If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 Making Compost At Home Easier 2:32 How To Make A Trash Can Composter 5:05 What To Compost For Best Results 7:14 Amending Compost With Kitchen Waste 8:32 Incredible Results After 2 Months! 11:23 My Ideal Composting System 13:41 Adventures With Dale
I made one of these compost barrels last year and it works well. In the summer months I put the kitchen scraps in the freezer over night to break down the cell walls in the fruit and veggie scraps before dumping them in the barrel to help speed up the process. I also keep a barrel of shredded leaves next to it so I can add browns on each batch of greens !
Shirley Elliott. I have a Troybilt chipper/shredder for that but you can also put dry leaves in a garbage can and use a weedwhacker to stir them up. A lawnmower with a collection bag is probably the easiest way to collect and shred at the same time.
Living in a water scarce place, I usually drill holes into the lid as well and then I turn the lid up side down so that it becomes a rain catchment system draining any rain straight into the bin.
As long as you don't get enough rain that it will rinse the nutrients right out the bottom. You're also allowing more moisture to evaporate right back out and when it's not raining, forcing you to add more water. When I pull dirt out from my compost pile under a dark tarp directly on the ground, it has never been dry. I laugh when I see people season wood like that, face palm.
The best composter I ever saw was an old hollowed out still rooted tree trunk about 6-7 feet high with no limbs left. There was a hole at the top and one at the bottom. My friend put the scraps in the top and left it. The raw material broke down and then fell down through to the base opening perfectly composted soil ready to go on the garden. Talk about effortless magic!
As always love your videos and one day of 70 degree warmth like today gets this 70 yr old woman, going again, with outside garden prep and planning. I have a Question: I don't know if you've had this system long enough to answer yet, but my question is, Will those grass seeds in the grass clippings survive to germinate when you use this compost method??? Im fixing to go to Lowes and fix a composting system like yours tomorrow. You are so inspiring!
One thing I do with mine is I picked up a blender from a thrift store and only use it for kitchen scraps. I give them a good blend turning them into a rough slurry and then add them to the compost. It works fantastic.
I have a similar situation, but bc my blender is vintage, it comes in glass n plastic. I use the plastic one for the compost smoothie. I even add in eggshells that have been blended separately for quicker breakdown n decomposition in the compost
Because we live in the city, in Central Ontario, we only get about 4-5 mos of good gardening season. I’ve been composting in the soil for years. I use my blender to mulch up all my kitchen scraps (vegetable skins, fruit peels, coffee, egg shells and anything else that comes from the kitchen. I also use grass clippings and leaves. Wherever I have a garden I always design it with about 1-2’ of empty space in the front. As soon as I can work the soil I start digging holes (from left to right or vice versa) in the front of the garden (about 1’ deep) and throw the stuff in. Cover it back up with the dug up soil. I’ve never had any animals disturb the soil and by the time I get back to the 1st hole, the matter is already gone deep into the earth and disappeared. I’ve done this for years and this is the way I expand my garden beds. I always have space in front of my gardens. The following year I mark off another 1-2’ in front of the beds and year after year I can plant in the previous year’s composted earth. Once my gardens are as big as I want, I simply keep trenches in the front and fill them throughout my gardening season and I have new compost to dig up as soon as Spring arrives the following year.
I enjoy your videos and have learned a lot. I am a new gardener at the age of 81 and enjoy your clear instructions. I also love to see your dog wondering around and his own video segments.
Life Pro Tip: Whenever cutting holes through plastic with either holes saws, or spade bits, in order to safely maintain a clean cut, it's way easier to run the drill backwards. These drills are not made with the expectation of using them on thinner plastics. They tend to grab and torque your wrist, or even the plastic piece quickly turning the situation unsafe. Running the drill backwards will inhibit the grabbing and the bit tends to move through very smooth, leaving a clean hole.
It's always smart to save some of your well-aged compost (small bucketful) to mix in with any new composting trash can or bin you start. Helps jump start the new batch.
I can’t believe I didn’t see this. Excellent idea. My grandpa kept a worm bed outside the back door at their home. He used the worms for fishing and granma used the castings for her flowers… the good old days… Thanks for the reminder and such a good idea.❤️
I did exactly the same thing for the first time a couple months ago. Wasn't sure what I would get. I didn't have the money for an expensive compost bin so I grabbed one of my plastc cans with a locking lid. Wow was I surprised when it turned out so good! The only difference I do is add the clean out from my chicken pen also I bought some night crawlers and threw them in there. (husband wasn't real happy wasting good fishing worms)
I made smaller versions of this design using 5 gallon food grade buckets. I placed them directly into my raised garden beds. They are covered with bird baths (I used very large ceramic plates I found at 2nd hand shops). It works very well :)
For anyone considering this, just a tip: if you don't want rodents in your heap, do NOT drill those big-ass holes in the bottom. Instead either drill much smaller holes and more of them (as it will let worms and critters in, but not vermin), OR cut the bottom off and cover it with vermin-wire (so mice can;'t get in), OR cut the bottom off/cut big holes but sink it 3-4 inches below the surface of the ground and securely backfill (rodents have and will burrow down a few inches to get into the compost - I've had it happen numerous times).
Exactly! Where I live there are voles, rats, ground squirrels and moles. Rats and voles will happily set up nests in a can with large bottom holes like this, the moles will be attracted by the worms and insects.
I actually stopped using a large bin made for compost as every time I opened the lid a mouse would come out. It was a professional one but bottomless so I guess they just dug in snd played around having a field day.
Congratulations! You did a great job. I had the same frustration with expensive (and small) compost systems and made two similar compost "cans". Yours is working great. I did mine a little differently, which may be of interest. I made smaller holes (to keep rodents out) on the bottom and sides and keep my cans up top of a single ring of bricks. I chop everything small and even add torn cardboard or plain paper. I add water as needed to keep the mixture moist. To speed decomposition, I attach a bungee cord over the top and roll the cans around on their sides to mix everything when I add new materials. Then I replace them on the bricks. From a nearby creek, I collected a small pail of soil around the creek edge and split that between my two cans. Both my cans are star performers just crawling with worms and other decomposers. They've lasted five years and continue to cook compost well. As you proved, they're much faster than cold composting methods and produce wonderful black gold. Great experiment and the locking cans are genius!
@@johannapearse1709 It's no problem at all. There are holes in the bottom of the composter and all around the sides. Typically I include a bucket of compost from an existing can when I set up a new bin. That has some worms and their eggs and they proliferate well. I've never ordered or purchased worms, but my compost is rich with them. Build it and they will come!
I use red worms that I got at a fish bait store. They love the composter. I also use a mini-version of your trash can with 5 gal buckets with a ring of 1/2 inch holes about 2 inches up from the bottom. These are filled to the holes with worm bedding (your choice). Then worms are added and compost ingredients as available. The bucket is buried up to the bucket handle in my raised beds. This setup is a wicking worm composter. Water stays in the bottom and wicks up keeping the compost moist. When watering the raised bed I fill the bucket for 2 minutes to add 5 gallons of water to the bed at that point. Excess water goes out the holes carrying the compost juice with it. My raised beds are 4 x 8, 8 inches high. There are 9 of them.
@@brendalewis4351 The buckets are covered with lids. Small holles in the lids allow rain water to drain into the bucket. A rock on the lid keeps it in place. I am still testing this.
@@HESEDNMERCY Not yet. As I said, I am still testing this. I guess I should make a vidoe of my take out and breakdown of my first one. That is coming up. Here is another thing, I use two buckets in each 4 x 8 bed, centered in the two 4 x 4 ends. These have holes in the bottom to water from below. Filling a bucket with 5 gallons of water is equivalent to 1 inch of rain on the 4 x 4 area. The holes are small so the bucket can fill and leak water slowly. Makes watering easy. Just run the water hose flat out and fill the buket, then move on. Buckets are open with no covers.
Remember shredded newspaper and any other paper products can be put in your compost as browns. The smaller you can make them the faster they will decompose. Also, pine needles will take quite a while to break down. Happy composting!
At first, when I learned worms LOVE cardboard and paper, I thought, “Wild!” Then it dawned on me. 🙄 They are made from trees. Of course they love it. 🤣
My composter is one of those 55 gallon barrels it looks like you have used for rain barrels. My tip for you is to get yourself a garden fork with a "D" handle to use for "stirring" your compost - works great! You can plunge it to the bottom of your mix and the "D" handle makes it easier to twist it once the tines are in the compost. Happy composting!
I love your compost bin and have now made a miniature version. I use empty plastic planting pots (the ones that you buy plants in 6inch ) and I simply place them on the soil around my garden where I want to plant something, put some mulch around it, fill with fresh kitchen scraps and a hand full of soil over the top (this stops my doggies from investigating) then cover with another slightly larger pot over the top. It has become such a worm magnet and very easy to rotate to new locations. I also water it in with some compost tea. P.S. I have very heavy black clay and no longer need to add clay breaker to my soil. I also place them between my existing vegies put weeds and spoiled veg into them. Happy gardening 🌻
Have 4 going all the time. Has worked for me for years. I find cans at Walmart even less expensive. I don't put large holes in the bottom. I turn them on their edge to spin contents
Do you put any holes on the bottom? I started one this year with a large plastic tub. I put a lot of small holes on the bottom. I also put some on the sides. I didn't put any on top so I can control how much water gets in. How big were your holes, and where did you place them?
Same here. Been doing this for 2 yrs now after researching how expensive composter bins are, figured all I need are 32 gallons trash cans. Holes I made are significantly smaller, maybe 1" at best. Compost full of worms and all sorts of beautiful little friends.
When doing food prep I take a minute or so at the end to slice and dice the scraps before throwing into the metal kitchen compost bucket; giving it a good shake or two mixes the contents. The increased surface area allows much faster onset of action by the composting microorganisms. The bucket commonly is warming from the compost process by the time a few days later when I empty it into the outdoor composter. Finally, you can see that eggshells take FOREVER to break down. I rinse, then dry on a paper towel in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Shells are then loosely crushed into a quart ziplock bag. When the bag is full, the shells are run through a spice grinder for 10-15 seconds. The powdered endproduct rapidly incorporates into the compost.
An alternative to the microwave that we use is placing the shells on a cookie sheet and setting them in the oven (off) while it’s cooling down after being used to cook something else.
@deniseward002 Paul explains the benefit in the original comment. Breaking down the raw material into smaller parts decreases the time required for finishing the process. The oven that is cooling down is a way of doing it without extra expense. The dried shells break into smaller pieces with less effort and realistically could be sprinkled anywhere without adverse effects. In our case, we also do it so we can easily sprinkle them into the feed for our hens. That way they are getting the nutrition and eating as if it were just grit vs learning the bad behavior of eating eggs. Hope this helps.
I’ve been doing this for years. Until I saw this video, I thought I was the only one making compost in a trash can. It works well and it’s inexpensive. I have three, as one fills up I start filling another one.
I just put waste directly onto the grass and let it decompose naturally. Is this ok? Isn’t this how the forest floor works? I figure if it works in nature it should work here. It seems you all over think it
We have two compost bins like this in our backyard. We did place a pvc pipe with drilled holes in the middle so everything can aerate better. This method works great!! 👍🏽 I love having a compost bin!!
I don’t comment very often, but I think it’s a brilliant idea and I will definitely give it a try. I also read some of your viewer’s comments below. They do have some good feedback that I’m going to implement to my future Black Gold. Thanks.
I made a hot compost in Michigan right on the top of my grass just before winter with small chopped up pieces and would turn it every few days- it got so hot it made ashes and smoked off the snow on top- 3 weeks later it is was beautiful black dirt smelling gold! I LOVE THIS PROCESS!!!! IT'S SO MUCH FUN
@@SlackerU that is a crazy temp! The chemistry of this simple process is amazing to me, and didn't know it could get up that high- thanks for the post Bob!👍
@@SlackerU Wow! Our summers (SoCal only 16 miles inland) have been hitting 100° for a week or two for the last couple of summers, so I can only imagine the temp inside the barrel! That would probably boil off any water I add, or burst into flame! I think I’d have to watch it pretty carefully, or roll it into the shade in the summer. Any tips?
@@kgs2280 It doesn't get hot in the barrel at all. The biomass is too tiny to produce any heat. You need a minimum of 3ftx3ftx3ft to have enough bacteria moving around to warm things up.
Since you have a locking top just lay it on its side and roll it around the yard for a bit to stir your compost. I've done this for a couple yrs now Works great and no heavy lifting moving your compost. Thanks for showing this.
