rec.gardens.ecosystems homepage -> archive: MOD$001210.6540@rec.gardens.ecosystems



Subject: Re: "Harvesting" compost
From: Jason Roysdon <jroysdon+pacbell@artoo.net>
Organization: SBC Internet Services
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 00 02:15:44
Message-ID: <MOD$001210.6540@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$001113.21728@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



Do you have any good suggestions for making a sifter? I'm brand new to
composting and just purchased some 2x4s and chicken wire to build my first
set of bins.

With that, I might as well jump in and share my plans. Any advice is very
welcome.

I've read that bins should be at least 3x3x3 minimum and 5x5x5 maximum in
order to allow them to heat properly. With that info, I decided to go big
and I'm building 5x5 bins, 3ft tall. My lot is .38 acre and plenty of room
(and greens!), so I've decided to start with 3 bins (that'll probably be it,
but we'll see). My thoughts are to build them in a row, so 5ft deep x 15ft
wide. Is this wise to have them right next to each other (separated by just
chicken wire), or should I have some space between them? Either way, if I
need to have space between or not, the plan would be to fill the first bin,
then at the right time toss it into the second bin (through the sifter), and
then finally into the third bin (again through the sifter).

Any good links or online books (the whole point to this "hobby" is to remain
cheap, plus I read far and away too much for work as is)? I'm located in
Modesto, California (central valley), and would like to know my zone info as
well (I've seen a few posts listing folks' zones).

Anyone interested in seeing all the greens I have to harvest is welcome:
http://jason.artoo.net/homestead/

I know the biggest problem I'm going to have is getting browns. I have a
few large pines, and am curious if the needles can be used (I believe they
can), and are they in the browns group? I also have 3 almonds trees, but
they're pretty dormant at this point. I'm almost tempted to go fill a few
bags of leaves at our local city parks ;-)

Once the budget allows, I'd love to get a wood chipper as all the trees can
use a ton of pruning, and right now I've got about 500 cubit ft. of pine
tree prunings (well, I'm not exactly sure what to call it when two huge
branches decide to just "fall").

--
Jason Roysdon
List email: jroysdon@hotmail.com
Homepage: http://jason.artoo.net/

"Chris Smyth" wrote in message
news:MOD$001119.21218@rec.gardens.ecosystems...
>
> With a multi-bin system you can also sift material from bin A to bin B.
> Anything that isn't decomposed enough won't pass through your sifter or
> screen and it goes back in bin A along with any new material. A finer screen
> can be used to sift material from bin B to bin C, etc... until you have the
> type of "harvest" you want. Usually by bin C you'll have a very good organic
> material ready for the garden.
>
> Chris
> "Carolina Bird" wrote in message
> news:MOD$001115.22339@rec.gardens.ecosystems...
> >
> > <
> > the use of old Shipping Pallets for a compost bin.>>
> >
> > There are also plans for this at www.diynet.com
> >
> > My question is this... how do you "harvet" the final product if you are
> always
> > adding to your pile? I guess this question could apply to any compost
> pile.
> >
> >
>
>