Afternoon all……………….as the title says…have been doing a lot of weeding,rose clipping etc,etc with wife.Am in the process of purchasing a mulcher for the aforesaid.I also am in the market for a compost drum,Would like a rotating model but will have to settle for the 200 litre rectangular model from Mitre10 for $40 However,what happens next? Layer of mulched clippings followed by a layer of earth?Add blood and bone?? Any information would be helpfull.Regards……AL

adding soil is not necessary. a mix of nitrogenous (green & manures) and carbonaceous (dry/brown) materials are the main ingredients. The amount of oxygen available will determine whether the breakdown will be fast and hot or slow and cool. The more oxygen the faster the breakdown. This is implemented by turning the compost materials periodically.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,thank you BG.what you are saying is toss the shredded mulch in the bin and aereate the lot by turning with a fork.Do I add water?……………..Al

yes, water is also required. you want it to be moist but not sodden.

rose prunings are not usually recommended due to possible disease contamination and because the thorns can persist resulting in injury.

when you first start it up, if you are adding the ingredients all at once, it should generate a bit of heat after a few days. After about a week it will start to cool down and then it is the best time to fork it over. It should then heat up again. Do this again once or twice more and then the compost can be left to finish the process. If you are adding small quantities at a time then there will not be enough mass to generate the heat and it will take longer before it is ready.

I assume that the compost bin has no bottom so i can move it when finished.Can i add blood and bone or am i wasting my time? the rose cuttings are largely debudded stems.once again BG thanks for the advice………….al

you want it open at the bottom so that excess liquid can drain out and worms can move in :)

it also makes it easier to turn the compost if you can just lift the bin off and then fork the material back in again.

………………..OK,now i get you.Move the bin and toss it in again for the aeration.What about the blood and bone?also,200 litres of compost worked properly should take how long to break down and used on the garden? Is it any advantage in purchasing two…………………………….Al

blood and bone will add extra nitrogen, but is not necessary, I don’t add it preferring to add it straight to the garden bed, but any animal manures are good to add if you can get hold of them. especially if they are too fresh for the garden. there are some herbs that are good for “activating” compost, eg. comfrey.

as for how long it will take it will all depend on what is in the mix, particle size and woodiness (the smaller the better), moisture content, etc. A tumbler type is supposed to produce compost in 2 weeks or so but a bin may take 2 to 6 months.

I reckon 2 or 3 bins are better than 1. You may need to start a new bin before the first is finished. The volume of your compost will reduce by about a third, or even more, as it breaks down too.

I gave away my square bins in favour of the cylindrical ones. They do a better job IMHO. Turning isn’t compulsory with the bin system if you don’t mind waiting a bit longer.

Try and get hold of a copy of “Recycle your Garden” by Tim Marshall. It’s got detailed info on all types of composting and a really good read.

Libraries should have it. It’s an ABC publication.

………………………..your information is invaluable BG, thanks for the info,will digress further when i get it all set up.Thanks again………Al

i second Bubba’s opinion about those square bins you buy as flat pack. in my experience they are not very good for the following reasons:
- slow composting
- the air slots and (useless) removable panel near bottom dry out the compost. as well as allowing light in, so things sprout instead of decaying.
- can’t lift damn thing off the compost for turning…so end up forking down to 1/3 left in bin, before you can finally lift.
- lid comes off easily in wind
although they’re difficult to get home, as they’re no flat pack, the gedeye bin is excellent.

regards shredding….unless you can purchase a petrol type, the disc cutting (electric) type shredders are hopeless, and an absolute waste of money. i returned mine in time (guarantee) to get a “quiet” shredder. these “quiet” shredders are not only quiet but, use a simple cog crushing/cutting mechanism. i’ve done lots of shredding with this workhorse, producing loads of shredded material.

Over the years I have tried all types of composting methods ..

Shredding is useful for some materials like lawn clippings which are an almost necessary evil and can at least be shredded with a hand powered mower.

Serious mechanical shredding is very costly and totally inefficient. sure it appears great but.. the energy expended an the fingers lopped are just not worth the effort. A chainsaw is a far better and more economic method.
Just use vegetable oil in the chain and bar oil compartment. ;) a hint.. a man once put vegetable oil in th two stroke mix because he was too lazy to go to town for oil.. His eighbours all came out and said hey what’s cookin’ man? your lawnmower is sure quiet and sweet smellin’.

Composting by its nature shreds materials for you.

adding soil is not necessary.

>
depends on which type of composting method you are using..

someone mentioned square boxes .. someone mentioned cylindrical.. no one mentioned lids..

roughbarked said:

someone mentioned square boxes .. someone mentioned cylindrical.. no one mentioned lids..

