In article
. com,
says...
On Sep 5, 5:59?am, Janet Baraclough
wrote:
The message
from "Dave" contains these words:

An above ground compost bin is okay for warm climates. Since you're in the
UK, forget it.

Nonsense. Above-ground compost bins are used successfully by
gardeners in every part of the UK.


UKers must have a strange sense of success.

Above ground bins are never okay, above ground bins don't compost...
rotting organic matter is not composting. Organisms only found in the
earth must be present and in abundance and especially earthworms for
composting. Your above ground bins are making putrid slime, not
humus. You should be happy to have cool weather, your slop pots won't
stink so badly.

In gardening compost used as a noun is actually inaccurate, composting
is a process (verb - to compost) that produces humus, not compost...
in gardening organic matter is either partially composted or it's
humus. Humus is organic matter that has been fully digested, not
rotted. Some folks who use above ground bins add digestive enzymes,
but that does not function very long as it does not renew itself.
Some add earthworms (because proper humus is composed almost entirely
of earthworm castings) but unless they can reach the earth as needed
they will quickly die as exposure to sunlight heats the mass and the
worms will cook.


Perhaps there is an issue with terminology, here?

Some people may use, "above ground" to mean one of those rotating
contraptions that is suspended above the surface.

While others may use, "above ground" to mean a bin set on the
surface, without any bottom, so the stuff has contact.

In the second case, it may be meant as a contrast to digging a
pit, and tossing the stuff down to a level that is under the
surface level.


--
Get Credit Where Credit Is Due
http://www.cardreport.com/
Credit Tools, Reference, and Forum

"Sheldon" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Sep 5, 1:49?pm, "fat daddy" wrote:
"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message

...





The message
from "JoeSpareBedroom" contains these words:

Just a guess, but I wonder if what she calls an above ground bin is
exactly
what you and I are using. Let's find out.

Janet, this sits on the ground. Something similar could be made from
any
number of other materials. Does this fit your general idea of an
above
ground bin?
http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...saver_17_1.php

Yes. But what a price!!!!!

Here's the models supplied by local councils (prices in sterling).

http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...mpost_camp.asp

That's a great site for a variety of composting choices, but will
surely
twist "someone's" knickers........... OMG, the Green Cone doesn't
produce
humus!

http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...mpost_cone.asp

Here's pallet compost bins

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl...t+bin&btnG=Sea...

Wow, is that your yard, is that your family... oughta change your
handle to fat daddy. hehe

I see....... You do realize that is a link Janet posted, no? And, when
cornered by your mistakes, you lash out like a two year old.

Why are you showing pictures you lifted off the net as proof (of what
I have no idea), any common thief can do that... besides the one on
your head what's your point?

Those links were posted by Janet, but you seem to be replying to my direct
response to you here, rather than to that post. You appear to have a rather
common Usenet pathology. I should have recognized it.

Which fat daddy is you: http://tinyurl.com/3claww

A lot of effort for nothing, those stupid thingies ain't gonna do
anything but stink... but yoose all sure can use the exercise.



http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...G%26ie%3DUTF-8

"cat daddy" expounded:

I see....... You do realize that is a link Janet posted, no? And, when
cornered by your mistakes, you lash out like a two year old.

Understand that Sheldon has little credibility. As for calling him a
two year old, you have insulted all two year olds on the planet.....
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

On Sep 5, 10:49 am, "cat daddy" wrote:
"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message

...



The message
from "JoeSpareBedroom" contains these words:

Just a guess, but I wonder if what she calls an above ground bin is
exactly
what you and I are using. Let's find out.

Janet, this sits on the ground. Something similar could be made from any
number of other materials. Does this fit your general idea of an above
ground bin?
http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...saver_17_1.php

Yes. But what a price!!!!!

Here's the models supplied by local councils (prices in sterling).

http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...mpost_camp.asp

That's a great site for a variety of composting choices, but will surely
twist "someone's" knickers........... OMG, the Green Cone doesn't produce
humus!

http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...mpost_cone.asp

Here's pallet compost bins

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl...t+bin&btnG=Sea...



Janet.

I rather like the style of the dalek (Earth-Machine)
http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...achine_8_1.php just
because I am a fan of Dr Who, but I have to admit that the first one
Sheldon mentions - http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...saver_17_1.php
has a much longer warrenty.

