How do I begin a compost pile?

November 26, 2013 | Filed under: Self Reliance | Posted by:

sustainable agriculture
Image by jpmiller

Question by Meowmixtape: How do I begin a compost pile?
I would like to know not only how to build it, but what to put in it to begin. I think that you need to “layer” the first stuff you put in, but I have no idea! Please people who have done this give me some tips & websites to check out.

Feel free to answer in the comment section below

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9 Responses to How do I begin a compost pile?

  1. Start with a homeless man and then throw some crack hookers on top for a nice medley of decay.

    SWIFFER THE WONDER MUTT
    November 26, 2013 at 8:15 pm
    Reply

  2. You begin with a small pile, and you add to this pile…leaves, mud and vegetables. This pile will become succesful in a matter of weeks, maybe months.

    Good luck.

    i_d_o_n_t_e_x_i_s_t
    November 26, 2013 at 8:37 pm
    Reply

  3. http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/compost/compost.html

    lifisshortsoami
    November 26, 2013 at 9:31 pm
    Reply

  4. mmm u get bricks and u make a square thing and u leave one side open and u put grass cuttings a lil water then leaves and then u let it bake for awhile

    kensky17
    November 26, 2013 at 9:40 pm
    Reply

  6. throw your trash in your neighbor’s yard. cover with leaves. water it daily. when it starts to reek, tell your neighbor you don’t know anything about it.

    that’s what my dad did.

    Spicoli
    November 26, 2013 at 11:19 pm
    Reply

  7. This question was asked not that long ago, and is a featured question, so read those answers

    jimmythetulip22
    November 26, 2013 at 11:55 pm
    Reply

  8. I have too much info to give you, so check this out:
    http://www.envocare.co.uk/composting.htm

    Surya M.
    November 27, 2013 at 12:53 am
    Reply

  9. make a shallow hole about 2 meters square ,and less than half a meter deep.
    put it under a tree or put a little roof over it
    so that it is in the shade
    anything organic ,such as kitchen waste ,dirty toilet paper ,bones, leaves ,cuttings from plants,can go into it.

    you can, every now again turn it over to devellop more earthworms ,with a garden fork ,but personally i never bother

    if your kitchen waste smells a bit cover it with sand or leaves .,
    if you got some hardy stuff like bones or branches,you can add a little lime to assist the composting process.
    the decomposition will kill all bad bugs that are in it .
    if you got a chicken this will be their favorite place,to look for bugs to eat

    organic material is responsible for 70% of contamination
    if everybody did this it would stop a lot of contamination and in a few months you got some good soil to use for your plants,
    every now again spray some water on it ,,should be kept moist to work better.

    here is some more direction for sustainable gardening for your interest
    the Permaculture designers manual by Bil Mollison cost about 40 dollars.
    and is the best all round book you can get.(tagiari publishing, tagariadmin@southcom.com.au)

    Permaculture means permanent agriculture
    a concept put forward by Bill Mollisson in the 60`s
    which is a complete hand book for environmental design.
    for those who seek an ambiotic relationship with our planet
    With practical solutions for energy systems ,infratructure ,housing,
    animal shelter ,water systems and sustainable agricultural practises.
    With the world and it`s history as it`s source
    From the chinampas of Mexico to the teraced gardens of the Andes.
    From the dessert whadis to the steppes of Russia.
    Covering all climatic conditions temporal, dessert, humid and dry tropics.
    with chapters on soil ,Water harvesting and land design,
    Earth working ,Spirals in nature,Trees and water ,utilising energy flows,
    Strategy for an alternative nation

    this book also has many gardening tips,bio-gas,companion planting and ideas for structures ,how to cool down houses in hot climates ,how to warm up houses in cold climates with out using technology but rather by design.

    always aiming at autosuficiency and sustainability .
    this can all be found in the designers manual by Bill Mollisson,
    tagariadmin@southcom.com.au

    Collectively portraying an ancient and natural philosiphy
    With the Laws of Nature as its base
    coupled to the present day level of scientific knowledge.

    Permaculture is well known and you can find many references on the web.
    there is a University of Permaculture in Australia

    and poverty is not the target but quality of life is
    and since permaculture is extremly compact form of growing things.utilising all space and utilising all resource ,it is productive and economic.

    some other writers that are on the internet are
    david Holmgren
    Larry Santoyo
    Kirk Hanson

    Masanobu Fukuaka has written ,
    One-Straw Revolution
    The Road Back to Nature
    The Natural Way of Farming
    http://www.context.org/iclib/ic14/fukuok…
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/masanobu_fu…

    Simon Henderson
    and Bill Molisson.

    a representitive of the concept in USA is
    Dan Hemenway at YankeePerm@aol.com
    barkingfrogspc@aol.com
    http://barkingfrogspc.tripod.com/frames.htm
    http://csf.colorado.edu/perma/ypc_catalog.htm

    byderule
    November 27, 2013 at 1:39 am
    Reply

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