"Erik Vastmasd" wrote in message
...
I found I had a spare Council wheelie bin so I drilled drain holes in
the bottom and fill it with grass clippings weeds etc. After it has been
composting for at least two weeks or so I then consider transferring
this material to my compost bins and also my smaller worm farm habitats
that are always shaded.
--


Drilling holes! That's a good idea but is it legal? I tried using mine but
didn't drill holes - so the water sat in it and stank something awful when I
took it out.

On Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:14:26 +1100, YMC wrote:

Drilling holes! That's a good idea but is it legal?

Well, if vandals take it or destroy it, then I have to buy a new one, so I
guess it is my property.

hmm, never thought to compare the price of council supplied ones o the
ones you can get at Mitre10 or other places.

"YMC" wrote in message
"terryc" wrote in message Final 2c, AFAIK
composting is AEROBIC (oxygen is present), not anerobic
(e.g water logged ground).

That's a good point. Would inserting a black perforated plastic tubing -
the one used for drainage - into the bin help?

The problem is, Terry's comment is not right for as it doesn't apply to the
Gedye bins.

Composting in an open pile IS aerobic. Those piles are supposed to be
turned, but that is not how the Gedye bins are designed.

You are trying to do something in your Gedye bins that they aren't designed
to do. The Gedye bins operate anaerobically as do all the bins that are
closed tightly like the Gedyes are. Anaerobic compost is a slower way of
making compost but it is less work and it does work.

You might like to know how the two systems of making compost differ because
of your problems. The following sites may help:
http://www.rivenrock.com/composttypes.htm
http://eastwaste.sa.gov.au/student/student.asp?page=26

On Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:52:13 +1100, FarmI wrote:


http://www.rivenrock.com/composttypes.htm

Frankly, anaerobic composting sounds like a fancy title for making compost
badly and slowly. If you read the site above, it rabbits on about how to
correct the smelly nitrogen rich pile, which basically comes down to
making it aerobic again.

Caveat, I can not be bothered putting all the work into turning compost
piles either and I loath compost recipes as I have better ways to burn
money. Instead, I just load it all into the top of the bin (10L, 20L,
40L and 2x cubic metres atm) and let it sit there. Sure, sometimes it is
anaerobic aka stinks, in which case,I'll drive the crowbar through the
middle to allow air in, but mostly it is aerobic, as the worms moving up
and down and creating ventilation tunnels. They all have open bottoms as
that allows the worms to escape down into the ground it we have a really
hot day. This is probably an essential difference.

Note, if you want the worm to work all the way to the top, a light tight
lid or bag/carpet on top seems essential.

When it comes time to harvest the compost, the top 6-12* generally
gets turned into the bottom of the next bin, as does any worm balls or
worm rich soil. Also, thick sticks, stalks, clumbed newspapers and
anything else that can not be worked through the 1/2"x 1/2" mesh also go
through a number of bin lives.

They might have an win in that anaerobic composting creates a nitrogen
rich compost as we do really well with leafy greens.

But, if one of these closed bins is all you have, then it is still
better than consigning the organic matter to landfill.

Although, we have friends who consider any composting a complete waste of
tme and effort. They claim you should just bury it directly into holes in
the garden. I guess being in Perth, this is easy in the sandy soil.

I think their w

"terryc" wrote in message
On Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:52:13 +1100, FarmI wrote:

http://www.rivenrock.com/composttypes.htm

Frankly, anaerobic composting sounds like a fancy title for making compost
badly and slowly.

I didn't gain that view from reading that cite. In fact I thought the
opposite - the product finally produced takes a lot of time but ends up
being more nitrogen rich and more humus like. That's the sort of compost I
like.

Whoever wrote it certainly doesn't like anaerobic piles though and his
admission that anaeobic piles worked was rather grudging.

If you read the site above, it rabbits on about how to
correct the smelly nitrogen rich pile, which basically comes down to
making it aerobic again.

Indeed. But the writer is rabbiting on about 'piles' not bins. Bins are a
bit too hard to turn effectively and the Geyde is specifically designed as
an anaerobic system.

Caveat, I can not be bothered putting all the work into turning compost
piles either and I loath compost recipes as I have better ways to burn
money. Instead, I just load it all into the top of the bin (10L, 20L,
40L and 2x cubic metres atm) and let it sit there. Sure, sometimes it is
anaerobic aka stinks, in which case,I'll drive the crowbar through the
middle to allow air in, but mostly it is aerobic, as the worms moving up
and down and creating ventilation tunnels. They all have open bottoms as
that allows the worms to escape down into the ground it we have a really
hot day. This is probably an essential difference.

Note, if you want the worm to work all the way to the top, a light tight
lid or bag/carpet on top seems essential.

When it comes time to harvest the compost, the top 6-12* generally
gets turned into the bottom of the next bin, as does any worm balls or
worm rich soil. Also, thick sticks, stalks, clumbed newspapers and
anything else that can not be worked through the 1/2"x 1/2" mesh also go
through a number of bin lives.

They might have an win in that anaerobic composting creates a nitrogen
rich compost as we do really well with leafy greens.

