Starting a Compost Bin (Merged Thread)

tanith

They are fruit flies and actually help the process along, can you not move your washing line away from where the bin is situated.... If you want to get rid of them you either have to cover each layer of rubbish with soil to stop the flies laying eggs on the rotting fruit or leave the lid off the bin off so that nasties that eat the larvae can get in....

li'l_p

I saw in my local paper that you can buy a cheap compost bin locally http://www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/in_your_area/in_your_area.html and am really interested in getting one.

However, I'm concerned because our back garden (small) is totally block paved so there's no area of soil and it says that *ideally* you need it to go direct onto soil to allow the beasties to enter it and do their thang!

Is this necessary or would I be ok to just place it on top of the paving and would I need to do anything differently, i.e. put anything in it to get it going???

Any advice would, as always, be greatly appreciated.

BizzyBek

It is better on soil - could you not take up some of the block paving in a corner?

Otherwise you need to start looking at adding some composting worm systems and generators.

alanobrien

Its true its quicker on soil but putting one on block paving is no problem. I had one on paving in my previous house for years and it composted fine. If you want to get it off to a quick start you could buy some composting worms and put them in, or indeed find some from the garden. I did neither and it was fine.

Lord_Gardener

Yes, will work fine. Think of leaves into plastic bags to produce leaf mould - the rotting (composting) process still works!

Zazen999

Hi.
In agreement, we had and still have one on various hard materials; and although theoretically you have to add worms; they do fine their way in there pretty quickly. We always put a few handfulls of local soil in there to give it a head start and any stray worms do get put in - you'd be surprised just how they migrate to new material that needs breaking down.
We do also turn it twice by hand - that's not the most fun job and we tend to do it when we have had a week of laying about/eating out to burn off the calories - it is quite enjoyable once you get going.

sparklygirl1

Hi there would like to start one up. Only thing I worried it might smell and we only have a smallish garden which my daughter plays in. Will it be ok, how do you get them started.

jess444_2

Hi,
We've had one for over a year now and have never noticed any smell. I put inpeelings (not potato) paper, egg shell, card and grass cuttings. Be careful not to include any cooked food or meat, etc, as these might smell and encourage vermin. the instructions that came with my bin said that you should layer contents but I never have - do turn it now and again though to mix it up. Hope this helps.

alanobrien

Firstly see this link to see if you can get one cheap via the local council

http://www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/in_your_area/in_your_area.html

Note also at the top of that page is a good composting guide.

Lemon_Tree

Hi, i managed to get mine cheap via the council a mega bargain! I've not noticed a smell at all, and i've been putting lots of garden waste and kitchen waste in it. I tried turning it two weekends ago, not sure how sucessful it was and it was hard work but i'm sure it will be worth it in the end. I do have a horrible feeling that i've put some bits in it which were too big but i'm sure i'll live and learn, this is the first time i've had one.