For those that compost

Personally I'm clueless...not to mention I feel like if I tried that in my yard surely my "clean up crew" aka the dogs would take care of whatever was out there...then we'd all pay the price later...whew!!! Any-who...just in case ya'll hadn't seen this in classifieds: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/803348/

Chantell, as long as you don't put anything containing any grease or meat, you shouldn't have any problems with animals getting into your compost pile. My dogs have never bothered mine.

I compost everything else I can get my hands on - eggshells, fruit and vegetable peelings, weeds that haven't gone to seed, litter from the chickens, used coffee grounds and filters. I even compost the shredded paper from a friend's paper shredder.

You can also put in grass clippings and leaves so long as the leaves aren't from black walnuts.

Diane - Amber will eat ANYthing...seriously!! She is a born scavenger!!! She does seed clean up (and God knows what else) around the base of the bird feeders even...yeo-uck!!! I did read in a thread here about the wet shredded newspaper. Going to start taking mine to work and shredding it...just not sure what folks do with it after its wet...just lay around the plants come spring or what?

Chantell, that's exactly what you do with the newspapers. You'll probably have to mulch on top of them as they have a tendency to blow around. Worms love newspaper and coffee grounds. Google for lasanga gardening, that might be easier for you than regular composting. Put Amber on a leash and teach her what's acceptable and what's not. That should help part of your problems. I have 5 Bostons and it didn't take long to teach them to stay out of things.

Chantell, were you referring to shredding the newspapers?

My last Dane loved her fruit & veg' so she would occasionally check out my compost pile for scraps (she was taller than the pile), but I found it pretty easy to train her to stay away from it. Covering any particularly delicious morsels with something less savory, such as grass clippings also kept her at bay.

What type of dog do you have? (Picturing a Rottie but wondering if I'm mixing you up with someone else?)

Hah - composting for me would be as impossible as it is for Chantell - I have two scavengers (Izzy and Bandit) - about 10 resident squirrels - and a 25x18 foot backyard - so unless I could get my hands on a dog, squirrel and cat proof (very small) composter :-) Izzy I could probably train to stay away - Bandit lives to the beat of his own drum - he even learned how to untie the garbage bag :)

You could go the blender route- Blenderize all your scraps and pour that juice in the garden.
No, I don't do this.
Store all your scraps in the freezer until you have time to dig a hole, bury it, put something on top to keep the pup out.
I don't do that either!

LOL - good ideas - however...

Hah! I get the impression that Becky & Chantell are going to start a worm bin under their kitchen sinks any day now ...

Ahem - I know for a fact Chantell has issues with worms LOL For the life of me can I see her having worms under the kitchen sink!

(I was telling her all about the yummy birdfood I bought - it had worms for the birds, and she cringed & told me I had serious issues!!! )

As much as I think it's a great method, I don't think I could do the worm bin thing either ... maybe if I lived in an apt. in the city as I've seen done on TV, but ... uh, no.

I'll stick with' free range' worms as well !!

Nah - me thinks the only worms I will have around here are "free-range" or the yummy (just ask my Woodpecker) freeze dried ones in the birdfood!

Are you talking about mealworms in the birdfood - that's the only type that I've bought. Or is there a worm selection now? lol

A year or two ago, while feeling brave at the wild bird store, I bought a container of live mealworms, kept them in the fridge ... the whole works. Well, I started placing them in the special mealworm feeder that I was brainwashed into purchasing, but I'm pretty sure that they were all little escape artists -- I never saw one bird at that feeder. I realize that it takes a while for the tweeties to find a new feeder, but ... I got creeped out eventually, and just stopped doing it.

LOL - I do try to give 'em dead ones - the thought of "free creeping" ones are just too much - I spoil my wild critters - but I do draw the line at live worms :)

Speaking of - I ordered a squirrel feeder - to attempt keeping them off the deck - danged thing was back ordered and I have not heard from them since - soooooo, guess it's back to looking for another one - several of the sites have free shipping so it actually ends up being cheaper ordering online - no sales tax :-)

What kind did you get? I've got zillions of squirrels here thanks to all of the Oak trees. I haven't had much luck in trying to "wrangle" any of them though. They leave me leetle gifts on the deck, but I don't think I'll ever be able to change that. Heh

(speaking of leetle geefts, I finally saw cardamom seeds, at David's Organic market. I think they are putting mouse droppings in jars and making a big profit off us dimb Westerners LOL)

Ordered one of these - by far the best price I have found

http://www.duncraft.com/Squirrel-Jar-Feeder-Save-2000-P2512C89.aspx

Not sure if it will deter the "Paulie Walnut's" family though :-)

Mercy - appears I've opened up a whole can of worms....get it - WORMS?! Bad I know. Thanks all for the suggestions...I (as Becky already eluded) will not be starting a worm nursery under my kitchen sink. It was bad enough years ago when I kept blood worms in the fridge for the fishes....ugh!!!
Might do a mini-compost pile (are you suppose to DIG a hole for these or do they just go in a heap?) behind my big ole agave or yucca can't remember which I put back there...LOL. Pretty sure it's an Adam Needle yucca - just know it works as a good deterent - those leaves hurt.
Doc - thanks for the coffee and shredded newspaper helpful hints - I think it was YOUR great thread I was reading, now that I think about it. As for Amber - well dogs are one thing I've got a teensy bit of knowledge on. She's been a great dog (8 yr old Rottie - you were right Wrightie - love my Rotties) but food is her only bad habit. Much easier for me to use other things to deter her i.e. the yucca...LOL.

