new compost bin?

My old bin finally fell apart, and I need a new one. I live in suburbia so looks count. I can't just build a garbage heap; I'm looking for an enclosed bin. I don't know where to buy locally and most on the net are somewhat price prohibitive, not to mention shipping. My husband isn't the handy type, nor does he have much spare time, so building one is not a option either.

I've been searching through old threads here but haven't found what I'm looking for. Can someone direct me to some info on compost bin, user ratings, sources to buy, that kind of thing?

Thanks for any help.

Karen

This (below) is made of free pallets, took less than an hour to stick together, and the three bin system works well for lazy composters like myself. Don't know if it looks neat or pretty enough, but sunflowers and vines make it nice in the summer. I'm not in a suburb, though. I think the drum composters are pretty industrial looking, on the whole, and plastic bins look uggggly (see the little one on the left?)

Edited to add this site: http://www.composters.com/

I also found this on google, but it seems labor-intensive:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_soil_water_mulch/article/0,1785,HGTV_3634_1397204,00.html

You can always make one out of lattice, but it'll break down quicker than pallets. Good luck.


This message was edited Apr 11, 2006 10:10 AM

Zeppy...I love your bin attendant!

I have gotten into the cord wood masonry like this and it would be cheap and beautiful. Just shape it like a compost bin and set it on the soil. http://www.motherearthnews.com/ The only change is I would place plastic pipe in the motar to let in air. It is cheap to build.

Thanks for the replies. As I said, building probably is not an option. Plus I found out today that I'm going to need surgery in the near future, so everything may indeed be on hold for a while.

Zeppy: really cool composter, but I'm especially fond of the puppy. What a cute face! Do you know the breed(s)? I'd guess german shepherd-collie

Karen

Karen, the dog is Zeppelin, and he has a wonderful temperament. He's all German Shepherd; just one of the 'long coats' the old West German lines throw out pretty regularly. His parents and litter mates were short coats; his daddy's still in Germany.

Sorry to hear about the surgery. I hope it's not serious?

I will be praying for you and your outcome. I know it is scarry to you and those around you.

I keep my 3 compost piles enclosed in welded wire (about 4' high and 3' diameter). When I want to turn over the compost, I just unhook the end wires and open them up. You can still see the compost through the wire, but it's neat and self contained. And you might be able to gussy them up with some annuals, as Zeppy mentioned.

Hope your surgery isn't serious...wishing the best for you.

pam

Thanks for your replies and your concern. Actually it's two surgeries- a hysterectomy and resection of a liver tumor. So I think I might be out of commission for a while and won't be up to composting or any gardening at all. Even worse I have about 80 containers of winter sown seedlings out on my patio that might well just have to sit there and die in their milk jugs. Very disappointing. I know my friends and family think I'm nuts to give any thought at all to my flowers with possible liver cancer looming, but it's still very disappointing. But my thanks to all of you.

Karen

I found a rather affordable, compact and decent looking bin through The Sportsman Guide on-line its called the Garden Gourmet and it was cheaper than on this site http://www.composters.com/main_comp.html?gclid=CL7dyfzPp4QCFTC_JAodJlGHhA

Good luck!

Karen, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Maybe someone in the family or a neighbor could take direction from you and plant out your w/s babies where you want them? Just so you don't worry about them?

Really, healing & peace to you.

Same here, Karen. Prayers and good vibes heading your way.

Thanks for all the good wishes. I just wish I could get it all behind me. Started messing with this stuff and January and it just keeps snowballing. I can hardly get out to my garden because I'm either running to docs (7 different ones since January) or tests or tethered to the phone with this stuff. Hopefully surgery will be soon.

Karen

Karen just plant a few every day and your body will get healthy, Keep doing what you enjoy until the surgery and when you get home you will love to look at the growth and all that is going on. I pray for your spirits to lift and for you to expect to get back in the garden soon. Just a picture I just took outside when the sun came out. Enjoy

Karen
First, you will remain in our prayers and thoughts till you get some resolution on the surgeries. The waiting has to be pretty stressful.

2nd - An easy alternative for the composting might be to use a circle of woven wire. If you can get someone to put 4 posts in for you. you could put post caps on them, or something decorative and just wrap woven wire around 3 sides and staple in to the posts.
Here's a link from Home Depot that wouldn't be too unsightly - 3 ft high woven fence. There are some decorative panels in white that you could even screen it with - have your pile behind the panel and grow vines on the panel.

Wishing you peace of mind
Andrea

Thanks, all.

Soferdig: What a lovely picture and beautiful property you have!

I really do try to get out to the garden but it doesn't last long. (doctors, hospitals, tests, phone calls, insurance companies, more calls) and limited ability due to back and leg pain. Gardening is just near impossible. I planted out a few winter sown seedlings on Sun and on Mon I could hardly move. When I can I try to jump on the PC for a while and distract myself here on the forums. But I've taken this thread way off course...

Tonight my husband planted a new tree for me- a weeping cherry, "Snow Fountain". It's about 5 ft tall and in full bloom and very pretty. Last night he transplanted a japanese maple which I have nursed from a teeny volunteer seedling. It's 2 years old and about 5 in. tall now. I kept it in a protected area near my house and now it's in the back of the yard.

Karen

See you have many things to get home to when the knife guy/gal gets done with you. Your husband is a good guy. Now give him the list of things you need done before the summer starts. LOL. Hey I would insist he put the Maple in a pot and it can go to the hospital with you and you would have someone to talk to. This thread is about what we can do for you from a distance over the internet. Look at the garden I rototilled today and the 6 Swedish Aspen I bagged and burlapped for planting at my horse acerage.

Soferdig: I just took a peek at your garden diary. Your place is so beautiful. I would love to see Montana some day. How much property do you have?

It's after 1 a.m. here, so I'll be signing off.

Karen

We live on 3 acres of a glacial moraine. It lets us look out to the mountains of Glacier Nat. Park. I makes a wonderful place to garden. Lots of rocks you can see and I keep collecting them. Well my DW and I do. They all come home to roost somewhere in our garden. See you in the morning.

It sure is beautiful property.

I've never been to Montana. Close as I've been is Washington state. My son was living in a small town (Port Townsend) on the Olympic Peninsula. and we visited 2 years ago for 12 days. My husband and I traveled around the peninsula for a few days and it was the pretiest place I've ever seen, without a doubt the most beautiful flowers. The mountains were breathtaking. Our son lives in Seattle now and we're past due for a visit. I have been talking about another trip there. But usually he visits here instead; we all need those visits to home even if it is boring old Ohio!

Ususally my husband & I spend a week in winter in the Caribbean, and week in summer at some beach - (Florida, South Carolina), and a long weekend in Autumn in the Smokey Mountains. I do love mountains and beaches. Why in the world do I live in Ohio?

Karen

Oh10's a great state. I lived there for ~30 years, burbs of Columbus and outside Chagrin Falls. I still love the state, although I do prefer gardening in zone 7, and don't miss the winters in the snow belt at all.

Karen, blessings and prayers to you. I do hope all your surgeries, etc. go favorably for you. And I understand your missing your garden.

DonnaS

Thanks rutholive.

I guess Ohio's not so bad but would be better if we could add a beach or mountains. I landed here almost 30 years ago and never left so I guess that says something.

I spent the first 25 years of my life in Pittsburgh; now we're talking winter. SW Ohio's winters are nothing like we had there.

I did manage to plant out 2 containers of my winter sown bachelor buttons today so that's something. Only about 70 to go. Now I'm worn out; need to go to bed. (soferdig kept me up too late last night!)

Karen