Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: casper on March 25, 2021, 04:51
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Hi , I have 2 ☓ 330 litre plastic compost bins, I wanted one made from pallets but by hubby scared of rats, got the bin's the end of summer, is it normal for nothing to have composted as it's been cold, I think the bins are ugly and are is a hidden shaded spot, should I put them somewhere warmer, also there isn't much of a way to turn and rotate the contents, not unless I tip it out and put it back again, I have composted all the correct stuff, just when I look I can still see un composted browns, composting sounded easy, but I've had no success. Any advice appreciated.
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It will compost eventually if you’re doing cold composting , as you say you can turn it , easiest way is to lift off bin number 1and mix it up & put it in bin number 2, then refill bin number 1. Bin number 2 should sink down as it composts & then you can tip out number 1 & 2 & mix together, refill number 2 & fill number 1, by which time number 2 should be ready. Or you can fill 1, then when full, fill number 2 &get a 3rd & do the same. It does go eventually, urine helps to speed it up as does fresh manure or chicken pellets or comfrey. Shredding twiggy stuff helps or cutting stuff up small helps too
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Hello try putting un flowering nettle tops or chopped comfrey leaves in itll warm the bins up also drill quarter inch holes at an up hill angle to let air in,theres also Garotta granules jezza
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Yes, in cold weather it composts much more slowly. Don't be disheartened!
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If you are finding you have uncomposted browns in your bin, there is always the golden elixir (urine) which is nitrogen rich and gets compost going a treat if you are none too squeamish!
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we have 5 black plastic Darlik bins just keep filling them up in rotation but i will say we have found they do take longer to compost properly but having said that we have good composting materials out the bins to use on the garden
we also have pallet bins down the allotments and never had a rat problems [touch wood] but we never ever put food waste in any of our bins but we do top the bins up with fresh house manure that seems to assist the decomposing processing
and we usually find when the first bin is brim filled by the time we get to the last bin the first bin should be ready to use the only thing i did go wrong on was i put some rotten pumpkins in the bin and when i went to use the compost i had a plot of pumpkins growing :ohmy: so i don't put hole pumpkins or any squash in the bins unless the seed has been removed :D
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Thanks for all your encouraging comments, I think my mistake was starting the two bins together, should have completely filled one, turned it into the empty and started again, thanks for all the tips, my neighbour has horses so will get some manure, will get the hubby to take a leak in a bucket too lol I will get compost!!
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Before you get the manure, double check whether the horses have fed on grass which contains a herbicide called aminopyralid or similar, or the hay for their bedding contains it. It impacts on some plants.
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On the subject of composting, and sorry to but in, but I have eight pallets coming to me, to form two compost cages. Apparently, the best way is to line them with membrane before putting anything in?
My question is: would it work if I slotted two dumpy builder's bags in there to seal them, and then put a membrane on top?
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You could, but have a think about how you're going to want to extricate the compost at the end, or to turn it mid-process. If you just leave the bag intact, you're going to have to fork the compost out from the top, if you don't cut down the edges of the sides. The bag is likely to be too heavy to move around physically, if full.
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Yes, quite right Yorkie. Getting the compost out at the end was always going to a be a Stanley-knife job, but I didn't quite think it all through, especially as far as the turning is concerned. Back to the idea of membrane panels stapled to the sides then, I guess!
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My first stage "bin" is just a large pile on the soil (for me, that's soil in my own small woods). Nearby I have a simple plastic trash can with a lid, in which goes a chopped mix of dead leaves and grass clippings, mulched and bagged with my lawn mower. The pile gets my coffee grounds and banana peels, etc., all plant material, when those go on the pile, they are covered with a layer of the grass clippings and leaves.
My second bin is made of two sections of plastic lattice material, the type you sometimes see around outdoor decks. The lattice is formed into a large hoop. I keep the lattice holes open, no membranes, to let the air in. When my first stage pile gets too large, everything gets shoveled into the second bin.
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I got some great compost last year. Or to be more precise. It's for this year. Grass cutting and saw dust. Tots down very quickly. Looks great. Need to get the watering right. Check before I take it that they haven't sprayed it first. I have actually got to much.
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This year I have cheated. A lot of very large ferns have been dug out of a flower bed. New fencing and a concrete spur had to be put in. Now the soil level is too low. I use a company sometime for gardening stuff and noticed that they have shredded rotted compost. I have ordered 100 litres in 2 x 40 sacks and 1x 20. They will put them down the garden for me. This is all I can manage these days, but something is better than nothing. I do wish I still had all my composters though. Mrs Bouquet
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Hello Welsh Merf just put 1/2 inch mesh around the sides and back if theres any gaps between the pallet boards,compost needs air to help the breaking down process,if you use membrane or dumpy bags it will be a pain to turn the compost from one bin to another I use to make 3 tons a year (had a,locence) using posts and wire netting,check with environment agency if you plan on making more than 1/2 a ton a year as there use to be a home composting regulation it may not apply now we have wheelie bins jezza