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Post by oldmoleskins on Jul 26, 2009 8:29:43 GMT
how often should you 'turn' your compost? There's a lot of debate about that one MRH... Ok, I fess up - I never bothered with compost until recently, mainly because of the faff of turning and emptying. I rather took the view that if god had meant us to make compost, a) it should be easier, to encourage us and b) he wouldn't have given us the Somerset Levels... Anyway, in the spirit of the Recycling Age and because they were more or less giving them away, I have two of the plastic 'darlek' ones here and emptied them only recently as they were in the way. One was roughly 2007/2008 and the other 2008/9 'vintage'. We stopped using them cos they were full. They contained the most wonderful stuff that was immediately used to boost the raised beds, with absolutely no turning at all, and I would encourage anyone reluctant due to faffworry to get one and start. I think maybe the fact that it's in the dark may help warmth/moisture retention and so boost performance to a point where they need no attention. That and me piddling in them from time to time. You'll have to get your own piddler unless I happen to be in the area. OM. |
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Post by Missredhead on Jul 26, 2009 20:38:30 GMT
you and your 'piddle' would be most welcome OM ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 27, 2009 19:04:16 GMT
Well it just goes to show I'm  OM I'd have had you down as being the king of composting. I never turn mine, to much like hard work if you ask me ;D I reckon if you get the layering/mix right as you add to the bin then there is no need. It's a case of getting the really dry and really wet material evenly spread out with all the other stuff and then nature does its bit. So, when I add grass cuttings I make sure it's no more than say 2" thick and if I'm adding cardboard like a cereal box I just flatten it so it's 2 pieces thick, am I making sense here ;D I do keep grass cuttings in a poly bag if there is to much and just add as and when, same with cardboard boxes and paper etc. Any garden waste that I shred just goes straight in. Most of my household waste thats composted goes in a bucket outside the back door. Any paper and cardboard boxes tend to soak up moisture from other waste like teabags or any veg trimmings that I can't use for the chickens. Us ladies are not so good at doing the piddling in the compost bin ;D but a bucket in the shed sure comes in handy ;D I do find emptying the 'darlek' compost bins a pain though, a triple pain because I've got 3. |
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Post by Missredhead on Jul 27, 2009 20:29:52 GMT
mine is almost full now...
I'm sure that I read somewhere that Lady piddle isn't good for the compost..it has to be Man Piddle. Doesn't it make it stink though?
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jul 28, 2009 7:22:48 GMT
I do find emptying the 'darlek' compost bins a pain though, a triple pain because I've got 3. If you empty them through that absurd little door they provide, I can understand Chuck. Try lifting the whole thing off the heap of black gold within. It weighs nowt. and mine is almost full now... I'm sure that I read somewhere that Lady piddle isn't good for the compost..it has to be Man Piddle. I've heard that, though I bet there's no chemical reason why it's so Not mine. OM. |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jul 28, 2009 10:05:55 GMT
I find that lifting the darlek off is easy enough, but getting it back by yourself in a position where it won't blow away with the wind is difficult. I have to pack clay around the bottom of mine and kind of wedge it in with a couple of bricks too.  With regard to the liquid gold, I think the problem has to do with female hormones. ;D |
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Post by 4pygmies on Jul 28, 2009 19:03:58 GMT
I think it's a hormone thing with the lady wee too....goodness knows what it might do to your average carrot or pumpkin...we'd have them marauding through the streets screaming with rage or worse...weeping everywhere...... Best stick to the man wee.....they have their uses.....  And I never turn mine. Life is too short to turn a compost heap. Or possibly I am too short to turn a compost heap..  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jul 29, 2009 5:58:44 GMT
Well rather than the usual risk I take of pulling a muscle or falling into the bin, I think I'll leave turning mine for a while and see how it does. |
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Post by Barbara on Dec 9, 2009 11:16:59 GMT
I've discovered why the worms were all at the top of my bin, and in the screwthread bit : so that I was cutting them to pieces when I open it the piece of carpet that I put on the top to keep it all cosy and warm, left it off at the beginning of the week because I suspected that was the reason and hey presto, they have all gone back to work in the compost, well the full ones have  . |
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Post by Ladygardener on Dec 9, 2009 17:48:39 GMT
glad you got to the bottom of it Barbara. Hope they do plenty of work for you.
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Post by purplejulia on Dec 10, 2009 16:03:46 GMT
Ive had my council bin for a couple of years. It is a black plastic dalek like one. I do find the good compost just seeps out at the bottom and the rest just stays on top and takes so long to rot down. So I think I might have a solution to this. I have bought myself a couple of romantic Christmas pressies from Selections mail order Compost Converter Base Plate for £9.99 This should keep vermin out and compost in hopefully. I have also bought Compost Tumbler for £69.99 (original price £99.99) Theoretically I should be able to put my waste in and turn it from time to time. Here is the link to the website www.selections.com/GF1531/compost-tumbler/ Is there anyone on here that has one of these? |
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Post by Barbara on Dec 10, 2009 19:23:28 GMT
I saw Monty testing composters,PJ, and the tumbler was his favourite.
