[Rick Hughes[_3_]]

OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.



Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop &
mix OK ....


Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.

[Tim Watts]

Rick Hughes
wibbled on Tuesday 06 April 2010 17:49

OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.



Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop &
mix OK ....


Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.

Egg shells won't rot (at least not in any meaningful time span for compost).
Surprised the tea bags didn't go though... ATM I'm running a compost heap
entirely off kitchen peelings and that's looking rich (apart from the rats
keep nicking stuff[1]

Last time I ran a heap with a lot of garden waste on it, I seeded it with 4
bags of free red hot horse manure (from the steaming pile rather than the 2
year old pile at the stables). That seemed to help considerably. No
chemicals used. Excellent quality output in about 18 months (apart from the
melon rinds - they can be reticent to rot).

[1] Need to make a decent rat proof bin, but for now have one of those stand
on the ground freebie council things, bit rubbish but better than nothing).
On the plus side if the rats like my bin, they might stay out of my roof and
shed

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

[Rick Hughes[_3_]]

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
Rick Hughes
wibbled on Tuesday 06 April 2010 17:49

OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted
material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.



Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop &
mix OK ....


Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.

Egg shells won't rot (at least not in any meaningful time span for
compost).
Surprised the tea bags didn't go though... ATM I'm running a compost heap
entirely off kitchen peelings and that's looking rich (apart from the rats
keep nicking stuff[1]

Last time I ran a heap with a lot of garden waste on it, I seeded it with
4
bags of free red hot horse manure (from the steaming pile rather than the
2
year old pile at the stables).

I know well rotted is what you want to put in ground ... but I could get a
few bags of 'steaming' horse menu ... fresh from the horses a*** ... maybe
that will kick it off.

[Tim Watts]

Rick Hughes
wibbled on Tuesday 06 April 2010 18:10


I know well rotted is what you want to put in ground

Mostly because "red hot" fries the plants...

... but I could get a
few bags of 'steaming' horse menu ... fresh from the horses a*** ...
maybe that will kick it off.

Certainly won't do any harm and not smelly if your bin has a lid. Loads of
bug friendly nutrients, party-raving bugs ready to go to work and lots of
heat - just what every compost heap needs

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

Rick Hughes wrote:
OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted
material even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags don't seem to rot, and when I
put any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly
tipping has taken place.



Egg shells, being essentially limestone or chalk, never will.

if the tea bags aren't, it makes you wonder what's in them. Dont compost
them then.



Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop
& mix OK ....


Should be OK ish. They prefer dry stuff.




Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.



You can hurry compost along to be usable in a year, but several is
preferable. At one time I used to pile everything in a certain corner of
the garden, leaves, weeds, grass cuttings, any organic crap. About 5
years later it was pure black topsoil. Magic.

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

Tim Watts wrote:
Rick Hughes
wibbled on Tuesday 06 April 2010 17:49

OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.



Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop &
mix OK ....


Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.

Egg shells won't rot (at least not in any meaningful time span for compost).
Surprised the tea bags didn't go though... ATM I'm running a compost heap
entirely off kitchen peelings and that's looking rich (apart from the rats
keep nicking stuff[1]

Last time I ran a heap with a lot of garden waste on it, I seeded it with 4
bags of free red hot horse manure (from the steaming pile rather than the 2
year old pile at the stables). That seemed to help considerably. No
chemicals used. Excellent quality output in about 18 months (apart from the
melon rinds - they can be reticent to rot).


last time we used horse manure fresh from the sables, it turned out to
be loaded with weedkiller. The sort that kills all your vegetables.

Finally late last year, the chemical company loaded it all into a lorry
and took it away. Not much compensation for losing half the vegetable
garden last year.

So don't believe all that horse manure about horse manure. Its as
'organic;' as what it was fed on, and if it was fed on hay infested with
weed killer, its a whole lot worse than a dose of phosphate from diw
chemicals.

[1] Need to make a decent rat proof bin, but for now have one of those stand
on the ground freebie council things, bit rubbish but better than nothing).
On the plus side if the rats like my bin, they might stay out of my roof and
shed

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

Tim Watts wrote:
Rick Hughes
wibbled on Tuesday 06 April 2010 18:10


I know well rotted is what you want to put in ground

Mostly because "red hot" fries the plants...

... but I could get a
few bags of 'steaming' horse menu ... fresh from the horses a*** ...
maybe that will kick it off.

Certainly won't do any harm and not smelly if your bin has a lid. Loads of
bug friendly nutrients, party-raving bugs ready to go to work and lots of
heat - just what every compost heap needs

grass clippings are all you need. 3 foot pile of them will set itself on
fire from bacterial activity.

[NT[_2_]]

On Apr 6, 5:49*pm, "Rick Hughes"
wrote:

OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags *don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.

Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop &
mix OK ....

Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.

Another option is to bung it in a hole in the ground. When full, cover
it over and robert's your relative.


NT

[TheOldFellow]

On Tue, 6 Apr 2010 17:49:32 +0100
"Rick Hughes" wrote:

OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.



Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop &
mix OK ....


Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.




If it's going to work it needs to get:
1) Hot. This is the first stage of composting, and needs lots of
oxygen.
2) Airless. This is the second stage and why proper bins don't have
holes in the sides.
3) Wormy. This is the all important third stage, and why if you compost
on a concrete base you need to introduce worms. Ideally they start at
the bottom and eat their way up, so you take the finished 'product'
from the bottom. If you introduce them at the top, and are also adding
more fresh, you will cook the worms - this is not good.

I'd shred the fresh stuff. If you shred the semi-rotted, it will:
a) contain stones (yes, it will) and wreck your shredder blades.
b) stick to everything and not exit the shredder properly.
c) drive you mad cleaning the shredder every two minutes.
I speak from experience on these three points.

R.

[Stuart Noble]

NT wrote:
On Apr 6, 5:49 pm, "Rick Hughes"
wrote:

OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.

Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop &
mix OK ....

Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.

Another option is to bung it in a hole in the ground. When full, cover
it over and robert's your relative.


NT

I dug a trough last Autumn and filled it with alternate layers of soil
and veg peelings etc over the winter. Turned it over today and virtually
everything has broken down. Interesting that the soil level is now
virtually the same as when I started.

[John Whitworth[_3_]]

"TheOldFellow" wrote in message
. ..

If it's going to work it needs to get:
1) Hot. This is the first stage of composting, and needs lots of
oxygen.
2) Airless. This is the second stage and why proper bins don't have
holes in the sides.
3) Wormy. This is the all important third stage, and why if you compost
on a concrete base you need to introduce worms. Ideally they start at
the bottom and eat their way up, so you take the finished 'product'
from the bottom. If you introduce them at the top, and are also adding
more fresh, you will cook the worms - this is not good.

That's interesting. When I kicked my composter off, it was sitting on soil,
so worms had a way in from below. But I also used to throw any worms I found
into the top as well. The composter works a dream, and I also seem to have a
worm breeding ground under the lid (it's one of the black subsidised ones).
Not sure how we have such fertile worms, if they are being cooked.

I'd shred the fresh stuff. If you shred the semi-rotted, it will:
a) contain stones (yes, it will) and wreck your shredder blades.
b) stick to everything and not exit the shredder properly.
c) drive you mad cleaning the shredder every two minutes.
I speak from experience on these three points.

R.

[Dave Baker]

"Rick Hughes" wrote in message
...
OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.

Can't say I'm a composting expert but when I was a school kid of about 10 or
12, for reasons I simply can't remember, I decided to make a compost heap. I
found a couple of old fence panels lying around and using an existing fence
as one side I just tied these together with string to make a rough bin about
6 feet square at the back of the garden. I then went bonkers in the field
behind the house cutting down nettles with dad's scythe. Lawn clippings and
some other stuff went in but that was about it. I didn't turn it, cover it
over or mess about with it it any way after that. Within a few months the
whole lot had turned into this wonderful friable dark brown loam. When the
school started a vegetable growing project I sold the lot to them for 50p a
bag. I think that was my first, and probably last, burst of entrepreneurial
spirit.

Key ingredients I think are lots of air and lots of heat so the bigger the
pile the quicker it rots. Plastic bins with no holes in them keep both the
air and the worms out which is bad n'kay. Just cobble something together out
of scraps of wood on the bare soil so the wormies can get in. Supposedly if
you get it right you can have compost in under 2 months. If you get it wrong
you just end up with smelly mulch. No air, no heat and no wormies = smelly
mulch. I think that about sums up where you've got to.

Trying to make compost in a sealed plastic bin seems utterly pointless to me
which is why I can't understand the local council selling them so
feverishly.

With hindsight I think nettles were an ideal choice because they contain
lots of nitrogen but most plant material will do if you fill the heap in one
go so it can start getting hot.

Round our way we have green wheelie bins for garden waste which most people
fill to the brim every two weeks. I'm sure if you just made a large wooden
compost heap with plenty of side ventilation i.e. planks a couple of inches
apart and asked the neighbours if you could take their wheelie bins before
the council do you could fill a huge heap with stuff and get perfect compost
out of it a few weeks or at most months later. On a small scale it takes
longer and the no heat route can take years. Basically it's just a matter of
understanding the process. Heat and air let aerobic microbes start to break
down the cellulose of the plant material. Once they've done their bit the
wormies eat what's left and poop it out as compost. If the wormies can get
in and out as they please they'll stay away while it's too hot, or just
nibble away at the edges and come back in when the time's right. If you then
leave things a bit longer so there's nothing left to eat the wormies bugger
off and what you have left is worm free compost. Then you start another
pile.
--
Dave Baker

[Steve Walker]

Rick Hughes wrote:
OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted
material even after 3 or 4 years.

