Full of questions this morning :-)

I would like to start a compost heap. Couple of problems. Very little garden waste, mainly because we’re not enthusiastic gardeners, so things get left pretty much to their own devices. Very little kitchen waste ‘cause it all goes to the chooks. Still, chooks get laying mash, so they can share the green stuff.

All the paper that comes through our house is shredded. At the moment it used first to line the guinea pig cage, and then it goes to the chooks. I mistakenly thought with five years or so of veggie scraps and chook poo the chook run would be wonderful soil and I could just dig some out when I needed it for the garden. Not so. Its hard as rock.

Hence wanting a compost pile. Is it worth composting 1/2 an ice cream container of kitchen waste a day? Would I be better with a closed or open system? Should it sit in the sun or the shade? Any good references I could look up? (Uni student – the habit dies hard.)

Suebk Pepe is the best ill try and find out which Espoide of Ga has the compost story and then you can watch it.

There was an episode just recently, with the lady from Adelaide (?). But I’m really wondering about whether its worth it, given the small amount of regular input. Once my veggies get going (assuming they do ;-) I’ll have more, but still not a lot.

SueBk said:

There was an episode just recently, with the lady from Adelaide (?). But I’m really wondering about whether its worth it, given the small amount of regular input. Once my veggies get going (assuming they do ;-) I’ll have more, but still not a lot.

yeah so you have seen it. i have a open bay system as i collect all my waste up and turn the compost bays once a month. and start a new one then.

I would recommend the Bokashi system. You have a specialised bucket that you put your scraps in (including meat) and some activator, and it kind of pickles or ferments but it doesn’t smell. You drain off the liquid it produces to dilute and feed your plants. When the bucket is full (3 to 4 weeks for the average household) you bury it in your garden and in a matter of weeks it has completely broken down and improved your soil.

See Eco-Organics for more info.

Hence wanting a compost pile. Is it worth composting 1/2 an ice cream container of kitchen waste a day?
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nah – not worth it.
i just looked at your photos and the previous owner has left you with a gravel court.
you can buy a compost bin next year.
for the start use a shovel and rake to remove the top 20mm of manure from the chook run and fertilise with that. maybe buy a bale of straw and throw that on the chook run once you’ve cleaned up. this will give you more composty stuff in about two months time.
you might be forced to dig a hole for each plant at present – the soil is so poorish looking – and fill the hole with good stuff.

pepe said:

you might be forced to dig a hole for each plant at present – the soil is so poorish looking – and fill the hole with good stuff.

Are you known for understatment Pepe? “Poorish looking” is almost a complement for our soil. Whenever I’ve planted anything I’ve dug a hole and filled it with ‘good stuff’ (or at least better stuff). There’s no way any self respecting plant would grow in what we have. Oh, except for one escape artist aloe vera.

I’ll look into the straw/hay deal for the chook pen; and leave them to do my composting. Its just I saw that episode of GA and that lovely crumbly black stuff and I wanted some too :-(

bluegreen said:

I would recommend the Bokashi system. You have a specialised bucket that you put your scraps in (including meat) and some activator, and it kind of pickles or ferments but it doesn’t smell. You drain off the liquid it produces to dilute and feed your plants. When the bucket is full (3 to 4 weeks for the average household) you bury it in your garden and in a matter of weeks it has completely broken down and improved your soil.

See Eco-Organics for more info.

Or alternatively, a worm farm will help to use up the goodies and supply you with castings and worm fluids.

Longy said:

bluegreen said:

I would recommend the Bokashi system. You have a specialised bucket that you put your scraps in (including meat) and some activator, and it kind of pickles or ferments but it doesn’t smell. You drain off the liquid it produces to dilute and feed your plants. When the bucket is full (3 to 4 weeks for the average household) you bury it in your garden and in a matter of weeks it has completely broken down and improved your soil.

See Eco-Organics for more info.

Or alternatively, a worm farm will help to use up the goodies and supply you with castings and worm fluids.

indeed, but neither worms or chooks like citrus and onions, and the bokashi system will cover that :)

I’ll look into the straw/hay deal for the chook pen; and leave them to do my composting. Its just I saw that episode of GA and that lovely crumbly black stuff and I wanted some too
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i’ve just started hot composting last year – before that i never needed too because i had loam soil in my old place. currently i’m throwing three wheelbarrow loads of weeds on the heap each day and its still slow going to build a heap.

