Composting

The insects are part of the composting process. Don't kill them . Slugs, worms, fruit flies, wood lice all the friends of composting. The ants have just chosen the bin for a nest. They will chase after their eggs and move if you start digging the compost. It is organic process.

DH picks up the snails (we have loads) and puts them in the compost bin - when I put the veg peelings in there they drop down from the lid - revolting!! And they getting HUGE!!

I have had a compost heap, in a plastic domed container, for 20!years, I keep adding to it and it rots down, but I have never used any of the compost. I know this isn't the outcome I should have as it is just a receptacle for getting rid of green waste. Is this a record?

Luckylegs9 - we've never used the contents of ours either. Not as long as you, only 10 years. It's such hard work digging it out.
We've had some beautiful potatoes from it though, much nicer than those we grow in the veg. patch.

We make loads of compost and mulch all the beds with it. It has done a lot to improve the soil. Ours is in bins made from pallets but DS2 has a plastic dalek and the best way to get at it is to lift the container off and put it in a new position. Then put any unrotted material back in and use the good which you will find at the bottom. We do get a few snails and things in but they don't cause a problem. I had a grass snake in once when I was emptying a bin and had to get DH to lift it out.

I bought two wooden compost bins about 25 yrs ago and we put all vegetable waste, lawn mowings and paper shreddings in.

We put some compost accelerator on and when i'ts full leave it to mature and fill the second one. We switch bins once a year and put the dug out stuff into old dustbins to use it as needed.
We do have a now too big garden, so we have room for the bins and get enough mowings and cuttings to fill them. It's good stuff though and really improves the soil and the plants grow better.

Tricia do you plant the potatoes in the bin, if so I presume you leave the loud off for the light.

Ruby song, today is the day when I get to lift my compost bin up, what I wonder will I find, if there is any material I can use on the garden, that looks and smells like the compost I buy, I will be so proud, it has taken 20 years after all. I will report back after mission accomplished.

I use old builders bulk bags as compost bins, Usually have 3 on the go. I put anything that will rot in there, green waste,cardboard, paper etc. I use an accelerator and pee from my bucket in my studio (shed). I try to turn it occasionally and it is well rotted after a year. I can never bet enough green waste and add any free horse manure I can get.

I've brought with us from England our 3 very large double walled recycled plastic bins we got from our Council about 10 years ago- they come apart in sections for emptying, and have a strong double walled hinged lid- fabulous. A fiver each they were- seen similar ones in France which are about 10X the price.

The thing with sucessful compost is to have the right layers- or it will just end up a slimy mess. If you don't have shrubby stuff to put in between layers of grass, etc- use either scrunched up newspaper (I always put a big layer on top before winter, as extra insulation to keep the worms happy) or layers of broken up corrugated cardboard you can get from shops or your local tip. I put it on the ground and wet it with the hose both sides- then break it up and put a good layer- it works wonders, and worms just love it.

I lend our field to a neighbour farmer for her horses- so get enough horse manure to keep all bins 'accelerated- so no need for expensive accelarator. If you ahve access to comfrey and nettles - add a layer from time to time, great accelerators too.

We have two compost piles. I remember going to a fascinating talk on composting by an enthusiast. Actually I did take a lot of useful information away from it,,especially the need to add paper, cardboard, etc as you do GandTea.

We are lucky enough to have chickens so can add their droppings and bedding to the mix and they are doubly useful as they turn it over rooting for worms.

Luckylegs - no, they come from a few old dried out potatoes that I discarded from the vegetable rack in the pantry. There's the occasional courgette plant too.
The containers don't have lids,in fact they're 3 old dog kennels which husband made out of wood and took the rooves off.
There's access at the bottom, but we're getting too arthritic to bend down and dig out.

We don't have as big a garden now but have always composted and made masses of lovely stuff which has really helped improve the soil. In our last garden we just had too much so ended up tipping grass cuttings and weeds into a heap in the woods next door. Occasionally we would nip over to reclaim the resulting compost which was every bit as good as that in our special compost bins. If you have the space you don't even need a special bin and we have also used builder materials bags which also work well.
I am quite interested in a wormery but DH says we don't have enough for them too and they would starve. I feel he hasn't got the right idea as I don't want them as pets but to work for me as the liquid you collect from the bottom tray interests me as a plant food. Perhaps he is more interested in me not spending any more!
I just find it fascinating to see how everything is designed to work together.

I am working up the nerve to empty mine out. Last year I got bitten by an adder which was lurking in there. think I might tip it out onto a big piece of plastic and run away!

We have five bins on the go, green plastic bought cheaply from Amazon in France. We stick in all vegetable waste plus garden stuff and never bother with layers. We use them in rotation and have fabulously worm-rich compost that goes straight on our no-dig raised beds. This spring I found a little stash of walnut shells and a tunnel for the field mouse to come back and collect them. Felt quite guilty that she was going to be disappointed!

If you really work at it compost can be made in weeks rather than months, but it does need a large heap well mixed and chopped material and constant turning. This method creates high temperatures that kill the weeds and seeds, but is hard work (so I don't bother !)

Agred, too much hard work- Talking about worms, they do rise to the top of the compost when they have done their job- so I always gather as many as poss and toss them in a compost bin in the making before emptying and using- as well as most of the ones I find as I empty.

Yes, I know - compost making isn't the most funny of subjects- but hey ho. Anything that saves large amounts of money- but even more importantly, peat bogs all over the world- is truly worth making a little effort. BTW, our Council composts vast amounts with a high heat system, and we can go and collect as much as we want at certain dates in the year.

They used to do that in Leics- but they then stopped as there was too much of certain chemicals and metals in it (at Syston) Do they do that again, or not?

When I start a new bin.I seed it with some worm rich compost from another bin.
We have a council composting facility (it is run by a farmer friend of ours) beautiful compost, totally weed free. Had 5 ton a couple of years ago, could do with some more now.

We have had a wormery for past8 years, I drain off the liquid and use it to feed my beloved clematis. Have only emptied out about twice and added new worms( they are sent by post!) They are special, little pink ones!

After 40 years, I prefer the brown bin method. Chuck it, it breeds rats, slugs and mice. I buy in well rotten horse manure and my garden seems to respond well. Compost heaps are more trouble than they are worth. I have a clean garden now, full of bees etc, but it took me a long time to realise that some experts do indeed talk rubbish. Gardening should be a joy, never a chore.