Composting Advice

DiggerUK

Biodegradable caddy liners!!! We're not made of money, but we do use biodegradable freebie papers. Two double sheets folded in the bottom are all we use, whole lot then goes straight in the compost bin.

We are on Digger Mansions fourth generation composting system. We started with four wooden pallets lashed with baling twine or a single core from unused electric cable. We then went on to paste the wood with old engine oil as a free preservative. The next design involved prising slats off other pallets to fill in the wide gaps to prevent the pile getting too dry.
Our current design involves a dalek in the compost bin which gradually gets lifted up as it fills up. We reckon that the extra heat helps sterilise seeds better.
At the start of the year it all gets turned into another pallet bin for use as soil conditioner next autumn.

*Some posts refer to rat and mouse problems. They are nearly always country rodents, not sewer rats and house mice. Keep bins as far from the house as possible, and don't put waste food in the bin..._

-taff

I;m using them at the moment because I get them for free.
I'm finding if the bin has stuff in it for more than a week/ten days, they start breaking down and holes appear though...
Everything from the kitchen veg/fruit waste goes in them, plus small bits of cardboard [ big bits go straight in the compost bin], receipts, tea bags, the odd tissue....

DiggerUK

Just been to our local butcher, they are now using biodegradable carrier bags. Have decided to line the bottom with freebie newspapers, and will use them in kitchen caddy bin.
No more washing out the kitchen caddy, what a grand start to the new year :j ..._

savemoney

I shred some paper and cardboard and put it in composter and wormery worms love it and give added carbon to the mix helps if you get short of woody waste

pattypan4

I get very excellent compost year on year. I make layers of brown and green fibres and I cut most things into smaller pieces. I do use a hotbin as I have only a small space. I intermingle with composted bark for openess and I throw in some shredded paper but not newspaper or magazine paper, the shredded paper helps with the bulk if I cannot produce anough during winter. Grass is not easy, only use a very small amount in the layers or you get a solid lump. Comfrey is my star, it heats up compost very fast. In the old days, I did use 3 wooden composting bins but it involves space and the physical work of tossing and turning. I never compost food, egg shells or tea bags