Composting question

[jools]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site and shall probably be driving you all mad with my questions. I have been pottering about in the garden for a few years but I am about to take delivery of a brand new 8x10 greenhouse and I am soooo excited. Need to get growing lots of veg so that I can tempt my 3 kids into a better diet.

Can I start with a question which is probably very easy for you but I can't find the answer anywhere?

I know I can put cardboard in my compost bin but can I put the stuff in that has shiny surface, as most packaging material seems to have?

Also, any tips on how to get rid of those blasted tiny flies that fill the air every time I take the lid off?

Many thanks
Jools

[Earthbabe]

Hi jools and welcome to the Vine. You'll find lots of people here with loads of advice, tips, support and encouragement. A really friendly if slightly mad crowd.

Re your questions do you mean the stuff you find fruit juice etc in. If so I suspect not. The problem with that is you can't even put it in the recycling bin if you have one, either.

As for the flies they are probably "fungus gnats" as they were referred to on Topsoil (local radio gardening prog) at the weekend and as such are part of the whole process. So while annoying best not to get rid of them. You will probably see less of them as the weather cools down.

Enjoy your gardening and your veg growing.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hello jools and welcome to the "mad house!". Actually, you've raised a question I also have re: flies! The only cardboard I put in my compost bin is the loo roll/kitchen roll/egg box variety and they seem to be breaking down well. I also put in the odd bit of newspaper as well. Hope this helps. Looking forward to hearing about how you get on with your greenhouse! DDL
PS if you type in compost on the search thingy you will find loads of very useful advice.

[nick the grief]

Hi Jools,

1. Welcome to the Vine.
2. Earthbabe is right only normal cardboard can go in not the waxed stuff - it doesn't break down
3. Your flies are Fungus gnats & they lay there eggs in the compost bin & the maggots ( about 4mm long) eat the vegetitive material. Because it's warm in there they will probably survive the winter but it will be OK to spread the compost on the garden as they will soon get eaten by other things. Don't use it in your greenhouse however without steralising it as the little blighters will munch all the roots off your seedlings & cuttings & then they collapse & die. I know you can get chemicals to spray the compost with that will see them off but you probable don't want to do that, so you can use the yellow or blue sticky traps & catch them like that. I've got a biological cortol in my greenhouse - 2 sundews they love em & munch their way thru loads
4. Congrats on the Greenhouse 10 x 8 is a nice size but it still won't be big enough in the end

[yoanbob]

hi jools welcome.
dont compost shiney stuff, if you get your juice from innocent you can recycle that carton.
flies are a nuisence, we keep our little compost bucket outside now, we just fill it from a small tupperware tub in the house, its a hassle but we only really need to empty it once a day.
good luck with getting the kids to eat veg, how old are they?

[Sue]

Jools, Welcome
You will get loads of advice and help here, couldn't garden without it!
When you say shiny do you mean waxed or coated cardboard, some have a thin film or just ordinary printed cardboard. I do put the latter in torn in to little pieces and it seems to break down OK. I've seen it reported that printing inks are not a problem now.
Sue

[Alison]

In addition to the advice you've had on flies etc, you can sometimes get a fruit fly problem if you simply thrown in a load of fruit and veg peelings. To stop these breeding you're best to either mix the fruit peelings into the pile or cover with some old compost etc. In my experiance this is only likely to be a potential problem in the summer months.

[rustylady]

Just to add to the cardboard comments - my darling daughter read that cardboard is good in the compost heap, but I only found out when I went to dig the heap out that she'd put great big lumps of it in!

Everything you put in the compost heap or bin breaks down much quicker if you chop it or shred it

[SueA]

Hi Jools & welcome, I only put plain cardboard torn into little pieces in my compost bins as (unlike the other Sue) I've read that the print on shiny cardboard & shiny magazines is harmful but newspaper is O.K., I suppose it's up to how fussy you want to be & which book or magazine you read!

[Waffler]

I don't put shiny stuff in mine, but do put in newspaper, eggboxes, loo rolls and cardboard boxes (from the wine company - just taken delivery of 2 more boxes: yippee!) - all torn up; actually the newspaper I don't always tear up, but sometimes just lay a sheet flat and cover it over with composting material.

[jools]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I'll just put the non shiney cardboard in from now on and tolerate the flies ( but not put the compost in my greenhouse).

My kids are a nearly 10 year old boy (hardly eats any fruit or vegetables) and 4 year old twins - a boy (eats fruit but hates veg) and a girl (will have a go at most things and wants to please - but not trying to make any point here honestly). Don't go thinking I'm a youngster though - had the twins when I was 42 - old enough to know better..........

Jools

[jlottie]

In addition to cardboard, I use small amounts of shredded paper which helps if there is a lot of wet veggie matter.

Jools, aren't twins great - mine are now 22, a bit of a shock at the time as they have 2 elder sisters ( 4 children under 5 years - its all a haze now)

[jools]

Gosh jlottie, you survived. There were many times when I thought I wouldn't but it is getting easier and the twins will be at school full time after Christmas! I have heard that grandchildren are your reward for not killing your kids. Trouble is, I had mine rather late in life so, unless they start early.......
Jools