I just bought a house in a suburb and only have two flower garden areas. But I want to start a compost pile for them, my Association rules prohibit an "open compost" pile. Does anyone have some alternative Ideas for composting in the city?
Definitely buy some sort of plastic bin, or build a box of wood. This is a topic on which there must be thousands of internet sites, as there are certainly hundreds of books available. Here is a page from Lee Valley's gardening catalogue, showing both a book and what is perhaps the Cadillac of composters (although I think you'd have to have either two of these, or an alternate place to put your new compost while this one "cooks"). http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&cat=2&p=33140 I'm personally not a big fan of the type of bin that sits on the ground where a little opening purportedly lets you get the finished compost out of the bottom. The opening is never big enough and I sometimes don't find the cycle is fast enough that the stuff at the bottom is ready when the thing is getting full. I just have two plastic cones, that I plunk down wherever I have space, anchor to the ground with bricks or soil, and once the first one is full, I leave it sit for a year or so while I fill the other one. Then I just pull the cone up off the finished compost so I can reuse the first cone elsewhere, and if the compost isn't quite "done" I cover it with dirt until I need it. (The stuff is not always a pretty sight, but it works).
I am assuming from the ban on "open composting" that there is likely a rodent situation. Open compost piles are just that---open to the elements, not contained. If you have a composter that sits on the ground, it is a good policy to use hardware cloth underneath. This prevents rodents from burrowing in under the composter. It is also recommended that you pile bricks or rocks up 18" all around. However, I am not at all convinced given personal experience that this is at all useful. I have had problems with a composter that is 18" off the ground. It is also good practice not to place a composter against any structure, be it house, fence or whatever. Rodents like to run along walls. Lastly, be absolutely scrupulous about what goes in it and practicing good compost management. I basically take the view that in reality any form of plant life is food for the little furry creatures. It might be helpful for you to speak to your association and find out exactly what the restrictions are and if they can help you with solutions.
You may want to check with your municipality if they will provide you with subsidized composter. Here, where I live, they offer black plastic container (with that small opening as posted by member above) for 20$. They also offer workshops and various literature.
Great composting information site: http://www.cityfarmer.org/. They run a program for Vancouver residents to get them started with vermicomposting (worm composting). I got my bin last June & I was concerned about smells & general ick factor, but it's been really easy & smell-free. The resulting vermicompost is like gold - the plants seriously love it. Plus, it seems that vermicompost produces better results than most other composts & fertilizers. http://zoneonegarden.blogspot.com/2007/03/lettuce-contest-day-23.html http://www.transformcompost.com/tf%20web%20other%20pdf/vermicompost%20binder%20publication.pdf Vermicompost may also help keep pests at bay: http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenproblems/qt/WormCompost.htm
