Simple composting question!

There are so many threads on composting it is hard to find the info I want. I just have a very simple question.

Can I just use a space for composting? It would be just a tiny space bound by a fence, brick wall, air conditioner, and patio. Can I just dump about everything there? Like Starbuck's coffee grounds, mealy tomatoes, old bananas, watermelon without the green rind. Would it smell? If I rake it with existing soil and water it every so often, would it be ok?

If you don't get enough answers here, I see that you're a subscriber, so you might check out the soil & composting forum http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/soil/all/

I have been there and there is too much info!!!! I have spent over an hour looking through those threads and I just gave up. I guess I need to post a thread there.

Anything organic will be ok. You can put the green rinds in off the melon, won't hurt. Add some leaves or grass clippings as well. You can shred paper and add that. Shouldn't be a smell. Mine never had an odor. If you want it to compost quicker you need to turn it occasionally. That was to much like work for me and I wasn't in a hurry so I just kept layering it. Water occasionally to help it rot. I used to through in a handful of ammonia nitrate fertilizer every once in a while, but not necessary.

Jim, sounds great. I don't have leaves or grass clippings. But I do have a bag of papers that need shredding. There aren't any dried leaves until the fall but I can ask around and maybe can get some grass clippings. I probably won't get that fertilizer because I try to buy as little as possible. Thanks so much!

venice62, if your compost pile is away from woods where animals may visit then I would suggest all kinds of material such as food ect. I personally am concerned about rodent problems in an open compost area. I prefer egg shells,coffee grounds, tea bags, leaves, grass clippings and maybe a few potatoe peelings. In a compost drum then let it all fly, food scraps and all.

Wow, I am glad you mentioned that! We don't have rodents here except for chipmunks. But there are mice over in the fields. However, I know neighbors left food outside for cats and it brought raccoons. One neighbor said that one was on the roof above their door and they were afraid it was going to jump on them! My cat is a good hunter but I don't know what she would do faced with a raccoon. The compost pile would be only 15-20 feet from my patio door. I think I better hold off on the fruit and veggies. Thanks, Flowers!

Venice,
As always, Jim is right. A compost pile doesn't need turning, but it does speed things up.
Your area sounds good for a pile--close enough to the house so it will be convenient to add to, and far enough from your patio not to be visually intrusive.
Be careful where you get grass clippings--some people think if a little fertilizer/weed killer/insecticide is good, a lot is better, and that isn't something you want to add to a compost pile.
If you have an old blender you can chop up your vegetable peelings into a semi-mush and put that on your compost pile. If you sprinkle the mush and then cover it with coffeegrounds or something similar, you won't have to worry about rodents. I just toss peelings, rinds, past-their-prime veggies and fruits on our pile, but it is out by the barn. I have seen no evidence of rodents, and believe me, there are rodents in the fields!
You won't believe what your compost will do for your gardens!

Short answers...space ok? yes.

Will it smell....yes...like a woodland forest floor for the most part.

Never....never add any meat.

It's been my experience that you can manage compost heaps any way you want, in as much/little space as you have.

I've had equally good results between leaving the stuff layered/piled undisturbed for a year, turning it all over and rebuilding the pile in the spring, and adding stuff in layers, monitoring the internal temps and then turning over every few days, once the temps spiked and dropped. It was exciting to find the temps reached 70C, lol

For stuff that may attract insects/rodents or housepets, a good covering of something like grass clippings or shredded newspapers keeps most things away.

The different methods I used depended entirely on what materials I had available, lotsa weeds, and DH bought a lawn sweeper, lol.

Happy composting!

your welcome venice, Sometimes common sense over rules logic, always look at the big picture. Happy composting and don't rule out knowledge from these fine folks that have lots of experience on the subject.

Ok, I can blend my bananas, watermelon, mushy tomatoes. Then cover it with some shredded newspaper and coffee grounds and maybe a little soil on top because I don't want Kitty to get all of that on her feet.

if ya want it to decompose faster then I would suggest putting black plastic on top of the pile held down by bricks or blocks. This will make it heat up faster, just remember to turn it with a pitch fork ever so often and spray it down with water when you turn it. This will also keep kittys paws clean. My dog got deathly sick from eating food the neighbors threw out so am leary of food not covered even in a compost area unless it is fenced off.

Get a 5 gallon bucket from the HD or Lowe's and poke holes in the bottom. It has a lid so it will keep Kitty clean and the odor down. Rule of thumb...No meat, No dairy, No bones; all the rest of your kitchen and garden scraps are good.

I suppose I can use my shredded bills and other junk paper. They are already cross-shredded. Or do I really need to use newspaper?

For now I will try it without the bucket. If it smells, I will do something else. I cooked my banana peels and green watermelon rind so it would be softer for my blender, interesting smell!

a green and brown ratio is a must, leaves and clippings

What is the ratio that you are talking about? Also, what do you consider green and what do you consider brown?

venice here is a link with a video that might explain it better than I can. Hope it helps http://www.howstuffworks.com/composting.htm/printable

Flowers, thanks for the link. I wish I had leaves, grass, and more space. I just have to make do with what I have and hope it is ok.

By the way, I came across this interesting list for 163 things to compost.

http://www.plantea.com/compost-materials.htm

neat link, never would have thought leather would be in the mix. It can be as big as you want and started in a trash can with a lid, just keep it turned. I just like the thoughts of putting the nutrients back in my landscape as opposed to a landfill. You will do good and teach the young ones the art so they might carry it on.

I never thought of many of the things on that list, like vacuum cleaner bag contents. By the way I don't have any young ones but I do have a 9 year old granddaughter in SC.

