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Post by Chuckles on Jul 30, 2008 13:58:07 GMT
Have you smelt nettle tea? now that is a really bad smell. By the way how long do you keep it before you use it? I have an old container to which I add nettles and then as I use the liquid top up with more water. I've used some of my compo as soon as 6 months Totp, it depends on what I've had in the bins as to how quick it breaks down really. As I said earlier pre shredded stuff does seem to break down a lot quicker  Found a thread on Nettle Tea www.gardenworld.proboards103.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=chat&thread=6338&page=1 |
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 11, 2008 9:28:52 GMT
My compost bins seem to be working really well atm, they are rotting down a good couple of inches a week, must be some good stuff in there and I guess the warm weather we had recently has helped. I've got some shrub trimmings to shred this week and the stems from my Hollyhocks and Foxgloves which the wind broke. When I've added shredded material I have noticed it seems to really heat it up too |
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Post by beanie on Aug 11, 2008 9:36:07 GMT
I've only tried compost once before and ended up with a sloppy mess, however our council is sending out all the new colour graded refuse sacks, . they are also selling compost bins for £10 each , so I've ordered 2 and am determined to have another try. If nothing else it will save me a few trips down to re recycling center. any tips please, also where is the best place to site them, the only spot which won't spoil the garden is in shade ,will this do?
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Post by Barbara on Aug 11, 2008 10:17:07 GMT
mines in a shady spot beanie it works quite well. if you google composting 101 they have an excellent site.
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Post by beanie on Aug 14, 2008 8:37:32 GMT
thanks Barbara I forgot about this thread. do you use the compost for potting up is it it purely for the garden
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Post by Weeterrier on Aug 14, 2008 11:53:47 GMT
I've only tried compost once before and ended up with a sloppy mess, however our council is sending out all the new colour graded refuse sacks, . they are also selling compost bins for £10 each , so I've ordered 2 and am determined to have another try. If nothing else it will save me a few trips down to re recycling center. any tips please, also where is the best place to site them, the only spot which won't spoil the garden is in shade ,will this do? My bins are under trees, and they work perfectly well, just takes a bit longer. I manage to get my compost to quite a good consistency. I think the trick is not to put in too many grass clippings, they tend to turn into a layer of slime. Build up in layers. I shred all my paperwork, tear up cardboard and use stuff like the gunk out of the hoover bag. As you attain a good layer of green material (kitchen waste, garden clippings) then put in some of the shredded material. If it starts to look sloppy, bung in more dry stuff. Too dry, some water, pee, or nettle tea will improve things. Worms will soon mix everything together. In the kitchen I have a wee regime. I line my compost container with paper, maybe a bit of egg box in the bottom. So, when I empty it there is already a mixture of wet and dry. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be addicted. I have six daleks now.  Leafmold is good fun too. Have you tried making that? By the way, I never turn mine. |
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Post by Dr Bill on Aug 14, 2008 15:06:23 GMT
In the kitchen I have a wee regime.  |
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 16, 2008 6:49:38 GMT
In the kitchen I have a wee regime. Well spotted DrB. If you put newspaper down Wee you could put it straight in the compost bin Mine aren't in full sun, but they get anything from a couple of hours to half the day in the sun. Also as they are the black plastic dalek type the black absorbs the sun they do get, it must help I guess Went to a mates the other day, I was green with envy because she has had a wooden two section one built for her. She was worried about filling it but I told her to get into the habit of putting compostable stuff on one side no matter how small it was, my bucket outside the back door soon gets full. She has loads of paperwork to shred so I've told her to keep it in a bin liner and mix it with grass cuttings when she adds them to the bin. |
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Post by Weeterrier on Aug 16, 2008 8:31:55 GMT
Cheeky rascals  |
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Post by Amo on Aug 16, 2008 19:47:16 GMT
I have 6 slatted wooden ones and use them in pairs. They get layered with debris and grass cuttings until they are so full the lids are a few feet above them then we fill the next until the first has shrunk (a few days), then the first gets a top up and so on. When they stop shrinking one gets tuned over and then the other is turned into that to make one bin. By the time we've done the circuit the doubled up one is ready. I snip everything I can. OH shreds the rest and anything too big gets burnt and the ash added. The chook hut sawdust is fab and the paper from the study (less the plastic address window) is shredded and added too. I never add anything that has been cooked and encourage OH to pee in them as he has the equipment that I don't. We have a wormery, sadly now drowned and defunct though he does threaten to start it again. (Only if it's away from the house, the flies were horrendous). We have a very good Bokashi system going too. It Ems Goo goes straight into one of the water butts and the solids get mixed into the compost. The runner beans this year had one side all home made compost in the trench and the other side half Bokashi and half Wormery compost. The homemade won hands down. The Bokashi came second but took a while to catch up, perhaps the pickle was too stong, and the wormery compost came third. I'd like to enlarge the compost area, there are plans but they are still in my head at the momnet. This chalk is very, very hungry!! I will also 'ave you know, my OH has been in Gardeners World mag for our compost.  I was too chicken to put my photo in.  |
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Post by Barbara on Aug 17, 2008 9:57:17 GMT
hey amo can you show us a link or summat  of the article. i mean |
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 4, 2008 10:23:31 GMT
I'm really pleased with my compo bins this year, having 3 of those black darlek type has been a god send. I could really do with a couple more but space is tight so I'll have to contibue using old poly bags with holes in and store them at the side and back of the shed. All of the bins are full to the top atm and after having a look the other day it looks like I could do with getting some of the bottom stuff out and bagging it up or spreading it on the garden.