I started doing that early last year. I'm up to 3 trash cans now. It's awesome. If u use a garden fork to turn it from time to time you can get a fast turn around also
@@TheMillennialGardener Just roll your can on it's side. Cheaper method... use large black construction garbage bags, add ingredients, moisten, tie top closed, punch small holes in the sides, occasionally roll bag to mix it.
I honestly don't believe you need that many large holes as my worms get into the small holes in my flower pots. Good job son I'm so impressed and proud of you I'm going to try that myself. Lord knows I have plenty of leaves and grass clippings might as well try an experiment!
I purchased a cold compost bin and upon receiving it I realized it was basically a bottomless, sturdy trash can. I didn't really appreciate why there was no bottom at first, but when it came time to use the compost I realized the point. When the compost is mostly finished, I simply move the bin and start anew. Your idea is great, but you'll save yourself a lot of back strain by simply cutting out the bottom entirely. Also, I went to the fishing section and bought live bait worms for just a few dollars and tossed them in there. I thought I might have to do that periodically l, but they've survived 2 years now replacing themselves naturally.
Live bait worms are usually night crawlers which are deep diggers red wigglers are the ones who live near the surface and break down leaves and rotten material
I reallllyyyy appreciate you sharing this way of composting, I was gonna build the pallet box type then found yer video again , got my 32 gal can all set up with las yrs garden dirt mix of black cow compost , peat , black dirt & bone meal , I added the lil twigs , leaves , pine needles & kitchen compost scraps today , gave it a good mixing , by mid to late April I kno its gonna be as good as miracle grow if not better Thank you so much , Happy Gardening y'all 🍃🍅🍆🍓🥬🍋🫐🥒🥔🍈🍉🥭🍇
Wow! I am so inspired! I am teaching environmental science for the first time this year. we have a waste unit. After researching for my lessons, I found your video. I started my compost collecting last week and now that I found your video, I am going to make my bin. Thank you!!
Nice job! I find that a 2-bin system is key. One to collect while the other is working. I essentially do the same as you, but with larger pallet bins because I have a massive amount of leaves every autumn. I simply layer mine as I fill it, no manual mixing. Just add water periodically. It's completely broken down by the following autumn when it gets spread on the garden. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I’m surrounded by a literal forest with leaf and pine needle fall with frequent branches of all sizes. Most of us around here do controlled burns to clear land for planting. This leaves potash and calcium to be tilled in. When I have large piles to burn I collect them to be sifted - take a comfortable section of 1/4” metal fencing, a large collection bucket or small kid’s pool (I use a black cement mixing trough), place the fencing over your bucket, scoop a good amount of burned matter onto it, then shake the ash through until only debris is left. You can remove nails, plastic, anything that won’t burn then start over. Add this natural potash to your compost and you won’t have to add the chemical form. This is great for tomatoes and cukes.
I follow your instructions about to months ago and wow, this is amazing compared to the open compost I had. Sent the video to my brother since he just started gardening this year. He is going to do it too after hearing the results.
Such big holes in the bottom would allow gophers, moles, shrews to get in. Worms would be fine with tiny holes & more of them. Also, leaving the can loose would allow you to roll it to mix the compost & eventually get it over to the garden bed where you want to use it. My best ever compost bin was concrete blocks stacked 3 high to make a 3-sided square, with old window screens on the top & front. Bottom was just dirt, but I had no underground varmints in that location.
I have 3 beat up plastic cans that contain layers of leaves, kitchen scraps, and late stage compost from an open pile. I layer green and brown material as I go. Come spring, I rake off wet leaves that cover my planting beds and add them to my open pile and the cans. Grass clipping start in May. I don’t make a big deal about working it, just little bits every day.
I absolutely love the cinder brick idea. Then with the screens that's wonderful. I have a question though I live in Arizona would I need to add water to my compost whether I use the can or the cinder bricks?
Use mesh no larger than a dime If a dime will fit inside a square, a mouse will fit inside a mesh square ... and then go into your bin and eat all your worms, larvae, and edible food ... and contaminate it with feces and urine too. I use hardware cloth (which is of steel) for rhe bottom and top holes and mesh tape for the small vent holes in the sides.
@@ScottyCrawfordwish I could see a picture. Ty this information is valuable. I have not started my compost but the rodent issue is one I'm concerned about.
@@ALady4ever Please rewrite your comment. I cant understand any of it. It could be you dictated it into a phone ... Please type it carefully and ask yourself if it's clear then.
Never touch the kitchentrash or the compost with your bare hands! A neighbour of mine nearly died because of a sepsis he caught bringing the kitchen waste to the trash bin. He had to stay several weeks in hospital. It's much better to wear gloves when you touch the compost, aspecially if you have small wounds. Greetings from Bavaria!
It sounds like to me your neighbor was composting animal products, or the environment was anaerobic due to lack of oxygen, and it was full of pathogens. This is coffee grounds, grass, leaves and vegetable ends. I don't compost animal products sans egg shells, and the compost was odorless, so that will tell you a lot. Wearing gloves is always a good idea, but this isn't too much different than sticking your bare hands in a garden bed or a leaf pile that's been sitting for awhile.
@@TheMillennialGardener I would pay attention to what Schnurpsi Purps says... You can get tetanus from a prick. There could be an old nail in your garden bed. It's better to always wear gloves when working in the garden.
@@TheMillennialGardener I guess you don't have fire ants where you live? I would never reach into the soil without gloves in Florida. Poison spiders love those dark, damp places as well like leaf piles.
@@TheMillennialGardener my husband’s uncle passed from getting sepsis when gardening. And know of a second person that also got ill. Please don’t take the precaution lightly. I know young and invincible but you’re not. Anything composting is going to have bacteria.
I have to agree. I was surprised when he did it. I’ve been watching so many videos on this and most talk about it getting hot & to use something to mix it around. You could actually see the steam coming up from it when they stirred it! I loved the informative video & thank you for it! I’m going to start mine soon
I have four set up. One is placed under a sapodilla tree and it produces year round with sizable fruit. Also, I have placed a couple close to heavy feeders like bananas and papayas. I used drill bits to place holes on the bottom and sides. The size holes you made would only invite rodents into my bins. The trees and plants send their roots into them and practically slurp up the nutrients. Yes it’s very cost effective and you can move it to different locations if needed.
Great idea for small yards and gardens. I use a compost pile and a tarp. In a 10x10 area. I cover the compost with a tarp after hosing down with water to generate heat. Occasionally I take the tarp off and let the chickens turn the compost for me. I pitch fork it back into a pile. Then water and recover with tarp to generate heat. I have three of these piles around the yard and rotate the fresh compost amongst them.
I've simply got a large pile in the back corner. It started out mid summer with grass clippings, 'browns' and food scraps. Since then I've added the soil from my potted plants and even the mostly broken down straw bale I grew in from last year. Each time I water and turn the pile, it's filled with a wide variety of worm sizes. My goal is to avoid buying ANY bagged soil this next spring.
That’s how my grandparents did it. It never smelled or anything. 🤷🏽♀️ it was a huge yard so I guess that makes a difference. I don’t mind a pile but my partner doesn’t like the look of that
@@ariannagonzalez2618 Grandparents simply knew. They learned it from their parents and grandparents. I've been spending the last few years learning everything I can about how our grandparents survived. From canning to dry curing meats like bacon. Baking, soap making, etc. Everything I can think of. _I have a feeling we're going to need those skills very soon!_
I just wanted to check if you were doing the same thing that I have been doing: you are. It really does work and I have been doing it like this for years now. I got 4 large trash cans, much bigger than these all around my garden. The plants around them are lush and beautiful. My green beans are very productive just from being next to one of my cans of compost. I locate these cans around my garden to provide tons of fertility. I give those plants mulch and I give the compost to the plants that further away from the cans to maximize the composting.
I don’t bury mine, because I roll the bin around every few days for aeration. No need to manually mix. It really speeds things up. I place it back in the same spot. Works perfectly.
@@Seasoned62 just use the cheapest black garbage cans without a lid that can clamp shut or can close securely so that you can roll it a few times on its side
A refreshing change from other TH-camrs claiming you need 3 one-meter-large composters throughout your estate that also need to be distant from your habitation... Thanks for this no-nonsense video !
Since eggshells take forever to break down, I started running mine through an old coffee grinder I had stuck in the back of the cabinet. It turns them into a nice powder.
I always use eggshells in the garden. If and since I plan on staying at my place crushing the eggshells suffices and won't cause dust. If your soil is in dire need of minerals try lime and wood ashes.
I have a tumbling composter that has no aeration holes and sits well above the ground. Even in summer, adding much compostable material and turning the tumbler daily, I don't get results like yours with the plastic trash can! I think you adding "earth critter" holes, placing it well into the soil, and aeration on the sides made a HUGE difference. I'm definitely trying this! P.S. DALE IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR GREAT VIDEOS!!
Worms will break it down *way* faster than microorganisms alone. If you want to make sure, you can a few live worms to the first batch, and then you basically also have a worm farm if you like fishing.
The holes in the bottom are an excellent way to waste the compost tea and let unwanted critters in. I will try this with 2 changes. 1) keep the bottom intact and insert a spigot valve near the bottom, 2) manually add red worms. That said, great video and a great idea.
I bet one way to make it even better would be to take a small PVC pipe with holes drilled or piece of chicken wire and add it right in the center to increase aeration. Like one of those bio reactor ideas, except in a trash can. Awesome video
I gave up on composting and tried David the good fetid swamp water barrel I throw all my compostible material in it and some water I use the water to water my garden and I've tripled my garden output I originally saw David the good fetid swamp water barrel while watching Black gumbo he made one giving credit to the designer nice thing is I have
I started a couple of these a few weeks ago but added a central vent/chimney (pvc pipe with holes) instead of the side holes, more a miniature johnson Su reactor, hopefully retains more heat while allowing air in. I found drilling holes has a tendancy to crack or cause weakness but melting holes with a soldering iron retains the strength.
I think this a good way to go. One thing that can help with that with the holes in the outside is a thin garden fabric around the inside of the can. With both the central air and the holes in the side you will get a ton of air. 1 to 2 ft is about how far the air penetrates though so in a yeah can size it wouldn't be too bad using either one.
I’ve got a couple compost bins that are made out of a 3’ x 10’ 1/4 inch hardware cloth rolled fencing that I bought at Lowe’s for $20. I zipped tied the ends of the hardware cloth to make a 3 foot diameter and use a tarp to keep rain out of it. The size of a compost pile is very important when it comes to hot composting, and a 3’x3’x3’ compost bin will hold 1 cubic yard of material which is a perfect amount of material for hot composting.
I just have two piles in a compost made from pallets, but I do think the added warmth from the black trash can would speed it up in winter, especially if your nitrogen carbon ratios aren't perfect. But also I think the price of hardware cloth has gone up a ton, anywhere around me it seems ridiculous. I kinda like the barrel idea but sourcing cheap or free 55 gallon rain barrels. Also if you have a forest yard roots can take over your compost the trash can system here could help that instead of buying steel plates like some do. I also think the trash can system, if you're not turning your compost a lot, could eliminate weed seeds taking over the compost.
@@gameenders5017 I have the same set up as you do with pallets, except that I have 3 bins. I line the insides with large pieces of cardboard as I'm filling up then leave it alone until I turn once or twice in the spring. Wonder if stapling a lining of black plastic inside the pallet bins might have better heat retention.
@@sbffsbrarbrr Maybe but if you're doing hot aerobic compost I would think you don't want to block airflow. If you're doing longer term cold compost, which is more fungal dominant, then black plastic might be great through the winter.
That’s what I have too. I have 5 of them. I bought a huge roll of 3’ x 100’ at 1/2” hardware cloth for $150. I cut at 10’ lengths and also use zip ties. I’m going to build more. I use the hardware cloth to also prevent rodents from digging through the bottom of my raised beds. Super inexpensive and you get the compost as often as you turn it. I got mine as quick as 3 months turning it often. Turning it once a month gave me compost in 5-6 months. And more compost than I could even use. I filter with a compost sifter my husband made using the hardware cloth. Mostly to sift out any grubs I find - they love the compost bins! They’re great for making good compost but you just don’t want them becoming adults. I feed them to the birds when I find them. I plan on making leaf mold with some of the bins as well.
Getting all your ingredients together at once, and creating a larger pile (twice this bin) will provide the mass to break it down in about 2-3 weeks. I save my kitchen scraps with saw dust which stops rot in TWO bins like this, once they are full I combine them with extra brown material, fresh dung, and soil or compost for microbes and bacteria - lots of water and layer it. Two weeks - soil - literally - soil.
