I also have a Blackwall bin bought through my local council for a
reduced cost. I agree that its not so easy turning it through the
top, and did consider the "empty it all out" approach, but I then
found that my "garden claw" (which I use in the garden to help reduce
back strain and find really good for that) is great as I can fit it
into the compost bin and turn away.

I've been filling mine since October now, but maybe filling isnt such
a good term, as it is still only just ove half full! I bring home all
the tea bags, apples cores, banana skins etc from work (about 2 litres
uncompacted volume daily) and put that on, along with kitchen scraps
and garden waste from home It seems to be going nicely now after an
understandably slow start over the winter. I was pleased to find it
really hot the other day when i turned it - I thought I had stirred up
some nastry dust or fungus, but no it was steam! (I think) My plan is
to get this full (? and leave it till next spring, and get another bin
in the Autumn to start in the way. Then I should have one bin
filling, one bin decomposing in an ongoing cycle.

My only problem is flies in the bin can be a nuisance. Any
suggestions? And I often see slugs in there too - or is this not
really a problem until I come to put the stuff in the garden. Or
should I be greatful that they are munching my compost matter and not
my plants?

My husband thinks its a little sad that I get so enthused about my
compost bin, but this is the first time I've done this and its great!
We have a great recycling schem here too, and I love to see our
rubbish bag shrink each week as I realise that there's soething else I
can recycle or compost.

I have to say I havent tried the urine as an activator thing yet,
though a friend at work assures me - and I do believe her - that it
works a treat.

Sam


On Thu, 19 Jun 2003 14:42:36 +0100, "Drakanthus"
wrote:

It looks the same as the ones provided by my local council (made by
Blackwall).
I have four of them. They are very good value for money.

However, I don't have time to wait 6 months or a year or more for the
compost to rot down into the fine crumbly compost often quoted as the
ideal - simply not enough bins or space to do that, so I use the compost
when it is semi rotted after three - four months, at which time it has the
consistency of semi rotted farm manure. Great for digging into the veg plot
for potatoes and other greedy feeders.

The little door / outlet I find totally useless since the compost hasn't
rotted down fine enough to pull it out from there. I use urine as a compost
accelerator - which works very well with this type of bin and turn the
compost every month or so. It isn't very easy to turn the compost through
the top, the rim also has a fairly sharp edge and can easily graze the skin.
So, with a little wriggling, I pull the entire composter off the heap, turn
and re-fill it.

Depending on the time of year either 1 or all 4 bins are in use. One bonus
is that they stack, saving space when not in use.

All, in all, I think they are very good value for money.