Don't grow a landfill

[awakening2lite]

Recycle your organic waste, plant clipping, yard trimming in your own composter.

Here's one small example from Costco

http://content.costco.com/Images/Content/Product/399671.jpg
The ECO-Composter takes the old fashioned compost pile into the 21st Century in both design and function. This cutting edge composter-tumbler specifically addresses the three challenges of breaking down fresh material in the shortest amount of time to create rich black soil. Lawn, garden & kitchen vegetable materials need heat, moisture and a lot of oxygen to break down quickly. Supplying a constant flow of oxygen is the hardest part and the ECO-Composter provides the solution in two ways with its innovative shape and air flow system.




Not only will this help in eliminating materials at your local land fill it will also save the money for the portion of the sewage bill for the garbage disposal. Don't forget the added benefit of a healthier more beautiful garden and lawn when you actually use the material produced by your composter!


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I hope any who is composting will post images of theirs and their comments of how it is working out for them and their garden results. :s1gyahoo:

[lost indie]

I don't have a compost pile per se but we do compost. We heat solely by pellet stove. All winter long we sprinkle the ashes along our flower beds and gardens. We do the same with grill ashes.

All of our grass clipping to directly on to the vegetable garden. It looks ugly but it holds in the moisture and prevents the tomatoes from bruising if they fall off the plant.

I will look into that compost thing. I'd like to recycle the kitchen waste as well.

One of the best things we use is something dh invented......and dh is NOT a handy guy.... is a rain catcher. It catches the rain from the downspout into a 55 gallon drum. The drum is on blocks and has a spout toward the bottom. He got some "bendy" pipe and fit it into the top of the drum's lid...so there isn't standing water for the skeeters to breed in. He drilled holes every six inches or so around the top for overflow. This really comes in handy during sprinkling bans...plus the rainwater is so much better for our flowers....and boy howdy....we have a TON of flowers. It works so well he's going to make another one. Silly to pay for water when you can get it for free. During a good rainfall it fills in 15 minutes. It's almost always pretty full.

:biggrin:<----lost indie is going green...

[awakening2lite]

Lost Indie, that garden sounds wonderful. If you have any pics, please post them. I'd love to see them.

Your hubby is so smart to save the rain water for the garden and how he did it sounds so simple. If you have any pics, could you post them? It would be nice to see how he did it.

Here's a how to for building your own composter:


http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2182966/IMG0192-main_Full.jpg

Step1
Drill holes all over in the gamma lid, sides of the bucket and bottom of the bucket. Remember, you want air and water to be able to easily get in and out, so make enough holes to allow for this.

Step2
Pound the gamma lid onto the bucket. This might take some muscles, since gamma lids often have a rubber ring on the inside to help create a good seal.

Step3
Place your bucket in a spot where it will get lots of sun. Heat helps the matter to break down faster.
Keep the cover on, especially at night, to keep critters out.

Step4
Ideally, you would roll the bucket around every day to mix and aerate the compost. Just grab the handle, tip it on it's edge or side, and give it a couple rolls.

Tips:



Water your bucket if you are not getting much rain. Water helps the composting process.
Adding a layer of dirt over the food and lawn scraps will introduce needed microorganisms that will aid in the breakdown.
Adding a layer of straw in over the layer of dirt will help the compost to get more air. It also helps the compost not to have a horrid stench.
Gamma lids can be found online from food storage companies or sometimes at places like Fleet Farm in the bucket isle.
Beware of bees. They will love any fruit that you put in your bucket.
Putting dairy, meats, or fats into the bucket will draw rodents, so stick to plant matter.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2182966_small-back-yard-compost-bucket.html

[emmeblu]

I don't have a compost pile per se but we do compost. We heat solely by pellet stove. All winter long we sprinkle the ashes along our flower beds and gardens. We do the same with grill ashes.

All of our grass clipping to directly on to the vegetable garden. It looks ugly but it holds in the moisture and prevents the tomatoes from bruising if they fall off the plant.

