I have started using my Hot Bin (I bought it at the Chelsea Flower show)
It got off to a bit of a shaky start,, just wouldnt warm up, with just grass cuttings i it, but then I bought a shredder that cuts up cardboard, even the double stuff amazon sends out
It came with a 2 liter bottle, you fill it with hot water and it helps warm it up (they have got very hot over the past few days and havent cooled down)
I think they are really for winter use
Now I put in grass cuttings, weeds, dead flowers, flower stalks, dead (or nearly dead) flower baskets, old tomato plants (had a really good year this year with them, would have been more but the grand kids kept pinching them) anything green or brown, dead or nearly dead, beetroot leaves, carrot tops, cabbage leaves
Over the past few days the Hot Bin has come up to its supposed operating temperature, its very steamy and hot in there, but no smells
Does it get hot enough to kill off any flower/weed seeds ? (the last thing I want is spreading compost with weed seeds in it, had enough of them this year
Can bugs, worms, insects survive the high temperature or does it just rely on Bacteria to break everything down ?
I know worms cant enter it, as its sealed at the bottom, unlike my Dalek composter (which has all kinds of wild life in there)
I stir them both up every few days just to keep the rotting process going
Oh, well, If anyone is interested, I'll post any updates when I remove any of the rotted compost
