Compost bin.

bennybullet, Apr 28, 8:11am
I have started a compost bin but am unsure what exactly is the process and do I moisten every layer with water? I have been adding vege peelings,grass clippings, newspaper and lime but don't know what else. Any ideas appreciated Thanks
fendie, Apr 28, 8:20am
I have this theory that if you leave compost bins long enough it will eventually all break down into lovely compost. But I do agree that if you do it with all the posh starter things etc etc it will be quicker. I have three bins so can afford the time.All vegetable waste, no meat, and I don't put bread in (attracts rats) but lots of people do. Not sure about water, I think it might cool it down too much , they should get warm if not quite warm. The vegetable waste should provide quite a bit of moisture, it all sinks down quite a lot. I chew up some of the weeds with the mower, leaves are good, not too much stalky stuff, eg cabbage trees won't break down. But time will do it, I am talking a year or so.Good luck and Happy Composting
happychappy50, Apr 28, 8:34am
You can add anything that has an organic or derives from plants,it will create enough moisture on it's own without adding water,a bit of blood & bone will help or animal manures,the micro organisimns will work away,mainly worms who in turn leave you their castings(poo) I have 2 & usually takes 12 months (as it is uncovered & is a decent size 1x1x1.5 mts) to fill,then I let it work away till the other one fills.My chooks help themselves to anything that takes their fancy as well,I made pumpkin soup today & they got into the seeds once they discovered them in the compost.All you are doing is recycling,naturally the cooked compost returns to the soil,among it's benefits is that it retains moisture,encourages worm movement,ha the chooks hang around when I empty it as the worm life is abundant,you can see the vitality,nice & rich,I even use it as potting mixture . l works a treat
shanreagh, Apr 28, 9:00am
Work on the making, baking, taking process. so three bins. I used to use a starter but don't now. The thing that is essential is the layering so you don't get all grass clippings or household rubbish. You can use dried leaves in layers, old dirt from pot plant pots. Fruit peelings. Any prunings cut down into 4-6" pieces. Every now and then i get the spade and chop/push it in the compost and loosen it/mix it. When it is warmer the compost takes less time to make. you can put fluff from vacuum cleaner, small helpings of ash, not with coal in it or tanalised wood.
bennybullet, Apr 28, 9:18am
Thanks for all the information Thats helped me heaps Appreciate it Thank you
bluefrog2, Apr 29, 12:46am
You should wet down each layer if you're building up a heap from saved up materials. It'll "sink" about 10-20% over the couple of weeks week, and that's how you know the heap is activated and composting well.
I think it's a good idea to turn your heap if you're a compost newbie. Break up the pile and make it up again so you can check if it's getting too dry or too wet, or if it smells bad, all signs that it's not composting properly. Once you're comfortable with composting, and if you have the space, you can simply leave the heap for longer and it will turn into compost eventually. Just slower than if you turn it regularly.
lythande1, Apr 29, 1:27am
It sure does. How do you think plant matter gets on in forests and jungles without people adding paper and other stuff? It just rots.
Doesn't matter what you put in it, what order, what quantity.
It decays.
And as for the diet of rats, they eat anything pretty much, even without compost heaps. They infested my neighbour, he's never gardened in his life. they did like the out of control weeds though - they nest in them.
No doubt they find plenty to eat over there. my cat kills them regularly.
venna2, Jan 22, 12:42pm
Yes, I have found that vegetable scraps attract rats - let alone bread or meat. I gave up having a compost bin when I disturbed rats and was freaked out. Now I just dig vegetable scraps and egg shells straight into the garden. I haven't seen rats for quite a while but there are plenty of out of control weeds in the railway land next door. If I ever get another cat I'll try to get a hunting one. I think that in order to hunt, cats must have been raised with their mothers as they teach them. But I suppose the mothers themselves would have had to be raised with their own mothers . and so on.