New composter setup?

[1Bee]

I wonder if folk can help me make up my mind....

I've just bought a new composter (Aldi, 17.99 reduced to 13.49 - bargain!) for the plot, and I'm not sure whether to set it up on bare soil, or put some weed blocker membrane down first. I wouldn't usually bother, but it's going near a hedge, where the bank has recently been cleared slightly exposing some roots, and I don't want all the roots growing up into my precious compost.

I've been composting at home for years, although due to limited space it mostly operates as a digester with a thriving colony of worms. But we have had problems in the past with trying to turn it out and finding it's full of roots from the nearby creeper going up the wall, so now I've put membrane underneath, since it's already active and hard-working.

Thoughts? And is it worth seeding the new composter with a bucket full of the good stuff from my home heap?

Thanks! Anna.

[WendyC]

I would put it on bare soil. I'm surprised you have had a problem with roots as they generally grow down into the soil. At home my composters are set on slabs as we have had a rat problem (from next door ) in the past. Still make good compost. At the allotment they are on bare soil and if rats are a problem, I disturb them a bit and add blue sweeties for them! If you added some compost from home you could start the worm colony but they seem to appear anyway.

[1Bee]

Okay, bare soil it is, thanks! The composter at home's lower half was full of coiled up feathery roots from the creeper.... I had to tip it over and drag it away and they stretched for three metres! I got some very funny looks as I laughed my head off about it... Perhaps, though, that was just a peculiarity of that plant.

[roitelet]

I site my compostors on old bricks or failing that green branches about 4cm diameter. The worms get In with no problem and it makes it easier to dig the compost out.