Homemade compost is so exciting! (MERGED)

allen36_0

I've learned something from this thread. Having done composting rigorously for 1 year and mixing occasionally I'm disappointed it has not broken down more.

So the practice of adding some bio-accelerators is necessary - whether out of a packet (thanks for the Lidl suggestion) or urine. I have no qualms whatsover other than adding nasty checmicals. Any other suggestions?

What about these composters that have built-in rotators - any good? But presumably expensive.

How to speed up the process?

lola_26

any tips for a newbie composter..(bin still hasnt arrived but bucket now covered in shed ready to go!) do you recomend putting worms or accelerator in straight away or wait a few weeks til the bin fills up a bit? any tips greatly received!

Dragon_Lady_3

Hi all, alright I have to confess you lot have converted me.:D

I ordered my bin from Recyclenow on 25th April. Telephoned them today because I hadn't had a confirmation from them. They told me that it would take 28 days to deliver. Not on their website, I said. Oh, it should be, they said, but it will take 28 days, nothing we can do.

Opened my front door 1/2 hour later to get the milk and there sitting on the drive was this HUMUNGUS Dalek thing. Its huge, ENORMOUS. GIGANTIC. Well you get the picture. Thought they said 28 DAYS not 28 MINUTES :j

Anyway enough of my ramblings. Have sited the bin at the side of the house under a tree thingy [can you tell I'm a newbie gardener?] on earth. My question is what is the best way to start? Wet [e.g grass cuttings etc,] or dry [e.g. shredded paper].

I am sooooo excited, have placed my little caddy in the kitchen by the bin with strict instructions to everyone what can and cannot go in it.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings,

many thanks :beer:

angie_loves_veg

allen36_0 wrote: »

I've learned something from this thread. Having done composting rigorously for 1 year and mixing occasionally I'm disappointed it has not broken down more.

So the practice of adding some bio-accelerators is necessary - whether out of a packet (thanks for the Lidl suggestion) or urine. I have no qualms whatsover other than adding nasty checmicals. Any other suggestions?

What about these composters that have built-in rotators - any good? But presumably expensive.

How to speed up the process?

The best way to speed up the process IMO is to turn regularly... once a month if you can be bothered - I found the easiest way to achieve this was to get two bins and transfer the lot from one to the other. Because I am lucky to have the space, I then have a third bin for the compost that is ready to use. I use organic packet accelerators and they seem to do a good job, I've heard that 'fresh' chicken droppings do a good job too....

Feedback from a friend who had a rotating composter, was that they become *extremely* heavy to turn..... to the point that she emptied it and gave it away on freecycle... I just wish I had realised, I would have loved to have tried it anyway......

angie_loves_veg

olibearhorse wrote: »

Apparantly female wee is not as good as male wee but I read further up the thread that watered down female wee may not be as bad

What a lovely subject :rotfl:

apparently its the hormones in female wee that make it less effective.....

littleredcorvette

I ordered my first compost bin this afternoon from Birmingham City Council - £10 for a 330ltr bin, plus a free kitchen caddy and free delivery :j
I can't believe I'm this excited and I hope that it gets delivered quicker than 28 days

absfabs

allen36_0 wrote: »

I'm disappointed it has not broken down more.
....
How to speed up the process?

Do you put wood in? Prunings, small branches, etc? They take much longer to break down, especially if you don't have a shredder. If I find too many twigs in the compost, I just chuck them in the current bin and give them another turn.

I've also found that corn on the cobs innards don't break down at all, and the tough bits from brussel sprout plants etc really need chopping up.

Make sure you have mix of green slightly wet stuff and some thin dry layers,e.g. straw/small, fine twigs or some cardboard/shredded paper so there is some air trapped in there.

When the process is really slow, especially in cold weather, I add a sprinklings of organic accelerator.

And if the compost is not perfect, so what, you can still dig it in the veg or flower beds or use it as a mulch, it will finish its breaking down process in the soil and still benefit your garden. Just don't let it touch tender young plants if it is very raw.

absfabs

angie_loves_veg wrote: »

The best way to speed up the process IMO is to turn regularly... once a month if you can be bothered - I found the easiest way to achieve this was to get two bins and transfer the lot from one to the other.

Yes I find turning compost that's slow will give it a boost.

But it's back breaking work to do it regularly and I am basically too lazy

Mostly I get away without turning it, I think adding a thin layer of garden soil every now and then helps as well.

savingsara_2

Can you get a kitchen caddy cheaply without buying a bin, as I've already got one?

I've been putting the contents of my vac in mine, hope I've been doing the right thing

scbk

All you need is an old large ice cream tub/small bucket with lid etc etc