lots of compost questions

 So we're in our first home, and we've got a nice sized piece of
property. I've got a nice big area at the end of the yard dedicated to
composting and general heaping of yard debris, with woods beyond that.

I have the Smith and Hawken stackable compost bin, nothing in it so far,
but ready to start taking kitchen scraps out there. Questions:
- Egg shells - with the slimy goo inside? I won't contaminate the yard
with salmonella? I've put shells form hard boiled eggs in the compost in
the past, but the mister is convinced I'll kill us all with the wet egg
shells.
- Cereal with *soy* milk in the bin?
- I've read of shredding newspapers and putting dirty paper towels in
the kitchen compost bin?
- We've got critters of all the usual northeast sorts - will the bin
become a buffet the minute I start putting scraps in there? Should I
strap the lid shut, or put a rock on it?

I also have some heaps collecting. Among them: a few large heaps of
autumn leaves, sod clumps from the garden beds we dug, those hideous
pine bark chips/mulch, with more around the yard to be removed. Should I
mix these all into one heap? Do I want to layer any or all of them with
the kitchen scraps in the bin?

What kinds of stuff from the yard should I *not* be putting in? We get
monthly curbside pickup of yard debris, so I can put out a heap or can
of bits. (I'm thinking rose bush prunings, and such?)

I can run a hose out there to keep things damp, but the area is on the
shady woodland side, so what can I do to keep things progressing?
Compost accelerator products?

Thanks for guidance.

Karen

 dkhedmo said:


Congrats. Sounds like a nice place. =)


They're fine. crush them up as much as you can, prior to adding them.
Smaller pieces of anything will break down quicker.


Not if it heats up properly. The center of the compost should heat up
nicely, and there will be plenty of "good" organisms to counter the "bad"
ones.


Give him a beer and the remote. Then just don't tell him the shells are
there. He won't be eating the compost, you know. ;)


Sure, why not? It's organic, no?


I stay away from paper in my compost bin. Shredded, it makes a good mulch
for veggies, though. ;)


Nah, my compost bins are wide-open. No lid, and the sides are a nylon mesh.
I've never had a problem with anything eating from them.


Why "layer"? Things compost much more quickly when they're stirred up. You
need several things to make good compost. You need the nitrogen-rich grass
clippings, as well as the chopped up leaf material. Bark and other hard
material takes much longer to break down.


Sticks, twigs, and other hard debris. They just take too long to break
down. If you're not planning on stirring the compost often, I'd stay away
from any diseased plant material.


Yup, you're on the right track.


Stir it with a fork, weekly. Sunny areas are better choices, but it'll work
in the shade. It just takes a bit longer.
 

Head to the nearest bait store and get a couple containers of red wigglers.
=)

HTH
--

Eggs

-For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.

 Eggs Zachtly wrote:


Thanks so much for the quick, detailed reply! I just saw a bait vending
machine somewhere recently, now where the heck was I when I saw it???
Anyway, lots of anglers around here, bait's easy to find.

Thank you!

Karen

 dkhedmo wrote:


each year I like to add more fishing worms to my flower
beds, gardens and compost areas.  it's kind of fun to open
the fishing worm container and set all those worms free to
do good things in the soil and to the soil.  

the informational advice you got from Eggs was spot on.  
happy composting.

good post Eggs.

 dkhedmo said:


You're welcome.

I should have also added that with the exception of the eggshells, stay
away from any other "animal" products. Use only plant materials. You
probably already know that, but I try to remember to never assume anything.
;)

Happy composting. =)
--

Eggs

-How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.