Today I became the proud owner of a paper shredder. I have been wanting
one of those for ages. Free compost from my local newspaper baron! Oh
joy.

I have been fondly anticipating this day and have been saving up my
waste deliberately for some time now.

Bulks up a bit dunnit.

So, we come to the nub of the problem. I figure I can pre-compost the
small mountain of shreddings coming my way soon in a semi controlled
environment prior to mixing with general compost material for a longer
decompose.

I plan to do this by adding an accelerant, some water, perhaps some
worms and a handful or two of ready fermented compost and dirt to the
council provided eminently biodegradable especially for the purpose
plastic bag(s) they are going to be in.


The questions a-

How long before the bags crumble to dust?
They may have to live in partial sunlight.

How much water?
I was thinking of 1:1 by weight but it is a guess.

How many worms,
Some or Lots and depending on the answer to the first question,
do they need holes?

How much dirt?
1:1 again.



--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

"steve auvache" wrote in message
...

Today I became the proud owner of a paper shredder. I have been wanting
one of those for ages. Free compost from my local newspaper baron! Oh
joy.

I have been fondly anticipating this day and have been saving up my
waste deliberately for some time now.

Bulks up a bit dunnit.

So, we come to the nub of the problem. I figure I can pre-compost the
small mountain of shreddings coming my way soon in a semi controlled
environment prior to mixing with general compost material for a longer
decompose.

I plan to do this by adding an accelerant, some water, perhaps some
worms and a handful or two of ready fermented compost and dirt to the
council provided eminently biodegradable especially for the purpose
plastic bag(s) they are going to be in.


The questions a-

How long before the bags crumble to dust?
They may have to live in partial sunlight.

How much water?
I was thinking of 1:1 by weight but it is a guess.

How many worms,
Some or Lots and depending on the answer to the first question,
do they need holes?

How much dirt?
1:1 again.

I just put it on the compost heap, not in very large quantities, but fairly
evenly distributed with ordinary compost material and grass cuttings, I
usually rely pon the rain to give me the water required, but in dry weather
a little now and again.

If your compost heap is straight on the ground you will not need to add
worms, they will find their own way in.

I wouldn't bother with putting it in plastic bags, just go straight to the
compost heap.

You could put some on the heap without shredding it, just as long as it is
only a small amount at a time, might be better not left in sheets though,
screw it up a bit.

Alan Holmes wrote:
"steve auvache" wrote in message
...
Today I became the proud owner of a paper shredder. I have been wanting
one of those for ages. Free compost from my local newspaper baron! Oh
joy.

I have been fondly anticipating this day and have been saving up my
waste deliberately for some time now.

Bulks up a bit dunnit.

So, we come to the nub of the problem. I figure I can pre-compost the
small mountain of shreddings coming my way soon in a semi controlled
environment prior to mixing with general compost material for a longer
decompose.

I plan to do this by adding an accelerant, some water, perhaps some
worms and a handful or two of ready fermented compost and dirt to the
council provided eminently biodegradable especially for the purpose
plastic bag(s) they are going to be in.


The questions a-

How long before the bags crumble to dust?
They may have to live in partial sunlight.

How much water?
I was thinking of 1:1 by weight but it is a guess.

How many worms,
Some or Lots and depending on the answer to the first question,
do they need holes?

How much dirt?
1:1 again.

I just put it on the compost heap, not in very large quantities, but fairly
evenly distributed with ordinary compost material and grass cuttings, I
usually rely pon the rain to give me the water required, but in dry weather
a little now and again.

If your compost heap is straight on the ground you will not need to add
worms, they will find their own way in.

I wouldn't bother with putting it in plastic bags, just go straight to the
compost heap.

You could put some on the heap without shredding it, just as long as it is
only a small amount at a time, might be better not left in sheets though,
screw it up a bit.


Ah yes, I have a shredder. I also shred newspaper as well as everything
with personal details on. Having a lot of grass cuttings I layer it in
the compost heap with the grass, however experience has taught me that
it is best to wet the shredded paper beforehand, seems to rot better
that way.

In article , Alan Holmes
writes

"steve auvache" wrote in message
...

Today I became the proud owner of a paper shredder. I have been wanting
one of those for ages. Free compost from my local newspaper baron! Oh
joy.

