Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: Christine on October 29, 2008, 09:42
-
Oh I know all about gathering leaves for leaf mold. But what about the normal compost heap when everything stops growing? Yep - there is the usual household donations but does anyone have any good ideas about growing the compost heap over the winter?
Nope - I don't have access to the litter from rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, chickens and such as they all seem to belong to people with compost heaps :roll:
So any other good ideas as there is a heap in need of growing somewhat. It's this council collection system - last year it was easy to come by other people's unwanted compostable material but this year the collection bins have sprung up all over town and completely spoiled my gathering. :roll:
-
Yes it has put a crimp on composting I reckon. Doesn't encourage peeps to have their own bin which is a shame. People just want their rubbish out of the way and don't care where it goes as long as its "away" Even lotty holders bring council green bins on the site, fill them up with lotty stuff and take it home for the council to cart off. It grieves me. Mind you I have stopped one chap and asked him why he was doing it. He wants a tidy plot :(
Back to gathering "fuel" for your heap. At the moment in the garden there's all the collapsed annual stuff, such as dahlias and begonias. I got loads of those after this morning's hard frost. The geraniums and all manner of summer container stuff will be ready for composting soon, if not already. On the plot there's all the bean foliage, squash and pumpkin leafage (lots of) Just got to keep your eyes open for opportunities :D
-
The winds took my beans down and the squashes/marrows/courgettes were caught the same way so they are already in the heap. As I don't run much in the way of flowers - well except for the riot of nasturtiums which really got out of hand this year. Trouble is that the blighters will grow on the compost heap next year just as they did this year.
I arrested one green recycling bin on it's way home from an allotment and obtained its contents a couple of Sundays ago.
I was hoping that the council would strim the steep bank behind the bus stop over the road but there seems no hope of that for some reason (it provided me with a lot of good material last year).
The only thing that cheers me up is that the daughter who lives up the road will add a few offerings to my compost heap - especially if it's ever dry enough for her to get into her postage stamp of garden of a weekend when she's off work.
I can't understand an allotment holder without a compost heap. He must have more money to buy stuff than sense.
-
I can't either but there's quite a few here that burn everything too rather than have a messy plot :roll: It's not the young uns though (shakes head) :(
-
Am I right in thinking that nitrogen is likely to be in short supply over winter ?
Plenty of browns as everything rots and dies.
In which case, would it be the old favourite wee solution to the rescue ?
I need to turn my heap over too so could use some advice on how to keep it cooking at this time.
Rob 8)
-
Here's the list of greens and browns (http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicgardening/compost_1.php) that I compost by - it's a list that seems to work for me.
It's most likely that you won't have many greens from the above list (yep the ones that you think of as nitrogen) to add over the winter unless you can acquire animal or poultry manure as listed.
I'm not a great one for turning a compost heap over the colder winter months especially in colder weather like now as this may well loose any heat that is already built up. I may not be right but it works for me. I also cover my heaps with polythene as it keeps the rain out (carpets won't do this). Again it works for me.
I'm also lucky in that the part heap that was there when I went onto the plot was built in an area that catches a lot of the sun. This does help it to heat up. Now that's a useful trick - make your compost in a warm, sunny corner if you can. It helps to get the heap warm and then to keep it warm (not in the present temperatures however as the sun here has icicles hanging on it at the moment).
Now that's just my experience on my plot. I don't say that it will work as well for anyone else but it's something to throw into the mix. I use the list of things on the link that I put at the top because that's how the older members of my family who showed their produce (and won prizes) did it.
-
I can't either but there's quite a few here that burn everything too rather than have a messy plot :roll: It's not the young uns though (shakes head) :(
At least there is a deterrent on our site to the burn everything brigade - we have a line of houses over the road who object to fires because it gets in the houses and affects the washing out on the line. I've been told off on the once that I did have a small fire to clear up inherited debris and hefty prunings which could never be composted (yes I did add the wood ash to the compost heap though).
-
My daughters have 4 gunie pigs. Can I compost the wood shavings and hay from their cages?
-
yes you can :D They don't eat meat so it's fine to use their droppings
-
But the wood shavigns will take a long time to rot down.
I built the heap in a sunny position. Built using pallet wood with very small gaps between planks. I cover the top with plastic AND a carpet. Started it off with horse manure, soil and some old compost. I put chicken manure in it, along with kitchen waste, straw and a small amount of wood shavigns as well as the usual garden waste and lawn clippings when available. I may sneak in one more mow before winter and I might turn it if we get a warm, sunny day. Or just aerate it with the fork.
I'm hoping I'll get a barrowload at least of useable stuff. It's a metre square and about half metre deep. Been going about 7 months and had a good few hot periods. Not sure what it's doing in the middle at the mo. Prob frozen solid :lol:
Rob 8)
-
Did you see the post I made about rabbit droppings from rescue centres in the recycle section? I know a few that have to pay to have extra bins to get rid of it because the council consider it as animal waste same as cats/dogs :roll:
Tam
-
The bloke who is adjacent to me has loads of beans that are starting to go 'off' and hasnt been seen on his plot for 2 months. Would it be possible to use the beans and stems in the composter?
Lee
-
Sure - my bean remains have gone on the compost heap. They'll rot well like peas.
-
The bloke who is adjacent to me has loads of beans that are starting to go 'off' and hasnt been seen on his plot for 2 months. Would it be possible to use the beans and stems in the composter?
Lee
It may be a bit late to post this but I wouldn't recommend it. Yes the beans would rot down lovely and yes they'll probably just go to waste but they are his. Your Allotment Committee may come down heavy about that. It would be a breach of ethics and manners to swipe them even though its only for your compost heap. Sorry.
-
Thanks Green Owl.
I think i'll speak to the chairman first as I get on quite well with him.
Lee
-
I'm still composting, your spent veggies and peelings, chicken poo etc has to go somewhere even in the depths of winter. It's quite warm at the moment and I notice the bin steams when the lid is open. I think it's "cooking" as the kitchen waste bin has slumped quite a bit since the last lot I added
-
Why are potato peelings not recomended?
Lee
-
I didn't know they weren't
I put them in mine
-
Johns book says avoid diseased potato peelings, but Ive definatley read somewhere that says to avoid potato peelings altogether.
However i think I'm gonna put them in anyhow and take it from there.
Lee
-
well you don't normally peel blightey spuds so you'd not get that problem :D Scabby uns should be no problem :D
-
Some restaurants or pubs might give you their vegetable waste. Its worth a try :)
Jazz
-
Not wanting to bring the tone of this discussion down, but doing so anyway, I understand a wee into the compost can be a good thing. How often would people recommend this is carried out?
Cheers :oops:
Steve
-
As often as you feel the need to go :D