Composting made easy…. And cheap!

I use a lot of vegetables, herbs and fruits on a regular basis. I have always felt horrible about dumping the peelings, stems, leaves, cores and what have you. I really did not want to spend a lot of money on a compost tumbler, or a kitchen compost bin and I didn’t have a good spot for a series of bins in my yard (you know the kind, make three bins, fill one, transfer to the next, fill the first one again and so on.) so I looked for a better alternative for my yard. And I found a great idea which I’ll give you that uses a two part system; one for my kitchen and one for my back yard.

Kitchen compost bin: Most of these retail for $50.00 or more not including odor filter replacement pads; I made mine for less than $15.00  overall including the odor filter!First you’ll need a small 2 gallon bucket with a lid; I bought mine at a home improvement store for about $2.89, including lid. Then you’ll need an odor filtering material, which I found at the same home improvement store for about $10.00 which will give me about 5 filters. You’ll need a drill with about a 5/8” drill bit. The filter comes with plastic ties to attach it to your lid. The instructions are below:

 

Remove the lid and drill a series of holes around the top. I recommend at least 10. Too few and you run the risk of anaerobic rotting, which is a nice way of saying your compost will stink, even with the filter!

  

       

Next, take your filter and remove it from the packaging. Using the lid as a template cut a piece fit INSIDE the lid. Using the plastic ties that came with your filter, attach it to the lid.

Last, place it in a convenient spot. Mine works under the sink and is easily accessible. I use a 2 gallon and empty it, depending on usage, every couple of days. A one gallon may require more emptying. If you get a white cottony growth in your compost bucket, either you are not emptying it enough. If this happens, empty it and wash it with soap and water. Allow to dry and use again. If it continues, you may not have enough brown material in it to balance the environment.

Now to part 2 of our composting duo:

This is the one for the back yard which I used a 32 gallon trash can for, complete with lid. You can use a smaller one, but I don’t recommend going too large as you will need to roll this one around every week at least to mix the contents. You’ll need your drill again and two 2’ long bungee type cords. This unit can be made for under $15.00. I used a can we already had.

            

In the first picture, I have drilled some holes in the lid. I used an older can so my lid was a bit degraded and it cracked. A new one shouldn’t do this.

 Next I drilled holes in the can itself in rows along the side of the can. I ended up with four vertical rows. Next I drilled a few holes in the base of the can to help with drainage as you’ll be adding a bit of water occasionally.

Once your back yard compost bin has been completed, set it where it will get some sun. I don’t recommend all day sun, but most of the day is okay. Set it up on bricks so the drain holes will not be blocked. Once it is in place, place a layer of brown material in the bottom, about 2-3” worth. This can be comprised of dried leaves, dried lawn clippings and some dirt. Once a week at least roll the can to mix contents and help things break down. At this time you can even add a bit of water if your compost is composed of a lot of brown material. Try to keep an even balance by alternating brown and green layers. I also keep a stick nearby to stir it occasionally just to help the process in between rollings.

Now, depending on which school of thought you belong to what you can compost is open to opinion. Some believe you can compost a small amount of meat, dairy, urine, cooked foods along with the usual grass clippings, dried leaves, veggie, fruit and herb cuttings without detriment to the quality of your compost. I personally don’t believe in composting meats, dairy (butter, milk, etc.) in with my yard debris and leftovers from fruits, veggies and herbs. My concern is bacteria that are created when meat and dairy decompose; I’m not all that sure it won’t be transmitted to my edible plants and the smell of them decomposing may be unpleasant to say the least! I feel also that using meats / dairy is also asking for critters to investigate your compost bin and deciding they like the contents. Using cooked vegetables/fruits is okay just making sure there aren’t any sauces on them to avoid a smelly compost heap.

Using paper in your compost pile is okay too. I just don’t recommend using anything that is slick, glossy, printed with a variety of colors unless you know what the ink is comprised of. I do know that the black and white newsprint is printed with a soy based ink, which is harmless. However, with magazines, boxes, letters, sales receipts, etc. I’m not sure. If you choose to use paper in your bin, make sure you shred it up or tear it into small pieces to help decomposition.

As to adding weeds, entirely up to you. I don't recommend adding them when they have the flower heads on them as you may be adding seeds to your compost which will sprout up later unless your compost gets "hot" enough to destroy the weeds. If you feel your compost is doing well and heating up, go ahead. 

Another nice aspect of creating your own compost is that you can make 'compost tea.' This is when you take your compost, add a cup or two to a bucket of water and let it 'steep' for a day or so. Take the resulting water and pour on your plants, indoors and out. The sludge can be incorporated back into your compost heap.

Remember that the larger items you may want to add to your bin should be reduced for easier decomposition. Once your compost gets to the point you want to use it, you can sift out the pieces that haven't decomposed yet and place them back in your compost bin.

Happy composting!

Mary