Subject: Re: waste chipper? From: rob@compost-bin.com (Rob D'Entremont) Organization: Airnews.net! at Internet America Date: Fri, 10 Dec 99 09:18:26 Message-ID: <MOD$991210.21525@rec.gardens.ecosystems> References: <MOD$991209.7628@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
> >Is there a "chipper" that is intended to be used on compost source >material such as household garbage, grasses, weeds, etc.? I envision >something tougher than a blender but less than required for wood. What >are techniques for preparing such material for composting? >
The answer is...it depends. For long grasses, tall weeds, and spent
flower stems, I use a pair of very sturdy grass shears (pruners for
the woody-stemmed flowers like marigolds, zinnias, and mums) to cut
the pieces into about 6" lengths. That way they tend to lie flatter in
my compost bin, are easier to keep in the middle where things go
faster, and the chopping helps things go a bit faster too. Also, it
makes the plants fit into a bucket that I carry around with me when
tidying up the landscape. So the cutting can serve another purpose,
too.
Small plants can just be tossed on top of the pile so that they can
dry out in the sun. Some plants are what I call
"crunchable"...meaning that when they are completely dry, you can
easily crush them with your hands almost into powder, and this doesn't
need to be composted since it basically disappears when it hits the
ground.
Some people are concerned that weeds added to a pile can cause
problems. Sometimes this is true. I have broadcast many weeds while
spreading my sifted compost, but they are easy to pull from rich,
loose soil. They could be more of a problem in turf, but I have none
of that. Viney weeds and groundcovers can easily grow right in the
pile, so those I chop and make sure that they get solar dried before
mixing them deep in a pile.
Small food trimmings, like small plants, do not need shredding.
However, you wouldn't want to place a pumpkin or rotten potato on top
of your pile. If you have a hot pile, these materials will rapidly
turn to mush inside it, but a hot pile is not practical for most
people. (It certainly isn't for me, and I have ten going right now.)
So, I recommend chopping anything that would be a nice home for
maggots into smallish (1 cubic inch?) pieces before adding them to the
pile. If the pieces are very small then they can likely be thrown on
top of the pile because they will dry out pretty quickly but if they
are big, juicy, andor numerous, you might bury them a few inches in
the pile.
Chopping is very important if you want to push the envelope and add
meat to your piles. For example, if you added a hot dog, it might
persist for a while and attract a dreaded rat. Your neighbors would
turn you into neighborhood integrity, even though their always filled
dog food bowl is the rats' chief food supply. But if you chop the hot
dog into small pieces (probably cylinders and then quarter each
cylinder so much of the interior is exposed) then those little pieces
will dry out quickly andor the ants will get them before any rodentia
does.
A WORD OF CAUTION THOUGH!: Be very careful when chopping anything.
You can easily seriously cut yourself! Always know where your fingers
are!
Rob D'Entremont
Richardson, Texas
"The above is my opinion only. But it works for me. Use the advice
at your own risk and make adjustments accordingly."