[arobwk]

... There's a fair few dead fruit flies in there so that should help 

I'm pondering over the fruit flies:  why have they not been composted ?  Are you sure doganjo they didn't all dive in in kamikaze fashion and drown themselves as you were draining the leachate ?

[doganjo]

This one doesn't get turned - occasionally mixed up with the mixer tool to distribute newly added stuff, and supposedly I should get compost a lot quicker

[Anke]

Charles Dowding has a good (new) video on his youtube channel explaining his method of composting. But it is not fast, and he turns his heap. But explains it all very well, and I am definitely working towards more "browns" in mine.

[doganjo]

... There's a fair few dead fruit flies in there so that should help 

I'm pondering over the fruit flies:  why have they not been composted ?  Are you sure doganjo they didn't all dive in in kamikaze fashion and drown themselves as you were draining the leachate ?

They probably hadn't quite composted as my hotbin had only just reached optimum temperature at that point.  I guess the fruit flies had died and been washed down with the juices

The temperature does vary a bit depending on how much and what kind of stuff I put in it.

[cloddopper]

Been looking at these for the last 3 weeks. They seem to get great reviews as long as you set them up correctly at first. Certainly look like they produce nice compost and kill all the weed seeds. Wonder if they could help keep a greenhouse frost free in the winter?

You will likely get lots of condensation in the glass house in winter as the composter heats up and lets out the moisture in the materials you are composting .

[doganjo]

It's not hot on the outside, only slightly warm.  I thought it might be but if you think about it if it lost too much heat outside it wouldn't work properly

[doganjo]

what I like is the liquid dispenser - I've been using that diluted and it seems to work, plants are thriving with teh extra feeding.

I haven't tried the actual compost yet as mine is a mini so not a lot in it as yet, and I think I'll hold on to it for using for winter planting

[Q]

what I like is the liquid dispenser - I've been using that diluted and it seems to work, plants are thriving with teh extra feeding.

I haven't tried the actual compost yet as mine is a mini so not a lot in it as yet, and I think I'll hold on to it for using for winter planting

I always wonder what the real 'potency' of this type of liquid might be.
Same with other stinging nettle or comfrey potions. Any one know if there is a way of finding out (cheaply)?

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

... There's a fair few dead fruit flies in there so that should help 

I'm pondering over the fruit flies:  why have they not been composted ?  Are you sure doganjo they didn't all dive in in kamikaze fashion and drown themselves as you were draining the leachate ?

 

[doganjo]

what I like is the liquid dispenser - I've been using that diluted and it seems to work, plants are thriving with teh extra feeding.

I haven't tried the actual compost yet as mine is a mini so not a lot in it as yet, and I think I'll hold on to it for using for winter planting

I always wonder what the real 'potency' of this type of liquid might be.
Same with other stinging nettle or comfrey potions. Any one know if there is a way of finding out (cheaply)?

You could employ a chemical amalyst I suppose.    All I can say is that I use tomorite for my tomatoes but nothing else, but the 'juice' from the hotbin seems to help the other plants. Purely anecdotal.  I've never tried any other 'potions' though

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

I'm interested to know how it does turn out. Now I don't have copious quantities of goat manure to use, which always went on the same heap as the kitchen compost, I am considering getting a couple of bins and have wondered about the fast acting one. I don't have my caprine waste disposal for most of the veg waste although the dog does his best with most fruits - he doesn't like grapefruit - and vegetables (loves brassica stalks) but there is still a lot to put in. I put torn up paper bags, kitchen towel and often used tissues in my kitchen caddy and that goes to add to the garden waste and shredded paper. When it's time to move onto a fresh heap I will add a forkful of manure to act as an accelerant.


I do have a wormery but it can't cope with the amount of waste we seem to get.

[doganjo]

You'd probably need the full sized Hotbin then - it's £200

They work differently to compost heaps https://www.hotbincomposting.com/

Ordinary compost heaps are anaerobic. hotbins are aerobic  or there's one called an aerobin which may be a bit bigger. https://www.aerobin400.com/aerobin400/CompostingTips.aspx

The hotbins are reputed to accept animal waste but I haven't decided to add dog poo yet.  The chicken poo goes in but not the quail waste as it has a lot of unwanted seeds in it and I'm not convinced they'd be killed by the process.

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

Thank you. I'll look into those. Maybe best to leave it until the morning though.

[arobwk]

.... They work differently to compost heaps https://www.hotbincomposting.com/

Ordinary compost heaps are anaerobic. hotbins are aerobic ...  https://www.aerobin400.com/aerobin400/CompostingTips.aspx

/quote]


That was a "curve ball" @doganjo:  there I was believing a decent compost heap was aerobic.  Who says/proves a compost heap is not aerobic please ?

Also:  because EVERY knowledgeable composter I've come across says "no",  I personally wouldn't add dog or cat mess to any heap/composter.  Any herbivore manure seems to be OK, but I do wonder whether manure from animals under various veterinary treatments might also be best excluded (!?).  I'm not sure why humanure is deemed to be any different (with risk of transfer of human derived pathogens), but I'm sure someone here will know the specific risks from adding various ingredients over and above veg' and carbon rich materials such as cardboard.

[Fleecewife]

When is a compost heap not a compost heap?  When it's a slimey anaerobic unturned pile of grass clippings, with no 'browns'.
A good compost heap has space for air to get throughout the heap, and turning it allows air to get to clumpy bits which haven't quite broken down.
A good compost heap is not anaerobic - sorry doganjo