Time to give that compost a turn over.

[Wren]

Now is a great time to give last years compost a good turning. Nothing much happens in the compost bin over winter, an the compost will more than likely have settled down and area's of become anaerobic with no air getting through because of compaction. So now is a good time to get it all moving again.
Alway best to have two composters in use, or three is even better. Turf out last years compost into a spare composter and chuck it about abit to get the air back into the heap, and that leaves you with a nice clear composter to start the year afresh with . If you have any horse manure going spare then mix that in to the half finished compost to give it a fresh kick.

Wren

[smallblueplanet]

Yep, yesterday spread some of the lovely compost onto our raised beds...still got another one to turn though.

[selfraising]

Have been bracing myself for this job for the last few days, must get on with it!!

[FionaH]

Have been bracing myself for this job for the last few days, must get on with it!!

Me too! Got 3 bins of totally unrotted cold stuff YUK

[Two_Sheds]

I've just turned 3 Daleks and a pallet heap. One more Dalek to do (at home, and it's cold & sludgy inside I bet).

I do mine at this time of year because they're always full with no room to put the spring weeds in.

It's always interesting to see what's rotted and what hasn't. Pallet heap was hopeless, everything inside was dry & intact. The Daleks work better, except for:

- eggshells, even crushed
- corks
- sprout stalks
- corn cobs
- strings of lycra (I compost old cotton socks & pants etc)

[piskieinboots]

...Pallet heap was hopeless...

I have a similar set up, I have lined it (and have a bit that covers the top) with weed suppressant membrane it gets very warm in there and has rotted down nicely.

[Two_Sheds]

Piskie, the main problem is with my pallets: I was given four different sized ones (no two are the same) and they have really wide gaps in the slats.

When I made it (cobbled it) I lined the gaps with whole newspapers and bits of cardboard, stapled voile all the way around (to stop stuff falling out the gaps) and put a carpet on the top. It was open to the rain most of the winter, because the carpet kept blowing off (even with a slab on top).

I've just started it again, adding the uncomposted stuff in layers, watering each layer really well, and treading down the whole thing too (by jumping up and down on top). It's reduced in height by half, which means I can get more in, but if it doesn't rot down this year it's going on the bonfire.

[Nicos]

We have 3 made from pallets and my OH used the well rotted section last weekend.

Yup- there is some heat in there now
Now we've started on the grass clippings!! ( someone PLEASE remind me to collect even more leaves next year!!!!!)

[Madasafish]

Two Sheds said:
The Daleks work better, except for:

- eggshells, even crushed
- corks
- sprout stalks

We separate all eggshells, crush them , keep them and use as a garden slug preventer or general feed.


Sprout stalks: shredder.

[Wren]

My friend purchased an expensive paper shredder today to shred her bank statements , bills and receipts. I just compost mine, sorted

Wren

[taff]

I burn mine and chuck the ashes on the beds

The pallet composter...mine was really good the first couple of years,and the beginning of last year, it was covered it with a spare bit of larchlap fencing I nicked off the neighbour. Unfortunately I ended up having to put that bit behind the greenhouse to give it a bit of protection from the wind,and it's been open to the elements for the last 18 months, and doing not half as good a job as it used to.
I'm not buying a piece or wood to go across the top so I just have to hope someone's freecycling some fencing soon

[northepaul]

Mine (a dalek) is so full of flies that I dread taking the lid off as they all fly in your face! When the lids on, hundreds sit on the top!!!
I know that flies are natural etc etc, but surely not THAT many??

[taff]

Sounds like it's a bit wet.
I had that problem when I had a black bin and a lid, it wasn't composting aerobically, it was just one soggy stinking mess, with loads of fruit flies.
Chuck a bit of cardboard and some twiggy bits in it, or take the cover off and re-layer it with cardboardand twiggy bits....
Lot of work though....

[Maddie106]

Well I KNOW I ought to get out there and do it more often, but sorting out the compost bin is a job I HATE.

Just got the one bin from the council and it DOES look like a Darlek! It's been full to the brim over the winter and I've had to use the council brown bin for garden waste till last week.

I dug out my bean trench and put the top 12 inches of unrotted stuff into the bottom.
Took out the next 12 inches and saved it ready to start the bin again.
What remained looked good, so I've used most of it to mulch the rhubarb, raspberies, blackcurrant and apple trees. ( But the hens went mad spreading it around the fruit plot !)...I'm afraid I HAVE to let the ladies out when I'm cleaning their hut, otherwise they "Help" by either going in the hut when I'm cleaning it out, or standing on the roof and pecking my head!

Now down to 12 inches in the compost bin, with an interesting layer of spud peelings and chicken poo on the top!

How DO you Stir a Darlek bin?? (Apart from calling Dr Who or Captain Jack!)

[FionaH]

How DO you Stir a Darlek bin?? (Apart from calling Dr Who or Captain Jack!)

First: wear wellies, bits of unrotted compost in your shoes is NOT nice!
Second: dig out as much as you can from the silly little hole at the bottom.
Shift as much real compost from there on to a bed, then..........and this is the fun bit........

Pull over dalek, trying not to break it, swear as half tonne of wet unrotted cold compost goes every where. Try not to slip on stuff as you find the fork to chuck it all back in again

Alternatively pay someone to do it for you? Local kids, anyone really