[Runwell-Steve]

I don't seem to be able to make my compost bin make compost, perhaps its me, or perhaps it is just a load of hassle.

I have a local stables from which I can get very old well rotted manure, as much as I want, whenever I want.

So the question is, Is there any point messing around trying to make my own compost, or should I just keep chucking well rotted horse manure everywhere, which is what I am currently doing.

[gardener247]

i have the same problem my compost smells and is full of huge slugs

[fletch]

I just used a load of compost out of my dalek thingy the other day, I didn't really do anything to it, just gave it a bit of a poke with a fork every now and again. I also have 2 of those ton bags full of stuff rotting down and that's almost usable after just sitting there for a couple of years.
It's a pretty easy way to get rid of waste with minimal effort and a free product at the end IMO.

[solway cropper]

Runwell, I'm curious to know what you do with all your kitchen and garden waste.

Just about everything organic that this house produces goes onto the various heaps. Except meat which is liable to attract rats, etc. I have 2 daleks, 1 open heap, a leaf-mould bin and numerous sacks of decomposing material, plus some evil-smelling seaweed soup that I use as a liquid feed.

Why bother? because it costs nowt, saves on land-fill and allows me to grow superb fruit and veg. That has to be worth it. 

[MrsPink]

Hello! I got 2 daleks a year ago and last week emptied them out - I got one dalek full of fab compost! I put the stuff that was uncooked back into one of them.
I think that you have to be careful to put in a mix of stuff and make sure it doesnt get too dry, and put is some scrunchced up paper occasionally to let air in.
I wouldnt get a dalek again as the shape is a bit awkward, being narrower at the top. The box shaped ones would be easier I think
I agree it cuts down on landfill - and has a feel good factor! (Especially when you wee in it - the nitrogen helps!)

[Carrotcake]

I agree with MrsPink. You need a good mix of stuff including paper and cardboard to stop it going slimey and get some air in.

We chuck everything in ours, except meat, fish, dairy and shiny paper. Even the hoover bag contents go in, in fact anything organic. I even read somewhere of someone putting a pair of old denims and feathers from an old pillowcase in.

Am I correct in thinking Boy wee good, Girl wee bad?

[mumofstig]

girly pee is ok lady's  .... hormones maybe considered a problem?  but i've used it as there is no man here to volunteer

It's the nitrogen in it that helps the rotting and IMO the small amounts of hormone in one heap would make little difference

[MrsPink]

I hear it was male wee only - my husband can occasionally be persuaded - my son and his pals (aged are very enthusiastic!
When I emptied mine I found great wodges of grass clippings that hadn't composted - I should have put them in intrsspersed with other stuff. Lesson learned for this year!
Also it is useful to have compost for veg that doesnt like freshly manured soil eg carrots and parsnips...

[greenhead]

Interesting post!!  like to add one comment and ask the ladies to desist - after all we don't want our compost suffering from PMT!!

[Dominic]

If you have access to unlimited horse poo, composting is probably a waste.
I either buy it, £10 for a big darlic full, or make it, £25 for a big darlic.

Probably need to keep buying it cos the missus wont let me have 4 darlics (I bought 1 without telling her), but should at least help, and what else am I going to do with onion ends, garlic paper and rooting potatos?

Also put hamster woodshavings in there and have a load of grass in to start it off.
Usualy use grass cuttings to fill in holes.
Not pee'd in it yet.

[monsta]

anyone got any formulas for making your own compost?

[granjan]

Interesting post!!  like to add one comment and ask the ladies to desist - after all we don't want our compost suffering from PMT!!

Cheeky   

Seriously though, I like to start my compost in an 'open' heap and then transfer it to a Dalek to finish off when it is partially rotted.  I also put scrunched up newspaper in it to create air pockets.  I find this works much better.   

[compostqueen]

if you don't make compost then you're wasting all your kitchen stuff, unless you get chickens of course 

Home made compost is easy and if you're a gardener then you need it. You can't use manure for everything as it's too strong and some plants just don't need it, thinking of carrots and parsnips here

I love manure, don't get me wrong, but kitchen waste and loo rolls have to go somewhere rather than landfill. Save the planet man, don't be selfish 

You know it makes sense 

[Aidy]

if you don't make compost then you're wasting all your kitchen stuff, unless you get chickens of course 

Home made compost is easy and if you're a gardener then you need it. You can't use manure for everything as it's too strong and some plants just don't need it, thinking of carrots and parsnips here

I love manure, don't get me wrong, but kitchen waste and loo rolls have to go somewhere rather than landfill. Save the planet man, don't be selfish 

You know it makes sense 

+1

Its easy, all I do is place a layer of greens then a layer of browns (straw, manure, cardboard etc) and every so often turn it over with the fork, I use 4 black daleks, 1 will have the compost that has been produced, I have two which are in the final stage of rotting and will be emptied into the final one and one which is now the active bin being filled with waste.

[mumofstig]

It's sooo easy, I just throw in lawn cuttings, kitchen waste, waste leaves and stuff from the plot, crumpled up newspaper, torn up cardboard and loo rolls through til autumn...if it looks dry I add a little water (or wee) and leave it to get on with it. I don't do anything else with it at all

By spring it is fine to dig in to the plot.
Any big lumps go back in the bin to start the next year's compost off.All the winter peelings etc get stored in a lidded bucket till I've emptied the dalek, and then off we go again