compost bins, design

[STHLMgreen]

I just signed for my very first allotment yesterday!

I'd like to make a compost bin out of pallets. The current bin is made of wire mesh bin with a rasberry bush growing very close to it.

I think I'd like a two compartment design as three would take up too much space, but I'd like as much compost as possible!

In looking around the web, some sites recommend putting a pallet at the bottom, others say not to...  I'm not sure if there are currently weeds under, as the whole pile is a bit scary and contains at least one plastic bag I'll have to toss out! If there are weeds underneath I will dig them up before sitting the compost bin there. Should I use a pallet underneath as well? Or some cardboard? or nothing? What has worked for you?

Also a lid, should I use another pallet for a lid? I live in Sweden so maybe thats a good idea with the snow. Should I line the lid with something? Or line the bin with something?

One site had the bin lined with wire mesh. Do you need that or are the pallets good enough to keep it in?

Thanks in advance for the help. I know I have a lot to learn!

STHLMgreen

[STHLMgreen]

[supersprout]

Congratulations STHLM :D If you line the bottom of your bins with several layers of newspaper, or thick cardboard, or weed suppressing membrane - no need to weed, the compost will kill the weeds by excluding light! I would not put a pallet at the bottom - the wood will rot and the compost will get tangled up in it. Just start from the ground up ;)

[Doris_Pinks]

Hi STHLM, the "lid" of mine is an old duvet!  Keeps it nice and snuggly warm in the winter. ;D

[silly billy]

I have 3 pallet compost  bins.I put them straight onto the soil to allow the worms in and lined the sides with black plastic but i left a gap at the bottom to allow air in.For a lid I just use another piece of black plastic.They seem to work.

[Chocolate]

Hi Sthlm
I don't know whether its the same in your country but here the local councils sell black plastic compost bins they look a bit like DARLIKS. I'm very new to all this but am slowly getting my 'lottie sorted out. I'm not sure how any compost bin works, I have ordered three for the allotment and was told to keep them moist but nothing much else. Do I have to turn it and how much water do I put in it, I'm not keen on putting weeds in as they may come up again is this true ? Sorry to jump in on your thread Sthlm but I think we both want a hand. ;D

[STHLMgreen]

Very strangely enough only half of the allotments compost. There is a site wide compost for the annual cleanup days.

I'm not sure if the kommun sells them, but we're pretty short on cash right now and I doubt they're free like the pallets. Not sure what a DARLIK is though.

I think I'll be following silly billy's advice and skipping the bottom pallets.

I know you have to turn your compost. Not sure how often. It should be like a damp sponge is what I've read somewhere, (probably on here!) so not too wet, not too dry. 

Not sure about putting weeds in the compost. Until I can tell them apart I don't think I will. I think you can make a compost tea from them though.

We're also not allowed to compost and kitchen scraps on the lottie, only garden waste. (I'm going to include raw veg peels and things in my interpretation of this, they grow on the allotment, right?)

-STHLMgreen
(Stockholm Green)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Daleks are compost bins. Just sling the weeds in, and the odd dose of pee makes it all rot faster.

[Chocolate]

Naaawwhh  your joking  ;D
I'm not climbing on top of the bin to
try and get it in the right place, Ive got
the giggles now  :D :D :D
Darlecks are from the TV programme Doctor Who
they talk really funny and scare the children to death.
Yes, put the kitchen waste in laws are for being broken ;D
My friend started a compost bin and had to have the council
in as it was full of mice ???
I think this composting lark is going to be more trouble than its worth ::)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've had rats and mice in mine but I deal with them myself. As for the pee, I use a bucket!

[Chocolate]

Oooohhhh  Yeeaaaaahhh   ;D ;D ;D ;D

[laurieuk]

My compost "bin" consists of four wooden stakes , a lentgh of wire netting around and an opened plastic sack in the bottom to make it easy when taking the compost out.Weeds go in apart from things like couch,docks etc.I try and mix lawn mowings with the other things and I do not bother with turning.

[green sleeves]

I have been looking at making the same type of composter myself. Some of the locals use plastic pipe or plastic bottles in the bottom to let the air in, but should you use plastic to line it or treat the wood  and leave air gaps  up the side.
Also is Fern a good weed to compost, as I have a large supply of them, as for the piss , I dont think that  the kids would be that impressed with me standing doing this ( not like the days when you could write your name in the snow)

[supersprout]

LOL green sleeves, you might be surprised.
Forget who it was who posted that she took kids to the plottie and fed them fizzy drinks, then, erm, invited them to use the compost heap ;)

[Chocolate]

Love it ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Columbus]

Hi all,

I use my 3 darleks for what I think of as clean compost, Its my best quality stuff and includes horse muck, leaf mould and anything from home or off the plot that doesn`t have weed roots or seed in it. (I understand the different types of rotting processes but I needed somewhere to store horse muck, so thats how it started). This mix is used to feed runner beans, sweet peas and squashes. It goes into my cold frame.

I have two big pallet enclosures with last years leaf mould and a serving of horse muck that I`m growing pumpkins on top of. That will be dug into the soil in the autumn when I`ll need the storage for more leaves.

The darleks and the leaf mould get watered.

I have another double pallet length enclosure that is for more long-term rotting, any weedy and woody stuff goes in there along with cardboard and paper waste. This week it has also been fed with bolted lettuce and flowering broccilli.  It is topped with plastic sheet and a plastic garden table top. So far nothing has rooted or attempted to grow out of it.

They all get quite hot.

Prickly blackberry prunings are stacked under the blackberry bushes to provide homes for wildlife and because the thorns will scratch if they survive composting.

Col


Pix of darleks are here, http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/gallery/

Composting darlek can be seen here,
http://www.compost-it.org.uk/scheme/compost_bin.htm