Many questions people coming up :-)

Can anyone point me to a link on how to build the ideal compost heap?.

How many bays would be ideal?

What size?

I have never constructed one but have a lot of corrugated iron laying around which i could use or star pickets and chicken wire

How often would you turn it over?

How long would it take to be ready?

Remember i’m on 5 Acres so i’m not short of space and can get plenty of green weeds/grass and also hay and paper and as much Horse, Cow and sheep manure as i please to get things started.

Rook

Rook

Hi Rook, pleased to meet you.
Here’s my bit of info which I’m sure will be added to by others,
Ideal size is minimum 1mt x1mt x 1mt.
3 bays minimum – 1 to build a fresh one, 1 to turn it into, 1 to store made compost.
There are a few ways to build them. You can add stuff as you go along, but I don’t do that. I collect the ingredients and when enough is ready I build the heap in 1 day.
You need to layer fresh green stuff (Lawn clippings, weeds etc ) with dry stuff (dead leaves, straw, shredded paper or cardboard) Also add at intervals any kind of manure, I find chook poo really gets it going. keep it damp but not wet. After a day or two it will become really hot inside, which means it’s working. When it cools a bit, say in a week or 2, turn it all into the next bay, and the process will start again. You may need to turn it back into the first bay again after a while if it hasn’t all broken down. Good luck !

Rook said:

Many questions people coming up :-)

Can anyone point me to a link on how to build the ideal compost heap?.

if you can get hold of “Recycle Your Garden” by Tim Marshall it has heaps of info on all sorts of composting. He’s a Luckyland fella too.

How many bays would be ideal?
I am going to have 2 bays, one is made so far…need more iron droppers. Mine are made out of wooden pallets. But I think 3 is enough. Having all that space, you’ll soon know if you need more than 3.

What size?

Mine is made to the recycled trellis I have used for a gate.

I have never constructed one but have a lot of corrugated iron laying around which i could use or star pickets and chicken wire

I’d use the iron and have chicken wire for the gate at the front.

How often would you turn it over?

not sure, but the more its turned the quicker it’ll break down.

How long would it take to be ready?

depends on weather, contents and how its made.

Remember i’m on 5 Acres so i’m not short of space and can get plenty of green weeds/grass and also hay and paper and as much Horse, Cow and sheep manure as i please to get things started.

oh rub in the size of your playground…LOL

Rook

Rook

Thanks orchid and Luck.

Found the book Lucky, only $30 bucks from the ABC shop

Rook said:

Thanks orchid and Luck.

Found the book Lucky, only $30 bucks from the ABC shop

It’s a good one to have.

Rook said:

Thanks orchid and Luck.

Found the book Lucky, only $30 bucks from the ABC shop

Also check your good book stores, maybe cheaper and K-Mart and Big W too.

bubba louie said:

Rook said:

Thanks orchid and Luck.

Found the book Lucky, only $30 bucks from the ABC shop

It’s a good one to have.

Yes, great photos too.

Rook said:

Thanks orchid and Luck.

Found the book Lucky, only $30 bucks from the ABC shop

Double check the PO too. They had a pack of 4 GA books for about $40. Can’t recall what 3 of them were; one was the Annette McFarlane book I want. BD coming up in less than a month; shall put in my request :))

SueBk said:

Rook said:

Thanks orchid and Luck.

Found the book Lucky, only $30 bucks from the ABC shop

Double check the PO too. They had a pack of 4 GA books for about $40. Can’t recall what 3 of them were; one was the Annette McFarlane book I want. BD coming up in less than a month; shall put in my request :))

The Christmas link I popped up last week, lists the new set and its only $20.00 for 4 books.

g’day rook
i have four compost bays made out of reused galv iron. each one measures about 1.m cube. i’ve got two acres.
my method is to pile the weeds and lawn clippings up in the first bin until it reaches half a metre high and then top with manure and straw. i keep doing this over a month until the bin is full. then i turn it into bin2. after 2 weeks i turn it into bin 3 and then a final turn into the bin 4.
usually i end up with a quarter

bin full of compost (12 wheelbarrow loads) after about 8 – 10 weeks.

in summer the compost gets too dry so i let the chooks spread itwhilst i add water.
note – you cannot add chlorinated water because it stops the micobacteria that generates the heat.

desoite building the heap in stages it heats up. as long as you layer the weeds with straw and manure the piles will generate steam and collapse big time in height each week.

pepe said:

in summer the compost gets too dry so i let the chooks spread itwhilst i add water.
note – you cannot add chlorinated water because it stops the micobacteria that generates the heat.

Yes I use the chooks in my compost bay as well:D Can’t have them looking cute all the time;P

Lurv composting talk:)

desoite building the heap in stages it heats up.
———
have you guessed???
it was
‘despite’ building the heap….

pepe said:

desoite building the heap in stages it heats up.
———
have you guessed???
it was
‘despite’ building the heap….

Naaa….. I’m too worn out from a goods play…to think you didn’t know what you were talking about;P

Lucky, do you still have the link for the books?

Mark

Thanks pepe for the visuals, much appreciated.

Looks like i need to fix the old chook shed and get some chooks and ducks

Rook

Rook said:

Lucky, do you still have the link for the books?

Mark

Hit the “By Topic” button and go to the bottom of the list and click on “Earlier Posts” and it’s 5th topic down.

Just has the list of books in the set.

Rook said:

Thanks pepe for the visuals, much appreciated.

Looks like i need to fix the old chook shed and get some chooks and ducks

Rook

Absolutely recommend that! :D

cackles said:

Rook said:

Thanks pepe for the visuals, much appreciated.

Looks like i need to fix the old chook shed and get some chooks and ducks

Rook

Absolutely recommend that! :D

I’ve got ducklings if you are interested ;)

rock there is compost information at this link http://www.freewebs.com/gardeningforumslinks/compostandmulch.htm then click on the one you want and it will bring you back in the topic that you picked here.