[tomato-joy]

Right,

I braved the rain and the wind today and built myself a composter out of pallets, and I'm very pleased with it. (It's about 1.2 metres wide and about a metre deep and high). Someone on the allotment said that I don't need to line it, as it's important to get oxygen into the mix, but I'm a little worried that pallet gaps would let a little too much air in. Should I line it with plastic on the sides as well as the bottom?

I have an old plastic composter which someone has left which has never really worked and it's really just dry garden waste in there - I was thinking of starting off the new bin with that, along with my strimmings and clippings of the last couple of weeks. I've also been given some horse manure with the advice to put a bit of that in the mix. Is this a good idea? And what about the remnants of the old compost heap (not to be confused with the old compost bin!) - there's about a couple of buckets left, which I was rather planning to put on one of my plots, but an 'oldie' of the allotments has said, that I'd do better to add it to my new bin as it's so big and really get it going.

And what should I put on my plots? I can get chicken manure and just lay it on the top apparently. Does that sound like a plan? I guess I just leave that over the winter and dig it all in in the spring?

Sorry for such a long post, but I'm so confused.  :oops:   I've had such different advice from everyone!

[shaun]

sounds like you are doing everything right vicki
i wouldnt cover the sides of your pallets but you do need a rug on top(not that your bald) to keep it warm old carpet duvet i use an old sleeping bag,
sounds a good idea to use the old compost and or the horse muck to start it off a bit ,i avnt got one of those darlek ones i have 3 bins made of pallets 1 full of cow manure for my spud trenchs in the spring 2nd is last years compost and the 3rd is new stuff from this year,you need at least 2 so as you empty one the 2nd is composting.
chicken manure i dont use but is very high in amonia i think maybe someone else will know.

[DD.]

I think we're missing one very important thing here. You mention lining the bottom. Don't!!!

It's important to let the wrigglies in to assist with the composting.

[tomato-joy]

so much different advice - but I think I will take yours...as you make me feel like I'm doing the right thing to start with!

thanks. x

[muntjac]

composting is easy if you remember two rules .heat and moisture . but can i send you to this site .ok its american but i can tell you i have never seen the process more expertly explained in action, have fun ya'll.

http://backyardcompost.cas.psu.edu/howiscompostmade2.html

[Zak the Rabbit]

thats a fantastic slide show Muntjac, cheers.

Our rabbits and guinea pigs get cleaned out on a friday, and the bedding and waste usually gets binned. There bedding is shredded paper/newpaper, any ideas if that would be better on the compost pile?


reminds me, it needs turning tomorrow, and some 'accelerant' adding



martin

[John]

Zak, you've been wasting such a valuable resource!! I'm shocked  :shock:

The poo and wee adds nitrogen and the shredded paper carbon - perfect for the compost heap.

[tomato-joy]

I'm thinking of shredding all those letters that come from the bank offering you loans that you don't want, and adding that to the composter...all that hot air has gotta help, eh?

[John]

Shredded paper does compost down well although there used to be some concern about coloured inks.  
Got to be better than getting into debt!

[milkman]

Zak I too cannot believe that you have been wasting your guinea pig and rabbit bedding all this time!  All my GP waste gets added to my compost bin - newspaper (which I tear into strips), sawdust, hay and poo!!!

[muntjac]

can i just point out that rabbit pooop doesnt need composting its the one pooop you can use straight away  :roll:  

[Zak the Rabbit]

If only the rabbit would do 3 barrow loads in one go!

Its not me who hasnt used it, its the wife wouldnt let me. I only today got her to relent and let me put the leaves in bags by the compost bins. Otherwise she would have said the compost bins are full and 'thats enough to be going on with' and they'd have gone in the councils green bin. I try and only use that for thick stuff i cant use.

[shaun]

great link that karl
if you have a plot/compost heap you should never use that wheelie bin again.
i keep logs in mine for the fire  

[muntjac]

i keep  sawdust in mine for smoking fish etc lol

[Oliveview]

We (kindly neighbour) and me chopped down the persimmion tree yesterday- they were amazed  :shock: that I took all the leaves and put them into a plastic tub (black with a lid) I tried to explain that it would make lovely compost (hopefully)    I´m waiting for hubby to return from Scotland (been there for 6 weeks now, his mum had a broken kneecap) and then he can help me shift the compost and make new bins with the pallets I rescued. I would do it, but I did in my ham string weeding! :x