Ive been farming all my life, even during my mechanic/welder career. I bought a 6 acre property on the top of a hill with only rock and dg and red clay (no top soil). Very dry, rock hard soil. I added 6" of wood chips from a free truck load tree service. In 30 days I had earthworms. Even green wood chips work wonders. Today I grow Hass avocados organic.. Works for me! Great vids, keep em comin.☺
Great video Diego. Just wanted to say thank you for the content you put out. I'm not exaggerating the slightest bit when I say it changed my life. I figuratively stumbled across your podcast Farm Small Farm Smart with Curtis about two years ago while working at my old job. I immediately fell in love with small-scale regenerative farming. I called my wife and told her to check it out and to let me know what she thought. Two hours later she called me back and said "let's go for it" I walked into my bosses office that day and tendered my resignation. We started market farming that spring and we haven't looked back since. It's been a wild ride with ups and downs but we are succeeding! We're building our future on this farm, and you and Curtis played a huge part in that. So thank you again. I really can't explain how much I appreciate it!
I made a couple of these years ago and I am wanting to make some more. I cut out the bottom inner circle and buried it in the soil up about 4-6” from the bottom. It worked great. If I needed to move it I leaned it to one side, put a piece of scrap wood under it and moved it with a hand truck. I never had problems with worms not finding it. It was a composting machine.
I think the area of compost is somewhere that people spend so much time worrying about. I really like this setup because it really can be this easy. Heck, just a pile of stuff WILL decompose, it's just a matter of how and how long. Try to keep it aerobic, try to get it as big as possible, but at the end of the day, don't sweat it and don't worry. It will all work out, just get busy, and get going! Great video Diego.
You're right, but it turns out "as big as possible" isn't really true either. A cubic meter is all you need to guarantee a good hot compost. If the pile is any bigger than that, you just run into problems with it going anaerobic or simply sitting there doing nothing. Unless of course you have a way to get air into it, which of course is the whole point of the Johnson-Su style.
For me its been how with zero soil do i keep it topped so no fly generation. Now i have some materials to throw over such bits n its good, working on high volume using wood n leaf chips my worms are the best.
I just built two of these, but I made a few improvements to the design. I attached the pipe to the bottom of the can using stainless steel wire. That way it is guaranteed not to move from the center of the can. I also cut a hole in the lid so that the pipe sticks out of the top of the lid. That way the pipe actually acts as a chimney as the warm air rises in the tube and out the top and also pulls oxygen into the holes in the can.
@@danaaustin7647 The way I have it designed rainwater can't really affect it. I still have the original cover over the trash can with the hole cut in the cover just large enough to fit the pipe through it. Therefore, rainwater can't get to the actual material. The rain that enters the center pipe will simply fall all the way to the bottom of the trash can and out the holes drilled in the bottom of the trash can.
@@livelovelaugh3105 The heat is generated by the bacteria using oxygen to consume the organic material. The warm air rising up the chimney pipe pulls more fresh oxygen into the container so that the bacteria will be more active. It is similar to the chimney on a woodstove pulling more oxygen into the fire.
You could put a few inches of twigs and small rotting branch material in the bottom to help aeriation. You could place one of these on each of your rotation beds and the liquid will drain out and feed your crops as the contents decompose. The finished compost is then tipped straight over when it is ready. Alternatively, if you want to maximise your growing space and have room for several bins in one composting area, you could grow Comfrey and maybe stinging nettles around the bins and the juices will leach out and feed your live compost crop around the bins. Good job.
@@lindakean7392 After you plant the comfrey crowns, you have to let the comfrey grow up. When it gets tall, you chop it down and put the cuttings into a large plastic barrel or garbage can. Add water to the chopped leaves and stems and let it steep for a week or two, to make comfrey tea for your plants. It is great liquid fertilizer. You can do this on a smaller scale in a 5-gallon bucket.
I love the idea of putting these in the beds! Do you know how small the cans could be and still work well? I’m picturing a raised garden bed 3 feet wide and maybe 6 feet long, Probably needing two cans.
Fantastic. Another option for the center duct. I've used 1/2 inch hardware mesh to make 4 inch tubes. It's the same principle when you don't have the PVC pipe. Thanks for the great info Diego. Gardening on the cheap is the future.
@@fosterfoday Everything has to be made of something. It all came from the earth and I like to let the soil life and my plants sort all of that out for themselves.
To be honest, watching this I'm more concerned with the plastic leaching into the soil. But if it's not the concern I think it is, I now have some use for some containers we no longer need out in the shed.
Thanks for sharing this easy and inexpensive way to compost. I first saw your video a while ago but saved it knowing if I'm going to compost, this is the way I would go. Finally built this yesterday and happened to have all the materials on hand. Very pleased filing it up with leaves, kitchen scraps, garden debris, and more. Thanks again!
Great video, thank you.12 inches from air will create anaerobic conditions is a really useful rule. I use some cardboard egg cartons and twigs every so often for mine to help aerate the compost and act as a brown too. I also find that worms know a good thing when they smell it and will find their way in. I add some wire mesh inside to keep the rodents out.
As someone who just got interested in composting, this was very informative. Definitely the best video I've seen to help you get started with a bin setup. Thanks!
First time commenting but want you to know how much you have blessed our home with you wisdom. All of your videos are so insightful, well thought out and explained very clearly. Have done a pallet Johnson that we did in the suburbs and had my husband thinking I was nuts until I made yards and yards of compost that was beautiful. You inspired us that we could be more self sufficient, eat healthier and include the whole family in something fun. We have our two special needs kiddos watch your videos to help with homeschooling as you do such a great job explaining- the aha moments are priceless and I believe God has used you as a ministry. We have branched out after 10 yrs of living in town and am looking forward to incorporating the EDC method on our new homestead. Be blessed knowing what you do matters and is so appreciated. 🤗💯
I’ve thought about this concept too, making the same observation about small spots and attracting worms. Thanks for making this video. the middle tube for aeration is genius. you could stabilize it by piercing several horizontal bars from one side (thru the holes) thru the center tube to the other side wall.
The idea of a pipe in the middle with holes for air access is good but, for easy lazy reason, I use a thick rebar in the middle and time to time wiggle is to create space for air to reach down in the space created. Sometime I take it out and just push it in a non-central position, hammering it in if does not go down easily.
Oh that's a great solution! I'm about to do this for the first time myself, a d if I don't have to purchase a 10ft pipe, that needs to be cut down then great!!!
I do this with 55 gal blue barrels I get from a local bottler. I usually pick up 3 a year for $30. Some become composters , some become huge compost tea brewers n I use 2 for rainwater harvesting waters for my chickens.
I 😍 LOVE all of info you provided on the center tube and more holes in the bottom to create better aeration to prevent anaerobic conditions. I have watched a dozen of these DIY Trash Can composting videos and nobody else has mentioned this. Thank you VERY much 👍.
I love your thorough, thoughtful and generous advice. I’ve been worm composting for 15 years and have an old trash can I wanted to convert so that I can keep expanding my compost in a discreet manner 😉 -neighbors can be noisy. Thank you! 💚😊💙
This info is right on the mark. You are a good think tank person. You are curious and a problem solver. We need more people like you. Sending blessings to you and yours!
I started off using the bins and old drums with holes in them. Main ingredient was horse poop and they worked really well. Was going to set up another IBC cage Johnson-su style but am thinking I might just pull out the bins instead.🤔 Thanks Diego. 👍👍
This is a game changer for me! I came across this today and this and I will be starting one here in January in a garden that surely needs rejuvenating. Thank you so much Diego for sharing your knowledge and passion for the soil.
