Compost.

[Jason]

Does anybody have a composter?
Should I make one or buy one?

[dania]

you should get one that's shaped like a coffin

[Jason]

you should get one that's shaped like a coffin

Why?

[dania]

'Cause then I could say this to you: "Why dontcha go shop fr a coffin-shaped composter?"  It's only kind of funny.. sorry. 

[emma]

greeeeeeeen biiiiiiiiiiiin

[Julie]

Make one. I can't imagine buying one.

[TremblingEagle]

You live in the city right?

I doubt you wanna be doing DIY composting
spend a few bucks for a bin outside

[scotttsss]

I have a pile of leaves, grass, and other yard debris/kitchen debris which is held together by a bunch of boards from old pallets on three sides, and one side with no boards so I can turn it every few weeks in the spring/summer.  Every year I have rich, black compost at the bottom, it's pretty cool.  The quarter pound grubs, though, are horrifying.  It works alright.  Keep it moist and warm.  If you have less space I've heard the barrels which turn on an axis by a hand crank make compost faster because they keep heat and moisture better.  But you have to buy them.  I think they'd be really easy to make out of one of those big 5 gallon water jugs surrounded by duct tape or something. 

After a few years of gardening now, I've accepted that I don't have a green thumb.  I use the compost just for simple things like the herbs which come back every year now, with the exception of basil, which I have to plant.  I'm not as ambitious as I once was, and if you want to do it organically as I do, it takes a lot more effort to pick the bugs off of the tomatoes etc. 

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I put stuff to be composted in a plastic bag in my freezer and take it to the park every Saturday, where they have bins.  It might be worth checking into to see if JC has a similar program.

[Jason]

I'm going to build a tumbler. The cheapest one i can find is $170!!!
I'm going for a tumbler because it has a faster turnaround and an upright one because I do not have much space.

[Tim K in DC]

Do you have any yard space, Jason? If so, you could just section off a small section of it with chicken wire, or do what my dad did years ago (he has a couple of gardens that he tills with compost mulch every spring) and prop up some boards next to the garden (in his case, he used four sections of old shipping pallets) and just start dumping the collected compost material inside the walls.

[Beth]

If you plan on using the compost for gardening, it's a good idea to keep two piles going (if you have room) one for fresh compost, and another that you can use as fertilizer. We just punch four holes in the bottom of a garbage can for drainage, tie the lie closed with bungee cords, and put them outside on the ground. Again, this all depends on available space.

I could be wrong, but I've also heard that there are programs (through farmers markets/food co-ops, etc) that accept your compostables (word?) once a week or something.


EDIT: Somehow I skipped over Jasongrotes post. That's the kind of program I was referring to.

[Jason]

I want to use the compost.
I started building my bin today, I'll post a pic when it is finished.
I did wonder about two bins but I barely have room for one. I hope the tumbler speeds the process, I need a quick turnover.

[Sarah]

It will.  Don't worry.

[jed]

Do you have any yard space, Jason? If so, you could just section off a small section of it with chicken wire, or do what my dad did years ago (he has a couple of gardens that he tills with compost mulch every spring) and prop up some boards next to the garden (in his case, he used four sections of old shipping pallets) and just start dumping the collected compost material inside the walls. should have everyone over for a party on the first warm spring Saturday.