Always find the emptying bit hard work, mine are in tight spots too so it's not easy to maneuver about, will have to get myself in the mood when we have a dry day.
I'm still getting loads of those worms that I posted a piccy of on the first post of this thread ;D
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Post by Dutchy on Nov 4, 2008 18:17:40 GMT
;D
On the up it is power training for free and with added goodness for the garden.
I am glad mine are the wood on wood stacked ones Geoff Hamilton once showed how to make.
I can take the bin down to the ground and scoop out as I go.
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 8, 2008 14:03:02 GMT
thanks Barbara I forgot about this thread. do you use the compost for potting up is it it purely for the garden I tend to use mine either on the garden as a mulch, to beef up plants in permenant pots and when I'm potting on into larger pots. BTW Beanie did you get the bins you talked about back in August I've had a good couple of hours help from OH this morning emptying my bins. From 3 bins I've ended up with one full of stuff that hasn't fully composted down yet, one bin still 3/4 full of good stuff one empty bin. The rest has been bagged up and plonked on the empty veg garden until I can get to use it on the flower beds and the raised veg beds. Some I'll just keep in the bags for later. Anyone got a wormery, someone on here had one once over, can't remember who though ;D. On GW the other week Toby used an old wheelbarrow for one, not sure I was keen on the idea but each to their own |
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Post by nightowl on Jan 22, 2009 10:16:59 GMT
I'm sure there's already a home-made compost thread on here but I can't find it. I have just "harvested" my first compost, and I am sooo pleased with it It's gorgeous stuff! And I'm amazed cos while it was in the making I just could not believe it was going to turn out ok! I got my plastic dalek bin about this time 2 years ago, and at the start it was mostly kitchen waste, which looked and smelled disgusting. As I have no lawn I asked my neighbours to give me their grass cuttings, but I put too many in and it sort of stopped rotting and was even more disgusting!  I really thought it was never going to give me compost, but added lots of dead leaves, and started putting paper in as well. Less grass cuttings (and more mixed in) last summer. In fact, at one stage I emptied everything out and stirred it up and put it all back in again! More leaves last autumn filled it right to the top. Time to take some out! Scary! Yesterday I decided to see what would come out of the bottom - and it is wonderful!!! One dodgy moment when I was reaching right to back of the base to get all the good stuff out and the whole lot caved in and trapped my arm!! (it's heavy old stuff isn't it?). Ended up with a big bag nearly full up with fabulous stuff! Well worth the efffort and the wait! |
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Post by Tig on Jan 22, 2009 12:25:09 GMT
It is wonderful stuff innit! I had my first lot last year and was amazed at how rich and crumbly it was. So .. where are you putting it, and what are you going to grow in it? ;D
x Tig
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Post by Barbara on Jan 22, 2009 12:44:54 GMT
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Post by snowowl on Jan 22, 2009 16:15:07 GMT
Its great N O to get your first home made compost.Theres nothing i like better than to empty my dalek bin out and give it a mix.
I end up realy dirty and just love the end result when i can barrow it onto my borders.