Right now I have a poorly functioning pile out near my septic tank and
mostly all it is doing is drying up in this hot summer. I will put my
soilmaker/soilsaver, as it is called,right there where the ground is
always a little warm. I would think that would help,especially in the
winter since that area is the first to thaw, first to green up. Just
as the saying goes, the grass truly is always greener over the septic
tank.

Deb

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"cat daddy" expounded:

I see....... You do realize that is a link Janet posted, no? And,
when
cornered by your mistakes, you lash out like a two year old.

Understand that Sheldon has little credibility. As for calling him a
two year old, you have insulted all two year olds on the planet.....

My apologies to two year olds worldwide.......... In my defence, I did
consider and reject referencing any rodentia, viperids, or parasitoids,
however...... Poor things have it hard enough without being associated with
a........... well, I'll just leave it at that.

Sheldon wrote in
oups.com:

On Sep 5, 1:14?pm, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:
"FragileWarrior" wrote
in message

...

Sheldon wrote in
news:1189008489.730290.31760
@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com:

Above ground bins are never okay, above ground bins
don't compost... rotting organic matter is not
composting. Organisms only found in the earth must be
present and in abundance and especially earthworms for
composting. Your above ground bins are making putrid
slime, not humus. You should be happy to have cool
weather, your slop pots won't stink so badly.

You really need to bone up on composting. I had a
triple bin above ground composter that worked just fine.
No smell, no slime, temps up to 160+F during active
composting with earthworms and other assorted munchy
organisms after cool down, too.

Sheldon's just being weird. (So what's new?)

This is what normal people envision when they think of
above-ground
composters:http://www.composters.com/compost-bins/garden-es
tate-bin_16_1.php
andhttp://www.composters.com/compost-bins/soilmaker--soilsa
ver_17_1.php
andhttp://www.composters.com/compost-bins/bio-stack-bin_91_
1.php
andhttp://www.composters.com/compost-bins/presto-hoop-compa
nion_15_1.php etc etc.....

Actually by your own link there is no such nomenclature as
"above ground" composter... again, for the THICK HEADED,
this thread evolved into calling a tumbler type composter
an above ground composter.

which appears to be your comment...

You're weird (actrually you're an ignoranus), in that you
and your cohorts are pretending to be erudite while in fact
you're functionally illiterate.

pot. kettle. black.
lee

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message . com
from Sheldon whimpered from his cot

Why are you showing pictures you lifted off the net as proof (of what
I have no idea), any common thief can do that.

Well, poor little Sheldon baby, I'll just tell you the story one
more time then you really will have to lie down in your cot and take a
nap.

Once upon a time, Joe, Janet, and various other grown-ups decided to
look on the internet, at pictures of different kinds of compost bins,
because we wanted to be sure we're all talking about the same thing; and
we are. The End.

There now, that wasn't too hard to follow was it? It was? Poor baby.
Never mind. Now, you just lie back and suck your thumb.We'll leave the
light on so you won't be frightened.

Janet.


Sheldon owned. :-)

In article wildbilly-2EEDCF.21571105092007@c-61-68-245-
199.per.connect.net.au, says...
In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

"Sheldon" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Sep 5, 1:14?pm, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"FragileWarrior" wrote in message

...

Sheldon wrote in news:1189008489.730290.31760
@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com:

Above ground bins are never okay, above ground bins don't compost...
rotting organic matter is not composting. Organisms only found in the
earth must be present and in abundance and especially earthworms for
composting. Your above ground bins are making putrid slime, not
humus. You should be happy to have cool weather, your slop pots won't
stink so badly.

You really need to bone up on composting. I had a triple bin above
ground
composter that worked just fine. No smell, no slime, temps up to 160+F
during active composting with earthworms and other assorted munchy
organisms after cool down, too.

Sheldon's just being weird. (So what's new?)

This is what normal people envision when they think of above-ground
composters:http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...te-bin_16_1.ph
p
andhttp://www.composters.com/compost-bins/soilmaker--soilsaver_17_1.php
andhttp://www.composters.com/compost-bins/bio-stack-bin_91_1.php
andhttp://www.composters.com/compost-bins/presto-hoop-companion_15_1.php
etc etc.....

Actually by your own link there is no such nomenclature as "above
ground" composter... again, for the THICK HEADED, this thread evolved
into calling a tumbler type composter an above ground composter.

You're weird (actrually you're an ignoranus), in that you and your
cohorts are pretending to be erudite while in fact you're functionally
illiterate.



