Xref: kermit rec.gardens:238692

I just started composting with a plastic bin designed for compost, and
I've placed it in a very small yard, near our wooden deck, and the
open-slat fence with our neighbour. It's a combination of kitchen scraps
and green yard waste, with some feeble attempts to mix and add brown
material as I can.

So far I have many fruit flies, and not much else. The smell isn't bad.
The bin is closed against the ground, but is open to earth at the bottom,
of course. It's also on high, but level ground.

Should a compost bin be placed farther away from civilization?
What problems should I be looking for?
(no carnivore waste, so no rodents, raccoons, etc. so far)

--
Willondon

On Sun, 13 Jul 2003 19:34:04 -0400, Willondon
wrote:

I just started composting with a plastic bin designed for compost, and
I've placed it in a very small yard, near our wooden deck, and the
open-slat fence with our neighbour. It's a combination of kitchen scraps
and green yard waste, with some feeble attempts to mix and add brown
material as I can.

So far I have many fruit flies, and not much else. The smell isn't bad.
The bin is closed against the ground, but is open to earth at the bottom,
of course. It's also on high, but level ground.

Should a compost bin be placed farther away from civilization?
What problems should I be looking for?
(no carnivore waste, so no rodents, raccoons, etc. so far)

A compost pile should be conveniently located so it is easy to add
material to it and easy to stir or turn over the pile. There should
not be any problems, but nearby plants and trees tend to grow rather
well--sometimes grow too fast! You compost will work better when
there is a minimum of a cubic yard of material.

Willondon said:

Should a compost bin be placed farther away from civilization?
What problems should I be looking for?
(no carnivore waste, so no rodents, raccoons, etc. so far)

A compost bin should be placed close to where the bulk of the compost is
likely to be used. In my case, that's near the vegetable garden and a long
way from the house. It's easier to tote small amounts of kitchen waste
back there than it would be to move bulk amounts of compost back to the
veggie garden.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

Pat Kiewicz wrote:

A compost bin should be placed close to where the bulk of the compost
is
likely to be used. In my case, that's near the vegetable garden and a
long
way from the house. It's easier to tote small amounts of kitchen
waste
back there than it would be to move bulk amounts of compost back to
the
veggie garden.


I'm sure not interested in getting dressed to walk all the way across
the yard on a cold, rainy night when the bin could have been put
someplace convenient. I'd rather make one trip with a wheelbarrow full
of compost than a trip each day with just a few scraps. If the bin isn't
close enough for convenient disposal of the scraps, the scraps won't
make it to the bin, and it won't matter how close it is to where it's
going to be used.

And maybe I'm going to use it on the bed close to the house -- or on the
other side of the yard from the vegetable garden. I may use the compost
anywhere, but the food scraps will almost always be coming from the
kitchen.

The bin should be where it's convenient on a cold, rainy night when
you're debating whether it's close enough, or whether you'll just send
the scraps down the garbage disposal instead. Put the bin on the far
side of the yard, and those food scraps won't make it there all winter.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug:
Support me at: http://www.holzemville.com/mall/

For some inexplicable reasons, "Warren" wrote:

:The bin should be where it's convenient on a cold, rainy night when
:you're debating whether it's close enough, or whether you'll just send
:the scraps down the garbage disposal instead. Put the bin on the far
:side of the yard, and those food scraps won't make it there all winter.

OTOH, some places don't have enough winter to deter anyone and
some people are able to let their scraps set until the rain stops.

My compost heap is in the far back of my lot behind an azalea
and a tangerine tree, out of sight of my neighbors' patios. It only
took a couple of reminders before my husband stopped using the
disposal for everything.

--
Wendy Chatley Green

My compost piles are on both sides of this year's garden. They will be the
extension of the garden for next year. Trips to the pile with kitchen
scraps are reduced by leaving them in a sealed coffee can till I feel like
making it to the pile. The lid keeps the smell out and other than getting
too full, trips can be done when I feel like it rather than daily.

"Warren" wrote in message
news:dLFQa.62255$H17.19175@sccrnsc02...
Pat Kiewicz wrote:

A compost bin should be placed close to where the bulk of the compost
is
likely to be used. In my case, that's near the vegetable garden and a
long
way from the house. It's easier to tote small amounts of kitchen
waste
back there than it would be to move bulk amounts of compost back to
the
veggie garden.


I'm sure not interested in getting dressed to walk all the way across
the yard on a cold, rainy night when the bin could have been put
someplace convenient. I'd rather make one trip with a wheelbarrow full
of compost than a trip each day with just a few scraps. If the bin isn't
close enough for convenient disposal of the scraps, the scraps won't
make it to the bin, and it won't matter how close it is to where it's
going to be used.

And maybe I'm going to use it on the bed close to the house -- or on the
other side of the yard from the vegetable garden. I may use the compost
anywhere, but the food scraps will almost always be coming from the
kitchen.

The bin should be where it's convenient on a cold, rainy night when
you're debating whether it's close enough, or whether you'll just send
the scraps down the garbage disposal instead. Put the bin on the far
side of the yard, and those food scraps won't make it there all winter.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug:
Support me at: http://www.holzemville.com/mall/

Hey, that's a great idea. I will keep that in mind when I am done with the
LARGE coffee can that I am using. My pile is in the back corner of the
yard, and I do not feel like walking out there sometimes. I have been
getting HUGE garbage bags of coffee grinds from work. Man, does that make
the pile hot when I put them on. A girl and I at work, take turns talking
the bags home, works out nicely.



"GIJane" wrote in message
...
My compost piles are on both sides of this year's garden. They will be
the
extension of the garden for next year. Trips to the pile with kitchen
scraps are reduced by leaving them in a sealed coffee can till I feel like
making it to the pile. The lid keeps the smell out and other than getting
too full, trips can be done when I feel like it rather than daily.

"Warren" wrote in message
news:dLFQa.62255$H17.19175@sccrnsc02...
Pat Kiewicz wrote:

A compost bin should be placed close to where the bulk of the compost
is
likely to be used. In my case, that's near the vegetable garden and a
long
way from the house. It's easier to tote small amounts of kitchen
waste
back there than it would be to move bulk amounts of compost back to
the
veggie garden.


I'm sure not interested in getting dressed to walk all the way across
the yard on a cold, rainy night when the bin could have been put
someplace convenient. I'd rather make one trip with a wheelbarrow full
of compost than a trip each day with just a few scraps. If the bin isn't
close enough for convenient disposal of the scraps, the scraps won't
make it to the bin, and it won't matter how close it is to where it's
going to be used.

And maybe I'm going to use it on the bed close to the house -- or on the
other side of the yard from the vegetable garden. I may use the compost
anywhere, but the food scraps will almost always be coming from the
kitchen.

The bin should be where it's convenient on a cold, rainy night when
you're debating whether it's close enough, or whether you'll just send
the scraps down the garbage disposal instead. Put the bin on the far
side of the yard, and those food scraps won't make it there all winter.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug:
Support me at: http://www.holzemville.com/mall/