Posts Tagged ‘Lawn Sweepers’

Biodegradable Utensils Make for Great Composting

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

Summer’s just around the corner and you know what that means – barbeques, family gatherings, picnics, beach parties, and even more barbeques! This is the time of year that all your good dishware and silverware stay in their cupboards and drawers and you utilize nothing but disposable plates and cutlery. But did you ever consider how much waste that adds up at all the landfills? So many plastic utensils end up piling up landfills and aren’t being recycled, because who would even think to recycle that? A better alternative that does the job and is good for the environment that’s now catching on in the market is biodegradable cutlery.

Made from corn starch and other biodegradable “plastic” fillers, eco-friendly utensils are on the rise in popularity. Contrary to belief, they will not fall apart on you if you use them in hot items like soups, and they will not break if you use them in cold foods or desserts like ice cream. Biodegradable utensils work like their normal plastic counterparts; the only difference is that they won’t pile up in landfills and can even be used in your compost bins.

For the avid gardener who likes to compost, these eco-friendly utensils can be highly beneficial to your garden. After you’re done using these utensils, toss them into your compost bin or heap instead of the trash can. In most cases, the packaging that the utensils come in is also biodegradable, which means you can add that into your compost bin, too.

Since they’re made out of corn starch and other eco-friendly materials, these biodegradable utensils will not harm your compost heap, adding to your nutrient-rich compost. Do keep in mind that if you plan to toss these utensils into your compost bin that it can take anywhere from six to 18 months for them to fully decompose.

So the next time you’re planning your big summer barbeque or food outing, consider using the eco-friendly alternative versus the regular plastic ware. Not only would you be reducing waste at landfills and giving back to the earth’s soil, you’ll feel good knowing that you’re doing your part to protect the earth while enjoying the barbeque.

Good luck!

For a wide selection in compost bins, chipper shredder and rain barrels be sure to stop by Composters.com.
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Worm Composting Tips From the Worm Whisperer

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

I’m sure many of you have heard of Cesar Milan, also known as the Dog Whisperer, but are you familiar with Vern Culteur the Worm Whisperer? Unlike his canine counterpart, Culteur is well versed and in tune with the ways of the worm and its needs for a successful and fruitful compost. Compost, you say? What in the world does a worm have to do with composting? Well, my friend let me tell you more…

According to Culteur, known to his friends as Verny the Wormy, worms play a vital part in the composting process. In fact, there’s an entire composting process called vermicomposting or vermiculture which involves food scraps, yard wastes and worms. When visiting troubled gardeners and composters alike, Culteur adamantly but gently tells each one that if they’re going to start composting with worms, then they’ll have to adapt to a few changes. For instance, one of the first mistakes that many novice composters make is using the wrong worm.

Earth worms, though commonly found in the soil of any backyard and along sidewalks on rainy days, make for great fishing bait but not for worm composting. The reason, Culteur explains, is that even though earth worms aerate the soil they don’t properly digest the organic matter and produce worm castings, which is what’s needed for composting. “The best worms to use in the composting world are red wiggler worms,” says Culteur. “Night crawlers work well, also, but they don’t tend to survive for long in too damp of an environment. You’d be better off with red wigglers.”

Culteur also mentions that in order to ensure a successful composting experience, you’ll have to keep your worms happy, which means you have to regularly feed them. “Things like banana peels, chopped up vegetable stalks and leaves, in addition to some grit like a cup full of soil and some newspaper strips will keep your worms feeding and wanting for more.” After a few weeks, you’re most certainly garanteed to have rich, black gold known as worm castings to add to your garden’s soil. Before concluding, Culteur made sure to add, “Unlike dogs, you won’t have to maintain who’s the boss in this relationship; your worms will be the hardiest of workers!”

Good luck!

Need some compost bins, wood chippers or even a lawn sweeper? Stop by Composters.com today!
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If you Compost It, They Will Come

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

Here’s a cheery little thought that you can meditate over: have you ever opened up your compost bin and find all sorts of little critters ambling about in there? I can tell you that I have, and from what experience and many composting teachers have taught me, most of the time that’s normal and okay. Little roomies like fruit flies, fly larvae, and even worms will show up to feast upon the yummy organic matter you have stored in your compost bin. Even though you may not have sent out an official invitation, it’s kind of funny to see these little critters going to town in your compost.

How does it happen? Well, most of the time you’ll get visitors just by opening up the lid of the bin. Fruit flies will definitely show up if you’ve got fruit rinds and vegetable stalks in your compost. If you noticed them flying out of your bin when you opened it up, don’t worry, the flies probably flew through the aerating holes of the bin. Most of the time the flies will lay eggs in your compost and they’ll hatch, which may be another reason why you keep seeing them buzzing about. If you find that there seems to be an entire colony of flies and bugs hanging about your bin, again don’t worry. This happens in the beginning stages of composting, especially if you have a slew of fruit rinds in the bin. Once everything starts to decompose, there will be less and less fruit flies hanging about.

If you keep an open bottom compost bin in the ground for easy compost tea evacuation, you may have noticed some worms wiggling about in your bin. This is absolutely fantastic since worms are a vital part in the composting process. As the worms are wiggling their way around you compost bin and back into the soil, it speeds up the process, which results in rich, black soil. For an added benefit, you should add a pound of red wiggler worms in your compost bin in the beginning just so the composting process is sped up. Once there’s nothing left for the worms to munch on, they’ll move out of your bin and burrow about in your soil.

Critters like bugs and worms aren’t always a bad thing; for composting, they’re essential! Think of it this way; as long as they’re not bothering you and helping out with the composting process, everybody wins!

