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small time composting...
I've been reading up and reviewing the different methods (i'm not
crazy about vermiculture--just not THAT much of a gardener yet) Is there some reason why composting can't be done on smaller scales? Most of the solutions are in large barrels or fenced in squares. I can't do piles...no lawn and the small area I have is surrounded by neighbor's with kids playing in yard. I wouldn't want a rotting pile there. And I really can't use that much. With about 24 sq ft of garden space...using 2 inches I would need 4 cu ft per year at most! At Home Depot that would cost me about $14-$15. SOme compact solutions cost $100-150. It would take me 6-8 years just to break even. But even the smallest is big for me. I also live alone and I'm not sure how much variety I can introduce into the pile without begging friends to save stinky bags of rotting things I don't eat (like bananas). Is home-made compost going to be significantly better than composted manure and humus I purchase at Home Depot. I know organic shops sell more expensive nutrient rich mixes. However if I've got to buy blood meal and other stuff to add to compost then the expense grows and the value becomes questionable for all but larger applications. Assuming it is still worthwhile... I was thinking using a 15-20 gallon container with a tray below for catching compost tea. I'm thinking something tupperware-ish with a nice tight seal and locks on top. I wanted to improve aeration since my reading says that lack of oxygen is what causes odors and slows composting. Turning/mixing only replenishes the oxygen for less than a half hour in an active compost. I was thinking of perforating the lowest portion or bottom of the container and fixing a fan (small PC cooling fan) to the top to draw air out. Theoretically, it would suck air in through the bottom holes creating air flow up through the compost. If the aeration works the offensive odors should be reduced/eliminated and it should be no problem keeping it on the landing near the back door. I figure if the pile halves in volume during compost the 16 gallon container will produce a cubic foot. Using compost accelerators it should produce in 3-8 weeks, depending. Or I should just go to home depot... Any suggestions? DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email) |
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