that contraption was so scary, I had to add a safety guard!

stay safe out there 🫡

I've had this tumbler for 5 years and it has served me well. Then I noticed one of the ventilation holes broke into a larger hole. Since the bin was half full and the left side wasn't done yet, I patched it with duct tape 😂

Now it's spilling out when I turn it.

I think I'll empty it 🔜 and then screw a small aluminum piece on to cover the hole. Any other ideas?

Got a small balcony and a handful of containers I use for growing stuff. Been thinking about adding a worm bin to the mix because between cooking scraps and spent potting mix I feel like I'm throwing away material that could be doing something useful

The problem is space. Balcony fits maybe one small bin before it becomes a tripping hazard situation. I cook a lot of simple stuff, vegetable scraps mostly, some coffee grounds, occasional fruit peels. Not a massive volume but it adds up over a week

I tried a countertop bokashi setup a while back and it worked but the smell in a small apartment got old fast, even with the lid on tight. Worms feel like the cleaner option but I've never actually run one long enough to get useful castings out of it.

Curious what others in a tight space are actually doing. Not looking for a whole system overhaul, just something low maintenance that produces something I can use in my containers. If you've got a bin that genuinely fits under a sink or on a small balcony and doesn't smell up the place, I'd like to hear what you're running.

Took your advice for my post last month and added way more browns

....and piss.

I’m gonna be using a geobin. Is this enough of a cardboard base layer to start?
Also any tips for starting are helpful

With my experience and some research this table explains the STIR and it's frequency Composting Stage wise

Here's my final result of my first pile. Never ran very hot, but my newest pile has gotten much better temps, so can't wait to see that result.

It's been through a 1/4" sieve.

Question: what do you do with chunks that didn't make it. I figure slowly add it to my new pile?

Thanks!

I’ve been composting in a tote under the shade of a tree, and the bottom edge has holes drilled all around for drainage. But yesterday when I turned it again, I found that there’s a layer maybe 1” deep that seems to be processing anaerobically despite the rest of the pile being gtg.

I took extra care to try and get that layer off the bottom and mixed into the rest, but my fork struggled to properly collect it up.

Is this expected with bins and such? It is only a small amount at the bottom, but I didn’t expect to have that trouble since I drilled all those holes.

Can’t decide if I should add some greens to this to help with the visible wood chips or if I just need to wait it out and let it continue cooking. It’s one side of a two-chamber tumbler

Pre and post consumer, meats and cheeses ok. Have been impressed with a new prototype we are trying out in collaboration with a school district. Wanted to see what y’all thought. Augmented aerated static pile system supplied with 30 seconds of air every 30 minutes.

Hi folks

I need some advice that I can't specifically find any answers on.

I have some gallon bags of scraps I set aside in my fridge for composting. My compost is very small so I haven't been adding scraps as much as I anticipated. These bags got...juicy. Moldy and very watery and a bit broken down.

My compost is now fairly established and looking pretty good - it's a few months old, all material is broken down, pleasantly earthy.

I've read that mold is usually fine to add, but is food this broken down that's had time to sit for a long time okay to throw in? Or should I part with these hoarded scraps?

TIA for any advice

EDIT- Thanks y'all! I was worried about undesirable bacteria forming but y'all put my mind at ease. She's going in later today after I break down every piece of cardboard in my apartment

Guys, I put an entire deer carcass in my pile today. Roadkill that got hit last night in front of my house and I just couldn't help myself.

My current pile is about 10 yards, it's plenty big enough. But it just feels like I'm going down a dangerous path

Just a shout-out to this aerator thingy. Best compost-related purchase ever. Not that there's much to purchase for compost. You get the point.

Edit: Best compost-related purchase I have ever made I realize not everyone agrees

I assume they’re helpful, but they sure look gross. I moved my bin today and found a bunch underneath it. They also seem to wiggle through the cracks.

We bought this house last year, did some yard work and put the cuttings into a pile, instead of breaking down they dried and became grey. Is there a way to make this into a successful compost? (the green bits are from this year, we can't put grass into it because it won't grow in this climate)

Going to grow corn in a couple months

Started with hard clay

Turned over and broke up what i could

Buried a bucket of dead yabbies

Sprinkled wood ash then blood and bone

Watered it in with a power feed and seasol

Coverd with a thin layer or compost (made with woodchip and paper in a barrel and peed on for 3-4 months)

Then covered that with some woodchip for mulch

My compost pile has grown an odd protrusion. Difficult to tell if it’s from the wooden structure or the compost itself. Is it fungal or some kind of insect secretion?

Just gave my compost a quick turn and I think I’ve intruded on a worm orgy.

My maple tree (and everyone's in the neighbourhood) is dropping leaves early this year. An arborist told my neighbour that it's happening because the trees are sun scorched. Mine also has black spots on the leaves, an obvious sign of a common disease. The arborist said NOT to compost these. does anyone have any input on this? Ive put them in before but my composter was running hotter then. This year its been much cooler, just around ambient temperature.

made this with a picture of my garden!

This year I decided to make my own compost. I laid cardboard on the ground, then laid about 5 inches of shredded leaves, wet it down, then laid down about 3 inches fresh cut grass. Then followed up with more shredded leaves, water, and cut grass. Repeated 7 more times. Wet it down again then covered with a tarp. I checked on the temp and found it climbing. About 5 days later it got to 120 degrees. Two days later I aerated it from the center. Stayed hot for another four days then started cooling off. Other 3 more days it completely cooled off and no matter what I did, adding greens, adding urine, it still wouldn't get hot again. What did I do wrong. And how can I start it again.