Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

I have never composted before.

My council is offering up to two Blackwall Compost Converters (330
litre) per household. A two month trial then £19 each including
delivery (RRP £49.95 it is claimed).

Optional Accessories:

Composter bases at £9 each "to improve aeration and drainage" (RRP
£12.95);

Organica Activator at £5 each "500 ml bottle should last at least a
year" (RRP £7.15);

Compost aerator at £6.95 (rrp £9.95).

Please advise as a new person to composting what is necesary, what is
cheap etc? What is an unnecessary accessory?

Cheers
Colin

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

In article ,
Colin wrote:
I have never composted before.

My council is offering up to two Blackwall Compost Converters (330
litre) per household. A two month trial then £19 each including
delivery (RRP £49.95 it is claimed).

Optional Accessories:

Composter bases at £9 each "to improve aeration and drainage" (RRP
£12.95);

Organica Activator at £5 each "500 ml bottle should last at least a
year" (RRP £7.15);

Compost aerator at £6.95 (rrp £9.95).

Please advise as a new person to composting what is necesary, what is
cheap etc? What is an unnecessary accessory?

None of the above and all of the above, respectively. See:

http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/faqcmpst1.htm
http://www.nugget.demon.co.uk/MetaFAQ/compost.html

The composting bins probably have their place when what you are
composting is primarily kitchen waste, and have a small garden.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

"Colin" wrote in message
om...
I have never composted before.

My council is offering up to two Blackwall Compost Converters (330
litre) per household. A two month trial then £19 each including
delivery (RRP £49.95 it is claimed).

Optional Accessories:

Composter bases at £9 each "to improve aeration and drainage" (RRP
£12.95);

Organica Activator at £5 each "500 ml bottle should last at least a
year" (RRP £7.15);

Compost aerator at £6.95 (rrp £9.95).

Please advise as a new person to composting what is necesary, what is
cheap etc? What is an unnecessary accessory?

All of the above is unnecessary. Nail four old pallets together. They are
freely available nowadays, most industrial estates are paying to have them
taken away.

Nail 8 pallets together, have a matching pair. Beat the joneses.

And for god's sake, don't buy worms. Worms are also free, as you'll find out
when you start composting. Don't worry, they'll find it.

Steve

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

"Colin" wrote in message
om...
I have never composted before.

My council is offering up to two Blackwall Compost Converters (330
litre) per household. A two month trial then £19 each including
delivery (RRP £49.95 it is claimed).

Optional Accessories:

Composter bases at £9 each "to improve aeration and drainage" (RRP
£12.95);

Organica Activator at £5 each "500 ml bottle should last at least a
year" (RRP £7.15);

Compost aerator at £6.95 (rrp £9.95).

Please advise as a new person to composting what is necesary, what is
cheap etc? What is an unnecessary accessory?

All of the above is unnecessary. Nail four old pallets together. They are
freely available nowadays, most industrial estates are paying to have them
taken away.

Nail 8 pallets together, have a matching pair. Beat the joneses.

And for god's sake, don't buy worms. Worms are also free, as you'll find out
when you start composting. Don't worry, they'll find it.

Steve

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

In article , Alastair
writes
(Colin) wrote in message news:bbb06f96.0402101214.26cc
...
I have never composted before.

My council is offering up to two Blackwall Compost Converters (330
litre) per household. A two month trial then £19 each including
delivery (RRP £49.95 it is claimed).

Sounds a little pricey to be honest. My council (London Borough of
Harrow) do a 330 litre bin (delivered to your door) for a tenner.
However, I have no idea how much a DIY shed bought composter would
cost, so twenty quid may still be cheap and I may just have a very
generous council. :o)

*Our* council gives us one for nowt :)))))))))))))

But you don't need one at all - all you need is a 'contained' heap.
You can use what you want to contain it. Old pallets seems to be a
favourite!
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

"Franz Heymann" wrote in news:c0bjqe$qag
:


"Colin" wrote in message
om...
I have never composted before.

My council is offering up to two Blackwall Compost Converters (330
litre) per household. A two month trial then £19 each including
delivery (RRP £49.95 it is claimed).

Good, if the bin has a small door at the bottom to enable compost to be
shovelled out from the bottom.

Have you actually got a bottom door that works then? When I've tried these
I've found it almost impossible to get the compost out of the little
trapdoor.

Much easier to lift the whole thing off the top. I therefore prefer the
'dalek' shapes to the more upright 'cylinder' ones with a little door.

Victoria

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

You may find better prices at the local Garden Centre. I did.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

Council supplied composter-a good deal?
 

"Colin" wrote in message
om...
I have never composted before.

My council is offering up to two Blackwall Compost Converters (330
litre) per household. A two month trial then £19 each including
delivery (RRP £49.95 it is claimed).
snip
Organica Activator at £5 each "500 ml bottle should last at least a
year" (RRP £7.15);

I've no idea about comparable prices but to answer one question; I produce
my own compost activator perfectly organically on a regular basis every
day and to pay for it would be a waste, just urine does it.

--
Chris Thomas
West Cork
Ireland