Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: Rhys on October 01, 2017, 19:08

Title: Compost heap...
Post by: Rhys on October 01, 2017, 19:08
Decided I'm going to build a decent compost heap as a friend keeps horses and there's plenty of the 'fresh stuff' going for free..


Been looking on fleabay and the wooden ones with the panels down the front are quite expensive.. So I've priced up 8ft unbanded scaffold boards from a place near me so I can make a double bay one. Hopefully will pick some up this week and get some posts etc for the corners.


Going to have to cut back the flippin' brambles though as they will no doubt love sticking their runners into it (unless I find a better patch to put it on..)


Will keep this thread updated as and when I progress :)
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: snowdrops on October 01, 2017, 19:40
Here's my new one this year made out of scaffold boards, we kept them whole at the back,13ft. I'll take another photo of them finished, I've got polycarbonate lids, my daughter took an old conservatory down & donated it to me, we've got 2 scaffold laid flat on the top then the polycarbonate hinged to those.
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: Rhys on October 01, 2017, 20:41
Here's my new one this year made out of scaffold boards, we kept them whole at the back,13ft. I'll take another photo of them finished, I've got polycarbonate lids, my daughter took an old conservatory down & donated it to me, we've got 2 scaffold laid flat on the top then the polycarbonate hinged to those.


Looks good!  8)


I can fit 8ft battens in my little van, so that's my length. Been reading about manure and you need 3' x 3' minimum for it to heat up properly. I've seen heaps with tubes with holes in at the bottom to improve air flow. I've got a large pallet so will measure it and if it's the right size will cover it in expomet or chicken wire and use it as a base. That way it'll stop rats etc. from getting in from underneath, and give some airflow.
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: Fairy Plotmother on October 01, 2017, 21:20
Here's my new one this year made out of scaffold boards, we kept them whole at the back,13ft. I'll take another photo of them finished, I've got polycarbonate lids, my daughter took an old conservatory down & donated it to me, we've got 2 scaffold laid flat on the top then the polycarbonate hinged to those.
WOW! That's impressive Snowy....I must show the Plotfather.
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: snowdrops on October 01, 2017, 22:12
Here's my new one this year made out of scaffold boards, we kept them whole at the back,13ft. I'll take another photo of them finished, I've got polycarbonate lids, my daughter took an old conservatory down & donated it to me, we've got 2 scaffold laid flat on the top then the polycarbonate hinged to those.
WOW! That's impressive Snowy....I must show the Plotfather.

Thanks PM, I've had to put up with some serious mickey taking at the plot lol
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: sunshineband on October 02, 2017, 09:11
Yours are much smarter than ours Snowy!

We have three side by side made from pallets lined with membrane, and are used in turn.. two are almost full of compost to use this Autumn after a bit of "restacking" a few weeks back to empty one to use for the Great Autumn Clear Up!

Like the sound of your bins Rhys!!

Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: snowdrops on October 02, 2017, 09:40
Yours are much smarter than ours Snowy!

We have three side by side made from pallets lined with membrane, and are used in turn.. two are almost full of compost to use this Autumn after a bit of "restacking" a few weeks back to empty one to use for the Great Autumn Clear Up!

Like the sound of your bins Rhys!!

Thanks Sunny, my old 3 were pallets, but when they needed replacing I wanted them a bit smaller as being 5:3 they were a bit too tall for me, our daughter was having some used scaffold boards for a project & so I joined in lol. Mr S is a joiner by trade so that makes things a lot easier & quicker(sometimes)
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: Rhys on October 02, 2017, 19:35
Got away from work early today, so visited my local scaffold board manufacturer and bought a dozen reject 8 ft boards for just under £50. I'll probably need a few more but can always add more if needed. Will pick up some timber from my merchants to make the corner posts. I've got plenty of screws so should be ready to crack on on Sunday weather permitting.
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: Fairy Plotmother on October 02, 2017, 21:25
Yours are much smarter than ours Snowy!

We have three side by side made from pallets lined with membrane, and are used in turn.. two are almost full of compost to use this Autumn after a bit of "restacking" a few weeks back to empty one to use for the Great Autumn Clear Up!

Like the sound of your bins Rhys!!

Thanks Sunny, my old 3 were pallets, but when they needed replacing I wanted them a bit smaller as being 5:3 they were a bit too tall for me, our daughter was having some used scaffold boards for a project & so I joined in lol. Mr S is a joiner by trade so that makes things a lot easier & quicker(sometimes)
My 3 in a row bins are made from pallets by the Plotfather. He is very impressed by your new ones!!!!!
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: snowdrops on October 03, 2017, 08:42
Yours are much smarter than ours Snowy!

We have three side by side made from pallets lined with membrane, and are used in turn.. two are almost full of compost to use this Autumn after a bit of "restacking" a few weeks back to empty one to use for the Great Autumn Clear Up!

Like the sound of your bins Rhys!!

Thanks Sunny, my old 3 were pallets, but when they needed replacing I wanted them a bit smaller as being 5:3 they were a bit too tall for me, our daughter was having some used scaffold boards for a project & so I joined in lol. Mr S is a joiner by trade so that makes things a lot easier & quicker(sometimes)
My 3 in a row bins are made from pallets by the Plotfather. He is very impressed by your new ones!!!!!

Thank you PM, I'm the envy of our allotments😅 Hence the mickey taking, think ponies & refugees, holiday homes etc 😂
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: Fairy Plotmother on October 03, 2017, 13:25
🤣🤣🤣
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: Rhys on October 07, 2017, 22:58
Right so, went to bang & screw to get some stuff (saw, screws, timber etc.) and set to on the plot. Gor rather dark when I finished for the day. Still got a few bits to do, as in some flat bits at the front, and some shuttering boards to slide in. Got a large pallet I'm going to chop and use for a hinged lid. Got some tarp to cover it.


Will be picking a load more horse poo up as well to dump in it.


(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4495/37298666730_bff4a874fb_z.jpg)


(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4472/36887378483_1907ab4f95_z.jpg)


(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4443/23704994478_a7306bd438_z.jpg)


On the downside, some scote/scrotes had tried to break into my greenhouse, which I use to keep my pots and stuff in. No tools though, they come home with me.
Title: Re: Compost heap...
Post by: snowdrops on October 08, 2017, 16:44
Looks just the job 👍