I have a friend who has a rabbit. Every now and again, I go to my compost bin and find a bag full of used rabbit bedding that she has dropped round when passing. I have found it is very good for browns. Also at work, our parcels come with shredded card inside for padding. I take that along with the coffee take out trays that people bring coffees in with.
I use all the cardboard inners from loo roll and kitchen paper, and egg boxes. Any animal bedding is good if you know anyone @johnnypenstemon, and if you have stables anywhere near you, even a couple of bags of manure added to the bin now and again, will rot down over 5 or 6 months. That would help replace grass if you can't get it. I don't have a huge amount of lawn, but I add the clippings as long as I haven't used any weed and feed on it. If so, I wait about 6 weeks before using the clippings. All our kitchen peelings go in too. It's surprising how quickly it adds up, especially if you make soup
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@PurpleRose - thanks, better try and make friends with someone with a rabbit! Yes, cardboard and coffee I can do in spades.
@Fairygirl yes, I deploy the old loo roll innards as well. I currently enjoy untwirling them first. That’s Covid for you . The manure tip to replace grass is handy - what about regular bagged well-rotted manure? I have some spare, but no stables or similar nearby.
As for the soup, I was planning to make a big batch soon. Just brought that forward!
@johnnypenstemon I also enjoy untwirling the toilet roll centres. I thought that was just me 🤣🤣
I have yet to try it. I saw on here I think, someone lines their compost caddy in the house with newspaper and fills with scraps then puts all in the compost bin. Green and brown in one go. I thought it was a good idea
I had another idea which might be useful if you can't get enough greens @johnnypenstemon . When I was sowing lettuce earlier this year, I had terrible trouble getting it to germinate, when normally it's so simple . Another forum member said he finds lettuce seed doesn't last as long as it used to. This was a fresh pack of seed last year. Bearing in mind how much seed is in a packet, you could sow anything you aren't going to use that year, in some pots/trays, and then add it to the compost bin once it's a decent size. Cheap, and uses up seed that may not be any use the following year anyway.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I don't unravel them unless you mean the paper whilst sitting on the loo.
Just tried the middle of a kitchen roll and the home office shredder just took it folded flat .
It also took corrugated cardboard if it wasn't glued double.
Result !
On shredders - I deliberately went for a commercial grade one so that it does "crosscut" which turns things into tiny pieces rather than just ripped up bits of paper. The driver was confidentiality but it does this too. ANd you get a bigger bin, too.
The model is a Fellowes 62 MC which was just over £100, but there are other models out there that will be as good.
Ferdinand
“Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
Bearing in mind how much seed is in a packet, you could sow anything you aren't going to use that year, in some pots/trays, and then add it to the compost bin once it's a decent size. Cheap, and uses up seed that may not be any use the following year anyway.
Cheers @Fairygirl, that’s a great use for all the free packets of lettuce seed that I never do anything with.
Plenty of fresh, soft growth @johnnypenstemon, so ideal I never undo the toilet rolls. They just get soaked first [from the rain] by chucking them outside into a bucket I have by the back steps. By the time the bucket's full, and ready for the compost bin, they're soft and squidgy.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Any animal bedding is good if you know anyone @johnnypenstemon, and if you have stables anywhere near you, even a couple of bags of manure added to the bin now and again, will rot down over 5 or 6 months. That would help replace grass if you can't get it. I don't have a huge amount of lawn, but I add the clippings as long as I haven't used any weed and feed on it. If so, I wait about 6 weeks before using the clippings.
All our kitchen peelings go in too. It's surprising how quickly it adds up, especially if you make soup
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
As for the soup, I was planning to make a big batch soon. Just brought that forward!
I have yet to try it. I saw on here I think, someone lines their compost caddy in the house with newspaper and fills with scraps then puts all in the compost bin. Green and brown in one go. I thought it was a good idea
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Just tried the middle of a kitchen roll and the home office shredder just took it folded flat
It also took corrugated cardboard if it wasn't glued double.
Result !
On shredders - I deliberately went for a commercial grade one so that it does "crosscut" which turns things into tiny pieces rather than just ripped up bits of paper. The driver was confidentiality but it does this too. ANd you get a bigger bin, too.
The model is a Fellowes 62 MC which was just over £100, but there are other models out there that will be as good.
Ferdinand
I never undo the toilet rolls. They just get soaked first [from the rain] by chucking them outside into a bucket I have by the back steps. By the time the bucket's full, and ready for the compost bin, they're soft and squidgy.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...