Compost advice...to pile or bin

Hi Missy,

I, too, have just started composting. I made a chicken wire pen and have been adding yard clippings and some kitchen waste. All the info I've read said that you do not want to put dog poo in your compost bin as it's basically the same as human waste. Such a shame cuz I have two large dogs Oh, well, I have been told you can add dog hair and human hair from brushes and also horse manure. I also add coffee grounds. Let's hope we both have mounds of "garden gold" in a few months' time!
Also, the county I live in has compost bins for sale at a greatly reduced price. So you might want to check that source.

I live in a townhouse/villa in the suburbs, and my "yard' is concrete. I used 2 Rubbermaid bins (the big blue ones that look like you could easily fit 2 toddlers in them - ahem, don't take that the wrong way ) I drilled holes all around the sides 3/4 of the way up and through the bottom for aeration and it allowed the earth worms to get in and do some work. I threw my scraps in plus some cheap Black Magic soil to keep the initial stink down.

It takes a while for your scraps to turn to dirt. So throw in lots of veggie scraps, throw in hair (human or animal), eggshells, coffee grounds and filters. I also throw weeds in there. Wait a week to 10 days to turn your compost. Add soil from time to time. When you chop up potatoes and throw them in, they're likely to turn into new potatoes if your compost is deep enough. This is how I ended up with 2 bins. You'll end up accidentally growing a lot of things in there. FL receives a lot of rain, though. So if in TX you don't, and you want to grow things in the bin, water your bin as well.

I would only put animal feces in if they were eating pure, real food, not processed stuff. So maybe that's why the suggestion for Bil Jac food? I don't know. Good luck!

PS Keep a little bin in your kitchen that you can empty in the compost bin daily. Makes life easier.

Ihave a 3 wire bin system. Looks like these: http://www.gardeners.com/Wire-Bin-Composter/20706,34-646RS,default,cp.html

Open and in the shade most of the day. I keep 3 bins (about 3cubic foot each) so I can throw in raw things that will rot and toss over some partially composted stuff on top, or grass or garden clippings to cover it. No flys, rot, or stink, in my plan. I won't put the dog poo in it because I don't want to handle it when I turn the compost. I put all vegetable mater in there from the house, mowing, and gardening. I always mix in grass clippings with the rest into a cleared out bin if I can so I can layer it. Grass is "hot" and nitrogen rich so it will stink and "rot" if not mixed in. But it 's great to heat up the more carbon things like headheaded garden clippings and small sticks. No meat, no fat, no paper, no dog doo for me.I want it to get hot in the middle of the pile naturally, but papers take too long to break down. Bread I will put in there. I keep a covered container in the sink for tea, coffee grounds, kitchen scraps and any bread ends. I haul it out, toss from old stuff on top of it so it will break down faster and not be an ugly stinky fly attracting eyesore. When it's too dry I water the compost. After 3 -5 days when I have time I'll go turn the whole thing into another bin tomix it up and jumpstart the process. When I do that consistantly it composts into a great loamy addition to the garden. I can get about 3cubic foot of compost finished every year. There is a covered plastic bin I got from freecycle. I use that in frozen winters here to put kitchen scraps until it thaws. The minute I htink it's thawed I turn it into last years stuff. I save back some carbon like stuff to toss into the "greener" stuff and kitchen things when I get them. I don't have a lot of leaves , so I have to save up things like that when I can. Loooove my compost! I get volunteer flowers pumpkins peppers, and other things growing beside it that make me happy, too.

You shouldn't put egg shells in either or raw meat scraps! I think it's because of bacteria or something. I have a bin in my garden that is a Sterilite/Rubbermaid bin. I read online to just put holes on the sides of it from a semi big nail but not too big. I have a cover on mine but it is full of ants. UGH! I think a pile would have been better but I didn't want my landlord to freak out so I used a bin. I don't think I'll be able to use it in the winter time because it might crack. I have at least 200 worms in it. I bought around 150 of them from Walmart in the fishing department and the others I get after it rains. I go outside and dig and lift rocks to find them.

Good luck! :bigsmile:

Sprinkle some crushed lime in it every now and again. Supposed to cut the acidity and kills any larva that may be thriving (like maggots).

The reason fecal matter (although high in nutrients, especially nitrogen) is not currently used for compost material is because it can harbour harmful bacteria and organisms, and even disease.. more specifically from any meat eating animal or human.

It is probably not wise to spread that to a flower bed where it could come in contact with people (including the gardener) .. and especially it is not healthy to utilize in consumable products like vegetable or fruit plants/trees.

Here's my system. Cheap, has enough volume to compost up to 160 F in the center when its reallly cooking. The next empty bin is the one I start forking it into when I get more material.

Wow, that is some gorgeous compost, nammyl!

The reason fecal matter (although high in nutrients, especially nitrogen) is not currently used for compost material is because it can harbour harmful bacteria and organisms, and even disease..

Are you saying dog poo or poo in general?

Yes .. as does any animal or human that eats meat. Just look up the hazards of handling septic material. Know anyone that handles poop that doesn't wear gloves? ... Have you ever wondered why it is recommended to wash your hands after going to the bathroom?