Adding bokashi pre-compost to a compost pile - does the pre-compost eventually shrink?
1712813
Mine took so long that I gave up on it. I should check again. I would recommend not overloading the system with meat.
1502127
Yes, but make note not to keep your compost too wet. I usually add water until I start to see water coming from the bottom, then stop. It you compost looks like mush then taper back on the water. I would also suggest a compost starter to help it along.
623317
I don't know. I use newspaper or a small piece of paper towel. All of it goes into the compost.
1531233
No. I use a sieve when removing the compost and then can make the tea in a bucket.
1857060
I read that I should place the composter in a shadier part of the yard. I got my composter this last winter and located it on the north side of the house. This is a little used area so it was as much for aesthetics as it was for advise. Anyway, our winters are pretty severe. I am in a zone 5. It got down past zero this year. I did not notice much composting action until spring. I never tried the hot water bottle trick, but I did add some compost starter when I got desperate for something to happen. As soon as the weather warmed up, this composter took off and I have one side that I am using on the garden already and the other side is already halfway done. I am very happy with the composter and don't blame it for not being too effective in the winter. If I had it to do over again, I might put the composter on the sunny side of the house, but then it would bake in the summer!
555281
Yes. Rain will get into your composter via the vent holes along the edge, but you will have to monitor the moisture in your mix according to your climate, what you put in to compost and the location of your composter. Mine is in partial shade, I live where it rains a fair amount during the summer, and I compost a lot of juicy stuff like banana peels, used coffee grounds, grass clippings, & spoiled veggies. I rarely have to add moisture to my mix. If my composter was in direct sun all day or I lived in a drier climate, I assume I'd have to add more water more often. More experienced gardeners than me have told me that the secret to good composting is checking it occaissionally (but not fussing over it) and adding the right amount of what's needed when it's needed.
1058304
I have a 20gallon plastic tote that I use for my composting. I added in a little dirt to start it, added in worms and now add paper and old fruits/veggies as the worms eat it. I have had it going for a year now and it has been great for my plants!
1865576
Maybe add more nitrogen materials and make sure the pile is watered. A new pile can take quite some time to warm up if you don't have enough nitrogen.. Turn or mix the pile once in a while to add some oxygen... Composting can be a slow process; let it work...
293437
Definitely wait until Spring! Adding this in the cold won't result in a significant increase in the composting speed. It would be better to so this before it gets cold to generate more heat and keep the pile active through the winter. If it is warm enough, do that, but if not it would be best to wait.
1787799
I'm new to composting too. From what I've read you build a pile, let it heat & cure for a few weeks, then take it apart & start over using a portion of the compost from the cured batch to help start a new batch. Lots of info on the internet on how to do this.
568329
it takes awhile as the composter is small. Ideally it would be 3x3x3 feet. But it is convenient. In retrospect I would just buy a large plastic garbage can and drill holes in it, then compost in that. You can bungy-cord the lid on and just roll it over and over to aerate.
568331
Don't know. Still waiting months later. Because the composter lets rain seep in, the material stays too wet to compost properly. I tried adding more dry material, but it just gets wet after the next rain and the barrel is extremely difficult to rotate when the composting material gets wet and heavy. Also, one of the bushings that the horizontal pipe goes thru is already cracked due to the weight of the wet compost. Don't think I would buy this one.
1978357
I have purchased this product. I have only used it in my large, outside, composter. I use compostable bags in my kitchen composter.
2191956
According to the instructions, yes. Though I only put vegetable scraps in the bucket. It started to smell really bad so I put it outside and haven't looked inside for several weeks. I imagine the bucket will fill up very fast if you put all your kitchen scraps in it. The instructions make it sound like it will take a month to break down, but in my house, it will fill up in a week. Then what to do with the scraps and leftovers while it's full and percolating?
1823347
This is the first winter that I have fully filled by Geobin. As of yet I have not noticed rodents. I do believe putting a tarp over it would slow the composting, depriving the compost materials of the rain, snow, and sun that are conducive to more efficient composting. I have put an approximate 4 inch diameter drainage pipe with holes (from Home Depot, approximately 4.5 feet high) in the center of the pile to also assist the water and snow to reach more compost material.
661997
It depends what you put in it, time of the year, and when you stop adding new material in the composter. In the summer it takes about two months after the last material is added.
1650228
No, they didn't t seem to shrink. I sprayed them with vinegar before I washed them and that really helped cut down the odor.