container composting

marbles · 08-31-2022, 03:25 PM

In our move, we inherited one of those compost drums that spins. I've only ever done open composting, just in an empty garden box straight onto the ground. I never had an issue with balancing that, every now and then I could tell it would need something else or a good mixing or something. But this container is awful. The compost is black, smells bad, super wet, and absolutely full of some kind of mealworms. It's dripping out of the bottom, on the ground it looks like the upside down is coming through. I keep adding dead leaves and pine straw when I can, but it doesn't do anything. I have no idea what it needs, I tried looking it up but the instructions I have found are just simple "add green and brown, turn every few days, let it sit and you have compost" except I have tar. Do any of y'all do this successfully and know what I'm doing wrong?

Singingmom · 08-31-2022, 09:07 PM

I don’t, sorry! I got a book from the library on composting a few months ago which made me realize it’s a lot more complicated than I thought.

knitlove · 08-31-2022, 10:02 PM

My mom has one. But I don't think she has had any issues with it.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

2sunshines · 09-01-2022, 04:30 AM

My compost is in a container but not a spin one like yours, but a container that sits on the ground and I put the stuff in through the lid on the top. Honestly I do nothing. I barely remember to add greens or browns.

When you got it was it thoroughly cleaned or were there renmants inside? Wondering if anything from the previous owner could be causing something?

I admit I don't know much about composting since we've been lucky and haven't had any issues...

marbles · 09-01-2022, 04:58 AM

There was very dry stuff in there, a little bit on each side, and it looked like it hadn't been touched in a good while. I probably could empty it out and give it a good wash to start over. The birds would like all those goodies I'm sure.

Soliloquy · 09-02-2022, 09:18 AM

Those spin composters need a lot more dry, brown matter than open air composting. Small twigs and such. And it finishes much faster. What was in there was possibly over-done if it smelled bad. We had a spin composter years ago and it was too much for me to stay on top of it (but I had young kids then and lots of things were too much for me). Now I do no-till gardening and do lasagna type composting. It's so much less work.

marbles · 09-02-2022, 09:56 AM

Ok that makes sense. I do feel like I can't add enough dry brown material to balance it out. I'm glad that the scraps aren't just going in the trash but also it's unusable other than as food for larva. It's nothing like soil, which is what I'm used to. I'll have to think on a solution for this I guess.

Soliloquy · 09-02-2022, 10:00 AM

I have some huge bushes outside my back door and I dump produce scraps into the bushes. The bushes hide everything and it doesn't smell.

In the garden I compost lawn/garden matter, not kitchen scraps. It's easier for me.

08-31-2022, 03:25 PM	#1
marbles Rose Garden Our Family Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,047	container composting In our move, we inherited one of those compost drums that spins. I've only ever done open composting, just in an empty garden box straight onto the ground. I never had an issue with balancing that, every now and then I could tell it would need something else or a good mixing or something. But this container is awful. The compost is black, smells bad, super wet, and absolutely full of some kind of mealworms. It's dripping out of the bottom, on the ground it looks like the upside down is coming through. I keep adding dead leaves and pine straw when I can, but it doesn't do anything. I have no idea what it needs, I tried looking it up but the instructions I have found are just simple "add green and brown, turn every few days, let it sit and you have compost" except I have tar. Do any of y'all do this successfully and know what I'm doing wrong? __________________ Mary K wife to Daniel for 16 years mom to 13 year old the Girl and 11 year old the Boy and 8 year old Tiny Almost always posting from my phone.

08-31-2022, 09:07 PM	#2
Singingmom Administrator Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 25,979	Re: container composting I don’t, sorry! I got a book from the library on composting a few months ago which made me realize it’s a lot more complicated than I thought. __________________ Kelly Wife to my sweetheart for 30 years Grateful mom to 3 young adults Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

08-31-2022, 10:02 PM	#3
knitlove Rose Garden Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Seattle area Posts: 21,260	Re: container composting My mom has one. But I don't think she has had any issues with it. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk __________________ Wife to a wonderful DH for 19 years. Momma to my 29 weeker Early Bird who is thirteen and my little Wiggle Worm born 33 weeks who is nine. How do I have a teenager?! I don't feel ready for this.

09-01-2022, 04:30 AM	#4
2sunshines Moderator in Celebrations, Cloth Diapering & EC, Empty Arms, Prayer & Praise, and Swap n' Shop Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 27,061	Re: container composting My compost is in a container but not a spin one like yours, but a container that sits on the ground and I put the stuff in through the lid on the top. Honestly I do nothing. I barely remember to add greens or browns. When you got it was it thoroughly cleaned or were there renmants inside? Wondering if anything from the previous owner could be causing something? I admit I don't know much about composting since we've been lucky and haven't had any issues... __________________ married 25 years mom to two young adults (23 and 21) and two teens (17 and 15)

09-01-2022, 04:58 AM	#5
marbles Rose Garden Our Family Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,047	Re: container composting There was very dry stuff in there, a little bit on each side, and it looked like it hadn't been touched in a good while. I probably could empty it out and give it a good wash to start over. The birds would like all those goodies I'm sure. __________________ Mary K wife to Daniel for 16 years mom to 13 year old the Girl and 11 year old the Boy and 8 year old Tiny Almost always posting from my phone.

09-02-2022, 09:18 AM	#6
Soliloquy Rose Garden Why climb a mountain? Because it's there! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Selkirk Mountains Posts: 52,860	Re: container composting Those spin composters need a lot more dry, brown matter than open air composting. Small twigs and such. And it finishes much faster. What was in there was possibly over-done if it smelled bad. We had a spin composter years ago and it was too much for me to stay on top of it (but I had young kids then and lots of things were too much for me). Now I do no-till gardening and do lasagna type composting. It's so much less work.

09-02-2022, 09:56 AM	#7
marbles Rose Garden Our Family Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,047	Re: container composting Ok that makes sense. I do feel like I can't add enough dry brown material to balance it out. I'm glad that the scraps aren't just going in the trash but also it's unusable other than as food for larva. It's nothing like soil, which is what I'm used to. I'll have to think on a solution for this I guess. __________________ Mary K wife to Daniel for 16 years mom to 13 year old the Girl and 11 year old the Boy and 8 year old Tiny Almost always posting from my phone.

09-02-2022, 10:00 AM	#8
Soliloquy Rose Garden Why climb a mountain? Because it's there! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Selkirk Mountains Posts: 52,860	Re: container composting I have some huge bushes outside my back door and I dump produce scraps into the bushes. The bushes hide everything and it doesn't smell. In the garden I compost lawn/garden matter, not kitchen scraps. It's easier for me.

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