I did this for several years, and didn't know someone else thought of it. I just thought I was being thrifty. Eventually raccoons found it, made one of the holes a lot bigger and made a mess. So I have gone to using smaller containers throughout the garden, putting a smaller pot on top . The results are not a good though, so I'll be going back to your method this year. The addition of the center tube will be a huge improvement, so I don't have to lay the barrel on the ground and roll it around.
You could try using a chicken wire wrap around the can, or making a cage of it that you just sit down over the top. Don't know if it'll work but thought I'd share.
I made one year before last and it works great for my needs. I really like that you so clearly and concisely shared this information but are not too dogmatic about how it should be done. You make it seem very easy and doable, thank you!
Awesome video! I’ve been thinking about composting as our garden has been expanding, but i live in an urban/suburban environment so wasn’t exactly sure how I would do it. This is nice and simple, and contained enough to not cause issues with the neighbors. Thanks!
This made me think of adding a small bin in each of my garden beds. I have some old milk crates that already have tons of holes in them. I could dig them down a little into the bed and add scraps continuously both during the growing season and through the winter.
My husband is on board with my compost habits now but has requested a bin closer to the house so I won't have to tromp the kitchen scrap bin out to the main one in bad winter weather. So. I just sent him this video. Coming Soon, To a Just-Off-the-Back-Deck near you! 😉
So great to hear about your observations because I noticed the same thing. Instead of using a garbage can, I drilled holes into a large plastic bucket that is easier for me to move around and handle. I had three of them. ONE PROBLEM. I live in Texas where it is very hot in the summer. The worms do not like the heat and go further underground. A plastic bucket can get too hot. Maybe it works better in a garbage can, but when the temperature doesn't go down at night, I found it to be a problem.
Maybe burying the buckets at least a foot 'in-situ' in the beds would work better for you, as the soil is cooler than the air! Robbie (their channel is Robbie and Gary...) in S California uses lots of containers to compost in place in the totes she gardens in! I was thinking of doing something similar in the ground near my newest bed.
Got one 60 gallon and three 30 gallon compost cans. Beautiful. The 60 gets directly into the soil once a year. The others used for seed germination and topping.
I have one I started last year, and I love how it works so quickly! I live in north Tx, and in the early spring (Feb-March) I can have compost as early as June if I keep my veg pieces cut small
Thanks! I just made two to supplement the tumbler I currently have. One big issue I have with the tumbler is no worms unless I introduce them. I’m looking forward to using these!
My first "compost bin" was nothing but a garbage can drilled full of holes like that. It worked fine. I can see where adding the tube up the center will help, though. Great vid as always, thanks.
I LIKE IT for a urban garden its perfect (I prefer turn mine during 21 days and its done) We can do the same idea with few small bucket and put it here and there directly in the garden soil and let just enough air flow (holes) around the bucket and at the top The compost tea go direct in the soil for biology. Thank you 😊🌶🥒🥬🥦🍒
@@pepguardiola1537 right, I was considering burying one like this, but only 6" or a foot in the ground. (Because it's essentially impossible to dig any deeper than that here by hand - my suburban yard is nothing but hardpack clay and rock fill.)
Thanks great video, best of class (trash can composting). 2 suggestions: a) many experts recommend black trash cans because they heat up a little more, and b) where we live the wind will blow the lid off the can in no time unless the lid is secure. But holes can be drilled in the lid that will let air through, and will add some moisture also. Again thanks for a super video.
Great video I use this same type of container for composting also. If you add some sticks to the very bottom you will add more airflow and it won't go as anaerobic. I have not used the center pipe before that is a great idea.
Finally!!! Every 20 videos or so you come across 1 that hits just right. Salute! I'm definitely on it. I've been experimenting with my compost set up the last 3 weeks. I was in ground before with a pallet wrapped in mesh netting as a base and pallet cover. I love this method though. Brilliant, simple and well explained. Give thanks*
I suggest you try this. I live in a standard neighborhood. I've got about a quarter acre with around 500 square feet of garden space and I use 3 black trash cans to build Compost. It works but I'm going to start trying some variety of this bio-reactor this year. Good luck!
Thank you I’m about to start my Quail journey and was thinking of ways to deal with all the poop THIS is great because we have recently moved on this land and also needed to fig out composting but I DID NOT WANT TO TURN Thanks I’m definitely going to set up my first one tomorrow
I set one of these up about a year ago, and had just slowly been adding to it. We don't do a lot of cooking in my house, but whatever small scraps we've had went in along with grass clippings and shredded up cardboard from Amazon deliveries. I finally dumped it out and found the bottom half of it was in beautiful condition while the top half was pretty dry. I'm paying closer attention to the blend going forward. I used some of the good stuff from deeper down as a soil amendment before starting some veggies this year, and now i've got pumpkin sprouts coming up alongside tomatoes and cucumbers. The scoopings from jack-o-lanterns last year are back with a vengeance lol. Gonna keep 'em thinned out and see if I can harvest a couple before the summer heat does too much damage to 'em.
One year later: I got five sizeable gourds out of the stowaway pumpkin seeds in that compost. I made 'em into a puree and froze them (silicone muffin molds make a great way of portioning out pucks in the freezer). Just a week ago, I made pumpkin bread from it, and it was delicious. The bin is still producing some great material, and with how little actual gardening I do, I've got more compost than I know what to do with. This evening, I went out to put some material in for the first time in a couple weeks, and discovered a baseball-glove-sized beehive on the underside of the lid.
If you have spunky beer, pour it in too. I also had a fermented project that went south & it went in. The speed of composting was incredible! 200% faster in a packed full composter in less than 4 weeks. Now I save all fermented fluid (saving some for the next ferment) to put in for composting.
I've done a similar system, using 137 gallons "1 ton" bags and leaves. A hole saw running backwards on a drill creates neat aeration holes, without shredding the bag material.
This presentation was very informative! I will absolutely be putting together a couple of these. Thank you for being so forthright and direct. I'm now subscribed to your channel.
My backyard is all concrete so I have everything in raised beds. I started with a trash can like yours and moved up to a black plastic 55 gallon barrel about eight years ago. I have holes drilled all over. I use a lid. I don't use a tube in the center and it sits flat on the concrete. Still, worms find their way inside and proliferate. I shred brown paper bags and brown unprinted cardboard only. I never use bleached paper. Sometimes I add urine mixed with a little molasses. Even with freezing winter temperatures in Philly my compost breaks down by spring planting. I sift it through a stucco wire mesh and add perlite and chicken manure based fertilizer. I have thought about adding an aerator stone near the bottom, with a pump that is used for fish tanks, to add oxygen to the pile. But with so many worms doing their job it hasn't been necessary. As long as I add enough brown ingredients I haven't had a problem with it going anaerobic like I did the first year, after adding so much pulp from making juice. I have even put pineapple rinds and banana peels together in the food processor with egg shells and coffee grounds and blended it all fine before adding it to the pile. (Please don't tell my wife). 😜
I’ve heard of adding molasses to feed the microbial life before - but I’ve never heard of adding urine with the molasses. Can you tell me about it? I’m assuming it’s your (human) urine you’re adding, yes? How much and what ratio? What’s the logic behind adding the urine/what does it provide to the compost or composting process? I’ve got plenty of it, and the price is right (free is for me! 😉) so if it can help my composting struggles then I’m all for it! But, I have had my share of composting struggles, and I don’t want to make things worse by adding in something I don’t really understand the purpose of and making everything worse….. If you have the time to share some of your hard-earned wisdom, it would be much appreciated 🙏 Regardless, I wish you well and thank you for sharing as much detail as you already have. It is very valuable for those of us still poking around for the right formula to make composting work for us!
