Does food scraps thrown in old supps container = compost?

[4Martini]

I'm trying to get some good nutrients for my garden and cut down on trash. So, when I was peeling potatoes and carrots for dinner I decided to peel them into an old sup container and see if they will turn into something good for my garden.

Anyone who knows what they are doing - I would love some tips! I have lots of sup containers so I was planning on just filling and putting in the garage til spring. But, then I thought it might need air and then my box of nar would not do well.

Please help!

[Lambie Boat]

I don't know what a sup container or 'box of nar' means, but you need to add nitrogen. Do you have a manure pile outside or leaves or grass clippings or old hay? If so, put your used coffee grounds, eggshells, veggie skins and other organic matter all in the same pile. cover it. turn it over once a week. let it 'cook', heat up. it will turn black and not smell. the pile reduces down in size.

we have an enclosure with 2 8x8 sections, both covered with a big tarp. One is where we put manure when mucking, the other side is compost 'cooking'. When the manure side is full (3 horses), the other side compost is ready to spread on the gardens and emptied out. Then the manure side becomes the compost side. I want to sell the compost, but husband refuses (he's the gardener, says it is like gold)

[4Martini]

Thank you!

Sup container = Old supplement bucket - the plastic buckets my horse's joint suplements come in.

Box of nar = a box containing nasty (or gnarley) decomposing food.

[Lambie Boat]

oops! sorry, I'm not from around these parts:o

[gieriscm]

I've been composting kitchen waste for my veggie garden for a few months. Here's a site that really helped me get started:
http://www.vegweb.com/composting/

[JB]

You surely have some little area that you can dedicate to composting - doesn't have to be much more than 2x2 for a single person - you want to build UP anyway, not out :)

Scratch up the dirt a bit, start putting your scraps there, cover every few inches with something "green" such as leaves, grass, a mix, throw some manure in there. Leave dairy products to a bare minimum, leave out meats entirely.

If you really only have little stuff, then get the biggest supp container you can find, poke air holes in the top and sides, put your stuff in, cover, water occasionally (needs moisture every now and then), and eventually it will decompose.

[deltawave]

Composting takes a little work, but it's definitely do-able. If you're just focusing on table scraps and a small-scale operation, you might want to look into those little worms that help the process along.

Composting requires nitrogenous products, carbon-type products, a little moisture, and a little air. Check out www.Composting101.com

[4Martini]

Thank you everyone for your advice and the web resources!

You surely have some little area that you can dedicate to composting - doesn't have to be much more than 2x2 for a single person - you want to build UP anyway, not out :)


The problem is we have a lab puppy that will eat anything that is not the same color as the ground it's sitting on and loves carrots... I don't want her getting into it and eating it. We don't technically have a "farm" but a suburban plot. Also, DH is a total neat freak and I think a pile of old food in the yard would make him start twitiching. I've been trying to avoid paying for one of the rolling bins where it would be neat and he could not see it - but I might have to break down :lol: This is where the sups containers came in. Everything neatly in a stacking square UGuard box would okay.

I'd love any other ideas. I do have some old leaves that should be removed from the base of some shrubs and I can get horse poo - I can even get some pretty decomposed suff if I dig down to the bottom of the pile - it has or had shavings with it though.

[Cherry]

4Martini--do you have an agricultural extension office in your state? Check with them! In my state you can call the extension office and I think they provide a compost box (and advice about using it) for free.... :yes:

You can throw in anything at all but meat scraps, which attract rats! Coffee grounds are super--the worms just love cardboard and coffee grounds.... :yes: Also, worms love valerian root (but it's very expensive).

Grass clippings provide a lot of nitrogen too (I wouldn't use them though if you use any kind of weed killers and such on your lawn).

Shavings are okay but when new pull a lot of nitrogen out of the soil....

[Foxtrot's]

My compost bin is one of those bought square ones about 3-1/2 feet high. I take an icecream bucket out every day and have done for over two years or coffee grounds, peelings, etc. I can't fill the darn thing up - the miracle that makes stuff biodegrade works faster than I can - I add dead leaves, some lawn clippings, etc. It is one huge worm knot. But it does need AIR or it will turn into a slimy bucket of nar. I reach in and turn it with a garden weeder.