I have been fondly anticipating this day and have been saving up my
waste deliberately for some time now.

Bulks up a bit dunnit.



I just put it on the compost heap, not in very large quantities, but fairly
evenly distributed with ordinary compost material and grass cuttings, I
usually rely pon the rain to give me the water required, but in dry weather
a little now and again.

If your compost heap is straight on the ground you will not need to add
worms, they will find their own way in.

I wouldn't bother with putting it in plastic bags, just go straight to the
compost heap.

Problem is that I have a rather large quantity of paper stored ready to
shred. Were it a normal week's collection of junk it would not be a
problem but the sheer mass of it all calls for special treatment as a
one off exercise.



You could put some on the heap without shredding it,

and not play with my new toy, are you mad?



--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

On Fri, 25 May 2007 14:51:45 +0100, steve auvache
wrote:


Problem is that I have a rather large quantity of paper stored ready to
shred. Were it a normal week's collection of junk it would not be a
problem but the sheer mass of it all calls for special treatment as a
one off exercise.

You're not shredding newspaper are you? In my experience if you just
tear it up roughly, and mix it with other compost it will rot down
quickly. You will blunt the blades of your shredder too soon if you
use newspaper. Personal letters etc are all you need to shred.
If you are using an accelerator (urine is the cheapest!) don't add
worms as well. Either have a worm bin or an ordinary compost bin/heap.
Tearing newspaper is very therapeutic, once you find that broadsheets
tear one way and tablloids tear the other. Tear it into strips 3 or 4
inches wide and you will have it done quicker than shredding!
If you have lawn mowings, mix that in with the paper.

Pam in Bristol

In article , Pam Moore
writes
On Fri, 25 May 2007 14:51:45 +0100, steve auvache
wrote:


Problem is that I have a rather large quantity of paper stored ready to
shred. Were it a normal week's collection of junk it would not be a
problem but the sheer mass of it all calls for special treatment as a
one off exercise.

You're not shredding newspaper are you?

Not yet. Old training manuals at the moment, printed on marketing
department friendly recycled bleach free paper.


In my experience if you just
tear it up roughly, and mix it with other compost it will rot down
quickly.

As I said I have been saving for this day and judging by the way it is
bulking up I will soon have many times the volume of shredded than I
have composting capacity with much more waiting in the wings, which is
why I want to pre-process it.



If you have lawn mowings, mix that in with the paper.

I have long since turned the back garden into a veggie plot and am in
the process of remaking the front into wild flowers so not a grass
clipping in sight. Tbh I don't get that much waste out of it all these
days and I view the paper as a real bonus.



--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

"steve auvache" wrote in message
...
In article , Alan Holmes
writes

"steve auvache" wrote in message
...

Today I became the proud owner of a paper shredder. I have been wanting
one of those for ages. Free compost from my local newspaper baron! Oh
joy.

I have been fondly anticipating this day and have been saving up my
waste deliberately for some time now.

Bulks up a bit dunnit.

I just put it on the compost heap, not in very large quantities, but
fairly
evenly distributed with ordinary compost material and grass cuttings, I
usually rely pon the rain to give me the water required, but in dry
weather
a little now and again.

If your compost heap is straight on the ground you will not need to add
worms, they will find their own way in.

I wouldn't bother with putting it in plastic bags, just go straight to the
compost heap.

Problem is that I have a rather large quantity of paper stored ready to
shred. Were it a normal week's collection of junk it would not be a
problem but the sheer mass of it all calls for special treatment as a
one off exercise.

Just have some patience do it a bit at a time.

You could put some on the heap without shredding it,

and not play with my new toy, are you mad?

Sorry, not thinking prperly, and of course you should use your new toy, but
still use the results a little at a time!

In article , Anne Jackson
writes
The message from steve auvache contains these words:

How much water?
I was thinking of 1:1 by weight but it is a guess.

Never mind 'water', pee on the compost. That's the best
accelerant there is...

Even at my age, with all it implies for quantity and quality of product,
there is a limit and at the rate I am stockpiling the shreddings, I
shall have a pot to **** in for quite some time to come.

Realistically, commercial compost accelerants is the only way for me to
go. Although I shall be conducting some comparative tests, just because
I can.