Found this video while researching the bio reactor for my garden... I now have 3 bins and some drain pipe coming next week. Hopefully this will do better my traditional open bin
So glad I watched your video. I did the bin as you did but it took so long, but I had great compost. I started a new one , wasn't going to as I have a small garden & the time it took, but as I said started again but the pipe at the centre is so simple but a great idea , gonna give it a go . Thanks
Hi Diego,you can do it quicker,if you combine two proses,first start with maggots,after flies will lay eggs(not going to details how to attract them)maggots will eat your pile in no time,they will not fly out if you close the lid on day 3,or you conect some sort of pipe and they will escape ,good chicken fed,and then give it to worms,I exedently did it for fishing purposes and it's super fast.Its a first time I share this ,you are so passionate about gardening that I feel like sharing it.Thanks for you afford.
This is about the eighth video on composting I've watched tonight into the early morning hours. YOu simple set up resembles what I imagine to do with making my composter more efficient. I had the idea of the drainpipe with holes come into my mind without seeing one. I am already using just a garbage pail like yours but I realized I need to see what are some of the options out there to make my composting work at max level. So your method seems like a simple way to go. I have one pail that is square and one that is round. I found a barbecue grill top the other day that I will put at the bottom of the square pail (which is about a foot taller than the round one). I will add aluminum screening material to the grill to keep matter from falling through the grill (at the bottom). I think this will increase the air at the bottom of the composter. I will also mount the bottom of the drain pipe to the grill probably with wire so it can't move around. Thanks for your video!
Oooo...... and I have an unlimited supply of mule manure to play with. 😁 Thank you so much for this idea. I’m in a high-value neighborhood that wouldn’t be fond of the idea of an exposed heap. This looks like the idea I was waiting to find. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Oh, I am totally going to do this! I'm older and just can't turn compost piles that are big. I love the Johnson Su method and have wanted to do that, but it just seemed too big of a project. THIS I can handle! I need a new garbage can so I'll use the old one and pick up a couple of inexpensive new onesI'll start with 3 and see how that goes. Will add more if this does what I need. .
I just harvested a 64 gal bin on wheels and had to crawl inside to get the "mat" out which was really dense. I like that it is rectangular and can lay flat or on a couple of blocks for me to work with it. I sifted the bottom section out for several bags of great compost and removed the rest to bins and another barrel with hole pipe. Before filling it up again, I inserted a grate into the bottom this time supported by two 3/4" pvc pipes to allow aeration underneath with the ability to create a "door" and insert a drip tray to collect compost tea. Because of the wider diameter, I can fit my pitchfork into and around the center pvc pipe to mix things a little when I add new materials. I have thousands of worms which I distributed to a few other barrels along with more shredded leaves - one of which is a tumbler type that came with the house when I bought it. Will be interesting to see which one produces more compost in a shorter amount of time. When I returned a week later to empty out a barrel that had the center pipe I was amazed by all the worms located in the bottom section of the barrel around the holes.... I put kitchen scraps into the pipe to feed the worms in the lower part of the pipe and leave the rest open for air. I'm dreaming about compost and worms now! So abundant! I call it "Worm Town Condominiums...." lol.
I like this idea. I did make one and am trying it out. Seems great so far. Filled it up pretty quick though so I've started a 2nd one. No bad smells, it just looks like a couple of clean trash cans. I noticed a few gnats around the bottom of it the other day so it must be working. So far so good! 😊
wow, no smells for real?? im looking to start one, but given my previous experiences with smells, I wonder how smells are with this approach, thanks for your input!
@@processofelimination8967 I’ve never composted before but want to try this. He mentions in the video your neighbors might not be happy so I gather that’s because it DOES smell…?
@@Kruise1982 my first compost pile had smell and flies around it. Turned out, I had too much green, so I added more dry leaves and mixed it well so that green components are all covered. No smell, no flies.
@@lindakean7392 I think he meant from having plastic trash cans with holes sitting around. Things like HOAs not liking stuff like that visible from the street and so on.
I have had my composting in a trash can but I didn’t put a big pipe in the center and holes around, instead I turned it over and alternating the brown and the green materials but later I got tired of it now I’m adding dirt from my previous compost and it’s hard I thank you for this informative EDC and will follow. 🙏🏻♥️👍👍
I kind of, sorta started the same thing 2 years ago. I aquired a couple brute barrols when I sold my recycling, and the had some in the dumpster. 1 had a big crack in the bottom already, so I simply put it down, in the grass, about 10 ft from my door, and started tossing in sticks, and soil out of my tumbler. I have been meaning to dump it out, and see how well it had broken down, but just havn't gotten to it yet. This spring I plan to dump it out, and restart it, with a small amount of the same material in the bottom, then mix in the remaining sticks, with new wet scraps. I have no cover in it, so I haven't put much of any food scraps directly in it (until breaking them down some in my tumbler), but each year Iam getting a little more serious about gardening, and you ALWAYS need good soil! :)
TY so much for this video. I use a trash barrel already. I drill holes around the circumference interior & fill with coffee grounds. YES Now I will put in a center pipe as shown. I think this will help extensively helping to maintain the aerobic factor.
Solves so many issues relative to a basic compost pile. I had one for years with wrap-around wire mesh on outside and was quite cumbersome to deal with and wide diameter (3') resulted in poor aeration of middle and water evaporating on the outside in hot summers.
I’m just thinking here... what if you drilled holes around the top side maybe 1 inch below the top. Snap that lid on and when it rains not much rain water would get in like it could if you drilled on the top. Just a thought. 🥰
@@cathylittle75, a little rain never hurt a compost pile, as long as it’s not trapped and stagnating. If standing water can seep out at the bottom it wouldn’t be a problem. In dry situations it’s helpful to water the pile.
That's nearly identical to my dog poo, humanure, poisonous weeds, coffee grounds, chicken intestine reactor... only difference is that I am using a bottomless water tank, three perforated center pipes with many more holes. I haven't perforated the outside tank as yet because I was concerned about flies and cockroaches. Maybe I needn't be so concerned. The top I cover with two cut tyre rings and a piece of shade cloth. The main filling material is half processed chunky sawdust out of the chicken coop. I gradually fill it up and let it sit while another one is filled. I sometimes open up additional air ducts with a rebar stick. It is only hot in the most recently filled top layer and then cool. When it's supposedly done (about six months in summer and longer for the winter compost) the worms mainly disappear because their food source seems scarce. I add it to my hot compost pile because I am never sure if it was hot enough for long enough or processed enough to eliminate pathogens. Then after the hot compost pile I add it around my trees. I always wonder if the penultimate step is necessary.
Hey Ann! If it were me I would definitely include that penultimate step, especially because of the humanure input. Then again, I wouldn't be as concerned if it was left for a REALLY long time, like 2 years to be safe. I would say either time or heat is a really good idea though.
If I add "humanure which is only cover material and urine, I don't worry about the time & temp as much. I use two humanure buckets; one has urine & feces with cover material (I prefer leaves, which I collect from curbs in the fall) and the other has leaves and just urine. I add dog poo and animal trimmings to the one with human feces, which always has a two year cycle time after the last addition to the pile. If I know I'm going to start a new bed in a couple of years, I start the pile there.
I'm going to try this. My compost went anaerobic last year and it was a bad time. I think adding the pipe in the middle and making the holes in the sides of my can would improve my current process.
Depending on the humidity of your area or the mositure at the bottom I do a few extra steps. Seems to help it from going anarobic. I'll take off the lid once a week for at least 12 hours. I'll even transfer it to another bin to get the stuff at the bottom on top and vice versa once every 2-3 weeks. It's a bit of extra work but seems to speed up the process.
I have a can just like this without the center tube, and have had some issues with anaerobic conditions where things "settle" near the bottom of the can. I think you just gave me the answer, Diego!
