anyone build a compost in their yard?

FanOfFanboys

I live in the city so I have an average size yard. I would like a pretty small compost. just something to throw egg shells, fruit and vegetable peels, etc in. I assume there is not much to it but like to get some opinions

do you have one? do you use it? ever had one a regret it? any tips for starting one at the house?

FanOfFanboys

also, can the ashes from the lump charcoal be used in the compost?

fishlessman

FanOfFanboys said:

I live in the city so I have an average size yard. I would like a pretty small compost. just something to throw egg shells, fruit and vegetable peels, etc in. I assume there is not much to it but like to get some opinions

do you have one? do you use it? ever had one a regret it? any tips for starting one at the house?

they grow, mines maybe 8 feet x 12 feet x 5 feet tall right now.  this spring its going thru a wood chipper.  for small, get a tumbler to make aeration easier.

fishlessman

FanOfFanboys said:

also, can the ashes from the lump charcoal be used in the compost?

this depends more on what your lawn soil ph is, the garden ph, what ph the plant likes. my lawn soil is acidic, wood ash goes on the lawn here. i keep it away from the blueberry plants though,  they get piled with acidic pine needles for mulch

Webass

I have a small garden and grow tomatoes, various peppers, and herbs.  In the middle I have a 5' tall chicken wire cylinder about 2' in diameter.  I put all our non-meat food scraps, veggie and fruit peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, ashes, etc. in it.  I'll dump a bag or two of cheap top soil in it along with some fertilizer and lime. I'll plant my tomatoes around the cylinder where I can tie them as they grow. I keep it stirred and soak it with the hose every week or so during the growing season and let the 'goodies' seap out.    

Elijah

I'm not sure how much scrap you plan on processing or your climate. Look into vermicomposting. I used all the paper mail I got and a newspaper from the parents when I didn't have enough. At the peak I was buying slightly bad produce from the grocery for pennies a pound to supplement food scraps. 

HeavyG

I use to have a compost bin but when I switched to a mulching mower and removed the trees from my yard I no longer had enough material to really bother composting. The compost bin I have was one of those plastic panel snap together types (think it might have actually been made by Rubbermaid). It worked ok and it was easy to remove a top panel to occasionally water and turn over the pile.

If I were to start composting again tho I think I'd get one of those barrel/tumbler types as they seem easier to deal with. They are available in a pretty wide range of sizes/volumes and if you were just looking at something to deal with kitchen veggie scraps something like this might be of interest: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Gro-Small-Composter-Capacity-Gardening/dp/B0785GSKJ1/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=composter&qid=1552934153&s=gateway&sr=8-4

fishlessman

theres also the fancy french composting urinal for the city slickers....wave to the neighbors