Amazing. I've been using a similar system for a year now with the EXACT SAME Lowes garbage cans. But we use 2 cans: one is finishing, with no new material added, and the other active where we add the new material. Some improvement suggestions: make the bottom holes smaller for structural integrity, and don't dig it in. Leave it free. We roll it on the ground at least once a week-trash day's easiest-but I usually roll it several times per week. This mixes and aerates the pile, speeding up the composting process. Much easier than the large Berkely-style hot compost piles we used to make. And loads cheaper than any composter.
Check your local city or community - they may have free mulch and compost. Here in Los Angeles, the city processes the contents of our green waste bins and all the landscaping debris they collect from trimming trees, hedges, etc and gives it back to the community. They even have different grades of compost, from the fine "black gold" to chunky pieces of top dressing mulch, and wood chips. We pay a lot in taxes and services to collect our waste and keep our city manicured so it's great that we have a reusable and sustainable kickback we can feed back into our gardens.
@@joanies6778 The waste is treated (heated) so it's "safe" to give back to the residents. Air quoted, as I'm not an official to say if there has ever been contaminated soil from the city that people have gotten sick from (the city hasn't been sued for it). But then again, I also belong to a state that bans a lot of harmful chemicals in everyday items like Roundup & lead in paint.
I have done a similar set-up and one thing to keep in mind is to not put too much green on the bottom of the bin or else it can become anerobic and mucky. If you're rolling the bin it probably will help mix better, but if you're turning with a fork or shovel, it can be hard to reach the bottom to aerate and make sure it stays aerobic.
Absolute GOLD, best, easiest video with exactly the right amount of detail, to watch ...... I'm an 'almost' 60yr old pensioner that lives on my own, & in & hotty sunny SA ... I ❤ to eat my own home grown foods & smoke my own green 🌿, so finding this vid of urs today, was absolutely fantastic, no more searching for the right youtube vid. 😊 Thank U
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. If you're interested, I recently posted a 1-year follow-up here: th-cam.com/video/4hHi0Xs1bHA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=DpapVE2FkiDzVyjY
I've been doing this method for 3+ years. I have soldier flies that help me make my compost in the wamer months.😃 I take a scoop of warm casting from the yard and add them to my compost bin. The eggs hatch and I have even worms to help make the compost.😃 Dale did good over the holidays...doesn't look like he put on any added pounds.😃 He's so cute!🐕
@@getwheeler I learned the hard way to spread it out on the ground for a few days before using it. The first time I mixed it into my planting area and planted peas. The next day I came out and saw these strange white beads on the soil...looking closer they were moving! The larva were eating the inside of the pea seeds! 👀 From then on I found if I spread the compost on the ground for a few days none are left alive in it. 🙂
Been doing a version of this for years. When the first garbage can gets full I turn it into the second can. The aeration helps speed things up a little.
I just started my own composting experiment with a garbage can just like that one & I my compost is now at about the same place that yours is at in this video. Like yourself, I have decided to get a second container so I can give the current compost time to finish doing its’ thing. Thanks for your video, it was very reassuring & now I know how to keep this system working successfully.
great idea for a starter composter or as a set up for more than one. I personally have two (an open air for yard waste and a closed barrel for food scraps) and I will look at adding a trash bin to the mix because compost barrels are expensive. The key to the open air is turning it, to help with the breakdown and to turn any weeds or volunteer seeds back into the compost. Also, egg shells will take years to break down due to the fact the main mineral is calcium. If you don't mind the look of eggshells in your garden, then leave them as is, but I grind my dried shells to powder or granules before adding to the compost. Another tip is to buy red worms from walmart or outdoor store - you will find them in the fishing section and you can toss them in the compost - or directly into your garden. I toss what I don't use for fishing into my gardens and compost.
Yep, an excellent way of making compost in your average backyard. I start things off in a small compost tumbler that I got free off the side of the road for about 3 weeks (it's lost heat usually by then) then put that in the trashcan composter. I have 2 trashcan style composters and I basically empty the oldest when the other is close to full, sift those contents and put any non decomposed stuff back in the original trashcan. The sifted stuff I store in a plastic drum with airholes until I need to use it. It's a great way to make compost in a limited space.
I was always looking for a way to get started with composting, and I have to say I used your system for about 4-6 month now, and it breaks down kitchen scraps nicely. Thanks
I appreciate the low-cost offering. R.O.T. Tips. Over the decades, I have found: ONE | Add more browns if the mixture starts stinking, and alternate layers of green and brown, especially if one is adverse to turning and mixing. TWO | A mixture of fine and coarse materials, ideally with three-dimensional structure is best. Fine materials will break down more easily. Coarse materials allow oxygen to penetrate into the compost bin, but at the same time prevent the movement of odors, as well as potential invaders like flies. That said, flat materials alone like shredded paper and leaves can form mats, which retard oxygen flow. Hence, it is best to mix flat materials with other more coarse materials. In general, the cover material, also known as carbon bulking material, is used to cover additions within the container. This material should be carbon rich, absorbent, and chemical free; some examples follow: • Finely chipped wood and leaves • Untreated sawdust (semi-broken down is best) • Dry leaves, ideally shredded • Shredded paper • Coffee bean or cereal hulls • Untreated wood shavings Aside: Depending on one's geographical predisposition/access, adding wetted wood chips (no bigger than 1"-2" in size) in a ratio of 10-30:1 when amending with kitchen scraps works wonderfully--the wood chips not only have 3-dimensional surfaces that facilitate aerobic condition, but harbor 'life' (mycelium, fungi) thermophilic microbes, which is instrumental in activating heat transfer, heating up the compost in the compost processor. THREE | Getting the moisture balance right is also important. One way to check is if you grab and squeeze a handful of matter, where 2-3 drops fall from your hand; this is approximately a moisture content of 40-60% by weight. • At lower moisture levels, beneficial microbial activity will become limited. • At higher levels, the process is likely to become anaerobic and stinky.
similar to what I've been doing for years. dump a few bags of gardening soil into a trashcan with holes in it, then just drop all kitchen scraps in there. when I'm ready to pot something, I scoop the soil out of there, adding a new bag of soil to the trashcan as needed. works amazingly well. I even got my wife to come around to it, she used to exclusively just throw kitchen scraps in the trash, but now she walks it out to the backyard, I have the compost can right next to the door, so it's only a few extra steps from the actual trash. I'm sure my method doesn't do a whole lot for the benefit of my garden, but it does keep one families worth of kitchen scraps out of the landfill, so from that perspective, it does all it needs to do.
Oh yeah goodness ! I have been doing this for 12 years now. After one year , I wait for the soil to settle down . And stick a tomato plant and some flowers in the container and wow. Awesome outcome!!!
I really appreciate your demonstration of the trash can composter. The video is really well done and I'm aware of how patient you had to be to wait until you had your final results. I have two of these trash cans side by side. This way, I can continue to fill one while the other composter can remain undisturbed while processing into a more finished product. I haven't sunk them into the ground with the large access holes, and I think that innovation reflects a lot of insight.
That is *exactly* what I want to do. I'm going to buy a second trash can for that exact setup. My brain tells me sinking it into the ground is a good move to let worms get in. I can't say it won't work without doing it, but it's worth a shot.
Once it is full and you keep about a quart of moisture added a week especially when it's hot outside you will have it in 60 to 90 days depending on the type of compost you added to it
I started using a 55gal trash can in much the same way about 5 month ago. The only difference I have is that I’ve added a 4in PVC pipe with hole drilled in it (to aid in aeration). It has been impressive to see how quickly the kitchen scraps break down.
@@emylytle7149 I cut the PVC to the same length as the can and just hold it in place as I fill around it. I also put a PVC cap on the pipe because I was never as carful as I intended to be and seemed to always end up with scraps inside the pipe.
@@BR0STRADAMUS I typically add my browns and greens once a week and it’s been pretty amazing to see how quickly it has broken down from the previous addition. I’m done adding the the first can and have started a second. It is difficult to mix because it’s so small (I like this style because mixing seems more optional). The one time I did mix it I was shocked the amount of worms and level of decomp. I plan on upping it to at least 5 cans by next summer because it has worked so well.
@@marcuspowell2510 Wow that sounds great! I'm hesitant because I'm not sure my wife and I could fill a can completely in a good ammount of time. But for ~$30 it's worth a try I guess
I love your videos. You provide wonderful information and explain everything with informative details. I love that there is no background music. Thank you for helping me grow a successful food garden.
Thank you! I'm glad to hear the videos are helpful. I try to edit these down as much as possible so they don't drag on with "stream of consciousness" type discussions 😀
YES! Thank you, thank you for not piping in a bunch of music. It's generally distracting, and you have such a great, clear presentation that we can hear and absorb best without music!
Very good concept. I use similar composting methods. However, I never put holes on the bottom of any containers that sit directly on the ground, because most trees or large shrubs within 10 feet or more will soon find their way into the container and choke out all the great moisture and nutrients inside. Rather, I place many holes on the sides, as you have done, and keep them at least one inch up from the bottom of the trash can. Tree roots are super adept at sniffing out moisture, sometimes as far as 40 feet away, depending on the size of the tree or shrub. But they can only travel anaerobically; therefore, they cannot climb when they hit the air above ground. But worms can sure climb!! You don't need holes on the bottom of your trash can. The worms will have no problem climbing up the sides and can squeeze thru tiny holes to devour your compost goodies.
I tried no holes and the compost turned disgusting smell (anaerobic) because it got too wet. It's easier to control moisture level of the compost inside when there's drainage.
Wouldn’t that also save the “compost juice” at the bottom? I’ve heard that’s great stuff in gardens, and thought drilling holes in the bottom would let it all leak out,
Can have the small holes put the cans on some spaced out bricks. The run off will feed the tree and the roots can't get into it. The run off will also attract the worms to climb up and investigate the source and they can clumb the bricks
KGS - compost juice is great to collect. This design would some tweaks to implement. We use smaller tubs and either collect in a nested tub underneath or allow it to drain directly into the desired garden areas.
I have the same exact trash can compost bin! I thought I was just being cheap as I refused to spend $100 on a compost tumbler when I figured I can just turn it myself with a shovel/corkscrew. Works great until it gets full! Now it's time to buy a second!
Walmart - Hyper Tough 32 Gallon Injection Molded Trash Can - Black - TI0070 $17.97. Construction is undoubtedly thinner than a Brute, etc., but then it's about 1/4 the price.........and plenty durable for a compost bin (I found mine at Home Depot a year ago for $7.00 each).
Mine was a Blue Hawk. With my Lowes charge, it was $23. I saw it was cheaper at Walmart, but I was already at Lowes, so it wasn’t worth my time. It doesn’t really matter what you use as long as the system is as shown.
We use a leaf blower/mulcher to break our leaves down faster. Also, the centipede or bermuda grass will come up in those big hole, so we lay black plastic in a ring around the composter (but not under! ) to keep out our creepy grass!
Hi, I am using a perforated laundry basket for composting and I have it set up straight into the dirt, 2/3 down in the raised garden. Works like a charm. We are in Fort Mill, SC
It’s crazy that I was just thinking about this and had not verbally said anything about making a composter at home and your video popped up in my feed :/
Great idea. My "cold" compost pile averages 80-125 degrees Fahrenheit even as we head into Winter in Illinois. It is 4-5' by 8' and about 4' tall and is fed lots of greens and browns to keep it active in the Winter. I collected 20 5 gallon buckets of free trash pumpkins right after Halloween for nitrogen to go with garden and kitchen scraps and shredded paper, dry leaves, pine needles, and wood chips for browns. I simply mix and feed the pile every 7 to 10 days to keep it going in the Winter. I screen to treat garden in Spring and then split the remainder into two small piles to run in a pool liner over the growing season. Pile size is critical in zone 5 where I live to keep an active open compost pile. It is on a foundation of wood chips and covered with straw and surrounded with straw bales to keep it from very cold temperatures. I use a load of branches and sticks on top to keep straw from blowing away.
My main goal in Winter compost in addition to good compost is to keep my outdoor population of Red Wigglers alive so I do not have to start over each Spring. Is working great with hundreds visible each time I mix pile.
@@denisedoodles This is the first year I added 20 chopped up pumpkins. They break down fast and get the compost nice and hot. If the pumpkins seeds still sprout in the spring I will turn them into the pile burying them. That adds more nitrogen to the compost.
Wow that works better than my commercial compost round, it take about 2 - 3 years to get to the composting dirt for gardening. Thank you for the quick and easy composting.
I made the same compost bin a few years ago and it's perfect. I just made a banana circle in my yard and filled the hole with my compost. I put the same ingredients in my compost. I have a small shovel that I use to stir the bin every time I add new stuff.
No holes in bottom you will lose all the nutrients out on the ground ! Love this idea works great. The one I put holes in long time ago, I put blocks under it and a tote to catch nutrients and the I water with them.
