Author Topic: compost from scratch (Read 6548 times)

Ceri · « **on:** October 07, 2003, 17:59:50 »

Having started my allotment from a wilderness of marestail etc I do not want to compost, I'm at a bit of a loss of what I can use to add bulk to make enough compost for my first season - I've got half a barrow load of rotted straw/manure, 1/2 a bag of grass clippings from my home lawn, newspapers, and half a bag of general soft prunings from my garden. The veg peelings etc from my kitchen are only just enough for my garden compost bins. This has only created the tiniest mound to date. When I get off by backside and get down the beach I can get some seaweed - is there anything else I can add to create a respectably sized heap that has a chance of getting just a tiny bit warm? 2nd question - I can get hold of a bag of human hair clippings - I'm told hair composts well - is that true?

ruth_daniels · « **Reply #1 on:** October 07, 2003, 18:10:01 »

Hi Cerig, had a letter from my local council yesterday telling me I had won a composter !!!

With the letter was an instruction leaflet in which it says you CAN compost; TEABAGS,COFFEE GROUNDS,CONTENTS OF VACUUM CLEANERS,EGGSHELLS,HAIR,PURE COTTON/WOOL (CUT UP T.SHIRTS/JUMPERS)FEATHERS,PET BEDDING,CARDBOARD TUBES,EGGBOXES,PAPER TOWELS AND BAGS,WINTER LEAVES,STRAW AND HAY.PLUS GARDEN WASTE.

Hope this is a help and happy composting. :)

allotment_chick · « **Reply #2 on:** October 07, 2003, 19:02:22 »

Hi Cerig
Starbucks will be happy for you to take their coffee grounds (useful as part of a BIG heap - they have lots of coffee grounds, obviously!), speak to your neighbours and ask them to let you have their grass cuttings and to local greengrocers to see if you can relieve them of their out of date stuff and the outsides of caulis etc that they normally bin, do a tour of the local stables and get yourself some muck, visit the parks and scoop up the leaves (best kept separate as leaf mould), any local friendly restauranteurs who separate out their prep? Could even ask the local chippy at a push - where do they put all their peelings.....? Off now to pot up me 25 strawberry plants 'cos the patch still isn't ready! :D

Ceri · « **Reply #3 on:** October 07, 2003, 19:33:43 »

Firstly, I apologise for my first sentence - but it seems you all know what I actually meant to type! Nice one Ruth - what did you have to do to win the composter?

Thank you to you and A-Chick for the ideas - I'll be off round the local coffee houses/barbers tomorrow!

Cheers

merv · « **Reply #4 on:** October 07, 2003, 19:45:18 »

Hiya :)

Most Councils are giving away free compost bins (black) and the little green one for home. IN Lancashire you can get one on-line at http://www.compost-it.org.

If you just try http://www.compost-it.org.uk You may bring up your area.

We have been asking all Councils to make them available under their "sustainability" responsibility. (part of govt trying to bring recycling up to 25%)

Or,go to your council web page usually..

www.yourcouncil.gov.uk

And see who's giving them away.

ruth_daniels · « **Reply #5 on:** October 07, 2003, 20:49:21 »

Quote

Firstly, I apologise for my first sentence - but it seems you all know what I actually meant to type! Nice one Ruth - what did you have to do to win the composter?

Thank you to you and A-Chick for the ideas - I'll be off round the local coffee houses/barbers tomorrow!

Cheers

Hi Cerig, it was that long ago I had a job to remember but I only filled a questionnaire in for them all about re- cycling !!!!!

They must have been desperate to get rid of them !!!! ???

I'm not complaining, I've got another hobby now !! 8)

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #6 on:** October 07, 2003, 21:17:23 »

Contents of hoover huh - never heard that one but I shall start saving it! Every little helps huh ;D

Palustris · « **Reply #7 on:** October 07, 2003, 22:20:01 »

Contents of vacuum cleaner good if your carpets are natural fibres rather than man made (or of course if you have wooden floors when most of the dust will be dead skin.
Seaweed is the absolute tops both for adding to your compost and as a top dressing on the soil. We collected huge mounds of it for my parents garden and turned the soil from dust to good soil in two seasons.

tim · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2003, 22:31:29 »

we put out at least a gallon of whatever every day - everything 'meltable' - we don't do it like we should, but every 6 months or so, we get a heap of stuff that covers 200'sq. We have 6 pens, a metre square. Not too wet, not too dry! - Tim

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #9 on:** October 08, 2003, 01:33:38 »

okay...tell me about seaweed ??? I'm popping off to Devon to see the olds in a couple of weeks and could fill a bin liner or two....should smell great as we waft past stonehenge :P Once I have it....what do I do with it....and is there a good seaweed and a bad seaweed? hmmmmmmmm ???

tim · « **Reply #10 on:** October 08, 2003, 15:05:58 »

OK - I will! - since you ask ----

In Jersey, before WW2, we used 'vraic', or seaweed on everything, as professional growers. Usually the long, broad ribbons, but don't be fussy - they are the ones you also eat as 'laver bread'.

