Compost bin comparison

[Small pumpkin]

I've got 2 ecomax, 1 blackwall and a homemade double wooden compost bin. While doing my annual compost shuffle ( very lax, I know ), I've noticed a considerable difference in quality and degree of compostedness ( made up word ).
The blackwall is so much better than the others. I've never really noticed before. The 3 dalek type all have the same stuff in them ( decanted from the wooden one ) filled at the same time and left for the same time.
Does anyone have a preference to which dalek composter they use?
To be honest I didn't realise there was any difference, a daleks a dalek and it does the same job. It turns out, yet again I was wrong .
While we're on the subject would anyone recommend one of the tumbling type?
Please no one mention a hot bin, I'm already very tempted by one of those!

[mothhawk]

I have 2 blackwalls because that's what the council was offering at reduced price 10 years or so ago. I'm a bit idle about composting, I tend to shove stuff in without bothering to chop it up, and it only gets turned when I have space to do it, which is maybe twice a year, but I do occasionally push a thickish stick down into it and waggle it about, to create air pockets and help it settle. Lots of tiger worms in there so I let them get on with it.

[sparrow100]

All bar one of my 7 daleks are Blackwall. The one that isn't seems to churn out good compost but a little more slowly and I wonder if that's because it's green not black? My neighbour has a tumbler but doesn't use it much- the rats find it v easy to get in for a buffet of her kitchen waste. Would be interested to hear how others do with theirs.

also, I have a hotbin. *smugface* It was free. *evensmuggerface*

[Small pumpkin]

Interesting sparrow because my blackwall is green ( very faded on outside) and the other 2 are black.

[Jay-ell]

I've 3 Blackwall composers and 3 smaller cubes I put in last year.

I tend just to pack stuff in and every now and then I use a compost turner to jiggle it about.

Any difference between the bins environments e.g amount of sun/shade? An extra 1/4 hour of warmth a day can make a big difference over the year

[sparrow100]

Mine are in full sun for most of summer, which is when I try and keep them as full as can be! My green one is the same diameter all the way up whereas the blackwalls taper. Perhaps they can keep more heat in the ire that way?

Have to say, this is the first year I am making all of my own MPC out of garden compost, stable manure and leafmould, with the odd spade of soil added. So far it's been fab.

[Bren In Pots]

I've got Blackwalls from the council then a Rotol i bought from eb@y for £1, the Rotol seems to turn out compost faster.

[vivienz]

I know you said not to mention it, but we have a hotbin. We don't have much space in the garden for conventional composting so the hotbin is ideal. It's pretty close to the back door from the kitchen and we don't get bad smells from it. It takes all the kitchen waste, shredded confidential papers and torn up newspapers, egg boxes, etc. We get lovely crumbly compost from it and it all shrinks down really quickly. It really does get hot, too. Opening it on a cool day is like opening the door to a slightly cabbage smelling sauna - great wafts of steam coming out and masses of worms wriggling around.

I tend to add to it in layers, one 'juicy' (from the kitchen) and one dry, usually shredded paper. A week's kitchen waste gives about 1 full juicy layer and then I just put a week's junk mail and papers on top at the weekend. Best confidential waste disposal ever - thieves will never manage to read my bank details off a pile of worm poo!

[Cadalot]

Here is my Dalek Army on Mill Green



And the Special Services Group at Spencer Road



There are two in the process of mating in the photo and I'm hoping to breed further bins

I have inherited one, three have been donated and the rest have come via Freecycle - I love the square one for storage for materials for making compost like shredded paper, coffee grounds, spent hops etc. that are stored in food buckets with lids.



All Make wonderful compost and it makes me happy

[happyhumph]

Gosh Cad - are you planning on taking over the world with your dalek army?

[Cadalot]

Gosh Cad - are you planning on taking over the world with your dalek army?

Just call me Davros



I like the green Daleks they go around saying germinate & conservate



I just love making compost and I'm getting very good at it, my new Walking Onion bed has just been filled with it from Dalek 1 using last years batch



The grass is beginning to flow from my sister-in- law's garden, my back garden and this weekend my daughters garden, the composting season is kicking off in a big way now the cut grass is flowing.

[ESBkevin]

Size is important!
There I said it, in order to get the heat/microbial action going a decent girth (3ft across and tall being the minimum desirable) the more the better. So bigger bins work better as a general rule. I got given a tumbler this last winter, but to be honest winter is too cool for it (too narrow) so I've just started a small amount of kitchen scraps and grass cuttings this last week and we shall see. in theory a tumbler works faster and turns the compost easier, but since I have a couple of established pallet bins going all the time a rush to make compost now is probably not needed. Still it was free.

[Cadalot]

Kevin, If I could get hold of a tumber off Free cycle I would give it a go as well, they are way too expensive for what they are.

[bario1]

I've got three daleks, two pallet bins and 4 'Thermo' type bins, all scrounged. For me the best are the Thermo ones, they have nice easy access instead of that stupid little door at the bottom, and the lid is hinged - I find trying to get the lids off the daleks annoying. Also, the square profile means they look nice and save space when lined up. And they seem to make the best compost (but that could be because i prefer them, so put all the 'best' stuff in them!)

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

I have one huge "Homemade Bin" which all gets chopped up n lobbed in, approx 3ft wide, 2tf in depth and probably 5ft high, slatted fronts for easy access and an hinged steel roof to try keep it warm! give it a year, then transfer to the two "Blackwall" darleks! The outcome is "Awesome" n feeds my needs to a tea!