Composting advice please

[Deleted]

What type of bin/heap do you gardeners use?

I've got a bag, from Kleeneze I think it was, but it didn't take long to fill that and I'm not sure how good it will be.
It's filled with layers of grass cuttings between dry and damp leaves and leaf mold that were shoveled off a bit of crazy paving plus some worms got thrown in....oh and some compost accelerator powder also.

Basically I don't know the first thing about making apart from the open manure heap we had on the croft which was wonderful underneath.

[quadbod]

Try a gander in here:
www.hotbincomposting.com/boards/default.aspx

[rgsp]

Try your local council: ours has a discount buying scheme for compost bins, because it saves on collecting green waste etc.

In my experience wooden bins turn themselves to rotten matter rather faster than their contents sometimes. Certainly in East Anglia the type with slatted sides are a disaster anyway, because everything dries out too much.

An open heap will do the job well enough: just rather slowly.

Good quality plastic bins work very well, particularly the slightly conical open bottom sort. At full price they are undeniably expensive, but keep looking, and you'll find some at a huge discount sooner or later.

If you don't have the space for a sprawling open heap, a ring of heavy wire netting, lined with vinyl floor covering, can look quite tidy and works well.

Don't bother with fiddly little doors at the bottom to get rotted stuff out: just lift the whole bin up, and put it back down again when you've finished if you like.

[Deleted]

Thanks QB and RGSP - I never thought of the council supplying them.

2 bins now ordered at one for £15 and second half price, delivered.

Plenty of info on QB's link also!

OH will be please to not have to make one

[matthew]

I use old pallets Joyce, with a solid front of galvanised tin. They're up against a bank so in three sections. One ready, one cooking and one in use. You'll be surprised how much goes on. Don't put rose trimmings, fir trimmings or anything too woody in there, or it'll still be there next year. I burn those and layer the ash in. Also burn noxious stuff like twitch or bindweed.
And watch out for rats - they just love compost heaps. Even the council plastic ones - very deja vu - and especially if the council tell you that their plastic mesh on the bottom is rat proof. They haven't told the rats A lot of people ditched them because of this. We were offered three huge ones, but I stuck to my open pallets - the cats perch all day on those ..... waiting.