Composting dryer lint?
Big Ed
Should dryer lint be composted? It may contain poly fibers that will not break
down, but i think for the most part it is bio mass.
Has anyone tryed it?
any of you scientist types have anything to say about it?
Thanks,
Big Ed
Take out Big_ to respond by e-mail
Paul Onstad
>
> Big Ed is de-lurking to ask.
> Should dryer lint be composted? It may contain poly fibers that will not break
> down, but i think for the most part it is bio mass.
> Has anyone tryed it?
> any of you scientist types have anything to say about it?
>
> Thanks,
> Big Ed
I'd say go for it. Poly fibers won't hurt the soil and could add a little
texture. Most of it will be cotton fibers though--what comes off quickest.
Pulling it apart before putting it in the compost might be a good idea.
-Paul
K
to either buy or build? frugal is best, but not TOO handy with my hands.
~K~
Stephanie
of drainage holes in the bottom. Set it on the bare ground, add some
soil, kitchen scraps, leaves, grass clippings...keep layering it. Add
a bit of water from time to time and keep the lid on. Works great! I
will be adding a second one this year.
Stephanie
Lucy Kemnitzer
My experience is that dryer lint, even cotton, doesn't compost
well. It makes colored lumps that never go away. But I haven't
been able to talk my husband out of putting dryer lint in the
compost, so I have to beat him to the filter every time.
Lucy Kemnitzer
Lucy Kemnitzer
wrote:
In the old days people used to just build a pile. can't get much
cheaper than that.
Lucy Kemnitzer
Phideaux
wrote:
And she doesn't even realize how well trained she is . . .
Phideaux
________
The early bird may get the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.
Mikie
sprinkler system waters it automatically
rake and oak tree supply some leaves occasionally
I supply the shovel power about weekly,
fistful of fertilizer when I have it out.
this side flips over there
that over there flips over here
... beginning to have alot of really black stuff
"Lucy Kemnitzer" <rit...@cruzio.com> wrote in message
news:3af74bf...@cnews.newsguy.com...
: On Tue, 08 May 2001 00:06:21 GMT, SWea...@excite.com (Stephanie)
Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D., P.A.
Synthetic fibers in soil might conceivably turn into something akin to
fiberglass composite. If you absolutely hate to toss them, use them to
make rag paper.
Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D., P.A.
Earth Machine. $20 Earth Day sale courtesy of my county government.
Lucy Kemnitzer
And after I posted this I was reminded of a friend's system: he
made a cylinder a bit bigger than a trash can out of that rolled
wire fencing with the wire gauge thicker than a pencil lead and
the size of the spaces about 3" by 6". Once in a while he picked
the whole thing up and turned it upside down. Lightweight, easy to
make, cheap, easy to use.
Lucy Kemnitzer
---Pete---
wrote:
>speaking of compost <g>.. can anyone recommend a good *small* composter bin
>to either buy or build? frugal is best, but not TOO handy with my hands.
-------
This year I purchased one of these black corrigated plastic roll-up
compost bins. It's simply a roll of heavy guage corrigated plastic
(with holes in it) about 3 foot tall by about 6 foot long. Cost me
about $10 at the local garden center.
It was real easy to set up, where you simply form it into a circle
and insert (by threading it) a semi-flexible rod through the holes
at the seam. It's a 3 foot tall by 3 foot diameter compost bin.
Here's how I loaded mine...
1.) Add some twigs to bottom for air circulation & drainage.
2.) Add 1 wheel barrow of brown dried leaves.
3.) Since we don't have any "green" stuff at this time of the
year in NJ, I decided to add some 10-10-10 fertilizer as the
Nitrogen source. I sprinkled some over the leaves. If you have
some green stuff like grass clipppings, add about 2" of grass
clippings instead of the fertilizer.
4.) Add about a 1" thick layer of dirt from my other compost
pile and water it to the point of being a "wet sponge".
If you have garden soil that should work too.
5.) I repeated steps 2, 3, 4 until the bin was filled.
