I have also started composting nine months ago but the compost is still not ready to use. got a little at the bottom which i used in the garden. how often should i turn it over. should i leave the compost open or closed? there are a lot of flies in it though. is that normal?
We got another compost bin and we have filled it to the top with grass cuttings and cardboard food boxes ie: cereal packets, boxes fishfingers ect come in toilet and kitchen roll middles and any thing else we just rip them up and soak for a few days then tip into compost bin water and all. Turning the compost regular certainly speeds things up.So why don't the council take cardboard for composting instead of landfill?
My worry about composting cardboard such as cereal packets and printed paper is that the ink used on them may be toxic and the toxins go into the food chain. Can anyone reassure me about this, because there are no cardboard recycling facilities in our town and it would be so good to put cardboard or printed paper to good use as compost.
My Husband has just made me a bin from old wooden pallets, and its fantastic. He has put a hinged stable type door on so I can open one to put stuff in or open both to turn the compost when needed, it also has a hinged lid to keep out the wet, and all it cost was ã15. It stands on our patio, we have put a layer of old compost and some loam mixed in so the worms can come up through the cracks between the patio slabs and help with the composting work. My husband and I have become hooked on finding stuff to compost.
I have 2 compost bins and have had some wonderful results over the years, however, the trees around the site have matured considerably. Consequently there is considerably less sun filtering through. The compost is riddled with slugs and wood lice. I think I should re-site the bins. In order for the neccessary sunshine the new site would be nearer the house and not far from where my young grand children play. I wondered if this would safe for them.
Jan, provided you're just composting kitchen veg/fruit waste and garden waste there should be no harm to you, children, pets or wildlife. Clearly bins are not designed to be played with, climbed on or into, so keep this in mind, and screen from the play area if necessary. Ponds and water features are a hazard that must always be considered. Personally I would not let young children play in a garden with water features.
Having moved late last year, I have just started my first effort at composting. However we have lots of conifers in our garden. Can I put cuttings from these confiders in the composter when we trim them? I know conifers don't really rot down, so any advice would be welcome.
Novice 49, I would NOT put conifer cuttings or shreddings on my compost heap. You could shred these and use as a mulch round trees and larger shrubs. If you have space, pack these shreddings into old compost bags along with a compost activator for a year to start the composting process, then use for mulching next year.
After hearing the news yesterday, about the dangers of recycled cardboard used for cereal packaging etc I am now concerned about using shredded newspaper in my compost heap. Apparently most recycled cardboard is made from old newspapers. The printing ink from these newspapers contains mineral oils which are harmful when ingested by humans. Surely if I put paper in my compost heap these harmful toxins will ultimately end up in the fruit and veg I grow?
I'm not aware that plants would actually take up these mineral oils through their roots, but if anyone else has evidence then please let us know by replying to this post.
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Many thanks.