Just add browns and greens and nature will do the rest.
Read up on the right ratio and what constitutes browns and greens.
bikeonychus
I would maybe sprinkle a little water on them, as everything looks a little dehydrated. Then resume the old greens and browns.
I would maybe also do them one at a time? So while one load is cooking, the other load is ready to be used? I have 3×5 gallon buckets I do this with – one fresh, one cooking, and one almost ready to use.
Unlikely-Pumpkin-840
Thanks for the replies! I will get those browns and greens in there!
nobody_smith723
composting is pretty simple. these tub type bins have pros and cons.
but basically you have “greens” and “browns” keep it simple. 1 to 2 or 1 to 3 ratio (or 1 green to 2/3 brown ….i tend to say. whatever your container for greens is. use that to add browns. if you have a pale/tupperware of kitchen scraps. use that same pale/tub to add x2 or x3 of browns. IF you’re using a trash can full of grass clippings, you’re gonna need 2-3 trash cans full of browns). and layer them in… like lasagna. adding water as you go. but trying to keep it from being soaked (squeezing a clump should get a drop or two of water. not flowing water squeezed out)
greens are anything recently alive, or shit out of something alive. (also coffee grounds) so food scraps. veggie off cuts, grass clippings, manures, garden waste (like if you have a giant cucumber plant that’s done for…all the leaves/vines etc) things cut into small pieces are better. thicker/bigger will take longer to break down.
browns are anything organic that wasn’t alive recently. dried leaves, wood chip/wood mulch, sawdust, paper products. certain husks or like brown discard (corn cobs or like dried shells?) hays or straw. etc. can use ash, or charchoal, but prob use that sparingly.
meats/dairy/fish carcasses, eggs. dead animals or things of this nature can be composted. extra care to keep out pests. might be necessary.
compost shouldn’t “stink” stink comes from rot and anerobic bacteria (or if the ratios of greens/browns are off, or tooooo wet/not enough O2…. the wrong bacteria will grow, and it’ll stank) if you get stank… fix is normally add more browns, or air out the pile.
and then use what you got. but these tubs, tend to work better with easily broken down stuff, leaves/food scraps. grass clippings. the smaller overall size/volume would make things like wood chip or big bulk green waste hard to break down.
but anything organic, will break down in time.
the last question might be …how fast are you hoping to turn over the bin. if you run grass clippings/leaves. in a good mix, flip the pile every couple days, can have finished compost in like 30 days. If you’re never flipping it, could take 6 mo to a year to break down. IF the pile doesn’t heat up (bacteria is what breaks down the material, heat… shows they’re working. there needs to be a good mix of greens/browns and moisture present for the right kinds of bacteria to flourish. but… 140-160 degrees is a temp range a good compost can get. it’ll ramp up to those temps. then settle off. they sell thermometers for compost piles. good way to check in see if it’s sorta chugging along/check the temp) but even if you fuck everything up. ya know. a year or so, it’ll still break down.
autumnal_dreamer
It looks a little dry, I would add a tiny bit of water to moisten it up.
CamelHairy
80% brown (leaves, paper), to 20% green (vegetable scraps, lawn clippings).
6 Comments
Just add browns and greens and nature will do the rest.
Read up on the right ratio and what constitutes browns and greens.
I would maybe sprinkle a little water on them, as everything looks a little dehydrated. Then resume the old greens and browns.
I would maybe also do them one at a time? So while one load is cooking, the other load is ready to be used? I have 3×5 gallon buckets I do this with – one fresh, one cooking, and one almost ready to use.
Thanks for the replies! I will get those browns and greens in there!
composting is pretty simple. these tub type bins have pros and cons.
but basically you have “greens” and “browns” keep it simple. 1 to 2 or 1 to 3 ratio (or 1 green to 2/3 brown ….i tend to say. whatever your container for greens is. use that to add browns. if you have a pale/tupperware of kitchen scraps. use that same pale/tub to add x2 or x3 of browns. IF you’re using a trash can full of grass clippings, you’re gonna need 2-3 trash cans full of browns). and layer them in… like lasagna. adding water as you go. but trying to keep it from being soaked (squeezing a clump should get a drop or two of water. not flowing water squeezed out)
greens are anything recently alive, or shit out of something alive. (also coffee grounds) so food scraps. veggie off cuts, grass clippings, manures, garden waste (like if you have a giant cucumber plant that’s done for…all the leaves/vines etc) things cut into small pieces are better. thicker/bigger will take longer to break down.
browns are anything organic that wasn’t alive recently. dried leaves, wood chip/wood mulch, sawdust, paper products. certain husks or like brown discard (corn cobs or like dried shells?) hays or straw. etc. can use ash, or charchoal, but prob use that sparingly.
meats/dairy/fish carcasses, eggs. dead animals or things of this nature can be composted. extra care to keep out pests. might be necessary.
compost shouldn’t “stink” stink comes from rot and anerobic bacteria (or if the ratios of greens/browns are off, or tooooo wet/not enough O2…. the wrong bacteria will grow, and it’ll stank) if you get stank… fix is normally add more browns, or air out the pile.
and then use what you got. but these tubs, tend to work better with easily broken down stuff, leaves/food scraps. grass clippings. the smaller overall size/volume would make things like wood chip or big bulk green waste hard to break down.
but anything organic, will break down in time.
the last question might be …how fast are you hoping to turn over the bin. if you run grass clippings/leaves. in a good mix, flip the pile every couple days, can have finished compost in like 30 days. If you’re never flipping it, could take 6 mo to a year to break down. IF the pile doesn’t heat up (bacteria is what breaks down the material, heat… shows they’re working. there needs to be a good mix of greens/browns and moisture present for the right kinds of bacteria to flourish. but… 140-160 degrees is a temp range a good compost can get. it’ll ramp up to those temps. then settle off. they sell thermometers for compost piles. good way to check in see if it’s sorta chugging along/check the temp) but even if you fuck everything up. ya know. a year or so, it’ll still break down.
It looks a little dry, I would add a tiny bit of water to moisten it up.
80% brown (leaves, paper), to 20% green (vegetable scraps, lawn clippings).