Best to compost them if you can, so that, when they get on the ground, they will melt in more quickly.

Jolly good stuff! And not that 'smelly'. Just 'sea air'. - Tim

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #11 on:** October 08, 2003, 17:19:19 »

Great! My husband is overjoyed >:( at the prospects of spending an afternoon at the beach not playing with the kids, but filling up a couple of sacks with seaweed, and then driving back to Essex with it in the boot, watching as all the wee crabs and other 'sea creepy cawlies' start emerging! ;D My compost will be FAB!

jethro · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2003, 18:50:14 »

Hi Emmajane, if your husband is that happy ;D you can get extract of seaweed. You dilute it and sprinkle it on the compost, it can be bought at any garden centre :D. It works just the same as the 'real stuff'

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #13 on:** October 08, 2003, 19:16:01 »

...but the thought of making him so happy! ;D No, I shall bring back a sample of the real macoy, plus the heap could do with the bulk it will provide. Hope it doesn't encourage any passing seaguls down to take a gander :o

tim · « **Reply #14 on:** October 08, 2003, 23:04:41 »

and, of course, it's FREE?

No experience of seagulls, returning from the seaside, but did rescue a cormorant once. Ungrateful ***** - it lashed out with its beak all the way to the RSPCA - and what a beak! - and almost destroyed the wooden fascia of our lovely new Rover 90.

Still, that made us happy! - Tim

Ceri · « **Reply #15 on:** October 10, 2003, 17:47:06 »

Just got back from nice windy beach with a big bin bag of seaweed, one soaking wet practically naked child and a very sandy car!! I now have one bag of seaweed, one bag of grass cuttings, one of soft things from my own garden and a load of veg peel. I've also got very nice gardening neighbour with trailer to agree to go with me in 2 weeks and get a load of manure so I'm off to a good start. While I'm on about composting - what's the opinion of using non-rotted stuff with newspaper in a bean trench now ready for spring?

merv · « **Reply #16 on:** October 10, 2003, 18:11:28 »

Hiya :)

Bean trench? Are we talking Runners?

IMO runner bean trench with newspaper is really more of a water retention thing, sort of done in spring.

Be really interested to see how the seaweed works :)

Ceri · « **Reply #17 on:** October 10, 2003, 19:11:25 »

yes, I did mean runners - my dad used to make a compost trench of general stuff and plant the beans there in the spring - I was reminded as the GW magazine mentioned it. I'm presuming its OK with beans to let things rot beneath them because they won't have a problem with the nitrogen loss, whereas other veggies may be affected which is why you can only do it with beans - and why just runners?

Hyacinth · « **Reply #18 on:** October 10, 2003, 19:23:37 »

Hiya Ceri,

What a great day you've had..

My original bean trench:went down 2 spits about this time of year - all my soft garden debris went into it + veg. peelings (my patch is in the garden) + leaves + all the non-glossy bits of the Saturday Telegraph, torn up. It seemed a fitting use of the Gardening Supplement ;) When there was a layer in the bottom I covered it with soil and started another..when it snowed I put all the debris into bin bags & laid them on top of the trench (which I'd also covered with spare bags). Kept it toasty. Early spring I opened up the bags & continued filling the trench. Think I must have been the Original Bag-Lady ;D I only had to do the 2-spit trick once - every second year, now, I go down one spade-s depth and repeat it. It's really worked for me. Cheers, Lishka

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #19 on:** October 10, 2003, 20:48:41 »

Perfect timing this post. :) I have almost finished clearing and digging my plottie and have decided where I am going to do my runners and frenchies and wondered about a trench. Have heard and read about it, but never done it, so will have to start excavating in preperation. (Wonder if I can bung a bag or 2 or seaweed in when I get home from the beach....... ;D)

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Author Topic: compost from scratch (Read 6548 times)

ruth_daniels

ruth_daniels

jethro