Cold Climate Compost

[JennieAtkinson]

Does anyone have any tips for speeding up the composting process in cold climes (ie very North of Scotland). My compost heap does - eventually - give me something that looks a bit like compost, but is not the fine wonderful stuff seen on TV programmes. I also have a problem with perennial weeds growing up through the compost - any solutions?
(Have really enjoyed reading all the threads so far - lots of you out there with wonderful tips and ideas. Keep them going! )

[Lesley Jay]

Where abouts are you located? What are you using for a compost bin at the moment? We did use wire netting containers that we made ourselves but the compost just didnot rot down properly. So we have now changed to solid plastic ones (we have 4) with tight fitting lids and it has made a huge difference. It gets really warm inside which didn't happen before with our wire netting bins.

[sewer rat]

Cold climate compost

Hi Jennie
Although from the north of Scotland, you beat me by a considerable distance as I think I read a thread that mentioned Shetland ? My own experiences are identical to Lesley Jay's.
I have three compost bins going - two black plastic ones courtesy of Highland Council (£5 each) and another made from pallettes. The compost in the two bins is hot and rotting down nicely whereas the compost in the pallettes, whilst rotting down, is lot slower and only bottom third will be useable by springtime.
Perrenial weeds should be disposed of in your rubbish bin if possible, especially if you are having trouble keeping your compost heap hot (learned the hard way with bindweed !!! ). If you can get a bin with a lid, the exclusion of light also aids the demise of perrenials, but wherever possible, I try to exclude them !
Cheers
Rat

[JennieAtkinson]

Thank you both. Yes I am gardening (or trying to) in Shetland! I have one plastic bin and two wooden compost bins, also courtesy of the local authority. Even the plastic one is not functioning well, it is in a more exposed windy site, so perhaps I should move it to get it warmer. I take your point about keeping out light. The wooden bins have a sort of quilt cover, but I think it keeps out the rain more than the light. I'll work on that one.
Re the perennial weeds - these are growing up from the soil underneath the compost bins. I dug and dug everything out before setting out the bins, but they seem to manage to still grow up through the rotting stuff. I am careful what I put in the bins given the problems I have on site with perennial weeds. I have put membrane on the bottom of one of the bins now and I'll see if this helps, but it presumably will stop the worms getting in! Can't have it all I suppose!

[JennieAtkinson]

I've been sneaking a peep under the duvets, but nothing seemed to be happening. So yesterday I thought I had better try and move it around abit. And wow - underneath some unrotted stuff on the top (this is the wooden boxes), there was some superb compost underneath. And there was I thinking it wasn't doing anything.

I've now got a full bin of useable compost and half a bin of almost there. Great stuff!

So the answer would appear to be - keep waiting!

[SueA]

I have 2 of the plastic compost bins & don't think they get very hot but find that patience is the answer too as I have just used some fantastic compost from the bottom of the first bin I got which has been rotting down for over a year! I was surprised though that the teabags I'd added were empty but the little bags were still in one piece! Also find that even crushed up eggshells come out pretty much as they went in.

[Slug]

I have 2 plastic bins too, and like SueA, I find the eggshells come out in pretty much the same state that they go in.

I was reading somewhere that if you make a 'tea' out of chicken manure pellets, that you can use this as a starter for your compost as it will get things going a bit quicker. I've not tried it as my compost seems to rot quite quickly as my compost bins are in a spot which catches quite alot of sun.

Sometimes when I open my compost bins, some steam will come out so I think their sunny position makes for quick and steamy composting!

Slug

[JennieAtkinson]

It is strange that egg shells and t-bags seem to still lurk intact. I have started crunching up the egg shells a bit as I think they are quite good in the compost.

Wow Slug - steam from your compost bin. Mine is in the sun, but I don't think it ever gets that hot!

[lyndap]

Your chicken pooh pellets can go in as they are to.They work as an activator.

[Slug]

Well... it's not the sort of steam you'd get from the kettle, but there's definitely a good bit of heating going on in there! It's a bit like seeing your breath on a cold day - that kind of effect, and when I turn it, I can feel the warmth from it.

Maybe I just have a strange compost bin!

[SueA]

I throw in the odd handful of chicken poo pellets every so often as an activator & sometimes a trowel full of soil. I also add leaf mould which I rot down first in black bin bags.

[snohare]

The old fashioned trick I've seen, which worked very well, was to put urine on the heap. First pee of the day is rich in nitrogen supposedly, and will do better than any other, but part of the secret might also be that the man who I saw do it used to leave the container a day or two until it smelt vile. Boy, did we get fantastic compost...and no covers needed, just open topped wooden bins.

[yoanbob]

We use only boy wee as the hormones in girl wee can affect the plants you finally put the compost on.
if any one wants my duck and chuck poo, complete with brown layer, you only have to ask, just bring a spade!!!

[Snadger]

The old fashioned trick I've seen, which worked very well, was to put urine on the heap. First pee of the day is rich in nitrogen supposedly, and will do better than any other, but part of the secret might also be that the man who I saw do it used to leave the container a day or two until it smelt vile. Boy, did we get fantastic compost...and no covers needed, just open topped wooden bins.

You would get the same effect from sulphate of ammonia and whats more you would be able to look people in the eye when you gave them some veg. Lol

[dexterdoglancashire]

I took Dexter the dog for walkies on the beach at Arnside, South Lakes yesterday and collected some fresh seaweed, which I believe is good for compost as well. Is this true? dexterdog