got a hotbin composter today

[Urban]

I Have spent a fortune on topsoil/compost recently, so thought I'd have a bash at making my own

I found the hotbin composter, and it seems a pretty interesting way of making compost, so I purchased one

Got it today. £117 for a bit of polystyrene is first thing my gf said
Looked at me even funnier after once I filled it I got a bottle of yellow lemonade out to pour in it hehe

Anyway I'll post in this thread on how I get along with it

[keepitgreen]

sounds imteresting, might have to look it up.

[Newton]

Does look interesting. But I thought that the hot initial phase of composting was only part of the process. Is that correct?

[Two_Sheds]

This one? Compost Food and Garden Waste | Hot Composting Bin


I have to say, I get usable compost from my (£7) daleks in the same timeframe. The heat produced is the same as with the hot composter, the hottest part being down to thermophilic activity in the top centre area, with the cooler parts being in the bottom and sides of the bin/heap

It's not just heat that does the composting though, other organisms are crucial and they live in the cooler parts.

Anyway, not to rain on your new toy, do let us know how it goes

[zazen999]

We had a couple of those at work - I'll find out how they worked if I can next time I'm in and let you know.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Anyway, not to rain on your new toy, do let us know how it goes

TS, did you not mean pour yellow water?

[Urban]

Took a while for my hotbin to get going, had a few false starts trying to get it going with the supplied hot water bottle without any luck, but now things are really starting to heat up, I fill it up and the next day the level has dropped by 6 inches, steam is coming out of the top, and I think its going to be hard for the 2 of us to keep it filled up

not checked if there is any usable compost yet though, I reckon ill give it a month or so yet

oh top thermometer is reading 60c

[Two_Sheds]

top thermometer is reading 60c

That's good ~ is it in the sun? And have you started scrounging veg scraps/lawn clippings etc from your neighbours yet?


(I'm gathering nettles & borage from the cycle lane today to top up school's lasagne beds: well, the council never bother weeding)

[chris]

Do you have much woody waste? I generate quite a bit from my chickens, since then my compost turnover rate has dropped quite considerably despite ramping up on the green ratio/frequency.

[Urban]

No sun, it's on the north side of a south facing 6ft fence, so very shady atm, the only woody waste that's going in is privet edge trimmings and maybe some cardboard.

I've got some pruning to do in summer, but I'll shred that and chuck it in I reckon

Good idea asking neighbours for there trimmings etc, there a bit too partial to using weed killer though, will have a wander in the woods and see if I can find some comfrey Etc growing wild

I did have a few problems with little flys in there to begin with, but I don't think there's anything living in there now that it's heated up

[Urban]

Had a quick peak yesterday, compost was very black and looks for the most part done

only problems egg shells do not seem to of rotted (do they actually rot?) and the bio bags I had the kitchen scraps in are still intact, just going to chuck those in the normal bin from now on I think

think ill empty it in july and see what I get

[Two_Sheds]

egg shells do not seem to of rotted

They need to be smashed/crushed into small pieces before going in

the bio bags I had the kitchen scraps in are still intact

Are they photo(light) degradable? I've buried so-called biodegradable plastic bags before, and they don't rot down.

Can you wrap your kitchen scraps in newspaper instead?

[taff]

blimey, that was quick
egg shells dont really rot, smash them up before you put them in.

[Urban]

They need to be smashed/crushed into small pieces before going in

Are they photo(light) degradable? I've buried so-called biodegradable plastic bags before, and they don't rot down.

Can you wrap your kitchen scraps in newspaper instead?

Have just crushed them in the hand, I guess I'll just have to take a bit more time and really break the shells down in the future

The bags are called biobags, they say on them they are fully compost able and biodegradeable
I use them because I have one of those mini compost bins in the kitchen, would get to much of a mess if I didn't use them

I think the bags are actually made out of some type of corn, I'll just empty there contents into the hotbin and chuck the bags into the proper bin, to go to landfill, at least they rot down eventually

Can't believe I only just started using biodegrable bags for the dog poop, never considered there'd be poop festering in normal plastic bags in landfill for years

[bazzaboy]

Still only one thread on this new "Hotbin" gadget that promises rather a lot, and no further comments on GYO since early June? I'm wondering how it's been doing longer term and now that it's Autumn/Winter? Recommended?