By Hank
Cheshire, United Kingdom
Sorry guys - compost again
As instructed I made a 3x3x3 ft compost bin, which I've been filling with alternate layers of "greens" and " browns" for the last 4 months.
It got quite hot now and again but has now gone cold.
I'm now told it needs turning and have cleared a space in the adjacent raised bed.
I have obtained a large builder's bag which will hold the compost and placed it in position.
This is a lot of work but if it's necessary - no problem. But is this necessary ? Photos below. ( I hope )
- 8 Aug, 2013
Answers
Ours gets turned, but only because we have three big ones next to each other. Fresh stuff goes into No1, then when it is rotted down it gets thrown into No2. Then when I need to put stuff out of 1 into 2 again, the contents of 2 goes into No3. from where it is used on the garden.
However, when we had a small garden, I never turned the stuff. In fact I never really even made a heap, I just dug s trench across the Veg patch filled it with green material and when the trench was full turned the soil from next to it over the stuff and began again. Took a while to go down the Veg patch like that, but there was never any sign of the compost when one dug over the soil.
8 Aug, 2013
I do roughly the same as you've outlined.
I have one bin (made from old pallets), turn it once in a while, and empty once a year. Anything not fully rotted goes in the builders bag when emptying and then gets chucked back in at the bottom of the bin for next year.
I've also got a couple of old compost bags with holes punctured in them - seem to be rotting down nicely.
8 Aug, 2013
Thanks guys for the help, i'll give it a bit more thought. Actually I do need the exercise - 2 10 mile bikerides and 3 games of golf a week aren't enough for me to keep my sylph-like figure.
8 Aug, 2013
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I don't turn compost heaps, life is too short and it is hard work. My bin may take a little longer to rot down and the compost certainly has some weed seeds in it - but I really don't believe that turned compost can possibly be weed free, either. My solution to the weeds is to bury the compost in the veggie patch rather than use it as a mulch.
Nice looking bin, Hank.
8 Aug, 2013