Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling

I have two now as have got the hang of converting a wheelie bin and so halved them as they were getting out of control. I love them I dont know why - I woudl keep them even if they didnt make good compost. I spent the first two years worrying about them if they were unhappy because that is also...

A friend has several heaps - and her best comprised almost soley of guinea pig bedding and orange peel! It smelled divine (though definitely orangey) - and the worms were the biggest I've seen!I totally agree with the above - don't forget the brown stuff!

t i g will probably be able to inform you more accurately but I was told not to put the contents of the vacuum cleaner in there if you've got carpets that aren't 100% wool, hope that helps

Cheers all.I didn't think we got cockroaches in this country though do we? Well you learn something every day

I've had no problem getting seed compost (in Surrey) this year - I use 2-1 seed / perlite and cover with vermiculite if needed.

Well done Paul - very helpful.

Hello there, newbie here, just planning a veg garden. If I sow field beans in sept to have grean manure crops to improve my soil, do i dig all the plant? will beans grow which i can harvest and eat, then dig the rest of the plant for green manure?

Another point the water would have to be treated in some way storing water and passing it through pipes would lead to a problem of algae build up, you would have all sorts of gligamaglogs growing in the system. :eek:

Hi Sandy and thank you :DI want to add nutrients, i used to use chicken doo doo pellets but they don't half attract the flies :eek:

Thats brilliant, thanks for that.

I use composted bark instead of leaf mould when I run out. Cheapest source is a Non-peat growing bag. Some of the stuff is a bit 'rough' so you could sift it, but the ferns will not care too much.

That's a great idea!I'm hoping to recycle a lot of the concrete sleepers and stones once I get round (and unbroken) to getting things on the move out there

All this summer when I walk the dogs in the local park, I have been collecting lolly sticks! the cafe has closed for winter now but I have around 80 sticks which are nice and clean after going in the dishwasher. I have experimented and found that waterproof pens work well on them. They can only...

Cheers geoff :DThat means my compost is really working :DI just wish i hadn't strategically attacked them now with my spade. :( Oh well i was only turning it over anyway, just adding air. Oh the wonders of composting

Sorry, but the heat is generated by the process of decomposition, not by exposure to the sun. Else why would there be so much advice to cover the heap with old carpet etc. to keep the heat in. Try this, put a pile of grass cuttings in the shade and leave them. They begin to steam just as quickly...

Composted bark. Thanks for the replies from David and Helofadigger, and the excellent photo. I should have called the sheeting "Polypropylene permeable membrane" (trade names being Terrum and Phormisol) to differentiate it from solid plastic sheet. Also, I should have called the composted bark...

It is not the effect it has on the soil. Being organic it will rot down to nutrients. Its what it will attract while it is rotting down. The only way to dispose of cooked food is either in a worm bin or using a digester which is sealed against rats. Leave bread lying around it will attract rats....

I always bung in a load of chicken pellets for good measure with any new bed or planting.

Thanks

Freddy, 6x is used more as a top dressing/fertilizer rather than being used as a soil conditioner which is what you do with non-composted manure. David.