so I'm going to have to start throwing out kitchen scraps.

Don't you dare@prairiemoon2 z6b MA!

But I do understand how it can become difficult to access the bins.

Here are our 6 right now:

I have a fairly large garbage pail with a tight fitting lid, upon which I put a concrete block for added protection. This container will take the "overflow" of compostable household organics in the winter. I put in lots of shredded leaves, collected last Fall, in first and then dump in the organics, always adding those leaves as it accumulates. (But I only use this bin when all my composters are filled, which happens relatively quickly in the winter as the added household scraps only freeze and don't compact).

Rouge, Thanks for the encouragement and the photo, that's great that you keep so many bins. Are those all home made? Looks like you drilled holes in the side? Do you turn yours over too? I'm amazed you have enough kitchen scraps to keep 6 bins going. I have two bins and that seems to be what we can work with. When one gets full we empty it out into an empty vegetable bed and pile it up to finish there. That is instead of turning the pile. Only two people in the house, so not a lot of scraps.

I had a huge pile of leaves in the backyard, but, now it's under 2 ft of snow, soon to be 3ft. We are doing the minimum of snow removal this year. We've hired a neighborhood young person and this is their first year trying it and the last large storm...18" in my yard....was a little much for him. We have to keep a path for the oil company and by the back door for the dog to go out, but the compost bins are on the other side of the yard where we'd have to shovel another path and it's more than we can do right now.

The concrete block on the top to keep critters out is a great idea. The more I think about it, the more I think we're not going to be able to do .it. We don't shred enough paper, We can't get access to the leaves. Usually every year we have some yard waste bags of leaves in the garage, but for some reason we have none this year. I'll have to do better next year. :-)

BTW, I only have regular trash bins in the garage, would I have to drill holes in the side to keep it going in the garage too, do you think?

Hey @prairiemoon2 z6b MA, good to hear from you.

The three traditional wooden slatted ones on the left only get grass clippings, shredded leaves, old potting soil and coffee grounds and filters from the local Starbucks...so no kitchen scraps as rodents would be easily able to access those containers. (I live in a urban community and rodents do not go over well with the neighbours).

The 3 against the wall are much more impervious to intrusion by animals (made only of plastic with few openings) but by the same token it takes longer for the inputs to becomes nice compost from mostly kitchen scraps and shredded leaves. To get more air into these containers I drilled larger holes but stupid me, these holes allowed rodents in and so if you look closely I have stapled metal mesh to these holes...it looks a mess :(.

I don't know where I would be, in terms of composting year round, w/o my large supply of shredded leaves (stored in brown paper leaf bags in the garage). And so you are spot on ie put aside several bags of leaves next Fall in the garage for this very purpose. I agree with you ie w/o a steady supply of "browns" it is problematic doing year round composting.

I have not drilled holes into my overflow plastic garbage container as I don't really use it for composting but rather just to store excess organics until the spring time when I can likely move it all into one or more of the bins on the wall.

So you still use oil for heating? How often do they come by to fill it up?

PM2, running out the door and should probably wait to read through thoroughly before I post, but I won't lol. But just wanted to say for winter, I keep a smaller rubbermaid bin right next to my back door. I don't know the capacity/volume/size, but it's about 2 feet long by maybe a foot across and 18 inches deep? Approximately?

This way I can dump my daily/every-few-days scraps (from mu counter-top bin) into this right outside. In general, it works through most winters. Now that we got a foot and a half of snow, it's a bit harder, but I was able to at least clear the top; the bin itself is buried but i should be able to free it before it gets full.

Then when I have time, opportunity, and inclination, I carry this smaller bin over to the pile.

I have not had problems with critters with this system, pretty surprisingly. Maybe because it's so close to the house/door??

:)

Dee

In Minnesota, we use a 5 gallon bucket in the garage in winter. It’s cold enough in the garage it doesn’t smell. Then when we can, it either goes out to the bin in the yard or to our local trash hauler that takes compost. I will say it does take a lot of effort to be

consistent with composting, but worth it.

Rouge, glad to see so many people still posting. Sometimes it’s pretty dead here in the winter. I’d be parking myself here every day if I didn’t have to get busy with all the things I neglect during the gardening season…lol. Very happy to see you posting again! :-)

You do a great job with the compost, you must end up with a very good amount of it. My lot is not big enough to provide enough grass clippings and other resources, and I’ve not taken the opportunity to drag some home from neighbors or anything. You asked at Starbucks for their grinds?

Yes, rodents would be pretty bad. I understand that you made the large holes in your containers and the metal mesh takes care of it? That’s a great idea, bc I’ve had something chew through my plastic to get into it.

OK, so I don’t have to put holes in if I’m just holding materials over until April. Good, that makes it easier.

