Saturday, August 6, 2011

Random Picks: Garbage Can Composting




Lately I have really been wanting to start composting. It seems like every chance I get I am outside working in the yard trying to do little 'mini makeovers' in some areas of the yard. We have lots of weeds and wanted to improve the dirt in our garden area. It also helps on cutting down on the amount of trash we have.






I checked some books out on composting at the library and have spent quite a bit of time visting Web sites about composting and how to do it and techniques. I didn't want to build a permanent compost structure and couldn't quite justify spending literally hundreds of dollars on a composting bin so I decided to go with the basic trash can method. I went to The Home Depot and purchased a black Rubbermaid 32 gallon trash can with a lid. I also got a small pitchfork (for turning the compost). I left the store paying a total of $40. My dad drilled about 16 half inch holes in the can with a drill and got two pieces of wood (to set the trash can on so the bottom has air circulation). Simple as that.






I have been collecting kitchen scraps under my kitchen sink for a few days. I got a box of bio bags, purchased a $2 bathroom sized trash can at Goodwill and keep the can under my kitchen sink for easy access to throw decent composting scraps in.






Tonight I started my first pile. I ripped up some old newspaper, threw in my bio bag fill of goodies, added some recently pulled greens from the yard and a small shovelful of dirt, added a little bit of water (enough to get it damp) and closed the lid. I will check on it in a few days, turn it over, maybe add to it some more, and just let it do its thing.






I'm excited to see this process the kind of 'black gold' I get from it!

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