Compest Help Please?
Answer:
First of all we have to clasify trash at least keep the organic to one side ,like in a plasic bin with a lid ,
the permanent stuff like glass plastics ,can go to the landfill or we make a hole of a few square meters and make our own landfill ,every soi often cover with sand and compact it .
As long as the organics are gone the production of harmfull bacteria is next to none ,
Only things like batteries are very bad in the soil.
Dont burn it that is very bad for the air .
if you are in a apartment ,if you have a balcony get a big plastic bin drill some holes in the side and lid ,
and add a bit of sand now and again to put over the trash ,you should realy stir or move the stuff at times to airate it and ensure that the decomposition is overall ,keep moist
there are special compost bins you can get for apartments ,best to keep on the balcony where there is airflow.
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a general note on compost
bones,treetrunks,cardboard,egg... clothes(if they are organic),poop,leaves,kitchen waste,foodscraps,newspaper,
kitty litter and even the dead cat
All can be put on the compost heap
as long as you seal it with a covering of leaves .or put a piece of plastic on top ,
keep it moist and in the shade ,it will then get hot enough to kill all parasites
the worms will devellop,and take care of everything ,the moisture helps decomposition
the plastic keeps in the moisture and protects the worms from predators .like chickens ,birds armadillos,and even dogs .i have seen going in to eat my worm culture
you could add a bit of lime now and again
to make the process more potent
HOW
make the compost in a shallow hole ,so that it retains more humidity,
about 2 square meters is good ,and have it under a tree or put a little roof over i t,which does not have to be water proof ,so a palm thatch is enough,
and makesure the garden sprinkler gets there or spray some water on it ,at least once a week,dont have it water logged or the worms will drown or leave
Organic waste is responsible for 70% of contamination in Land fills if it goes out with the trash ,so please do not do this
RECYCLING
Cardboard is also acceptable for recycling
so is glass if you classify it in colors,and
aluminium cans
I agree with byderule on everything except putting animal matter in your compost. PLEASE do NOT put any meat scraps or dead animals in a compost bin especially if you are intending to use the soil indoors. I don't even suggest using commercial blood meal. Use only plant material in your composter.
The bacteria which break down animal matter 1. cause a STINK! (vegetative compost will have an "earthy smell"), 2. Attract a great number of flies, and 3. Are more likely to be types of bacteria that will make YOU sick.
It is actually potentially dangerous to your health to include animal flesh in your compost or the feces of meat eating animals. Manure of plant eating animals is okay, if you have a pony in your apartment ;-)
One animal you MIGHT want to include in your compost bin is earthworms (not dead ones). They will help process the compost. Worm castings are some of the best (and most expensive!) natural fertilizer you can get. For the volume of compost you will create in an apartment, they are likely redundant.
The following link is a very good primer on starting an outdoor or indoor compost bin.
You are going to have to reach a "critical mass" of decaying plant material to produce the heat that breaks down the composition of the pile. You can't compost on a small scale suitable for a windowbox. Go buy some at Wally World. A 25 lb. bag is the smallest I saw and it's like less than 2 bucks.
It's very easy to compost. Simply find a spot in your yard, preferably away from the house because there will be a slight decaying, earthy scent from the compost pile.
Start layering brown and green materials such as dead leaves, vegatable scraps, etc. The pile should be in the sun so it will start "cooking". After approximately six weeks, take a hay fork and turn your pile, mixing up what's been added over the weeks.
You should see an emission of slight smoke that says your pile has started cooking. Keep on layering and stirring the pile. After a few months, you should see decompisition of your pile. At this point, I'd move to another area, starting a new pile, as you keep stirring the former pile. As soon as the materials have all decomposed, the remaining material is safe and ready to use.
One trick, if your pile isn't cooking fast as you would like, cover it during the day with something black to attract and trap the sun's warmth.
You should also water the pile slightly if it doesn't rain. Usually the rain is sufficient enough for the pile to do it's thing.
Good luck!
The countertop composter is probably for worm composting. It's very simple and can produce great results. The bin you mention is not only pricy but needs a fair amount of space.
The trick in standard composting is to alternate green and brown materials and to keep the material moist but not wet. Big piles need to be stirred.
You'll love the end result. Stick with it and good luck!
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