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Talkback: Quicker compost

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
I have 8, 8ft by 4ft compost bins made out of odd pieces of wood. I have a garden shredder (one of the most useful items of machinery I have) and shred all my hedge and shrub cuttings whic are mixed in with grass, uncooked kitchin waste, shredded paper etc. I fill each one up alternatly so that I can turn each one into the next one. The turning of the compost although heavy is the most useful thing I can do and inproves my compost no end. in addition i have just obtained a cone into which I can put cooked food, fish and bones etc. The challenge is deciding where to put it because its base must be sunk into the ground for about 2ft so that vermin can't get to it
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have 3 compost bins-2 for garden and uncooked household waste-the other just for leaves.The first do really well and are always heaving with little worms. One has a base, the other I dug a small hole and lined it with chicken wire and a piece of old carpet-this seems to keep vermin out. The leaf bin however seems to be taking an awfully long time to break down-how can I speed it up and where best to use the leaf mould?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I find the leaves take ages too unles you can chop them up in a lawn-mower. In fact I have decided to add the leaves to the compost hep now, just not too many at a time. I store them in old compost bags while they wait to be added. My problem is that I cannot seem to turn around my compost fast enough. I bought an organic accelerator that was meant to do it all in 4-6 weeks no turning. I have two heaps full, but not ready for use, the third is holding manure that is not ready for use and I have nowhere to start a third heap. I do it by the book, but I must be going wrong somewhere.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Vicarage, I'm impressed by your compost efforts. Would love you to post a bit more about the cone for cooked waste.
    Bokashi boxes are also good, though you need a kitchen big enough to store the buckets in.
    Wendy, 3 heaps are best, but if you don't have space it will take a little more work. Try to place your pile in the sun rather than shade, make sure everything is finely chopped, don't be afraid to use a little wee. What you then need to do is, as Vicarage says, turn your pile. Turn it out of the box onto the ground next to it, then put it back in again. The act of mixing and exposing to oxygen will speed things up no end. Don't forget to cover your heap with old carpet - the warmer the quicker the decomposition. Compost does take longer to make in the winter for this reason.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have 3 bins. One is a wire cage for leaf mould, which i empty at this time of year and then fill up again with newly collected leaves. All i do with this bin is stir it a couple of times a year. The other two are for kitchen/garden waste etc. I am not able to turn my heap and the compost spikes for stirring don't seem to work either so i just fill one bin, and while that is rotting down (for a year) fill the second bin and then swop back and let the 2nd bin rot down. It is not the quickest method but it works and takes all my waste.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Is there a special reason for using the first pee of hte day?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Re: early morning urine, apparently some very chronic alcoholics urinate into a beer glass last thing at night, then in the morning drink the top inch, where the alcohol has distilled. Shows commitment, I suppose.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I am so annoyed at Gardeners World, I tried to register and
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have recently moved to a flat and am having difficulty coming up with compost solutions for a living environment with no garden! We have a small yard (concreted over) and could situate a compost bin outside, but I am concerned that the compost will stain the concrete and we are in rented accommodation. Does anyone have any suggestions for what we could put underneath the bin to prevent this?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Reply to reillymarie: We're sorry to hear about the problems you've experienced registering with the site. Please contact us at [email protected], and we'll resolve the matter for you.

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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    My name is Paul Godfrey and I have been producing my own foods for many years now, I grow herbs and vegetables, keep poultry for eggs and for the table and keep sheep and pigs for all kinds of wonderful produce. I would like to share my adventures with others so have started a website. www.thegoodlife-online.co.uk
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