Composting Allowed?
 

I have recently bought a new home in The Villages and am a gardener. Are there any neighborhood restrictions to having a compost in the back yard?

We have used a tumbling composter since we came here ten years ago, but not sure if just a compost heap would be a good idea as there are lots of critters out there

Who would know ? Just do it

We get a rat invasion up north with outside composters, maybe if you had one in your garage.

When I was a kid, my folks bought an acre of land outside of our community to grow vegetables and fruit.

Decency has changed since then. No one ever stole the vegetables and fruit..

If the economy does what I think it might, I wonder if I have the stamina to plant a garden that would aid our food supply.

The neighbors would and they might not be too pleased with it. I would check with the appropriate office and find out first if it is allowable.

Depends on how you’re backyard set up? If 10 yards from you neighbors lanai (screened in porch), probably not good idea?

If close neighbor, the smell and the sight would upset them. If you’re buying a large property, half an acre or more probably less problem.

If there is a smell or critters in the compost there is a problem and the the composting is not being done correctly. To prevent smell, the pile should be turned daily and should heat up to 120 -170 degrees in 2-4 days. All organic matter should be chopped in into small pieces. No meats, fats or animal waste.

Sandy soil.....bo taste

lots are very close to one another in TV, I'd pass on the compost pile unless you had no one directly behind you or had a home with a walled in yard (the barrel would be my choice...but given the size of the lots that might be overkill)

If my village had been a pasture in the past, the rich top soil was taken away prior to construction...and a very sandy soil was left in place...just enough loam to satisfy whatever this type of grass they use down here needs (which isn't much) I amended a very small garden plot in the rear right next to the house with peat moss and black cow but it seemed to leach away pretty quickly. I do add pulverized dried egg shells and coffee grounds to the soil... soil seems to be good for basil and pineapple plants and the critters leave them alone...most everything else I planted there the critters ate (net or no net)

Have had great success with tomatoes in large pots (however as the fruit comes in you do need to put a net around them or the critters and birds will spoil the fruit... arugula and lettuce grows quickly in pots, had some luck with peppers in pots, many herbs do well...as does pineapple (if in a southern exposure)

bugs seem to attack the parsley, so I don't plant that outside anymore....for some reason I haven't had any success with thyme down here

good luck and happy gardening

Please not in my back yard

proper composting will not smell. I use the rotating drum and it works just fine. no meat, etc in it. just veggie scraps, coffee grounds and finely chopped yard waste. also, toss in any worms you find in the flower beds.

A small contained compost bin on a stand wouldn't violate any deed restrictions that I've seen. A bin on the ground *might* violate the "no structures or storage units" rules - you can bet if someone objects to the idea of you having a compost bin they'll complain about it and use that rule as their justification.

If it's on a stand (like how charcoal grills are on a stand) there's really nothing anyone can complain *about* since they aren't dirty, don't create a smell, and don't attract critters.

Download your deed restrictions. Everything which is not forbidden is allowed....The Lotus Principle.