[Tykelad]

Hi all,

Still new to all this. Its our second year at growing our own and now we have a new mouth to feed so fresh veggies is the way forward !
Anyway, we have now got our composter but hat exactly can i put in it ? I have cleared a raised bed today and pulled up a barrow full of last years onions and weeds/grass. Can i put this in ? Also should the composter be placed on a solid base (paving slab for instance) or should it be placed on the ground ? Any advice greatfully received.

Neil

[Weessy]

Hi, Definately site your composter on open ground to allow worms and other organisms to enter and help create compost. What you put into your compost will influence greatly the quality of compost that comes out. Grass is fine, onions could be dicey if they contain any rot although personally i chuck them on. Avoid throwing any perennial weeds on or any weeds that are in seed as your heap will probably not get hot enough to kill them and your final compost will be full of weeds. In theory composting can be a whole science in itself, in practice I tend to use the compost bin as just that, a bin, If it will rot I will chuck it in, I just have the rule that perrenial weeds never go in. If a few perrenial weeds do get in they are normally very easy to remove from the final product though.

[Paul Plots]

Whatever you do don’t put in any waste cooked food as it will attract rats.
Stick to plant material that will not re-grow from roots. (No couch grass, dandelion, buttercups or stinging nettles)

Old straw or a little shredded paper, shredded materials for a garden shredder as well as all green stuff from the plot would do well.

[solway cropper]

I put small amounts of cooked food in mine but we don't waste much food so not much goes in. Never had a problem with rats.

The only thing you really need to remember is to mix green and brown materials and not put in thick layers of any one thing such as lawn clippings which tend to make a smelly, sticky mess.