A lady friend of mine started composting a few years ago and complained
that "It's just not working. It isn't doing anything." I told her don't
worry about it, just keep adding your kitchen 'stuff'. And have faith...
Today my son and I went to help out with a few things and one of them
was to empty the compost bin. This lady friend grows tomatoes. The plan was
to put the 'not working stuff' on her garden.
My son and I lifted the whole bin from the compost pile...after removing
the screws holding the bin to the ground...the compost was then left naked
for viewing.
The top 1/4, which would be viewed from the top opening, had not
decomposed. From the top it would look as if nothing was happening thus the
"It's not working" comment above. The bottom 3/4 was an amazing mix of good
black soil.
We put the top 1/4 of the compost bin contents (uncomposted) onto a
plastic sheet then obtained 2 trash cans of black wonderful nutritious soil.
We spread the black gold on the garden area and then dug it in...we dug it
in right away because it contains live 'good' bacteria that we want to keep
living in the soil. A living soil!
This bodes well for next years crop of tomatoes...I can hardly wait.
Compost fears? Don't worry just keep adding your kitchen stuff and have
faith.
The top 1/4 of the compost (uncomposted stuff) we put back into the bin
and added some of the former good composted soil...then I topped it off with
a good layer of coffee grounds (including paper filters) that I had obtained
from a local coffee shop. My worms love me and now so do the local coffee
shops!
After next years crop of tomatoes maybe my lady friend will love me
too...after all she is my mother and she is 90!
Gary

"Gary" wrote in message
...
A lady friend of mine started composting a few years ago and
complained


Do we assume from that statement, that "nothing" had been done to it in the
intervening years? No turning? No activator?

Mike


--
H.M.S.Collingwood Ass. Llandudno 20 - 23 May Trip to Portmeirion
National Service (RAF) Ass. Cosford 24 - 27 June Lanc Bomber Fly Past
H.M.S.Impregnable Ass. Sussex 1 - 4 July Visit to Int. Fest of the Sea
British Pacific Fleet. Derby 2 - 5 Sept. Visit to Denby Pottery

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:33:01 GMT, Gary wrote:

The top 1/4, which would be viewed from the top opening, had not
decomposed. From the top it would look as if nothing was happening thus the
"It's not working" comment above. The bottom 3/4 was an amazing mix of good
black soil.

That's very comforting news and I hope my compost turns out that way too
because the top of mine just looks plain boring! I hope it's seething
underneath too.

I am into my first year of gardening and it's important because the life
style I've chosen, having taken early retirement, is to be almost
totally self sufficient in food (I'm a vegetarian) and pay the bills by
letting out a small holiday house beside my own here in France. The only
gardening I did before this was to help my Dad during the holidays so
I'm reading posts avidly in all gardening forums to glean as much
information as possible. I have very friendly villagers here too who
have taken me under their wing - probably out of sympathy!

--
Richard 20/01/2005 12:02:48

I am into my first year of gardening and it's important because the life
style I've chosen, having taken early retirement, is to be almost
totally self sufficient in food

Sounds good. My neighbour used to have a compost heap next to our fence and
nothing would grown nearby. Then I found he was putting his grass cuttings
on it - complete with its residue of lawn weed killer he liked to use.
DaveK.

I am into my first year of gardening and it's important because the life
style I've chosen, having taken early retirement, is to be almost
totally self sufficient in food

That all sounds very good, do as much as you can now while you are still
active because I found that I had to change my plans because I ran out
of energy, so do it while you can :-)
I never turn my compost because it is a horse muck heap and there is too
much to turn, the top looks rubbish but underneath is wonderful.
kate

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 11:52:48 -0000, davek wrote:

Then I found he was putting his grass cuttings
on it - complete with its residue of lawn weed killer he liked to use.

I'm trying to go completely organic, no chemicals at all if possible.
--
Richard 20/01/2005 13:30:59

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 12:21:53 GMT, Kate Morgan wrote:

do as much as you can now while you are still active because I found
that I had to change my plans because I ran out of energy, so do it
while you can :-)

Well, I'm only 55 and still go to the gym and cycle 3 or 4 times a week
but I'm well aware that things will eventually slow down. That's in the
future though and I'm loving the now!

--
Richard 20/01/2005 16:51:37

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 13:51:05 GMT, Janet Baraclough wrote:

You can speed things up at this stage, by adding some red brandling
worms.