I don't care what anyone else calls these composters. The only correct
definitions are mine, and there is no possible way to debate that absolute
truth.

Get used to it.


The thing I don't understand (among others) is that my compost heap just
disappears into the soil. It is only 1 1/2 feet tall and I never reach
the top of it with my kitchen scraps. ?? I think I need to take my
kitchen scraps up to the garden this winter and cut out the middle man.


It doesn't disappear into the soil below. It just shlumps down,
with the weight and the moisture.

When I dump stuff in, there is a lot of air inside the volume -
it's fluffy. Then, while it sits and decays, it compacts
downward due to weight/gravity, and the basic space-efficiency of
smaller particles.

Also, the moisture level can go to a sort of equilibrium, towards
a more efficient (smaller volume) level. With any excess
hopefully draining into the soil below. Although you must be
careful to keep a reasonable (not too soggy, not too dry) amount
of moisture going in. Including into a full bin that you are
allowing to sit without additions.

Think of a mason jar, full of marbles. There will be a lot of
air space. But, if the marbles gradually turned to sand, the
contents would be more efficient, and would appear to be smaller.


--
Get Credit Where Credit Is Due
http://www.cardreport.com/
Credit Tools, Reference, and Forum

On Sep 5, 10:49 am, "cat daddy" wrote:
"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message

...



The message
from "JoeSpareBedroom" contains these words:

Just a guess, but I wonder if what she calls an above ground bin is
exactly
what you and I are using. Let's find out.

Janet, this sits on the ground. Something similar could be made from any
number of other materials. Does this fit your general idea of an above
ground bin?
http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...saver_17_1.php

Yes. But what a price!!!!!

Here's the models supplied by local councils (prices in sterling).

http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...mpost_camp.asp

That's a great site for a variety of composting choices, but will surely
twist "someone's" knickers........... OMG, the Green Cone doesn't produce
humus!

http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...mpost_cone.asp

Here's pallet compost bins

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl...t+bin&btnG=Sea...



Janet.

I have another question. I will buy the Soilmaker at
http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...saver_17_1.php
that Sheldon recommended and I have a spot near my septic tank which
will be great since it is a bit warmer in the winter. First to thaw,
so as the saying goes, the grass is always greener over the septic
tank. My question concerns some squash and tomato vines to compost,
but we have no grinder or shredder. What would be a recommended way
of composting those vines other than cutting into bite-size pieces?
How small would we realistically need to cut them or do we need to cut
them at all? Can we just just stuff them in the composter and let
them cook? Please advise.

Deb :-)

"thistletoes" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Sep 5, 10:49 am, "cat daddy" wrote:
"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message

...



The message
from "JoeSpareBedroom" contains these words:

Just a guess, but I wonder if what she calls an above ground bin is
exactly
what you and I are using. Let's find out.

Janet, this sits on the ground. Something similar could be made from
any
number of other materials. Does this fit your general idea of an
above
ground bin?
http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...saver_17_1.php

Yes. But what a price!!!!!

Here's the models supplied by local councils (prices in sterling).

http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...mpost_camp.asp

That's a great site for a variety of composting choices, but will
surely
twist "someone's" knickers........... OMG, the Green Cone doesn't produce
humus!

http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk...mpost_cone.asp

Here's pallet compost bins

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl...t+bin&btnG=Sea...



Janet.

I have another question. I will buy the Soilmaker at
http://www.composters.com/compost-bi...saver_17_1.php
that Sheldon recommended and I have a spot near my septic tank which
will be great since it is a bit warmer in the winter. First to thaw,
so as the saying goes, the grass is always greener over the septic
tank. My question concerns some squash and tomato vines to compost,
but we have no grinder or shredder. What would be a recommended way
of composting those vines other than cutting into bite-size pieces?
How small would we realistically need to cut them or do we need to cut
them at all? Can we just just stuff them in the composter and let
them cook? Please advise.

Deb :-)


Those vines might remain a bit "rope-ish", while other stuff around them
composts easily. Dump them back into the composter. Or, get yourself a pair
of scissors that'll make it easy to cut the vines. Joyce Chen kitchen
scissors are good for this. The same thing is sold at garden centers for
twice the price, labeled as florist's scissors.

