[adri123]

Hi

I've been watching a few YouTube vids on three bin composting.  Looks great but I'm not sure how it would work if you don't have the high volume of compostable material that some of these guys on YouTube seem to be able to get hold of.

Does it work with the peelings from the kitchen? or would one need to get out to look for extra sources of material...wouldn't know where to start round here to be honest.

Can you add well rotted manure to the compost heap?

Adri

[sunshineband]

I only have one plot (260sqm) and a two person household, plus a modest size garden, and this generates enough compostable materials to run three bins plus a large covered leaf pile!!

Once you take all peeling etc into account all soft weeds, grass cuttings, clearing away finished plants from the plot, plus shredded paper which I use in roughly equal quantities to wet food peelings well mixed in, as well as spent compost from containers at home, that gives me one bin ready, one bin resting and one being filled.

Hope that helps!! 

PS I'd dig well rotted manure into the soil somewhere, although of course you could put it in the heap but it seems a shame

[Kevin67]

If you really only have small amounts, why not try a worm bin? It gives great compost!

[sunshineband]

I am always surprised by the amount of compostable material that end sup being added to our communal pile for the council to collect. Never understand why folk don't use it themselves. Even with half size plot there will be more than you think, especially midsummer onwards

[mumofstig]

I suppose, to some extent, it depends on what you grow - some crops giving lots of stuff for the heap, others not so much.

At the moment I seem to be getting loads from all the slugged outside cabbage leaves that have to be chopped off before taking home 

I wrap all the kitchen peelings in newspaper which helps keep the browns/greens mix right, and also add broken up cardboard - it all helps.

[sunshineband]

Torn up egg boxes rot down well too 

[tosca100]

I am always surprised by the amount of compostable material that end sup being added to our communal pile for the council to collect. Never understand why folk don't use it themselves. Even with half size plot there will be more than you think, especially midsummer onwards

A lot of people in general only separate their compostables because they have to or get told off by the council, not because they want to do good, others don't need compost as they don't garden. Then there are the ones who compost because it is the right thing to do but don't use it because it's slimey from too much grass and such. Unless you are an enthusiastic gardener or recycler you wouldn't know about paper, cardboard and other organics.

[JayG]

I basically do what Sunshineband does - I've only got a 100' garden to supply my 3 daleks, although the 6' (-ish) privet hedges around it probably provide about half of what goes into them.

Seems to be going a bit against the grain to go out and about scouting for green waste, especially if it would involve using a car to collect it, and not much point adding already rotted manure to the heap either, unless you have nowhere else to store it.

[Kristen]

I'm not sure how it would work if you don't have the high volume of compostable material

I agree, its a key consideration in order to manage a good "hot" compost heap.  I've given up bothering and just pile mine up and leave it for a year or more (and I do have masses of material, but I find it too difficult to have time to make a compost heap and get a reasonable mix of Green and Brown).

If you want more material ask your neighbours; those paying for a composting-bin from the council may be your best bet, but you do need to prevent them putting, for example, lawn clippings in after it has been treated with a selective herbicide (the commonly available ones will persist through composting and still kill Veg )

Can you add well rotted manure to the compost heap?

Yes, but I think fresh manure would be better - it will raise the heat of the heap very quickly, as will pee-ing on the heap regularly.

[surbie100]

I've got a 130sqm plot and that just about gives me enough to run 3 daleks and a hotbin. I am not good at using kitchen scraps because I eat meat and fish, and I tend to use 2 of the bins for filling with fresh hot manure and then leaving it to rot down. I do go scouting for nettles in large quantities and also add grass clippings and comfrey to the bin. All my shredded bills and some of the shredded confidential waste from work go into the bins to even up the browns side. Now I know a bit more about weeds, I am also better at composting those, rather than taking them to the council tip or chucking them in the hedge.

It is fascinating to watch it transform into dark crumbly stuff but I am always trying to find ways to make it happen more quickly. Keeping the hotbin up to temperature is a bit of a challenge.

[BabbyAnn]

I never generated enough stuff for a 3 bin composting set up so I just have the one (pallet) bin.  At work I set up a small bin in the tea room where people put their fruit peelings, tea bags and coffee grains and for the most part was about a bucket full each week (just watch out for the ones who can't read or too lazy to stretch another 6 inches over to the main bin to toss their rubbish)

[cadalot]

This year I have been practicing Zen and the art of Composting, and I think I have finally achieved it.

I just love they way you keep topping them up and as if by magic (and it was) Mr Bens compost dalek has another 6 - 9 inches (Mr Ben being pre metrication) of space to fill up again with an assortment or Browns and Greens.

[Fairy Plotmother]

we have 3 pallet bins...1 for filling, 1 for 1st turn and 1 for 2nd turn and finishing off.  I can't say I have perfect compost, but it's good enough for digging in. I do have a heap of stalks etc. I'll see how they rot over the winter. I seem to have enough from the kitchen, cardboard and paper, a small garden, the 1 1/2 plots and the occasional hutch cleanings from my daughter's rabbit. only the 2 of us, but it seems worthwhile and not too much work!

[Christine]

I've always found that these instructions work very well - bit of reading but it's where I learned. It gives lots of ideas and some sensible things to avoid.

[Headgardener22]

I find a shredder helps to increase the amount of compost created. I've got about 1/4 acre garden and have a 3-bin system made up from 5ft scaffolding planks. The household peelings (not meat, fish or cooked food)go into a dalek inside one of the bins so that when the dalek is full, the "being filled" bin is turned over onto the dalek to bury the waste.

I've got a 3bin pallet system at the allotment as well. Always have plenty of stuff to compost.