Composting help please : )

covlass

Ok I arrived back from shopping today to my composting bin on my drive :T
Now what do I do ?? sorry never attempted anything like this so really unsure any help would be very gratefully recieved

delmar39

This link may help. http://www.ecodyfi.org.uk/waste/compostinguide.htm Never tried it before, but wouldn't mind doing it myself.

bottlehalffull

Fill it!

Grass cuttings, veg peels .egg shells, teabags, coffee grounds. shredded paper even...
weeds, hedge cutting if they're not too woody.

Ideally you'll stockpile stuff and put it in layers and keep it the right dampness etc but in reality just throw it all in. Fill bin. Leave to rot down (two bins is useful at this point) and then empty it out and see what's good and what needs throwing back in.

you can put woody stuff in if it's shredded ...

Farway

As above, but before the rats move in [loads of thread here about rats in bins] cover the base with fine wire mesh whilst it is still empty, and ensure it is on bare earth to allow the worms to move in

After that it really is just chuck it all in, no cooked food, meat, etc. It may take a year or more, but it will eventually give you a great soil conditioner

2 bins are ideal as bottlehalffull mentioned

Optimisticpair

And site it where it is warm :rotfl:so that it speeds up the composting process. I've had mine 2 years and not had rats even though we are close to a river. I try not to put too much of brown / dry /dead or green in at one go.

katholicos

I cancelled my order for two compost bins last week as Evergreener had not dispatched my order after 20 days and i was getting fed up of waiting. I've decided to stick with my 'open' compost heap for the time being. In addition to this i discovered mice in the garden a few days ago so i think it's for the best for me not to give them another place to hide in. Trapped 5 already!

If you have weeds (who doesn't ?) put them in a bucket and cover them with water, leave them for a few weeks and then when they stink so bad that you can not stand it any more, add them to your compost as a compost accelerant.

savemoney

I use wilkos composter to make it rot quicker and also put any worms I find in composter they love it always get loads of new worms when I empty composter out

If composter is soaking put paper in if dry put water or rain water in.

I do put some very small ranches that fall off lilac tree in but fine stuff and tend to chop in down with cutters

morg_monster

I definitely second the advice to do something about rats before they become a problem!
We've had our dalek style black bin for about 4 or 5 months and a couple of weeks ago I noticed that we had some tunnels into and inside the bin... spent a few hours last weekend bending bird mesh from wilkos around the bottom...
If you do have one of the dalek ones from blackwall, they do do a base for them which is about £7, I just couldn't be bothered to wait for it to be delivered.

bottlehalffull

I think it was Geoff Hamilton who first mentioned weeing on your compost heap... it's a good accelerator apparently.

Farway

bottlehalffull wrote: »

I think it was Geoff Hamilton who first mentioned weeing on your compost heap... it's a good accelerator apparently.

yep, it is what I use, but prudence, and prying eyes, means I collect it in loo and then tip it into bin

eco

male urine is better than female's for some reason, also Faraway could put it in a watering can, water it down and feed the plants, it's a great plant food.