Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home composting?

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house last
July

There was a LOT of biomass to be dumped and since then there has been all
sorts a=of kitchen scraps in there aswell....But it simply isn;t breaking
down....I would have thought that by now I woudl have something I could use
on the garden....But none of it is...

I really think that it hasn't worked right because I have done something
wrong...
I didn't have any heat in it over the winter either....

Can anyone help me?

(Also....Can I put ANYTHING in a comport heap/bin?

In article ,
Rick McGreal wrote:
Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home composting?

There are uk.rec.gardening FAQs on it.

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house last
July

Depending on how you do it, that isn't long.

There was a LOT of biomass to be dumped and since then there has been all
sorts a=of kitchen scraps in there aswell....But it simply isn;t breaking
down....I would have thought that by now I woudl have something I could use
on the garden....But none of it is...

Well, in a traditional heap, that could be rather hasty - mine takes
c. 18 months. In what way has it not composted? That could help
identify the cause.

I really think that it hasn't worked right because I have done something
wrong...
I didn't have any heat in it over the winter either....

Not usually critical, especially in warm winters like the last.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Rick McGreal wrote:

Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home composting?

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house last
July

There was a LOT of biomass to be dumped and since then there has been all
sorts a=of kitchen scraps in there aswell....But it simply isn;t breaking
down....I would have thought that by now I woudl have something I could use
on the garden....But none of it is...

What is the "Biomass"?

I really think that it hasn't worked right because I have done something
wrong...
I didn't have any heat in it over the winter either....

I would suggest that you make sure that it is kept damp and doesn't dry
out.
Urine makes an excellent activator.



Can anyone help me?

(Also....Can I put ANYTHING in a comport heap/bin?

Don't put human faeces in unless you are really really certain of
getting a high temperature.
Don't put in preserved wood. It could be full of arsenic. Anything that
was once alive and isn't contaminated in someway with toxins or
potential pathogens.


--
Neil Jones- http://www.butterflyguy.com/
NOTE NEW WEB ADDRESS
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve

(Nick Maclaren) wrote in
:

Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home composting?
There are uk.rec.gardening FAQs on it.

And where is it held?

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house
last July
Depending on how you do it, that isn't long.

Oh...Most people state 9 months...But mine is barely making an impact

Well, in a traditional heap, that could be rather hasty - mine takes
c. 18 months. In what way has it not composted? That could help
identify the cause.

Well...Everything is still 'woody'

Although the grass trimmings start to breakdown it just gets to a certain
point then stops...

I turned a small part over the other day to have a look at it...Adn aside
from being all brown and slightly slimey...It wsa just compacted rubbish...

I have also been told that I shoudl expect a more 'Earthy' smell....
I don't have that....It smells like....Well...rotting veggies

Should I be adding in other things apart from grass and scraps?

Someone mentioned woodshavings....??

Neil Jones wrote in
:

What is the "Biomass"?

The grassy area (Its not quiet a lawn yet!) was about 3 ft high and all
over grown...SO there was all the cuttings from that....Weeds that were dug
up...
Outer branches of bushes that had been trimmed back....

That made up the main of it...
Then there were a patch of old...Dying flowers and plants that I dug up and
dumped....
Aswell as about 6ft of stinging nettles that had encroached onto the garden

And from then there has been kitchen scraps and more grass cuttings

I would suggest that you make sure that it is kept damp and doesn't
dry out. Urine makes an excellent activator.

Really?
I have noted that cats to goto the toilet there....

Also.....Not sure if this is at all relevent...
But I had a couple of rats take up residence in it for a couple of
weeks....They made a den then I trapped and got rid of them....

But they left a bit of a mess.....

Don't put human faeces in unless you are really really certain of
getting a high temperature.

Wasn't thinking of doing that anyway....Although I DID drop a little dog
muck in it a few times when I found it....
I didn't think it would be a bad thing....(And there is more than likely
rat droppings in there too)

Don't put in preserved wood. It could be full of arsenic. Anything
that was once alive and isn't contaminated in someway with toxins or
potential pathogens.

