Do people really make these 5 composting mistakes?
I’ll respond to each of these…
1.) Have a plan – He talks about “winging it” with composting and learning it online. Learning how to do stuff online is pretty normal. Sounds like he just got some bad info.
I’m confused because he shows us a large trash can composter he made and says it didn’t work… I agree that trash can composters (and tumblers) get heavy, but otherwise he should be able to use this to compost with no issues. I’m jealous of it myself- I could get way more material into that one.
2.) Don’t do too much at once – He mentions throwing food and dirt in a compost bin…there’s a little more to it than that! He must be following his rule of not doing too much.
Here’s the recipe for a trash can composter: 12″ of dead plants/leaves, then add food scraps to the center, then twice that amount using shredded leaves. Add water. Repeat next week.
3.) Need a way to aerate the soil – Can’t argue with that. He used a shovel though… a pitchfork is a way better tool for the job, although I didn’t use one for years. Aerators are nifty too, although I prefer the pitchfork personally.
It’s interesting how he mentions his compost was smelling and not breaking down- if he would have used a pitchfork instead of a shovel, he would have likely avoided the issue.
4.)Need to keep animals out – If this is an issue for you, simply use a trash can or a compost tumbler. The standard compost pile doesn’t need to be a haven for animals, either… just start with ample brown materials and ensure you properly cover your food scraps each week with more browns.
5.) Aesthetics are important – I mostly agree- compost bins are usually pretty ugly. At the same time, I have no problem having a compost bin in my backyard in exchange for cutting emissions and landfill space while building soil and doing it on my own terms.
Anyway, it sounds like they had some bad luck with composting and I’m confident the Subpod will sort them out just fine. Looks nice.
If you’ve had similar composting challenges, feel free to reach out- chances are I can help you.
Or, you can check out Tyler’s Dirty Little Composting Secrets here. 🙂
Too pricey? Just ask me for a copy then. 😛