You're not going to lose nutrients to the ground. It's sitting in sand, and there is no rainfall occurring to wash out the container. The holes in the ground will allow more oxygen and allow access for worms and other beneficial insects and invertebrates to enter. Putting it up on blocks will slow the process.
What's funny is that my family of farmers and gardeners were doing this method before I was born. It is the best way to compost. Never heard of that free ground method you were using before. I'd like to add, if you make vegetable stock with all your vegetable kitchen scraps, then you're getting the most out of your scraps and the leftover mulch from the stock/broth you made can go straight in the compost & will break everything down even faster 🙂
@@mercedesbenzs600bash yeah, you can make delicious vegetable broth that way, that you are able to can it & store for use later. I wouldn't recommend adding too much broccoli or asparagus to your stock though, can make it taste not so good. The scraps that have boiled and you've drained all the veggie stock juice from, go in the compost.
@@mercedesbenzs600bash I never do, because I use it in all of my cooking to add more flavour to the meals I make. So I can't answer that question. I also always let the scraps cool before I add them to the pile.
@P1xelat3d89 Ok I'll find out more about pouring the broth in the compost bin,cool down the scraps,I'll do that also,tell me this if you can,I was going to use a large garbage can but I'm really thinking about using a compost tumbler,will worms just come or do I have to buy worms and add them to the compost in the tumbler???
Just a recommendation but if you make your side holes the right size to accommodate a garden probe you can insert through a hole into the center of your compost material be able to check the temperature, ph, moisture at will. Knowing the top temperature that your compost attains can indicate which types of microbes should be present
I've got to try this out! I've been cold composting in 2 plastic compost bins (the ones you put together with 4 sides and a lid.) I've been fine with it except it's taking too long and I've run out of room. I was considering buying one more but hesitated since they are now almost double what I bought for a Sam's 5-10 years ago.
Look up compost aerator tools. There are ones that poke though and then when pulling them back out wings open to pull up compost from lower in the pile. I think those would be perfect in combination with a trash can style composter like this.
Finally I find a video about how to do it in a bin, cause everybody making piles in the yard and it looks awful I didn't wanna do it that way.. I'm glad I found your video.. Thank you!
I’m so glad I happened upon your site. Your videos are so educational and informative. You explain and many times with pics. I’m a visual learner and results oriented for the most part so I’m learning a lot from you. I like the fact you mention at beginning “where you’re gardening and the time of year”!! Thank you so much!!
Watched the video and bought the exact same cans and this method of composting does in fact work great. I buried the one can three feet in the ground and perforated as suggested. Bought and additional can because once the compost fills the one up , it’s heavy and hard to mix or turn so I dump it into the other can then back into the original one after a good mixing. A large wheel barrel on hand works great. Besides this, I tried to just take a shovel and churn it that way but the cans are flimsy plastic and crack at the top when leveraging the shovel handle against it to try to mix it so I turned to the method above. Final issue is when throwing food scraps like melon, bell peppers and cucumbers in it, an occasional group of seeds will grow giving you a surprise when you go a open the lid. Simply take a shovel and chop it all up and shovel over it. I add compost powder and a little water to activate the enzymes which cause heat that aids in this. Now after I’ve done exactly what the video states, I’ve filled it twice with great compost. It’s got microbes and bugs and even earth worms and some maggots have squeezed their way into it. It’s great stuff but it seems to have a high nitrogen count over carbon and other key nutrients but too expensive to buy the kit for a breakdown analysis. It’s just a guessing game at this point but if you keep tabs on what types of things your putting into the compost bin and what you put most in opposed to other things, this may aid you in a more accurate understanding of why your plants maybe growing a certain way over others in different mediums. Know this: there’s no soil you can buy that’s a one size fits all. There’s no soil that Carrie’s enough nutrients to last the entire grow cycle of most plants either. You’ll need to supplement halfway through by amending or adding nutrients during the growth cycle. This method does work very well. Appreciated this when I saw it.
I use the pallets to make my compost bins with slats in the front. It works great You can accelerate your compost by making a mix of 1 beer, 1 can soda, and 1 cup of ammonia and spray it in layers. Mix it once a week to speed it up Don't forget to use the toilet paper and paper towel cardboard pieces for your browns
I considered pallets, but I had a lot of concerns. Firstly, getting the pallets without a truck is a non-starter. The other concerns were pests and weeds germinating in the piles. I had terrible problems with flies and bugs breeding in the piles, and the weeds would germinate constantly. The pallets don’t stop any of that. I’m digging this enclosed system since it is weed-free, pest-free and anyone can fit these trash cans in a car.
The weeds don't grow in those pallet compost piles. The problem. With flies and stuff that when u put veggie scraps it will need a layer of brown to stop that. Yes I understand about the vehicle situation. I have a trailer and my old Tahoe, so I am good in that aspect. Overall I do love your smaller version of it with the lid. Do get one of those hand tillers it helps a lot. Dollar General usually has them for about 8.00. That's where I got my 1st one and then I was given 2 more. Look forward to seeing the results of your full bin
Paper towels typically contain some form of additional fiber, which is often-noncomposting. Toilet paper, egg crates and unstained corrugated cardboard typically work fine, though.
Love this idea, now I want to do something like it. Two things I would do differently is first, NO onion scraps. Worms don't like them. If you want to attract worms in your compost bin, then dig your onion scraps into the garden soil elsewhere, or just toss them, as I do. Second, I wouldn't dig a hole to put the bin in, because I'd want to roll it, instead of getting my hand in there to mix. Aside from those two points, the rest is solid info, and much appreciated!
Appreciate the no onions and I'll be using gloves when working with that stuff,im gonna get a big rectangular container i feel it'll be easier to turn from time to time.. New Jersey..
Excellent tutorial. Have been composting kitchen scraps for years. Going to change over my old method to yours forthwith and save myself a good amount of labor. Thankee.
Use a hand tiller to mix it up to also get it heating up. Plus, it needs to be filled up to have enough matter to break down. I do like your method for smaller composting. Great job
I made something like this before. Used a 5 gallon bucket that I sunk in the middle of each raised bed. Drilled 1 inch holes all around under soil line. In the lid and the very top I put in several very small holes that the tiny flies couldn't get in to lay eggs to become maggots, but provides air flow. Used a food grade bucket to be sure the plastic would not leach any toxins into my soil. This is all just a smaller version (and much less expensive) version of a sub pod. Given it is just 5 gallons I never need to empty them, the hundreds of worms that enter go back into the soil and leave their castings there. Seems to eat down the levels in each of the buckets faster than my scraps and clippings accumulate. An easy off lid is great too, they stay on tight enough to keep things out but aren't on there so tight that it is a pain to get off.
@@my_flippin_journey I don't worry about layering, the worms will be happy with pretty much anything you give them. The only things I avoid putting in there is onions and orange peels, only because I have read that worms don't like those. However, prior to reading that, I would, and it didn't seem to slow them down. I also don't put meat in there, but not because it wouldn't get eaten by the worms. The lids are easy off lids and I would rather avoid any big pests from coming around that meat would attract. The only thing I do that you could consider layering is that I will try to keep the top covered with grass clippings to block any light coming through the tiny holes in the lid, as worms also don't like light. I don't really need to do that, but they won't eat what is on top until it gets covered by something else. I just put vegetable scraps in, stir it up a bit every once in a while to see how things are going, and add grass clippings in as a top layer. The worms take care of the rest. Household of 3, 5 buckets in different raised beds, worms eat what we give them fast enough that I haven't had to remove anything in 4 years.
If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Making Compost At Home Easier
2:32 How To Make A Trash Can Composter
5:05 What To Compost For Best Results
7:14 Amending Compost With Kitchen Waste
8:32 Incredible Results After 2 Months!
11:23 My Ideal Composting System
13:41 Adventures With Dale
Please help! I started a composter using that companies instructions. It is a slimy, dripping mess. Can this be saved or do I scrap it ?
@@mimithemultitasker9049 add shredded newpaper and brown cardboard
beAuTiFuL
@@mimithemultitasker9049 that happened to me too. I buried it in my raised bed.
😮
I made one of these compost barrels last year and it works well. In the summer months I put the kitchen scraps in the freezer over night to break down the cell walls in the fruit and veggie scraps before dumping them in the barrel to help speed up the process. I also keep a barrel of shredded leaves next to it so I can add browns on each batch of greens !
Great ideas, thank you.
I lived in North Eastern Pennsylvania. I would just throw worms in it to help them eat faster
Good job!
It is very satisfying to (help) create new soil.
How do you shred leaves?
Shirley Elliott. I have a Troybilt chipper/shredder for that but you can also put dry leaves in a garbage can and use a weedwhacker to stir them up. A lawnmower with a collection bag is probably the easiest way to collect and shred at the same time.
Living in a water scarce place, I usually drill holes into the lid as well and then I turn the lid up side down so that it becomes a rain catchment system draining any rain straight into the bin.
...I do the SAME here in Los Angeles...
Very smart!
❤ Thank You great suggestion ❤
As long as you don't get enough rain that it will rinse the nutrients right out the bottom. You're also allowing more moisture to evaporate right back out and when it's not raining, forcing you to add more water. When I pull dirt out from my compost pile under a dark tarp directly on the ground, it has never been dry. I laugh when I see people season wood like that, face palm.
Great and simple Idea!
The best composter I ever saw was an old hollowed out still rooted tree trunk about 6-7 feet high with no limbs left. There was a hole at the top and one at the bottom. My friend put the scraps in the top and left it. The raw material broke down and then fell down through to the base opening perfectly composted soil ready to go on the garden. Talk about effortless magic!
Yes, need oxygen to complete composing.
Sounds like the top would become a bird feeder.
@@DaDunge the bird would immediately necrote and become compost
As always love your videos and one day of 70 degree warmth like today gets this 70 yr old woman, going again, with outside garden prep and planning. I have a Question: I don't know if you've had this system long enough to answer yet, but my question is, Will those grass seeds in the grass clippings survive to germinate when you use this compost method??? Im fixing to go to Lowes and fix a composting system like yours tomorrow. You are so inspiring!
As long as there is no sunlight
One thing I do with mine is I picked up a blender from a thrift store and only use it for kitchen scraps. I give them a good blend turning them into a rough slurry and then add them to the compost. It works fantastic.
I have a similar situation, but bc my blender is vintage, it comes in glass n plastic. I use the plastic one for the compost smoothie. I even add in eggshells that have been blended separately for quicker breakdown n decomposition in the compost
I bought a blender from Goodwill just for this purpose, and it works great!
@@supergrover17 *do u dry your egg shells 1st* 🤔
@@my_flippin_journey I mostly get them from friends n they're already completely dried up before I grind it
Because we live in the city, in Central Ontario, we only get about 4-5 mos of good gardening season. I’ve been composting in the soil for years. I use my blender to mulch up all my kitchen scraps (vegetable skins, fruit peels, coffee, egg shells and anything else that comes from the kitchen. I also use grass clippings and leaves. Wherever I have a garden I always design it with about 1-2’ of empty space in the front. As soon as I can work the soil I start digging holes (from left to right or vice versa) in the front of the garden (about 1’ deep) and throw the stuff in. Cover it back up with the dug up soil. I’ve never had any animals disturb the soil and by the time I get back to the 1st hole, the matter is already gone deep into the earth and disappeared. I’ve done this for years and this is the way I expand my garden beds. I always have space in front of my gardens. The following year I mark off another 1-2’ in front of the beds and year after year I can plant in the previous year’s composted earth. Once my gardens are as big as I want, I simply keep trenches in the front and fill them throughout my gardening season and I have new compost to dig up as soon as Spring arrives the following year.
I enjoy your videos and have learned a lot. I am a new gardener at the age of 81 and enjoy your clear instructions. I also love to see your dog wondering around and his own video segments.
GOOD for you on Many levels !
So wonderful you have discovered this wonder
Life Pro Tip: Whenever cutting holes through plastic with either holes saws, or spade bits, in order to safely maintain a clean cut, it's way easier to run the drill backwards. These drills are not made with the expectation of using them on thinner plastics. They tend to grab and torque your wrist, or even the plastic piece quickly turning the situation unsafe. Running the drill backwards will inhibit the grabbing and the bit tends to move through very smooth, leaving a clean hole.
I wish we had read this before ripping through our new bin a few days ago.😢 It kinda looks like some holes were made by a bear.
When I made the bigger holes on the bottom, my drill flew out of my hands, 😂
Your exactly right unless you have an expensive drill it'll probably work a whole lot better...
Great advice
I didn’t know this but ended up doing that way anyway. Seemed easier to make the holes and now I know why. 😅
It's always smart to save some of your well-aged compost (small bucketful) to mix in with any new composting trash can or bin you start. Helps jump start the new batch.
