compost bin tips | Crazy About Compost

Trash Can Tweak

With the warmer months coming on, I noticed a pretty simple adjustment to my trash can composter that might help you get better results. Have you noticed when you keep the lid on that the contents seem to dry out pretty quickly? It rained the last few days here, so I kept the lid off so the contents could get extra damp... and the pile got pretty warm! This is what happens when you keep it damp- compost craves moisture. The key is to simply ensure your mix is right- double your browns with each addition of food scraps, and make sure you have a nice layer of browns on top. I saw a raccoon walking around my tiny back yard last night and left him be... the next day,…

Is Your Compost Pile Working How You Want It To?

Are you sick and tired of looking at a stagnant, slimy compost pile, baffled as to why it isn't breaking down after six months...or even longer? Do you want to start composting right away, but you have a lot of questions and you're not sure where to start? This used to be me, and over the years I've gained a ton of experience through composting indoors and outdoors, using bins, tumblers, buckets and worms, balconies, backyards and the basement. When I first started, I really had no clue what I was doing- I just knew it was the right thing to do as someone who was obsessed with waste issues and studied environmental health. It wasn't until I got my first compost bin that my problems were solved and I…

Visiting the Family…and Their Carbon-Rich Back Yard

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun- visiting my parents' house out in the sticks was great. I really envy the variety of materials they can compost- tons of leaves, dead plants, weeds, pine needles, mosses... most of these items are hard to come by in my neighborhood. I wish I had my camera- I ended up building up a compost pile for my mom with the food scraps from dinner and huge piles of the aforementioned materials... I was tempted to get a garbage bag and bring a bunch of it home with me! Man, I screwed up... hope I get to go home for Christmas.