I've not done it, but have you considered vermicomposting? (I think there's a dedicated forum here at gardenweb.) Also, if you don't mind spending some money, Bokashi might be perfect for you. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bokashi

Cost is a concern as we are on disability/SSI. That is one of the reasons I would like to try composting. I can't afford to amend the whole garden bed(approx 12'x 15')so I have been amending the planting holes for my veggies with a little bagged manure. I couldn't afford decent potting mix for my container tomatoes this year so I used soil from the garden and the toms haven't been doing that well...there's just too much clay. I would like to have something more friable for future use without spending too much.

If you can find a little "free" sand somewhere that might help loosen-up that clay soil. I've got tons of it here in Nevada that you can have but it would be quite a drive.

Greg
Nevada

HA!!If I could afford to drive that far, I might as well keep on going until I get back to Washington, where I'm from originally. Boy, do I miss zone 7!!

noinwi

Maybe the link below will be helpful if you aren't in a hurry. It might work fine with coffee grounds and shredded newspaper.

Here is a link that might be useful: Composting in Plastic Bags

Another option if coffee grounds are your only ingredient, you can dump that directly into the garden. I do that a lot, often too lazy to walk to my bin.

Karen

The plastic bag method seems fairly easy, but anything I use will be outside all winter, with weeks at a time below zero temps. Maybe if I put a bag inside of a lidded tote I could turn the whole thing upside down from time to time, otherwise a bag would get frozen to the concrete and be impossible to turn.
Thank you for the suggestions...I'll be considering them all.

You won't need to turn the bag when it's cold anyway. That is done to distribute the microbes, oxygen and plant material evenly. Once the temps get into the 40s or lower there won't be much microbial activity.

tj

Hi,

I live alone and have felt like you every time I threw away cantelope peelings, wilted lettuce and any other scraps I happen to have. I finally decided to do it after reading over and over how to do this composting when you live alone. Here's what I did about one month ago. I bought a large round garbage pail from walmart, no wheels, poked holes approx every 8" or so with a very large nail) bottom too and placed it on 2 bricks. That was the hardest part. I put a layer of garden soil in the bottom and then some grass clippings and dried leaves I found under my deck. Then I just threw in the garbage I had been saving in my fridge. I keep any scraps and peelings old veggies and fruit I don't get to use in a plastic bag in the fridge and every now and then throw it in the container along with some grass glippings and whatever I have. Cutting your garbage into small pieces will make it work faster. I was very skeptical at first however this is working wonderfully. I turn it once a week with a pitch fork (very easy, or they say you can roll the barrel on the ground). I can actually see it tuning to compost! Hooray! Make sure you buy the garbage can with the handles formed into the container. That way you can bungee the cover on should some hungry critters come along looking for a snack. Also, no smell what-so-ever. Just good clean compost happening. Hope this helps.

This is sounding better and better! Thanks everyone!
Good news that I wouldn't have to shovel snow to get to my container to turn it,LOL
Msfixit, you're method seems very do-able to me. The only thing I would need to change is the container. If I use a "garbage" container, the management and other tenants will have a fit, since we have a dumpster right next to where it would be placed. I'll need to use something that looks more like "storage", with my name on it so it will be left alone(the reason I keep mentioning "tote").