6.) Now, I add kitchen waste a couple of times per week
by digging a small hole in the top layer, adding the waste
and then covering it up.
7.) I water the top layer every few days to just keep it
moist.
8.) I add small amounts more green stuff as I weed my
garden plots.
Even though I'm continually adding to the pile, In one month's
time period, the compost pile has gone down by about 10"
so it seems to be working.
---pete---
Jutta Haas
is just fine for the compost. I also read same in various composting articles. Now
the question is whetheryou want to be bothered carrying a hand of dryer lint from
the basement to your composter??
Lois A. Evensen, CPA
I've been lurking for a little while so will jump in on the dryer lint
thread. I'm sitting here smiling about my experience about five years
ago and will share it for what it's worth. I have three one cubic yard
compost bins (rare, medium, well done, of course) so that I can turn and
turn to my heart's content. I had read that dryer lint was great for
compost and jumped on the idea to add to my "whatever comes from the
earth goes to the earth" in my bins. I collected lint in a small
plastic bag next to my dryer, then about once a week took it outside,
tore it into small shreds, and spread it carefully into the compost as I
turned. Ah, yes, I thought, I am making the soil lighter for more air
and water to reach those precious roots. I did this for about three
months five years ago.
The results are mixed. Yes, the roots seem very happy; sometimes I
find plants with roots happily growing through colored pieces of lint.
But, even several years later, as I dig and plant, I find pieces of
blue, red, green, white lint stuck together. It seems to find itself
again and "clump." I pick up and throw away larger "clumps" that seem
to surface as I work my various flower beds.
So, I have a feeling my plants love the dryer lint, but you should also
expect to find a little more color in your garden that just your
plants. :-)
I'm delighted I found this newsgroup of pleasant gardeners. :-)
Happy Gardening, Everyone,
Lois Evensen in Cincinnati
http://www.Evensens.net
---------------------------
Stephanie
it! No pitch fork needed :-)
I also have a bin made of the wire fence stuff....I couldn't lift/move
it without a LOT of help! And stuff does not seem to be breaking down
as fast either.
Stephanie
Stephanie
the bottom of a flower pot...cover the holes so the soil doesn't wash
out...hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Oh and if there is anyone out there who likes to sew....don't forget
that dryer lint is great for stuffin things....I know of an older lady
that makes quilt squares using lint as the filler...then sews them all
together for a toasty warm quilt or maybe a jacket. :-)
Stephanie
Paul Onstad
> >>speaking of compost <g>.. can anyone recommend a good *small* composter bin
> >>to either buy or build? frugal is best, but not TOO handy with my hands.
>
> In the old days people used to just build a pile. can't get much
> cheaper than that.
Some still do. That's my approach and a high volume one. Of course mine's
mostly dug down into the soil, 5 x 8 feet and a good four feet deep.
-Paul
Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D., P.A.
Stephanie wrote:
>
> When I want to turn my compost, I turn the can on it's side and roll
> it! No pitch fork needed :-)
>
> I also have a bin made of the wire fence stuff....I couldn't lift/move
> it without a LOT of help! And stuff does not seem to be breaking down
> as fast either.
>
> Stephanie
>
> "Mikie" <ugo_b...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >have a pile here, was ankle high, then got taller.
> >sprinkler system waters it automatically
> >rake and oak tree supply some leaves occasionally
> >I supply the shovel power about weekly,
> >fistful of fertilizer when I have it out.
> >this side flips over there
> >that over there flips over here
> >... beginning to have alot of really black stuff
> >
> >"Lucy Kemnitzer" <rit...@cruzio.com> wrote in message
> >news:3af74bf...@cnews.newsguy.com..
Polar
>On Mon, 7 May 2001 16:27:49 -0700, "K" <karint...@yahoo.com>
>wrote:
>
>>speaking of compost <g>.. can anyone recommend a good *small* composter bin
>>to either buy or build? frugal is best, but not TOO handy with my hands.
>-------
>This year I purchased one of these black corrigated plastic roll-up
>compost bins. It's simply a roll of heavy guage corrigated plastic
>(with holes in it) about 3 foot tall by about 6 foot long. Cost me
>about $10 at the local garden center.
