Composter on concrete?

[JamesM]

Thanks all- i sorte it out yesterday and instantly it felt nice to be able to put waste to one side to go in it as opposed to throwing it away.

Hopefully the composter will inspire my son to get used to a potty a bit quicker so i can start getting all his wee on it! He drinks a bloody lot so i'm expecting a good turnover this summer!

[ginger ninger]

I emptied mine into my new raised bed yesterday James and the contents were black, very crumbly and full of worms. I'd say the best I've made up to now. My neighbours using my compost bin this year. So all my compost-able stuff will be going round to her house...she's helped fill mine over the years .

[Potstubsdustbins]

Crept out the house last night with a mini torch and followed your advice.

Then had to bring SWMBO upstairs to show her this thread to prove I had not lost my marbles.

Colin

[Claire72]

hi. much weeing going on but i was of the understanding that it was only mens wee that was any good in the composter. Please correct me if i'm wrong so i can have a go, and not have to ask the neighbour.......

I think it is more a question of men having better plumbing for the job! hee hee!

[Kristen]

hi. much weeing going on but i was of the understanding that it was only mens wee that was any good in the composter. Please correct me if i'm wrong so i can have a go, and not have to ask the neighbour.......

My understanding is that Female urine is more acid and contains oestrogen, more so if on the pill, which can be passed to growing veg - dunno if it breaks down in the compost heap, but that is often given as the reason for Females to leave it to the Males

There is also more urea in Male urine (and more first thing in the morning) and that's what provides the Nitrogen to accelerate the compost heap.

[Two_Sheds]

My understanding is that Female urine is more acid and contains oestrogen, more so if on the pill

I don't know how much oestrogen is actually excreted (as waste) or if it even matters...after all, female animals pee on the earth and always have. I've always used (female) liquid gold on my garden

Urine contains large quantities of nitrogen (mostly as urea), as well as significant quantities of dissolved phosphates and potassium, the main macronutrients required by plants. Diluted at least 8:1 with water it can be applied directly to soil as a fertilizer. source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine

[Potstubsdustbins]

With reference to 'browns' did anyone pick up on the news article about brekkie cereal people discontinuing using recycled cardboard packaging.

The reason given was that newsprint used to make the cardboard contains some oil or other and that this had been leeching into the food. Tests have found amounts way over the permitted limits in certain cereal foods.

Thoughts and advice please.

Colin

[Two_Sheds]

did anyone pick up on the news article about ... recycled cardboard packaging.

I did mull it over. The mineral oils (made from petroleum) are leeching into the food even through the plastic inner bag. (baby oil and Vaseline is a mineral oil, and most shampoos and shower gels contain mineral oils too: Mineral Oil and Why You Should Avoid It)

I'm not worried about adding cardboard to the compost heap: it all gets broken down into the soil, soil which already contains lots of iffy things like heavy metals (in minute quantities)

[Potstubsdustbins]

I didn't know enough about it to make a judgement did not even know it was mineral oil as I only caught the last bit of the broadcast. So thought I would pose the question here for others to give their opinion, thanks for yours.


Colin