[mike2006]

I hope I've posted this in the correct forum!

Re:  the Photo Gallery for July 2005, dated 28-07-06, entitled 'New Posh Compost Bin'.

Comments:  "I joined the Posh Bin club and got this 800 litre bin for £20.00 from the council."

I'd like to know which Council supplies this particular bin.

[John]

Hi - I got it from Cheshire county council - there's a link to the supplier recycle now if they aren't available in London you can see what I got by entering my postcode CW2 8RJ

[mike2006]

Hi john:  Unfortunately Thames Water, who supply Water Butts & Compost Bins in my area don't feature that particular bin. The largest they do is 300 litres, which is the same as I got from my local Council last year.

I've had 'New Zealand' type bins in the past that I've constructed myself.
(You can't beat 'em, they look nice and give plenty of room to 'manage' the compost by turning). The last one was made from Scaffold boards, which I thought would last a lifetime.  Unfortunately over-zealous forking with a manure fork pieced the insides and, after a few years the lower boards started to rot (they weren't pressure-treated) and got attacked by the 'bootlaces' of Honey Fungus.  My previous bins (from old pallets) sufferered the same fate.

I'm seriously thinking about making a brick bin, that would be sited against a corner of two garden walls, but am unsure whether the damp compost would affect the existing brickwork.   Being Victorian they have the old Lime mortar which, after 100 years is very crumbly.  Then there's the question of how long do I leave cement to dry before I start to use the bin.

What's the general concensus regarding air holes; as I fork over and turn my compost every so often, I'm against them for heat-loss reasons.

[John]

I think my poshbin is really good but I wouldn't pay the RRP (180??) for it! So what about looking around for old palletes etc?

I looked at the Thames Water offerings - hardly generous are they? I suppose they have to look after their shareholders back in the Fatherland rather than those pesky customers.

I stuff cardboard down between the laths to insulate the bin - all pretty degradable I suppose.

By using things like twigs, small branches and sweetcorn stalks at the base, it allows air into the heap but there is no substitute for turning the heap a couple of times.

[noshed]

Pallets tied up with string - marvellous

[noshed]

And I forgot to mention the jumpers for goalposts

[John]

Pallets tied up with string - marvellous

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