Home garden - compost?

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rayonline

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#279997 21-Nov-2020 13:43

Hi all

Second attempt to do compost as we read and read again the best is home compost than bought ones. I have stumbled across bokashi bins. Is it possible to use 20L paint bucks and pop the lid on and use a packet of powdered microbes?

Do you guys have any suggestion on the easier to use home diy approach for compost? How are the Wellington City Council composts? Would they be better than the ones from Bunnings since they collect green waste from customers and compost it? Are there any farms who sell quality compost? Makara Wellington perhaps?

Cheers.

tdgeek

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#2607982 21-Nov-2020 14:15

No its not DIY but its a good quick easy option.

I have two like this, 400 L each

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/taurus-garden-compost-bin-400-litre-black/p/235403?gclid=CjwKCAiA7939BRBMEiwA-hX5J-mJ4PgySQIdn3tI17eml_Ip7WYDzU4bn6GfCKZT3iJNFKzRBH56MxoC0zQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Works well, like a bottomless bin. We fill ours with daily vege leftovers, i add lawn clippings but not often as I mulch, weeds. Water it every now and then, each Spring I empty them and spread over four raised gardens, and 15m of fence line garden. its great.

Ideally they should be turned over but thats not possible with these. Forget using the bottom side doors, the pic is misleading. The compost compacts down, so the doors are of no use. So,just water every now and then, the bottom is exposed so worms and microbes have free entry.

rayonline

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#2607987 21-Nov-2020 15:01

Thanks for that I may have another go. I got the exact compost bin from Bunnings. Yes we had difficulty trying to mix and turn it from the top hahah. I watched online, a gardening author said we can just do slow 1yr cold compost without mixing. Maybe we should avoid some bits cos it was attracting flies, is that possible?

Compost needs to be mixed in with existing soil right.

Cheers :)

Gordy7

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#2607994 21-Nov-2020 15:54

I have these older type conical compost bins. I don't know if you can still get them.

They handle my 1000 sq m property and all the kitchen waste.

When it comes to turning over the compost from one bin to another I just lift the bin off the compost heap and then turn the compost into the adjacent empty bin using a fork or shovel. I might do that twice per year.

Gordy

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Jase2985

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#2608211 22-Nov-2020 06:02

I brought one of these: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/maze-245l-compost-tumbler_p3160068

Its a decent size and because it rotates you cont have to worry about turning it over. Its a bit more expensive than one of those black ones mentioned above but it seems like it will make compost faster. the 2 compartments are handy, you can fill one while letting the other mature.

It took me and a 4 year old about an hour to put together.

tdgeek

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#2608225 22-Nov-2020 08:24

Yes, turning over is the key, they reckon every 2 weeks. If I could find two large black plastic bins, Id cut the bottom off, put grommets in the top and bottom, so that the bottom has a few metal rods. As the compost compacts, if I turned the bin on its side, the rods keep it in place, move the rods to the other end then turn it upside down. I like the idea that the bottom is on soil, for worms etc.

rayonline

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#2608285 22-Nov-2020 08:50

For mixing I learnt there is this tool ...

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/tumbleweed-compost-mate-tool_p0025605

Yep, in the past I didn't monitor the ratio so it was treated as a trash bin and it didn't decompose like heap load of lawn cuttings at a time or green bits off plants when we tidied the garden and not much brown stuff. But I heard that mixing is quicker (hot compost) but if you leave it for 1yr without mixing (cold composting). There is even 18 day composting but you need to buy packets of microbes and keep turning it over every day "bokashi bin method".

Gordy7

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#2608286 22-Nov-2020 08:52

tdgeek:

I like the idea that the bottom is on soil, for worms etc.

Yes, I get millions of worms in my compost bins.... they do a lot of the work.

At the second turning of the compost bins I remove the composted stuff to a small soil patch to break up the compost and mix with other soil.....and let the worms do more work.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

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tdgeek

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#2608288 22-Nov-2020 08:59

rayonline:

For mixing I learnt there is this tool ...

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/tumbleweed-compost-mate-tool_p0025605

Yep, in the past I didn't monitor the ratio so it was treated as a trash bin and it didn't decompose like heap load of lawn cuttings at a time or green bits off plants when we tidied the garden and not much brown stuff. But I heard that mixing is quicker (hot compost) but if you leave it for 1yr without mixing (cold composting). There is even 18 day composting but you need to buy packets of microbes and keep turning it over every day "bokashi bin method".

Are you a mind reader??? :-) I was literally seconds from looking up a tool like that, I saw an Oz gardening show on Sky last week where he was doing that but didn't see the tool, just what he was doing. Screwing it in and lifting it up. I wonder how well this one works, it looks a tad flimsy, but well worth a shot.

SepticSceptic

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#2608289 22-Nov-2020 09:03

Gordy7:
I have these older type conical compost bins. I don't know if you can still get them.

They handle my 1000 sq m property and all the kitchen waste.

When it comes to turning over the compost from one bin to another I just lift the bin off the compost heap and then turn the compost into the adjacent empty bin using a fork or shovel. I might do that twice per year.

I have used these types of bins.

I drilled 8 30mm holes around the lower half to provide aeration.

The bottom most layer is thicker sticks etc so when they start decomposing they provide airways.

Every month or so I ram a metal rod through the 30mm holes at a couple of angles. Helps prevent clumping and again provides aeration. Can turn a full bin in 4 months in summer.

I found that 3 bins are needed. One for fresh. One for incubating and the third is fully composted and used as required.

tdgeek

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#2608290 22-Nov-2020 09:03

Gordy7:

Yes, I get millions of worms in my compost bins.... they do a lot of the work.

At the second turning of the compost bins I remove the composted stuff to a small soil patch to break up the compost and mix with other soil.....and let the worms do more work.

Reading this thread has got me thinking, its not too much hassle to turn over my two 400L bins. Gently crowbar the corners to break the seal, lift it up, use a fork to fill it back up, upside down. After one year of daily veggies, the odd lawn clippings, the bottom third is deep rich compost the next third is getting there and the top is still fresh, which I trench bury. But, I think its worth it to manually turn mine over once a month or two.

tdgeek

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#2608298 22-Nov-2020 09:40

rayonline:

For mixing I learnt there is this tool ...

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/tumbleweed-compost-mate-tool_p0025605

Found it on Youtube, its not flimsy and appears to work great, Ill grab one today, thanks for the heads up.

Bung

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#2608299 22-Nov-2020 09:43

I run any garden waste through the mower first before adding to compost pile that is really a worm farm. Lawn clippings get time to themselves in another bin before being added. The grass bin is currently sitting at 63°C.

Gordy7

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#2608301 22-Nov-2020 09:50

Adding garden lime to the bins now and then is important to sweeten the compost.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

rogercruse

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#2608310 22-Nov-2020 10:34

We got our first Hungry Bin in 2011: https://www.hungrybin.co.nz/ Dead easy to use as we dilute the liquid produced each month into the Watering Can (when we remember!). Then, once a year, we open the bottom hatch and spread the output in the Veg Garden.

Had to empty our two bins prior to moving house as the bins are awkward to move when full. Purchased one pack of worms, split the contents and started again.