Composting questions.

[lengel]

I was ridiculously unsuccessful with composting when I lived in the desert. I'm not sure what I did or didn't do but I do know that nothing ever broke down. I suspect that there wasn't enough moisture to break the contents down.

Now we're in MA. I have a barrel composter on rollers so that I can rotate it. What I've read about composting has been so specific about ratios and nitrogen levels etc.

We have a ton of the following. Does anyone know what I shouldn't be including in large quantities or if it matters?

Pine shavings from raising young chickens, guinea hens and turkeys in brooder boxes.
Eggshells
Banana Peels
Ashes
Weeds and yard clippings

I haven't put any of the ashes into the composter just in case it's a problem but I saved all of the ashes from last winter's fires. I have a huge amount of used shavings as well.

 

[Joebwe25]

I know not to put to many bananas peels, ashes not to much, and the rest I don't really know about.

 

[Beekissed]

Lengel, if you go over to The Easy Garden forum, there are folks like PatandChickens who can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about composting! Or, they might even do it here...but those folks know compost!

Me? I just throw it in a pile or compost bin, add garbage, hay or straw, manure when I have it, let the worms and chickens do the rest! Everytime I did this the pile does all the work...I could actually stick my hand in the center and it was warm on a cold day! Maybe I just got lucky.

 

[lengel]

Where is Easy Garden? I'm missing something . . .

 

[Beekissed]

Its a sister site to this one...there should be a link here at the top or over at the BYC that will link you over....try this:

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/index.php

I know folks say no banana peels but they will eventually compost, just takes a little longer. Try chopping them up a little before composting.

Might want to throw a little lime in there to sweeten up your mix occasionally!

 

[lengel]

Thank you!!

 

[Nifty]

Someone knew about this site but not www.TheEasyGarden !?!?!

 

[ticks]

Someone knew about this site but not www.TheEasyGarden !?!?!

whoa. Would that be a lwtdown ROb?

 

[lengel]

Straight off the BYC for us newbies!!

Incidentally, which came first, the chickens or the garden?

 

[yotetrapper]

"Chickens", then "garden", the this site and "cows."