Do You Love Your Trash Can?

Wow, I started this thing over a year ago and I still haven't filled it up. While I usually add to my big cubic yard sized bin, the can's been getting attention too. How is this working?  Honestly, I was surprised this system would work this well due to its limited size. Then I remembered that it's basically the same capacity as a compost tumbler, without the tumbling function...which isn't needed. My major finding is that simply leaving the lid off and getting it soaked every few days is enough to keep this thing going smoothly. Dry piles are slow piles, and compost craves moisture- I found that the warmer months dried out my can quicker with the lid on...try it out- pests aren't an issue with this system. If…

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City Composting: Try the Alley?

I walked around in this alley and had a look inside all of the trash cans. The majority were for recyclables, but the ones that were trash, were mostly organic materials... this is going to be the case if you don't compost. Notice how much of a mess this alley is?  It smelled pretty rank, too. Not that I care it smells, but the smells could be completely avoided by adding a trash can of another kind used for compost. This alley is one block from a public park full of leaves and dead plants (cover materials).  Get creative and divert your organics...I promise you it isn't hard, and the rewards are beyond satisfying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0EPnJJw198  

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How to Compost Weeds

https://youtu.be/tqLf8MvHsiY Can you compost weeds, even if they've gone to seed?  The answer is yes, but there's a few things to consider: 1) If you have a compost bin that's 1 cubic yard or greater, your pile should have no issues heating up to the temperatures needed to kill weed seeds (131F for 3 days).  I add to one bin for a year before letting it sit for a year...plenty of time. 2) If you're working with a smaller compost system such as a trash can shown in this video, it will not be able to generate the necessary heat to kill weed seeds. Try letting them sit for a few days to dry out.  Once they're dry, add all the thin brown stuff to your compost pile.  Put your…

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