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New compost bin
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sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 12:32 pm    Post subject: New compost bin Reply with quote
    

Milo, our Springer spaniel, has dismantled the frame of the existing compost heap in our garden. Since the garden's quite small I've gone and bought a plastic composter today. Presumably I can load it up using the stuff from the old heap, oldest compost at the bottom. I assume it needs to stand directly on the soil. Apart from that is there anything I should do in particular?

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Is it a big square one or one of those conical ones? How far gone is your compost? I'd be tempted to give it a good mix as I put it in.

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Conicalish, the stuff at the bottom of the heap is already usable.

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Just give it a good mix then, it'll speed up the rotting of the newer stuff too.

Mary-Jane



Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Just a suggestion, but I'd put some fine wire mesh - like chicken wire or something similar - underneath if I were you. When we were still living back down in Bucks, we had a plastic composter there and ended up with rats practically building their own housing estate in it because they tunnelled under the fence and the edge of the plastic bin and up inside it! We got rid of them in the end with the help of Gervase's keen eye and a large shovel...and the air rifle, amongst other things...but we've been careful to keep the bottom of any small composting bins covered in mesh since.

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Luckily we've never had any rat problems

Mary-Jane



Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We didn't have a rat problem either until that little lot moved in!

I'm told that if you have a small garden/veg plot, one of those tumbling compost bins are a good idea because they produce compost a lot quicker. Even Monty Don (*swoon*) recommends them for small gardens so they can't be all bad! I've never tried one myself, but I've heard good reports about them. Less effort than turning it all by hand too!

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Stand it on the soil so worms can get at it and for drainage. Take a leak in it once in a while to keep it going, and between the layers of kitchen and garden waste put in some newspaper scrumpled up. Take compost out at the bottom when its done, and use that as a chance to mix.

We manage nearly all of our composting in such a container, with a small compost heap in the corner of the garden for over-wintering (when the compost bin slows down).

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Definitely pee on it whenever you can

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 2:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I take it, Cab and Tahir, that you don't have much of a problem with neighbours nosing over the fence any more?

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We've got a 6' fence that side, dunno about Cab though

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Bugs wrote:
I take it, Cab and Tahir, that you don't have much of a problem with neighbours nosing over the fence any more?


The plus side of having a big wall is that the garden is nearly private. The down side is that it doesn't get as much light as you'd like, and the neighbourhood kids are always climbing on the wall.

But yeah, I can take a leak any time I like in the compost bin, as long as there aren't any guests at the kitchen window doing the washing up.

Lloyd



Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

No probs with neighbours lookin over my fence!

Tristan



Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Posts: 392
Location: North Gloucestershire
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I guess the rest of us will have to make do with a plastic bottle and a good aim! Remember, never drink lucozade from a bottle by the side of the road!

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 05 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Good advice Tristan

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