SueBk said:

Full of questions this morning :-)

I would like to start a compost heap. Couple of problems. Very little garden waste, mainly because we’re not enthusiastic gardeners, so things get left pretty much to their own devices. Very little kitchen waste ‘cause it all goes to the chooks. Still, chooks get laying mash, so they can share the green stuff.

All the paper that comes through our house is shredded. At the moment it used first to line the guinea pig cage, and then it goes to the chooks. I mistakenly thought with five years or so of veggie scraps and chook poo the chook run would be wonderful soil and I could just dig some out when I needed it for the garden. Not so. Its hard as rock.

Hence wanting a compost pile. Is it worth composting 1/2 an ice cream container of kitchen waste a day? Would I be better with a closed or open system? Should it sit in the sun or the shade? Any good references I could look up? (Uni student – the habit dies hard.)

For that amount of scraps try looking at a Bokashi Bucket.

bluegreen said:

I would recommend the Bokashi system. You have a specialised bucket that you put your scraps in (including meat) and some activator, and it kind of pickles or ferments but it doesn’t smell. You drain off the liquid it produces to dilute and feed your plants. When the bucket is full (3 to 4 weeks for the average household) you bury it in your garden and in a matter of weeks it has completely broken down and improved your soil.

See Eco-Organics for more info.

I should have known you’d beat me BG. LOL

bubba louie said:

bluegreen said:

I would recommend the Bokashi system. You have a specialised bucket that you put your scraps in (including meat) and some activator, and it kind of pickles or ferments but it doesn’t smell. You drain off the liquid it produces to dilute and feed your plants. When the bucket is full (3 to 4 weeks for the average household) you bury it in your garden and in a matter of weeks it has completely broken down and improved your soil.

See Eco-Organics for more info.

I should have known you’d beat me BG. LOL

She beat me too.

pomolo said:

bubba louie said:

bluegreen said:

I would recommend the Bokashi system. You have a specialised bucket that you put your scraps in (including meat) and some activator, and it kind of pickles or ferments but it doesn’t smell. You drain off the liquid it produces to dilute and feed your plants. When the bucket is full (3 to 4 weeks for the average household) you bury it in your garden and in a matter of weeks it has completely broken down and improved your soil.

See Eco-Organics for more info.

I should have known you’d beat me BG. LOL

She beat me too.

:D

I’ve talked 5 people at work into getting bokashi buckets, and 2 more are getting the stuff for their doggie doos.

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

bubba louie said:

bluegreen said:

I would recommend the Bokashi system. You have a specialised bucket that you put your scraps in (including meat) and some activator, and it kind of pickles or ferments but it doesn’t smell. You drain off the liquid it produces to dilute and feed your plants. When the bucket is full (3 to 4 weeks for the average household) you bury it in your garden and in a matter of weeks it has completely broken down and improved your soil.

See Eco-Organics for more info.

I should have known you’d beat me BG. LOL

She beat me too.

:D

I’ve talked 5 people at work into getting bokashi buckets, and 2 more are getting the stuff for their doggie doos.

You getting commission or something BG?

pomolo said:

You getting commission or something BG?

I wish :D

I’m on the Environmental Sustainability Development Committee at work so I gave a plug at a staff day on bokashi and arranged a joint order for those who were interested.

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

You getting commission or something BG?

I wish :D

I’m on the Environmental Sustainability Development Committee at work so I gave a plug at a staff day on bokashi and arranged a joint order for those who were interested.

kool.

veg gardener said:

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

You getting commission or something BG?

I wish :D

I’m on the Environmental Sustainability Development Committee at work so I gave a plug at a staff day on bokashi and arranged a joint order for those who were interested.

kool.

Onya BG!

bluegreen said:

Longy said:

bluegreen said:

I would recommend the Bokashi system. You have a specialised bucket that you put your scraps in (including meat) and some activator, and it kind of pickles or ferments but it doesn’t smell. You drain off the liquid it produces to dilute and feed your plants. When the bucket is full (3 to 4 weeks for the average household) you bury it in your garden and in a matter of weeks it has completely broken down and improved your soil.

See Eco-Organics for more info.

Or alternatively, a worm farm will help to use up the goodies and supply you with castings and worm fluids.

indeed, but neither worms or chooks like citrus and onions, and the bokashi system will cover that :)

Yeah fair call BG.
How much are they to purchase these days?
Also, what does the additive stuff cost and how often do you need to buy more?
I don’t think i’ll get one. The worms and chooks do fine for me but SueBK and others might be interested.
I generally put citrus in the chook run as it’s about 1/4 acre with a deep litter floor, so it just gets trampled.
If i get lots it goes thru the shredder and just breaks down in a garden somewhere. I do the same with fish frames and heads. Chooks love that stuff too!

