Topic: compost from the tip

[triffid]

Alishka, thank you -- will pass on your brilliant advice. She's not work-shy and she has an enthusiastic OH (it's their first home!) so I bet they'll get going right away.  They can probably use all the prunings from the overhanging tree branches they're cutting back, rather than 'brown binning' them.

[theothermarg]

It seems my council ( South Glos near Bristol) have a honesty box and you just take some bags and help yourself only just heard about it guy who told me thinks it,s OK

[Hyacinth]

triff, glad I posted,  then :) 2 spits into clay is b. backbreaking at the time but the good news is...it'll only need to be done once in a lifetime, so by the time they've also removed all the half-housebricks & roots they'll come across they'll know that the depth is going to support, unhindered, anything they're likely to grow. Garotta's the name of the accelerator I couldn't remember earlier ::) and if they cover the trenches with black binbags will help accelerate the composting and warm the soil up for spring planting. Keep them fit too ;D  A win-win situation 8)

[Val]

It seems my council ( South Glos near Bristol) have a honesty box and you just take some bags and help yourself only just heard about it guy who told me thinks it,s OK

Oh what? thats it I'm moving, our council won't even supply the green garden bins anymore, they told us to put it in the normal black waste bin. Think Canterbury council should be named and shamed , obviously not very enviroment friendly.

[Greenfingers Jo]

Most councils have this but it isn't up to much.I know with my council that there is too much heavy metals in it to be called compost so it is labelled soil improver of conditioner. Fine for non edible plants but DEFINITELY not for edibles.

[cambourne7]

we get about 8 tons delivered every month for free :-)

We now get horse manure delivered free and wood chips :-)

Dont ask dont get.

Try getting your allotment association/parish council to call and see what can be arranged.

[ruffmeister]

WOW!!! free compost and manure!!!!! shocking

we only get free leaf mulch

[wahaj]

you guys so much about what you can get from your local council. who do i ring to find out what i can get free and what i have to pay for with regards to gardens/allotments?

the last time i rang them to ask about compost bin prices they treated me like i was asking for a free car.

[cambourne7]

have a look at who collects your green bin and see where it goes then contact that company directly its what we did.

[wahaj]

have a look at who collects your green bin and see where it goes then contact that company directly its what we did.

oh.....like...follow them, lol.

i'm pretty sure it's the local council that collects it.

[Trevor Holloway]

I'm tempted to :
go round early on the morning the "green bag" lorry comes round and empty the bags for them
or
drop a note through the door of the houses in the scheme to volunteer to take their green waste away for them and compost it myself !!

[cambourne7]

have a look at who collects your green bin and see where it goes then contact that company directly its what we did.

oh.....like...follow them, lol.

i'm pretty sure it's the local council that collects it.

it should say on the council truck on there web site where it goes

[cambourne7]

I'm tempted to :
go round early on the morning the "green bag" lorry comes round and empty the bags for them
or
drop a note through the door of the houses in the scheme to volunteer to take their green waste away for them and compost it myself !!

Where in the world are you??

[ACE]

Try your local council website, Ours puts all the refuse collection details and civic amenities etc. No need to leave your armchair.

[Trevor Holloway]

I'm in Elmbridge Council, Surrey.
I e-mailed the council to see if there was a possibility of getting some delivered but here is what happens;

They charge you to take away the green waste, compost it then you can buy it in the Garden Centres !

I'm tempted to :
go round early on the morning the "green bag" lorry comes round and empty the bags for them
or
drop a note through the door of the houses in the scheme to volunteer to take their green waste away for them and compost it myself !!

Where in the world are you??

[cambourne7]

Our 'soil improver' comes from donarbon in waterbeach (cambridgershire) and its free you just have to turn up bag and take :-) You can always head up and collect some if you have a way of transporting it.

Big tip is to look out for these places durning national compost awarness week, they usualy have tours.

[wahaj]

I've just started using the second of the 2 bags i bought from the recycling centre...and there's a handfull of corn kernels in there that have germinated in the dark inside the bag. they've only just sprouted....but i've had to pick them out and throw them away.

[cambourne7]

unusual - we have not had such issues.

[wahaj]

unusual - we have not had such issues.

yea...i mean it's not bad compost...but i wouldn't use it to put things. it's just pure rotted material....not very good drainage. obviously no peat or particular nutrients for pots. It's good to put in the borders though.

[cambourne7]

...yep, I have filled my raised beds with it.

I have added some sived broken down clay soil & bone meal to it and i am looking to add perlight or vermiculite to lighten it.

This sits on my heavy clay soil dug over with some horse manure.

Yum