Nope.....Its all pretty much basic plants and grass and scraps (No meat
though)

In article ,
Rick McGreal wrote:
(Nick Maclaren) wrote in
:

Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home composting?
There are uk.rec.gardening FAQs on it.

And where is it held?

Try a search - e.g. google - it is what I would have to do!

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house
last July
Depending on how you do it, that isn't long.

Oh...Most people state 9 months...But mine is barely making an impact

It depends a lot on what you put on it. 18 months is for sapwood
prunings.

Well, in a traditional heap, that could be rather hasty - mine takes
c. 18 months. In what way has it not composted? That could help
identify the cause.

Well...Everything is still 'woody'

Although the grass trimmings start to breakdown it just gets to a certain
point then stops...

I turned a small part over the other day to have a look at it...Adn aside
from being all brown and slightly slimey...It wsa just compacted rubbish...

I have also been told that I shoudl expect a more 'Earthy' smell....
I don't have that....It smells like....Well...rotting veggies

Ah! The key things are the slimy aspect and the smell. You are not
letting enough air into it, perhaps because it is too compacted,
perhaps because there is too much water.

Should I be adding in other things apart from grass and scraps?

Someone mentioned woodshavings....??

Or sapwood prunings, or anything that would help air get into the
heap. You don't critically need even that, as you can get the same
effect by turning the heap over (and not compacting it) at intervals.
I suggest doing that - just fork it into a new pile, making sure that
it is all damp and not compacted.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

(Nick Maclaren) wrote in
:

And where is it held?
Try a search - e.g. google - it is what I would have to do!

Dang...Work!!!

B-)

http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/urgfaqs.htm

Oh...Most people state 9 months...But mine is barely making an impact
It depends a lot on what you put on it. 18 months is for sapwood
prunings.

Ah....Don't have much of that here! B-)

I have also been told that I shoudl expect a more 'Earthy' smell....
I don't have that....It smells like....Well...rotting veggies
Ah! The key things are the slimy aspect and the smell. You are not
letting enough air into it, perhaps because it is too compacted,
perhaps because there is too much water.

Hmmm...After the warm spate I woudl have expected it to dry out
some.....Hmmmm

Should I be adding in other things apart from grass and scraps?
Someone mentioned woodshavings....??
Or sapwood prunings, or anything that would help air get into the
heap. You don't critically need even that, as you can get the same
effect by turning the heap over (and not compacting it) at intervals.
I suggest doing that - just fork it into a new pile, making sure that
it is all damp and not compacted.

Ok...Looks like I have a job tomorrow!

Is there anything else I can do?
I'll drop by the local sawmill....I picked up some for my friends gerbil
and they don't charge.....

How much will i need for a 3ft square box?
Any ideas?

Try this site: http://www.mastercomposter.com/

--Kiloran

Rick McGreal wrote in message
...
Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home composting?

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house last
July

There was a LOT of biomass to be dumped and since then there has been all
sorts a=of kitchen scraps in there aswell....But it simply isn;t breaking
down....I would have thought that by now I woudl have something I could
use
on the garden....But none of it is...

I really think that it hasn't worked right because I have done something
wrong...
I didn't have any heat in it over the winter either....

Can anyone help me?

(Also....Can I put ANYTHING in a comport heap/bin?

"Kiloran" wrote in
:

Try this site: http://www.mastercomposter.com/

Thanks for this.....

