Compost Discussion Thread (Merged Threads)

Errata

Cooked or uncooked - anything that had two parents, except meat, fish and dairy. And strange but true.........my local council won't allow shredded paper in the waste paper and cardboard bin. So in addition to the above - shredded bank statements !

Penelope_Penguin

Everything above. Also soft prunings and offcuts from plants. Annual weeds can go in, but not perennials (docks, dandelions, couch, etc - I cover them in water in a plastic bin, leave for 6 months, the soilds go on the compost then, and I get a great liquid feed.

At this time of year my heap gets quite dry, so I empty the contents of the veg peelings or washing up bowl in, too. It then rots down much more quickly.

Penny. x

sue5665

Hi,

I also put all of above and in between I put all my paper from my shredder machine so theres no way anyone can look at my bank statements etc.

Sue

dianadors

Same as everyone else (except I dont put cooked waste in), but I have also put in lots of nettles and shredded newspaper and some comfrey leaves. I am also making Comfrey Soup for feeding my plants (Large bucket of Comfrey Leaves and filled with water. Takes around 3 to 4 weeks to rot and then I can dilute as a feed for my garden plants and veggies.) One of my firends used comfrey a lot and her garden was always brilliant.

queenpig

Hi.
I have been offed a green it bin from my local council, now i know this is for garden waste but, for a long time now I have been thinking whether to get a compost bin or not i have seen a small-ish one for £8.

So here is the questions;

Do you think it be worth me getting a green bin as i would only use it for grass cuttings the odd plant and fallen leaves. as i dont have much of a garden plenty grass just only a few container pots and hanging baskets?

And do you think its worth my while buying and using a compost bin even though I have no use or need for compost? (please say yes I have been itching for one for ages now lol)

Sorry if they sound stupid, and if the questions are in the wrong place please move them to where they should be

Thanks Queenpig. x

Kay_Peel

Get one, QueenP. At that price you cannot go wrong.

After you've mowed your lawn, don't put the clippings into the bin straightaway - make a flat pile. The sun and wind will dry the outside layer. Start building. Place the compost bin on earth - that's very important. Scrunch up some newspaper and shredded bank statements and put them in the bottom of the bin. Add half your pile of grass to cover them. This will get the air flowing. Add some torn cardboard, teabags, vegetable peelings and then cover with the rest of your grass pile. Put scrunched up newspaper, shredded letters on top. And away you go. Mix it up every so often, to let the circulate.

Of course you'll use it! It's great for 'top dressing' container plants.

Don't put leaves in - they take ages to break down. Instead, put the leaves into a bin-bag, punch a few holes in it and hide it in a corner. They break down faster if you allow them to get dry and then run over them with a lawn mower.

Good luck

Kay

Penelope_Penguin

queenpig wrote: »

Hi.
I have been offed a green it bin from my local council, now i know this is for garden waste but, for a long time now I have been thinking whether to get a compost bin or not i have seen a small-ish one for £8.

So here is the questions;

Do you think it be worth me getting a green bin as i would only use it for grass cuttings the odd plant and fallen leaves. as i dont have much of a garden plenty grass just only a few container pots and hanging baskets?

And do you think its worth my while buying and using a compost bin even though I have no use or need for compost? (please say yes I have been itching for one for ages now lol)

Sorry if they sound stupid, and if the questions are in the wrong place please move them to where they should be

Thanks Queenpig. x

HiQP :beer: Yes, I agree with Kay - get yourself a compost bin. I love making comost - it's probably one of the *greenest* thing you can do. You can add all your kitchen waste, so greatly reduce the amount you send to landfill.

You can spread your compost on the lawn in the autumn. The worms will pull it down and it will add goodness to the soil.

HTH, Penny. x

savingsara_2

We lapsed last night and had our annual takeaway meal (and lovely it was too!)

Does anyone know please if I can compost torn up pizza box? It has red and black printing on it.

MrsTinks

So long as it has no plastic on it but is just cardboard then printing shouldn't matter

bees_2

Hi,
I'm quite new to gardening but I've taken to it with a lot of enthusiasm, possibly too much! I've dug up all my weeds (nettles, thistles,dandilions, more that I don't know the names of) and I've put them all in my compost bin. Will that make my compost grow weeds? I've put them all in, including the root. What should I do? Will it be ok?