Great tips
adding the dust from your household hover also helps.
Just like one needs preserve a small portion of each sourdough batch; it becomes the starter for the next batch.
Just like making moonshine 🙃
@@jrank3288 I didn’t know that. Now I do.
I can’t believe I didn’t see this. Excellent idea. My grandpa kept a worm bed outside the back door at their home. He used the worms for fishing and granma used the castings for her flowers… the good old days…
Thanks for the reminder and such a good idea.❤️
The gold old fashioned Days of Real Life!
I did exactly the same thing for the first time a couple months ago. Wasn't sure what I would get. I didn't have the money for an expensive compost bin so I grabbed one of my plastc cans with a locking lid. Wow was I surprised when it turned out so good! The only difference I do is add the clean out from my chicken pen also I bought some night crawlers and threw them in there. (husband wasn't real happy wasting good fishing worms)
@@lynncampbell6237 You're not Wasting good fishing worms, . . . you're BREEDING them!
I do that to. The older worms can be used for fishing or feeding chickens. Never take the small ones because they double every 90 days
I started training my worms. Lol.
3:40 For structural integrity, I recommend staying off all the reinforcing ridges and only perforate the inner flat pie shapes and center circle.
I had the same thought
1 hole is fine, 3 max
And the holes can be much smaller than he made them
I made smaller versions of this design using 5 gallon food grade buckets. I placed them directly into my raised garden beds. They are covered with bird baths (I used very large ceramic plates I found at 2nd hand shops). It works very well :)
That is a great idea! More manageable for me at that size and I like that it is food grade. Thanks!
Clever!
Love that idea! Thanks for sharing 🎉
Sitting in my living room with a 55 gallon blue barrel wondering if i can use this big🍑 barrel for the sale project
Did you drill holes on the bottom and sides? Or was the space between the ceramic plate and plastic bucket enough to let oxygen in?
Beginner gardener in Florida here and I love these videos. They're so helpful and the ideas I get both from the videos and the comments are amazing.
For anyone considering this, just a tip: if you don't want rodents in your heap, do NOT drill those big-ass holes in the bottom. Instead either drill much smaller holes and more of them (as it will let worms and critters in, but not vermin), OR cut the bottom off and cover it with vermin-wire (so mice can;'t get in), OR cut the bottom off/cut big holes but sink it 3-4 inches below the surface of the ground and securely backfill (rodents have and will burrow down a few inches to get into the compost - I've had it happen numerous times).
Thanks SO much! This applies to me.
Yes, we have moles galore who love to break into composters and eat all the worms, so will be doing many smaller holes.
Exactly! Where I live there are voles, rats, ground squirrels and moles. Rats and voles will happily set up nests in a can with large bottom holes like this, the moles will be attracted by the worms and insects.
I actually stopped using a large bin made for compost as every time I opened the lid a mouse would come out. It was a professional one but bottomless so I guess they just dug in snd played around having a field day.
Congratulations! You did a great job. I had the same frustration with expensive (and small) compost systems and made two similar compost "cans". Yours is working great. I did mine a little differently, which may be of interest. I made smaller holes (to keep rodents out) on the bottom and sides and keep my cans up top of a single ring of bricks. I chop everything small and even add torn cardboard or plain paper. I add water as needed to keep the mixture moist. To speed decomposition, I attach a bungee cord over the top and roll the cans around on their sides to mix everything when I add new materials. Then I replace them on the bricks. From a nearby creek, I collected a small pail of soil around the creek edge and split that between my two cans. Both my cans are star performers just crawling with worms and other decomposers. They've lasted five years and continue to cook compost well. As you proved, they're much faster than cold composting methods and produce wonderful black gold. Great experiment and the locking cans are genius!
How do you get the worms into your composter if it is off the ground?
@@johannapearse1709 It's no problem at all. There are holes in the bottom of the composter and all around the sides. Typically I include a bucket of compost from an existing can when I set up a new bin. That has some worms and their eggs and they proliferate well. I've never ordered or purchased worms, but my compost is rich with them. Build it and they will come!
I use the “Lasagna” method.
❤
I use red worms that I got at a fish bait store. They love the composter. I also use a mini-version of your trash can with 5 gal buckets with a ring of 1/2 inch holes about 2 inches up from the bottom. These are filled to the holes with worm bedding (your choice). Then worms are added and compost ingredients as available. The bucket is buried up to the bucket handle in my raised beds. This setup is a wicking worm composter. Water stays in the bottom and wicks up keeping the compost moist. When watering the raised bed I fill the bucket for 2 minutes to add 5 gallons of water to the bed at that point. Excess water goes out the holes carrying the compost juice with it. My raised beds are 4 x 8, 8 inches high. There are 9 of them.
Hi I am very interested in this idea with the 5 gal buckets. Do you cover them or just leave open. Many thanks
@@brendalewis4351 The buckets are covered with lids. Small holles in the lids allow rain water to drain into the bucket. A rock on the lid keeps it in place. I am still testing this.
@@andrewsjpUTube
Hi there
Do you have a video up on this or pictures?
Thank you
That's sounds awesome! I would love to see a pic
@@HESEDNMERCY Not yet. As I said, I am still testing this. I guess I should make a vidoe of my take out and breakdown of my first one. That is coming up. Here is another thing, I use two buckets in each 4 x 8 bed, centered in the two 4 x 4 ends. These have holes in the bottom to water from below. Filling a bucket with 5 gallons of water is equivalent to 1 inch of rain on the 4 x 4 area. The holes are small so the bucket can fill and leak water slowly. Makes watering easy. Just run the water hose flat out and fill the buket, then move on. Buckets are open with no covers.
Do place som twigs in the bottom when starting the compost.
That will make drainage and provide more oxygen into the bottom.
A couple shovels of native dirt would help add beneficial microbes as well to start the decomposition process
Remember shredded newspaper and any other paper products can be put in your compost as browns. The smaller you can make them the faster they will decompose. Also, pine needles will take quite a while to break down. Happy composting!
That’s what I do with my junk mail and old pizza boxes. I’d rather turn them into dirt than send them to the landfill.
Yeah, earthworms love cardboard.
And egg carton made of fiber, paper from Amazon boxes, toilet paper and paper towels rolls. I also shred junk mail except colored or glossy.
At first, when I learned worms LOVE cardboard and paper, I thought, “Wild!” Then it dawned on me. 🙄 They are made from trees. Of course they love it. 🤣
Soak them first before shredding with bare hands.
My composter is one of those 55 gallon barrels it looks like you have used for rain barrels. My tip for you is to get yourself a garden fork with a "D" handle to use for "stirring" your compost - works great! You can plunge it to the bottom of your mix and the "D" handle makes it easier to twist it once the tines are in the compost. Happy composting!
Great tip!
I use the fork method also. Works well in my compost bin and leaf cage.
I love my D handle fork and have had to “turn turn turn” quite often. 😅
Yep, A small hand rake works wonders.
One question do i keep the self made compost barrel in shade or sunlight? Please reply
I love your compost bin and have now made a miniature version. I use empty plastic planting pots (the ones that you buy plants in 6inch ) and I simply place them on the soil around my garden where I want to plant something, put some mulch around it, fill with fresh kitchen scraps and a hand full of soil over the top (this stops my doggies from investigating) then cover with another slightly larger pot over the top. It has become such a worm magnet and very easy to rotate to new locations. I also water it in with some compost tea. P.S. I have very heavy black clay and no longer need to add clay breaker to my soil. I also place them between my existing vegies put weeds and spoiled veg into them. Happy gardening 🌻
Have 4 going all the time. Has worked for me for years. I find cans at Walmart even less expensive. I don't put large holes in the bottom. I turn them on their edge to spin contents
Do you put any holes on the bottom?
I started one this year with a large plastic tub. I put a lot of small holes on the bottom. I also put some on the sides. I didn't put any on top so I can control how much water gets in. How big were your holes, and where did you place them?
Same here. Been doing this for 2 yrs now after researching how expensive composter bins are, figured all I need are 32 gallons trash cans. Holes I made are significantly smaller, maybe 1" at best. Compost full of worms and all sorts of beautiful little friends.
Smart. And easier. I’d even step up the cheap and get these at thrift stores.
I so this too, cans from Walmart, easy and neat
Uz no
When doing food prep I take a minute or so at the end to slice and dice the scraps before throwing into the metal kitchen compost bucket; giving it a good shake or two mixes the contents. The increased surface area allows much faster onset of action by the composting microorganisms. The bucket commonly is warming from the compost process by the time a few days later when I empty it into the outdoor composter. Finally, you can see that eggshells take FOREVER to break down. I rinse, then dry on a paper towel in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Shells are then loosely crushed into a quart ziplock bag. When the bag is full, the shells are run through a spice grinder for 10-15 seconds. The powdered endproduct rapidly incorporates into the compost.
An alternative to the microwave that we use is placing the shells on a cookie sheet and setting them in the oven (off) while it’s cooling down after being used to cook something else.
Great for composting and as pure calcium for tomato plants. Win, win!
@@johnlee7085 If the eggshells are going into the compost, I don't see the point of heating them in the oven.
@deniseward002
Paul explains the benefit in the original comment. Breaking down the raw material into smaller parts decreases the time required for finishing the process. The oven that is cooling down is a way of doing it without extra expense. The dried shells break into smaller pieces with less effort and realistically could be sprinkled anywhere without adverse effects.
In our case, we also do it so we can easily sprinkle them into the feed for our hens. That way they are getting the nutrition and eating as if it were just grit vs learning the bad behavior of eating eggs.
Hope this helps.
Made one a month ago and the results have been impressive. Thanks for being a garden guy who DOESN’T lie about hacks. Keep up the stellar work.
I made this a few years ago, and you're right! Black fluffy soil with an orange peel scent was the result I got! This works!!
I’ve been doing this for years. Until I saw this video, I thought I was the only one making compost in a trash can. It works well and it’s inexpensive. I have three, as one fills up I start filling another one.
How far up the trash can do you recommend filling it? Thank you!
@@bethdabruzzo7112I'm interested in the answer to that too!
I just put waste directly onto the grass and let it decompose naturally. Is this ok? Isn’t this how the forest floor works? I figure if it works in nature it should work here. It seems you all over think it
One question do i keep the self made compost barrel in shade or sunlight? Please reply
Sun@@marksingh8863
We have two compost bins like this in our backyard. We did place a pvc pipe with drilled holes in the middle so everything can aerate better. This method works great!! 👍🏽 I love having a compost bin!!
I don’t comment very often, but I think it’s a brilliant idea and I will definitely give it a try. I also read some of your viewer’s comments below. They do have some good feedback that I’m going to implement to my future Black Gold. Thanks.
TH-cam is a wealth of info. Social media that actually teaches you good stuff! 😂 I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and thank you for the comment!
I made a hot compost in Michigan right on the top of my grass just before winter with small chopped up pieces and would turn it every few days- it got so hot it made ashes and smoked off the snow on top-
3 weeks later it is was beautiful black dirt smelling gold!
I LOVE THIS PROCESS!!!! IT'S SO MUCH FUN
As long as outdoor temperatures peak at around 84f then I can hit 164f easy. I usually don't add any water & then apply the baked clippings as mulch.
@@SlackerU that is a crazy temp! The chemistry of this simple process is amazing to me, and didn't know it could get up that high- thanks for the post Bob!👍
@@SlackerU Wow! Our summers (SoCal only 16 miles inland) have been hitting 100° for a week or two for the last couple of summers, so I can only imagine the temp inside the barrel! That would probably boil off any water I add, or burst into flame! I think I’d have to watch it pretty carefully, or roll it into the shade in the summer. Any tips?
@@kgs2280 It doesn't get hot in the barrel at all. The biomass is too tiny to produce any heat. You need a minimum of 3ftx3ftx3ft to have enough bacteria moving around to warm things up.
First time gardening and I gotta say this video + comment section alone is a huge head start. Subscribed! Thank you and viewers so much!
Since you have a locking top just lay it on its side and roll it around the yard for a bit to stir your compost. I've done this for a couple yrs now Works great and no heavy lifting moving your compost. Thanks for showing this.
If I did that, compost would spill out of the holes in the bottom. It's not a big deal to turn it with a fork every few weeks if you want.
@@TheMillennialGardener You're right I do have smaller holes on the bottom
I started doing that early last year. I'm up to 3 trash cans now. It's awesome. If u use a garden fork to turn it from time to time you can get a fast turn around also
I’m going to have to invest in a pitchfork or some turning tool.
@@TheMillennialGardener Just roll your can on it's side. Cheaper method... use large black construction garbage bags, add ingredients, moisten, tie top closed, punch small holes in the sides, occasionally roll bag to mix it.