Chooks like fish huh? I normally buy boneless fillets, but occassionally we have left over bits. I assume prawns too? Mind you, putting prawn bits in the chook bucket could be problematic. It’s an open ice cream container that gets emptied in the morning. The lap warmer would probably take to investigating it overnight.

We have a mulcher. My mum gave it to us, said she used to churned up palm fronds and all in T’ville. I tried feeding some crepe myrtle through it and it would have been faster to chop it up with a carving knife. I know nothing about the things – can you get the blade sharpened? I was thinking, the little bit of pruning I do, I wouldn’t mind being able to feed it through and then chuck it in the chook run, rather than pay to take it to the tip. If our council gave back mulch I might not mind so much; but I pay for to leave my stuff behind and then they use it all on Council projects.

Chooks like fish huh? I normally buy boneless fillets, but occassionally we have left over bits. I assume prawns too? Mind you, putting prawn bits in the chook bucket could be problematic. It’s an open ice cream container that gets emptied in the morning. The lap warmer would probably take to investigating it overnight.
—————————————————————
Trust me prawn shells in a chook bucket overnight with a lid on……. is pretty darn yuck as well.

I always feed them to my gang (poultry) as soon as the prawns are shelled. Chooks/ducks go nuts over the shells & heads.

If i get lots it goes thru the shredder and just breaks down in a garden somewhere. I do the same with fish frames and heads
——————————
Now that suggestion I like. Wonder why I hadn’t thought of that!

Longy said:

bluegreen said:

indeed, but neither worms or chooks like citrus and onions, and the bokashi system will cover that :)

Yeah fair call BG.
How much are they to purchase these days?
Also, what does the additive stuff cost and how often do you need to buy more?

they are $99 for the bucket and 1 month supply of bokashi, then you can buy the bokashi in 1kg bags for $7.50, 3kg bags for $15 or in 17kg (20 litre) buckets for $65. You use about a kilo a month. They are not for everyone but work well for people who only have a small amount of waste but still want to recycle it.

they are $99 for the bucket and 1 month supply of bokashi, then you can buy the bokashi in 1kg bags for $7.50, 3kg bags for $15 or in 17kg (20 litre) buckets for $65. You use about a kilo a month. They are not for everyone but work well for people who only have a small amount of waste but still want to recycle it.

+++++++++++++
OK. Thanks BG. That’s pretty reasonable too ireckon.

I tried feeding some crepe myrtle through it and it would have been faster to chop it up with a carving knife. I know nothing about the things – can you get the blade sharpened? I was thinking, the little bit of pruning I do, I wouldn’t mind being able to feed it through and then chuck it in the chook run, rather than pay to take it to the tip.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Yeah they require periodic maintenance Sue.
Not hard for someone with basic mechanical knowledge or a novice with a tool kit for that matter.
What type of shredder? Petrol or electric?
Brand name etc.
Got a photo?

Lectric. I’ll try to remember to take a photo tomorrow. Too lazy to go downstairs again tonight.

Lectric.
++++++
OK. Dunno much about electric ones but probably worth having a look to see if there is an access hatch on the side or front or wherever. If all else fails, read the instructions:-)

http://www.clares.co.nz/gardenrecyclers.htm has a picture. Viking GE120.

The top comes off and reveals the blade. And I assume, although I didn’t look close, you just undo a bolt and it comes off. In our family we run on Home Improvement lines – I’m the brains and he’s the power man, RUR RUR RUR.

Just not sure whether you would normally get the blade sharpened, or just buy a new one.

bluegreen said:

Longy said:

bluegreen said:

indeed, but neither worms or chooks like citrus and onions, and the bokashi system will cover that :)

Yeah fair call BG.
How much are they to purchase these days?
Also, what does the additive stuff cost and how often do you need to buy more?

they are $99 for the bucket and 1 month supply of bokashi, then you can buy the bokashi in 1kg bags for $7.50, 3kg bags for $15 or in 17kg (20 litre) buckets for $65. You use about a kilo a month. They are not for everyone but work well for people who only have a small amount of waste but still want to recycle it.

3kg are $19.99 here.

Just not sure whether you would normally get the blade sharpened, or just buy a new one.

++++++++++++++++
I’m sure they’d love to sell you another, but if it comes out easily enough and you can do it, go for it.