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Composting

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Hi all,

Does anyone know anyway to "kick Start" a compost bin that apears to be doing nothing?

When we bought our place at end of summer last year there was two compost bins full at end of Garden and rather than turn into earth they just seem dried up in one case and in the other its just all sitting there still old appales and crap like that. Surely there is something that I can pour in there or add.
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  • comping_cat
    comping_cat Posts: 24,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    Get a big stick and mix it up!!!!!
  • GingeG wrote:
    Surely there is something that I can pour in there or add.

    Yes there is ... urine!!! :D
    "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
    ~
    It is that what you do, good or bad,
    will come back to you three times as strong!

  • Noozan
    Noozan Posts: 1,058 Forumite
    500 Posts
    GingeG wrote:
    Hi all,

    Does anyone know anyway to "kick Start" a compost bin that apears to be doing nothing?

    When we bought our place at end of summer last year there was two compost bins full at end of Garden and rather than turn into earth they just seem dried up in one case and in the other its just all sitting there still old appales and crap like that. Surely there is something that I can pour in there or add.

    Turn out the heaps, mix it all up and put it back in again. If it's really dry, add some water. Covering the heap also helps to keep heat in and speeds up the composting process - do you have any old bits of carpet lying about that you can cover it with?

    You can "activate" and speed up rotting by adding chicken manure or a commercial compost activator. Or just pee in the heap. Seriously! :D
    I have the mind of a criminal genius. I keep it in the freezer next to Mother....
  • Lucie_2
    Lucie_2 Posts: 1,482 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    You will find the compost doesn't break down much over the winter months, it's too cold. Once the weather warms up it will start again.
  • ocemeer
    ocemeer Posts: 414 Forumite
    Urine really does work though my DH refuses to oblige so leaves it to me....
    But can't get the image out of my head of OSers under the cover of darkness all sneaking out to give their compost heaps a little helping hand.....



    You can insulate your compost heap during the winter to help it keep warm and hence keep composting at a faster rate.....knit it a wooly jumper
  • Prudent
    Prudent Posts: 11,634 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I find that putting in grass cutting, water and covering it up speeds my compost heap up. Does grass ferment (is that a word?) faster?
  • This time of the year the heap will be dormant and chilly but in a few weeks it should start to work. I think the temperature has to be above 10.4 C degrees from memory for the microbe thingys to work... :p however to get the very best from your heap it needs :-

    .Lots of air circulating - loosen the heap with a garden fork
    .Damp is good....soggy, wet and compacted is bad
    .Kept warm - an old piece of carpet draped over it will be great
    .Turn the heap over periodically to move the hot spots around

    The garden centres sell packets of Compost Accelerators - these are good and quite cheap but not essential as Nature will do all the work in her own time.... :D I use the granular mixture and just sprinkle a handful on the heap just to speed things up a bit.
    :)The £2 Coin Savers Club = £346.00 (£300.00 transferred to Savings a/c)

    :)"Some days you're a Pigeon...some days you're a Statue"
  • sashacat
    sashacat Posts: 821 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    grass cuttings are great in small quantities but if you put too much grass in at once it will turn to slime. Urine is best 'but again in small quantities.....mix it with water. Worms are good 'and' as the others say, turn it and cover it. I have 5 going on my allotment, all at various stages and urine really is the best activator
    Wombling £457.41
  • I think we could do with some worms. I don't think the local park keepers would take too kindly to me digging up their flower beds looking for some. Although I have picked up stray worms from the pavement in summer, put them on a piece of paper on the pram hood and taken them home...

    Anyone know where I could aquire a few worms? DH not assisting with the wee yet, so I suppose that'll be up to me. Just can't quite face it yet incase a neighbour sees me!
    May all your dots fall silently to the ground.
  • Prudent
    Prudent Posts: 11,634 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Worms do seem more attractive than urine...
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