Grow Your Own Magazine

I bought this dalek shaped composter a year ago, thinking that about now i'd have some compost to put in the garden, but no, nothing is happening.

Unfortunatly my husband placed it on a slab of concrete despite my concerns about the worms not being able to get into it but he told me they could...

How? It's shut tight?

Anyway, now we're getting some warm weather I need to try and speed it all up without th use of chemicals etc as I want to move it in the autumn as planning on building a wildlife pond area, which will include the dalek but i want it on soil not concrete and I don't have the stomach to move rotting food from a to b.

Just wondered if I'd be better off leaving the lid off top/ door off bottom as it gets really dry.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

If you can get hold of some hoss muck this will kick start the composting process

someone else on the forum said they had one on concrete,and the worms did get in,i have 2 of the black daleks,and know of others ,and we think they not very good,i had some for 2 years and was still not done quite enough,i think the main thing with them is to turn the heap every now and then,it helps to speed things up,BUT with the daleks is not easy as they have to be emptied out,i personal think it;s easier {if you got the room}to have 2 wooden ones next to each other,then it's a matter of just chucking it from one to the other,job done,heap turned,
have you looked at the search,at top of page,for others views on composting,

They are ok on concrete (after all, worms get in my pots that are on concrete and they've only got titchy little drainage holes - the pots, not the worms!) They are better on soil though - but its an idea to put chicken wire down first - stops the rats getting in. I have 3 of these dalek and find them great - but mine are in a sunny place. You really need a bit of heat to get the composting process going with a vengeance. Also, as mentioned, horse manure or even human wee will kick start the process. Good luck - and don't get caught on camera trying to wee in there!

__________________
Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated October 12th

We had a dalek on concrete in our old house and the worms got in just fine.

Can you dig a bit of the garden and chuck some worms straight in?

If it gets dry, just give it a watering; but I would suggest keeping the lid on as it lets the heat build up which is what you want.

I used to think that about rotting food; but honestly if you get worms, heat and moistness, it should break down quick enough to be shovelled around with no worries.

Also, give it a mix by forking it every few weeks; it really makes a difference.

__________________
Andrea :wavehello

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...logs/zazen999/

moon trials completed:
tomatoes
[46% increase in crop per seed sown and 10% increase in crop per plant]

currently underway:
calabrese
garlic