Good luck!

On the lookout for a chipper shredder, lawn sweepers or even some rain barrels? Stop by Composters.com today!
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Sit on your Compost With the Composting Bench

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

For some, figuring out where they can start composting can be a bit of a challenge. After all, there are a few things one should keep in mind, like how far the compost heap should be from their home, how to keep it hidden away from nosy neighbors and prying eyes, and how to keep rodents and wildlife from digging around in the compost. And while there are a couple options like keeping your compost under wraps in a compost tumbler or compost bin, there are consumers out there who look for other aesthetically attractive options. One such option is a bench that doubles as a composting bin.

Dual functional furniture is always a plus, and owning a bench that offers a composting bin option is a terrific way to hide your compost in plain sight. You may want to consider this alternative versus a normal compost bin or compost tumbler if you feel that composting out in the open may ruin or distract from your natural landscape. With a composting bench, you can fearlessly hide your compost out in the middle of your garden without it taking away from the landscape.

Some companies offer dual functional composting benches, but it you’re the do it yourself type, you can make a building project out of it. Just be sure to keep about 20 inches of height from the seat to the ground for a good sized composting bin. Another good design feature to keep in mind is to add hinges to the seat so that you can lift it up whenever you need to add water or turn the pile. It’s also important to keep in mind that your compost needs ventilation in order for it to decompose properly, so make sure that there’s plenty of slits all around the bottom bin. Be sure however, to make them small enough so that small animals can’t get in. And don’t worry about any smells coming out from beneath the bench; as long as you’re following the proper carbon to nitrogen ration (green parts to brown parts), and you’re regularly turning and adding water to your compost, it should sm

Good luck!

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Keeping the Critters Out of your Compost

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

I’ve been composting for quite some time now, and I can honestly say that for the first few trials I was having difficulty keeping the area around my compost wildlife and insect-free. Composting is both a science and an art form, and I was foolish to think at the beginning that I could get it down on the first try. I followed all the directions, read all the web forums and even carried the 1 over to the other side, yet I was coming across the same problem: insects and animals were invading my compost! But now that I know better, let me share my experiences with you so that you don’t have to waste as much time as I did on fixing the problem.

First of all, don’t ever place any meat products, fatty foods, oils and bones in your compost bins, compost tumblers, or piles. This is a recipe for disaster since animals are generally attracted to these products and will be more than likely to dig around in your compost. Dairy products like cheese are also considered a no-no in terms of adding it to your compost. Not only do these products get smelly after a few hours, they also do not decompose well so it’s best to just avoid these items all together.

To avoid this situation, be sure to use a tight fitting lid atop your compost bin, better yet, make sure it’s rodent proof. As long as the lid is tight rodents like raccoons won’t be able to jimmy the bin open and feast upon the cut-up fruit rinds and veggie leaves. In addition, remember to turn your compost pile a couple times a week to turn up the heat in your bin so that the organic matter can decompose properly; this will also help in turning off animals from you compost.

Since you’ll be using fruit rinds, vegetable stalks and leaves along with other acceptable food wastes such as coffee grinds, you’re bound to come across the problem of flies and gnats hanging around your compost (this also applies for kitchen composting). Work around this problem by covering up your compost and by adding brown matter (no, not that) to your compost. Yard waste such as dried up leaves, hay, cut-up wood chippings and even sawdust mixed into your compost will balance the nitrogen levels and mask the fruity odors. Using some already made compost or soil will also do the trick.

Learn from my mistakes and take these tips to heart. After all, there’s nothing worse than looking our in your backyard and fining a zoo of animals nosing around in your compost bin like they’ve found the jackpot!

Good luck!

For a large selection in composting supplies like lawn sweepers and compost tumblers, be sure to stop by Composter.com.
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Compost Tumblers Make Composting Fun

Saturday, October 10th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

Before you start on your first composting project of the year, have you thought about what you were going to place your compost in? I don’t mean, “In my garden,” or even, “In my houseplant’s soil,” those are all moot points. I mean, have you considered whether you were going to compost out in the open for anything and everyone to see, or perhaps in a compost bin or compost tumbler? After all, these are important points to consider and they may hold the key to a successful composting project.

There are quite a few methods when it comes to composting; some use the open composting method by building a pile of compost out in the woods or yard, others use compost tumblers and bins. I prefer the compost tumbler method out of all of them mainly because I lead quite a busy life and can’t commit to watering down my compost constantly if it’s out in the open in addition to turning the pile on a regular basis. However, that’s not to say that a compost tumbler is better than open composting; both methods produce the same amount of compost in the same amount of time so long as you keep your compost heaps aerated.

Moving forward, compost tumblers have a lot of great benefits, the most obvious being that if you’re a busy person all you really have to do is toss all your food scraps and/or yard waste into your tumbler, turn it or flip it (depending on the design) about every few days and you’re good. Tumblers of course, keep your compost aerated which is very important; you never want your compost to stay stagnant because that would bore the little microbes in your heap. They should be actively eating and decomposing all the matter in the tumbler or bin!

Another reason I prefer tumblers over other methods is that it keeps animals and rodents away from your compost. Your pile will stay securely in the tumbler until it’s ready to be removed, which can be easily done. But the big reason why I like compost tumblers is because they’re fun! Sorry to the folks who have open compost heaps, but I don’t find using a pitch fork to turn my compost appealing at all. Something about spinning or flipping my compost tumbler while on a steady axis sounds easier. Call me lazy or what have you, but know this: my compost heap is still just as good as yours!

Good luck!

For a wide selection in compost bins, chipper shredder and rain barrels be sure to stop by Composters.com.
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