Yes, we still use oil. We’ve lived in the same house for decades and it has the original oil heat furnace. Some neighbors switched over to gas over the years, because it was cheaper but now it’s just as costly. And a lot of expense to switch over to gas. What do you have for heat?

Party Music, I don’t know how you are keeping up with all the snow we are having this year!!

Dee, good to see you. :-). Okay, so you keep a container right outside the back door, and does it freeze and is that what might keep the critters away or because it’s so close to the house? Interesting. That would be a lot easier.

Molly, yes, we have a detached garage too so it is cold in the winter. Consistent…exactly! I haven’t had any trouble composting during the winter for the past 5 years because we hardly had any snow. A few inches at a time and then it would warm up and melt. This year is entirely different!

Well…I think I can make this work. Hopefully this weekend I can try a few things. I’m glad I asked. Great input from everyone, thank you!!!

My lot is not big enough to provide enough grass clippings and other resources, and I’ve not taken the opportunity to drag some home from neighbors or anything.

Our lots is tiny. And I sheepishly admit that none of these clippings or leaves are from our property. Instead I have a neigbour a few doors down that bags his grass clippings and then shreds and bags his leaves for me! My composting would grind to a halt w/o his contributions.

And speaking of "grind" :)

You asked at Starbucks for their grinds?

A Starbucks near me has an amazing manager that has been so good the last 3 years about collecting buckets of spent coffee for me each week (and then messaging me when to come by to collect them).

(I do this off and one between June to October)

What do you have for heat?

A dual system ie electric Heat Pump and a 'backup' natural gas furnace (which has been operating exclusively during this extended cold stretch).

Lol! rouge, I have trained a few neighbors too. Now I sometimes find a few bags of leaves in my fenced side yard. :)

Years ago when I was expanding some beds and putting in a brand-new large cutting bed, I went to the local coffee shop. I do all my beds by lasagna method, so I needed copious amounts of compost materials.

I explained what I wanted and why, and I think they thought I was nuts, but they agreed to help me out. I left a five gallon bucket, and every two or three days would go back with an empty bucket, take the full one, and so on. They dumped the filters and all - it all composts and I figured they would be more on board if all they had to do was literally dump the pots, filter and all.

I always felt a bit awkward when I went to pick up, because like I said I think they thought I was a crazy lady. And a crazy OLD lady at that, lol, since most of the employees were teens. Then one day I went in and the young lady handed me the bucket and asked if I composted. I told her what I was doing and she didn't bat an eyelash. She said, "yeah, my mom composts too and sometimes I bring stuff home from here for her. You should really go next door to the dog grooming place and ask for hair clippings."

I was so happy! I know I shouldn't care what people think but it was vindicating to get not only understanding, not only approval, but more suggestions lol! Also, I was thrilled to see someone under 20 years old understanding the many benefits of composting!

:)

Dee

go next door to the dog grooming place and ask for hair clippings.

@diggerdee zone 6 CT, that is a very interesting idea!

At one time I had mused about getting human hair from hair salons but I thought that was a bit icky. But for some reason shorn fur seems more palatable. (Although I wonder about the presence of topical flea and tick meds).

(And I would imagine that it might take a long time for this material to break down given it is made of keratin?)

Not sure about dog fur, but cat fur seems to work nicely. :) Human hair (my own) doesn’t compost quickly for me at all! Lollol!

dee, I once worked in a huge laboratory that had an interior cafeteria. I asked for their coffee grounds and they initially groused, but I picked up those full containers every night and brought empties every morning. Within days they loved the setup…. suddenly realizing how much less waste they had to deal with.

And here’s my complaint: clothing that’s marked 100% cotton. I compost it. It goes very quickly and I’m almost always left with yards of the seam thread. Clearly not 100% cotton!

Like here, I was spreading compost:

but cat fur seems to work nicely.

We have 2 felines and I distribute the fur collected via the vacuum into the garden directly with the hope that it will deter rabbits and the like.

Yes, party music! Especially old socks lol. I'm always finding those seams and also threads of elastic from socks.

Once years ago I was turning my compost while my then 12-year-old son and his friend were in the yard. I pulled out my aerator and stuck on it was an old pair of boys underwear. Hahaha! Not sure which of the boys was more embarassed but I thought it was hysterical!

PM2, that's a good question - perhaps it's a combination - both the freezing temps and the proximity to the house might help with the critter problem. Although, knock on wood, despite the prevalence of quite a variety of animals, I've never really had a problem with animals in my compost, any time of year. I've always been rather surprised (pleasantly!) about that.

:)

Dee

P.S. I never did go next door for fur clippings lol, so I can't tell you how they worked for me!

Diggerdee, that’s too funny!

Too cold this weekend. Took care of the birds and the dog and the compost heap will have to wait for it to warm up a little. :-)