The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: xillent on April 26, 2020, 12:32:53 pm
-
I seen that Hot Bin composter on Beechgrove the other day. Has anyone used one? I'm not convinced that it's anything fancy enough to warrant using (its 200 quid!!)
-
A Beechgrove composter web search came up with some iffy results: could you, [member=1964]xillent[/member], provide a link to whatever site or ad' or vid' you came across please.
In meantime, I have 6x 330 ltr Green Johannas which are advertised as hot composters: I'm not entirely convinced they really can be counted as hot composters though.
Retail price £120 ea right now at 'Get Composting' and at 'Great Green Systems'. HOWEVER, all 6 of mine were purchased at a Cornwall Council subsidised price via 'Get Composting'; my most recent pair cost me a total of just £64 inc delivery and I seem to think 'GC' and 'CC' still have an arrangement. Other Councils and suppliers might have other subsidising arrangements.
I stick pretty much every bit of waste from kitchen (which is not a lot of waste actually) inc' the odd bit of meat-based products, but latter is rare. I don't put bones in although that is deemed to be OK. Otherwise, extras are toilet roll tubes, shredded or torn paper, grass cuttings, "soft" hedge cuttings and anything that has gone through the garden shredder.
Personally I reckon the GJs dry out fairly easily, even with vents at minimum setting, so need to be frequently monitored for moisture.
I've dedicated one to humanure production as a trial (after a work-party weekend) using compostable bagged toilet waste. I add the odd new topping (e.g. grass cuttings) now and again and it seems to be "composting down" well enough even over the Winter. (Another 6 months at least though before I start sampling the results!)
-
Four pallets wired to fence posts is as fancy as you need to get, if you can cover it with either seriously tough tarpaulin or similar, even better. Actually a second one next to the first to allow shovelling the first one over once full. If you have access to fresh manure it will get hot.
I have yet to see any posts on various garden forums/f/book groups that show that people had success with these.
Charles Dowding has some great Youtubve videos on composting.
-
Three pallets lined with windbreak plastic works well for us. Cost absolutely nothing.
-
[member=152775]arobwk[/member] I think the OP meant that he saw the hot composter on The Beechgrove Garden which is the BBC Scotland gardening programme. As I didn't see it, and it doesn't seem to be on iplayer I'm none the wiser either.
-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000hm16/beechgrove-2020-episode-2 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000hm16/beechgrove-2020-episode-2)
at 1 minute 40 I think
-
Just to answer a couple of points:
Sorry, Beechgrove is a Scottish gardening program (we think its the best as they concentrate more on growing etc and their conditions are more suited to us)
The hot composter is here https://www.hotbincomposting.com/ (https://www.hotbincomposting.com/)
I've already got 3 compost heaps on the go. I used to use pallets etc but got some plastic ones for free so use those. The hot composting seemed interesting due to the speed but I'm not convinced having watched the video. (I also have my own ideas).
If it was a good bit cheaper I'd give it a go as an experiment.
Cheers
-
There's a small version at £150 (100 litres) and larger one £200 (200 litres)
-
Yes, I plan to try and build my own. If it works I'll look for testers.
-
There's a small version at £150 (100 litres) and larger one £200 (200 litres)
I decided to have ago, and ordered one of these. Will let you know how it goes when it finallky arrives. I'll start collecting stuff now to build the starter. Can't believe how quick the compost is made - proof will be in teh pudding/stirring/feeding :innocent:
-
Great. Please keep us updated on developments.