home grown compost

[Bren In Pots]

I used to do that Jono until I bought a second bin.

[Two_Sheds]

... until I bought a second bin.

Second? I have six ! And they're all full already !

[Mantha81]

Going on the number of bins, do you recommend that they are used on a yearly basis i.e. after year one, transfer what was in number 1 to number 2 and start filling number 1 again while you use the contents of 2 in year 2?

Hope that makes sense!!!

[Mantha81]

I have a couple of other questions:

1. I emptied my compost that housed my potatoes in last year - will the compost be ok to use (bearing in mind crop rotation, or doesn't it matter when returning to compost)

2. My local council have provided us with bio degradable bags to put our kitchen scraps in and then give to them to compost, however I make my own! Is it ok to put the bags in the compost bin?

[Two_Sheds]

do you recommend that they are used on a yearly basis

If you like, but I want my compost "ready" in less time than a year The more often you turn it, the quicker it works

bio degradable bags...ok to put the bags in the compost bin?

OK, don't shout

I hate those things, the school daleks were absolutely full of them. Having said that, they were supermarket 'biodegradable' carrier bags which on closer inspection are photo (light) degradable, so shouldn't have been put in the composters at all

[Mantha81]

I'll take them out!

[VirginVegGrower]

I get my guy to pee direct - good job our garden backs onto woodland and fields!!!
The hens contribute and then I feed them Bokashi Bran as well as using that in their bedding. I would say within 2-3 months we have very usable compost at the bottom

[christhedrummer]

Do Compost bins smell? I have a relatively small garden as I'm in a terrace so was considering getting a dalek but I'm worried it might be a bit wiffy!
Thoughts?

[Two_Sheds]

They only smell if you do them wrong (usually by adding too much green, not enough brown). Even if you put wee on them, they don't smell

[BigShot]

I had a small, open heap going last year (almost entirely "greens" with nothing twiggy in there), peed on it a couple of times a week and never turned it once. It didn't stink and looks in great shape now. I dunno how hot it got though so it'll be going in the new wooden bins with this year's compost to kill seeds and the like.

I'm a big fan of peeing on the heap tho. Very little seemed to be happening until I started... then it all moved very quickly.

[Two_Sheds]

An inch or two's layer of damp grass clippings really hots things up too

[BigShot]

I'll be using those too this year if I have the browns to balance them out.

I should probably add to my previous post that I'm not gong to be going brown-less this year. I'll be doing it all properly.

[cptncrackoff]

my compost doesnt look much more rotted than your examples, and I was planning on sticking some in the base of my large tub destined for the dwarf runner beans.
Mines been rotting for 3 and half years, it hasnt been turned though, its in a tricky corner of the garden to get to and do any work, I may need a second dalek, our council work with a company and you can get a 200ltr dalek delivered for £15.

You can also buy JAB garotta, compost maker, sprinkle some on and water every time you put a layer of waste in, I looked at it at work but decided I'm too tight to spend £4 on something that nature will take care of if I wait a bit!
Not sure if anyone has used it before!!!?

[Two_Sheds]

if I have the browns to balance them out.

You do have the browns already: the easiest way is to wrap all your kitchen peelings in a sheet of newspaper, like a chip parcel.

also chuck in loo rolls, egg boxes etc. Scrunched up newspaper creates nice air pockets

I'm too tight to spend £4 on something that nature will take care of

Me too. That's why I use comfrey and grass clippings

[Potstubsdustbins]

I don't have the space to actually turn my dalek's so I purchased a tool for the job. A steel pole with two moving tines you just push it to the bottom of the bin and as you pull it back out the tines extend allowing you to mix up the compost.

It may not be as good as actually turning the compost properly but it does get some air in there and it as certainly speeded up the process since I started to use it.

Colin