Don't add too much grass, otherwise you end up with a slimy mess (grass
takes a long time to breakdown)
Woodshavings are okay, again not in huge quantities. Things such as egg
shells, UNCOOKED waste, paper, newspaper...anything that will degrade over a
period of time.
Also, keep adding stuff regularly, and turn it over every now and again (it
needs heat to keep the bacteria going, so add'n of more stuff causes more
degrading, more heat gievn off, more bacteria produced to degrade more stuff
etc etc)
keep it damp (not soaking wet) and place an old blanket over an open heap to
keep it warm, or invest in a compost bin.
as winter arrives, the heap normally stops (or slows right down) due to temp
drop. keep adding stuff and it'll pick up during spring/summer. If need be,
add composter additive or manure to help it along.
Ours takes almost a year to rot down to useable stuff.

Hope this help

Stuart

well this was my ide of composting but it was small scale but it worked for me. After a trip to see family in sussex, i popped into a local farm and the farmer allow me to take as much cow manure as i wanted.

So i started filling the bags up, and it was already half decomposted, and there were plenty of brandling worms in it.

So when i got home these worms obvoiusly came with it, so anyways i worked most of it into my soil. Then i got a fairly large plasic tub and filled it half full of manure. Then I got some old potting compost and filled it up to 3/4's full.

Then all the kitchen waste, banna skins, carrot skins etc, i would chuck into the tub and cover with a little potting compost and then cover the tub. The worms muched up all the waste and turned it into compost. Also in about 3 months the worms had increased alot, there were little eggs everywhere and lots of little worms as well.

so put out more tubs and same process, its quite effieient

hello i have a few tips....the ideal amount of time is 2 years for it to be really worthwhile but if you are willing to do it composting your own excrements is apparently the best compost over everything. Empty your waste into the middle top of the heap and then cover with sawdust (not kiln dried its too light and fluffy) grass cuttings leaf mould straw or hay and repeat every time you have anything to put in throw in the toilet paper and kitchen scraps too every time covering well so no smell will be emitted. Do not turn the compost just leave it for as long as you can. A very good book is Humanure by joseph jenkins

http://www.hdra.org.uk/organicgardening/gh_comp.htm

Regards,
Emrys Davies.




"Natalie" wrote in message
s.com...
Rick McGreal wrote:
*Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home
composting?

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house
last
July

There was a LOT of biomass to be dumped and since then there has
been
all
sorts a=of kitchen scraps in there aswell....But it simply isn;t
breaking
down....I would have thought that by now I woudl have something I
could use
on the garden....But none of it is...

I really think that it hasn't worked right because I have done
something
wrong...
I didn't have any heat in it over the winter either....

Can anyone help me?

(Also....Can I put ANYTHING in a comport heap/bin? *
--
Natalie
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk

"Natalie" wrote in message
s.com...
Rick McGreal wrote:
*Does anyone have a URL for a website that has info on home
composting?

I have been composting my own stuff since I mved into my new house
last
July

There was a LOT of biomass to be dumped and since then there has been
all
sorts a=of kitchen scraps in there aswell....But it simply isn;t
breaking
down....I would have thought that by now I woudl have something I
could use
on the garden....But none of it is...

I really think that it hasn't worked right because I have done
something
wrong...
I didn't have any heat in it over the winter either....

Can anyone help me?

(Also....Can I put ANYTHING in a comport heap/bin? *
--
Natalie
------------------------------------------------------------------------
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk


Grass cuttings tend to be the fastest heat producer and if you started the
heap in july i am surprised its gone nowhere
Personally I have 7 huge bins made out of solid sided pallets stood on a bed
of bricks ......i put layers of grass clippings, shredded prunings , straw,
stable manure , veggie peelings, fallen apples , weeds, leaves, shredded
paper , cardboard plus lashings of buckets of urine

Cover with plastic then old piece of carpet and a wooden lid and leave for 6
weeks
Then i fork the whole lot out into another bin sprinkling some Sulphate of
Ammonia on the layers as i go .........cover again and leave for 3 months
I then fork it all out again for final time and if not many worms are
working i put in a shovel full out of my worm bin
cover again as above and leave till the next spring when i have beautiful
fine compost


Compost needs warmth from sun in preference to a dark dank shady corner ,
moisture and turning/mixing