I use this silicone one in my freezer, and it's flexible enough that I've never needed to thaw it before dumping. Really keeps odors and compost sludge to a minimum.
I'm trying out gardening for the first time this year and following this thread so I can swoop in on some good info. I'm also on the look-out for budget solutions as I was figuring things out (in case this turned out to be too time consuming or I just was flat out terrible at growing things).
I made a compost bin using a plastic-y/frp sheet I rolled into a tube. I got it at home depot for ~$20 and drilled holes in it and connected the ends using couple of plastic plugs. Then I found the Geo Bin (Amazon) for $39 which I guess beat me to the idea :)
Aww, that’s kind of you to say. My basic tips is, and I’m no professional, always add compost! Compost is key, IMHO, and I try to make as much of my own as I can. I’ve got two “bins” I bought off Amazon, here’s a link. Any fruit, or vegetable scraps, egg shells, plain paper (think toilet paper/paper towel tubes, newsprint, even copy/printer paper (just nothing shiny), yard scraps like lawn clippings or pruning (cut woody stems into short pieces or compost them separate) coffee grounds, tea bags etc (ABSOLUTELY NO MEAT OR DAIRY) gets composted. There’s a ratio of “browns” to “greens” but I forget it, and it’s not super important. It’ll all break down eventually. These bins are adjustable in diameter so can be made to fit your needs and expanded if necessary. Easy to move to another location in the yard too.
Water is also important. Here it’s stupid hot and dry all summer so that’s my biggest struggle. The depression makes it hard to remember to water (or even check in the garden) so I’m working on an automatic irrigation system with timers and pvc pipe with tiny holes drilled in it. When it works, it works great, but it needs tweaking.
To summarize- add compost, and keep it watered. Good luck!!
I use a spinning compost container to compost food scraps and it works really well. The one problem I could see with it on a balcony is it does leak a little because composters aren't supposed to be air tight.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08346W5S6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_oYi4FbJDHH230?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I got some red wigglers a couple months after starting my system. Was going to order some from Uncle Jim on Amazon but decided first to email the local USDA Ag Agent, asking him for advice on a local source. He provided an online introduction to a local gardener with a "worm lady" reputation. She gave me a shoebox full of "soil" with worms of every size and lots of cocoons or eggs. Decided to establish a colony in a separate worm bin. That was last spring. Reckon there are several thousand of them now. Once a week or so, when I take the lid off to feed them, I give a few to the fish and drop some into the growbed, a constant flood with Hydroton setup. Haven't seen evidence of an established colony in the growbed yet. As far as not drowning in highly oxygenated water, I don't measure oxygen levels but I know its higher in the fish tank than the growbed and they drown in the fish tank. Still, they might be able to establish themselves in that narrow band of pebbles near the water line. If your bed is "flood and drain" it will be easier for them.
That "worm lady" recommended a little book called Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhaf and Joanne Olszewski. I found it very helpful.
Nightcrawlers need to maintain deep vertical tunnels to the surface; a tall order in an aquaponic growbed.
I had tried a few styles then found this:
VermiHut 5-Tray Worm Compost Bin, Dark Green with Free Worm-saver Tray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018RU0BAS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_S2suFbFT257MJ
from Amazon. The company is local (to me) and it has great ratings. No escapees, no stink, no warping from sun, and no excess moisture. It's three months shy of two years; I have three 5 gallon buckets of very compacted castings. The benefit of tea is fantastic.
I hope this helps!
One thing I do is save the grain bags from the feed we purchase and reuse them as garbage bags. You could use those, but with only two birds you probably are not going through much food. In your situation, just go to a feed store and purchase a muck bucket (20 gallon capacity, I think) for storage. Use a piece of plywood and a cement block to cover it to keep Fido out. An easier solution is to purchase a larger plastic garbage can with latching lid. Don’t use metal, as chicken poo is caustic and can react to the metal (especially galvanized).
Keep in mind that chicken poo as a fertilizer is “hot” if it isn’t composted. You can burn and kill your plants if you take it directly from the coop and apply it. If you don’t have room to do a compost pile, you can purchase a drum style compost bin, which makes turning the material over such a breeze. For example:
I think the first question is how quickly do you want the leaves to break down? Second, how much effort do you want to put into this?
Personally, you don't need to add anything and allow nature do most of the work. Allow the leaves to overwinter as is. It seems you live in an area that is getting enough moisture. Therefore, let the rain and condensation that collects at night to slowly moisten the pile over winter and early spring. Late spring, use your lawn mower to break down the leaves and use as mulch in you garden beds and/or add to your compost pile. This way you will allow beneficial insects to utilize the leaves to raise their next generation.
If you want to keep the leaves contained, and don't have too much time to build something, then I recommend getting several Geobins - https://www.amazon.com/BanKhok-Geobin-Compost-Bin/dp/B010V673AC?th=1. These are cheap and easy to assemble. It even allows you to expand the size by connecting two or more together. Also it's easy to roll it up and stow it away when not being used.
>Is there some kind of tubing I could use
Only thing I know of that comes in long tubes is plastic shrink wrap, but that stuff generally isn't going to last long in the sun or be compostable.
Could use dog waste bags, but each will have a bottom... Give a Sht brand is fully compostable (many brands lie about this).
Leaves have like no density, it's almost all water, I mulch mine with a mulching leaf blower and put them in a "composter" that's really just kind of a circular fence. I've been doing this for years and it's only like half full. Meanwhile, my neighbors fill up like 20 huge bags of un-mulched leaves.
I just find it easier to transport my compost to the bin inside a bag. I have a bin that fits on my freezer door, and I line it with a compostable bag and dispose of the bag when it fills up.
