Thinking about starting a backyard garden, and interested in any tips people have on composting (best composters, techniques, etc).

i use leaves , cut grass ,yard waste, food scraps(vegetable only) cardboard ,newspaper,paper towels,etc. i chop it all up with a mulching lawn mower.you can add a small amount of fertilizer it will speed things along,but not necessary,turn it 1 time a week ,keep it damp (not wet) after a week or so you will notice steam if you turn it in the cool of the morning it will start to smell like fresh earth,and take on a burned ashy look,and heat up .after a couple of weeks no more heat and it’s finished if it’s kept damp worms will move in.you can now use it on the garden but mix it well with soil it will dry out on top of the ground.

I would like to build a drum type composter to utilize the sawdust produced by my small sawmill. Will it work? Would it be possible to compost large amounts?

Hello,
Yes sawdust makes "a" good compost ingredient. (Carbon Element, or "browns", as it is called.)
You will need to add goodly amounts of nitrogen sources, such as "greens", grasses and such.
If no green leafy type offerings are available, I use "blood meal", soybean meal, even a few hand-fulls of fertilizer like, calcium nitrate.
It’s the nitrogen source and moisture that really help breakdown/digest the sawdust, because it also helps feed the essential bacteria that heats up and kills bad bacteria, seeds, and possible fungi present at the time of initial mixing of compost.

I’d like to refer you over to this website: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/soil/

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/

They are really good about info you are seeking.

Hope this helps,
Dave

Oh, 1 thing though, I wouldn’t add walnut sawdust to any compost plies or mixes, It contains toxins to other plants!

i’m a worm composter. give me an idea on how could i contribute towards a clean town. i learn about worm composting and found that it was good idea for clean environment. i was start it from my backyard(i called it ‘backyard solution’) and i think i can make it for big scale.

thanks for your ideas

Composting keeps food and garden waste out of the landfill and that reduces the methane that goes into the ozone. Besides that, using worm castings as fertilizer reduces the number of chemicals that we need in gardening, thus producing healthier food. Also, take a look at this video on YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkpjJCQs30.

With the coming of a new year, we have the chance to better our lives and turn over a new leaf. Why not start by living a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Clip this list of green alternatives and see how many you can apply to your daily life. You may be surprised at just how green you can be with very little effort, and who knows, maybe it will be contagious.

Water your garden with a rain barrel. Hook up a rain barrel to your downspout or attach a fancy copper water catcher and start storing water for those hot summer days. Your barrel will weigh over 400 lbs when full, so ensure you find a level place to store it. One quarter inch of rain will yield 200 gallons of water.

Gather your neighbors and start a community garden to grow your own vegetables. This is a great idea especially for people with limited yard space or apartment dwellers.

Set up a composter and treat your garden to free compost. Fill it up with any non-meat food scraps, vegetable peelings coffee grounds, leaves and grass cuttings. Your plants will love it and you’ll be buying less garbage bags.

Plant a tree. Build your own forest by planting trees and seedlings. They look beautiful, provide shade and habitats for animals and birds. They’ll even do their part to improve air quality by filtering out pollution and boosting oxygen.

Find alternatives to insecticides. Fight garden pests with organic means, such as dish detergent and water. Take some Ivory Liquid detergent mixed with water at a ratio of one to two percent and spray your plants to coat bugs and suffocate them.

Use solar power to light your walkway. Save money on bulbs and electricity with solar powered garden lights. You’ll love the wire-free installation. Where solar isn’t practical switch to low voltage or LED lighting.

When landscaping, focus on using native species of plants to help stop the spread of invasive, non-native vegetation.

Make a habitat. Help support our feathered friends by hanging feeders or bird houses, set up a bird bath and plant shrubs that bear fruit.

Let nature take care of mosquitoes naturally. Build a backyard bat box and let them feast on between 500 to 1,000 mosquitoes per hour. That sure beats spraying bug repellent.

Remember push mowers? They’ve become all the rage as an eco-alternative to gas mowers for cutting your lawn. They save money, mess and you get additional exercise.

Don’t forget the mulch. Adding mulch to your garden in the winter protects your plants from the cold and in the summer months keeps the soil cool, prevents water loss and helps to control weeds.

Reduce, reuse and recycle every chance you get. It may take some time, but just by being aware you will increase your practice of the 3 “R’s”. The next time you go to throw out that old piece of lumber, fencing, or light fixture, stop yourself and take a load to the local reuse store. You may also find that reclaimed lumber fits the bill for your next building project.

Carolyn Capalbo
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/turn-over-a-new-leaf-and-resolve-to-be-green-717324.html

I am not really looking to make good soil, I just want to avoid putting waste food in the landfills. Is it okay to just dig a hole or just throw waste food in the woods of my backyard?

SINCE YOU AREN’T LOOKING TO MAKE A COMPOST, JUST PUT IT IN THE WOODS, BUT PUT IT IN THE GROUND SO YOU DON’T BRING IN RATS, RATCOONS, ETC. IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITH GOATS, CHICKENS, OR PIGS THEY WOULD BE GLAD TO HAVE IT.