Composting

[accelerateurmind]

I want to start a compost pile and was wondering if anyone had any tips or suggestions. I would like to combine things like unused produce, or scraps(banana peels, citrus peels, etc.). As well as the leaves, and other things, found in the pool sweep and skimmer.

[Tricky Grama]

Cap't Compost is the expert but I'll tell you what we did & its been fine for years.
Put up 5 metal 'fence posts' in a semicircle. Streached fencing material that's smaller than chicken wire around the semicircle. That's it. Holds quite a bit & being open on one long side, its easy to turn it.
I've seen others that were just piles in the corner of a fenced yard but don't know if that would rot a wood fence over time.

Patty

[CaptainCompostAL]

As Malcolm Beck once said in one of his books, technically you can compost the remains of any plant or animal that once lived!

However for most urban composters and small farmers, it is best to use more plant matter than animal matter, and use more carbon sources than nitrogen sources. Also keep the compost pile moisturized and aerated, either by stationary sticks or aeration pipes, or by poking holes in the pile weekly. You don't really have to physically turn piles to aerate it, unless you want to.

Happy Gardening!

[Russ]

Chickens are great to have with your compost pile. They hunt and peck in the pile and aerate it naturally. They can't do the whole job but they can certainly help between "human" intervention on your compost pile.

Happy Composting to all