[ToHellWithWeeds!]

Hello all ive been given a wooden crate and thought i might ba able to use it as a "bin" for my compost will it be ok to use it?? also what should i put in to start my compost ?? ive only got grass cuttings  what else can i use all advice more than welcome ta very much

[WG.]

This is the wrong time of year to be starting a compost heap since it isn't likely to heat up sufficiently to kill weed seeds.

[noshed]

Save the stuff any way though, you can turn it all in the Spring. How big is the crate? You need about 1m cubed to get a good heap going.

[Trillium]

The crate would be on the small side for compost so perhaps you could build something larger through winter with pallet or scrap wood.
As for compost contents, use all your fruit and veg peeelings, teabags, coffee grounds, etc. Also look for any leaves you can coarsely chop up, any small quantities of manure, weed tops (but not seeds), anything your neighbours could offer (if they don't compost), dead potted plants, old growbags, etc.  

[paintedlady]

Avoid putting in potatoe peelings and citrus fruit skins.  Tomato seeds survive remarkably well and start to sprout after digging compost into the soil!  You can put crushed egg shell in, but I collect and put aside mine, really grind them up nearly to powder and add to the proposed brassica bed directly.

As for grass clippings, I have dug this directly in the soil too, covered with black plastic and just let the worms, bugs & bacteria get on with it.

[mushroom]

Why avoid putting in potato peelings?  :oops:

[WG.]

Why avoid putting in potato peelings?  :oops:

doubtless to avoid volunteers growing in the compost.  No problem to add them if your heap gets hot enough to kill them.

I only ever peel spuds for mashing & then I put the peelings into the freezer overnight to kill them.  Then into worm compost.

[mushroom]

Something else new i've learned! I didn't realise *peelings* could make volunteers - my heaps are full of em :oops: - what to do??

[WG.]

Something else new i've learned! I didn't realise *peelings* could make volunteers - my heaps are full of em :oops: - what to do??

Do your heaps get hot? (not warm)

[mushroom]

they didn't feel hot when I went to the plot earlier this afternoon  :oops:

They are "alive" with creepy crawlies though. Flies, snails, all sorts  :!:

[WG.]

They are "alive" with creepy crawlies though. Flies, snails, all sorts  :!:

That means they don't get hot enough to kill weed seeds (hard to achieve at this time of year & when adding material incrementally.

[mushroom]

They are "alive" with creepy crawlies though. Flies, snails, all sorts  :!:

That means they don't get hot enough to kill weed seeds (hard to achieve at this time of year & when adding material incrementally.

Is there a way out, or should i wait till march/April when it starts to warm up? It did get "warm" but at the time it was impossible to tell if it was due to what's inside heating it, or insolation.

[heavyplot!]

chucking everything on and covering it!  Hmm.  I've started a small pile on the plot of all my veggie scrapes and tea bags.  Thought I was doing a very positive thing!  Was going to buy a composter bin for this this week.

All my weeds we are going to burn!

[WG.]

You might want to re-stack with fresh green material in late Springtime.  Comfrey leaves, manure, urine all help to get the bacteria going.  Straw helps the air to get in.

[daveylamp]

just throw anything vegative on pile and wait for the good stuff to come out the bottom never bother to turn the heap and although it takes  a while at this time of year there will be some good stuff for spring can get about 1 barrow full every 3 months depending on how much i can find to throw on if cabbage stems come out solid just throw back in for another cycle.
dave