Mini compost heap for the single household

jordylass

I worm compost using black stacking bins, (toy box types got 5 from B&Q for £4).
Drilled lots of holes in the bottom of one and stand it on another and then put an old piece of wood over the top, filled it with loads of shredded paper and cardboard for bedding, and bury the food in the bedding, I bought a kilo of dendra worms for £15 and they really go through the food although it's not enough worms or big enough to use all the scraps in we make (5 people), but for one or two would be perfect, soil is ready in about 3 months.

Pal

Loadsabob wrote:

In fact, I'm keeping one shrub purely because of the mass of soft stem and leaves it gives me for the compost bin!

Given that there must be an element of inefficency involved, aren't you just wasting nutrients in the soil to feed the shrub, just in order to produce compost to put less nutrients back in the soil again?

Surely you are better off just cutting down the shrub and growing something that you want in its place so it gets the nutrients direct instead of via an inefficient composting process?

Loadsabob

Pal wrote:

Given that there must be an element of inefficency involved, aren't you just wasting nutrients in the soil to feed the shrub, just in order to produce compost to put less nutrients back in the soil again?

Surely you are better off just cutting down the shrub and growing something that you want in its place so it gets the nutrients direct instead of via an inefficient composting process?

Hi Pal, I see your thinking - yes, it does sound a bit daft when you quote it back to me! The shrub is actually designed as a hedge/fence, and it's off to the side of my veg beds. I couldn't really use the space for anything else, and I think it's probably partly under the dividing wall with the next house, so may destroy that if I had a go at it!

If I owned the place, I'd get rid of it, but I rent, and for the work (and possible wall repairing!) involved to get rid, it's best for me to leave it be. I was going to brutally saw it back, but then it occured to me that the greenery can at least go in the compost.

I guess I'm making the best of a bad situation, rather than actively encouraging the shrub for compost!

Pal

I rent my house, and have recently cut down half the shrubs in the garden to make way for the plants I want. They didn't specify any shrubs on the inventory so as far as I am concerned they belong to me now.

Loadsabob

Pal wrote:

I rent my house, and have recently cut down half the shrubs in the garden to make way for the plants I want. They didn't specify any shrubs on the inventory so as far as I am concerned they belong to me now.

That's a good way to look at it! No, mine aren't on my inventory, either...perhaps now's the time to get rid of the horrible hydrangea! Make more room for the alpine strawberries and chamomile.

Mustang

A wormery sounds like what you are after. Someone already mentioned it in nature, but not in name.

See http://www.troubleatmill.com/wormbin.htm for details. I've made one of these for very little money.