Composting (60/40% greens/carbon)

[Dim]

I recently moved home, but started a compost bin last year (started it in May)...

when I moved home, (to my wife's horror) I bagged the semi decomposed compost which looked like rotten sludge and brought it to my new home

I used to get boxes full of veg peelings etc from our local pub where I maintain the garden and tried to do the 60% ratio of greens/vegetable peelings and 40% cardboard (carbon) .... I always struggled for find the 40% carbon (cardboard), and very much doubt if the ratio of my mix is correct (it's more like 85% veg and 15% carbon)

Just before winter, the bin was full, but it has now semi-decomposed and was approx 50% full this afternoon....

today, whilst driving, I saw several bags of manure at a farm gate with a sign stating that it is organic shetland pony manure ... I pulled over and had a look ....

75 pence a large bag, and it looks pretty good as it's semi decomposed with loads of hay and loads of earthworms ... I asked a lady who was in the driveway if the manure is free of antibiotcs etc and she confirmed this (I am always reluctant to use horse manure, as it was banned from allotments a few years ago, due to some medicines that were administered to horses and which was detremental to vegetables)

so, I bought 4 bags today, and added 2 to my existing compost bin (which is now full again), and the other 2 bags were tipped into a new compost bin which I will start for the following year .... I also added some volcanic rock dust, so will leave to to 'stew' now and hopefully it will be good quality later ths year (it's positioned so as to get approx 5 hrs sun per day)

I think that the ratio of 60/40 will be sorted now, and hopefully I will have a decent mixture of compost/manure by autumn ... and another good batch for next year

[Dave Brown]

Sounds good.

I never get out, so don't stumble across anything. Went to an Office last Thursday and popped into Wisley on the way back, but haven't been beyond the garden other than that, for over 2 weeks.

I'll have to write myself a note..... "I must get out more"

[Deedee]

I love my bins Dim, i have just (last week) emptied one beautifull sweet smelling binfull onto 3 small borders and there's another binfull to empty onto my bigger border, chicken pellets applied today and waiting for the weather to change..
I have never used manure because of the reasons you explain but what i do is if i feel it needs more brown is mix in some cheap shop bought compost, maybe half a bag, i think the secret is to turn the mix and heat
The front garden gets a few bags of compost thrown on every spring with chicken pellets, im not wasting my homegrown stuff on there

[Dim]

I love my bins Dim, i have just (last week) emptied one beautifull sweet smelling binfull onto 3 small borders and there's another binfull to empty onto my bigger border, chicken pellets applied today and waiting for the weather to change..
I have never used manure because of the reasons you explain but what i do is if i feel it needs more brown is mix in some cheap shop bought compost, maybe half a bag, i think the secret is to turn the mix and heat
The front garden gets a few bags of compost thrown on every spring with chicken pellets, im not wasting my homegrown stuff on there

I'm still learning, and this is the 1st batch of compost that I am attempting ... the 60/40 ratio was always bothering me, (I've added toilet roll cardboard, cardboard egg containers etc, but it's never been enough cardboard) ...

but I think with this combo that I have used now, I may be close, as there's loads of hay inbetween the horse manure which should bring up the carbon percentage ...

just before using it, I will add a few litres of AACT (actively aerated compost tea), just to 'perk' things up

not sure what will happen to all the earthworms, as if they stay in the bins, they will cook when it gets warm ... there is no base to the bins, so they can escape through the soil

[flounder]

I've only added cardboard type stuff when my bins are too grassy. In fact you can add any papery/cardboard stuff. Junk mail, cereal boxes, bog rolls, the list is endless...even old woollen jumpers!

[fern Rob]

My garden is to small for a compost bin, but I bag some of the leaves up out the garden and it makes great potting compost.

[Mick C]

You brought bags of partially decomposed compost with you when you moved? I'm seriously impressed

I have an area at the back of the garden where I make compost in bins made from old pallets. Making compost & leaf mould is a great way to improve your soil organically, and therapeutic too.

[cordyman]

I had a compost bin at my old place, never used the compost itself mind, but it was the self empying bin for all my left over food waste, veggies, fruit, bread, stale stuff etc etc grass cuttings, newspapers, always ate through the stuff I fed it super quick, better than landfill!

[Kristen]

the 60/40 ratio was always bothering me, (I've added toilet roll cardboard, cardboard egg containers etc, but it's never been enough cardboard) ...

Straw? I think its only a problem if the material is all very green / lush - e.g. grass clippings on their own would just make a soggy anaerobic mess - but they would still rot down and make compost, just better to have an aerobic composting instead.

You could put fresh horse manure on the heap, that will raise the temperature. Pee on the heap each time you get the opportunity too, that will also raise the temperature (and save the loo-flush water too ...)

I asked a lady who was in the driveway if the manure is free of antibiotcs etc and she confirmed this (I am always reluctant to use horse manure, as it was banned from allotments a few years ago, due to some medicines that were administered to horses and which was detremental to vegetables)

It wasn't a medicine administered to the horses, but rather hay / silage that they ate that had been treated with a selective herbicide ["Aminopyralid"] (which persists through the animal's gut,. into their manure, and onto peoples allotments etc ). Beware that there is a similar chemical in selective lawn herbicides like Verdone Plus, which also persists through composting

But good idea to also keep antibiotics out of your garden, particularly if you are growing food crops.

[fern Rob]

Compost bins don't work In small gardens as they take planting space.

[flounder]

Compost bins don't work In small gardens as they take planting space.

I disagree. My last place had a smallish garden but I still had room for making my own compost. I even grew a very impressive dracunculus in it!(well, on the edge) really must do the same here with a gunnera.
Homemade compost is great for putting around pots. Keeps the levels up, moisture in and its free

[fern Rob]

Compost bins encourage rodents so its a no go for a small garden.

[flounder]

Compost bins encourage rodents so its a no go for a small garden.

You have to take the rough with the smooth Rob, plus for kitchen waste I use a large plastic dustbin with numerous holes drilled in the bottom. Its efficient, supplies me with thousands of worm for fishing, its rat proof and stops my dog from eating the slow worms like she does in my other bins

[fern Rob]

I supposes I would do more if I had a bigger garden.

[flounder]

No you wouldn't, you'd fill it full of plants