Again - thanks for the suggestions. I will get to work on some larger compast heaps - beginning to think I can just contain it all with old pallets - rather than constructing a full bin. We have some old carpet to go on the top.
I used the mulching option when cutting the lawn last night - seemed to work well but has left a fair amount of fine clippings on the surface of the grass.
We have been keeping the larger bits of wood that we've had cut down. We don't have a log burner - but intend to get one in the future so the wood should be seasoned by the time we come to burn it all.
Also with the over grown flower beds I'm trying to be patient and wait to see what pops up. So far have only removed the dead things and plants I know I hate. This Gardens going to be a lifetime project and I have no intention of rushing it!
Doogie, I bought some corrugated metal sheets on ebay to form my new bins. I think I paid £60 for 12 8ft x 3ft sheets. I had a friend cut them with an angle grinder and gave him £10 for his time / disk.
I now have 3 bays, 8ft wide, 4ft deep and 5 feet tall.
When I first moved into this house the garden was very overun as dad couldnt manage much more than cutting the grass, the first lot of waste was enormous, we shredded, built bins, cadged daleks etc, but now its sorted, we have the day to day stuff which is manageable.
We are lucky that our council give us 5 bags for green waste and pick up once a fortnight, in tbere goes stuff I dont put on the compost, such as buttercups and other dreaded weeds. I would rather dig them out than use weed killer.
You will find it gets easier and manageable.
If you cut the grass regular, say every six days, you wont need to pick it up.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
a compost heap in a secluded area not visible from the house, shred everything a small as possible, pile it all up and let it rot down slowly, might take a year or two but you'll have loads of compost at the end.
if you still have too much grass clippings use it as a green mulch on the back of beds to keep the weeds under control!
Everyone has pretty much said it all. All I would add is that every garden, even the smallest, needs a work area. In tiny gardens this can be a square metre; in large ones such as yours it will be substantial. It's like having a utility room in your garden. Plan now for informal screening if you don't want this space to be too visible. But it can be one of the most satisfying parts of the garden.
Incidentally, if you have spare builders bags, you can use those to hold composting waste. I had six leftover when I had sharp sand delivered. I took mine to the tip, and someone asked to take them, which meant they were reused. You might get some from the tip. Friends used theirs to hold wood chips, which after four years became humus.
Leif, I use those builders sacks all the time, they're great. I cut the grass in our wooded area once all the leaves are down and fill them and leave for 6 months, but which time it's great for mulching.
Well - I have one of those builders bags - but that's what I use to transport some of the garden waste to the "tip" It's come in very handy!
I think I need to get going with some bigger compast heaps. Does anyone know where I can source some cheap (or even free) used pallets. I'm thinking this will be my best bet to create compost bins large enough?
you don't really need pallets, that's only if you want neat compost bays,
if you've got a lot (and the space to hide it out of sight for a while) you'd be better piling it up somewhere all at the same time in one big pile as you might get the compost heap to get really hot, the hotter it is the quicker it'll rot down. if you're lucky is might rot down in 6 months during the summer and be ready for mulching in autumn
Posts
Again - thanks for the suggestions. I will get to work on some larger compast heaps - beginning to think I can just contain it all with old pallets - rather than constructing a full bin. We have some old carpet to go on the top.
I used the mulching option when cutting the lawn last night - seemed to work well but has left a fair amount of fine clippings on the surface of the grass.
We have been keeping the larger bits of wood that we've had cut down. We don't have a log burner - but intend to get one in the future so the wood should be seasoned by the time we come to burn it all.
Also with the over grown flower beds I'm trying to be patient and wait to see what pops up. So far have only removed the dead things and plants I know I hate. This Gardens going to be a lifetime project and I have no intention of rushing it!
Doogie, I bought some corrugated metal sheets on ebay to form my new bins. I think I paid £60 for 12 8ft x 3ft sheets. I had a friend cut them with an angle grinder and gave him £10 for his time / disk.
I now have 3 bays, 8ft wide, 4ft deep and 5 feet tall.
When I first moved into this house the garden was very overun as dad couldnt manage much more than cutting the grass, the first lot of waste was enormous, we shredded, built bins, cadged daleks etc, but now its sorted, we have the day to day stuff which is manageable.
We are lucky that our council give us 5 bags for green waste and pick up once a fortnight, in tbere goes stuff I dont put on the compost, such as buttercups and other dreaded weeds. I would rather dig them out than use weed killer.
You will find it gets easier and manageable.
If you cut the grass regular, say every six days, you wont need to pick it up.
a compost heap in a secluded area not visible from the house, shred everything a small as possible, pile it all up and let it rot down slowly, might take a year or two but you'll have loads of compost at the end.
if you still have too much grass clippings use it as a green mulch on the back of beds to keep the weeds under control!
Welcome Doogie,
Everyone has pretty much said it all. All I would add is that every garden, even the smallest, needs a work area. In tiny gardens this can be a square metre; in large ones such as yours it will be substantial. It's like having a utility room in your garden. Plan now for informal screening if you don't want this space to be too visible. But it can be one of the most satisfying parts of the garden.
Definitely don't waste it! Compost it! Check out this easy guide on composting 101 to get you started!
Incidentally, if you have spare builders bags, you can use those to hold composting waste. I had six leftover when I had sharp sand delivered. I took mine to the tip, and someone asked to take them, which meant they were reused. You might get some from the tip. Friends used theirs to hold wood chips, which after four years became humus.
Leif, I use those builders sacks all the time, they're great. I cut the grass in our wooded area once all the leaves are down and fill them and leave for 6 months, but which time it's great for mulching.
Our local "tip" sells them for £2 each
Well - I have one of those builders bags - but that's what I use to transport some of the garden waste to the "tip" It's come in very handy!
I think I need to get going with some bigger compast heaps. Does anyone know where I can source some cheap (or even free) used pallets. I'm thinking this will be my best bet to create compost bins large enough?
you don't really need pallets, that's only if you want neat compost bays,
if you've got a lot (and the space to hide it out of sight for a while) you'd be better piling it up somewhere all at the same time in one big pile as you might get the compost heap to get really hot, the hotter it is the quicker it'll rot down. if you're lucky is might rot down in 6 months during the summer and be ready for mulching in autumn