I have only been composting for like three years, so take it for what it is worth. I recommend that you read the humanure handbook. It is available to read for free online (the author put it on line). While the book is about composting human manure safely, it is also a great book about composting in general. My kitchen waste compost bin is a 4 foot cube made out of 1/2 inch hardware cloth (including top and bottom) on a wood frame. So vermin can't get inside. I don't know if that is really necessary, but if you build it that way you won't have to worry about rats, mice, or racoons getting in. One of my friends has a compost bin that is not vermin proof, and it does receive visits from wildlife (probably racoons). He doesn't worry about it, but it would bother me. My friend puts all kitchen waste in the bin (including some bones and meat scraps), and does not cover with dry leaves or anything. We put all kitchen waste in our bin, but we do cover with dry leaves which makes it look tidy and not smell and helps balance out the overly damp kitchen waste. I think in general if you use enough dry "brown" material to soak up the excess moisture of kitchen waste, the compost will be non-smelly and PROBABLY unattractive to vermin. When the bin is full enough and moist enough to sustain high temperature composting (which it will do at some point, if you put all your kitchen waste in there) I don't see how small animals like mice and rats could stay in the bin. They would get cooked. --McKenzie

Probably not enough Nitrogen in the mix. Whether there is enough or maybe too much water depends on your weather the last several months. Adding good rich garden soil is not necessary and earthworms are not significant digesters initially. A pile of material to compost can shrink simply as air is displaced and an 18 inch pile of material is not quite enough volume to get the bacteria that will digest the material really excited. Any once living plant material is good in a compost pile, some people will tell you no "weeds" because they do not understand how things grow. If they said no "weed" seeds, and maybe no "weed" roots that might be understandable, but then of course it is simply easier to say no "weeds". Manure is a good addition to compost, but it does need to have a lot of Nitrogen still readily available, something aged manure does not have. The link below will take you to a very good compost tutorial. Here is a link that might be useful: Composting

Hey Kevin, Very cool.....not a real looker, but hey, I'll bet that one is telling real war stories to his neighbors!! So Chris, why is everyone sooooo late this year?? Mine are very late as well, with huge numbers just poking through the soil now, including many huge tubers that are just too big a hassle to move around in fall...not sure what to do with those. We have had very warm weather though so that is different. We are also into our rainy season with rain virtually every day now for the past couple of weeks and temps in the high 80s and very high humidity. The problem is this leads to viscious thunder storms in the afternoon and high winds that aren't the best......go figure. Sort of odd though.....as my Amorphs are just breaking dormancy, my Arisaema (atleast some of them) are now going dormant. My Helicodiceros finally went dormant as well, but my new imports from South Africa are just getting started and of course, I'm anticipating my latest ones from Australia in a couple of weeks so they will want to break dormancy this fall. I think the plants are running the house and I'm just there to be the water boy :o) Dan

Weed'n'feed would probably be a concern. I am pretty sure drywall, which I hadn't thought of..., would have more nutrients then most of the lawns I take care of. Epsoms salt once mid summer is the only "chemical" I use on mine. Lots of tender care though. I couldn't be less afraid of weed seeds. I quite enjoy digging them and watching the grass fill in the newly exposed "soil". I wasn't being sarcastic about the hotdogs. My dogs can't reach my compost, aside from leaf piles its all out of their range. The WHY point is a very good point. I actually struggle with weather or not to compost my leaves. It's a really cool idea that carbon had no enemies until the Dinosaurs came around. Crabon eating fungi that is. But I genuinely feel bad about increasing the carbon output. I know the leaves will decompose on their own but its a darn lot slower. I know it sounds silly, and that's a big reason I don't allow it to bother me. Also a lot less carbon output from composting my leaves then buying mulch that got shipped in from who knows where:) Sorry I got us so off topic though. From what I've gathered one should avoid composting; Treated timber-high arsenic, cadmium, copper, all are fungicides/anti-microbials Most dryer sheets-usually synthetic Long life herbicides-kills what ever you plant in it Anti-bacterial/microbial soap-kills the composting critters And avoid large quantities of; Juglone-natural herbicide I know the list of "I won't compost that" can be endless. But now we have a solid list of things that really bring no good to a compost pile:) Thanks again guys, you rock!