I plan to graduate to this method soon, but right now I'm going even smaller! My dog's kibble comes in a heavy plastic/foil bag which I have cut some holes in and tucked under a tree. I've found that various types of squash aren't too picky and like to grow in unfinished compost, so, being currently low on planter pots, I'm considering topping them off with several inches of soil and potting some squash directly in them. Just need to figure out how I'm going to reinforce it for stability, maybe just some stakes and a few bricks.
GREAT Tutorial!! is there any need to move the compost around with a pitchfork? other videos indicate that, LOVE the center PVC, makes a lot of sense for air to get in!!
I was happy to see your thumb painted purple because the fist one I caught was your red index and thought you smashed it or lost a nail. Thank god you’re just fabulous instead :)
I hope you are still making compost videos because I'm about to subscribe. I don't know why, but I enjoy making compost and watching compost videos about as much as I do gardening. Maybe more.
I like your method of making compost. I would be a bit hesitant to leave the lid unfastened as I know that the raccoons would get into the container. Would it still work if the Iid was securely fastened?
Update 17 April 2022 : I in fact made TWO such units and just emptied both in time for our Spring season. Results were very good with nice looking Compost already spread on most of my Gardens. One important tip is to site the composters on very level ground and make sure the front is inset between the walls and therefore strong enough to hold the unit square. When the raw materials starts to decompose and settle they exert a lot of pressure sideways and if walls aren't held upright things go out of square.
I use a can like this, but I never used the tube (I like the idea and may try it). I tend to take all my scraps out once a week. When I do that, I normally mix it all with a shovel and add water if needed. Depending on the weather and what I put in it, I can get good compost in 2-4 months. I also normally don't fill it more than 3/4 of the way full at any time. This way it is easier to turn and allows more air under the lid (I do have small wholes in my lid).
Very good presentation and information, I started to compost this year because miracle crow is I light weight peat moss and nothing was growing, so I decided to compost
Sooooo going to start this after the new year!!! Thank you! There is a lot of info on composting out there and this is by far the simplest setup that I have seen!
I just had this happen myself. I had two of those trash cans full of small woodchips with drainage holes in the bottom. I thought that I had used them for some reason, so they sat forgotten for about 5 years in an out of the way spot of my yard. When I discovered that they were still full, I went to use them to mulch a full row, and discovered that under the surface chips was thick rich compost! I was very happy, since wood chips are fast to aquire, but this kind of compost is like long term gold! Definitely considering your ventilation methods to do this again at a faster rate.
This just happened to me after 1 single year. A maybe 25 gallon garbage can with lid off, full of wood shavings and maybe 2 liters of urine twice. Went to use for mulch and was pleased to see they were mostly disolved.
@@jeil5676 mine were covered with a lid, on tightly, and dry. Only the drainage holes in the bottom, totally forgotten, so that's probably why it took so long. Imagine my surprise, lol.
5 years ? try 2 months in Iowa summer to turn wood chips in bags into soil. - normally wood binds nitrogen for a time while being boken down. A woman in Iowa (she wrote about it in in the comment section of another video, so there is no reason to think she exaggerated - for views for instance) said she had a lucky accident. She found untreated, organic pine chips, coarse material, and as they were hard to find she ordered several bags, more than she needed. She used part of it as cover. Iowa summers are sunny but with good rain too. The clear bags stood outside and soaked up water (organic chips, maybe the suppliers used a bag material that degrades easily, so it let in the water). Plus lots of solar energy trapped in the clear bags. The chips broke down into beautiful soil in 2 months. No idea where the nitrogen came from - they for sure could not take it from surrounding soil. I guess that in the absence of any easy nitrogen sources either fungi prevailed that can do without, or they can harvest nitrogen from the air (which would be even better). Of course one could help them by taking a half rotten piece of wood laying it inot water and dispersing them in all the bag when watering it for the first time. I guess that could even process saw dust (added). or one takes it one step further and sets up a wine cap / oyster cap production. They are very good in handling wood, if you are lucky you can even harvest mushrooms, even if you are not very intentional about it. Else it is "only" sil. If in soil the fungi will prevail that do bind nitrogen so that is a problem if the are in a zone where the roots of your veggies are supposed to be. Because then they draw nitrogen that your plants would need. But there are people burying logs in slightly ! raised beds and the veggies that are planted above do not suffer, it depends if there is a zone for wood and one for plants (with and w/o short term nitrogen lack). Marine Gardener (You have all the soil you need) just buried logs in his slightly raised beds then put the soil back in (he wanted to fill up the bed, he had added compost and that volume had gone down, normally he has no till beds). He intended to plant beets later, and had buried logs before, no problem with nitrogen lack. of course one could also give some urin, blood or fish meal with water, compost or nettle teas to improve the nitrogen situation.
People say that one can inoculate wood logs, chips even sawdust with fungi (wine cap, oyster), they are very good in breaking down the carbon rich bio mass and if it is warm enough (summer or year round mild temperatures) you can even harvest mushrooms. Else they "only" produce soil.
@@xyzsame4081 5 years only because I had completely forgotten about those containers, thinking they were empty. A combination of fungus and ants did the work, and created enough compost to make one whole new garden bed (in ground) 30" X 12' approximately. A happy surprise for me!
Done this but not much success. I need to re-do and thanks for clearing things up. It's always nice to remember these things now and again. Thanks for sharing.
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Ive been farming all my life, even during my mechanic/welder career. I bought a 6 acre property on the top of a hill with only rock and dg and red clay (no top soil). Very dry, rock hard soil. I added 6" of wood chips from a free truck load tree service. In 30 days I had earthworms. Even green wood chips work wonders. Today I grow Hass avocados organic.. Works for me!
Great vids, keep em comin.☺
So in other words, those earthworms simply know how to get there.
The power of organic matter!
Great video Diego. Just wanted to say thank you for the content you put out. I'm not exaggerating the slightest bit when I say it changed my life. I figuratively stumbled across your podcast Farm Small Farm Smart with Curtis about two years ago while working at my old job. I immediately fell in love with small-scale regenerative farming. I called my wife and told her to check it out and to let me know what she thought. Two hours later she called me back and said "let's go for it" I walked into my bosses office that day and tendered my resignation. We started market farming that spring and we haven't looked back since. It's been a wild ride with ups and downs but we are succeeding! We're building our future on this farm, and you and Curtis played a huge part in that. So thank you again. I really can't explain how much I appreciate it!
Dude: Can you and your brave wife make some videos sharing your gutsy story!?
This system is exactly what I'm looking for. It's simple, compact, and feels like the perfect fit for my urban living needs. I can't wait to try it!
I made a couple of these years ago and I am wanting to make some more. I cut out the bottom inner circle and buried it in the soil up about 4-6” from the bottom. It worked great. If I needed to move it I leaned it to one side, put a piece of scrap wood under it and moved it with a hand truck. I never had problems with worms not finding it. It was a composting machine.
I think the area of compost is somewhere that people spend so much time worrying about. I really like this setup because it really can be this easy. Heck, just a pile of stuff WILL decompose, it's just a matter of how and how long. Try to keep it aerobic, try to get it as big as possible, but at the end of the day, don't sweat it and don't worry. It will all work out, just get busy, and get going! Great video Diego.
You're right, but it turns out "as big as possible" isn't really true either. A cubic meter is all you need to guarantee a good hot compost. If the pile is any bigger than that, you just run into problems with it going anaerobic or simply sitting there doing nothing.
Unless of course you have a way to get air into it, which of course is the whole point of the Johnson-Su style.
For me its been how with zero soil do i keep it topped so no fly generation. Now i have some materials to throw over such bits n its good, working on high volume using wood n leaf chips my worms are the best.
I needed to hear that!!!
: )
I just built two of these, but I made a few improvements to the design. I attached the pipe to the bottom of the can using stainless steel wire. That way it is guaranteed not to move from the center of the can. I also cut a hole in the lid so that the pipe sticks out of the top of the lid. That way the pipe actually acts as a chimney as the warm air rises in the tube and out the top and also pulls oxygen into the holes in the can.