Thxs will do the compactor trash bags until I can afford the $25 trash can!
@@TheMillennialGardener a hoe if u have one
@@TheMillennialGardener You can turn them on their sides and roll the whole can around a few times to mix everything well.
I honestly don't believe you need that many large holes as my worms get into the small holes in my flower pots. Good job son I'm so impressed and proud of you I'm going to try that myself. Lord knows I have plenty of leaves and grass clippings might as well try an experiment!
I purchased a cold compost bin and upon receiving it I realized it was basically a bottomless, sturdy trash can. I didn't really appreciate why there was no bottom at first, but when it came time to use the compost I realized the point. When the compost is mostly finished, I simply move the bin and start anew. Your idea is great, but you'll save yourself a lot of back strain by simply cutting out the bottom entirely. Also, I went to the fishing section and bought live bait worms for just a few dollars and tossed them in there. I thought I might have to do that periodically l, but they've survived 2 years now replacing themselves naturally.
Live bait worms are usually night crawlers which are deep diggers red wigglers are the ones who live near the surface and break down leaves and rotten material
Lucky worms!
I got one of those and the rats loved it. Eek!
In England the old gardeners traditionally pee on the compost heap. I think the.ammonia adds a little je me sais quoi
@@lindalong5052yes, urine helps speed up the composting process especially in the beginning
I reallllyyyy appreciate you sharing this way of composting, I was gonna build the pallet box type then found yer video again , got my 32 gal can all set up with las yrs garden dirt mix of black cow compost , peat , black dirt & bone meal , I added the lil twigs , leaves , pine needles & kitchen compost scraps today , gave it a good mixing , by mid to late April I kno its gonna be as good as miracle grow if not better Thank you so much , Happy Gardening y'all 🍃🍅🍆🍓🥬🍋🫐🥒🥔🍈🍉🥭🍇
Wow! I am so inspired! I am teaching environmental science for the first time this year. we have a waste unit. After researching for my lessons, I found your video. I started my compost collecting last week and now that I found your video, I am going to make my bin. Thank you!!
Nice job! I find that a 2-bin system is key. One to collect while the other is working. I essentially do the same as you, but with larger pallet bins because I have a massive amount of leaves every autumn. I simply layer mine as I fill it, no manual mixing. Just add water periodically. It's completely broken down by the following autumn when it gets spread on the garden. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
The 2nd bin….? Does it need any holes? How should the 2nd bin be prepped?
I’m surrounded by a literal forest with leaf and pine needle fall with frequent branches of all sizes. Most of us around here do controlled burns to clear land for planting. This leaves potash and calcium to be tilled in. When I have large piles to burn I collect them to be sifted - take a comfortable section of 1/4” metal fencing, a large collection bucket or small kid’s pool (I use a black cement mixing trough), place the fencing over your bucket, scoop a good amount of burned matter onto it, then shake the ash through until only debris is left. You can remove nails, plastic, anything that won’t burn then start over. Add this natural potash to your compost and you won’t have to add the chemical form. This is great for tomatoes and cukes.
I follow your instructions about to months ago and wow, this is amazing compared to the open compost I had. Sent the video to my brother since he just started gardening this year. He is going to do it too after hearing the results.
Here in Maine I occasionally use a manual ice auger to bring the bottom soil to the top.
Such big holes in the bottom would allow gophers, moles, shrews to get in. Worms would be fine with tiny holes & more of them. Also, leaving the can loose would allow you to roll it to mix the compost & eventually get it over to the garden bed where you want to use it. My best ever compost bin was concrete blocks stacked 3 high to make a 3-sided square, with old window screens on the top & front. Bottom was just dirt, but I had no underground varmints in that location.
Agree about smaller holes, I live in Palm Springs where we get lots of rats. They will chew a 1” hole into a 2” hole to get inside.
@@jamesbabb1608 would they be able to tunnel in if it's partly buried?
Wouldn't all those vermin be able to get into a standard compost pile anyways?
I have 3 beat up plastic cans that contain layers of leaves, kitchen scraps, and late stage compost from an open pile. I layer green and brown material as I go. Come spring, I rake off wet leaves that cover my planting beds and add them to my open pile and the cans. Grass clipping start in May. I don’t make a big deal about working it, just little bits every day.
I absolutely love the cinder brick idea. Then with the screens that's wonderful. I have a question though I live in Arizona would I need to add water to my compost whether I use the can or the cinder bricks?
Cover those holes with wire mesh or rats will think its a restaurant.
Use mesh no larger than a dime If a dime will fit inside a square, a mouse will fit inside a mesh square ... and then go into your bin and eat all your worms, larvae, and edible food ... and contaminate it with feces and urine too. I use hardware cloth (which is of steel) for rhe bottom and top holes and mesh tape for the small vent holes in the sides.
@@ScottyCrawfordwish I could see a picture. Ty this information is valuable. I have not started my compost but the rodent issue is one I'm concerned about.
@@ALady4ever Please rewrite your comment. I cant understand any of it.
It could be you dictated it into a phone ... Please type it carefully and ask yourself if it's clear then.
Great idea!! 🎉🎉🎉
Never touch the kitchentrash or the compost with your bare hands! A neighbour of mine nearly died because of a sepsis he caught bringing the kitchen waste to the trash bin. He had to stay several weeks in hospital. It's much better to wear gloves when you touch the compost, aspecially if you have small wounds.
Greetings from Bavaria!
It sounds like to me your neighbor was composting animal products, or the environment was anaerobic due to lack of oxygen, and it was full of pathogens. This is coffee grounds, grass, leaves and vegetable ends. I don't compost animal products sans egg shells, and the compost was odorless, so that will tell you a lot. Wearing gloves is always a good idea, but this isn't too much different than sticking your bare hands in a garden bed or a leaf pile that's been sitting for awhile.
@@TheMillennialGardener I would pay attention to what Schnurpsi Purps says... You can get tetanus from a prick. There could be an old nail in your garden bed. It's better to always wear gloves when working in the garden.
@@TheMillennialGardener I guess you don't have fire ants where you live? I would never reach into the soil without gloves in Florida. Poison spiders love those dark, damp places as well like leaf piles.
@@TheMillennialGardener my husband’s uncle passed from getting sepsis when gardening. And know of a second person that also got ill. Please don’t take the precaution lightly. I know young and invincible but you’re not. Anything composting is going to have bacteria.
I have to agree. I was surprised when he did it. I’ve been watching so many videos on this and most talk about it getting hot & to use something to mix it around. You could actually see the steam coming up from it when they stirred it!
I loved the informative video & thank you for it! I’m going to start mine soon
I have four set up. One is placed under a sapodilla tree and it produces year round with sizable fruit. Also, I have placed a couple close to heavy feeders like bananas and papayas. I used drill bits to place holes on the bottom and sides. The size holes you made would only invite rodents into my bins. The trees and plants send their roots into them and practically slurp up the nutrients.
Yes it’s very cost effective and you can move it to different locations if needed.
I've always just dug a hole threw in material . Works just fine
Great idea for small yards and gardens. I use a compost pile and a tarp. In a 10x10 area. I cover the compost with a tarp after hosing down with water to generate heat. Occasionally I take the tarp off and let the chickens turn the compost for me. I pitch fork it back into a pile. Then water and recover with tarp to generate heat. I have three of these piles around the yard and rotate the fresh compost amongst them.
I've simply got a large pile in the back corner. It started out mid summer with grass clippings, 'browns' and food scraps.
Since then I've added the soil from my potted plants and even the mostly broken down straw bale I grew in from last year.
Each time I water and turn the pile, it's filled with a wide variety of worm sizes.
My goal is to avoid buying ANY bagged soil this next spring.
That’s how my grandparents did it. It never smelled or anything. 🤷🏽♀️ it was a huge yard so I guess that makes a difference. I don’t mind a pile but my partner doesn’t like the look of that
@@ariannagonzalez2618 Grandparents simply knew. They learned it from their parents and grandparents.
I've been spending the last few years learning everything I can about how our grandparents survived. From canning to dry curing meats like bacon. Baking, soap making, etc. Everything I can think of.
_I have a feeling we're going to need those skills very soon!_
I just wanted to check if you were doing the same thing that I have been doing: you are. It really does work and I have been doing it like this for years now. I got 4 large trash cans, much bigger than these all around my garden. The plants around them are lush and beautiful. My green beans are very productive just from being next to one of my cans of compost. I locate these cans around my garden to provide tons of fertility. I give those plants mulch and I give the compost to the plants that further away from the cans to maximize the composting.
I don’t bury mine, because I roll the bin around every few days for aeration. No need to manually mix. It really speeds things up. I place it back in the same spot. Works perfectly.
What kind of garbage can should I use to roll? Do I need to do something extra to secure the lid while rolling it?🤷🏽♀️
@@Seasoned62 just use the cheapest black garbage cans without a lid that can clamp shut or can close securely so that you can roll it a few times on its side
Sorry. I meant to say with a lid.
Do the handles hinder it from rolling?
@@deniseward002 not really. I hold the handles while I awkwardly roll it because the lid can fall off easily.
Thanks! Not only is this a fantastic way to fast compost, but works well in limited small spaces. I’m going to definitely be doing a few of these.
Thank you so much for your support and generosity! I really appreciate it ❤ I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you for donating to the channel. Viewers like you help me find valuable content to use! How sweeeeeet!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
A refreshing change from other TH-camrs claiming you need 3 one-meter-large composters throughout your estate that also need to be distant from your habitation... Thanks for this no-nonsense video !
Since eggshells take forever to break down, I started running mine through an old coffee grinder I had stuck in the back of the cabinet. It turns them into a nice powder.
I always use eggshells in the garden. If and since I plan on staying at my place crushing the eggshells suffices and won't cause dust. If your soil is in dire need of minerals try lime and wood ashes.
My mom does the same thing works great for her.
I save up eggshells dry them and put them in the blender till a fine powder - it also sharpens the blenders blades .
I have a tumbling composter that has no aeration holes and sits well above the ground. Even in summer, adding much compostable material and turning the tumbler daily, I don't get results like yours with the plastic trash can! I think you adding "earth critter" holes, placing it well into the soil, and aeration on the sides made a HUGE difference. I'm definitely trying this! P.S. DALE IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR GREAT VIDEOS!!
Mine is a tumbler too. Soldier flies got in there and do the job just like earthworms.
Definitely think you need air holes.
Thanks for sharing, God's blessings always 🙏 New subscriber here
Worms will break it down *way* faster than microorganisms alone. If you want to make sure, you can a few live worms to the first batch, and then you basically also have a worm farm if you like fishing.
@@eventhisidistaken Definitely have to try adding some worms. Maybe I should try to drill my own holes in the tumbler, also
The holes in the bottom are an excellent way to waste the compost tea and let unwanted critters in. I will try this with 2 changes. 1) keep the bottom intact and insert a spigot valve near the bottom, 2) manually add red worms. That said, great video and a great idea.
I bet one way to make it even better would be to take a small PVC pipe with holes drilled or piece of chicken wire and add it right in the center to increase aeration. Like one of those bio reactor ideas, except in a trash can.
Awesome video
That's exactly what I did with my trash can composters. 4" pipe with 1/2 holes. Seems to have improved the system.
Sounds similar to a Johnson-Su reactor. Cool ideas.
I gave up on composting and tried David the good fetid swamp water barrel I throw all my compostible material in it and some water I use the water to water my garden and I've tripled my garden output I originally saw David the good fetid swamp water barrel while watching Black gumbo he made one giving credit to the designer nice thing is I have
Is the pipe placed vertically or horizontally? I’m assuming vertically, but I know nothing about bio reactors, or reactors of any kind.
You assume correctly 😊
I started a couple of these a few weeks ago but added a central vent/chimney (pvc pipe with holes) instead of the side holes, more a miniature johnson Su reactor, hopefully retains more heat while allowing air in. I found drilling holes has a tendancy to crack or cause weakness but melting holes with a soldering iron retains the strength.
Can you share a picture
Good info, did you make a video
Can you share a picture?
I think this a good way to go. One thing that can help with that with the holes in the outside is a thin garden fabric around the inside of the can. With both the central air and the holes in the side you will get a ton of air. 1 to 2 ft is about how far the air penetrates though so in a yeah can size it wouldn't be too bad using either one.
@@carmengubb6454 YT won't allow pics to be added.
I'm amazed by how awesome everything composted so far! Best part is nothing stunk! I added the full bin into my pile and it's fabulous!
THANK YOU!!!!