The one I got I cannot find on Amazon.com maybe it's only in the German Amazon but it's pretty much the same idea as this one just different design https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Living-Composter-Worm-Plum/dp/B0913HVF9G/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=plastia+worm+composter&link_code=qs&qid=1658776966&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-2
You could use bokashi tea in place of hydroponic nutrients. I typically use 1oz per gallon of water.
It's basically living bokashi microbes with liquids from food scraps and the fermentation process. It has worked very well for me this past year or so.
All you need is a bokashi bucket, bokashi bran, and some food scraps.
All you have to do, is sprinkle a bit of bokashi bran into the bottom of the bucket before adding food, then sprinkle some on top every time you add more food. It only takes a few days to start getting the tea, and when your bucket is full and you've used up all the tea, you just dump the food into a hole in your garden or back yard. In a few weeks, it will break down into compost.
You can buy a 5 gallon bokashi bucket with 2 lbs of bran on Amazon for around $65. It used to be $45, but I think it's still worth the price. You could even just diy a bucket and make one for less than $10, then buy the bran for around $20.0
You're not limited to food, either. You can even use garden waste, like grass clippings and weeds, because the acidic environment kills the roots, so they wont grow back wherever you decide to bury the bokashi.
Lmao! I have the less expensive version of that one. It looks like your interior trays are nicer inside. Mine have a bunch of nooks and crannies which I’m guessing are there to reinforce the bottom, but it’s definitely going to be more annoying to empty.
In case anyone is looking at this post later, I noticed this tray system when I was researching that would fit right into an apartment and can double as an end table.
Obviously the bucket or repurposed pet terrarium is cheaper. But if you want urban camouflage this looks like a great way to go.
The Essential Living Composter, Worm Composter (Plum) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0913HVF9G/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_W6TM2S1XABBFTPS2C73C
The prices are great.
That said I prefer the rotating barrel types for easy composting.
In general I have a bulk collection area (4'x4'x4') that everything goes into that is overflow. From there it feeds the tumble composter and the worm composter. From those it goes straight to the garden and trees.
Anything is better than nothing, but getting one that is easy to turn will speed up the process of converting scraps to soil. I turn my bins a few times a week and it still takes about a month or more to get to finished compost.
Yup it's one of these
Im currently filling the yellow side. The green side is about 1/3 full of just shredded cardboard because I ran out of space to store it lol
I've thought strongly about getting one of these, and I think I will. For now I just got a cheap ordinary pail for inside, plus a tumbler and two flexible little bin things (these).
My thought is pail to tumbler, then once one side of the tumbler is getting full and semi-broken down, into the bins to go bigger and "finish".
The downside to this plan is the tumblers don't get hot enough to consider doing meat and other things, but that Vitamix thing IS supposed to be able to break those down, so I think I may end up getting one.
Have you tried out anything like chicken bones yet? I'd be really interested to know if a) it can really crunch them up and b) if it makes the whole house smell while it's processing them.
Thanks for this tip. I did some research and holy wah, this looks real cool. I’m putting it on my Christmas list lol
I have this one and I'm happy with it. Keep in mind that it needs to leak so it doesn't become a soggy mess. It also needs the air flow the holes provide. I use a cement mixing tray to put under it to capture all the valuable compost tea that leaks out.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08346W5S6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I've found VIVOSUN to be a brand with quality gardening products overall.
Wood treatment? And paint in the compost? What are you talking about.
Sure if cost isn’t an issue worm 360 is an option also.
But for a easy DIY for about $25 usd vs Worm Factory 360 for $130 I call it a win
Provide a place to put them so they compost.
I use envelopes in one of these. It’s nice because I can hook it on the edge of my arbor when I’m working in the yard.
Full Circle Scrap Happy Food Scrap Collector and Freezer Compost Bin, Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XWGS7U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HQ19WZAZMN3V399H2KFY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I've been using a couple of those, but I have significantly less land than you and I ended up filling both with yard waste in less than a year. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010V673AC/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_ZM8XKJH1PH08V5WZ3F8Z?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I got this. No smelliness, ants or fruit flies because it's in the freezer, and because it's flexible is easy to get everything out when it's frozen. Plus, the freezing helps break down tough food stuff like watermelon rinds that we have a lot of. I was originally going to go with one of the little trash can type things for the counter, but was really worried about smells and bugs. I'm super happy with this simple solution that only cost like $12, which is a fraction of one of the trash can ones.
Full Circle Scrap Happy Food Scrap Collector and Freezer Compost Bin, Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XWGS7U/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_DFMHNK5K2CME0QZEWHQ7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08346W5S6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1#:~:text=2%20VIDEOS-,VIVOSUN%20Outdoor%20Tumbling%20Composter%20%E2%80%93%2043%20Gal.%2C%20Black%20Doors,-Visit%20the%20VIVOSUNIt's only $86 now. It takes patience and 2 sets of arms to put it together but it's really well made.
The one in the picture is the vermihut but it's only the finishing bin in a bigger system I built diy.
Where I live we’re required to put food waste in a separate bin so it doesn’t go in the landfill. Storing food scraps in the freezer until pick-up day eliminates odour problems, which I expect would be nearly all that causes your garbage to stink. Eg https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B004XWGS7U
Oh, and if you ever have kids look for a Diaper Genie to keep the garage from smelling like shit.
It's called a geobin and if you do a little looking into where you live you might be able to get one for free I don't know what state you live in but in my state they offer free compost bins
Compost Bin by GEOBIN - 216 Gallon, Expandable, Easy Assembly https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010V673AC/ref=cm_sw_r_u_apa_glt_fabc_HSC7EH130CQZ8AVF2AGM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1