Does incoming rainwater seem to have any negative impact?
@@danaaustin7647
The way I have it designed rainwater can't really affect it. I still have the original cover over the trash can with the hole cut in the cover just large enough to fit the pipe through it. Therefore, rainwater can't get to the actual material. The rain that enters the center pipe will simply fall all the way to the bottom of the trash can and out the holes drilled in the bottom of the trash can.
But isnt the warm air to stay in
@@livelovelaugh3105
The heat is generated by the bacteria using oxygen to consume the organic material. The warm air rising up the chimney pipe pulls more fresh oxygen into the container so that the bacteria will be more active. It is similar to the chimney on a woodstove pulling more oxygen into the fire.
@@danaaustin7647 If it rained an inch, the can would only get a couple of ounces of water in the can.
You could put a few inches of twigs and small rotting branch material in the bottom to help aeriation.
You could place one of these on each of your rotation beds and the liquid will drain out and feed your crops as the contents decompose. The finished compost is then tipped straight over when it is ready.
Alternatively, if you want to maximise your growing space and have room for several bins in one composting area, you could grow Comfrey and maybe stinging nettles around the bins and the juices will leach out and feed your live compost crop around the bins.
Good job.
Genius, regarding placement for run-off....
And here I am, getting ready to order some comfrey crowns and wondering where I’d plant them. Thanks Carl. 😊
@@sweetsue4204 what do you use comfrey crowns for? I’m a new gardener this year..;)
@@lindakean7392 After you plant the comfrey crowns, you have to let the comfrey grow up. When it gets tall, you chop it down and put the cuttings into a large plastic barrel or garbage can. Add water to the chopped leaves and stems and let it steep for a week or two, to make comfrey tea for your plants. It is great liquid fertilizer. You can do this on a smaller scale in a 5-gallon bucket.
I love the idea of putting these in the beds! Do you know how small the cans could be and still work well? I’m picturing a raised garden bed 3 feet wide and maybe 6 feet long, Probably needing two cans.
Fantastic. Another option for the center duct. I've used 1/2 inch hardware mesh to make 4 inch tubes. It's the same principle when you don't have the PVC pipe. Thanks for the great info Diego. Gardening on the cheap is the future.
is that made of metal? do you worry that the metal would leech into the compost?
@@fosterfoday Everything has to be made of something. It all came from the earth and I like to let the soil life and my plants sort all of that out for themselves.
To be honest, watching this I'm more concerned with the plastic leaching into the soil.
But if it's not the concern I think it is, I now have some use for some containers we no longer need out in the shed.
Great tip on using hardware mesh for the inner chimney!
I tried to use hardware mesh in my compost bin to put rats away from my bin, but after a couple of months, they became rusty and broke down.
Thanks for sharing this easy and inexpensive way to compost. I first saw your video a while ago but saved it knowing if I'm going to compost, this is the way I would go. Finally built this yesterday and happened to have all the materials on hand. Very pleased filing it up with leaves, kitchen scraps, garden debris, and more. Thanks again!
I make a hole in the top of the lid , my center pipe extends 6 to 8" above the lid. Year after year this works.
Great video, thank you.12 inches from air will create anaerobic conditions is a really useful rule. I use some cardboard egg cartons and twigs every so often for mine to help aerate the compost and act as a brown too. I also find that worms know a good thing when they smell it and will find their way in. I add some wire mesh inside to keep the rodents out.
As someone who just got interested in composting, this was very informative. Definitely the best video I've seen to help you get started with a bin setup. Thanks!
First time commenting but want you to know how much you have blessed our home with you wisdom. All of your videos are so insightful, well thought out and explained very clearly. Have done a pallet Johnson that we did in the suburbs and had my husband thinking I was nuts until I made yards and yards of compost that was beautiful. You inspired us that we could be more self sufficient, eat healthier and include the whole family in something fun. We have our two special needs kiddos watch your videos to help with homeschooling as you do such a great job explaining- the aha moments are priceless and I believe God has used you as a ministry. We have branched out after 10 yrs of living in town and am looking forward to incorporating the EDC method on our new homestead. Be blessed knowing what you do matters and is so appreciated. 🤗💯
I’ve thought about this concept too, making the same observation about small spots and attracting worms. Thanks for making this video. the middle tube for aeration is genius. you could stabilize it by piercing several horizontal bars from one side (thru the holes) thru the center tube to the other side wall.
The idea of a pipe in the middle with holes for air access is good but, for easy lazy reason, I use a thick rebar in the middle and time to time wiggle is to create space for air to reach down in the space created. Sometime I take it out and just push it in a non-central position, hammering it in if does not go down easily.
Good idea!
Ooo thanks for this idea I think I'll try that first. 💖
Oh that's a great solution! I'm about to do this for the first time myself, a d if I don't have to purchase a 10ft pipe, that needs to be cut down then great!!!
This is a great idea for my already existing pile.
I might just try a 2x4 and wiggle that around! more than I'm doing already in my square trashcan composter.
I do this with 55 gal blue barrels I get from a local bottler. I usually pick up 3 a year for $30. Some become composters , some become huge compost tea brewers n I use 2 for rainwater harvesting waters for my chickens.
I 😍 LOVE all of info you provided on the center tube and more holes in the bottom to create better aeration to prevent anaerobic conditions. I have watched a dozen of these DIY Trash Can composting videos and nobody else has mentioned this. Thank you VERY much 👍.
I love your thorough, thoughtful and generous advice. I’ve been worm composting for 15 years and have an old trash can I wanted to convert so that I can keep expanding my compost in a discreet manner 😉
-neighbors can be noisy. Thank you! 💚😊💙
This info is right on the mark. You are a good think tank person. You are curious and a problem solver. We need more people like you. Sending blessings to you and yours!
I started off using the bins and old drums with holes in them. Main ingredient was horse poop and they worked really well. Was going to set up another IBC cage Johnson-su style but am thinking I might just pull out the bins instead.🤔 Thanks Diego. 👍👍
This is a game changer for me! I came across this today and this and I will be starting one here in January in a garden that surely needs rejuvenating. Thank you so much Diego for sharing your knowledge and passion for the soil.
Soil wizard, your wisdom permeates the internet biome substrate 🌎
I did this for several years, and didn't know someone else thought of it. I just thought I was being thrifty. Eventually raccoons found it, made one of the holes a lot bigger and made a mess. So I have gone to using smaller containers throughout the garden, putting a smaller pot on top . The results are not a good though, so I'll be going back to your method this year. The addition of the center tube will be a huge improvement, so I don't have to lay the barrel on the ground and roll it around.
You could try using a chicken wire wrap around the can, or making a cage of it that you just sit down over the top. Don't know if it'll work but thought I'd share.
I made one year before last and it works great for my needs. I really like that you so clearly and concisely shared this information but are not too dogmatic about how it should be done. You make it seem very easy and doable, thank you!
Awesome video! I’ve been thinking about composting as our garden has been expanding, but i live in an urban/suburban environment so wasn’t exactly sure how I would do it. This is nice and simple, and contained enough to not cause issues with the neighbors. Thanks!
This made me think of adding a small bin in each of my garden beds. I have some old milk crates that already have tons of holes in them. I could dig them down a little into the bed and add scraps continuously both during the growing season and through the winter.
My husband is on board with my compost habits now but has requested a bin closer to the house so I won't have to tromp the kitchen scrap bin out to the main one in bad winter weather.
