Re: Compsting

We've just gotten a compact ComposTumbler. We'll be using a lot of Russian

>Thistle (not in seed) and kitchen waste. I was wondering if it would be
>best to run the kitchen waste in the food processor before putting it in the
>compost drum. Would a slurry, or paste be more detrimrntal than putting in
>small pieces? Or would it speed up the process?
>Carrie

Putting your waste thru a processor will greatly speed decomposition. It is a lot of bother for such a small amount. I chop corn cobs into pieces which take some months to break down completely.

I bought a really inexpensive plastic pail from Walmart for four dollars. The lid snaps shut, but not air tight. I put all the kitchen scraps in that and empty them every few days to the pile which is furthest from the house. In a tumbler, you can use whole material, but be sure to maintain the proper carbon to nitrogen ratio. Plenty of brown leaves and one tenth the amount in food scraps or green plant material is a good ratio. That's 10:1 carbon/nitrogen. Keep it slightly moist and don't forget to turn it.