Homemade compost is so exciting! (MERGED)

Kantankrus_Mare

Hm havn't a clue on whether they are early /middle or late. Guess it will just be a case of trial and error. :rolleyes:

maow425

Showtunesgirl: Does being highly acidic make citrus peel and the likes, suitable for strawberry compost?

What about potato peelings? Is there a particular reason why I should not put these in my normal compost bin?

just-saving

maow425 wrote: »

What about potato peelings? Is there a particular reason why I should not put these in my normal compost bin?

I wouldn't put whole potatoes in to compost but the peelings I do as so many say they can be added.

I did read this:
Potato peelings are always a discussion point. There are 2 schools of thought.
One says do not put them in the compost as you get potato plants growing next year with potential blight problems while the other side says that if they get plants they will just pull them up.
You choose what you want to do as both points of view are valid.

I think I'll continue adding them

nodwah

I find that pot peel grows great big shoots in the compost but not really any roots, so I just chop them up again and put them back in. nO blight so far

showtunesgirl

maow425 wrote: »

Showtunesgirl: Does being highly acidic make citrus peel and the likes, suitable for strawberry compost?

Mmm, interesting thought, I'll try and have a look into this. I think citrus is harder to compost down but it might be worth a go!

However, do bear in mind that slugs quite like the smell of citrus fruit and it might attract more slugs to your strawberry patch, but then having said that, they may go for the citrus and then leave your strawberries alone!

olibearhorse

just-saving wrote: »

I wouldn't put whole potatoes in to compost but the peelings I do as so many say they can be added.

I did read this:
Potato peelings are always a discussion point. There are 2 schools of thought.
One says do not put them in the compost as you get potato plants growing next year with potential blight problems while the other side says that if they get plants they will just pull them up.
You choose what you want to do as both points of view are valid.

I think I'll continue adding them

I put peelings and old potatoes in mine. Having managed to grow them in my compost bin as a result, I think I will just stick with peelings in the future!

showtunesgirl

Oh my! Manure trip yesterday was a great success. Was whisked out to a stable in Kent where I met the three friendly horses whose manure I was collecting. Spent three hours shovelling and filling bags of amazing rotted down manure which was just alive with worms! My arms are very tired today but I'm very happy.

I love manure. :rotfl:

olibearhorse

Yeahhh! I am so glad it was a success and equally pleased that the horses were friendly!

I love manure too - can't get enough of the stuff!

:j

showtunesgirl

Glad I'm not the only manure nut! It was supposed to be an allotment outing but only my fiance and another couple went out with us. We both did just under 30 bags each so you can imagine how much work that was! But that was only half the work as our allotment site is on the side of a hill so when we got back we had to haul it up the hill!

When we got back to the allotment, some people had the cheek to ask if they could have some! I had clearly put up a poster saying that you keep what you shovel if you go on the trip. Tsk. Some people just want something for nothing!

katskorner

Ah I am a manure lover too. We have a farm on the way to our allotment and the kind farmer lets us take what we want. We have had 4 big trailer loads so far this season and it is so well-rotted that it doesn't even smell like muck now. If my crops don't grow crazy this year then they are compost!!!

We also have access to loads of leaves and pine wood chippings. I fill my leaf compost bin with leaves and leave the lid off. And I cover my paths with as many chippings as I can barrow. Great stuff.

Edit - on our allotment, there are a coupld of old codgers who get muck but won't tell anyone where it comes from and only allow a few people the knowledge. Pathetic. I tell anyone who wants to know if I have a place where thay let you take it away. Share and share alike. But noone gets the stuff we physically collected!!