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compost again
I'm new to this gardening stuff. I started a compost heap last year when
the local council were flogging cheap compost bins. I didn't have much luck at first. Then I took some hints about the benefits of urine - won't go into the whys and wherefores collecting it at the mo! Then someone happened to mention that if there were ants in the heap, it was too dry so I added a bit of water to it the other day. Opened it this morning to check on progress and it appears to be steaming nicely with no sign of the ants and with definite signs of reduction in bulk. I felt quite smug. I'm giving nettle manure a try next as per the instructions on the FAQ list! Of course, it woud be even more exciting if my garden had more stuff to feed! Sorry - these little things in life are mildly thrilling to the uninitiated ignoramus! Vicky |
compost again
In article , Vicky
writes I'm new to this gardening stuff. I started a compost heap last year when the local council were flogging cheap compost bins. I didn't have much luck at first. Then I took some hints about the benefits of urine - won't go into the whys and wherefores collecting it at the mo! Then someone happened to mention that if there were ants in the heap, it was too dry so I added a bit of water to it the other day. Opened it this morning to check on progress and it appears to be steaming nicely with no sign of the ants and with definite signs of reduction in bulk. I felt quite smug. I'm giving nettle manure a try next as per the instructions on the FAQ list! Of course, it woud be even more exciting if my garden had more stuff to feed! Sorry - these little things in life are mildly thrilling to the uninitiated ignoramus! No need for a sorry! It's lovely to hear how people are getting on, and to know that urg advice comes in useful sometimes ;-) Just you wait till you empty your heap and find the first layer of soil at the bottom - that's a huge thrill too, when you compare it with what went into the heap. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
compost again
Vicky wrote:
I'm new to this gardening stuff. I started a compost heap last year when the local council were flogging cheap compost bins. I didn't have much luck at first. Then I took some hints about the benefits of urine - won't go into the whys and wherefores collecting it at the mo! Then someone happened to mention that if there were ants in the heap, it was too dry so I added a bit of water to it the other day. Opened it this morning to check on progress and it appears to be steaming nicely with no sign of the ants and with definite signs of reduction in bulk. I felt quite smug. I'm giving nettle manure a try next as per the instructions on the FAQ list! Of course, it woud be even more exciting if my garden had more stuff to feed! Sorry - these little things in life are mildly thrilling to the uninitiated ignoramus! It's worse than thrilling, it's addictive. I visit the bin nearest the house every day just to see how it's doing. If it's not happy, I try to cheer it up with a handful of garden lime, or some grass clippings, or some dilute urine. Bit like making good homemade soup... The Compost Master programme is still running; when leafleting passers-by at a garden centre about the benefits of composting the other weekend it seemed that far more than 30% were already doing so. I suggested we run a Compost Show -- more an excuse for a party than a true competition, but people could bring in jars of their own best compost for judging :-) regards sarah ps. Next week is International Compost Week! -- Think of it as evolution in action. |
compost again
sw wrote:
Vicky wrote: more an excuse for a party than a true competition, but people could bring in jars of their own best compost for judging :-) and folks could bring along jars of their best compost activator too..... pk |
compost again
The message
from "Vicky" contains these words: I'm new to this gardening stuff. I started a compost heap last year when the local council were flogging cheap compost bins. I didn't have much luck at first. Then I took some hints about the benefits of urine - won't go into the whys and wherefores collecting it at the mo! Then someone happened to mention that if there were ants in the heap, it was too dry so I added a bit of water to it the other day. Opened it this morning to check on progress and it appears to be steaming nicely with no sign of the ants and with definite signs of reduction in bulk. I felt quite smug. I'm giving nettle manure a try next as per the instructions on the FAQ list! Of course, it woud be even more exciting if my garden had more stuff to feed! Hey, there's lots of free compost-heap food outside your garden, just waiting for you to collect it. All you need is some plastic sacks. Neighbours' grass cuttings, harvested nettles, bracken (green or brown) or rosebay willow herb from wasteland, seaweed, greengrocer's trimmings, autumn leaves, manure, hairdresser's floor sweepings. Do you know anyone who keeps chickens, rabbits, pet birds, guinea pigs? They might be very glad if you would dispose of their hutch cleanings. You can grow comfrey to bulk up your manure heap and activate it; Bocking 14 is a giant variety that stays where you plant it and neither seeds nor spreads by runners. Sorry - these little things in life are mildly thrilling to the uninitiated ignoramus! Just wait until you start visiting other peoples' compost heaps on their garden open day :~} Janet |
compost again
In article , Janet Baraclough.
.. writes Just wait until you start visiting other peoples' compost heaps on their garden open day :~} And the first thing you must do is to lift the covering and *feel* it - to see how hot it is!!!!!!!!! -- 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 |
compost again
In article , gary davis
writes PS: Please email me directly as I don't often read this newsgroup. That's very rude, Gary, as we would *all* like to benefit from the discussions . . . that is why we subscribe here, after all. To take the discussion to private email is as rude as whispering behind your hand in company :( -- 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 |
compost again
In message , Janet
Baraclough.. writes You can grow comfrey to bulk up your manure heap and activate it; Bocking 14 is a giant variety that stays where you plant it and neither seeds nor spreads by runners. I've printed out your post to show my HDRA-sourced Bocking 14. Hopefully it will then get the message that despatching scout plants is an unacceptable way to behave. ;=) (It doesn't do it very much though, and it has been there a long time so it's probably getting bored of the view.) -- dave @ stejonda |
compost again
"sw" wrote in message o.uk... PK wrote: sw wrote: Vicky wrote: more an excuse for a party than a true competition, but people could bring in jars of their own best compost for judging :-) and folks could bring along jars of their best compost activator too..... Well, we could cheerfully generate it anyway :-) I had the best compost ever this year:) Last year, some of you may remember the complaints from my neighbour over my smelly stuff. Well I took to heart all the advice I got here and now it is wonderful:) I am so proud of it LOL Ophelia |
compost again
On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:52:12 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote: "sw" wrote in message . co.uk... PK wrote: sw wrote: Vicky wrote: more an excuse for a party than a true competition, but people could bring in jars of their own best compost for judging :-) and folks could bring along jars of their best compost activator too..... Well, we could cheerfully generate it anyway :-) I had the best compost ever this year:) Last year, some of you may remember the complaints from my neighbour over my smelly stuff. Well I took to heart all the advice I got here and now it is wonderful:) I am so proud of it LOL Donate your activator to Ophelia week? |
compost again
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compost again
Donate your activator to Ophelia week? If she really wants my "supply", I'd gladly send some! My husband - selfish git - refuses to pee into the compost heap before he goes to work in the morning and early morning "activator" is soooo much the best of the day I reckon........... So how would you like my contribution packaged Ophelia? Vicky |
compost again
Ophelia wrote:
"sw" wrote in message o.uk... PK wrote: sw wrote: Vicky wrote: more an excuse for a party than a true competition, but people could bring in jars of their own best compost for judging :-) and folks could bring along jars of their best compost activator too..... Well, we could cheerfully generate it anyway :-) I had the best compost ever this year:) Last year, some of you may remember the complaints from my neighbour over my smelly stuff. Well I took to heart all the advice I got here and now it is wonderful:) I am so proud of it LOL Everyone who produces good compost should be proud of it :-) regards sarah -- Think of it as evolution in action. |
compost again
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