So. I just sent him this video. Coming Soon, To a Just-Off-the-Back-Deck near you! 😉
You can always tell when a great dad has daughters. Love the nail polish #dadlife
So great to hear about your observations because I noticed the same thing. Instead of using a garbage can, I drilled holes into a large plastic bucket that is easier for me to move around and handle. I had three of them. ONE PROBLEM. I live in Texas where it is very hot in the summer. The worms do not like the heat and go further underground. A plastic bucket can get too hot. Maybe it works better in a garbage can, but when the temperature doesn't go down at night, I found it to be a problem.
Maybe burying the buckets at least a foot 'in-situ' in the beds would work better for you, as the soil is cooler than the air!
Robbie (their channel is Robbie and Gary...) in S California uses lots of containers to compost in place in the totes she gardens in!
I was thinking of doing something similar in the ground near my newest bed.
Thank you, I appreciate all you do. One of my favorite things about your channel is you show beginning to end of some of your projects.
there was not beginning to end. how does he rotate? how does he conserve air space? how do you keep adding but use finished product??
@@vrod0745 he didn't even show us what to put in there and how often or how much. To be fair, he probably put that in a different video.
Got one 60 gallon and three 30 gallon compost cans. Beautiful. The 60 gets directly into the soil once a year. The others used for seed germination and topping.
Always presents logically and clearly .....and with lots of food for thought.
Food for worms
I have one I started last year, and I love how it works so quickly! I live in north Tx, and in the early spring (Feb-March) I can have compost as early as June if I keep my veg pieces cut small
Nice! I'm in North Texas too and just started mine a couple months ago. Hopefully I will have some compost this summer for the fall garden!
That’s awesome! I think I’m going to try this too. Thanks!
How are your compost cans doing in North Texas now? I just started one here in DFW. Any tips for the winter months here?
Thanks! I just made two to supplement the tumbler I currently have. One big issue I have with the tumbler is no worms unless I introduce them. I’m looking forward to using these!
Diego u really made me laugh😂 lying on the ground explaining your can great video all the best from Ireland
Geraldine🐦
Great series with all these back yard home composting designs. I like this one the best.
My first "compost bin" was nothing but a garbage can drilled full of holes like that. It worked fine. I can see where adding the tube up the center will help, though. Great vid as always, thanks.
I agree with you. For me it should contain all natural sources. Eventually they get into the food.
One major take away...when making compost videos...lie down in every possible position
“This is the way.”
You have to think like a worm
I LIKE IT for a urban garden its perfect (I prefer turn mine during 21 days and its done)
We can do the same idea with few small bucket and put it here and there directly in the garden soil and let just enough air flow (holes) around the bucket and at the top
The compost tea go direct in the soil for biology.
Thank you 😊🌶🥒🥬🥦🍒
I did one just like yours, but burried in the ground.
After 3 months i harvested quality black gold, fluffy and organic rich
I think yours is probably the most brilliant. :-) I don't think he needs as much air as he thinks he does.
I have a feeling the air is what really gets it going. I store my winter greens in a can but its always anaerobic on bottom when it thaws in spring.
@@nitanice Both are great imho. Air is necessary for these little microbes. That's why i drilled holes on the side, on the bottom and on the top.
@@pepguardiola1537 right, I was considering burying one like this, but only 6" or a foot in the ground. (Because it's essentially impossible to dig any deeper than that here by hand - my suburban yard is nothing but hardpack clay and rock fill.)
really?... you just took a pile of nitrogen and carbon sources and buried em in the ground... and then dug em up later?
Thanks great video, best of class (trash can composting). 2 suggestions: a) many experts recommend black trash cans because they heat up a little more, and b) where we live the wind will blow the lid off the can in no time unless the lid is secure. But holes can be drilled in the lid that will let air through, and will add some moisture also. Again thanks for a super video.
Absolutely the best composting solution I've seen on RUclips, thank you!
Lots of info to absorb in a concise video. Nicely done. Thanks for inspiring us composting newbies
Great video I use this same type of container for composting also. If you add some sticks to the very bottom you will add more airflow and it won't go as anaerobic. I have not used the center pipe before that is a great idea.
Finally!!! Every 20 videos or so you come across 1 that hits just right. Salute! I'm definitely on it. I've been experimenting with my compost set up the last 3 weeks. I was in ground before with a pallet wrapped in mesh netting as a base and pallet cover. I love this method though. Brilliant, simple and well explained. Give thanks*
I suggest you try this. I live in a standard neighborhood. I've got about a quarter acre with around 500 square feet of garden space and I use 3 black trash cans to build Compost. It works but I'm going to start trying some variety of this bio-reactor this year. Good luck!
Thank you I’m about to start my Quail journey and was thinking of ways to deal with all the poop THIS is great because we have recently moved on this land and also needed to fig out composting but I DID NOT WANT TO TURN
Thanks I’m definitely going to set up my first one tomorrow
I set one of these up about a year ago, and had just slowly been adding to it. We don't do a lot of cooking in my house, but whatever small scraps we've had went in along with grass clippings and shredded up cardboard from Amazon deliveries. I finally dumped it out and found the bottom half of it was in beautiful condition while the top half was pretty dry. I'm paying closer attention to the blend going forward.
I used some of the good stuff from deeper down as a soil amendment before starting some veggies this year, and now i've got pumpkin sprouts coming up alongside tomatoes and cucumbers. The scoopings from jack-o-lanterns last year are back with a vengeance lol. Gonna keep 'em thinned out and see if I can harvest a couple before the summer heat does too much damage to 'em.
One year later: I got five sizeable gourds out of the stowaway pumpkin seeds in that compost. I made 'em into a puree and froze them (silicone muffin molds make a great way of portioning out pucks in the freezer). Just a week ago, I made pumpkin bread from it, and it was delicious. The bin is still producing some great material, and with how little actual gardening I do, I've got more compost than I know what to do with. This evening, I went out to put some material in for the first time in a couple weeks, and discovered a baseball-glove-sized beehive on the underside of the lid.
If you have spunky beer, pour it in too. I also had a fermented project that went south & it went in. The speed of composting was incredible! 200% faster in a packed full composter in less than 4 weeks. Now I save all fermented fluid (saving some for the next ferment) to put in for composting.
I eat a lot of sauerkraut...I always drain the liquid and save it
Spunky beer sounds awful to the British ear
You are one of my primary go-to RUclips garden sites. You bring logic and science to the gardeners on a backyard scale. Many thanks for your efforts.
I've done a similar system, using 137 gallons "1 ton" bags and leaves. A hole saw running backwards on a drill creates neat aeration holes, without shredding the bag material.
This presentation was very informative! I will absolutely be putting together a couple of these. Thank you for being so forthright and direct. I'm now subscribed to your channel.
Around you, there’re a lot of leaves which are very good for composing as well.
My backyard is all concrete so I have everything in raised beds. I started with a trash can like yours and moved up to a black plastic 55 gallon barrel about eight years ago. I have holes drilled all over. I use a lid. I don't use a tube in the center and it sits flat on the concrete. Still, worms find their way inside and proliferate. I shred brown paper bags and brown unprinted cardboard only. I never use bleached paper. Sometimes I add urine mixed with a little molasses. Even with freezing winter temperatures in Philly my compost breaks down by spring planting. I sift it through a stucco wire mesh and add perlite and chicken manure based fertilizer. I have thought about adding an aerator stone near the bottom, with a pump that is used for fish tanks, to add oxygen to the pile. But with so many worms doing their job it hasn't been necessary. As long as I add enough brown ingredients I haven't had a problem with it going anaerobic like I did the first year, after adding so much pulp from making juice. I have even put pineapple rinds and banana peels together in the food processor with egg shells and coffee grounds and blended it all fine before adding it to the pile. (Please don't tell my wife). 😜
I’ve heard of adding molasses to feed the microbial life before - but I’ve never heard of adding urine with the molasses. Can you tell me about it?
