Compost holes

[redser]

Hi - does anyone compost in the ground? I have 2 daleks that are stuffed, lots of material to go in but no other room on the plot for composters. Was thinking I could kill 2 birds with one stone and compost in places where I'll be growing stuff next year. Even during the winter I could compost in planting holes for next years toms etc. and have them nice and ready an enriched. Any thoughts?
Cheers

[scarey55]

My father-in-law used to dig a trench, fill it with compostable material and then cover it over and plant beans in it. I think this if a fairly common way of composting - saves having to have bins everywhere.

[Feral007]

We would do this but our dogs just love compost - so they would be ransacking it all the time (I've got electric fencing up around the compost heap!)
But yes, one idea is to dig up the square or round area you want to use, add all the compost, throw some mulch on maybe and let it heat up, then when it settles, plant your stuff. Sounds good to me esp for things like pumpkins, cucumbers etc, you just make a small compost heap, Plant your small plant and then train the vine around the area. So lots of little areas that work

[lukens]

I remember my grandma would always dig a small hole in her veg patch and bury any vegetable peelings or teabags from the day.

Hot beds or hugelkultur are both variations on the theme of planting over a compost heap. I'm thinking of making a hugelkultur raised bed, as I have a few old tree stumps, and some branches that are too big for my shredder, I'd also bung in any leftovers from my old compost pile after I've moved what I can to my newly made triple compost bin (none of it was doing much composting in the old haphazard heap).

[redser]

Great, thanks a lot. Saves space, saves time, love it!

[taff]

I just got rid of my pallet compost bin yesterday, left what was there, covered with grass and the nettles I chopped down from behind it, and built a bug hotel out of the pallets.
This year I did the above under the celery [needn't have bothered with all the rain] but it does seem to have helped, it's got very little damage, and looks as good as the first time I grew it [beginners luck ]
I've made an extension to the first hugel bed with what was left of the last batch of compost, my friends animals droppings and shavings, grass clippings and foliage. The broad bean foliage [pitiful and covered in blackfly] went in there too.
This year, or this autumn/winter, I'm going to revamp it all, via the cardboard on the floor method, and use anything I cut down on top of that.
I won't be burying it, but I will be composting in p[lace if that makes sense.

[Two_Sheds]

I've tried every method available I reckon. I did once dig holes/trenches and fill those with peelings, but over time they sink, and I ended up with a very uneven plot.

My daleks are always full at this time of year.

This year I'm going the One Straw Revolution way, and just chopping up old plants & weeds, and leaving them on the soil as a mulch. The bits disappear surprisingly quickly, and it's really improving the soil too

[alldigging]

Permaculture Ideas: 'The One Straw Revolution' by Masanobu Fukuoka (eBook)
One straw revolution free pdf there

[veggiechicken]

Thanks alldigging! Well spotted

[Samurailord]

I'm essentially composting in a hole at the moment.

When I took on my plot there was a large trench about four metres by two, and about half a metre deep at one edge.

Rather than try and move soil across the plot to level it, I have decided to use that section as my composting area.

The plan is to fill the hole with all the grass cuttings and plant trimmings from home to start, and just continue piling it on as I get more waste.

When it all turns to nice usable stuff I can simply leave the bottom half-metre in place when moving the good stuff above so i should theoretically end up with a reasonably level bed with some nice deep compost in it.

That's the plan anyway - only time will tell if it works

Andy