I will look into that compost thing. I'd like to recycle the kitchen waste as well.

One of the best things we use is something dh invented......and dh is NOT a handy guy.... is a rain catcher. It catches the rain from the downspout into a 55 gallon drum. The drum is on blocks and has a spout toward the bottom. He got some "bendy" pipe and fit it into the top of the drum's lid...so there isn't standing water for the skeeters to breed in. He drilled holes every six inches or so around the top for overflow. This really comes in handy during sprinkling bans...plus the rainwater is so much better for our flowers....and boy howdy....we have a TON of flowers. It works so well he's going to make another one. Silly to pay for water when you can get it for free. During a good rainfall it fills in 15 minutes. It's almost always pretty full.

:biggrin:<----lost indie is going green...

My husband told me today that he bought the supplies at Lowe's to make a rain catcher at the down spouts. My MIL swears that rain water is much better for the plants, shrubs and grasses.

We recycle at our house. We love green! :happy0158:

[lost indie]

Lost Indie, that garden sounds wonderful. If you have any pics, please post them. I'd love to see them.

Your hubby is so smart to save the rain water for the garden and how he did it sounds so simple. If you have any pics, could you post them? It would be nice to see how he did it.

Here's a how to for building your own composter:


http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2182966/IMG0192-main_Full.jpg

Step1
Drill holes all over in the gamma lid, sides of the bucket and bottom of the bucket. Remember, you want air and water to be able to easily get in and out, so make enough holes to allow for this.

Step2
Pound the gamma lid onto the bucket. This might take some muscles, since gamma lids often have a rubber ring on the inside to help create a good seal.

Step3
Place your bucket in a spot where it will get lots of sun. Heat helps the matter to break down faster.
Keep the cover on, especially at night, to keep critters out.

Step4
Ideally, you would roll the bucket around every day to mix and aerate the compost. Just grab the handle, tip it on it's edge or side, and give it a couple rolls.

Tips:



Water your bucket if you are not getting much rain. Water helps the composting process.
Adding a layer of dirt over the food and lawn scraps will introduce needed microorganisms that will aid in the breakdown.
Adding a layer of straw in over the layer of dirt will help the compost to get more air. It also helps the compost not to have a horrid stench.
Gamma lids can be found online from food storage companies or sometimes at places like Fleet Farm in the bucket isle.
Beware of bees. They will love any fruit that you put in your bucket.
Putting dairy, meats, or fats into the bucket will draw rodents, so stick to plant matter.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2182966_small-back-yard-compost-bucket.html



I wish I could put pictures up but I have a computer virus and can't get my pics to load...

I LOVE this idea but have a few questions. Do you fill it and seal it shut? How does the compost get out??? Through the holes? Can it be refilled?

[annalyzer]

My husband told me today that he bought the supplies at Lowe's to make a rain catcher at the down spouts. My MIL swears that rain water is much better for the plants, shrubs and grasses.

We recycle at our house. We love green! :happy0158:

I bought a plastic drum online to use to catch the rainwater off my garage roof because it was going right into my backyard and washing away all the dirt. It has a spicket and a screw on screened in top to keep skeeters out. Looks similiar to this

http://www.rainbarrelsandmore.com/pic%20239.JPG

[awakening2lite]

I wish I could put pictures up but I have a computer virus and can't get my pics to load...

I LOVE this idea but have a few questions. Do you fill it and seal it shut? How does the compost get out??? Through the holes? Can it be refilled?

Hi lost indie,

In this example the top (lid) is screwed on and is removed to add to the compost and to remove the final improved compost.

Yes, it can be continually used and reused.

[Audie]

My husband told me today that he bought the supplies at Lowe's to make a rain catcher at the down spouts. My MIL swears that rain water is much better for the plants, shrubs and grasses.

We recycle at our house. We love green! :happy0158:In Colorado rain always made our kentucky blue grass lawn greener than faucet water did. Down here in SE Texas I don't notice the difference as much with the St Augustine grass.