garden--compost

I finished planting my garden(s) last weekend-raised.

What I do not have always meant to, is a composter. I was going to go to Home D or Coop and pick one up. Any suggestions? they seem prettty straight forward. Tumbler style or free stand? Or make one? plastic garbage can?

Have any of you used fish carcass for gardens? I usually use them for crabbing. And it seems a set up for a coon or vament raid.

Compost Instructions
1 Add items to the compost tumbler that you would normally put in a compost pile. Leaves, grass clippings, leftover produce and food waste are all items that can safely be added to your compost.

2 Rotate or roll the compost tumbler at least once daily to mix all the ingredients and to aerate the compost. The tumbler conserves heat, which helps break down the contents faster. Having compost in a sealed container keeps the smell down as well.


3 Remove the compost after about 10 weeks in the tumbler. At this time, the compost will be ready for your garden. Add more items back into the compost tumbler to start the process again. Compost can be made year around, so you have a constant supply.


what should not go into a tumbler? example---weeds? do they break down enough that your compost does not have a bunch of dandelion seeds or other weeds?

Thanks
Coho

Tumblers are very nice and worth the cost. They do a much better and quicker job than a plastic trash can or a 55 gal metal drum because they are double wall thermoformed with a gap for insulation (which helps keep the heat up as microbes do their thing). Heat is THE key.

Weed seeds will NOT break down, so never put any livestock waste in there. Any poo will do as long as it doesn't come from a grazing animal (dog poo works well if you don't put too much in there).

Also, take a whiz in there every once and a while. Human whiz is high in nitrogen. A few Salmon carcasses are a great addition and its a pink year, so you should easily have a good supply. Any organic matter household scraps go in there as well. Old stale bread is also good food for the microbes.

Good luck and happy gardening

Come over to my house. I have lots of chicken poo.

I built 2 homemade tumbler-style composters out of large drums. They essentially spin on a shaft that has been placed through holes drilled in the center of each end. Although they are black, they are not double-walled. As mentioned, heat is a big factor and the rate of composting varies greatly over the course of the year. Worms help too. I actually need to build a 3rd and 4th drum to keep up. We put all non-protein food scraps in. When things are quick, I'll add some paper or grass clippings. I do NOT add feces and I believe I've heard it is an absolute no if you plan on using your compost for your edible garden.

This is just a photo off the internet but mine looks exactly like this except a black drum:

Appreciate the help

will hint for a Fathers Day

saw a 52 gallon tumbler for decent price

Brown Items
Brown items are basically items that are dried out or dead. Fifty percent of your compost pile should be brown items. Items from among the following list are acceptable: leaves, sawdust, shredded cardboard or newspaper, corn stalks, bark, nut shells, pine and fir needles, wood ash and straw.


Green Items
Green items are most recently alive or are moist. Fifty percent of the compost pile should consist of green materials. Items from the following list are acceptable: grass clippings, garden trimmings, live stock manure, coffee grounds with filters and tea bags, fruit and vegetable scraps and weeds as long as they have not gone to seed.





Water
It is not necessary to water on any time table. Nature typically will provide adequate watering. Add water only if the compost pile seems dry and inactive.


Acti vators
Activators provide a quick boost to the decomposition process. Homemade as well as commercial activators are available. If using a commercial activator, follow the manufacturer's directions. Natural activators include algae, seaweed, aged manure (particularly well-rotted chicken manure) and alfalfa meal.


Items to Avoid
Certain items should not be added to a compost pile. Some items can add chemicals that damage plants. Others are difficult or impossible to break down. Items to avoid include inorganic materials such as aluminum foil, glass, plastics and metals. Avoid meat, bones, fish and dairy products. The smell can attract animals. Dog and cat droppings may contain disease organisms, rendering the compost toxic. Colored paper such as from magazines and certain parts of the newspaper contain heavy metals. Coal ash contain high amounts of sulfur and iron.


Speeding Up the Process
Keeping the compost pile in the sunshine will speed the heating up process. Turning the pile from time to time will allow all parts of the pile to decompose, spreading the microorganisms throughout the pile. Chopping larger pieces will help them break down more quickly.

So I shouldn't be taking my morning grumpy's in the composter?