The Beginners Guide to Easy, No-Turn Compost

Composting in piles can be challenging. Most composters that you buy don't work as well as advertised. Remove the challenge and go with something that works (and you can make). The Urban EDC is a composting system based around a ventilated trash can. The aerobic system encourages fungi and worms to break down organic waste into a rich finished soil-like product.

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Podcasts by Diego Footer:

[willwillis]

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.☺

[ethanmcquaid]

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!

[CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

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.

[katherinez]

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.

[dirtcheapgarden]

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.

[mariajaszewski]

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!

[trendinvestor]

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.

[mistyraedrain]

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. 🤗💯

[carlduffin]

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.

[dh]

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.

[Kethull]

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!

[geraldinemryan]

Diego u really made me laugh😂 lying on the ground explaining your can great video all the best from Ireland
Geraldine🐦

[gwynethgaspari]

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!

[MariaLuciaGomezGreenberg]

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! 💚😊💙

[rishtunkhwa]

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.

[stephaniehenderson]

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.

[macflyguy]

Soil wizard, your wisdom permeates the internet biome substrate 🌎

[RobsAquaponics]

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. 👍👍

[jeanene]

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.

[dannyhughes]

Always presents logically and clearly with lots of food for thought.