--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

On 25/5/07 20:49, in article , "steve
auvache" wrote:

In article , Anne Jackson
writes
The message from steve auvache contains these words:

How much water?
I was thinking of 1:1 by weight but it is a guess.

Never mind 'water', pee on the compost. That's the best
accelerant there is...

Even at my age, with all it implies for quantity and quality of product,
there is a limit and at the rate I am stockpiling the shreddings, I
shall have a pot to **** in for quite some time to come.

Tsk. With a little imagination and diligence, you could form your own pot
in papier maché....!

snip
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

steve auvache writes

Problem is that I have a rather large quantity of paper stored ready to
shred. Were it a normal week's collection of junk it would not be a
problem but the sheer mass of it all calls for special treatment as a
one off exercise.

I put all our cardboard bags as well as all our paper waste on to the
compost heap. In winter, the heap is nearly all paper, most of it
unshredded. It copes. The worms seem to be particularly fond of thick
soggy layers of paper.

Can you put a six inch layer of shreddings then find some sort of waste
greenery, enough for a six inch layer, or instead about 2 inches of top
soil, then another 6 inches of shreddings, and so on?
--
Kay

"steve auvache" wrote in message
...
In article , Pam Moore
writes
On Fri, 25 May 2007 14:51:45 +0100, steve auvache
wrote:


Problem is that I have a rather large quantity of paper stored ready to
shred. Were it a normal week's collection of junk it would not be a
problem but the sheer mass of it all calls for special treatment as a
one off exercise.

You're not shredding newspaper are you?

Not yet. Old training manuals at the moment, printed on marketing
department friendly recycled bleach free paper.


In my experience if you just
tear it up roughly, and mix it with other compost it will rot down
quickly.

As I said I have been saving for this day and judging by the way it is
bulking up I will soon have many times the volume of shredded than I
have composting capacity with much more waiting in the wings, which is
why I want to pre-process it.



If you have lawn mowings, mix that in with the paper.

I have long since turned the back garden into a veggie plot and am in
the process of remaking the front into wild flowers so not a grass
clipping in sight. Tbh I don't get that much waste out of it all these
days and I view the paper as a real bonus.


Well what's wrong with just burying the stuff in the veg plot. Folk normally
just bury unshredded newspaper but I do underasand your need to shred x10:-)

--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

In article , Rupert (W.Yorkshire)
writes

Well what's wrong with just burying the stuff in the veg plot. Folk normally
just bury unshredded newspaper but I do underasand your need to shred x10:-)

I don't know how you manage your veggie plot but digging it up at this
time of year is not high on my list of priorities.



--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

In article , K
writes
steve auvache writes

Problem is that I have a rather large quantity of paper stored ready to
shred. Were it a normal week's collection of junk it would not be a
problem but the sheer mass of it all calls for special treatment as a
one off exercise.

I put all our cardboard bags as well as all our paper waste on to the
compost heap. In winter, the heap is nearly all paper, most of it
unshredded. It copes. The worms seem to be particularly fond of thick
soggy layers of paper.

Can you put a six inch layer of shreddings then find some sort of waste
greenery, enough for a six inch layer, or instead about 2 inches of top
soil, then another 6 inches of shreddings, and so on?

I can put 6 inch layers on the top time and time again. I have enough
coming for many 6 inch layers, probably as many as 40 or 50 six inch
layers and nowhere near enough of other stuff to mix with it.



--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

On Fri, 25 May 2007 18:04:46 +0100, steve auvache
wrote:

I have long since turned the back garden into a veggie plot and am in
the process of remaking the front into wild flowers so not a grass
clipping in sight. Tbh I don't get that much waste out of it all these
days and I view the paper as a real bonus.

Can you scrounge lawn-mowings from non-composting neighbours? The
paper will not rot down easily and quickly unless it has moist
nitrogenous material added. You will find it soon compacts down once
wet, and you can add more shreddings to the heap/bin as it does so.

Pam in Bristol

In article , Pam Moore
writes
On Fri, 25 May 2007 18:04:46 +0100, steve auvache
wrote:

I have long since turned the back garden into a veggie plot and am in
the process of remaking the front into wild flowers so not a grass
clipping in sight. Tbh I don't get that much waste out of it all these
days and I view the paper as a real bonus.

Can you scrounge lawn-mowings from non-composting neighbours?

Already on the list possible strategies.




--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features