I made the same mistake as you of putting to many grass cuttings in it was a horrible slimy mess but i learnt my lesson and add a lot more other things to it now. ;D
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Post by Amo on Jan 22, 2009 17:22:48 GMT
You have now totally completed the circle of life NO! Well done ;D ;D
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Post by farmersboy on Jan 22, 2009 18:19:24 GMT
well done, N O, I can remember my first time as well. Im getting a diferent impression of of you Barbara,to the one i used to have ;D |
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Post by Jasmine on Jan 22, 2009 18:59:28 GMT
...and it's free! Nature is a wonderful thing! |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 22, 2009 20:43:38 GMT
;D Well done Nightowl it's absolutely fantastic to make your own compost is'nt it. I still feel delighted every time I empty my bin and find lovely useable stuff.
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Post by Chuckles on Jan 24, 2009 12:47:07 GMT
Well done NO, it is a great feeling. I've had good and not so good results and have learnt from experience of what to compost and what not to compost. Great thread here HOME MADE COMPOST with all hints and tips from everyone. Maybe there are some new bits that could be added. I'm all for composting as much as is possible. |
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Post by Chuckles on Jan 31, 2009 19:19:04 GMT
Can't believe it's just over 2 months since I emptied one of my bins and it's now full again |
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 13, 2009 20:46:56 GMT
I apologise if this thread has been started before but I couldn't find it. ;D I'm thinking of getting a compost bin....... I only have a very small garden and there is only me living here so.......... What size should I go for? Also in all the bumf that I have read it says that you should place it somewhere sunny and not under trees The only place that I have is next to the shed at the end of the garden which is overhung with the big trees and it doesn't get hardy if any sun. so do I get one and put it there or am I wasting my time? Missy x |
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Post by Spruance on Mar 13, 2009 20:59:24 GMT
First thing Missy would be to see if your local council has a subsidised compost bin scheme. Cambridge County Council certainly does so you should be ok on that score.... www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/environment/waste/composting/where_to_buy_a_compost_bin.htmAs far as location goes, I don't think it really matters. My main composting area, a Geoff Hamilton design double wooden affair, is also beneath a tree at the bottom of the garden and in the summer months is in total shade. It still gets hot though as it's the content rather than the location that makes the most difference. My overflow heap - used mainly for kitchen veg waste - is of the black plastic variety and sits in full sun at the side of the small GH. I suppose it does work a bit quicker than the wooden bin but then it doesn't get the woody content so that may be the reason. Of course you can always construct your own bin using broken pallets but I always think they look a bit untidy. As for size, I would say the bigger the better as a bigger one will heat up quicker and hold the heat longer. |
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 13, 2009 21:11:47 GMT
Thats the website that I was looking at yesterday Spru....so much cheaper than the shops and they deliver ;D I'm not sure which size though...220 or 330...... It will be mainly food and garden waste but not all the leaves in the Autumn as these would fill it in one go...I will add some of them from the garden vac though. My garden is very small and will mainly consist of a few beds and lots of pots. So which would you recommend? I am soooo new to all this, never thought that I would have the room for a compost bin but hopefully when I re-do the whole garden sometime after all my bulbs are finished I should be able to make room for it. |
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Post by Spruance on Mar 13, 2009 22:09:52 GMT
Having had another look at the website, probably the 220 in your case Missy. I'm fairly sure that our black one is the 330 going by the dimensions. As I said previously it's mainly used for kitchen waste as it's easier to get to, although I do tend to add grass clippings from time to time to get the composting process going.
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Post by maggy on Mar 13, 2009 22:42:02 GMT
I have the Dalek one M; it is in the sun although I dont know if it will matter much if it is in the shade, I use Garrotte (sp) to help it rot down! we got ours cheap from the council its just a right size for a small garden, we dont have lots of grass cuttings though as we only have a small area at the front that needs cutting, but the garden vac is very usefull as it chops the leaves up nice and fine, I add veg scrapings and skins also shredded paper and with the normal garden cuttings I get a usefull amount of compost from it. Oh and the leaves in Autumn if you black bag them and hide them somewhere for a year or so you can add them as you need them if they havent already made their own compost.
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 14, 2009 9:42:23 GMT
Hi Maggy.....I don't have the room to store any bags of leaves unfortunatly.
I think that I will go for the 220 thanks Spru....I think that I may go shopping to see if I can 'see' the sizes in the shops before ordering it from the council.
I am getting organised...I have printed out a list of 'greens' and 'browns' and one for the no-nos. ( I do love my lists ;D)
I can't wait to get started but have to wait for the bulbs to finish flowering before I can start.
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I was too chicken to put my photo in. 
of the article. i mean 
