Black "Dalek" Composter

[cardiffsteve]

I've just aquired a dalek composter from the council.
Should have been £5 but because it was a bit bashed had it for free

So what do i do with it and where do I plug it in?

[Florence Fennel]

I've got two Steve located near to my veg beds so they're easy to tip out when the time comes. You're supposed to be able to lift up the hatch at the bottom to get it out, but that doesn't work for me, I just rock them over once a year.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Just fill it up, with all your garden and kitchen waste. I have two, though I am still trying to fill one! When we had all that windy weather, the empty one took flight. It was all very doctor who, and I had to go retrieve it. Was really quite funny...

[Two_Sheds]

I've got two ...located near to my veg beds

I have a big plot, so I'm able to have them in my veg beds~ I put them where I next need compost (usually bean beds).

I just rock them over once a year

I'm doing mine quicker now: every couple of months. There's always some big lumps not rotted yet, so I pick those out and chuck them in the newly emptied dalek

another pic here

we had all that windy weather, the empty one took flight.

You might need to dig it down into the soil a bit and mound some earth up around the sides (earthing up!).
Then to turn it, get a spade under the bottom lip, wiggle & lever the whole thing up and off

[Bren In Pots]

One of mine is green got it from eBay for £1 and somehow it doesn't seen right to call it a Dalek

[cardiffsteve]

But daleks come in a variety of colours!

[mothhawk]

Just fill it up, with all your garden and kitchen waste. I have two, though I am still trying to fill one! When we had all that windy weather, the empty one took flight. It was all very doctor who, and I had to go retrieve it. Was really quite funny...

I have two as well, and if one is empty I sit it over the top of the other until that one is full, then take it off to use. It helps keep the heat in and saves space. That said, I've just taken out the compost that's ready from both, put the remains back into one dalek, which filled it, and so I've a nice empty one ready for the season.

Like TS I embed them into the ground a bit, then rock them to lift off the whole thing when they are full - much easier than fiddling with the pokey little hatch.

[mothhawk]

Don't stick it behind the shed in the shade, put it in a sunny spot, it will compost faster. Don't put it too near the house 'cos you'll get fruit flies in it through the summer and when you lift off the lid, clouds of them will make a beeline for any open door or window (that's how it seems anyway - in reality they zip off in all directions), and they are a right pain indoors - too small to swat!

[Two_Sheds]

you'll get fruit flies in it

Not if you "cover" the green stuff with "brown" stuff, ie a layer of soil, leafmould or shredded newspaper.

The easiest method though is to wrap your kitchen peelings/fruit pulp inside a couple of sheets of newspaper and make a chip-shop style parcel

[horticultural_hobbit]

Ah, now I know what to do about the fruit flies Annoying little blighters.

[mothhawk]

Not if you "cover" the green stuff with "brown" stuff, ie a layer of soil, leafmould or shredded newspaper.

The easiest method though is to wrap your kitchen peelings/fruit pulp inside a couple of sheets of newspaper and make a chip-shop style parcel

I would, but we don't have newspapers.

[rustylady]

I would, but we don't have newspapers.

Don't you get a weekly free paper?

[mothhawk]

Don't you get a weekly free paper?

Alas, no. Once a month we get a multi-village journal magazine, but it's only A4 size and printed on glossy paper. I put all the household tissues and kitchen roll into the compost, but that doesn't stop the fruit flies, posibly 'cos I eat loads of fruit, especially bananas, which are a fruit fly magnet.

[Two_Sheds]

we don't have newspapers.

Ask a neighbour? Ask a shop? Ask on Freecycle?