Is it heaving with worms? That seems to important, in my limited
experience.

[John Whitworth[_3_]]

"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...


Trying to make compost in a sealed plastic bin seems utterly pointless to
me which is why I can't understand the local council selling them so
feverishly.

I disagree - they do work - well. But you just have to spear the contents
and move it around a little every now and again to aerate. Fortunately, I
broke the end off of a hoe a couple of years back. So that is my convenient
spear. I also throw a watering can full of water in there every month or so,
to make sure everything is nice and wet.

I guess the main reason for the black composter's popularity is aesthetics
and space consideration.

JW

[Tim Watts]

John Whitworth
wibbled on Tuesday 06 April 2010 23:06



"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...


Trying to make compost in a sealed plastic bin seems utterly pointless to
me which is why I can't understand the local council selling them so
feverishly.

I disagree - they do work - well. But you just have to spear the contents
and move it around a little every now and again to aerate. Fortunately, I
broke the end off of a hoe a couple of years back. So that is my
convenient spear. I also throw a watering can full of water in there every
month or so, to make sure everything is nice and wet.

get a rat - mine does all that for me ;-

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

[John Whitworth[_3_]]

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
John Whitworth
wibbled on Tuesday 06 April 2010 23:06



"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...


Trying to make compost in a sealed plastic bin seems utterly pointless
to
me which is why I can't understand the local council selling them so
feverishly.

I disagree - they do work - well. But you just have to spear the contents
and move it around a little every now and again to aerate. Fortunately, I
broke the end off of a hoe a couple of years back. So that is my
convenient spear. I also throw a watering can full of water in there
every
month or so, to make sure everything is nice and wet.

get a rat - mine does all that for me ;-

I did a wee in it Sunday too. :-)

[ARWadsworth]

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
John Whitworth
wibbled on Tuesday 06 April 2010 23:06



"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...


Trying to make compost in a sealed plastic bin seems utterly pointless
to
me which is why I can't understand the local council selling them so
feverishly.

I disagree - they do work - well. But you just have to spear the contents
and move it around a little every now and again to aerate. Fortunately, I
broke the end off of a hoe a couple of years back. So that is my
convenient spear. I also throw a watering can full of water in there
every
month or so, to make sure everything is nice and wet.

get a rat - mine does all that for me ;-


Far too many local cats in the area for rats.

Can I shove a cat into the compost?

Adam

[NT[_2_]]

On Apr 6, 8:02*pm, stuart noble wrote:
NT wrote:
On Apr 6, 5:49 pm, "Rick Hughes"
wrote:

OK .. try to do the right things have a large purpose bought compost
container ... put all the right mix of stuff it it, lid kept on.
Occasional addition of Garotta,
Good mix of peelings, trimmings, coffee grounds, some grass cuttings,
leaves, splash of urine etc.

No cooked food scraps or meats.

Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags *don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.

Thought I had today was, could I shovel the output into my shredder to
really mix & break it all up before I use it in the ground ?
Not sure how the shredder would take it ... I'm guessing it should chop &
mix OK ....

Then form this into a separate stage 2 composting pile ... and restart
another new pile.

Another option is to bung it in a hole in the ground. When full, cover
it over and robert's your relative.

NT

I dug a trough last Autumn and filled it with alternate layers of soil
and veg peelings etc over the winter. Turned it over today and virtually
everything has broken down. Interesting that the soil level is now
virtually the same as when I started.

Yes. A mixed side-benefit is that you get a few useful plants coming
up from the food scraps.


NT

[matthelliwell]

On 6 Apr, 17:49, "Rick Hughes"
wrote:
Output is always disappointing ... seems to be lots of non rotted material
even after 3 or 4 years.
I do turn it fully annually.
For example the eggs shells & tea bags *don't seem to rot, and when I put
any of the compost on the garden SWMBO complain it looks like fly tipping
has taken place.

Pass the stuff through a course riddle before distributing to get rid
of the twigs, egg shells etc.

Matt

[Rick Hughes[_3_]]

"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...


Key ingredients I think are lots of air and lots of heat so the bigger the
pile the quicker it rots. Plastic bins with no holes in them keep both the
air and the worms out which is bad n'kay. Just cobble something together
out of scraps of wood on the bare soil so the wormies can get in.
Supposedly if you get it right you can have compost in under 2 months. If
you get it wrong you just end up with smelly mulch. No air, no heat and no
wormies = smelly mulch. I think that about sums up where you've got to.



Been Googling everywhere on this ... while you can use an open heap with
loads of air .... this is not effective .. as it simply will not generate
enough heat ... except perhaps in middle.
The key thing initially is heat ... once it's past first rotting phase, it
can be turned out into a pile and left to mature into compost, but initial
stage needs loads of heat ... and anaerobic.

Still does not explain why mine is so poor though.

[Rick Hughes[_3_]]

"ARWadsworth" wrote in message
news:sWOun.777395
Far too many local cats in the area for rats.

Can I shove a cat into the compost?

probably best to shred it first

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

Rick Hughes wrote:

"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...


Key ingredients I think are lots of air and lots of heat so the bigger
the pile the quicker it rots. Plastic bins with no holes in them keep
both the air and the worms out which is bad n'kay. Just cobble
something together out of scraps of wood on the bare soil so the
wormies can get in. Supposedly if you get it right you can have
compost in under 2 months. If you get it wrong you just end up with
smelly mulch. No air, no heat and no wormies = smelly mulch. I think
that about sums up where you've got to.



Been Googling everywhere on this ... while you can use an open heap with
loads of air .... this is not effective .. as it simply will not
generate enough heat ... except perhaps in middle.

Golly. You had better tell God that, as the last 10,000 years of leaf
mould cant have rotted into topsoil yet.


The key thing initially is heat ... once it's past first rotting phase,
it can be turned out into a pile and left to mature into compost, but
initial stage needs loads of heat ... and anaerobic.

Still does not explain why mine is so poor though.

I think almost everything I have ever seen written about composting is
basically WRONG. Everybody does it different, and claims their way is
The One True Way.

Organic stuff is broken down by many many sorts of fungi, bacteria,
eaten by worms, shat on by pigeons. ALL it takes is time.

I just threw stuff in a pile and left it a few years. Perfect compost.

The rest is just bollox.

[Rick Hughes[_3_]]

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Rick Hughes wrote:

"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...


Key ingredients I think are lots of air and lots of heat so the bigger
the pile the quicker it rots. Plastic bins with no holes in them keep
both the air and the worms out which is bad n'kay. Just cobble something
together out of scraps of wood on the bare soil so the wormies can get
in. Supposedly if you get it right you can have compost in under 2
months. If you get it wrong you just end up with smelly mulch. No air,
no heat and no wormies = smelly mulch. I think that about sums up where
you've got to.



Been Googling everywhere on this ... while you can use an open heap with
loads of air .... this is not effective .. as it simply will not generate
enough heat ... except perhaps in middle.

Golly. You had better tell God that, as the last 10,000 years of leaf
mould cant have rotted into topsoil yet.


The key thing initially is heat ... once it's past first rotting phase,
it can be turned out into a pile and left to mature into compost, but
initial stage needs loads of heat ... and anaerobic.

Still does not explain why mine is so poor though.

I think almost everything I have ever seen written about composting is
basically WRONG. Everybody does it different, and claims their way is The
One True Way.

Organic stuff is broken down by many many sorts of fungi, bacteria, eaten
by worms, shat on by pigeons. ALL it takes is time.

I just threw stuff in a pile and left it a few years. Perfect compost.

The rest is just bollox.


I'm sure that stuff left for years will rot ......... I'm just trying to
find optimum way .... which could speed it up into months.
Compost companies make the stuff in weeks.

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

Rick Hughes wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Rick Hughes wrote:

"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...


Key ingredients I think are lots of air and lots of heat so the
bigger the pile the quicker it rots. Plastic bins with no holes in
them keep both the air and the worms out which is bad n'kay. Just
cobble something together out of scraps of wood on the bare soil so
the wormies can get in. Supposedly if you get it right you can have
compost in under 2 months. If you get it wrong you just end up with
smelly mulch. No air, no heat and no wormies = smelly mulch. I think
that about sums up where you've got to.



Been Googling everywhere on this ... while you can use an open heap
with loads of air .... this is not effective .. as it simply will not
generate enough heat ... except perhaps in middle.

Golly. You had better tell God that, as the last 10,000 years of leaf
mould cant have rotted into topsoil yet.


The key thing initially is heat ... once it's past first rotting
phase, it can be turned out into a pile and left to mature into
compost, but initial stage needs loads of heat ... and anaerobic.

Still does not explain why mine is so poor though.

I think almost everything I have ever seen written about composting is
basically WRONG. Everybody does it different, and claims their way is
The One True Way.

Organic stuff is broken down by many many sorts of fungi, bacteria,
eaten by worms, shat on by pigeons. ALL it takes is time.

I just threw stuff in a pile and left it a few years. Perfect compost.

The rest is just bollox.


I'm sure that stuff left for years will rot ......... I'm just trying to
find optimum way .... which could speed it up into months.
Compost companies make the stuff in weeks.

Fosters lager is made in days

Vintage brandy takes 20 years.

Go figure ;-)