Compost bins...

[ummmm]

I've read the dos and don'ts of what you can put in them but can anyone advise me on how to start one off?

And can you use any container, like an old bin?

[boxtops]

The little flies are part of the process DEN - they come and go. I have a big fat spider in the summer who makes his web in the hedge near my bin - when I open the lid, the flies all rise up, and spidey gets his dinner!

[carrust]

Flies would be a welcome relief in my compost bins...missus went to put some material in in it, & out popped a rat. lol

[boxtops]

aargh!

[ummmm]

Carrust....shhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[boxtops]

I've had my compost bins for ten years and we've never had rats in them, ummm << she says reassuringly>>

[carrust]

Oh, & the occasional mouse.....

[ummmm]

Good....we had rats here once. Big massive feckers. The house next door was rented out to two alcoholics. They left their bin bags out in the adjoining outhouse for months. The rats ended up getting into our house....yuk yuk.

They are long gone now...thank God..

[boxtops]

carrust, my catz bring in rats and mice, but they don't find them in my compost bins!

[DEN53]

I started off with potatoe peelings and newspaper, ummmm.

Boxy - thats what my friend told me, but they didn't 'come and go' they stayed put and to be honest they started to leave the bin and swam everywhere. We have allotments at the back of our gardens, so I gave the bin to one of the owners.

[TonyV]

ummmm - get your bin and try it - will not be rats or mice - just nice sweat smelling soil

[ummmm]

I can handle mice....

[ummmm]

Cheers...will do Tony.

[TonyV]

* even sweet

[carrust]

I made the big mistake by putting home made compost on my leeks on my allotment. They all got diseased (120 of them), this was due to the compost not reaching a high enough temperature in the bin. I now only put it on my flower beds.

[DEN53]

In all honesty - I was a little impatient - I expected John Innes No.1 to come out of the bin after a week. (:0(

[ummmm]

I haven't a clue really...lol

I have what looks like white bluebells growing....I've googled and the flowers definitely look like bluebells. Just worried I've pulled out the plants and left the weeds...lol

[ttfn]

ummmm - treat yourself to this excellent guide
http://www.shopperhiv...-bob-flowerdew-prices
The coucnil 'dalek' bins are not really suitable - there is not enough surface area to spread out the layers of different compost thinly enough nor is there room to turn over the compost. They have no ventilation holes and after the cold winter we have had the compost can lay in huge masses - quite as they went into the bin. The author recommends using 4 pallets - they can be just tied together at the corners by string. Small twigs ca be added to the compost - they will rot down. Don't forget to water the compost and activiate it! ;o)

[TonyV]

Den - if you want something instant then start a wormery

[carrust]

I found the best way of activating the compost was to pi$$ in it....a bit awkward for a woman though. lol

[ttfn]

7 parts water to 1 part 'home brew'! Get a bucket ummmm lol