One of the first things I wanted to do was get a composting system set up. But where to start? There is so much choice out there. I needed something that was simple, effective, and most of all cheap.
There is a lot of choice out there and the price, wow, some can cost you your first born. We looked at many on the market and liked the tumbling variety the best; unfortunately, our budget didn't. These can set you back anywhere from $189 upwards, too much for us. Even the basic round open ended variety can set you back starting form around $50, a lot more attractive. The one thing that these bins all had in common was that their capacity were all around the 200 lt and greater, this was to big for our needs.
We opted for a much cheaper, and much smaller, option, we made our own. Our's cost around $13 and took ten minutes to set up.
Using a black plastic 60 lt garbage bin, I inverted it and cut out the bottom with a stanley knife. I then drill holes (approx 5 mm in size) down the sides to aid for aeration and used the original lid, well, still as the lid (just now on the bottom). Simple, effective and most of all cheap.
The process is easy, and compost bins are simple to maintain. Just a few simple steps and all is good. Compost is simply vegetable matter broken down. It needs several things to aid this breakdown process.
Firstly - nitrogen, which is from green matter, fresh vegetable scraps, lawn clippings, weeds etc. Nitrogen is needed to create organisms to oxidize the carbon. Too much green will result in a rotten smelling pile, rather than a composting one.
Secondly - carbon which is brown, or dead vegetable matter, dead leaves, small twigs and branches, straw, hay etc. Carbon is necessary and gives the organisms created from the nitrogen something to feed on. Too much brown will create an environment that takes ages to break down.
Thirdly - moisture, not saturation. Moisture aids in the breakdown process. After all the organism that do the work are living things, all living things need water to survive. Too much moisture prevents oxygen from penetrating the matter.
And last but not least - oxygen, this aids in not only the breakdown process (all living things need oxygen), but it also helps prevent smells.. This is accomplished simply by turning the matter in the compost bin from time to time.
Layering is a good idea and helps with the speed of things breaking down. It doesn't have to be a religious thing, so don't panic if it doesn't work out perfectly. Sometimes you just don't have everything laying around that's needed. Layering simply comprises of firstly adding some brown matter, followed by some green matter. Its always a good idea to add some soil, old potting mix, or even cow/horse manure, but is not duly necessary. Its just that soils have these micro organisms already in them and just helps speed things up. Follow on with just a little moisture to dampen things down and you're on your way.
Things to add to your compost bin -
- Vegetable and food scraps
- Fallen leaves (in layers)
- Tea leaves and tea bags
- Coffee grounds
- Vacuum cleaner dust
- Soft stems
- Dead flowers
- Old potting mix
- Used vegetable cooking oil
- Egg shells
- Old newspapers (wet)
- Grass cuttings in layers
- Weeds (But not seeds, or seeding)
- Sawdust (not from treated timber)
- Wood ash
- Human and animal hair
Things not to add to your compost bin -
- Meat and dairy products
- Diseased plants
- Metals, plastic, glass
- Animal manures (especially the droppings of cats and dogs)
- Fat
- Magazines
- Large branches
- Weeds that have seeds or underground stems
- Bread or cake (may attract mice)
- Bones
- Sawdust from treated timber
The use of certain manures are acceptable. Cow or horse manure can be used, along with goat or sheep. Our girls have pet guinea pigs, the refuse from their hutch...straight into the compost bin. Chicken manure is high in nitrogen, so a little goes along way. Avoid breads in the compost bin as this will attract vermin.
Problem...Smelly Compost. This is probably a result of too much green matter or too much moisture. This can be fixed easily by adding some extra brown matter and stirring to aerate, and cutting back on the moisture added.
Problem...Long Breakdown Process. Maybe there is too much brown matter in ratio to green, or not enough moisture, or maybe its not getting hot enough (compost needs heat). Add respectively and turn to aerate.
Problem...Vermin. It is possible for pests to make a compost bin their home, after all it is warm and a constant source of food. The prevention of adding food scraps such as breads, dairy and meats and keeping you bin covered will prevent the bigger ones like rats and mice from nosing in. Cockroaches are not so easy, but regular turning will cause a disruption to pest nests and make it less likely for them to habitat there.
A compost bin is relatively low maintenance, but the rewards can be astounding. Give it a go, it can't hurt. The way I look at it is; that if you've got to dispose of it, do it in a way that benefits you.
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