[arugula]

-- might use some of the 'imixed interesting squash' seeds my son's MIL gave me at Christmas 

Ooh, they sound good.

[sunshineband]

-- might use some of the 'imixed interesting squash' seeds my son's MIL gave me at Christmas 

Ooh, they sound good.

The illustration in the packet shows all sorts -- edible ones 

[MichelleC]

I would like to try this but see the problem of not being able turn over the heap once planted. At least it makes the compost bins look pretty.

[sunshineband]

You would have to leave it all alone during the summer, but as some of us have several heaps then leaving one alone will be fine.

By the end of the summer it would be well enough rotten to shovel out and use

[MichelleC]

That suits me fine. I'm scared of Mr Ratty who might be living in there anyway. x

[sunshineband]

We gave Mr Ratty a special gift --- pasta bait from B&Q, tucked inside the top of the bin on a tray, inside a pice of gutter pipe about  afoot long, laid sideways  so other animals would not find it on the way past.

He seems to have left, but we are ready for his friends

[Christine]

I clear big stuff like squash and bean remains onto a clear area at back end then dump all my well on heaps on top. I leave it covered till April and then open it to the air. Then I cover it in courgettes and squashes in May. It gets dug in after it has cropped so I'm never worried if I turn a heap that isn't quite ready to use at the back end.

Mad system but it sure works. 

[New shoot]

Similar to what I do when I mulch my plants with half done compost Christine.  I clear the plants at the end of the season and dig the bed over to incorporate the mulch, then it is ready for planting next season 

[Rangerkris]

I will be given this a try this year too, we got 6 bins all at different stages of decay something good might come of them one day.

[Yorkie]

The only thing you need to plan for if using fresh compost, is that as the compost decays it will reduce in volume.  You don't want your courgette plant disappearing into the middle of your dalek bin as the material underneath it composts down 

[arugula]

As I said Yorkie, that wasn't a problem.

[gobs]

The only thing you need to plan for if using fresh compost, is that as the compost decays it will reduce in volume.  You don't want your courgette plant disappearing into the middle of your dalek bin as the material underneath it composts down 

Some of us want it to disappear anywhere, after a while. lol. Very useless smilies.

[sunshineband]

The only thing you need to plan for if using fresh compost, is that as the compost decays it will reduce in volume.  You don't want your courgette plant disappearing into the middle of your dalek bin as the material underneath it composts down 

I had an idea for when I use the big pallet bin in May -- I could put some clear plastic across the top initially to keep the small plants warm, and as the compost will be below the bin edges (instead of bulging out like it is now), this might act as a hot bed and mean I could plant a little earlier. I shall put soil over the top of the compost too.