# Compost!



## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

I've got two compost bins on the go currently, and I've not used any of it I must admit, partly because I need to move them so I'm holding off until I've got them both on a solid base. But what do you put in yours? How often do you turn it over?? 

I'm a compost newbie so would appreciate lots of comments/advice. I have bought a compost sieve ready for when I do (eventually) have my own stuff ready to use.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

You can put in any plant material apart from the roots of perennial plants that don't die easily (such as dandelions) or the seeds of anything you don't want to come up. Scrunched up newspapers can go in too, and sawdust. Turn the heap a couple of times a year and it should speed up the process. You can add compost accelerators which also speed it up, or pee on the heap to add nitrogen! Weed seeds are supposed to be killed during the compost process, but I find the temperature doesn't get high enough unless you have a MASSIVE heap about 6 foot square - so just avoid putting them in. Or run them through the microwave first.


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

Mine are in the worst possible place (on concrete, underneath a tree!) so I doubt I'll get usable compost for years! Really its just a bin for all my plants when Im finished with them!


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

catz4m8z said:


> Mine are in the worst possible place (on concrete, underneath a tree!) so I doubt I'll get usable compost for years! Really its just a bin for all my plants when Im finished with them!


I am moving mine under a tree, but it will still get some sunlight on it, so am hoping they'll be alright.

I save a lot of stuff from the kitchen to put on the compost, anything that's gone a bit rotten veggie wise, a few bits of cardboard (although most goes into the recycling bin here); I don't have sawdust or newspapers generally. I put some grass cuttings on, but have been told in the past not to put too much of this in there.

And yes, I read the thread about peeing on the compost heap, but with the amount of midges here, I won't be wandering down there in the middle of the night I can assure you!!


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

I think you are best NOT having it sitting on a solid or concrete base, but sited direct onto soil. This allows drainage and presumably in/out flow of worms.
I use compostable litter for my cats and do think that the urine content helps the heap break down better. I have a large green plastic bin and TBH never really turn it, yet it still breaks down quite nicely over the course of the year. I tend to avoid putting woody cuttings in it these days as I used to have to spend so much time sieving them all out again before using the compost in the garden.


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Paddypaws said:


> I think you are best NOT having it sitting on a solid or concrete base, but sited direct onto soil. This allows drainage and presumably in/out flow of worms.
> I use compostable litter for my cats and do think that the urine content helps the heap break down better. I have a large green plastic bin and TBH never really turn it, yet it still breaks down quite nicely over the course of the year. I tend to avoid putting woody cuttings in it these days as I used to have to spend so much time sieving them all out again before using the compost in the garden.


Hmmmm, in that case, I may build up the edges of the base with tannelised timber, and just use compacted soil to put them onto.......


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## DoodlesRule (Jul 7, 2011)

Have to admit I don't compost 

A number of years ago the council used to supply them free on request and my mum had one. Trouble was their neighbours had rats (not pets ordinary ones) and they chewed through the compost bin and the rat catcher man said they would have to get rid of it or they would never get rid of the rats. So it put me off


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## Megan345 (Aug 8, 2012)

I put almost everything in mine. Teabags, veg peelings, gone off veg (although I now have a big potato plant growing out of it), old plants, egg boxes, cardboard tubes from toilet roll, lawn clippings, newspaper etc. It's just in an old dustbin, I drilled loads of holes in the bottom and put it in a corner by the shed, on the lawn. Seems to work well  Apparently you can also put the hoover emptyings in it, as long as you haven't got lots of synthetic fibres - dog fur is meant to be good. 

But gutted now I'm moving and have to leave my compost heap behind


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## myshkin (Mar 23, 2010)

Megan345 said:


> I put almost everything in mine. Teabags, veg peelings, gone off veg (although I now have a big potato plant growing out of it), old plants, egg boxes, cardboard tubes from toilet roll, lawn clippings, newspaper etc. It's just in an old dustbin, I drilled loads of holes in the bottom and put it in a corner by the shed, on the lawn. Seems to work well  Apparently you can also put the hoover emptyings in it, as long as you haven't got lots of synthetic fibres - dog fur is meant to be good.
> 
> But gutted now I'm moving and have to leave my compost heap behind


I took mine with me - dismantled them and bagged it up 

A mate had given me a couple of sacks of muck from his lambing shed that I'd put in the bins, there was no way I was leaving it behind!
I also empty the bunny's litter tray in there, and the chicken poo when I clean their coop, so got plenty of urine in there to activate.

I don't turn them over that often, maybe 2 or 3 times a year - they are in the chicken pen, so they do most of the turning for me.


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## SpotOn (May 7, 2013)

Newspaper, egg boxes, tea bags/leaves, plant and veg matter is usually what makes up the bulk of our compost bin...Depending on how full/wet it is, we occasionally add grass/tree cuttings to it. Its doing well in this heat!!!

Ours is under our tree on direct soil, in a bit of sunlight which suits it pretty much all year round- the worms/insects love it too (judging by the sizes the blackbird pick out of the grass next to it).


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## martie (Feb 13, 2013)

Uhm... Does anybody compost dog poo? I heard that you can as long as the compost doesn't get used for anything you'd eat. I have llenty of the 'stuff' but a bit vary of the smell etc... 
I have also put mine on concrete in fear of rats digging under as it's right next ro the chicken coop.. Not sure if that was a good idea.


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

You can get specific bins which can handle poop
Green Cone Food Waste Digester
although I am not sure HOW MUCH poop they can handle.


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## Linda L (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi- we have a tumble compost bin which is partially in the sun. A good working compost requires a great amount of heat. Hard for us since our yard is a lot of shade. We put shredded paper (bills, bank receipts etc) dryer lint, dried leaves , weeds, kitchen scrapes and limited amounts of grass. Our bin is filled to capacity and when we empty it we get about 5 litre of mulch. It is really amazing how much goes into it and how much you get at the end. Great way to recycle.


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