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Post by bittymatriarch on May 27, 2007 18:14:41 GMT
I have 2 compost bins - a round bin with lid ontop and sliding door at bottom for access and the other is a makeshift affair behind the heating oil tank, full of air holes, open to the elements - and makes beautiful, crumbly compost. The problem is the 1st bin - the bottom door is very difficult to get back into place after removing compost for flowerpots as I have been recently - and noticed last night as I lifted the lid to threw in some more peelings and tea bags that there was a mouse in there Also, cannot reach the compost at the back of this bin which is older than stuff I'm taking out at the front! Any ideas? Ann
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Post by scoo on May 27, 2007 21:07:55 GMT
I have an oval bin with a lid and a sliding hatch, I have a square bin open to the elements, I have 2 green cones, and a large hexagonal bin with a hinged lid which has a resident mouse. I emptied one of the green cones recently, and it was very wet, so I slung the compost, and hundreds of worms into the large hexagonal compost bin, and I hope it will dry out.
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Post by Fi on May 27, 2007 21:53:25 GMT
I have been known, on occasion, to simply take the bin off the compost and then fork the compost back into the bin - that means old and new get mixed and well aerated, which speeds up the compostification or whatever it's called. We've always run at least two bins, so that one will be ready for use, while the other is still composting away. One compost tip, if you have access to comfrey, ad it grows wild all over the country, chop it up and add it in - you'll get at least three cuts at the plants in one year, and it's so full of goodies it gets the compost heating up enough to kill seeds and even small rhizomes. Apparently nettles are almost as good, but leave a few for ladybirds to survive winter.
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Post by Shuggie on May 27, 2007 22:56:58 GMT
I have been known, on occasion, to simply take the bin off the compost and then fork the compost back into the bin - that means old and new get mixed and well aerated, which speeds up the compostification or whatever it's called. We've always run at least two bins, so that one will be ready for use, while the other is still composting away. One compost tip, if you have access to comfrey, ad it grows wild all over the country, chop it up and add it in - you'll get at least three cuts at the plants in one year, and it's so full of goodies it gets the compost heating up enough to kill seeds and even small rhizomes. Apparently nettles are almost as good, but leave a few for ladybirds to survive winter. Seaweed meal is also a good activator - as is seaweed itself, provided you wash off the salt first.
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Post by Leigh Djonn on May 28, 2007 6:05:58 GMT
I have been known, on occasion, to simply take the bin off the compost and then fork the compost back into the bin - that means old and new get mixed and well aerated, which speeds up the compostification or whatever it's called. We've always run at least two bins, so that one will be ready for use, while the other is still composting away. One compost tip, if you have access to comfrey, ad it grows wild all over the country, chop it up and add it in - you'll get at least three cuts at the plants in one year, and it's so full of goodies it gets the compost heating up enough to kill seeds and even small rhizomes. Apparently nettles are almost as good, but leave a few for ladybirds to survive winter. Seaweed meal is also a good activator - as is seaweed itself, provided you wash off the salt first. You mean to say that there really is a use for Lava Bread?
We use two that we got cheap from the council. Similar design with a stupid little door at the front. We would follow Fi's suggestion about lifting the bin off the compost except they are staked to the ground so that they don't blow away!
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Post by bittymatriarch on May 29, 2007 20:30:26 GMT
I have been known, on occasion, to simply take the bin off the compost and then fork the compost back into the bin - that means old and new get mixed and well aerated, which speeds up the compostification or whatever it's called. We've always run at least two bins, so that one will be ready for use, while the other is still composting away. One compost tip, if you have access to comfrey, ad it grows wild all over the country, chop it up and add it in - you'll get at least three cuts at the plants in one year, and it's so full of goodies it gets the compost heating up enough to kill seeds and even small rhizomes. Apparently nettles are almost as good, but leave a few for ladybirds to survive winter. Thanks Fi - hubby & I had almost come to that conclusion when I read your post! And as we are surrounded by fields of nettles [the sheep don't eat them], I don't think there'll be a shortage for the ladybirds, or the tortoiseshell butterflies Regards, Ann
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Post by Leigh Djonn on May 29, 2007 20:33:22 GMT
You have wimpy sheep, BM. Round here it's the cattle that won't touch the nettles.