>
> It was real easy to set up, where you simply form it into a circle
>and insert (by threading it) a semi-flexible rod through the holes
>at the seam. It's a 3 foot tall by 3 foot diameter compost bin.
I also used one of those heavy-GAUGE plastic rolls, but
confined it within a wooden frame. Brought home some
pallets (found in alleys) and had gardener help me nail
them into a square, with front side open except for
one cross-piece at the top for stability.
The plastic roll was then secured to the wood frame
at enough points to keep it erect..
So the compost can "breathe" through the big holes
in the plastic, and the finished product can be raked
out at the bottom.
[...loading details...]
--
Polar
eileen_...@unc.edu
My first one, a good cheap one, was just a hoop of 2X4 galvanized fencing about
4-5 feet high. It was just tomato cage that I decided to put compost into.
Worked just fine. Now I have one of these in the middle of my garden, so that I
can put weeds into it and garden scraps and when it's done I can just lift it off
and spread the compost.
Eileen
Pooky
Scout years ago. We used cardboard egg cartons, stuffed the little cups, and
dipped them in paraffin. For a good camp fire we just broke off a cup and
lit it.
I've started using cheap diapers for lining the bottoms of my flower pots,
cause they absorb so well and I don't have to water as often.
Hadn't thought of stuffing things with lint, although I had thought of using
old dryer sheets as stuffing for sachets. AS much laundry as I do, we'll
have enough lint to stuff a sofa soon.
--
~Pooky~
Put the cat out to reply by e-mail. ;^)
http://moonkatz.tripod.com/index.htm
Stephanie <SWea...@excite.com> wrote in message
news:3af80635....@news.onslowonline.net...
: Hummmmmmm, what about using it to start seedlings, or maybe to line
:
loonyhiker
General store for $10. I used a cordless drill and put holes all around it
for drainage. I just keep adding to it. Every week I just sort of roll it
around on its side and keep it wet. I've added green food wastes, and old
leaves. Should I add more to this to make it work?
loony
K <karint...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9d77nr$ggaju$1...@ID-62202.news.dfncis.de...
Wendy Swope
suggestion that no one has made yet for a small compost bin:
1) don't bother to buy a bin (yes, I know someone already said that),
and 2) build small compost heaps anywhere around your yard where you
would like to grow plants in a raised bed.
When the heap is about the size you'd like your new garden bed to be,
and perhaps 1/2 again as high, stop adding to the pile, cover with
black plastic (pegged down), and wait 3 weeks or more to let the pile
cook. All weed seeds, grass, etc., will be killed. Uncover when you
are ready to plant. The heat will have killed all the sod underneath
your pile, so you don't even need to strip the area for planting.
You can just turn the softened soil with a digging fork, and then
plant.
I found my suburban neighbors don't like seeing compost bins, but they
don't even notice my many small piles scattered around the property
that quietly turn into flower beds they admire!
>"K" <karint...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>speaking of compost <g>.. can anyone recommend a good *small*
composter bin
>>to either buy or build? frugal is best, but not TOO handy with my
hands.
>>
>>~K~
>>
>>
>
Kevin Davenport
you are a bird watcher of backyard feeder try puttint the lint out in a suet
feeder the birds love to line their nests with it.
Lois A. Evensen, CPA <"Lois "@Evensens.net> wrote in message
news:3AF7FF6A...@Evensens.net...
Lucy Kemnitzer
<kevi...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>Dryer lint will break down if it's all cotton. Synthetic fibers won't. If
>you are a bird watcher of backyard feeder try puttint the lint out in a suet
>feeder the birds love to line their nests with it.
In my experience, pure 100% cotton dryer lint does not break down
very well. At least it doesn't when it's blue.
Lucy Kemnitzer
K
> speaking of compost <g>.. can anyone recommend a good *small* composter
bin to either buy or build? frugal is best, but not TOO handy with my hands.
