# Made a compost bin today



## burner (Jul 31, 2011)

I've been wanting to do this for a while and had some time today to slap together pallets I had laying around. Basic 3x3x3 ...took about 30 min to put together. Hopefully i'll be making some tea soon

What do you guys do in the winter time to keep the bin cooking? I was reading that during winter the microbes lay dormant, and wake back up spring time.


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## Rosebud (Jul 31, 2011)

It is beautiful! I add fresh stuff all year and when i have too much green we add some of the dry leaves and it keeps cooking. There is also a compost starter too if you don't have any big N to get it started.


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## BBFan (Jul 31, 2011)

I'm in the NE US and nothing much happens over the winter- the leaves I put in in the fall are pretty much still leaves.  You're right, the microbial activity slows waaay down.

Cover it with hay after the few first warm sunny days of spring and it'll get cooking a little faster.

Nice looking bin.  Now get filling it- don't forget your coffee grounds.


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## Wetdog (Jul 31, 2011)

Add some alfalfa meal. That will get that pile cooking in no time flat.

Wet


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jul 31, 2011)

I think it is better to use straw in your compost bin.  Hay has seeds--lots and lots and lots of seeds.  Straw does not.


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## Wetdog (Jul 31, 2011)

Good point!

I made the mistake of buying hay when I should got straw. Thought they were the same. LOL Only made that mistake once.

Wet


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## burner (Aug 1, 2011)

*Rose* - Thank you...I'll look into the compost starter. 

*BBfan* - I'm in the NE as well, I just dumped a thing of coffee ground in it yesterday along with some tomatoes and other veggies that were starting to go bad. I have some fresh cut grass from friday as well. The pile already has a nice earthy smell to it.

*Wetdog* - Thanks, I'll look into the alfalfa meal this week. I do want to get it cookin soon! Don't have much time before fall/winter

*THG* - Good look on the straw tip..I'll make sure I get that in the spring


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## burner (Aug 1, 2011)

I was out throwing some more sticks and old veggies in there today and started to stir it up...WOW I can't believe the heat it's producing already...the grass has only been sitting 3-1/2 days


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## BBFan (Aug 1, 2011)

Chop everything up as small as you can and it will break down much quicker (something about more edges to attack).  When the worms show up, you know it's going great.

Sounds like you've got it going.  Congrats and have fun.


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## burner (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks for the tip i'll try and chop up the stuff a little more


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## Rosebud (Aug 2, 2011)

I use a paper towel and crush the egg shells in that and throw the whole thing in. I buy unbleached coffee filters and the whole thing can go in. It is so fun. garbage is fun. Like i said, i get too darn happy over this stuff.


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## burner (Aug 2, 2011)

Hey rose I'm having fun too lol...I even bought a small trashcan today just for my compost 

I'm just now realizing how much waste we throw out when so much of it can be recycled and reused right in our backyards...crazy


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## Rosebud (Aug 4, 2011)

Can I hijack your thread please? 
I started a compost tea and this morning all was quiet. It looked dead. well i gave it some molasses and all my stick bacteria are dancing and swimming again. I was afraid I was going to kill them. So Molasses for my little cutypies.
Hey Guys, can i do the tea without a sock please? 

Thanks burner, next season you will be making compost tea and be thrilled about bacteria too. ;~)


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## burner (Aug 4, 2011)

hehe next season!?:hubba: I'm in the process of making a tea brewer right now...I'm getting an all organic line of ferts (Grow-Biotic..the stuff Jbyrd uses), I have some guano and fox farm organic stuff as well...so hopefully next week i'll be brewing up some goodness..

When I get some time I wanna post up what i'm building to get some tips. What/how did you build yours?


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## Rosebud (Aug 5, 2011)

I have two black plastic bins from costco several years ago and they need to be replaced. But they are still working. I just used two scoops  of well rotted compost and add water and a package of BIoDynamic Humus LOL... www. progressearth.com  Now I am feeding with molasses.  
It is very cool. Have fun burner!


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## burner (Aug 5, 2011)

I see...so you don't bubble your mix?


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## Rosebud (Aug 5, 2011)

Yes, I do. I am sorry for leaving that out. I got a very small aquarium pump. I am hoping to keep feeding the tea and keep it going like a sourdough starter..


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## burner (Aug 5, 2011)

I was under the impression that you had to make your tea, bubble for a day or so, then use it. So you can keep it going all the time as long as you keep the pump on?

Another question- during winter, should I cover my bin with a tarp to try and keep most of the snow out?


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## Rosebud (Aug 5, 2011)

I don't, but we have no real moisture where we live. I have trouble with mine being wet enough. My tea is outside now, 90+, i guess I will have to garage it in the winter. I think below freezing wouldn't be good for the bacteria etc.
I need to read up on them, do the hibernate outside? they must...go dormant in the winter. 

Do you get alot of snow? Maybe it would insulate them.


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## burner (Aug 5, 2011)

Yeah I read that they do go dormant in the winter...i'm in the NE and yeah we usually get a decent amount of snow


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## Rosebud (Aug 5, 2011)

i wouldn't cover it unless it really rains hard where you live.

Mine has an odor today. I will pour this out and start a new one in the morning. I think Mr rb wants his bucket back, i will get another one. I think I will pour it in my active compost. Didn't think of where to pour it. It is very strong and I would think burn..we will see.


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## drfting07 (Aug 15, 2011)

Hey Burner, a little tip for your compost bin. Put a roof on it, so when it rains all your good nutrients don't get leeched out into the soil when it rains. This will keep your teas and compost richer, so you can use it longer and make it stretch.


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## burner (Aug 21, 2011)

Thanks drifting...I have a bunch of thick tarp laying around I think I am going to make an angled roof on it


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## drfting07 (Aug 22, 2011)

Perfect!


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## Irish (Oct 14, 2011)

burner, if you have a bagger mower, use it to run over your leave matter to mulch it, and break it down as far as you can. the smaller the start up material, the faster the break down time. 

i always have compost piles that do not break down completely before winter, and i just let it snow on those, then spread it out in spring, and use it in new starter heaps in spring. 

i also use wood ash at the rate of one spade shovel full to one basic size wheelbarrel of material. bio char is also a great additive i've read, and used it this summer, so nothing to report on it yet. bio char is basically black char from burnt wood, that did not actually fully catch fire, but was heat cured til the wood turned to char. i am reading up on making a 'cooker' that is used just for the purpose of making bio-char. pretty cool stuff if it can grow better smokie treats. 

peace...


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## drfting07 (Oct 14, 2011)

Cool info on the wood ash. I have a wood stove and thats all the source of heat i have for the winter. I could deff. save some bio-char!! Rep for you sir!


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## BBFan (Oct 14, 2011)

Wood Ash by itself is also an excellent source of potassium and adds a small amount of phosporous also.

Never tried charred wood.  Wonder how long it would take to break down?


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## drfting07 (Oct 14, 2011)

Can wood ash be dissolved in water and applied like a tea?


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## BBFan (Oct 14, 2011)

drfting07 said:
			
		

> Can wood ash be dissolved in water and applied like a tea?


 
Good question.  Never tried it, though I have top fed and drenched. so pretty similar.  Suppose it would work.


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