I've found all the same things as you have with my Geyde bins with the
exception of a pong - never noticed that, it may be there but I've never
managed to get a whiff of a pong. And I don't sieve, I just chuck anything
on the outside and top into the other bin, or the bottom of the one I've
just cleaned out.

But, if one of these closed bins is all you have, then it is still
better than consigning the organic matter to landfill.

I have a couple of tumblers too and I like them but I often forget to tumble
them. I have often had to unload them and soak the contents since they've
dried out to be crisp. When I remember to tumble, they are great, but then
I've found they are hopeless for kitchen scraps.

Although, we have friends who consider any composting a complete waste of
tme and effort. They claim you should just bury it directly into holes in
the garden. I guess being in Perth, this is easy in the sandy soil.

That works well too but if there are foxes around, it's not a method I
prefer. The sods dig it up.

"terryc" wrote in message
news
But, if one of these closed bins is all you have, then it is still
better than consigning the organic matter to landfill.

that's how we started composting. we didn't even use it in those days - it
just used to break down in its bin while we ignored it, & it would sort of
disappear, really.

Although, we have friends who consider any composting a complete waste of
tme and effort. They claim you should just bury it directly into holes in
the garden. I guess being in Perth, this is easy in the sandy soil.

lots of people bury. at my mum's house they don't even bury it, they just
chuck it in the garden!

myself, when i tried burying i found i'd just dig it up again accidently. it
was ridiculous. (some of us need the discipline of a bin or pile!!)
kylie

YMC wrote:
Due to the layout of the house - I probably need to locate most of my black
plastic compost bins (3/5) to an area of the garden which gets full sun. I
tried it before - but the worms invariably fry during Summer.

But would the composting process still work? (I'll put a bucket of water
each day to keep it moist)

I have 5 big Gedyes in the open sun (in Adelaide), and I put
everything in them, including roses, couch, ivy, food scraps, etc.
Wouldn't go any other way - I've been doing it for years. I've tried
open, but it's too much work and takes up too much space.

I add the stuff a layer (about 15-20 cm) at a time, with about 2-3
spades of soil and a small scoop of blood and bone, and water each
layer. The food scraps go in from another bin about once a month,
usually with green stuff on top to seal the smell in.

I turn them over about each 4-8 weeks. This is easy with a Gedye -
you just pull the bin off the heap, put it next to the heap, and
shovel the heap back into the bin - about 10 min per bin. I normally
add some water at this stage, particularly in summer. The compost
shrinks so if you're turning over (say) 3 bins you end up with at
least one bin free, which moves to the start of the line.

In hot weather I tend to wet them about once each 2 weeks, with
about a bucketful using spray.

Generally the heap won't work well if it's too dry *or* too wet. It
needs both air and water. It certainly will have troubles if it's
too cold too, which is why they need to be in the sun in winter.

Too things I've found out (pretty obvious really when you think
about how these things work). The heap composts faster and takes
less space if you clip green stuff to lengths of about 30 cm or
less, ie less bushes and more stalks and leaves. Secondly, green
stuff composts much faster than dry stuff.

Works for me.

Andrew
--
Andrew Gabb
email: Adelaide, South Australia
phone: +61 8 8342-1021
-----

On Oct 19, 1:11*am, Andrew Gabb wrote:
YMC wrote:
Due to the layout of the house - I probably need to locate most of my black
plastic compost bins (3/5) to an area of the garden which gets full sun.. I
tried it before - but the worms invariably fry during Summer.

But would the composting process still work? (I'll put a bucket of water
each day to keep it moist)

I have 5 big Gedyes in the open sun (in Adelaide), and I put
everything in them, including roses, couch, ivy, food scraps, etc.
Wouldn't go any other way - I've been doing it for years. I've tried
open, but it's too much work and takes up too much space.

I add the stuff a layer (about 15-20 cm) at a time, with about 2-3
spades of soil and a small scoop of blood and bone, and water each
layer. The food scraps go in from another bin about once a month,
usually with green stuff on top to seal the smell in.

I turn them over about each 4-8 weeks. This is easy with a Gedye -
you just pull the bin off the heap, put it next to the heap, and
shovel the heap back into the bin - about 10 min per bin. I normally
add some water at this stage, particularly in summer. The compost
shrinks so if you're turning over (say) 3 bins you end up with at
least one bin free, which moves to the start of the line.

In hot weather I tend to wet them about once each 2 weeks, with
about a bucketful using spray.

Generally the heap won't work well if it's too dry *or* too wet. It
needs both air and water. It certainly will have troubles if it's
too cold too, which is why they need to be in the sun in winter.

Too things I've found out (pretty obvious really when you think
about how these things work). The heap composts faster and takes
less space if you clip green stuff to lengths of about 30 cm or
less, ie less bushes and more stalks and leaves. Secondly, green
stuff composts much faster than dry stuff.

Works for me.

Andrew
--
Andrew Gabb
email: * * * Adelaide, South Australia
phone: +61 8 8342-1021
-----


try using a compost cage - http://opinonated-*******.blogspot.c...ost-cages.html