I’ve got a couple compost bins that are made out of a 3’ x 10’ 1/4 inch hardware cloth rolled fencing that I bought at Lowe’s for $20. I zipped tied the ends of the hardware cloth to make a 3 foot diameter and use a tarp to keep rain out of it. The size of a compost pile is very important when it comes to hot composting, and a 3’x3’x3’ compost bin will hold 1 cubic yard of material which is a perfect amount of material for hot composting.
I just have two piles in a compost made from pallets, but I do think the added warmth from the black trash can would speed it up in winter, especially if your nitrogen carbon ratios aren't perfect. But also I think the price of hardware cloth has gone up a ton, anywhere around me it seems ridiculous. I kinda like the barrel idea but sourcing cheap or free 55 gallon rain barrels. Also if you have a forest yard roots can take over your compost the trash can system here could help that instead of buying steel plates like some do. I also think the trash can system, if you're not turning your compost a lot, could eliminate weed seeds taking over the compost.
@@gameenders5017 I have the same set up as you do with pallets, except that I have 3 bins. I line the insides with large pieces of cardboard as I'm filling up then leave it alone until I turn once or twice in the spring. Wonder if stapling a lining of black plastic inside the pallet bins might have better heat retention.
@@sbffsbrarbrr Maybe but if you're doing hot aerobic compost I would think you don't want to block airflow. If you're doing longer term cold compost, which is more fungal dominant, then black plastic might be great through the winter.
That’s what I have too. I have 5 of them. I bought a huge roll of 3’ x 100’ at 1/2” hardware cloth for $150. I cut at 10’ lengths and also use zip ties. I’m going to build more. I use the hardware cloth to also prevent rodents from digging through the bottom of my raised beds.
Super inexpensive and you get the compost as often as you turn it. I got mine as quick as 3 months turning it often. Turning it once a month gave me compost in 5-6 months. And more compost than I could even use. I filter with a compost sifter my husband made using the hardware cloth. Mostly to sift out any grubs I find - they love the compost bins! They’re great for making good compost but you just don’t want them becoming adults. I feed them to the birds when I find them.
I plan on making leaf mold with some of the bins as well.
Getting all your ingredients together at once, and creating a larger pile (twice this bin) will provide the mass to break it down in about 2-3 weeks. I save my kitchen scraps with saw dust which stops rot in TWO bins like this, once they are full I combine them with extra brown material, fresh dung, and soil or compost for microbes and bacteria - lots of water and layer it. Two weeks - soil - literally - soil.
Amazing. I've been using a similar system for a year now with the EXACT SAME Lowes garbage cans. But we use 2 cans: one is finishing, with no new material added, and the other active where we add the new material. Some improvement suggestions: make the bottom holes smaller for structural integrity, and don't dig it in. Leave it free. We roll it on the ground at least once a week-trash day's easiest-but I usually roll it several times per week. This mixes and aerates the pile, speeding up the composting process. Much easier than the large Berkely-style hot compost piles we used to make. And loads cheaper than any composter.
Rolling it,great idea,thanks... New Jersey..
Check your local city or community - they may have free mulch and compost. Here in Los Angeles, the city processes the contents of our green waste bins and all the landscaping debris they collect from trimming trees, hedges, etc and gives it back to the community. They even have different grades of compost, from the fine "black gold" to chunky pieces of top dressing mulch, and wood chips. We pay a lot in taxes and services to collect our waste and keep our city manicured so it's great that we have a reusable and sustainable kickback we can feed back into our gardens.
We pay a lot in taxes also,I gotta check into that,much appreciated... New Jersey...
My only issue is so many people in my community use chemicals on their lawns. I don't want my food growing in it.
@@joanies6778 The waste is treated (heated) so it's "safe" to give back to the residents. Air quoted, as I'm not an official to say if there has ever been contaminated soil from the city that people have gotten sick from (the city hasn't been sued for it). But then again, I also belong to a state that bans a lot of harmful chemicals in everyday items like Roundup & lead in paint.
I have done a similar set-up and one thing to keep in mind is to not put too much green on the bottom of the bin or else it can become anerobic and mucky. If you're rolling the bin it probably will help mix better, but if you're turning with a fork or shovel, it can be hard to reach the bottom to aerate and make sure it stays aerobic.
Absolute GOLD, best, easiest video with exactly the right amount of detail, to watch ...... I'm an 'almost' 60yr old pensioner that lives on my own, & in & hotty sunny SA ...
I ❤ to eat my own home grown foods & smoke my own green 🌿, so finding this vid of urs today, was absolutely fantastic, no more searching for the right youtube vid. 😊 Thank U
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. If you're interested, I recently posted a 1-year follow-up here: th-cam.com/video/4hHi0Xs1bHA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=DpapVE2FkiDzVyjY
I've been doing this method for 3+ years. I have soldier flies that help me make my compost in the wamer months.😃 I take a scoop of warm casting from the yard and add them to my compost bin. The eggs hatch and I have even worms to help make the compost.😃
Dale did good over the holidays...doesn't look like he put on any added pounds.😃 He's so cute!🐕
Do you find those soldier flies/maggots disappear once the compost has matured to where it’s useable?
@@getwheeler I learned the hard way to spread it out on the ground for a few days before using it. The first time I mixed it into my planting area and planted peas. The next day I came out and saw these strange white beads on the soil...looking closer they were moving! The larva were eating the inside of the pea seeds! 👀
From then on I found if I spread the compost on the ground for a few days none are left alive in it. 🙂
Been doing a version of this for years. When the first garbage can gets full I turn it into the second can. The aeration helps speed things up a little.
Good idea!
I just started my own composting experiment with a garbage can just like that one & I my compost is now at about the same place that yours is at in this video.
Like yourself, I have decided to get a second container so I can give the current compost time to finish doing its’ thing.
Thanks for your video, it was very reassuring & now I know how to keep this system working successfully.
great idea for a starter composter or as a set up for more than one. I personally have two (an open air for yard waste and a closed barrel for food scraps) and I will look at adding a trash bin to the mix because compost barrels are expensive. The key to the open air is turning it, to help with the breakdown and to turn any weeds or volunteer seeds back into the compost. Also, egg shells will take years to break down due to the fact the main mineral is calcium. If you don't mind the look of eggshells in your garden, then leave them as is, but I grind my dried shells to powder or granules before adding to the compost. Another tip is to buy red worms from walmart or outdoor store - you will find them in the fishing section and you can toss them in the compost - or directly into your garden. I toss what I don't use for fishing into my gardens and compost.
Yep, an excellent way of making compost in your average backyard.
I start things off in a small compost tumbler that I got free off the side of the road for about 3 weeks (it's lost heat usually by then)
then put that in the trashcan composter. I have 2 trashcan style composters and I basically empty the oldest when the other is close to full,
sift those contents and put any non decomposed stuff back in the original trashcan.
The sifted stuff I store in a plastic drum with airholes until I need to use it. It's a great way to make compost in a limited space.
I was always looking for a way to get started with composting, and I have to say I used your system for about 4-6 month now, and it breaks down kitchen scraps nicely. Thanks
I appreciate the low-cost offering.
R.O.T. Tips. Over the decades, I have found:
ONE | Add more browns if the mixture starts stinking, and alternate layers of green and brown, especially if one is adverse to turning and mixing.
TWO | A mixture of fine and coarse materials, ideally with three-dimensional structure is best. Fine materials will break down more easily. Coarse materials allow oxygen to penetrate into the
compost bin, but at the same time prevent the movement of odors, as well as potential invaders like flies. That said, flat materials alone like shredded paper and leaves can
form mats, which retard oxygen flow. Hence, it is best to mix flat materials with other more coarse materials.
In general, the cover material, also known as carbon bulking material, is used to cover additions within the container. This material should be carbon rich, absorbent, and chemical free; some examples follow:
• Finely chipped wood and leaves
• Untreated sawdust (semi-broken down is best)
• Dry leaves, ideally shredded
• Shredded paper
• Coffee bean or cereal hulls
• Untreated wood shavings
Aside: Depending on one's geographical predisposition/access, adding wetted wood chips (no bigger than 1"-2" in size) in a ratio of 10-30:1 when amending with kitchen scraps works wonderfully--the wood chips not only have 3-dimensional surfaces that facilitate aerobic condition, but harbor 'life' (mycelium, fungi) thermophilic microbes, which is instrumental in activating heat transfer, heating up the compost in the compost processor.
THREE | Getting the moisture balance right is also important. One way to check is if you grab and squeeze a handful of matter, where 2-3 drops fall from your hand; this is approximately a moisture content of 40-60% by weight.
• At lower moisture levels, beneficial microbial activity will become limited.
• At higher levels, the process is likely to become anaerobic and stinky.
Great tips! Thank you.
similar to what I've been doing for years. dump a few bags of gardening soil into a trashcan with holes in it, then just drop all kitchen scraps in there. when I'm ready to pot something, I scoop the soil out of there, adding a new bag of soil to the trashcan as needed. works amazingly well.
I even got my wife to come around to it, she used to exclusively just throw kitchen scraps in the trash, but now she walks it out to the backyard, I have the compost can right next to the door, so it's only a few extra steps from the actual trash.
I'm sure my method doesn't do a whole lot for the benefit of my garden, but it does keep one families worth of kitchen scraps out of the landfill, so from that perspective, it does all it needs to do.
I think adding our food scraps helps the landfills???
Oh yeah goodness ! I have been doing this for 12 years now. After one year , I wait for the soil to settle down . And stick a tomato plant and some flowers in the container and wow. Awesome outcome!!!
I really appreciate your demonstration of the trash can composter. The video is really well done and I'm aware of how patient you had to be to wait until you had your final results.
I have two of these trash cans side by side. This way, I can continue to fill one while the other composter can remain undisturbed while processing into a more finished product. I haven't sunk them into the ground with the large access holes, and I think that innovation reflects a lot of insight.
That is *exactly* what I want to do. I'm going to buy a second trash can for that exact setup. My brain tells me sinking it into the ground is a good move to let worms get in. I can't say it won't work without doing it, but it's worth a shot.
Like a worm-breeder in the garden.
Once it is full and you keep about a quart of moisture added a week especially when it's hot outside you will have it in 60 to 90 days depending on the type of compost you added to it
You can add some
Bagged compost dirt to it to get beneficial bacteria or some from a neighbor or your other compost
@@honkythebastard4746 oh I like that idea.
I started using a 55gal trash can in much the same way about 5 month ago. The only difference I have is that I’ve added a 4in PVC pipe with hole drilled in it (to aid in aeration). It has been impressive to see how quickly the kitchen scraps break down.
4”pvc pipe, how did you place the pvc in the garbage is it in the middle and then you put lots of holes around it? Thank you
@@emylytle7149 I cut the PVC to the same length as the can and just hold it in place as I fill around it. I also put a PVC cap on the pipe because I was never as carful as I intended to be and seemed to always end up with scraps inside the pipe.
What you're describing is a small scale version of a Johnson-Su Bioreactor. I've been contemplating giving it a try, how has it worked out for you?
@@BR0STRADAMUS I typically add my browns and greens once a week and it’s been pretty amazing to see how quickly it has broken down from the previous addition. I’m done adding the the first can and have started a second. It is difficult to mix because it’s so small (I like this style because mixing seems more optional). The one time I did mix it I was shocked the amount of worms and level of decomp. I plan on upping it to at least 5 cans by next summer because it has worked so well.
@@marcuspowell2510 Wow that sounds great! I'm hesitant because I'm not sure my wife and I could fill a can completely in a good ammount of time. But for ~$30 it's worth a try I guess
I love your videos. You provide wonderful information and explain everything with informative details. I love that there is no background music. Thank you for helping me grow a successful food garden.
Thank you! I'm glad to hear the videos are helpful. I try to edit these down as much as possible so they don't drag on with "stream of consciousness" type discussions 😀
YES! Thank you, thank you for not piping in a bunch of music. It's generally distracting, and you have such a great, clear presentation that we can hear and absorb best without music!
Very good concept. I use similar composting methods. However, I never put holes on the bottom of any containers that sit directly on the ground, because most trees or large shrubs within 10 feet or more will soon find their way into the container and choke out all the great moisture and nutrients inside. Rather, I place many holes on the sides, as you have done, and keep them at least one inch up from the bottom of the trash can. Tree roots are super adept at sniffing out moisture, sometimes as far as 40 feet away, depending on the size of the tree or shrub. But they can only travel anaerobically; therefore, they cannot climb when they hit the air above ground. But worms can sure climb!! You don't need holes on the bottom of your trash can. The worms will have no problem climbing up the sides and can squeeze thru tiny holes to devour your compost goodies.
Or would it work to yoss a few garden worms in like a worm farm and let them work their way up. Or would it get too hot?
