Homemade compost is so exciting! (MERGED)

bonsibabe

Ooh thanks for that SAMHP - the kids have some woolly cardies that they have outgrown and was wondering what to do with them as they were knitted by an old lady my mam knows and they are wrecked now so I can't even pass them on to someone else! And OH has some old cotton shirts that he no longer needs! I've been putting the envelopes in (after cutting off the gluey bits and taking out the windows lol) but didn't know about the hair. I have just cleaned the hairbrushes and could have just put the hair in Derek but never mind, I know for next time! I might just take a little bag with me the next time we are all at the hairdressers and take the hair home with us!

Dustykitten

I've got a compost problem.

Just been to my darlek and it is full of potato sprouts from all the peelings. I do stir it regularly. I've stopped putting peeling in the wormery for this reason.

Any ideas of what I can do? Thanks

SAMHP_2

Not a problem - unless you are going to use your compost to earth up your potatoes (and therefore there might be a blight issue), this is not a problme. Just bury the sprouting bits in the compost and let it get on with it!
SAM

Natty68

We emptied our compost bin of the first year's composting and it was wonderful It is all on the veg plot now waiting for the seeds to be transplanted when they are ready. DH was so happy that our first year of composting had turned out really well, he can't wait to get his next load of compost..lol

bebee_2

Well my Dalek has been postioned & started off over the weekend.
Green: Grass cuttings, T-Bags Veg Peelings and 2 bananna skins coffee grounds
Browns : 2 egg box's, about 4 t-rolls some small twigs
Well its a start at least but just wanted to ask if i may
what does Hover contents & hairr come under would this be brown?
should green and browns be about half and half if so i think i need to add more brown?
I have read to keep the bin moist do i need to add some water to it at all to start things off
And why Mens wee ?

savemoney

Just got some 3 bags of free compost from council they are giving it away today in my town

SAMHP_2

bebee wrote: »

Well my Dalek has been postioned & started off over the weekend.
Green: Grass cuttings, T-Bags Veg Peelings and 2 bananna skins coffee grounds
Browns : 2 egg box's, about 4 t-rolls some small twigs
Well its a start at least but just wanted to ask if i may
what does Hover contents & hairr come under would this be brown?
should green and browns be about half and half if so i think i need to add more brown?
I have read to keep the bin moist do i need to add some water to it at all to start things off
And why Mens wee ?

Yup, browns and greens should be half and half. Make sure your Hoover contents are essentially natural ie wool carpet residue, pet hair etc.
Water is good if it's looking really dry, wee is better - more nutirents - mens or womens - doesnt' really matter, but WATER IT DOWN - undiluted wee is really strong - could contain lots of salt - so do at least at 50:50 dilution rate
SAM

bebee_2

Many thanks for the reply SAMHP, i appear to be going ok with the greens but if its 50/50 i'm struggling a bit with the browns i know about t-bags and eggs box's and i'm adding them but don't have many tree's for leaves or twigs is there any other browns that i can or could use ? is whit shredded paper ( old bills or newspaper) any good to use.
and thanks for the P** info

Spirit_2

We have an aged muck heap - 4 years worth of horse muck and aubiose bedding - it has lain undisturbed and covered with an old carpet for the last 3 years. It is surrounded by nettles:eek:. I had offered the 'heap' to someone on here but they lived too far away.

Last weekend I thought I would investigate the heap to get some compost for my runner beans. When peeling back the carpet and digging down just a spades depth, the compost was LIKE CHOCOLATE:T Really beautiful, dark, rich, moist .

All week I have been fantasising about digging more out and building up my veg patch. Honestly I have been so looking forward to it, I was going to do it this morning. This morning the rain is hammering down.

I know the compost will keep..........but I REALLY was looking forward to this today. Because of other commitments it will be weeks before I can do this now.

Not sure if I am bragging or complaining in this post:o I came looking for this thread as I needed the comfort of re-reading posts of those who had already been enightened to the joy of compost.

I usually think of my compost as the the 'dalek' and old coal bunker I fill and this thread has informed how I use them.

Spirit

mardatha

Our Daleks came this week and were cermoniously plonked in place. Through the night there was this hellish booming but we couldn't be bothered to get up and look... next morning they were rolling around in next door's garden.
Anybody know how to anchor the bl**dy things LOL !