What good is home made compost for

[taff]

I wouldnt bother, I'd get something sturdier, like a small barrel with a lid, drill holes in the sides, it's exactly the same. Those things look a bit gimmicky.
Yes, revitalise your used compost with bfb, or slow release fertiliser, or chopped up comfrey [brought to you by Zazens tips ] and nettles.

[Jimmy]

I have a big wooden compost bin and 2 black daleks

I turn them ever 6 month or so emptying one into the other. As I empty one the bottom half is usually perfect compost, the top half goes into the other bin.

I use it for flower and veg pots. 1 third mine + sprinkle grow more another third mine + another sprinkle of grow more, topped of with a third bought compost, it looks better without egg shells etc.

I also have 3 potato sacks that I was bought for Christmas !
The cost of compost for these would be prohibitive if I didn't bulk it out with my own.

Jimmy

[tumbling tom]

Ok received my composters yesterday and am ready to get on this weekend. Been saving grass clippings, old plants and cardboard for a few weeks now.

Just want to get a few things straight before I kill all my plants next year.

From some of these replies and what I have read online a lot of people say that it home made stuff is too rich for pots hence why they recommend adding used compost and/or shop bought stuff. Apparently if you just use home made stuff you could "fry the roots"

How do I know how "rich" my home made stuff is?

People have said to add bfb/growmore to used stuff, would I still do this if adding to homemade stuff?

Thanks for all the advice so far guys

[taff]

They only say that in relation to seedlings. Your seedlings need a less rich growing medium than a non-seedling [what's a non-seedling called? I've got brain blank...], something with less nutrients, like leaf mould etc. It won't be too rich to use for more grown up plants. Another reason not to use it for seedling sis your composting process may not kill any seeds in the compost, so weed seeds, and tomato seeds especially, will be still viable, and start sprouting leading to some confusion oiver what's actually germinating. I have had quite a few weed germinations from some bought stuff that was already in compost, that then germinated weeds...
No need to add anything to home made stuff, it should have nearly everything.

[Feral007]

Unless your homemade compost consists of a lot of uncomposted manure then it should be fine. Atho I always try to recycle as much used stuff as possible. So either add it 50/50 to the homemade stuff, or put the old stuff into holes dug by daughters dog, and use the homemade stuff in the pots alone.

[lottie dolly]

i have lots of the good stuff,granted weeds do appear,just pullem out,put seedling toms in some weeks ago,they did just fine,so now got aubergines,flowers potted on for next year,amongst other things,they all seem to be doing well,have to much to use this year in pots,so might bag up for next,that will give me more space to get another going,i dont want to put it on the open ground or in the green house,on account of the weed,where as in pots is easier to deal with,got enough already without adding to them lol.