[Pleased_As_Punch]

We live in the suburbs, too. We compost in a plastic trash can (regular Rubbermaid outdoor can from Home Despot) that I drilled holes in every 4 inches or so. I just used a sort of large drill bit, probably 1 or 2 sizes up from a 1/16. This allows it to get air, so that stuff breaks down instead of remaining slimy. You could probably do the same with your supp bucket. To fill it up, we collect our daily food refuse in a coffee can and my husband takes it outside to the larger can.

To rotate the pile, we can just latch the lid and kick the trash can around to stir it all up.

And to access the "black gold" compost at the bottom, I turn the whole thing out on a blue tarp and sort of sort out the blackest, most dirt-looking stuff to mix in with new plantings or whatever I need fertilizer for.

[Trixie]

I don't know how big your containers are, but I made one of these:

http://www.yougrowgirl.com/garden/urbancomposting.php

And so far, so good. However, it's been like 30 degrees here, so it's been sort of frozenish for a while. Check back with me in spring...

One of my friends did a similar one and had trouble with Squirrels. My squirrels seem to be ignoring it, though, the handles latch down and I can't imagine little squirrel hands having an easy time with it.

[4Martini]

Thanks everyone! I just drilled holes in the top and bottom of the sups container and added my coffee grinds, a bunch of dead leaves and some fresh grass.

If it goes well I am sure I will scale up in the future. I'm a little toe type of person though - I want to make sure I like something before I fully commit. I am planning on doubling the size of my garden from last year since I enjoyed the fresh produce sooo much - so I'm hoping this will follow along.

My Joint Combo Compost bin is looking good next the BBQ grill :lol:

I am looking forward to not throwing out my coffee grinds every morning!

[Lambie Boat]

don't forget the egg shells. they are amazing.

In this economy, it makes sense to grow a little veggie plot, or even a few container tomatoes. you'd be surprised how much food comes off one plant!

[JSwan]

I cackle with glee over my compost pile; just like a witch cackling over her cauldron.

Years ago I watched a tv show about... eco-friendly living or something. These young people lived on a commune and made humanure.

They pooped and peed in plastic buckets and sealed them and stored them in a shed. I think they kept the buckets in there for.... a year or two? Don't remember.

Then they used it on their veggie garden.

Um. Well. Um...... .that's a bit too granola for me.

Kitchen compost is easy and I bet you'll make some great compost. A supplement bucket is perfect.


I saw a great compost pile made out of old pallets! I can't do that with mine - it's too big. But what this person did was get some pallets and stand them on their side and secure them to the ground.

This is the cool part. She did it so that the bottom of the pallets were on the outside of the bin, so the interior was just plain slats. Inside the supports of the pallets (on the outside), she put inexpensive flower boxes and planted geraniums in them.

So the compost bin was not only functional, it was decorative. I thought that was pretty creative!

[4Martini]

don't forget the egg shells. they are amazing.


Well- I couldn't forego those then...

The egg shells are in the compost bin and the brownies are in the oven.

My horse would greatly like to thank you for the advice that he believes directly created either; two extra rides that he has to cart me around on or an extra half pound of butt that he needs to cart around for EVER :lol:

[Foxtrot's]

I crunch up the eggshells in my hand until they are quite crumbly, or you have eggshells for ever in your garden. Also, seek out a few manure piles, look under them and find a few
red worms that always miraculously seem to be there. They will seed your compost and get it working quicker. You need a mixture of green and brown (carbon) material.

Kicking around the rubbermade was a good plan.

[Lambie Boat]

:D no fair baking in order to get eggshells! however.....horsey got something to contribute to your compost as well, so he must also 'own' his involvement in the wide load.

get your eggshells from scrambled, poached and omelettes- protein! good for low-carb dieting too (I've heard....I'm still working off the Xmas fudge and cookies)

[nightsong]

Rotting food does not equal compost. Plus garbage in your garage STINKS and attracts rats. And supplement containers have chemical residues in them. Compost is the product of a specific process using specific ingredients. Look it up; LOTS of information on the web!!! Or just go to www.motherearthnews.com (http://www.motherearthnews.com) .