First-Timer

[BuckEskew]

Hello all,

I'm new to the site and have just recently gotten into composting.

I built my bin this past weekend and started my first pile. I built the bin from a few pallets that I picked up from a local grocery and fastened them together with some metal "L" plates and wood screws.

My pile is made up mostly of some brush that I've been clearing out of my backyard. It seems to have a nice mix of leaves and grass. I started the pile on Sunday and went out Tuesday morning and felt the pile. It was warm!!! :o I got a little giddy and ran into the house to grab my food thermometer.....stuck it in the pile and it was cooking at 158 degrees, in less than 2 days! My co-workers are convinced I'm strange since I was boasting about my compost pile most of the day yesterday. :lol:

[Gar]

BuckEskew
Welcome to the forum. You are not strange. You are just like the rest of us. It is such a good feeling when the compost pile heats up. I know I felt the same way when I built my first pile. My compost consists mainly of grass clippings, that don't get put in the garden for mulch. During the summer I will fill one of the bins to the top with with grass clippings and in about 3 days it has gone done about 2 feet. My bins are 4'X4'X4'. I am convinced that compost is the best fertilizer. It is naturally slow release and never burns my plants feet (roots). I till in about 6" in the garden in the fall and put the remainder on the top and let it finish over the winter.
My garden looks so much healthier this year. Also don't forget to foliar feed with compost tea.

[BuckEskew]

Thanks Gar!

Your avatar sort or reminds me of my bin. I got the idea from reading about tying pallets together.

Yes, I'm a newbie composter.....like a proud dad, I gotta show off the pics! :oops: