advice about compost heap

[TPeers]

I wonder if this is why compost heaps used to be behind some sort of screen........

[Flummery]

When I was a kid my Dad grew veg in the garden. The people next door had a bigger plot (corner house) and a greenhouse. The daughter - about my age- was proudly showing us their tomato plants one day when she confided that her Dad watered them with pee water. I thought she meant pea. I thought they poured the water from boiling their veg onto the toms. I must have been about 30 before I twigged. Innocent? Moi!
Incidentally I still can't perform up the Dalek!

[heebiejeebie]

This is a one-loo household. Next time we have overnight guests I'll hang a "ladies" sign on the bog door and "gents" on the heap.

[denise]

Excellent idea !
For 2 reasons
1 the practicalities of it
2 I read something that said a male wee is excellent, but a females would slow the process down, because of the female hormones.

[vicki lorraine]

Yes this is true - a job for the boys!

Try to get a good mix of brown and green waste in the bin and watering regularly helps too. The water evaporates in the heat and when the contents dry out the rotting process slows right down. When adding cardboard to the bin it is good to shred or roll it into tubes to allow air to circulate. A layer of manure in the bottom of each bin creates a good heat to get the process on the go.
Have tried the pee and it was the best compost ive ever made and it processed really quick too.

[heebiejeebie]

I put the grass clippings in the bottom to add some heat from below then mixed the rest up and added it on top. I'm being a bit more aware of the structure of the new compost bin, shredding or chopping everything and putting green/brown layers instead of just dumping everything in.

I have a paper shredder - can I compost my old bank statements? That would give a slight sense of satisfaction!

[kermit]

I've only just started my heap and spent ages trying to convince my hubby to pee in the 'Dalek'. When I finally did convince him, the next door neighbour came out and started discussing to football - luckily over the 5ft fence. It was an absolute picture - Hubby bright red and shame faced and to this day my neighbour has no idea why I had collapsed in a heap of giggles!

Priceless!

[Two_Sheds]

when good Daleks go bad....

Today I turned out the Daleks...not an entirely pleasant job, but it had to be done. They were too 'green' and not decomposing, just sitting in a sullen, slimy heap of wetness. So I turned the contents over to aerate a bit, and added extra air pockets in the form of scrumpled up newspaper. I'll have another look in a few weeks to see if that's improved matters.

PS. It doesn't help that these two are in a shady spot. The one in a sunny patch rots down beautiful in just a few months.

[heebiejeebie]

Mine are in a shady spot too - chosen because nowt much will grow there.

[Norm]

If you ask 10 different gardeners what is the best way to make good compost, you'll get 10 different answers.
I've seen wriggly tin, insulated roof sheets, darleks, pallets, wire mesh, scaffold planks etc etc all used to great success.
Some people just chuck in what they have and leave it, others mix carefully every 3 months, others layer.
The answer is, use what have to make a bin or buy one and see what works for you. Giver enough time, everything organic rots eventually.

[Madasafish]

I don't pee on the compost heap... but use the watering can in the garage. Much more private and allows pee to be directed as required.

(does wonders for leaf compost:-)

[bubblewrap]

Lots of woodlice but the earthworms have b*****ed off.

It's not earth worms you want but brandlings(reddish worms) you can get these from your manure heap, or buy from a fishing tackle shop.
As brandlings breed quite freely you should have to do this only once.

[Two_Sheds]

a cold heap

I am SO pleased with my compost heap...I have been turning it over for the last 2 days, taking out some well-rotted stuff to put on my bean patch. I haven't bothered taking it out for the last 2 years, instead planting stuff direct into it, like squash. It's a really big heap, probably 6 foot square: apart from the little bit of pink carpet, I haven't covered it over, but I probably will now to speed up the decomposition. Just goes to show, anything will rot in time (except biodegradable carrier bags, which I've dug out whole! )

[TonyF]

Funnily enough TwoSheds, when I dug No 1 out last week, I found loads of the (so-called) bio degradable bags in there, some probably been in there for a year or more - thought the corn starch stuff they're made of was supposed to break down much quicker that that.

[TPeers]

Only if you are carrying breakables !

I understand - I can't remember where from - that these bags take five years rather that 500 to break down and rot - so something of an improvement, but probably not for the average home composter!