I just wanted to say thank you for the great suggestions. You were more
helpful than you know. I planted all the babies I've been tending in the
kitchen for so long and am ready to spend some time in the garden. Your
ideas gave me plenty of fodder for a start of a compost bin. Thanks!
~K~
Carla Goodloe
doing that BUT harbors night loving insects. Mostly harmless ones though.
However, it does turn into a pile of firm paperlike stuff after it's been
wet and dried a few times. However, depends on what it in it. Towel lint
doesn't stick together as much as other fabrics. But it does pretty good for
mulch. I got a bag of it now and I'm tempted to put it in my compost pile
that I just started from leaves and grass. Ants have already taken over that
pile too. But it's already noticeably smaller so I know stuff is breaking
down in there. However, I dont' think my worms stuck around cause of the
ants. I'll have to figure out what to do about the ants later but I have a
feeling that come winter, my compost will be a hibernation mound of ants.
Carla
"Lucy Kemnitzer" <rit...@cruzio.com> wrote in message
news:3af738f7...@cnews.newsguy.com...
Carla Goodloe
know it's working. Takes a little longer than if you have a can to roll
around to mix things up and keep pests out. But you use what you got the
ground behind the house works just fine for me. I can wait til next year. I
don't need it right away.
Carla
"Lucy Kemnitzer" <rit...@cruzio.com> wrote in message
news:3af74bf...@cnews.newsguy.com...
---Pete---
wrote:
>That's what I got outside. A pile. It's smaller and smaller every week so I
>know it's working. Takes a little longer than if you have a can to roll
>around to mix things up and keep pests out. But you use what you got the
>ground behind the house works just fine for me. I can wait til next year. I
>don't need it right away.
------
Carla or anyone,
Regarding this slow, one year composting method, I'm wondering
if this method kills the weed seeds because the pile does not heat
up to the same degree as other "fast" composting methods do.
---pete---
Carla Goodloe
sprouting grass before it's over. However, my pile is mostly leaves and a
few piles of removed garden soil with some grass still attached so I may not
have that much problem with seeds sprouting. Especially if the ants in the
pile like to eat weed seeds. I was putting iris stalks in it but I found
that if iris juice gets on my skin, I break out in an itchy rash (in that
spot only) that does not go away for a month.
Anyways, I have nothing better that I can afford right now so I use what I
got.
"---Pete---" <pe...@erol.com> wrote in message
news:3afe2c47...@news.earthlink.net...
Stephanie
wrong on that though. Also, if the pile is in contact with the
ground, it should attract earthworms to help break down the stuff.
I just got done "harvesting" one of my cans....there were some MONSTER
earthworms in there working on the new stuff! :-)
Stephanie
Curly Sue
<cdub@_REMOVETHIS_erols.com> wrote:
>The harpoonlike device with collapsing wings works even easier.
Help! Who sells those???? No one at local garden centers, hardware
stores, or Home Depot even knows what they are!
>Stephanie wrote:
>>
>> When I want to turn my compost, I turn the can on it's side and roll
>> it! No pitch fork needed :-)
Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!
sue at interport dotnet
Orrie
http://www.kinsmangarden.com/
I also found one at www.composters.com
They also have one that works like an oversized drill bit to bore down into
the compost.
You may also find one at a really good local garden center, rather than a
chain store.
Orrie
"Curly Sue" <s...@addressin.sig> wrote in message
news:3b086b90...@news.rcn.com...
Joann M. Hnat
>
> If I recall rightly, I got mine from the Kinsman company.
> http://www.kinsmangarden.com/
I use two plastic garbage cans with many holes drilled in them for air
and drainage. One year, I throw everything into one of the cans. The
next year, I empty the top layers of the first can (they usually aren't
"done" yet) into the second can, and use the finished compost on my
plants. Next year, I use the finished compost from the second can. Works
very quickly for me.
> I also found one at www.composters.com
> They also have one that works like an oversized drill bit to bore down into
> the compost.
I have one, and never use it. With my garbage can method, I never turn
and I end up with fine compost.
.. Joann