Home Composting

[lottie-newbe]

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

[lottie-newbe]

[Sparkly]

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]

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]

Not pretty perhaps, but then they have been there for 48 years!!

[Fork]

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

[Eristic]

The cheapest and most efficient composter is the Moriati method.


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

[ceres]

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]

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]

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]

Lack of light will kill off couch and other perennial roots during the compost process though. 

[KathrynH]

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]

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]

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]

hi i have had a green joanna and a green cone for a while now, dont waste your time or money

[kt.]

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

[Fork]

Look here.The Green Joanna,much cheaper

http://www.recyclenow.com/applications/dynamic/hc_specialist_bins.rm?id=12248&shopcode=WRD/129/C

[Robert_Brenchley]

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]

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]

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]

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