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Post by Babyswan on Jan 2, 2010 12:48:48 GMT
I turn mine every so often. Every bank holiday or so. Easter, the May bank Holiday, the June bank Holiday, the August bank holiday (1st w/end in Ireland), then possibly Holloween. I take the whole thing off and spread it around, then put the dalek back and shovel the stuff in. See photos.. Before...  Two election posters at the ready...  Fresh stuff on top, rotten stuff below  and next post |
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Post by Babyswan on Jan 2, 2010 12:51:22 GMT
spread it.  give it a good mix before replacing it.  noone would know you were there.  with a bag of good stuff I took out, to the side. I put in citrus peel, lemon and orange. Cut up small though, plus those giant white radishes like carrots on steroids. Cut 'em up small and away they go. |
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Post by Babyswan on Jan 5, 2010 18:28:39 GMT
don't you lot have a general election in the offing? Get collecting the posters! Here's a picture of mine a couple of years ago  |
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Post by Missredhead on Jan 28, 2010 19:23:36 GMT
As I was putting some veggie peelings into the full compost bin I thought that I would take a look at the bottom.... The compost looks great...can't wait to try some out soon, the garden is still too wet atm though and I need to stay off the sorry excuse for grass |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 28, 2010 19:33:45 GMT
I did mine today, like babyswan does. It's a great feeling I have when it's done. Hopefully it will speed things up a bit too. |
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Post by jean on Jan 28, 2010 20:43:02 GMT
Didn't I tell any of you that I love making compost, I get so much satisfaction from turning nothing into something I know that some of you will think its ok for me on a large scale but it can be done quite easily in a corner of your garden. All it takes it 3 compartments. 1st compartment holds all the green stuff mixed with cardboard and dry stuff (wood shavings are great) wait for it to "drop" and then turn it over into the next compartment. Leave for a couple of months and turn again into compartment 3 At the same time start filling up compartment 1 again - its all ongoing. When compartment 3 has been left for a few months, lift the top layer and rake out the larger bits and mix with the next lot. You should have a decent amount of compost left at the bottom of your original heap to use as a mulch or for sieving 1st heap  after its been turned a couple of times and then left for a few months  top layer removed for mixing in with the next lot  all the hard work is worth it  Manure and hay take a bit longer to rot down but will be brilliant for spreading late autumn  |
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Post by Chuckles on Jan 30, 2010 17:20:32 GMT
Fantastic Jean and you are so right, it can be done on a smaller scale. Last year I made No1 bin for my neighbour out of some old bits of fencing a some chicken wire. Just knocked 4 posts in the ground and used a staple gun to attach the wire arounf them, left one side so it could act like a door for emptying. We lined the insides with old cardboard boxes and it's now almost full, must get me and her motivated to do the other 2 bins ;D My neighbour couldn't believe how quickly it rotted and sank. As well as composting garden trimmings she now has a carrier bag perminantely hanging on the fence to collect any household waste, teabags, cardboard boxes, veg trimmings etc to put in the bin. |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 30, 2010 19:30:30 GMT
Excellent Jean, I'll do something like that up at the allotment I think.
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Post by jean on Jan 31, 2010 14:47:00 GMT
I've been in the compost most of the weekend ;D I've started a new heap and been digging and mixing a couple of other sections. I've got seven on the go at the plot as well as the three in the field. All the green stuff from the GH now gets composted and there is a steady supply all year round, it used to get burned or dumped. Its good to get outside this time of year and get some digging practice in |
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 7, 2010 9:55:24 GMT
I've got 3 dalek type bins that are full to the brim, 2/3rds of them should be usable, when I get around to emptying them I've got quite a few compost bags full of stuff ready to put in them and a few bags of rotted stuff ready to spread about. Couldn't imagine not composting now, all that household waste that goes in them as well as garden shreddings etc |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Mar 11, 2010 6:19:43 GMT
Oh dear I was thinking of starting small and getting a compost bin soon - not got one - am not sure have the time it looks really hard work - |
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Post by Jilly on Mar 13, 2010 12:36:38 GMT
Don't worry Jen, if you do all that work you get nice compost quickly, but you can also do what I do & just get a like darlek thing & keep filling it. I couldn't get to mine to turn it if I wanted to (no space). I still get compost but much slower & it's still a great way of getting rid of compostable stuff that would otherwise have to go in the rubbish.
Jillyx
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 13, 2010 13:16:06 GMT
thats what I do too.....
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Post by Missredhead on Jun 27, 2010 13:53:22 GMT
I think that I may have a mouse in my compost bin...not absolutely sure but as I took the lid off to stick some stuff in it a little mouse ran out the 'door' at the bottom.... Now is that a good thing or a bad thing? Personally I could do without it....spiders I can cope with but mice...   |
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Post by Dutchy on Jul 6, 2010 19:44:52 GMT
Didn't I tell any of you that I love making compost, I get so much satisfaction from turning nothing into something I know that some of you will think its ok for me on a large scale but it can be done quite easily in a corner of your garden. All it takes it 3 compartments. 1st compartment holds all the green stuff mixed with cardboard and dry stuff (wood shavings are great) wait for it to "drop" and then turn it over into the next compartment. Leave for a couple of months and turn again into compartment 3 At the same time start filling up compartment 1 again - its all ongoing. When compartment 3 has been left for a few months, lift the top layer and rake out the larger bits and mix with the next lot. You should have a decent amount of compost left at the bottom of your original heap to use as a mulch or for sieving Manure and hay take a bit longer to rot down but will be brilliant for spreading late autumn Jean how are these build together? I am thinking of doing something like this at the new plot. |
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Post by Barbara on Jul 7, 2010 12:44:31 GMT
Dutchy, on you tube there are a few videos on how to build this type of compost bin. |
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Post by Dutchy on Jul 9, 2010 8:57:40 GMT
Ah splendid thanks Barbara.
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Post by andy on Jul 13, 2010 15:08:43 GMT
Just been to my local Tesco and they had a stall in the foyer for compost bins, water butts etc etc. One thing they did was a "food digester"....this takes all types of raw and cooked food and you should mix it with about 30% garden waste. Just wondered if anyone has tried them as i can get one for £20 !!! www.greatgreensystems.com/ |
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OM I'd have had you down as being the king of composting.
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