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Composter or wormery?

zoe zonkszoe zonks Posts: 3
in Tools and techniques

I've been pondering about buying a new compost bin as the one I have only has a lift off lid and no door.  It was already in the garden when we moved in and I have been using it but am not sure what I'm meant to do to get the compost out.  I've resorted to lifting the whole thing off the ground, shovelling off the top bit into a wheelbarrow until I come to the nice compost, taking that out and using it and then replacing the bin and filling it back up! A bit of a faff to say the least.  What I have noticed though is the massive amount of worms in there.  So, I've been looking at maybe the 'hotbin' and then thought, 'what about a wormery?'...  What's the diffence? Is anyone able to recommend which might be best and why and also any favourite types/brands.  

Many thanks in advance from a keen, novice gardener image

Posts

  • BrummieBenBrummieBen Posts: 460

    I have two Daleks, I also had same problem with turning, by asking on here a couple of years back I was told to buy one of these : http://garden.jardinitis.com/productos/compostadores_categoria/combox/aireador-de-compost . Mine is slightly different, but still has the corkscrew bottom. I turn mine every week or so, it speeds the composting up massively, and is quite a good back and shoulder work-out! I also have a wormery, but that is mainly for the worm tea. I bought it second hand on gumtree for about 30 quid. Best of both worlds, any sort of garden, be it veg or borders, you need a compost bin, you will generate loads of good stuff that you can turn into a fantastic mulch for your garden. Worms simply aren't quick enough to break things down, unless you are willing to use an old blender on everything you give them. A corkscrew aerator with a dalek bin, trust me, the difference it makes is huge. Good Luck.

  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286

    I've got a Dalek one with the door. I can't get much out of the door, so usually resort to pulling the whole thing off too to get at the compost.

  • zoe zonkszoe zonks Posts: 3

    Thanks Ben, that looks like a handy tool.. much easier than using a garden fork.

    I think I'm going to go for a wormery and composter.. I like the idea of a worm resort in the garden and think my daughter will too.

    Now I just need to decide on which compost bin to go for.  The Hotbin looks brilliant but so expensive.  Does anyone have one of these and are they worth it?  

    The ones on the link you sent above look pretty good too... I'm probably over thinking it.. I just want an effective one which has easy to access compost.  I haven't got a massive garden either so, space is an issue...

    Anymore recommendations or tips?

  • Reluctant_GardenerReluctant_Gardener Posts: 284

    I've a bin with  reclaimed 50 or 75mm polyiso. It gets quite warm in there now.

    The hotbin looks quite well designed and moulded but I'm not sure about how robust the materials are eg whether the end of a rake handle would go through it.

    Use an auger or one of those tools withs sprung barbs that go in easily but pull materials out when removing to get air in. I don't know what they are called but conceptually they are like a spring toggle.

    I have a bin with no hatch but I just leave it a year. The square ones with the air holes in the sides are a nuisance, though slugs are a little useful in making compost most of the garden slugs come from there and they go in there to lay eggs..

  • BrummieBenBrummieBen Posts: 460

    If you can get your dalek somewhere that gets the sun even in the winter, you'll find the black plastic is surprisingly effective with temps, even when I had snow, the tops had snow on but around the base there was little to none, so it seems the temps stay a bit higher. I can't believe you haven't got an access door on yours? If you haven't, it'd be fairly simple to make one by cutting out a hatch, and using the cut out side of an   old bucket or something, then use a couple of stakes to keep the hatch shut.

    Having said that, it is fairly straight forward to build a compost bin that is very attractive and has easy access. (Basically the slats that make the front wall can be lifted out)There are loads of youtube vids on this, there's a particularly nice plan of one in alan titchmarshes 'how to be a gardener' book too. His actually looks like a dolls house!

  • zoe zonkszoe zonks Posts: 3

    Thanks everyone image the aerating tool sounds like the thing to get.. maybe I will keep my doorless one (yes Ben, it really doesn't have any access apart from the lid!) and use the tool on it but also get a second one with access and shovel it across when it is semi composted.  

    Thanks again for your replies and help x 

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