If anyone lives in AA County you can get a free composter at the landfill.. Just thought I would share. My hubby and I plan on putting in rain barrels this year..

we discussed rain barrles recently too

Jenn - is the free AA composter the kind that comes rolled up - kinda black mesh with holes in it?

I am not sure. I called them about one thing and found out about that. I figured it would not hurt to have two so I will get the hubby to pick on up the next time he goes to the landfill

so that's AA and Montgomery, but not PG? Nice.

A guy on the metro told me greenbelt gave away rain barrels. I do not know if this is a fact though.

OH MY! I'm sure that you'd have to be prove residency for that. (right??? lol) I really want some rain barrels!

My husband and I are going to try to make some. I will let you know if it works

I've been wanting to make them also, but didn't have luck on scoring the barrels. Sally had a great idea to try the coke/pepsi (no coke, pepsi?) plant - there's one near Kenilworth & Rt. 50, but I still haven't looked into it.

Keep an eye on those DG articles! There was a great tutorial on DIY rainbarrels from Glynis this past Monday, and Andrew did a wonderful 2 part article on worm bins in September. The redworms, I'm pretty sure, are only for vermicomposting bins -- they're not natives.

If anybody finds a good source for barrels, score all the barrels that will fit in your vehicle! :-)

We'll have a rain barrel workshop / party.

I have two of the rollup, mesh-y things free from this County, can't say if that's still the kind they are giving, but I kinda think so as these would be cheap. They do pretty well. wrightie, I could give you one, but the bolts that you use to hook the ends together have rusted, OOOH!!! I could get a new one and give it to you! They give away large yellow plastic trash cans for recycle, too- just got one. Very handy around the yard also! I do think AA does a good job with this stuff.

"We'll have a rain barrel workshop / party." Darn tootin'!!

This message was edited Jan 17, 2008 7:41 PM

Oh no worries, Sally. Happy gave me one from Mont. Cty last year, but I also make my own from old wire fencing that previous owner left behind. I'm just annoyed that PG is so lame. Fortunately, my city is a bit of an oasis as they have a fantastic smartleaf and recycling program.

I am going to go buy some barrels from Pepsi... Let me know if you want me to pick you up one. We want 3 but I think my hubby can get four in the car. They are $5.00 a piece

Holyy cow. Do you know what the details are? Meaning, do you just show up and buy them or do you have to call ahead?

this might be a good place to put this link again- Directions for making rain barrel, from Arlington Echo Outdoor Ed center. Scroll down past the introductory slides and you'll get to the material list and instructions.
http://www.arlingtonecho.net/pdf_files/barrelppt.pdf

Also, http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/manage/viewstory.php?rid=384

Jenn, I'd love one, but if somebody else buys it from you before the swap that's fine -- it's asking a lot to keep it in your garage for a month and then haul it to Frederick!

Where is the Pepsi plant?

Kenilworth & 50 (Cheverly) http://www.costar.com/FreeSearch/Detail/Detail.aspx?p=64DC7376245D74423E6015E6E8AB32D7 ... assuming that it's still operational or sells off their old barrels. I don't know for sure.

Pepsi Cola Bottling Co
Ofc Pepsi Place
Cheverly, MD 20784
(301) 322-7000

This message was edited Jan 17, 2008 8:24 PM

Arlington Echo Outdoor Ed does not make them anymore....

My husband is going over there tomorrow morning. I had to call for 2 weeks to get someone to call me back. If I can get 4 in the truck then you have your barrel. I will ask Karl (my hubby) to find out how many they have..

If anyone else wants any let me know and I will post the details... I know they stopped selling them for awhile, but he has some now. :)

YEAH

Jenn

Now is anyone going to pick my grapes... lol

Jenn, what/where is Arlington Echo Outdoor Ed??? I've been wanting some barrels for a couple years now and would love to know where to find them. Thanks!

Found this via google. Thought I was losing my mind: http://www.arlingtonecho.net/rainbarrel.htm

You lost me on the grapes, too! LOL Whatchu talkin bout, Willis?



This message was edited Jan 17, 2008 8:29 PM

Arlington Echo Outdoor Ed is a company that made them for $50.00 and the benefit went to the schools. They have stopped making them now.

Pepsi has 50 gallon barrels. The lady at DNR told me about Pepsi. I have been calling them for 2 weeks and they called me back today, so my husband is going to go pick them up tomorrow (he is working from home tomorrow YEAH), but while he is there I will find out how many more then have. You have to pay by check and they are $5.00.

I posted in another thread that I do not have any seeds but I have grape vines that I inherited when I moved in here and I do not know what to do with them. Someone can come pick grapes this fall. :) (If I do not kill them like I do everything else! :) )

Thanks for the clarification!

If there are any seeds that you'd be interested, please say so. I may have a bunch to toss your way if you're interested (no trade necessary).

Is your hubbie going to Pepsi in Cheverly, or is there another facility in MD?