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Post by Shuggie on May 30, 2007 7:26:00 GMT
More bullsh*t has been published on the subject of compost than on almost any other subject under the sun. The "rules" are as follows:
1. Get as big a bin (preferably a double) as you can afford;
2. Fill the bin and then leave it alone for at least 3 months; get the carbon (woody stuff) / nitrogen (green stuff) balance right (about 50/50); too much carbon and it won't rot properly; too much nitrogen and you can end up with a stinky slimy mess; remember the "musts": warmth, air, moisture;
3. If you've got a double bin, fork the contents of bin 1 into bin 2 at the end of the 3 month period - that'll get air into the mix and start the rotting process again;
4. Leave alone for another 3 months and then use;
Notes: if it doesn't heat up, it might need an activator to get things started: comfrey, seaweed meal, chicken droppings (raw) or horse droppings (raw) are good - basically anything with a high nitrogen content;
Oh yes .. and a handful of garden lime from time to time will help keep things sweet; I don't personally use it because I prefer acid compost for the Rhodies .. but you might find it useful ..
How simple can that be ..
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Post by Shuggie on May 30, 2007 7:57:15 GMT
Bracken .. you know, the scourge of the hillsides and the stuff which makes sheep blind if they eat it ...
All that aside .. it makes perfect compost.
Get as much as you can (nobody will object) before it goes brown (about June/July), wack it through a shredder (yeah, I know, but you can't really do without one for serious compost making), chuck it in the bin and that's it. No activator needed.
Points to bear in mind:
1. It's very acid - so a bit of lime (see above) will probably be necessary for "normal" use;
2. It takes about 10-12 bags of tightly-packed bracken to eventually make about 1 bag of compost - so it's hard work!
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Post by carlott on May 30, 2007 9:51:36 GMT
We are Compost Bin Virgins (well I tried it once but it went all horrible) and want to know should we set the bin straigth onto the earth or onto slabs which would make stirring it up (as Fi's post) much easier?
Thanks
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Post by Shuggie on May 30, 2007 10:05:21 GMT
We are Compost Bin Virgins (well I tried it once but it went all horrible) and want to know should we set the bin straigth onto the earth or onto slabs which would make stirring it up (as Fi's post) much easier? Thanks Set it straight onto the earth and give the earth a good soaking before starting to fill the bin - that will encourage worms to come up into the bin - they will help in the conversion of the vegetable matter into compost - and will also provide a useful source of worms should you decide to lose your "wormery virginity" at the same time!
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Post by Fi on May 30, 2007 11:45:11 GMT
I always line the base of the bin with a layer of fairly densley packed twigs - it helps to keep the bottom of the heap oxygenated.
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Post by Shuggie on May 30, 2007 12:07:20 GMT
I always line the base of the bin with a layer of fairly densley packed twigs - it helps to keep the bottom of the heap oxygenated. Nice one .. never thought of that .. well done that man!
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Post by carlott on May 30, 2007 14:50:24 GMT
I always line the base of the bin with a layer of fairly densley packed twigs - it helps to keep the bottom of the heap oxygenated. Nice one .. never thought of that .. well done that man! Hands Shuggie his spare pair of glasses. Oh and thanks.
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Post by Fi on May 30, 2007 23:30:02 GMT
I always line the base of the bin with a layer of fairly densley packed twigs - it helps to keep the bottom of the heap oxygenated. Nice one .. never thought of that .. well done that man! *adopts smug git mode*
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Post by Shuggie on May 31, 2007 8:14:31 GMT
Nice one .. never thought of that .. well done that man! *adopts smug git mode*.. with ease ;D
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