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Compost bins full & too many greens

BrixtonGardenerBrixtonGardener Posts: 73
in Problem solving
This weekend we managed to fill our compost bins and still have quite a large amount of greens leftover, a combination of grass clippings, and tomato stems. Currently have two large bags full. 

Not entirely sure what to do with them. We could leave them in the bags until space frees up, but that could be a few months. 

Has anybody tried shredding them and using as a mulch around shrubs? Or is this a terrible idea? 
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  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    What's in the full compost bins? If it's chopped and shredded material added very recently you'll probably find the contents will shrink down quite a lot in the next week or so and you can then start adding the other material.

    I've tried using grass clippings as a mulch but TBH it wasn't that successful. There must have been grass seeds in there because I ended up having to weed grass seedlings out of the mulched area. 

    If you chop up the tomato stems and mix them with the grass and store in dumpy sacks, you'll probably find that will all shrink in volume too. I reckon I 'fill' my compost bins at least half a dozen times over the season - but they always shrink enough to keep squeezing stuff in before I decide enough is enough and they're ready to leave to cook!
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • BrixtonGardenerBrixtonGardener Posts: 73
    Topbird said:
    What's in the full compost bins? If it's chopped and shredded material added very recently you'll probably find the contents will shrink down quite a lot in the next week or so and you can then start adding the other material.
    Bits of everything, but I think it’ll be a couple of months until one is ready to be emptied. 

    I’ll probably take the bag it up and top the bins up slowly approach. 

    Thanks for the reply!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd agree- it's surprising how quickly stuff settles - especially if there's a lot of soft greens.
    Just keep the new stuff in bags for a week or two, and you'll probably have room in the bins by then.
    If you're able to shred it down that'll help, and it'll take up less room, but I also don't like 'fresh' stuff used as mulch.  :)  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    I found out the hard way not to use grass clippings as mulch.  Five years later, I am still weeding grass out of my soft fruit border.  I only do it with the earliest mowings before the grass has flowered.

    Your present plethora of green stuff might start to get smelly and slimy in bags while waiting for space in the bins, so it would be good if you could mix in some shredded paper or cardboard torn up small.  Earlier this year I had lots of cut grass, semi-dried and I also had a metre cubed bag and plenty of cardboard to hand.  I made a "lasagne" in the bag, with alternate layers of grass and cardboard.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    If your compost heap is really stuffed, try leaving half the grass clippings in a loose pile outside, but protected from rain and they will turn into dry hay in a couple of weeks, which I then count as brown. Then mix this with the greener stuff stored in bags and turn both into the shrinking compost heap. I find this helps to keep the green/brown balance. This method depends on your weather being reasonably dry and sunny enough to make hay!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • BrixtonGardenerBrixtonGardener Posts: 73
    @Nollie I am dying for some dry weather! Unfortunately it looks like it’s just going to get wetter in this corner of London. 

    Next chance I get I’ll mix in some cardboard. I was concerned about it just turning into a slimy mess but figured it would fix itself once in the compost. 

    Thanks again!
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Or get dumpy bags and a load of wood chip or shavings from a local tree sugeon. Mix that all up and you will good compost in a while.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    If it’s any consolation it’s 8c here with intermittent rain and thunderstorms, think my hay-making days are also over for the season!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • SydRoySydRoy Posts: 167
    You could try to make grass cutting liquid fertilizer...if you can stand the smell. I'll let you Google it for a better explanation how to make it.
  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    edited October 2020
    BrixtonGardener said:
    @Nollie I am dying for some dry weather! Unfortunately it looks like it’s just going to get wetter in this corner of London. 

    Next chance I get I’ll mix in some cardboard. I was concerned about it just turning into a slimy mess but figured it would fix itself once in the compost. 

    Thanks again!
    I'm having a bit of an autumn clear out of all the boxes I kept in order to send things back.

    It's amazing how much less space it takes up when shredded :-) . Looking at the size of the bushes I still have to prune, I have started stockpiling the shreddings in the stack of 30l sealed buckets earmarked for a try with homemade self-watering pots next spring.
    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
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