Compost - The lazy way - does it work?

One_Of_Shanks

Hi all,

I have been researching how to create my own compost online and we go through mountains of vegetable peelings and organic waste etc.

But it seems that the compost bins are pretty expensive and somebody told me that if you simply put all your organic waste into large coal/compost bags/turf bags and fill it to the top and then wait 12 months, you'll have compost that you can then use to plant with.

Is this true? Or if not, are there any other ways of doing it that dont cost anything and don't involve digging down into the ground?


Thanks in advance.

gk5000

The simplest and cheapest way is to simply dump your peelings into a pile and keep on dumping on top of it for 6 months or so (but trying to add a green/brown mix - peelings and paper say)
Then cover it and start a new pile for another 6 months. By that stage your original pile will have shrunk down and be compost - so use or spread it.

The disadvantage is that its unsightly and may invite rodents.
The coal bags you mention would probably work as long as they are porous to let air in but I don't think are a great idea.

But plastic compost bins at 40 euro is probably you best idea, or a wooden one made from 4 pallets for walls or something like that.

The great think about a bin, especially I find a wooden one - and especially when it is warmer in the summer is that the peelings are composting down as you put more in. Say you filled it to the top this week - then it would have shrunk down to halfway in a few weeks. That would not work well with a bag. I probably add about half a bag of peelings worth each week, but it keeps shrinking down.

I have 2 bins, a wooden one - looks ok at the back of the garden, and then a plastic one behind it - and I just rotate them.

One_Of_Shanks

Great, thanks GK for the info, much appreciated!

magicbastarder

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

But it seems that the compost bins are pretty expensive

a dalek style one should not cost much more than about €30.

One_Of_Shanks

magicbastarder wrote: »

a dalek style one should not cost much more than about €30.

The cheapest I seem to be able to find is 45. If you don't mind me asking, where could I get them for 30?
Ideally I would like 3 so if they're 30 each it would be a lot better than 3 x 45

I was also thinking of trying the method that GK mentioned with the 4 wooden pallets
So you literally just tie the pallets together and that's it? Sounds good.

dxhound2005

There's one for free and another one for €15 on Done Deal. Wouldn't make any difference being secondhand. Both in Dublin if that is anywhere near you.

https://www.donedeal.ie/all?words=compost%20bin&area=Ireland

Hocus Focus

Five pallets, laid out like an"E". Start your first pile and as it builds up turn it over with a fork from time to time, so that it remains aerated . As it increases in size add another pallet at the front, to keep it contained. When it increases in size a bit more, take out the pallet that forms the middle leg of the "E", plus the one you have put in front, then turn the whole pile over, into the other side, enclosing it with the other two pallets as you go. You can then start a new pile in the first enclosure and start using the compost from the first pile. Hope that didn't sound too confusing.

One_Of_Shanks

dxhound2005 wrote: »

There's one for free and another one for €15 on Done Deal. Wouldn't make any difference being secondhand. Both in Dublin if that is anywhere near you.

https://www.donedeal.ie/all?words=compost%20bin&area=Ireland

Fantastic! I never thought of 2nd hand. Thanks so much!

Hocus Focus wrote: »

Five pallets, laid out like an"E". Start your first pile and as it builds up turn it over with a fork from time to time, so that it remains aerated . As it increases in size add another pallet at the front, to keep it contained. When it increases in size a bit more, take out the pallet that forms the middle leg of the "E", plus the one you have put in front, then turn the whole pile over, into the other side, enclosing it with the other two pallets as you go. You can then start a new pile in the first enclosure and start using the compost from the first pile. Hope that didn't sound too confusing.

Brilliant, thanks yep I know exactly what you mean. Going to try this as well as buying a couple.
Thanks a million!

mayo.mick

Some info on home composting here,

https://swinfordtidytowns.com/environment/composting/

One_Of_Shanks

mayo.mick wrote: »

Some info on home composting here,

https://swinfordtidytowns.com/environment/composting/

fair play, cheers Mick!

taxusbaccata

I would strongly recommend tiger worms - they produce amazing compost. You can order them online by the kilogram. If looked after well you'll only have to order once.

I had my bin in an outside shaded area of an apartment (not idea as warmer is better) over 5 years and learned what to do and not to do. It was a layered tray urban bin so large garden drums may work differently.

Don't let the mix get too wet. Sadly a large bin of mine became water logged and the worms drowned and it became anaerobic and stank.

Rats and other animals will not come to the bin if you leave out meat. No or minimal oil in the bin either as it is not liked by the residents.

Mix with leaves, cuttings, paper or cardboard - I don't trust ink so I just use pure paper/cardboard.

I believe the ideal temperature is about 21oC - the bacteria, fungi and worms are most active at this temperature. Amazingly it does not smell if running well with the vegan diet only and can be left indoors - if she'll let you.

Turning/rotating the material is very helpful. I found even shallow layers got compacted if not loosened.

The favourite food for the bin residents are bananas - if there are black ones on special offer get them for your friends.

A good idea is to keep a decent sized bucket in the house - a quality metal one to throw your food waste into before transfer to compost bin. Add a handful of previous composted soil to get the fungus and bacteria going indoors at 20oC

Good video on TED re compost - very much advocates worms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9OhxKlrWwc

One_Of_Shanks

Good stuff, cheers for that!

Actually thanks to everyone, some great replies and all really helpful. Thanks to all.