Hi, I'm looking for some bulk material for a compost heap at work.
We have plenty of grass clippings and some prunings from the garden, but the
compost lacks body as we dont really have an option of leaf collection. I
wondered wether to contact local farmers for broken bales of hay/stray to
top up compost , does this sound like a good idea? any suggestions for out
sourcing materials would be welcome, we can collect. Andover area Hampshire.
Mike

On 18 July, 06:52, "Mike" wrote:
Hi, I'm looking for some bulk material for a compost heap at work.
We have plenty of grass clippings and some prunings from the garden, but the
compost lacks body as we dont really have an option of leaf collection. I
wondered wether to contact local farmers for broken bales of hay/stray to
top up compost , does this sound like a good idea? any suggestions for out
sourcing materials would be welcome, we can collect. Andover area Hampshire.
Mike

Farmers don't give nuthin' away.
Go to your local horsey place. They will have piles of shit and straw.
They will just love it if you take it away. The problem will be
shifting it.
Look up "livery stables" in the yellow pages i/net .

In message
,
harry writes
On 18 July, 06:52, "Mike" wrote:
Hi, I'm looking for some bulk material for a compost heap at work.
We have plenty of grass clippings and some prunings from the garden, but the
compost lacks body as we dont really have an option of leaf collection. I
wondered wether to contact local farmers for broken bales of hay/stray to
top up compost , does this sound like a good idea? any suggestions for out
sourcing materials would be welcome, we can collect. Andover area Hampshire.
Mike

Farmers don't give nuthin' away.
Go to your local horsey place. They will have piles of shit and straw.
They will just love it if you take it away. The problem will be
shifting it.
Look up "livery stables" in the yellow pages i/net .

Just be careful that the mucking out material isn't 50% sawdust ....
which is often used by stables.
--
Gopher .... I know my place!

On 18/07/2010 06:52, Mike wrote:
Hi, I'm looking for some bulk material for a compost heap at work.
We have plenty of grass clippings and some prunings from the garden, but
the compost lacks body as we dont really have an option of leaf
collection. I wondered wether to contact local farmers for broken bales
of hay/stray to top up compost , does this sound like a good idea? any
suggestions for out sourcing materials would be welcome, we can collect.
Andover area Hampshire. Mike


I use paper shreddings, cardboard and newspaper in my heaps, which keeps
excess moisture at bay. Not a huge amount of nutrient in it, but it
does add bulk. It's important, though, not to build up thick anaerobic
layers, so scrunch it up as you put it in.

If you approach local farmers for bales or manure, do check that it does
not contain herbicides or hormone residue from cattle. You may get some
weed seeds thrown in free :~(

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

In article , says...

If you approach local farmers for bales or manure, do check that it does
not contain herbicides or hormone residue from cattle.

What hormones do you have in mind? Hormone growth promoters are not
used in British, or EU cattle farming. They have been banned for years .


Janet.

On 18/07/2010 06:52, Mike wrote:
Hi, I'm looking for some bulk material for a compost heap at work.
We have plenty of grass clippings and some prunings from the garden, but

You are doing something wrong if you don't get a hot hot heap from
plenty of grass clippings and prunings. My heap goes to 70C about three
days after adding 3m^3 of stuff to it and it doesn't really matter much
whether it is grass or hedge clipping. I have had it smouldering
internally once or twice.

If you have an excess of grass clippings you could try adding old
shredded newspaper and cardboard to avoid to much nitrogen.

the compost lacks body as we dont really have an option of leaf
collection. I wondered wether to contact local farmers for broken bales

Leavers tend to be bad news in a compost heap. Many trees produce potent
fungal inhibitors in their leaves and they rot down much more slowly.
Although leaf mould is really good it takes much longer than composting
other garden waste. Mine is mostly beech and oak leaves.

of hay/stray to top up compost , does this sound like a good idea? any
suggestions for out sourcing materials would be welcome, we can collect.
Andover area Hampshire. Mike

You should not need to bother, but you might need to pay more attention
to making sure the water content is right and/or seed it once or twice
with something like Garotta as a starter culture. It should smell a bit
odd after two or three days - not unpleasant but sort of musty.

Small heaps are tricky to make work, but once you are on a decent size
there is no real problem in getting it so hot that things cook down.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Thanks all, invaluable information.hope you get rain soon. Mike
"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
On 18/07/2010 06:52, Mike wrote:
Hi, I'm looking for some bulk material for a compost heap at work.
We have plenty of grass clippings and some prunings from the garden, but

You are doing something wrong if you don't get a hot hot heap from plenty
of grass clippings and prunings. My heap goes to 70C about three days
after adding 3m^3 of stuff to it and it doesn't really matter much whether
it is grass or hedge clipping. I have had it smouldering internally once
or twice.

If you have an excess of grass clippings you could try adding old shredded
newspaper and cardboard to avoid to much nitrogen.

the compost lacks body as we dont really have an option of leaf
collection. I wondered wether to contact local farmers for broken bales

Leavers tend to be bad news in a compost heap. Many trees produce potent
fungal inhibitors in their leaves and they rot down much more slowly.
Although leaf mould is really good it takes much longer than composting
other garden waste. Mine is mostly beech and oak leaves.

of hay/stray to top up compost , does this sound like a good idea? any
suggestions for out sourcing materials would be welcome, we can collect.
Andover area Hampshire. Mike

You should not need to bother, but you might need to pay more attention to
making sure the water content is right and/or seed it once or twice with
something like Garotta as a starter culture. It should smell a bit odd
after two or three days - not unpleasant but sort of musty.

Small heaps are tricky to make work, but once you are on a decent size
there is no real problem in getting it so hot that things cook down.

Regards,
Martin Brown