I’m assuming it’s your (human) urine you’re adding, yes? How much and what ratio? What’s the logic behind adding the urine/what does it provide to the compost or composting process?
I’ve got plenty of it, and the price is right (free is for me! 😉) so if it can help my composting struggles then I’m all for it!
But, I have had my share of composting struggles, and I don’t want to make things worse by adding in something I don’t really understand the purpose of and making everything worse…..
If you have the time to share some of your hard-earned wisdom, it would be much appreciated 🙏
Regardless, I wish you well and thank you for sharing as much detail as you already have. It is very valuable for those of us still poking around for the right formula to make composting work for us!
I like this guy. You know your stuff. I enjoy simplicity for the lesser issues in my life.
really nice overview of this system :). I have been using a trash can method for a while, but the middle pipe is a great addition.
Found this video while researching the bio reactor for my garden...
I now have 3 bins and some drain pipe coming next week. Hopefully this will do better my traditional open bin
So glad I watched your video. I did the bin as you did but it took so long, but I had great compost. I started a new one , wasn't going to as I have a small garden & the time it took, but as I said started again but the pipe at the centre is so simple but a great idea , gonna give it a go . Thanks
Thank you. I’ve been using buckets to make compost and want something larger. This looks like a great way to move up my compost efforts.
This was great! Either you have a daughter or you're just a diva! I absolutely loved the fingernail polish.💜💜💜
Both! 😂
Hi Diego,you can do it quicker,if you combine two proses,first start with maggots,after flies will lay eggs(not going to details how to attract them)maggots will eat your pile in no time,they will not fly out if you close the lid on day 3,or you conect some sort of pipe and they will escape ,good chicken fed,and then give it to worms,I exedently did it for fishing purposes and it's super fast.Its a first time I share this ,you are so passionate about gardening that I feel like sharing it.Thanks for you afford.
This is about the eighth video on composting I've watched tonight into the early morning hours. YOu simple set up resembles what I imagine to do with making my composter more efficient. I had the idea of the drainpipe with holes come into my mind without seeing one. I am already using just a garbage pail like yours but I realized I need to see what are some of the options out there to make my composting work at max level. So your method seems like a simple way to go. I have one pail that is square and one that is round. I found a barbecue grill top the other day that I will put at the bottom of the square pail (which is about a foot taller than the round one). I will add aluminum screening material to the grill to keep matter from falling through the grill (at the bottom). I think this will increase the air at the bottom of the composter. I will also mount the bottom of the drain pipe to the grill probably with wire so it can't move around. Thanks for your video!
Oooo...... and I have an unlimited supply of mule manure to play with. 😁 Thank you so much for this idea. I’m in a high-value neighborhood that wouldn’t be fond of the idea of an exposed heap. This looks like the idea I was waiting to find. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Oh, I am totally going to do this! I'm older and just can't turn compost piles that are big. I love the Johnson Su method and have wanted to do that, but it just seemed too big of a project. THIS I can handle! I need a new garbage can so I'll use the old one and pick up a couple of inexpensive new onesI'll start with 3 and see how that goes. Will add more if this does what I need. .
I love this clip. The center column is a perfect addition to my current 3 tier composter
I just harvested a 64 gal bin on wheels and had to crawl inside to get the "mat" out which was really dense. I like that it is rectangular and can lay flat or on a couple of blocks for me to work with it. I sifted the bottom section out for several bags of great compost and removed the rest to bins and another barrel with hole pipe. Before filling it up again, I inserted a grate into the bottom this time supported by two 3/4" pvc pipes to allow aeration underneath with the ability to create a "door" and insert a drip tray to collect compost tea. Because of the wider diameter, I can fit my pitchfork into and around the center pvc pipe to mix things a little when I add new materials. I have thousands of worms which I distributed to a few other barrels along with more shredded leaves - one of which is a tumbler type that came with the house when I bought it. Will be interesting to see which one produces more compost in a shorter amount of time. When I returned a week later to empty out a barrel that had the center pipe I was amazed by all the worms located in the bottom section of the barrel around the holes.... I put kitchen scraps into the pipe to feed the worms in the lower part of the pipe and leave the rest open for air. I'm dreaming about compost and worms now! So abundant! I call it "Worm Town Condominiums...." lol.
I’m am going to do this!! Great idea.. This is my year for composting. I’ve been kitchen composting it’s invigorating.
I like this idea. I did make one and am trying it out. Seems great so far. Filled it up pretty quick though so I've started a 2nd one. No bad smells, it just looks like a couple of clean trash cans. I noticed a few gnats around the bottom of it the other day so it must be working. So far so good! 😊
wow, no smells for real?? im looking to start one, but given my previous experiences with smells, I wonder how smells are with this approach, thanks for your input!
@@Kruise1982 if your compost stinks you’re doing it wrong...
@@processofelimination8967 I’ve never composted before but want to try this. He mentions in the video your neighbors might not be happy so I gather that’s because it DOES smell…?
@@Kruise1982 my first compost pile had smell and flies around it. Turned out, I had too much green, so I added more dry leaves and mixed it well so that green components are all covered. No smell, no flies.
@@lindakean7392 I think he meant from having plastic trash cans with holes sitting around. Things like HOAs not liking stuff like that visible from the street and so on.
Nice!! The pipe down the middle to provide oxygen is brilliant!!!
I have had my composting in a trash can but I didn’t put a big pipe in the center and holes around, instead I turned it over and alternating the brown and the green materials but later I got tired of it now I’m adding dirt from my previous compost and it’s hard I thank you for this informative EDC and will follow. 🙏🏻♥️👍👍
I kind of, sorta started the same thing 2 years ago. I aquired a couple brute barrols when I sold my recycling, and the had some in the dumpster. 1 had a big crack in the bottom already, so I simply put it down, in the grass, about 10 ft from my door, and started tossing in sticks, and soil out of my tumbler. I have been meaning to dump it out, and see how well it had broken down, but just havn't gotten to it yet. This spring I plan to dump it out, and restart it, with a small amount of the same material in the bottom, then mix in the remaining sticks, with new wet scraps. I have no cover in it, so I haven't put much of any food scraps directly in it (until breaking them down some in my tumbler), but each year Iam getting a little more serious about gardening, and you ALWAYS need good soil! :)
TY so much for this video. I use a trash barrel already. I drill holes around the circumference interior & fill with coffee grounds. YES Now I will put in a center pipe as shown. I think this will help extensively helping to maintain the aerobic factor.
Big THANK-YOU to you Diego! This is much needed content.
Solves so many issues relative to a basic compost pile. I had one for years with wrap-around wire mesh on outside and was quite cumbersome to deal with and wide diameter (3') resulted in poor aeration of middle and water evaporating on the outside in hot summers.
Now I know what to do with those old bins I have been hanging on to or can get free from local dump.
One can drill a couple of small holes in the lid for aeration in order to snap down the lid, so it can’t blow away.
I’m just thinking here... what if you drilled holes around the top side maybe 1 inch below the top. Snap that lid on and when it rains not much rain water would get in like it could if you drilled on the top. Just a thought. 🥰
@@cathylittle75, a little rain never hurt a compost pile, as long as it’s not trapped and stagnating. If standing water can seep out at the bottom it wouldn’t be a problem. In dry situations it’s helpful to water the pile.
That's nearly identical to my dog poo, humanure, poisonous weeds, coffee grounds, chicken intestine reactor... only difference is that I am using a bottomless water tank, three perforated center pipes with many more holes. I haven't perforated the outside tank as yet because I was concerned about flies and cockroaches. Maybe I needn't be so concerned. The top I cover with two cut tyre rings and a piece of shade cloth. The main filling material is half processed chunky sawdust out of the chicken coop. I gradually fill it up and let it sit while another one is filled. I sometimes open up additional air ducts with a rebar stick. It is only hot in the most recently filled top layer and then cool. When it's supposedly done (about six months in summer and longer for the winter compost) the worms mainly disappear because their food source seems scarce. I add it to my hot compost pile because I am never sure if it was hot enough for long enough or processed enough to eliminate pathogens. Then after the hot compost pile I add it around my trees. I always wonder if the penultimate step is necessary.
