[Kirinluke]

I've already got wire mesh like that just lying around!(Runs off to make a compost bin.)

[cookingupastory]

Great simple idea, Ggirl! Great to see you featured too =)

[thestivs]

The host speaks well and clear and the advice made a lot of sense.

[rmt131]

Easy and simple thats the way to do it.

Best wishes

Richie

[showdiva99]

You rock Garden Girl.

Composting means the city does not have to haul all those fab leaves away... reduce your carbon footprint by composting. No fuel needed!!! Nothing better than seeing the worms wiggling in the rich compost. Throw it on the grass by the handful - go organic!

[UtubiaPresident]

Commendable effort. People in cyberspace do need to get grounded!

Come over to Utubia and visit the community group.

[BeechSundowner]

Good video!

[normah2]

You have made it so simple to do. Thanks so much Garden Girl from Normah2

[SCODgreenhood]

Good leaf compost bin! Any stick pile? Come visit ours! :) *****

[dionysusstar]

I'd like to see the finished compost.