How to make compost?

nudist

Im tired of having to buy compost so how do you go about making compost?

Ive never done this before so if someone could impart advice or online guides id be much thankful.

Does the compost bin have to be made of a certain material? can it be made of metal or does it have to be plastic?

I forget to say that i also have comfrey (an 'activator'? ) and nettle leaves (high in Nitrogen?) in the garden-can these be safely be added to the pile?

dfbemt

Previous threads might help you out

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055986266

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056084503


If you have a good supply of nettle leaves, making nettle tea is a great use of them for consumption and helping with certain medical conditions ie UTI's.

Nettles also make a great liquid fertiliser as they are very high in nitrogen. I use this successfully on my tomatoes
- place in container with a weight on top ie brick
- cover with water, just enough to cover the nettles
- leave for 4 weeks in container NB it gets smelly
- after 4 weeks, there is a dark green liquid
- dilute at approx 1 part liquid to 10 parts water until you have a tea like colour
- use on or around plants
- whats left in bucket can be added to your compost pile / container

Comfrey has lots of uses and is high in potassium
- liquid fertiliser as above
- alternative liquid fertiliser method is to place in container with no liquid. Place a hole in the bottom and gather the thick run off in a seperate container. Dilute at approx 1 part liquid to 15 parts water
- add in small amounts to compost heap
- use leaves only as a mulch around plants. This will break down over time and add nutrients

nudist

Can you add the following to a compost heap-cardboard boxes from amazon, a4 paper with printed black and white ink on it and empty cardboard toilet roll holders?

All pre shredded in tiny pieces of course....

would these not add 'brown' material to the heap?

magicbastarder

i wouldn't add anything which came through a laser printer; and it's worth pointing out that you're not going to have much success making compost this time of year, it's too cold.

redser7

Stick with newspaper. Get a cheap paper shredder (10 euros in Argos for example). Have few bags shredded on hand and mix it in with your grass clippings each time you mow in spring/summer.

nudist

redser7 wrote: »

Stick with newspaper. Get a cheap paper shredder (10 euros in Argos for example). Have few bags shredded on hand and mix it in with your grass clippings each time you mow in spring/summer.

So black ink on newspaper is ok but not ink on printed a4 paper? how annoying as i read all my papers online!!!

magicbastarder

newspaper ink is generally vegetable dye based, afaik. toner is a different story.

redser7

Plenty of free local newspapers come through the door or pick them up around the shops. They breakdown very fast when shredded and you dont have to worry about 'is this ok, or this, what about this'. Keep it simple, layer it, turn it and you'll get black gold

fodda

www.grow-your-own.ie/manureandcomposting.html

Apanachi

dfbemt wrote: »

Nettles also make a great liquid fertiliser as they are very high in nitrogen. I use this successfully on my tomatoes
- place in container with a weight on top ie brick
- cover with water, just enough to cover the nettles
- leave for 4 weeks in container NB it gets smelly
- after 4 weeks, there is a dark green liquid
- dilute at approx 1 part liquid to 10 parts water until you have a tea like colour
- use on or around plants
- whats left in bucket can be added to your compost pile / container

Never used them as a liquid fertiliser but preparing nettles as said above is great for getting rid of aphids

Be warned though, when dfbemt says it gets smelly - it gets REALLY smelly

Degsy

I got rid of last years sunflowers(minus the seeds) in this way.

Broke the stems up into sections and smashed them with a hammer,added the ripped up leaves and left the whole lot to steep in a covered water-barrel for the winter..nice stinking black liquid by spring-time,an ideal addition to the soil.

Limerick Bandit

Would wood shavings be any good for compost as brown material? and would adding rabbit dung and worms to it help?

Degsy

Limerick Bandit wrote: »

Would wood shavings be any good for compost as brown material? and would adding rabbit dung and worms to it help?

Wood shavings take a very long time to decay so probably not agreat addition to compost.

dfbemt

Limerick Bandit wrote: »

Would wood shavings be any good for compost as brown material? and would adding rabbit dung and worms to it help?

All excellent materials. Rabbit droppings can be added directly to soil, same as chicken pellets but work well in getting the heap heated if you prefer to add it to your pile.

Degsy wrote: »

Wood shavings take a very long time to decay so probably not agreat addition to compost.

Wood shavings are okay but need to be well rotted down before addition to the soil as, during decomposition, they take out nitrogen !! Best way with wood shavings it to put them in a small container and get them to start rotting down by adding in some grass cuttings. Once this has started, then add them to your pile and turn in.