Author Topic: Home Composting  (Read 3956 times)

lottie-newbe

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Home Composting
« on: July 24, 2008, 17:02:59 »
Hi everyone

I have taken on a new allotment back in feb & didnt realise how hard it was going to be - I had these big plans that I was gonna be able to clear the lot & start planting straight away however this didnt happen as I have a 3 & 4yr old who despite loving going do sometimes get in the way when trying to help me dig.

Anyway I have decided to get into the full swing of clearing it & I am looking to get a composter - could anyone here give me their opinions of the "green joanna" hot composter - as they are very expensive I dont want to waste my money

Thanks

Sparkly

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2008, 17:06:33 »
We have the black darlek ones. Try looking on your council website, many councils have schemes to let you buy composters cheaply. We got 2 of the largest darleks and a small bucket for transfering veg peelings delivered for under £20. They work okay. You could always build one out of some old pallets and chicken wire.

Borlotti

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2008, 17:09:11 »
Yes we bought ours from the Council.  A black one for home and at the allotment a large wooden box.  Hope you enjoy your new hobby, but beware as it can take over your life.  I just love being up there but housework and granchildren and husbands can be neglected.  Not a 'golf widow' but an allotment one.

tim

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2008, 17:52:19 »
Not pretty perhaps, but then they have been there for 48 years!!

Fork

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2008, 18:20:06 »
The "Green Joanna" sounds expensive but I just googled it and you can compost cooked food waste with it.

Most of my cooked food waste is composted by the dog!  ;D
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Eristic

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2008, 22:50:13 »
The cheapest and most efficient composter is the Moriati method.


http://bluewisteria.co.uk/tools/compost.php

ceres

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2008, 23:14:26 »
I wopuldn't have thought one of those would be big enough for allotment use - certainly wouldn't be for mine.  And it seems to need careful management too.  Maybe better for home use for kitchen plus small amounts of garden waste? 

caroline7758

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2008, 09:09:38 »
Would you use the moriati method for composting weeds, Eristic? I'm collecting mine in compost bags but have a couple of builder's bags I could use instead, but didn't think they would be dark enough.

Eristic

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2008, 14:34:14 »
Light or darkness is not a requirement for composting. To make good compost the vegetation requires air and moisture. Roots of couch grass and bindweed must be killed first but I put in pretty much anything soft including grass cuttings and leaves as they become available. Aim to fill a bag as quickly as possible. This causes a rapid increase in heat which in turn kills off the weeds anyway.

In 12 months I manage to produce my own potting compost with the addition of topsoil and sharp sand.

redimp

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2008, 14:51:50 »
Lack of light will kill off couch and other perennial roots during the compost process though. 
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KathrynH

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2008, 21:44:40 »
That doesn't work for me. I tried puttng bindweed roots and couch grass in my compost bin and they just started growing again. Any tips on how to kill them off first?

Eristic

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2008, 22:11:29 »
In hot times just leave the roots in a loose pile to dessicate. At other times put them in a bucket along with the inevitable rain. Only problem with this method is the pong.

Good Gourd 2

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #12 on: July 25, 2008, 22:36:06 »
Try your local tip, ours sells things and you can pick up loads of compost bins for next to nothing.  It does not matter on the lotty if they don`t match. 

littlebabybird

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2008, 03:57:49 »
hi i have had a green joanna and a green cone for a while now, dont waste your time or money


kt.

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2008, 08:25:25 »
opinions of the "green joanna" hot composter - as they are very expensive I dont want to waste my money

You can buy cheaper cmopost bins here that are just as effective.
http://www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/index.html
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Fork

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #15 on: July 26, 2008, 08:50:58 »
You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friends nose

Robert_Brenchley

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2008, 23:14:04 »
Cover the roots up and let them grow in darkness. The more they grow, the sooner they run out of energy and die.

lottie-newbe

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #17 on: July 29, 2008, 14:44:54 »
Sorry for the delay in replying - but thanks for all your comments - I have decided to do the moraiti method - i`m sending my dad off to the local builders merchants to get me a couple of their sandbags to start me off

Thanks again you managed to save me nearly £100 :D

tim

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #18 on: July 31, 2008, 11:31:02 »
Certainly not cheap, but what I believed I wanted to replace our vintage ones.

Now we have an argument with Evergreener. They say fast composting thanks to optimised ventilation system & thermo walls.

A load of b**l so far as I can see! Any ideas??




Eristic

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Re: Home Composting
« Reply #19 on: August 01, 2008, 04:23:29 »


My compost corner. All due for a shuffle turn soon.

 

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