I tried no holes and the compost turned disgusting smell (anaerobic) because it got too wet. It's easier to control moisture level of the compost inside when there's drainage.
Wouldn’t that also save the “compost juice” at the bottom? I’ve heard that’s great stuff in gardens, and thought drilling holes in the bottom would let it all leak out,
Can have the small holes put the cans on some spaced out bricks. The run off will feed the tree and the roots can't get into it. The run off will also attract the worms to climb up and investigate the source and they can clumb the bricks
KGS - compost juice is great to collect. This design would some tweaks to implement. We use smaller tubs and either collect in a nested tub underneath or allow it to drain directly into the desired garden areas.
I’m new to composting I’ve been nervous to try it because it seemed so complicated but this video just gave me the confidence to try it out!
I have the same exact trash can compost bin! I thought I was just being cheap as I refused to spend $100 on a compost tumbler when I figured I can just turn it myself with a shovel/corkscrew. Works great until it gets full! Now it's time to buy a second!
Walmart - Hyper Tough 32 Gallon Injection Molded Trash Can - Black - TI0070 $17.97. Construction is undoubtedly thinner than a Brute, etc., but then it's about 1/4 the price.........and plenty durable for a compost bin (I found mine at Home Depot a year ago for $7.00 each).
Mine was a Blue Hawk. With my Lowes charge, it was $23. I saw it was cheaper at Walmart, but I was already at Lowes, so it wasn’t worth my time. It doesn’t really matter what you use as long as the system is as shown.
@@TheMillennialGardener Totally agree.
We use a leaf blower/mulcher to break our leaves down faster. Also, the centipede or bermuda grass will come up in those big hole, so we lay black plastic in a ring around the composter (but not under! ) to keep out our creepy grass!
Hi, I am using a perforated laundry basket for composting and I have it set up straight into the dirt, 2/3 down in the raised garden. Works like a charm. We are in Fort Mill, SC
That’s using your head! Er, your old laundry basket, I mean!
Going to lowes this week!! Going to make a 4 can system for my 3 raised beds and pots. Thanks for the great info!!
It’s crazy that I was just thinking about this and had not verbally said anything about making a composter at home and your video popped up in my feed :/
Great idea. My "cold" compost pile averages 80-125 degrees Fahrenheit even as we head into Winter in Illinois. It is 4-5' by 8' and about 4' tall and is fed lots of greens and browns to keep it active in the Winter. I collected 20 5 gallon buckets of free trash pumpkins right after Halloween for nitrogen to go with garden and kitchen scraps and shredded paper, dry leaves, pine needles, and wood chips for browns. I simply mix and feed the pile every 7 to 10 days to keep it going in the Winter. I screen to treat garden in Spring and then split the remainder into two small piles to run in a pool liner over the growing season. Pile size is critical in zone 5 where I live to keep an active open compost pile. It is on a foundation of wood chips and covered with straw and surrounded with straw bales to keep it from very cold temperatures. I use a load of branches and sticks on top to keep straw from blowing away.
My main goal in Winter compost in addition to good compost is to keep my outdoor population of Red Wigglers alive so I do not have to start over each Spring. Is working great with hundreds visible each time I mix pile.
Does your compost grow lots of pumpkins? I did not put our pumpkins in the compost because I worry about the seeds spouting in the spring.
@@denisedoodles This is the first year I added 20 chopped up pumpkins. They break down fast and get the compost nice and hot. If the pumpkins seeds still sprout in the spring I will turn them into the pile burying them. That adds more nitrogen to the compost.
Dude, I'm impressed with your video! Very articulate and respectful, the idea is so needed these days, thanks for the hard work, cool video!
Thank you! I try to storyboard and edit these as best as I can. I'm just an amateur editor 😄
@@TheMillennialGardener You really are a great teacher. Thanks for your hard work!
Wow that works better than my commercial compost round, it take about 2 - 3 years to get to the composting dirt for gardening. Thank you for the quick and easy composting.
You're welcome! It really is a fast method.
I made the same compost bin a few years ago and it's perfect. I just made a banana circle in my yard and filled the hole with my compost. I put the same ingredients in my compost. I have a small shovel that I use to stir the bin every time I add new stuff.
Love the video. Just bought one. Not sure if anyone's said it already but menards has virtually the same exact one for 10 dollars less.
No holes in bottom you will lose all the nutrients out on the ground ! Love this idea works great. The one I put holes in long time ago, I put blocks under it and a tote to catch nutrients and the I water with them.
You're not going to lose nutrients to the ground. It's sitting in sand, and there is no rainfall occurring to wash out the container. The holes in the ground will allow more oxygen and allow access for worms and other beneficial insects and invertebrates to enter. Putting it up on blocks will slow the process.
Without holes in the bottom it can get quite messy and soggy in the bin.
Michele, if its over watered then nutrients will leach out, but if there's not enough water to run out the bottom then there won't be nutrient loss.
What about setting the bin on bricks and having a tray that you can pull out to get the "juice"?
What's funny is that my family of farmers and gardeners were doing this method before I was born. It is the best way to compost. Never heard of that free ground method you were using before.
I'd like to add, if you make vegetable stock with all your vegetable kitchen scraps, then you're getting the most out of your scraps and the leftover mulch from the stock/broth you made can go straight in the compost & will break everything down even faster 🙂
So boil the kitchen scraps and then put them in the compost pile??? New Jersey...
@@mercedesbenzs600bash yeah, you can make delicious vegetable broth that way, that you are able to can it & store for use later. I wouldn't recommend adding too much broccoli or asparagus to your stock though, can make it taste not so good. The scraps that have boiled and you've drained all the veggie stock juice from, go in the compost.
@P1xelat3d89 Ok I appreciate that but can I pour 🫗 that stock in the compost pile as well???
@@mercedesbenzs600bash I never do, because I use it in all of my cooking to add more flavour to the meals I make. So I can't answer that question. I also always let the scraps cool before I add them to the pile.
@P1xelat3d89 Ok I'll find out more about pouring the broth in the compost bin,cool down the scraps,I'll do that also,tell me this if you can,I was going to use a large garbage can but I'm really thinking about using a compost tumbler,will worms just come or do I have to buy worms and add them to the compost in the tumbler???
Just a recommendation but if you make your side holes the right size to accommodate a garden probe you can insert through a hole into the center of your compost material be able to check the temperature, ph, moisture at will.
Knowing the top temperature that your compost attains can indicate which types of microbes should be present
I've got to try this out! I've been cold composting in 2 plastic compost bins (the ones you put together with 4 sides and a lid.) I've been fine with it except it's taking too long and I've run out of room. I was considering buying one more but hesitated since they are now almost double what I bought for a Sam's 5-10 years ago.
Look up compost aerator tools. There are ones that poke though and then when pulling them back out wings open to pull up compost from lower in the pile. I think those would be perfect in combination with a trash can style composter like this.
Finally I find a video about how to do it in a bin, cause everybody making piles in the yard and it looks awful I didn't wanna do it that way.. I'm glad I found your video.. Thank you!
Thanks so much! I haven’t been composting due to rat issues and this looks like a great solution.
Rats will tunnel into those big holes on the bottom. Look at the size of holes on purchased pots-much much smaller and worms get in no problem.
I’m so glad I happened upon your site. Your videos are so educational and informative. You explain and many times with pics. I’m a visual learner and results oriented for the most part so I’m learning a lot from you. I like the fact you mention at beginning “where you’re gardening and the time of year”!! Thank you so much!!
Watched the video and bought the exact same cans and this method of composting does in fact work great.
I buried the one can three feet in the ground and perforated as suggested. Bought and additional can because once the compost fills the one up , it’s heavy and hard to mix or turn so I dump it into the other can then back into the original one after a good mixing. A large wheel barrel on hand works great.
Besides this, I tried to just take a shovel and churn it that way but the cans are flimsy plastic and crack at the top when leveraging the shovel handle against it to try to mix it so I turned to the method above.
Final issue is when throwing food scraps like melon, bell peppers and cucumbers in it, an occasional group of seeds will grow giving you a surprise when you go a open the lid.
Simply take a shovel and chop it all up and shovel over it.
I add compost powder and a little water to activate the enzymes which cause heat that aids in this.
Now after I’ve done exactly what the video states, I’ve filled it twice with great compost. It’s got microbes and bugs and even earth worms and some maggots have squeezed their way into it.
It’s great stuff but it seems to have a high nitrogen count over carbon and other key nutrients but too expensive to buy the kit for a breakdown analysis.
It’s just a guessing game at this point but if you keep tabs on what types of things your putting into the compost bin and what you put most in opposed to other things, this may aid you in a more accurate understanding of why your plants maybe growing a certain way over others in different mediums.
Know this: there’s no soil you can buy that’s a one size fits all. There’s no soil that Carrie’s enough nutrients to last the entire grow cycle of most plants either. You’ll need to supplement halfway through by amending or adding nutrients during the growth cycle.
This method does work very well.
Appreciated this when I saw it.
I use the pallets to make my compost bins with slats in the front. It works great
You can accelerate your compost by making a mix of 1 beer, 1 can soda, and 1 cup of ammonia and spray it in layers.
Mix it once a week to speed it up
Don't forget to use the toilet paper and paper towel cardboard pieces for your browns
I considered pallets, but I had a lot of concerns. Firstly, getting the pallets without a truck is a non-starter. The other concerns were pests and weeds germinating in the piles. I had terrible problems with flies and bugs breeding in the piles, and the weeds would germinate constantly. The pallets don’t stop any of that. I’m digging this enclosed system since it is weed-free, pest-free and anyone can fit these trash cans in a car.
Or package cardboard (without tape or heavy inks)
The weeds don't grow in those pallet compost piles. The problem. With flies and stuff that when u put veggie scraps it will need a layer of brown to stop that.
Yes I understand about the vehicle situation. I have a trailer and my old Tahoe, so I am good in that aspect.
Overall I do love your smaller version of it with the lid. Do get one of those hand tillers it helps a lot. Dollar General usually has them for about 8.00. That's where I got my 1st one and then I was given 2 more.
Look forward to seeing the results of your full bin
Check out Charles Dowding's compost bins. I like his setup
Paper towels typically contain some form of additional fiber, which is often-noncomposting. Toilet paper, egg crates and unstained corrugated cardboard typically work fine, though.
Love this idea, now I want to do something like it. Two things I would do differently is first, NO onion scraps. Worms don't like them. If you want to attract worms in your compost bin, then dig your onion scraps into the garden soil elsewhere, or just toss them, as I do. Second, I wouldn't dig a hole to put the bin in, because I'd want to roll it, instead of getting my hand in there to mix. Aside from those two points, the rest is solid info, and much appreciated!
Appreciate the no onions and I'll be using gloves when working with that stuff,im gonna get a big rectangular container i feel it'll be easier to turn from time to time.. New Jersey..
Excellent tutorial. Have been composting kitchen scraps for years. Going to change over my old method to yours forthwith and save myself a good amount of labor. Thankee.
Use a hand tiller to mix it up to also get it heating up. Plus, it needs to be filled up to have enough matter to break down.
I do like your method for smaller composting. Great job
I made something like this before. Used a 5 gallon bucket that I sunk in the middle of each raised bed. Drilled 1 inch holes all around under soil line. In the lid and the very top I put in several very small holes that the tiny flies couldn't get in to lay eggs to become maggots, but provides air flow. Used a food grade bucket to be sure the plastic would not leach any toxins into my soil. This is all just a smaller version (and much less expensive) version of a sub pod. Given it is just 5 gallons I never need to empty them, the hundreds of worms that enter go back into the soil and leave their castings there. Seems to eat down the levels in each of the buckets faster than my scraps and clippings accumulate. An easy off lid is great too, they stay on tight enough to keep things out but aren't on there so tight that it is a pain to get off.
*How do u layer yours .. what do u put in it* 🤔
@@my_flippin_journey I don't worry about layering, the worms will be happy with pretty much anything you give them. The only things I avoid putting in there is onions and orange peels, only because I have read that worms don't like those. However, prior to reading that, I would, and it didn't seem to slow them down.
I also don't put meat in there, but not because it wouldn't get eaten by the worms. The lids are easy off lids and I would rather avoid any big pests from coming around that meat would attract.
The only thing I do that you could consider layering is that I will try to keep the top covered with grass clippings to block any light coming through the tiny holes in the lid, as worms also don't like light. I don't really need to do that, but they won't eat what is on top until it gets covered by something else.
I just put vegetable scraps in, stir it up a bit every once in a while to see how things are going, and add grass clippings in as a top layer. The worms take care of the rest. Household of 3, 5 buckets in different raised beds, worms eat what we give them fast enough that I haven't had to remove anything in 4 years.