How do i make a garden composter?

[westgate]

Has anyone made a composter?
What did you make it with?
What can i put in it?
How long does it take to break down?
I have an old wheelie bin, could i use this?

We are moving to the country next week and we want to go as green as we can, gonna grow veg and recycle as best we can.

We havent a clue where to start so any tips and advise will be a great help to get us started.

This is a great site, what a community, happy new year everyone!

[Chuck]

A wheelie bin won't really be suitable as compost needs air to circulate through it. Also would be very messy getting compost out as you generally take from the bottom and add to the top.
We got old pallets from a nearby industrial estate (most of these get thrown out once delivery is made). Get 4 of them and tie together with tie wraps. Put somewhere in your back garden thats not very visible and your away. Tie wraps handy as you need to open it to take composted soil out every now and then - very cheap and easy to put back together with new tie wraps then.
As for what can go in:
Grass cuttings,
non-woody garden prunings,
leaves,
flowers,
Vegetable peelings,
fruit peelings and cores,
tea leaves,
coffee grounds,
egg shells,
small amounts of paper and cardboard,
Sawdust and wood shavings,
Woodfire ash.

Basically don't put anything cooked in it or raw meat as you will attract rats.
Hope this helps.

[westgate]

very good idea, i have 4 pallets and cable ties, thanks for the tip

[Karolankan]

We have an area at the bottom of the garden between the oil tank and the boundary wall. My Hubby built a low wall to the front to contain the contents and to allow easy access. We use it for
Grass cuttings,
leaves & flowers,
Vegetable & fruit peelings,
tea leaves & coffee grounds,
raw egg shells & fire ash,
non-woody garden prunings. Any woody cuttings or prunings are put behind the oil tank and rot away in their own time.
Once a year, usually springtime, we take the top-half off the heap and add the most composted part as a top dressing to the flowerbeds and around the base of the trees in the garden. We also use it in a couple of old children's sand pits to grow some potatoes, vegetables & herbs for our own use. The children love this activity and enjoy to tending the veg pits themselves. Its fantastic to see our little one's running in to tell us another seedling has broken through the clay. Well worth the effort. We have had no problem with rats although we have a dog in the garden so maybe she helps here but we haven't seen any evidence!

[Moeby]

I know you can put egg cartons(the cardboardy type) also small amount of newspapers in as well. Composting bins are usually available at a lower cost from your local county council.

[Tribesman06]

You can add the cardboard egg cartons but instead why not get a couple of chucks and use the containers to store your own free range eggs?

The cardboard centres of toilet rolls are a worthwhile addition as they provide for circulation too.

It's important to layer the contents i.e. green waste (veg peelings, cuttings etc) followed by a layer of brown waste (shredded paper, cardboard etc).

I use two 'pallet bins' side by side as it takes a while for the matter to compost but when it does you should have a crumbly soil like material.

Try to avoid putting weeds in.

Good Luck

[Hotlipsxx01]

http://www.rrfb.com/pages/compost/Complan.html

check it out, my mother did it years ago, as advised just elevate the bin and puncture holes in bottom as well as sides.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga.../compost_1.php

for list of what can be composted which is what you put in your brown bin if you have one, anything that decomposes itself basically

in general it can take up to two years for compost to turn to fretilizer for you to use on flowers, etc. but you can scatter ashes mixed with potato peelings for example directly onto the ground where any bushes, flowers grow from

it translates as food to worms etc. as old and rotten fruit would and where there are worms you have healthy soil, etc.

good luck with it

[westgate]

Thanks to all who replied, some good tips aswell

[norajoe]

Hi
Keep your wheelie bin as a waterbutt.put a tap fitting on the bottom of it and put blocks under it so your watering can will fit undre it.Secure the lid with screws or similar to prevent any tragedies.

[Bubbles2]

If using a wheelie bin you could tie old carpeting or such like around the bin in winter to contain the heat and which helps speed up the break down of the matter in the bin.
B2

[Ecoprincess]

to make a wormery, take something like a plastic dustbin, drill holes in the bottom about 10 should do it.

Put a good dollop of manure in and make sure it has some of those nice red worms in, put soil on top about one spade full and leave with lid on for about a week, then start putting kitchen scraps in, including cooked food, occationally putting spadefulls of soil in. If it gets wet looking and the worms climb up the sides put in wripped up newspaper, egg cartons etc if too dry add some water. Leave in winter as the worms go into the centre to keep warm and hibernate.

Make sure to have food available for them at all times - kitchen scraps that is.

Keep beside your compost bin.

[robertsmith314]

Compost is the single most important supplement you can give your garden. It’s a simple way to add nutrient-rich humus to your lawn or garden that fuels plant growth and restores vitality to depleted soil. It's also free, easy to make, and good for the environment. But composting also has other benefits.