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Townie · Moderator Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 2724 Location: Fife

I'm after a wee bit of advice here, hoping someone can point me in the right direction...

I would like to make my own compost. I'm not sure which bin to go for..

Do I buy the plastic ones from my local council?

Can I make my own up from pallets?

Do they smell?

What about vermin, rats or mice?

I would really like to know if I can compost the following... I have loads of grass cuttings, chicken poo & sawdust, and also rabbit poo and sawdust, can these be successfully composted together?

thanks in advance

p.s. i need to make sure that it's not messy looking as i'm overlooked by my neighbours all our back gardens back onto one anothers.

wildgarlic · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:48 am Post subject:

Hi Townie

How much space do you want to give over to your compost? There are quite a few options. We got the wooden compost bins from the council but we've got plenty of space. They do smell a wee bit but nothing too bad.

I've got a handy little booklet called Composting For All by Nicky Scott
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Townie · Moderator Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 2724 Location: Fife

I'd have room for 2 or 3 but i guess that's size depending

Julie · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:04 pm Post subject:

Gordon uses dead chest freezers with drainage holes cut in the bottom.They are insulated so get very hot and speed up the process. He layers grass cuttings and fibrous matter with plant waste and household stuff to keep the balance right.
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Sassinak · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject:

iI don't think I'd fancy digging the finished compost out of the bottom of a chest freezer. I have enough problems reaching a pack of food laid in the bottom lol
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Julie · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:15 pm Post subject:

I believe he turns it into an empty one once, and then when it's finished bags it up or uses it.
You could always delegate that sort of job Sass, bribe Philby with something

Use your womanly wiles.
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Diana · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:30 pm Post subject:

Don't get the black dalek shaped ones from the council for about £6 - they're rubbish. The slightly more expensive square and hexagonal green ones are really good though.

I'd say make your own out of scrap/recycled wood (ask your local sawmill if they have any rejects stuff - our's do it really cheap). That way you can make the size you need (stakes in the ground then nail on some planks). Make it with a removable front too (I slot in extra planks to the front as the heap grows - makes it easy to remove a plank at a time when you're emptying/turning the heap).
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Smooth Hound · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:36 pm Post subject:

i use pallets, ive also got a tatty box with a few of the planks taken out of the top at the end, you get air in from the bottom and it works well, if you have room for 2 all the better, so you can fill one whilst using the other, but not sure how much space you have. each one covers approx 4 ft by 5/7 ft , so if you had 2 that would be about 8ft by 7ft

Pauline · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 5:11 pm Post subject: Compost

Rabbit and guinea pig poo can be composted, along with straw and hay and shredded newspaper. Grass cuttings can be composted too but don't put them in big piles as they go slimy.
I started with a Council square compost bin, but quickly filled it up and realised I needed two- one to fill while the other one was composting.

The two I have are great- open topped ones (if they are wet, vermin don't tend to want to use them- I occasionally get a mouse or two, but soak them in spring so they leave).
I usually plant on top of the compost bin which is full and then shift the compost in the spring of the following year.

Lovely seeing it all crumbly and rich, replenishing the earth again.

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pete_inthehills · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 6:36 pm Post subject:

where is master composter when you need him?

As one of his volunteers I can try and give you some advice.

It doesn't really matter what you use to contain the heap, I use pallets but I've also got the black daleks.

What matters is the ingredients. You want a nice mix of greens and browns. Greens provide water and heat and carbon, browns slow it down, dry it out and provide nitrogen. You don't want your heap to get too wet otherwise it'll go anaerobic and then it will smell. But you don't want it too dry either. Greens are grass cuttings, weeds, shoots. Browns are twigs, paper, dried stalks. So you have to balance wet and dry, green and brown but you need air pockets within the heap.

Its a good idea to layer your heap and turn it regularly. It is suggested that you turn it every week, but my heaps only get turned once a month.

I also close down a heap after a while and don't add anything else just to let it all break down. The top bit probably won't compost, but you can always use that to start your next heap.

does that help.

pete
inthehills
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