Homemade compost is so exciting! (MERGED)

teedy23

I ave to join in this thread, our council are selling the bins for as little as £6. Dont htink theyre very big, but it,s only me doing the rubbishing so to speak. I have a bag of veg peelings and tea bags already, and a huge bag of grass. I,ve always used my eggshells to make life difficult for slugs, but if this can be used to better advantage I,ll do it, it,s all going the same way anyway.

newMS

hi all.. another composter here but with a confession......................... i often forget my dalek behind the shed :eek:

both front and back lawns have had a good cut this weekend and i chucked it all in the brown bin but tomorrow night i might dig some out for the composter lol

loved reading all the threads (not often i read start to end)

Happy Composting all

sb44

We are thinking about getting the smaller bin (con 220) but I was going to place it by the shed on the concrete flags as we only have a square lawn in the back so didn't want to place it on that.

I have just read though that it should be placed so that worms etc can get into it. Does anyone have theirs placed on concrete flags?

Also, is it worth ordering the little caddy at the same time as the small dalek or just using an old ice cream tub or something like that?

Deni_zen

Is it better to have your dalek in the sun or shade? Mine is in a shady corner and pongs a bit so I'm thinking it might need shifted?

ka7e

I have mine on a west-facing wall and it seems to do well with the extra heat - shrivels up the veggie stuff before it gets smelly! My concern is the ant colony that has taken up residence in mine. They seem to be good at mixing up the contents, but I'm worried I'm going to end up with a potentially compost bin-sized ant colony instead of a compost-bin-sized pile of compost!!

angelavdavis

Ants will nest in the compost and do help with the breakdown of material. Once they have colonised and bred they will move on. I have had ants in my compost before and it hasn't really been a problem. They usually go if you turn the compost as they don't like the upheaval.

showtunesgirl

I do think it's worth getting a smaller caddy if you are not near your big compost bin and preferably one with a carbon filter in the lid like this one: http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/product/GCO-250.htm The carbon filters are excellent for keeping down the pong in the kitchen and during the sweltering July we had last year, we didn't get a single whiffy smell coming from it!

absfabs

sb44 wrote: »

I was going to place it by the shed on the concrete flags as we only have a square lawn in the back so didn't want to place it on that.

I have just read though that it should be placed so that worms etc can get into it. Does anyone have theirs placed on concrete

Yes, I've got the Dalek on concrete, started it in autumn and it has broken down beautifully.

I do add a few shovels full of ordinary garden soil to start with, and every foot or two of compost another roughly 1 inch layer of garden soil. Reduces the pong/flies and seems to add enough of beneficial wildlife to break it down.

Just can't bear to sacrifice any good grwoing space for compost bins

Good luck!

sb44

absfabs wrote: »

Yes, I've got the Dalek on concrete, started it in autumn and it has broken down beautifully.

I do add a few shovels full of ordinary garden soil to start with, and every foot or two of compost another roughly 1 inch layer of garden soil. Reduces the pong/flies and seems to add enough of beneficial wildlife to break it down.

Just can't bear to sacrifice any good grwoing space for compost bins

Good luck!

That's great, shall order small one and a caddy for the kitchen tomorrow.

Ta!

ziggy-star

Only been using my 'dalek' for 3 days and now Im driving everybody in the household mad :cheesy: Im inspecting the rubbish bin to see what they have thrown away! Then Im marching everyone down the garden to look into the compost bin :rolleyes2

I need to get out more!