Does anyone know anything about these?

**Uniwolf** · 12-31-2011, 12:55 PM

Saw this on a show hubbs was watching earlier. If it works I would kind of like to try it. We live in town and have a fairly smallish yard. I would like to use compost in my garden, but don't really have the space for a normal compost pile, heap, whatever you would like to call it. Not to mention, I can probably think of at least 1 neighbor if not 2 that would constantly be turning me in to code enforcement. So would like to see if anyone has tried these.

NatureMill Automatic Compost Bin

Thank you all for any input on the subject.

**bunnys** · 12-31-2011, 01:43 PM

Why would they turn you in for code infractions?

I don't know anything about composting but I've been thinking of doing it for awhile.

**MTS04** · 12-31-2011, 02:07 PM

have you thought of using the compost ball? Compost ball link This thing is cool, jut give it a roll every now and again. Friends of ours have it and it works well for their needs.

**Uniwolf** · 12-31-2011, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by bunnys

Why would they turn you in for code infractions?

I don't know anything about composting but I've been thinking of doing it for awhile.

Bunnys; our city ordances won't let you have just a pile of stuff laying in your yard. You would get a ticket for your yard being unsightly.

MTS04 I have been looking at those too. I would get away with that long before I could just have a regular compost "pile"

This is something that I really want to start doing. So am looking at different alternatives.

**Shewillbemine** · 12-31-2011, 04:09 PM

You can make a relatively cheap compost bin by using any old, plastic trash can.

You can Google it but in a nutshell: Buy/Use a plastic trash can (the big ones you'd use for yardwork). Drill holes in the bottom for the worms, holes on the sides and holes on the cover. Place your typical brown and green compost in there, hose down with some water, and let it cook. You'll have to roll it around or smush things up once in a while.

**ladykemma2** · 12-31-2011, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Shewillbemine

You can make a relatively cheap compost bin by using any old, plastic trash can.

You can Google it but in a nutshell: Buy/Use a plastic trash can (the big ones you'd use for yardwork). Drill holes in the bottom for the worms, holes on the sides and holes on the cover. Place your typical brown and green compost in there, hose down with some water, and let it cook. You'll have to roll it around or smush things up once in a while.

i'm a ninja composter. that thing you posted won't work. you have to get "critical mass" before a pile will get hot and start the composting process.

do the trash can thing with lots of oxygen. toss it like a salad. gerbils shavings with urine are a good starter. remember, if it smells, you aren't doing it right.

soldier fly larvae are your friends and means your pile is healthy.

**ladytoysdream** · 12-31-2011, 04:40 PM

I must be lazy.....

Take scraps out to the chickens...
then the poo and shavings go on the garden area.

Veggies/fruit scraps, I don't think the chickens will eat, go straight on the garden as is.
They get rototilled in, in the spring before any planting. In the meanwhile, if we have a good weather day in the winter, then the birds can free range, and check out the stuff in the garden next to their coop.

Our soil is getting better, so must be we are doing something right.
We get a few volunteer plants too, so that is a good thing.

**Contrary Housewife** · 12-31-2011, 05:27 PM

You can build a compost bin out of nearly anything for cheap. Our first one was a length of chicken wire or hardware cloth fastened into a cylinder. We set it on the ground and filled it. It is not " a pile". There are a number of websites which show you ways to make neat looking inexpensive compost bins.

**cheles2kids** · 12-31-2011, 06:24 PM

I don't know anything about the one you posted the link for but we made one 2 summers ago out of recycled pallets.

Totally free except for the hinges for the door {well and for our labor, nailing them together & putting a door on it}.

**mndtrp** · 01-02-2012, 07:10 PM

Those things will work, as long as you don't produce a lot of waste. It's also useless for anything from your yard or garden, due to its size. Are you able to use a tumbler?

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Tumbleweed-2522-Spin-Rotating-Composter/dp/B003XSX8RI"]Amazon.com: Spin Bin Rotating Composter: Patio, Lawn & Garden@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31YrPvYe3sL.@@AMEPARAM@@31YrPvYe3sL[/ame]

Still pricey, but works fairly well for larger amounts of waste.

Another option is vermicomposting, which I found to be a lot of fun. It can be a pain to do inside, due to how easy it is to start up a colony of gnats, but works well outside or in a garage. I used a large trash can, drilled holes in the lid, and created a grate across the bottom. Put the food in the top with some shredded paper, the worms made poop, which I scraped from the bottom of the can, and the cycle continued.

**Shewillbemine** · 01-03-2012, 03:14 AM

Originally Posted by ladykemma2

i'm a ninja composter. that thing you posted won't work. you have to get "critical mass" before a pile will get hot and start the composting process.

do the trash can thing with lots of oxygen. toss it like a salad. gerbils shavings with urine are a good starter. remember, if it smells, you aren't doing it right.

soldier fly larvae are your friends and means your pile is healthy.

LOL I believe you except I'm not sure where I would begin to find gerbils shavings with urine!

**611pecan** · 01-03-2012, 10:09 AM

I am not saying this to be cantankorus, but if I had to worry about a small compost bin, I honestly would move. Maybe thats why I live in the country.

Originally Posted by Uniwolf

Bunnys; our city ordances won't let you have just a pile of stuff laying in your yard. You would get a ticket for your yard being unsightly.

MTS04 I have been looking at those too. I would get away with that long before I could just have a regular compost "pile"

This is something that I really want to start doing. So am looking at different alternatives.

**Uniwolf** · 01-03-2012, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by 611pecan

I am not saying this to be cantankorus, but if I had to worry about a small compost bin, I honestly would move. Maybe thats why I live in the country.

I/we chose to live where we live for several much more life affecting reasons than being able/not able to have a compost bin. Would I like to live in the country, ... that would have been amazing, was it feasable (SP) No it was not. So we found our little house that had more pluses than negatives, and we live and work around the negatives.

Everyone else, thank you so much for your imput. All thoughts were greatly appricated.
mndtrp -- I like this one, and although it may be cheaper to build a small bin, I like the fact that this is something that I could turn, simply by "spinning" the barrel.

Everyone have a great day.