Recommendation for a Composting Tutorial

Mere7706

I've been wanting to compost for a while but haven't started yet because I'm intimidated by it- I dont think I know enough.

I have an awesome compost pail that I asked for at Christmas. It's snowy here so I haven't started using it--- no clue how to do it in the winter.

So, if there's a composting for dummies style book/website, please pass along the recommendation. Or any tips.
*We live on land and have a lot of wooded area around us. We'd rather not use a bin if possible.

dirtyred

Composting is not that hard.  Nature has been doing it for millions of years without any intervention or plan/recipe.

I have a compost pile, so no bin is necessary. I also don't put a lot of effort into turning, etc., so it took mine longer to get established.  If you're out there working it, you'll get compost quicker.

Put a bunch of dead branches and sticks at the bottom for aeration.  Start adding food scraps (no meats), leaves, newspaper, and yard waste.  The "green" stuff (food, yard waste) breaks down faster than the "brown," so if your pile is mostly leaves it will take longer to get going.

If it gets too dry in the summer, I water it about once a week.  If it gets a little smelly, I add some leaves and newspaper and mix it in a little.

When I add new stuff, I cover it with material from the sides.  Compost gets pushed out all around the bottom and I just scoop it up.

lawright

You take your compost material.  You throw it in the same spot.  Once a year you stick your shovel in the bottom, unearth awesome dirt, and till it into your garden (or flower bids, or whatever.)  Not that hard.