composting

I use all of our kitchen fruit and veg waste along with green (no seed) waste from the garden. Browns however are in short supply at this time of year. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
Jon.

Allow some of your garden waste to dry out. I've also used "chaff' from feed stores. Here in Tucson there's one store that lets me sweep it up and bag it for free. I don't know if you have feed stores around where you live but you could also get this from someone who raises farm animals. If anyone around where you live has a lawn and doesn't use chemicals on it you can ask them for the clippings and then let them dry out to use as brown matter. You can also use shredded newspaper and cardboard. I soak these first before mixing them into the pile. Avoid using white office paper with printing on it. The ink is made with heavy metals.

Momherb

Momherb Thank you for reply. I do try to dry grass and some of the kitchen waste but this is hard to do because of very high humidity. In my location is mostly rice growing so farm animal manure/feed chaff is not an easy option. I am using
paper, card and wood shavings. Interesting you mention printing inks as I am an Ink formulator by profession,
most countries in the last 10 years or so have banned the use of heavy metals cadmium, lead etc. In fact most modern inks are soy based.

That's interesting about the ink. Do you know whether or not printer ink is soy based? In the states I understand that newspaper ink is now soy based but I've always been told not to use printer inks.

Momherb. Not 100% sure but I would be very surprised If these products were not subject to the same regulations as the rest of the printing industry. I will do some research and report back.

Printer ink contains a toxic chemical called p-Anisidine. If it enters the blood stream can cause headache and sickness.
However It does not contain heavy metals. No data on p-Anisidine regarding toxicity to soil. As for me I'll play safe and
not use it in my compost.

Great info pajonica. THanks.

RE:browns. I keep a couple of bags of last year's leaves handy to the compost bin to add to it. Only problem is the squirrels tearing open the bags looking for nuts.

Your all more than welcome!
Good idea with saving some of last years leaf fall, I will make a point of it this fall.
Never seen squirrels here but no doubt something will cause trouble!

Still trying to get to grips with gardening in Japan.

pajonica

Hmmm ...I wonder if it is the squirrels that have been going through my bags as well? I'm going to empty some of them tomorrow. I just hope that nothing jumps out.

pennefeather, I've tried keeping bags of leaves stacked behind the shed to make leaf compost. But the little devils rip them open every time. I guess they think it's like an Easter egg hunt!

Think I'll store mine in the shed, should help to keep the critters out. Just need to tidy it first! Don't know bout you guys but I think I've the untidiest shed on the planet! Just one of those jobs I never seem to get round to. How about an untidy shed
competition?

pajonica

I also hoard leaves in the fall, and when I run out of those, I resort to straw. Do you have access to bales of straw in Japan? It makes a great addition to compost.

Karen

That is a good question! Living in a rural rice growing area you would think rice straw and husk would be easy to obtain,
Unfortunately the farmers seem to use most of it themselves. Corn is not widely grown in Japan and mostly imported from the US. Straw is sold in pet stores but very expensive. Spending too much to produce compost defeats a major part of doing it in the first place. I am however making a garden drying oven, very simple you just need a sunny spot,
a large metal box open at the front with drying trays inside, I'm hoping this will produce the the required browns.

Thanks Karen,

pajonica