Composting on flag stones

[Does the Cooking]

Hi,

I've been given a compost bin. I have no garden will I have problems if I place compost bin on paving stones? Do I need worms etc. I plan to only use vegetable peeling and the like. Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

You can, but it works better on the soil. Can you pull up a paving stone ?

You can't only use vegetable peelings. You need to add "browns". The easiest way to do this is to wrap your peelings in a sheet of newspaper every time.

Worms: will arrive. Just like that. However, if you want a head start, buy some from an angling shop, or online.

[rustylady]

How big is your compost bin?

[Mikey]

I used to have one on paving slabs, but it is infinitely better on soil. The decomposition is much quicker, add a nice variety of items, trimmings from plants, veg peelings, newspaper, cardboard, coffee grounds, stay clear of cooked foods as this will only attract rats.

[Darwin.]

What about cooked egg shells?

[Samurailord]

What about cooked egg shells?

I wouldnt compost these but would dry them in the bottom of a low oven and then crush them into tiny pieces.

Save the bits to sprinkle round your delicate seedlings as a slug/snail barrier - they don't like the prickly bits.

Andy

[Mikey]

I feed mine back to the chooks, crushed up and mixed with grit and oyster shell.

[Samurailord]

I feed mine back to the chooks, crushed up and mixed with grit and oyster shell.

Does that count as cannibalism?

Andy

[Mikey]

Does that count as cannibalism?

Andy

No, chickens eat shell to aide the making of shell.

The only thing to be careful is that they don't start eating their own eggs. Aslong as you ensure the egg shells are clean, I let mine dry out in the oven after its been switched off, crush them up, it should avoid this happening.

[Does the Cooking]

Size is 220 litres.

I don't wnat to dig up paving stone - not very handy - wld putitng some soil in with worms have the same effect.

PS Thanks for the replies.

[rustylady]

Size is 220 litres.

I don't wnat to dig up paving stone - not very handy - wld putitng some soil in with worms have the same effect.

PS Thanks for the replies.

To be honest your compost bin would be better sited on your allotment.

[Creemteez]

Hi DC, you can go to the trouble of finding and adding some worms to your compost bin, but as Two Sheds says, they WILL TURN UP OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. It's quite amazing how they manage to get under all sorts of things. I moved two full bags of Multi-purpose compost the other day, that had been sat for just two days on the clean concrete path - which is surrounded by beaten earth and gravel. Worms had found their way under the bags. I always have to flick a few baby worms back into the bins when when I take the lids off. Don't know whether they are trying to get in or out!

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have two compost bins set on slabs , no earth to put them on. It does take longer for the process to work but work it does.

I have mine sited over the joints between the slabs and scrapped out that joint first, the worms seem to find their way in.

Potty

[Two_Sheds]

Does that count as cannibalism?

Birds need to replace the calcium that they lose when they make an egg. Eating eggshell is an easy way for them to do that

But yes, chickens are cannibals, they are very partial to pecking each other's rumps for the blood