When we moved into this house, brand new construction, the shaded side (the only shade on the whole lot) was virtually nothing but sand. I just started tossing grass clippings and anything I had pruned out of the garden back there, but never weeds I had pulled. Within 6 months I started seeing a sort of compost, and pretty soon the grass was beginning to creep in there. It's too shady for grass, but this spring, after 3 years of doing this, I think I have enough goodness to maybe try a hosta or two.

The other thing that I have (it's a small lot) is an EnviroCycle composter. That's where I put my kitchen waste (never any fat or meat, but tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells, peels, that old shriveled up potato, etc., etc.) and it makes absolutely glorious compost, and does it very quickly. I'm not good at embedding links, but let's see if this works:

http://www.envirocyclesystems.com/US/info.html

Good luck!

Venice, remember when you used to go swimming when you were a kid? Walk up to the edge of the pool and stich your toes in to see how cold the water was. Finally, you just jumped in an let out the first gasp and it was all right. Same thing with composting, just jump in. You've been given some good advice, especially about the meat and bones. Now just jump in and find out what works for you. Me, I never stir compost, to much work and time will do it just as good. The black plastic is a good idea to help get the heat up. I use to take a short piece of PVC pipe and drill holes through it and build my compost pile around it. Hook a hose to it and wet your compost all the way through. Go for it girl. I'm rooting for you. Anyone as eager to learn how to garden as you will be a success, mistakes are just lessons on how not to do something.

ok I got the idea of what goes into one and how to keep coons out...but how do I keep my dog out of it...trash cans don't work..the beast just knocks them over. he's a chow-huskey mix and he tears up everything!

Jim, I don't mind stirring it up a bit with a shovel and hoe because my pile is so very tiny. I can water it then. Unfortunately, I don't have any equipment and can't buy anything and have to depend on Mother Nature!. I can spread the compost in my garden in the fall when I do some clean up so it will be ready in the spring. By then I will know what I should do differently!

I haven't been reading the chatter on all threads. Hope that your back and head are doing better and that you are getting the rest you need. What is Jo canning now? Surely she is finished with those spiced pickles by now!

Every thing is about gone. She does have some pears to put up in preserves, but the last 2 weeks have been really busy for us. She did cook out the juice of the Muscadines and has 8 batchs of juice to make jelly out of. We froze it so no hurry. Probably this winter before she puts it up. Got my fall garden started today. Planted 8 tomatoes in hay bales, set out 6 cumcumbers, 9 cabbage, 9 broccoli, 9 califlower. Still got turnips, mustard and rape to plant.

Did you grow all of your plants from seeds?

trinawitch if possible put up a fence, something cheap like chicken wire or some type of baracade the dog can't get through. Surround your little pile and be worry free. Jim41, you and wife are awsome. A winter garden is not on the mind of most after the summer harvest. Your real farmhands. Who would have thought about planting tomatoes in bales of hay remarkable. Surely you must add dirt.

No. I don't have the time to fool with them and give them the care they need. I have a young man that lives close to me that starts plants in the spring. His are the best I ever used. This fall I have picked up plants where I could find them. They weren't the best I've seen but on a whole weren't to bad. The tomatoes I bought were really pretty. They were just bigger than I wanted and cost to much. A lady was starting me some but had to have eye surgery. She went out to fertilize them and couldn't see real good and killed every tomatoe she had. I found a really pretty pot of Sweet Basil and bought that. Repotted it this afternoon. They also had two pots of cilantro (small pots) and I bought that. Kassy from the basil threat send me some chive seed and sage seed. I fixed some pots and planted them this evening. I have never raised herbs but have gotten interested in them on Dave's, so I thought I'd try my hand. This gardening is really addictive. I have to be real careful are I will spend way to much money. When you are on a semi fixed income you have to think before you spend. I gather from the treads that you have to be frugal as well. All the years I was making good money I never had time to veggie garden or really work in the yard. Now that I have a little time the money is short.

Thanks flowers...I appreciate it...I grow tomatoes and corn in the house in the winter...with 5 kids I have to in order to keep the grocery bill down

Actually, a friend raised some of the most beautiful and productive tomatoes this summer that I have ever seen in hay. He told me how. You put pelletized lime on the hay and water for 14 days then cover the top of the hay with 8x8x8 and water for 14 more days. I cut two holes in mine and planted the tomatoes and packed potting soil around them. It was unnecessary, because the hay was already mussh rotten. You just have to keep the hay soaked after the tomatoes are planted. They feed off the rotten hay. I'm looking forward to seeing how they will do. I put mine in the green house I built for my wife last fall. I had to cut out a section of the plastic so it wouldn't get to hot right now. I am determined to have fresh, vine ripe tomatoes for Christmas.

where theres a will theres a way. Jim hope it works for you let me know how those tomatoes taste on the Christmas table. If this works better get the patent cause it will take off like wildfire. To eat a fresh grown tomatoe in December wow that would be awsome.

You got it flowers. I'll sure let you know how it worked this winter. Also set a couple of broccoli and califlower in the raised bed in there. Gonna see what they will do. They tell me that egg plant, peppers and other plants of type do well set in hay.

hey, thats how great minds work. without them we would still be rubbing stones to light a fire. Great idea Good Luck

Jim, that's right. I remember you talking about how your friend starts plants for you. Sorry about the lady who had eye surgery. I bet she was so disappointed and hope she is doing better. It didn't take long for my basil to take off so I know you will be happy with all your herbs. Good variety.

Mars to venice---- sorry I'm still on the name thing lol

Flowers, I don't mean to disapoint you. But I have a long watercolor print of Venice, Italy over my desk!

Thats cool, please don't take offense just like to goof off and lighten the mood now and then forget not everyone is on my page.

I thought it was funny! I could be from Mars anyway!! lol