By the way, I've found the compost mixing tool to be useful. Check the web
site - should be twenty of thirty bucks.

thistletoes wrote:

Right now I have a poorly functioning pile out near my septic tank and
mostly all it is doing is drying up in this hot summer. I will put my
soilmaker/soilsaver, as it is called,right there where the ground is
always a little warm. I would think that would help,especially in the
winter since that area is the first to thaw, first to green up. Just
as the saying goes, the grass truly is always greener over the septic
tank.

Think carefully about where you locate it.

I keep mine near my vegetable garden:
http://i11.tinypic.com/67qs007.jpg

You can see where my composter was before I moved it, I wasn't able to
mow in those corners when it was up against the fence:
http://i12.tinypic.com/66uv8na.jpg

Early yesterday morning I was awakened by horrific honking, the yearly
departure powows have begun:
http://i9.tinypic.com/52z51si.jpg

I'll need to be more careful where I step:
http://i1.tinypic.com/4pvv9t3.jpg

That's it, fertilize my Crimson King Norway maple:
http://i16.tinypic.com/6cr8zsl.jpg

That's why it's called a *copper* leaf weeping beech:
http://i5.tinypic.com/66cca42.jpg

One of my girls is being a ham... that bright green thingie in my
Jurassic meadow is a befiting dawn redwood:
http://i15.tinypic.com/54l61sp.jpg

Mighty handsome:
http://i10.tinypic.com/4hwmeiv.jpg

On Sep 7, 7:29 pm, Sheldon wrote:
thistletoes wrote:

Right now I have a poorly functioning pile out near my septic tank and
mostly all it is doing is drying up in this hot summer. I will put my
soilmaker/soilsaver, as it is called,right there where the ground is
always a little warm. I would think that would help,especially in the
winter since that area is the first to thaw, first to green up. Just
as the saying goes, the grass truly is always greener over the septic
tank.

Think carefully about where you locate it.
snip

Sheldon, great pictures. I saved some as examples. We don't have the
goose problem but we sure have the deer. Persistent beasts. I like
the netting over top, too. This last summer we had such a scorcher
that the plants - did actually get sun scald. I need to get some
saran cloth or something to provide shade if we are going to continue
global warming. The Soilsaver composters like yours are on the way -
got a great deal on eBay.
Thanks again
Deb :-)

thistletoes wrote:
Sheldon wrote:
thistletoes wrote:

Right now I have a poorly functioning pile out near my septic tank and
mostly all it is doing is drying up in this hot summer. I will put my
soilmaker/soilsaver, as it is called,right there where the ground is
always a little warm. I would think that would help,especially in the
winter since that area is the first to thaw, first to green up. Just
as the saying goes, the grass truly is always greener over the septic
tank.

Think carefully about where you locate it.
snip

Sheldon, great pictures. I saved some as examples. We don't have the
goose problem but we sure have the deer. Persistent beasts. I like
the netting over top, too. This last summer we had such a scorcher
that the plants - did actually get sun scald. I need to get some
saran cloth or something to provide shade if we are going to continue
global warming. The Soilsaver composters like yours are on the way -
got a great deal on eBay.
Thanks again
Deb :-)

I'm glad you got good deal, how good a deal did you get on Ebay, I
never would have though to look there for a composter, but then I've
never bought anything from Ebay. Just figured I'd take a peek, found
this, a great price, less than I paid more than ten years ago:
http://tinyurl.com/32aasp

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-139-Soilsave...QQcmdZViewItem

When you set up your composter choose a level spot that's slightly
pitched away (you don't want the composter set in a depression that
can collect water) and check with a level that you set it plumb and
check with a carpenter's square that all the corners are at 90deg...
otherwise the lid won't fit well. Also find a relatively dry spot,
not somewhere that stays kind of boggy when there's heavy
precipitation, otherwise with winter snows and freezes the ground will
be more likely to heave and skew your composter out of kilter, and
then the lid won't fit. That's the main reason I moved my composter
uphill a bit, there's a small seasonal stream that runs along that
edge of my garden. The garden was set there because even in periods
of drought I don't need to water... that ground can appear dry as
desert but dig down six inches and it's moist.

Oh dear, now I'm confused...

Should the pallet slats run vertical or horizontal?

:-)


On Sep 5, 10:31 am, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

Here's pallet compost binshttp://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=pallet+compost+bin&btnG=Sea...

Janet.

"snotbottom" wrote in message
ps.com...
Oh dear, now I'm confused...

Should the pallet slats run vertical or horizontal?

:-)


Diagonal, for best wind resistance in flight.