WHAT is the best / cheapest/easiest way to start composting?
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Pick a spot in the back yard, get 4 pieces of roofing plywood. Make a box height is up to you, depends on how big you want it. Add actual kitchen garbage and leaves. Stir or rake to mix well about once a week. Do not add any paper or plastic. No chemicals either except lime which will help decompose matter and the smell!
Use leaves, grass cuttings, egg shells , tea bags, coffee grounds , etc.
This guide should help
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/compost-cheap-78255.html
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/compost-cheap-78255.html
We started by making a box with three sides about 3 feet tall, and one side about half that. Initially you will want to alternate your organic matter with some soil, a cheap bag from the garden center will work. Turn it over and moisten occasionally. Its not aq fast process, but very beneficial
1. Locate a place in your yard to set up a compositing sit up.
2. Dig out a pit, I suggest about 2ft deep (PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR GAS OR PHONE OR ELECTRIC LINES DO NOT RUN THROUGH THE AREA!!!!!)
3. The dimensions for width and length are up to you but, whatever they are have a tarp or heavy piece of plastic large enough to cover it and something that can stake or hold it down when it is covered. An option is to use one of those cheap kiddie pools - if yours can accomodate your pit.
Another option is to get a large, heavy duty plastic trash can with a detachable lid. Of coarse there are containers made specifically for composting but, they carry a hefty price too.
Actually for me (where I now live in a large city and subdivision) have a bare spot in the corner of our backyard. When I cut our grass I dump the grass there without doing any preparation to the ground, and I started adding the tree debris, egg shells, coffee grounds tea bags and various sundry compositional elements in the pile. You need to remember to turn and mix your pile ever so often so that it mixes and changes well. After a period of time you'll begin to see earth worms working out. Actually might not be a bad idea to go to your local fishing or bait shop and but and couple of pints and put them in your mass.
GOOD LUCK!
Pick a spot for your compost pile. Start dumping compostables on that spot. Containing your compost pile with a wooden frame covered in chicken wire is great, but you don't have to do that to start. Try to layer your compost - vegetable peelings, etc., (no meat or bones), grass clippings, a shovel full of dirt, grass clippings, leaves, hair. Water it once in a while if you haven't had much rain. Don't turn it over too often. Ask a hair stylist to save all the hair that's regularly swept up from the floor. Human hair is excellent for the compost. It's not necessary to actually layer each of those items; just try to make sure your compost pile includes all or most of those ingredients. If you do end up making an enclosure for your compost pile, you can plant rhubarb around the outside of the enclosure. Your rhubarb will thrive there.
Since you're in Houston and my grandma did this in Fort Lauderdale (I live near Fort Worth), I think it'll work great. She had my grandpa stack cinderblocks in a low rectangle about 3 feet by 2 feet and about 2 feet high. No front. Then they would layer house compost and yard compost whenever possible. Turned it with a pitchfork about every 3 weeks. A bit smelly to start with, but as it composted it wasn't so bad. Since there are no 'seasons' where ya'll live, just turning it should do the trick, too. Had the best garden in town.
If you can get your hands on some pallets, they would make a great bin. I am a lazy composter and never turn my piles. I have them in 3 bins, one for each year for the past 3 years, so I have one bin of finished compost in the spring then start a new one that will be ready in 3 years. I put everything in the bin, grass clippings and leaves, kitchen scraps (no meat, dairy or oils) pulled weeds that I allowed to dry up, shredded paper. When I had a pet rabbit, his litter would go in there, too. In the fall when I have excess leaves and not enough 'green' I add rabbit pellets, which are alfalfa, they get everything cooking really well to kill the weed seeds and any pathogens that may have happened to get in there. You do have to keep them somewhat moist, I water them when I water the garden. I do use captured rain water and am not certain if chlorinated tap water would do any harm to the living beasties that are breaking down the debris.
BEST COMPOST TIP! WORMS. You can go online or some garden centers and buy them, literally, 'dirt cheap'. They munch up the compost and will aerate the soil. They also love your leftovers and especially coffee grounds.
Just layer organic materials—garden clippings, dry leaves, kitchen vegetable scraps, shredded paper—and a dash of soil to create a concoction that turns into humus, the best soil builder around.
Direct compost all you have to do is dig a hole and bury the waste directly into the raised bed or ground. check out my blog Garden Up Green click garden/dirt simple and I have two articles about it. Hope that helps was a neat tip my grandma taught me years ago.
Food scraps, grass clippings and dirt.