Homemade compost is so exciting! (MERGED)

absfabs

There is lots of guidance on websites/books about using the right mix and always adding at least so many inches of material at a time....

But frankly, I can't be bothered , I just chuck it in

And it works, though I suppose it doesn't heat up very much and might take a bit longer with the "just chuck it in" method.

Regarding rogue plants: we always get lots of little tomatoe plants all over the garden in summer!

Busybody

Call me sad if you like but this morning I was preparing spuds and cabbage for tonights tea, and decided that before I put the peelings/stalks in the compost bin that I would help the process by shredding them!:eek:
So I got out my food processer and chopped them up. :rotfl:
:cool: After that I got a bit carried away and decided to do my used teabags, :rolleyes: the teabags looked so good I have decided that in future I am going to used chopped up tea bags as a mulch around my plants.:T

getcarter

I was wondering whether to get another one for my autumn leaves, I currently put them in plastic bags, wet them and leave them to rot, would a bin be better?

olibearhorse

C_Ronaldo wrote: »

Can i ask if theres an order you put the stuff into your composter ?
or
do u just chuck it in ?

I agree with absfabs, just chuck it in, mix it up and add more dry/wet as you think necessary. If I put my grass cuttings in which is a large amount of wet, I tend to immediately balance this by bunging in a large was of shredded paper which I take home from work.

olibearhorse

getcarter wrote: »

I was wondering whether to get another one for my autumn leaves, I currently put them in plastic bags, wet them and leave them to rot, would a bin be better?

It probably doesn't make much difference but a bin would surely be easier and would contain more?

olibearhorse

Busybody wrote: »

Call me sad if you like but this morning I was preparing spuds and cabbage for tonights tea, and decided that before I put the peelings/stalks in the compost bin that I would help the process by shredding them!:eek:
So I got out my food processer and chopped them up. :rotfl:
:cool: After that I got a bit carried away and decided to do my used teabags, :rolleyes: the teabags looked so good I have decided that in future I am going to used chopped up tea bags as a mulch around my plants.:T

I don't think you are mad at all, any process that speeds composting up has got to be good as it means you can get your hands on it sooner!

Busybody

Just 'food processed' another batch of tea bags and put the mulch around the top of my strawberry tub.:T

Busybody

I'm going a bit over the top now!!! Just done some trimming up in the garden and spread it out on the lawn ....chopped it up with the lawn mower... :rolleyes: only had to empty the grass box into the compost bin!!
Nice and finely shredded.:rotfl: :T

ziggy-star

:hello: Hi fellow compo's, I'm new to this composting malarky & have tried searching the forum for answers so please bear with me if I ask questions that have already been asked.

Can you put any fruit and veg in? (read about potatoes) and do you need to chop them up? roughly how big.
I have a couple of rotting watermelons and galia melons that are quite slushy! are they ok?
Houseplants that have died off - is it ok to dump plant, roots and soil in?
Shredded shiny paper ie leaflets?
Is it ok to put in pet hair if recently used flea powder or flea shampoo?

Ive come to the conclusion that the delivery guys must have a national wide pact of knocking and running when it comes to delivering the bins because I also had a heart attack last sunday evening on opening the door to be confronted by my childhood fear of a 'Dalek'! :eek:

Hope this work because my daughter and dog had fun with it...


Hope my questions aint too daft but Im really eager to get this right
x

absfabs

This thread is so therapeutic!

Welcome, Ziggy, I chuck all kinds of fruit and veg in, as long as it hasn't been cooked. If it is very tough material, e.g. carrots or the stalky bit from caulis or cabbage, I chop it roughly 1/2 or 1 inch size chunks, depends whether I am in a hurry:p . Same goes with orange peel or tough skin from melon.

Things I found don't break down at all in my bin are peanut shells and sweetcorn cobs, and the really tough leaves from palms/cordyllines (?spelling), so I chuck these in the council green bin for them to compost

I've read that glossy paper shouldn't go in. Pet hair can be composted, and if the flea treatment is safe for your dog then I suppose it can't be all that harmful to the compost. Wouldn't worry about it.

BTW, great photos! :j