Allotments 4 All

Hmmm...think we are talking at cross purposes here but never mind.   ;)  You've done a good job there, Wardy.  Was your new sieve just a simple one or a rotosieve?

G xx

Acording to Monty, you should chop up your composting material as fine as possible before you put it in the bin. I suppose if you did this you wouldnt have to riddle it (so much).

However practicaly speaking who actualy has the time to go through thier stuff to compost and chop it all up? I certainly dont. I just break it up as best i can, put it in then chop at it with the spade (also firms the mix down a bit), then leave it and see what happens. OK so i get a fair few lumpy bits. So what? they just go back in to start the next lot off.

I guess it rather depends on whether we are talking about one fairly small 'darlek' bin in your garden (like mine) or multiple/bigger compost bins on a full sized allotment.  When I got my bin last year I read that it was necessary to chop stuff up fairly finely (particularly more woody material) for smaller bins because they don't get that hot.  So that's what I do.  It doesn't take long and it's a good excuse for a little sit down.   ;)

G xx

My daleks get red hot!  :o  I enjoy hacking up the big bits - I think I'm whacking someone I don't like.  If there's loads of stuff I leave it on the ground for a bit to wilt as it's then easier to cram in the bin

I used an ordinary sieve in the end as I could only get a metal sieve with little holes so not much good. Wish I had a rotosieve.  I'll go and look on ebay as if I'm making so much compost I'm going to need something easier than sieveing all day with a titchy sieve  :)

Do let me know how you get on on ebay.  I've never used that site myself, looks a bit daunting to me.   :-\

G xx

Ebay is easy but I got fooled by a bloke charging £5 for postage when the thing only cost about 49 p to post.  I pointed out that he'd made an error and he told me I was an idiot  ;D  Nice  ;D

Anyway I found a "sieve" on the allotment.  it was holding down my sheet mulch and it's a wire office tray which someone had thrown out.  Good sized holes for getting the sticks out of me compost. 

Not been on ebay yet but will do as I think I might need something quicker and easier for compost sifting as I think I'm going to be doing a lot of it. 

Just taken the time to read this thread  :-[ Your compost looks great Georgie, your's too Lord Steve and Wardy. Mine looks pretty much like yours when it comes out the bin Georgie, bit less twigs in mine though.

LS, your bin looks just like mine, does yours have 4 slide up doors?

I use mine for mulching around plants that need that little bit extra, for going into planting holes and just started mixing it with cheap MP compost and sharp sand for containers and baskets. It worked well doing it this way for my summer baskets.

Welcome to the compost lovers thread, twospot.  We demand to see a pic!  ;)   ;D

G xx

 :-[ Do I have to?














Okay  ;D but it might be a day or two before I can get a piccie, it's to rain for the next 2 or 3 days  :(

I saw a frog hop into my compost bin the other day so I don't want to disturb it!

I don't pick anything out of my compost. Anything still alive gets picked out when I spread it and put back in the dalek, sticks (mostly from the dead leaves I use) get picked out when I get a round tuit. I don't have one very often.

Difficult to grow, Robert??

I used my homemade compost round my leeks yesterday and in last years onion bed to make a nice tilth for sowing carrots and winter lettuce in. I'm hoping all the eggshells in it will deter slugs.  Still got lots left

No pics of the actual compost I am afraid but here is one of my 'compost factory'. This was taken just after i had goten it set up. Before this I had the bins scattered about the garden wherever there was space.



I start with the big green bin with fresh stuff then turn it into the one next door. Finaly the finished stuff goes in the small bin for storage (and to carry on breaking down if its still a bit lumpy).

Good stuff GC  :)  My factory has just been extended by two new daleks so now I have 11  ;D  It looks like they're breeding  ;D

My low-tech compost heap (old doors for sides, old carpet for lid)  :)

Nice work, Simon.   ;D

G xx

I keep looking in charity shops for one of those padded exercise mats which I think would make a good insulated cover for me compost bin, or an old tank jacket./

Your compost looks good enough to eat Sime  :)

;D Hmm! Forest Gateau springs to mind ;D save some for me ;D

Is a lid essential? as I have a pallet bin with open air sides and no lid?

I cover mine up when its full, and in winter. That bin is one of three, so the compost is 1-2 years old, it gets spread on to ground left bare by cleared crops, to be dug in later  :)