Hey Ann! If it were me I would definitely include that penultimate step, especially because of the humanure input. Then again, I wouldn't be as concerned if it was left for a REALLY long time, like 2 years to be safe. I would say either time or heat is a really good idea though.
If I add "humanure which is only cover material and urine, I don't worry about the time & temp as much. I use two humanure buckets; one has urine & feces with cover material (I prefer leaves, which I collect from curbs in the fall) and the other has leaves and just urine. I add dog poo and animal trimmings to the one with human feces, which always has a two year cycle time after the last addition to the pile. If I know I'm going to start a new bed in a couple of years, I start the pile there.
I'm going to try this. My compost went anaerobic last year and it was a bad time. I think adding the pipe in the middle and making the holes in the sides of my can would improve my current process.
Thank you! THis was so informative, and somehow you managed to answer all my questions as they came up in my head!
Depending on the humidity of your area or the mositure at the bottom I do a few extra steps. Seems to help it from going anarobic. I'll take off the lid once a week for at least 12 hours. I'll even transfer it to another bin to get the stuff at the bottom on top and vice versa once every 2-3 weeks. It's a bit of extra work but seems to speed up the process.
I have a can just like this without the center tube, and have had some issues with anaerobic conditions where things "settle" near the bottom of the can. I think you just gave me the answer, Diego!
I plan to graduate to this method soon, but right now I'm going even smaller! My dog's kibble comes in a heavy plastic/foil bag which I have cut some holes in and tucked under a tree. I've found that various types of squash aren't too picky and like to grow in unfinished compost, so, being currently low on planter pots, I'm considering topping them off with several inches of soil and potting some squash directly in them. Just need to figure out how I'm going to reinforce it for stability, maybe just some stakes and a few bricks.
GREAT Tutorial!! is there any need to move the compost around with a pitchfork? other videos indicate that, LOVE the center PVC, makes a lot of sense for air to get in!!
I was happy to see your thumb painted purple because the fist one I caught was your red index and thought you smashed it or lost a nail. Thank god you’re just fabulous instead :)
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I am so glad I stumbled on your video! Genius, sir. Nice, succinct, and informative delivery.
I did this in Augusta GA (minus the pipe) and it worked great. No turning or anything.
Thank you for this wonderful informational video🙏
I already have a similar system going. I will certainly add the center tube in for my next batch.
I hope you are still making compost videos because I'm about to subscribe. I don't know why, but I enjoy making compost and watching compost videos about as much as I do gardening. Maybe more.
I like your method of making compost. I would be a bit hesitant to leave the lid unfastened as I know that the raccoons would get into the container. Would it still work if the Iid was securely fastened?
I wish we had black soldier flies in Utah, I have seen the work they can do and chickens love the larva. Great info Thanks.
Update 17 April 2022 : I in fact made TWO such units and just emptied both in time for our Spring season.
Results were very good with nice looking Compost already spread on most of my Gardens.
One important tip is to site the composters on very level ground and make sure the front is inset between the walls and therefore strong enough to hold the unit square.
When the raw materials starts to decompose and settle they exert a lot of pressure sideways and if walls aren't held upright things go out of square.
I use a can like this, but I never used the tube (I like the idea and may try it). I tend to take all my scraps out once a week. When I do that, I normally mix it all with a shovel and add water if needed. Depending on the weather and what I put in it, I can get good compost in 2-4 months. I also normally don't fill it more than 3/4 of the way full at any time. This way it is easier to turn and allows more air under the lid (I do have small wholes in my lid).
Very good presentation and information, I started to compost this year because miracle crow is I light weight peat moss and nothing was growing, so I decided to compost
YES! Love this idea. Thank you for sharing. And the name Urban "EDC" can sit in my garden any day.
Sooooo going to start this after the new year!!! Thank you! There is a lot of info on composting out there and this is by far the simplest setup that I have seen!
Dang Diego...@5:12 the girls got you hornswaggled in to another Princess party it would appear hahaaha
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I just had this happen myself. I had two of those trash cans full of small woodchips with drainage holes in the bottom. I thought that I had used them for some reason, so they sat forgotten for about 5 years in an out of the way spot of my yard. When I discovered that they were still full, I went to use them to mulch a full row, and discovered that under the surface chips was thick rich compost! I was very happy, since wood chips are fast to aquire, but this kind of compost is like long term gold! Definitely considering your ventilation methods to do this again at a faster rate.
This just happened to me after 1 single year. A maybe 25 gallon garbage can with lid off, full of wood shavings and maybe 2 liters of urine twice. Went to use for mulch and was pleased to see they were mostly disolved.
@@jeil5676 mine were covered with a lid, on tightly, and dry. Only the drainage holes in the bottom, totally forgotten, so that's probably why it took so long. Imagine my surprise, lol.
5 years ? try 2 months in Iowa summer to turn wood chips in bags into soil. - normally wood binds nitrogen for a time while being boken down. A woman in Iowa (she wrote about it in in the comment section of another video, so there is no reason to think she exaggerated - for views for instance) said she had a lucky accident. She found untreated, organic pine chips, coarse material, and as they were hard to find she ordered several bags, more than she needed.
She used part of it as cover. Iowa summers are sunny but with good rain too. The clear bags stood outside and soaked up water (organic chips, maybe the suppliers used a bag material that degrades easily, so it let in the water). Plus lots of solar energy trapped in the clear bags. The chips broke down into beautiful soil in 2 months.
No idea where the nitrogen came from - they for sure could not take it from surrounding soil. I guess that in the absence of any easy nitrogen sources either fungi prevailed that can do without, or they can harvest nitrogen from the air (which would be even better).
Of course one could help them by taking a half rotten piece of wood laying it inot water and dispersing them in all the bag when watering it for the first time. I guess that could even process saw dust (added). or one takes it one step further and sets up a wine cap / oyster cap production. They are very good in handling wood, if you are lucky you can even harvest mushrooms, even if you are not very intentional about it. Else it is "only" sil.
If in soil the fungi will prevail that do bind nitrogen so that is a problem if the are in a zone where the roots of your veggies are supposed to be. Because then they draw nitrogen that your plants would need.
But there are people burying logs in slightly ! raised beds and the veggies that are planted above do not suffer, it depends if there is a zone for wood and one for plants (with and w/o short term nitrogen lack).
Marine Gardener (You have all the soil you need) just buried logs in his slightly raised beds then put the soil back in (he wanted to fill up the bed, he had added compost and that volume had gone down, normally he has no till beds). He intended to plant beets later, and had buried logs before, no problem with nitrogen lack.
of course one could also give some urin, blood or fish meal with water, compost or nettle teas to improve the nitrogen situation.
People say that one can inoculate wood logs, chips even sawdust with fungi (wine cap, oyster), they are very good in breaking down the carbon rich bio mass and if it is warm enough (summer or year round mild temperatures) you can even harvest mushrooms. Else they "only" produce soil.
@@xyzsame4081 5 years only because I had completely forgotten about those containers, thinking they were empty. A combination of fungus and ants did the work, and created enough compost to make one whole new garden bed (in ground) 30" X 12' approximately. A happy surprise for me!
I just made this composer today. Thank you for the great idea and instructions.
Very impressed with this composting knowledge and top-notch presentation.
Done this but not much success. I need to re-do and thanks for clearing things up. It's always nice to remember these things now and again. Thanks for sharing.