@LunarSea looks a top set up, composting isn't meant to be a competition just a very sideline on gardening
@Fire I've found this thread a real invigorater passing on some of my experiences, failure's and success's. The compost certainly helps my veggies, I didn't use a drop of fertilizer on them this year and had great eating.
@Lyn I'll be honest I used to head out at 5am and empty the neighbours bins before anyone was up and about, I did eventually admit my addiction issues and they leave their bins at the end of my drive. Yes that is quite a compost affliction I have 😃😃
Brought the begged apples home and they went straight in the bin, also cleared my greenhouse of tomatoes, marigolds and basil so they will add to the mix
Thanks @MikeOxgreen. Just went down the first link and found what I'm probably looking for - the Tekplas large bin with add-on. I may even be tempted to set up a three bay system.
Don't think I'll be competing with the compost experts here anytime soon but I've now set up my new two bay system which will be in the sun as opposed to my existing two (rotting wood) bays under the trees. I'm aiming to get to a point where I buy hardly any compost.
This is the 'kit' before assembly. You can see the slotted posts and the galvanised steel ground spikes (far left) which are sunk in the ground and then the posts fit over them. Sounds really straightforward but in reality it isn't. If your site isn't perfectly flat with nice firm ground or, as in my case, there are footings from an old oil tank, you're left with no alternative but to concrete them in. And if you're a bit OCD like me and can't abide things not being absolutely level or looking out to the eye, you'll spend quite a while with a spirit level, propping things up and do much walking back & forth.
Anyway it's finally set up and I've started filling it. I've got three builders sacks full of shredded Laurel & Berberis to go in, but I've started by transferring some part-composted material from my existing heap, along with its worms, millipedes & all its microscopic goodies. I even went to the carpet shop this morning and begged some waste carpet to cover each heap.
To give you some idea of scale, each bay is roughly 90cm square & 78cm high. And yes I did leave a gap so that I can still paint my walls
So now the neighbours will have even more reason to think I'm very strange.
They look very smart, your neighbours are probably nodding and thinking 'Pro gardener' I have compost envy I like the way the centre partition lifts out so you can shovel the contents across, that's very useful. Looking forward to reading about your results.
You might have to experiment with the carpet. My thoughts are if it's lobbed on 'as is' it'll sag and let all the rain in. Maybe a piece of wood or something in the centre will cause it to act like a pitched roof, but I really don't know.
I put an ad on Freecycle recently for a carpet and got asked to pick up some huge Axminster type thing from a big old house. It was a two man job to lift it and it's a very expensive, but outdated carpet. I'm going to feel a bit guilty cutting it up to use outside, but at least it's getting used rather than going to landfill!
With six thousand views of the page in exactly two months, it seems that the content is popular and is hopefully useful to lots of people.
I hope those who have been pondering composting will feel emboldened to give it a go, and know they can find help and support there for starting off or ironing problems out.
You might have to experiment with the carpet. My thoughts are if it's lobbed on 'as is' it'll sag and let all the rain in. Maybe a piece of wood or something in the centre will cause it to act like a pitched roof, but I really don't know.
I forgot to mention, I also bought the purpose-made lids. My plan is to use just carpet (cut exactly to fit) during the warmer months and allow the rain to percolate through but use the lids in winter when the heaps stay damp anyway.
Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
You might have to experiment with the carpet. My thoughts are if it's lobbed on 'as is' it'll sag and let all the rain in. Maybe a piece of wood or something in the centre will cause it to act like a pitched roof, but I really don't know.
I forgot to mention, I also bought the purpose-made lids. My plan is to use just carpet (cut exactly to fit) during the warmer months and allow the rain to percolate through but use the lids in winter when the heaps stay damp anyway.
Ok, i'm with you. I'm doing a similar thing, just in a scruffier, cheaper way. I'm chucking a tarp' over in Winter, then the carpet over the top to stop it from tearing and blowing away. If it ain't nailed up here, it's gone by morning!
The carpet only in Summer is a great idea, it's like a filter. Rain in, but stops the sun from drying it out. I'm going to use that next year
With six thousand views of the page in exactly two months, it seems that the content is popular and is hopefully useful to lots of people.
I hope those who have been pondering composting will feel emboldened to give it a go, and know they can find help and support there for starting off or ironing problems out.
🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕
I'm sure it has Fire. In the year that I've been a member here ( I'm not a newbie anymore ) I've read about members' compost heaps and have to admit to compost envy. My dad's heaps were things I could only dream about and I well remember him saying to me, come here Uff and shove your hand in that. Feel the heat? I wondered how that could happen and he explained the process.
Many years later and in my advancing years I'm finally learning to make my own and I'm hearing him saying to me, as wise as ever, about b****y time.
Well, I think the process of composting is not obvious, even at its most basic. A lot of people are very wary of it, for all sorts of reasons. It does need a bit of exploration before it makes sense.
Posts
@Fire I've found this thread a real invigorater passing on some of my experiences, failure's and success's. The compost certainly helps my veggies, I didn't use a drop of fertilizer on them this year and had great eating.
@Lyn I'll be honest I used to head out at 5am and empty the neighbours bins before anyone was up and about, I did eventually admit my addiction issues and they leave their bins at the end of my drive. Yes that is quite a compost affliction I have 😃😃
Brought the begged apples home and they went straight in the bin, also cleared my greenhouse of tomatoes, marigolds and basil so they will add to the mix
I like the way the centre partition lifts out so you can shovel the contents across, that's very useful. Looking forward to reading about your results.
You might have to experiment with the carpet. My thoughts are if it's lobbed on 'as is' it'll sag and let all the rain in. Maybe a piece of wood or something in the centre will cause it to act like a pitched roof, but I really don't know.
I put an ad on Freecycle recently for a carpet and got asked to pick up some huge Axminster type thing from a big old house. It was a two man job to lift it and it's a very expensive, but outdated carpet. I'm going to feel a bit guilty cutting it up to use outside, but at least it's getting used rather than going to landfill!
🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕
I forgot to mention, I also bought the purpose-made lids. My plan is to use just carpet (cut exactly to fit) during the warmer months and allow the rain to percolate through but use the lids in winter when the heaps stay damp anyway.
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
If it ain't nailed up here, it's gone by morning!
The carpet only in Summer is a great idea, it's like a filter. Rain in, but stops the sun from drying it out.
I'm going to use that next year
In the year that I've been a member here ( I'm not a newbie anymore
Many years later and in my advancing years I'm finally learning to make my own and I'm hearing him saying to me, as wise as ever, about b****y time.