[Helen_uk]

Hello,

We got allocated our plot on Saturday, we weren't expecting to get a call so quickly!

Anyway, was hoping for some advice on how to start off a compost bin, I was thinking we'll keep it at home and then transfer it to the allotment when we get a shed and the area set up etc.? does that sound like a plan?

What kit will I need?

The lady at the allotment said that the council are hopefully going to be providing us with old wheelie bins - so will i be able to transfer what we cobble together at home to this?

Please can anyone advise aswell how hard it is to make organic compost? Does anyone run an organic plot?

Thanks in advance!!

[noshed]

Hi Helen and welcome
If I were you I'd get some old pallets, wire them together and make a compost bin out of that on your plot. Here are mine, as you can see no practical skill was used in their construction:


Then I would just collect your old veg peelings, teabags etc at home and take them down to the plot weekly. I use a plastic bucket with a cover at home, lined with an old carrier bag.

Then down your plot, fill your bin up with weeds you dig up, layered with cardboard ripped up and your kitchen stuff (no meat).

The old wheeley bins are handy but I use mine for extra water butts. They don't let enough air to circulate for compost:



If you're into organic growing you need to get your hands on some comfrey plants - great for getting your compost going and great for making (smelly) liquid fertilser.
Hope this helps.

[AndyRVTR]

Then down your plot, fill your bin up with weeds you dig up, layered with cardboard ripped up and your kitchen stuff (no meat).

Wont you just be putting any weed seeds in your compost ready to sprout when you start using the compost??

[noshed]

Yes a bit. But that's gardening. If the heap heats up it will kill some of them.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Interesingly the only seeds that seem to survive my compost heap and sprout up everywhere I use it are tomatoes! Maybe I should give up and leave them as half the time they seem to grow better than the ones I plant!

[Christine]

This is my favourite all about composting reading - it runs with what I was taught by the gardeners in my family as a kid. They won prizes at local shows so they were quite useful - oh and we ate a lot of their produce as well.

[Helen_uk]

Christine - after i posted this thread i went on a wander on the net and also found that Garden Organic site, i read through the compost guide, sounds very easy and in simple terms!!

Going to start in over the weekend, then hopefully it will be nice and ripe ready for when we start our allotment in feb/march time

[Christine]

It works for me with a bit of patience