Gosh, learn something new every day. On the subject of worms I
rotorvated and manured my vegetable garden but I have only seen one
single solitary worm in the whole patch which is a good 30X30 yards. A
bit worrying!
--
Richard 20/01/2005 16:56:34

"Gary" wrote in message
...
A lady friend of mine started composting a few years ago and
complained
that "It's just not working. It isn't doing anything." I told her don't
worry about it, just keep adding your kitchen 'stuff'. And have faith...
Today my son and I went to help out with a few things and one of them
was to empty the compost bin. This lady friend grows tomatoes. The plan
was
to put the 'not working stuff' on her garden.
My son and I lifted the whole bin from the compost pile...after
removing
the screws holding the bin to the ground...the compost was then left naked
for viewing.
The top 1/4, which would be viewed from the top opening, had not
decomposed. From the top it would look as if nothing was happening thus
the
"It's not working" comment above. The bottom 3/4 was an amazing mix of
good
black soil.
We put the top 1/4 of the compost bin contents (uncomposted) onto a
plastic sheet then obtained 2 trash cans of black wonderful nutritious
soil.
We spread the black gold on the garden area and then dug it in...we dug it
in right away because it contains live 'good' bacteria that we want to
keep
living in the soil. A living soil!
This bodes well for next years crop of tomatoes...I can hardly wait.
Compost fears? Don't worry just keep adding your kitchen stuff and
have
faith.
The top 1/4 of the compost (uncomposted stuff) we put back into the
bin
and added some of the former good composted soil...then I topped it off
with
a good layer of coffee grounds (including paper filters) that I had
obtained
from a local coffee shop. My worms love me and now so do the local coffee
shops!
After next years crop of tomatoes maybe my lady friend will love me
too...after all she is my mother and she is 90!
Gary



What compost heaps need to really get going is a few buckets of "golden
night water "!!!
Some horse manure if you can get it from local livery stables/riding schools
they are usually happy for you to take it away

"Mike" wrote after "Gary" wrote ...
A lady friend of mine started composting a few years ago and
complained


Do we assume from that statement, that "nothing" had been done to it in
the
intervening years? No turning? No activator?


Probably not Mike, with these plastic compost bins (usually obtained from
your local Council) there is no need to turn them. Just keep adding your
kitchen waste (not leaves and garden refuse) and it just disappears. Started
ours on the allotment over 3 years ago and it's never reached the top yet
and neither have we taken anything out. It just eats it.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"rwakeford" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 13:51:05 GMT, Janet Baraclough wrote:

You can speed things up at this stage, by adding some red brandling
worms.

Gosh, learn something new every day. On the subject of worms I
rotorvated and manured my vegetable garden but I have only seen one
single solitary worm in the whole patch which is a good 30X30 yards. A
bit worrying!
--
Richard 20/01/2005 16:56:34


Phone round riding schools and livery stables they are usually only too
happy for gardeners to come and take away any amount of horse manure either
dig that in or pile it on compost heap and just watch the worms arrive

Richard wrote ...
after Kate Morgan wrote:

do as much as you can now while you are still active because I found
that I had to change my plans because I ran out of energy, so do it
while you can :-)

Well, I'm only 55 and still go to the gym and cycle 3 or 4 times a week
but I'm well aware that things will eventually slow down. That's in the
future though and I'm loving the now!


Not necessarily always true, we had a very elderly chap on the allotments
that could out dig anyone. Only gave up 'cause he moved. Recently found out
there is a 94 year old with a racing car licence (and he won a race last
year).
I'm sure a lot of it is in the mind or perhaps you have to be bloody minded
to carry on despite the aches and pains. :-)

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Richard wrote ..
after Janet wrote:

You can speed things up at this stage, by adding some red brandling
worms.

Gosh, learn something new every day. On the subject of worms I
rotorvated and manured my vegetable garden but I have only seen one
single solitary worm in the whole patch which is a good 30X30 yards. A
bit worrying!
--

Brandlings are found in warm manure heaps.

We also had no worms when we took over our largest allotment after it hadn't
been used for 20+ years, a few years of manure and compost and it's a
different story. Even worms can't live without food.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from rwakeford contains these words:

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:33:01 GMT, Gary wrote:

The top 1/4, which would be viewed from the top opening, had not
decomposed. From the top it would look as if nothing was happening
thus the
"It's not working" comment above. The bottom 3/4 was an amazing mix
of good
black soil.

That's very comforting news and I hope my compost turns out that way too
because the top of mine just looks plain boring! I hope it's seething
underneath too.

You can speed things up at this stage, by adding some red brandling
worms. Buy them from a fishing bait shop (they aren't the earth=worms
you dig from soil). They will multiply fast, and break down the compost
even more.

But shouldn't there already be some in there? (I missed the start of
this thread) They breed so fast that there's no point in buying.

In a compost heap, as opposed to a bin, the brandling worms will get in
and multiply, and if there aren't lots in there, then there's no point
in buying because it means the conditions aren't right.

(Although they are not the usual ones you find in soil, they are
abundant in the UK and will be found wherever the humus content is high)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 16:38:37 -0000, Bob Hobden wrote:

there is a 94 year old with a racing car licence (and he won a race last
year).

...and there's a 90 year old American who still gives air displays. The
FAA tried to take his licence away but there was such a big public
outcry that they had to give it back.

I'm sure a lot of it is in the mind

I'm sure all of it is in the mind. Age (as in birthdays) is a man made
thing. I had a friend who, when he turned 40, decided that he was old
and he visibly aged and then contracted cancer 4 years later.
Coincidence?

--
Richard 20/01/2005 18:43:40