Composting

I want to be a composter.  I WILL be a composter.  Now that we have our own property I can make my dream come true.  (My husband will be so glad when I actually start instead of just talking about it.)

I've read a lot of composting books lately and my favorite is The Complete Idiot's Guide to Composting by Chris McLaughlin.  I love how simple she makes it and it's one of the most detailed (yet easy) books I found.  She has a lot of ideas I didn't see anywhere else.

In making your compost you basically want to add "browns" and "greens".  There is all sorts of sciency stuff about ratios but it more or less comes down to 50% of each or "throw in what you have".  You can do it "hot" or "cold"....I'm not going to discuss that because I really am just writing this to help me remember what to add....and what to plan.

My kitchen waste will be going into an enclosed bin so that small animals won't want to take up residence in my yard and then my house.  This will consist of all fruit and veggie peelings/skins/trimmings, egg shells, etc.  Low on citrus peels and NO dairy or meat products and no fat.  The smaller you cut it, the faster it decomposes.

There is currently a sort-of compost bin going on in my backyard.  The previous owners set up some green plastic fence sort of thing but it's falling over and not contained and looks pretty bad.  I'm going to make a pretty one....and plant things around the outside to disguise it AND to fertilize the plants AND to use my space more efficiently.

Eventually I want a big pile out back, a worm farm, a smaller container for kitchen scraps and a rabbit to provide lots of poop.

Okay, for the big pile....

Browns
Hay (aged so the seeds are dead)
Dried leaves (shredded is best)
Sawdust
Chipped wood
Toilet paper rolls
Dried grass
Straw
Wood ash (but not coal)
100% cotton fabrics
Dryer lint
Cardboard
Cardboard egg cartons
Newspaper
Paper towels
Wrapping paper
Oat hay
Shredded documents

Greens
Green grass clippings
Vegetable trimmings
Green leaves
Tea and tea bags
Coffee grounds (and filters)
Animal manure (from herbivores only)
Kelp/seaweed
Algae
Aquarium water from freshwater fish
Alfalfa meal or hay
Citrus (use sparingly & chop up small)
Weeds (without the seeds)
Human and animal hair
Old flower bouquets
Green prunings
Bedding from rabbits (soaked with urine and with lots of poop - this is great stuff!!!!)

I'll post pictures as I get projects completed and things planted.  Which should be soon because planting season is fast approaching.