Wahay I have compost! Mainly.....

[FionaH]

Seriously excited today. Checked the original compost bin and it was full of soft crumbly compost It was started in May so dead chuffed. I got Mr H and a young friend of mine to tip it out so it can go in what will be my potato bed.

Heres the strange bit the stuff at the bottom hadnt fully composted, still bits of food, compostable bags etc. The stuff at the top was lovely. Now wouldnt you think things would compost from the bottom up?

I now have another compost bin on the go, not composted at all yet. Now I am wondering wether to add the semi composted bits to that one. Any ideas?

[SarzWix]

It must have either been cold at the bottom, or not enough air getting to it? I'd put a pile of twigs or something at the bottom of the new heap, then chuck the half composted stuff on that. Either that or put it in the bottom of a trench for runner beans?

[zazen999]

We use any non-composted bits for the basis for the next pile. It soon gets broken down when the spring gets here and lots more is piled on top.

[lynda66]

i think it's something to do with temperature, the heat in the middle is warmest, so some of the edge bits take longer, mine was the same when i emptied it, so i put some good compost at the bottom of the new bin, and put the non composted stuff on top of that and started again.

[FionaH]

Trouble is the new bin is 3/4 full. I think I will dig out the bean bed and put the undercomposted stuff there. Thanks for the help

Isnt it nice to be thinking about growing things?

[cupcake]

Home made compost is the biz! Trots outside to check this years bin.

[FionaH]

Home made compost is the biz! Trots outside to check this years bin.

It is but I have decided I dont like the design of mine. Those little holes at the bottom to get the stuff out are too small I think I will have to look into building a square one before too long.

[lynda66]

have you got a black plastic dalek type one?? ........ cos if you have, you can just lift it off move it along a bit take the good stuff out, and start it off again.... you don't need to use the hole.

[FionaH]

I have 2, a green joanna, similar to a dalek but with a bottom, so that doesnt work. Currently using a dalek so it will be fine when its time to use that one.

[lynda66]

how annoying maybe you could get the jigsaw out and cut the bottom off

[Farmer_Gyles]

i've got 3 daleks at home - all 3 were filled up over the last year or so - checked them yesterday:
#1 - 6 inches of semi-composted material, some larger stuff on top not rotted down
#2 - 18 inches of semi-composted material
#3 - half full of partially composted material

i cleared out the greenhouse and pulled up unwanted plants etc, emptied all the tomato pots and pepper pots into #1 (inc all the old compost), along with a couple of bucket loads of kitchen waste that i'd kept out the back but not taken down to the compost bins yet - so #1 is full up again now

i'll have enough garden waste over the next few weeks to fill up #2

i'm getting hold of a load of pallets soon (next door having extension) so will build compost bins on the allotment to replace the 2 daleks currently there - hopefully get enough pallets to make a double compost bin there - and maybe the same at home ....

[KayleighM]

I havent checked mine. My partner looks after the compost so I will have to ask him what ours is like.