In the spring my neighbour gave me a spare Dalek compost bin,
as he had made "proper" compose bins.

I decided to use it just for grass cuttings and keep my other
Dalek for other compostables.

Before everyone throws up their hands in horror at the
potential thick solid mess that could ensue, I have layered the
grass cuttings with shreded paper, as I used to do in my
"proper" bins before I moved.

Now we have got to the end of the grass cutting season (I
hope!) I am wondering what the next step should be:

1) Just leave it as it is
2) Put some more paper on the top with some weights to compress
3) Stir it up with a fork (if I can reach in to the bottom!)
and then take options 1 or 2 above.

Any thoghts welcome

Ta


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

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On Tue, 23 Oct 2018 11:18:35 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

I have layered the grass cuttings with shreded paper, as I used to do in my
"proper" bins before I moved.

I find brown corrugated cardboard works well as shreded paper can
compress down into a bit of a lump, the cardboard allows the air to
circulated better

In article ,
says...

In the spring my neighbour gave me a spare Dalek compost bin,
as he had made "proper" compose bins.

I decided to use it just for grass cuttings and keep my other
Dalek for other compostables.

Before everyone throws up their hands in horror at the
potential thick solid mess that could ensue, I have layered the
grass cuttings with shreded paper, as I used to do in my
"proper" bins before I moved.

Now we have got to the end of the grass cutting season (I
hope!) I am wondering what the next step should be:

1) Just leave it as it is
2) Put some more paper on the top with some weights to compress
3) Stir it up with a fork (if I can reach in to the bottom!)
and then take options 1 or 2 above.

Any thoghts welcome

Ta

I do absolutely nothing to my dalek composts. I keep the lid on and
because it's warm and dry the dalek gets colonised by millions of ants
which chew up the contents into a fine brown "soil" like potting
compost. When they're done, lift off the dalek to position elsewhere.
Now you have access to the ants' product. Any left-overs that they
haven't processed, I just leave as mulch.

If you have pondfish, the dalek antfarm will also provide an endless
source of ant eggs.

Janet.

On 23/10/18 13:03, Chris Hogg wrote:


I'd churn it somehow, but whether you can do that from the top I don't
know. Why not just tip it all out and then fork it back in in a random
fashion. That should stir it enough to mix it and get air into it.
Adding more shredded paper or similar is probably a good idea as
well.


Shredded paper (enough of) makes a huge difference in my hotbin between
failure and 70C composting.

Chippings work and I have observed dried crinkly leaves have done some
good in lieu of paper when I ran out.

So does cardboard stuffed through the chipper (mine can). Good way to
lose a few Amazon boxes.

It's possible the chemical composition of paper is advantageous over the
other options with regard to it becoming part of the breakdown process
and supplying carbon to the reactions, as opposed to merely keeping the
pile ventilated - I'm not 100% sure.

I can see that being an issue with chippings, but leaves???

On 23/10/18 14:39, Janet wrote:

I do absolutely nothing to my dalek composts. I keep the lid on and
because it's warm and dry the dalek gets colonised by millions of ants
which chew up the contents into a fine brown "soil" like potting
compost. When they're done, lift off the dalek to position elsewhere.
Now you have access to the ants' product. Any left-overs that they
haven't processed, I just leave as mulch.


Wish my ants would live in the daleks rather than filling my water cock
pit in the pavement with soil every year :-|


Literally 2m away!

On 23/10/2018 15:18, Tim Watts wrote:
On 23/10/18 13:03, Chris Hogg wrote:


I'd churn it somehow, but whether you can do that from the top I don't
know. Why not just tip it all out and then fork it back in in a random
fashion. That should stir it enough to mix it and get air into it.
Adding more shredded paper or similarÂ* is probably a good idea as
well.

+1

Although I am lazy. I just throw mine into the neighbouring bin.
Disturbing it to let more air in is important as is just the right
amount of moisture. This year has been a bit dry.

Smaller heaps seem to benefit from Garotta (other brands available).

Shredded paper (enough of) makes a huge difference in my hotbin between
failure and 70C composting.

I'm not entirely convinced that the ratio of brown to green material
really matters that much so long as you add enough of it in a single go
for it to get properly hot internally. I add about 1m^3 at a time and
except right at the start of the season it goes hot within 3 days. Once
or twice I have had it smouldering internally with smoke. Smells of
short chain fatty acids when it is at if hottest.

Chippings work and I have observed dried crinkly leaves have done some
good in lieu of paper when I ran out.

So does cardboard stuffed through the chipper (mine can). Good way to
lose a few Amazon boxes.

It's possible the chemical composition of paper is advantageous over the
other options with regard to it becoming part of the breakdown process
and supplying carbon to the reactions, as opposed to merely keeping the
pile ventilated - I'm not 100% sure.

I think the main thing is to allow enough air in and not squash it down.
If it goes anaerobic then foul smelling green slime is the result.

I can see that being an issue with chippings, but leaves???

Leaves tend to have a lot of tannins in which inhibit some of the fungi.
I make my own leaf mould - using the green recycling bin. One bug green
bin produces enough proto leaf mould to fit in a small classic black
bin. It takes two to three years to produce good quality leaf mould.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

l just put mine in the dalek and forget about it. l have three daleks and take my neighbours lawn cutting as well. l have an area which l call the tip, and all weeds go on that. Ordinary kitchen waste goes in the Dalek as well. Useful because l have a colony of slow worms in the garden. l find them in the daleks and baby ones under stones as well. The daleks are on open soil available to worms. They take over and produce rich compost for me over a period of about 18 months. When the worms are really active they climb right into the lid.