I use open bays myself.

not only quiet but, use a simple cog crushing/cutting mechanism. i’ve done lots of shredding with this workhorse, producing loads of shredded material.

>
yes for the home gardener whom has plenty of time to push a pedal and contemplate what he is going to do next.. these are suitable enough and this type of work has kept most of us out of street violence domestic violence and other crimes for centuries.

or loose heaps.. in some cases a dirt cover or lid is recommended for each layer sequence.

roughbarked said:

or loose heaps.. in some cases a dirt cover or lid is recommended for each layer sequence.

I have been guilty of using pizza boxes for this purpose

pizza boxes are great.. no worries.. ;)

as long as you make them fit as neatly as you can.

someone mentioned square boxes .. someone mentioned cylindrical.. no one mentioned lids..
==

I just assumed they were “there”…

I have a lid on a cylindrical compost bin…it would be half a 44 gallon drum size (don’t know the litres)…this is a slow compost by any standards, but sweet smelling and if it slows too much I just add a solution of water and molasses…the frogs love it in the winter, but sadly with the last heat “event” they just melted (no kidding) into the shredded paper…

With the lid, I upturn it, put a broken brick in it, and fill with water…you can always tip the water into the compost when replenishing, or tip it into a nearby garden bed in a state of “gunna” (gunna grow some cucumbers in there one day)…it is a big enough lid that even the crows feel comfortable, certainly the cockatoos do…and the lid therefore, as you have guessed, doubles as a bird bath…

Fun!!

roughbarked said:

adding soil is not necessary.

>
depends on which type of composting method you are using..

someone mentioned square boxes .. someone mentioned cylindrical.. no one mentioned lids..

They come with lids.

Well,after all that conversation it has given me something to think about.Perhaps the least expensive solution is to make a couple of bays from corrugated iron and star droppers and let mother nature take its course.If i am trying to compost fruit tree branches as thick as my wrist then i think i will be in for a very long wait,thats where the mulcher comes in.From what you say the “lectric are pretty limited as to the amount and size of the material.I had a look on ebay for petrol driven machines but unfortunately none from South Australia……………open to all suggestions…….AL

al said:

Well,after all that conversation it has given me something to think about.Perhaps the least expensive solution is to make a couple of bays from corrugated iron and star droppers and let mother nature take its course.If i am trying to compost fruit tree branches as thick as my wrist then i think i will be in for a very long wait,thats where the mulcher comes in.From what you say the “lectric are pretty limited as to the amount and size of the material.I had a look on ebay for petrol driven machines but unfortunately none from South Australia……………open to all suggestions…….AL

burn the branches.
use your lawn mower to chaff up green prunings – one machine not two – and how much lawn is left anyhow? just throw all the long weeds and prunings onto a shady area of grass and run the mower over them – first at a high setting then gradually lower. hard work but the cheap chippers are useless and dangerous.
i have two cylindrical black plastic compost bins that my missus fills. i empty these bins into my compost bays when they start to go mouldy. (also despite years of training she likes to break my back by throwing uncut gear onto my compost heap so she is banned).

cheers pep

al said:

Well,after all that conversation it has given me something to think about.Perhaps the least expensive solution is to make a couple of bays from corrugated iron and star droppers and let mother nature take its course.If i am trying to compost fruit tree branches as thick as my wrist then i think i will be in for a very long wait,thats where the mulcher comes in.From what you say the “lectric are pretty limited as to the amount and size of the material.I had a look on ebay for petrol driven machines but unfortunately none from South Australia……………open to all suggestions…….AL

You’ll need one with a lot of grunt for that size branch. i have a Greenfield Piecemaker that handles that sort of thing.

Do you have anywhere, away from the house, where you could toss the branches for lizard housing?

I have used bigger branches for informal edging.

……….well the ongoing saga continues,went to Bunnies and purchased a 200 litre Gedeye bin.After a lot of ringing around after a mulcher,that idea has got the chop(pardon the pun,ho ho) ive got the chain saw and the loppers,and if that doesnt work………stiff!!! Obviously,the smaller the item to be composted the better. It is terrific to see the amount of interest this thread has created with different ideas.I tried some time ago to get that composting book at the ABC shop,but to no avail.I will try the library next.Thanks all for the info…………AL

regarding books/chapters on composting…i never found them to do the subject justice. what i always read is a repeat of the obvious. and in the end you have to work out the proportions, moisture, etc on your own in your compost conditions.

Aquarium,I agree.Regardless of what is written the end result is up to you.I go along with the adage“if something looks right,it usually is right” . This applies not only to composting,but a myriad of other day to day challenges……………….AL

al said:

Aquarium,I agree.Regardless of what is written the end result is up to you.I go along with the adage“if something looks right,it usually is right” . This applies not only to composting,but a myriad of other day to day challenges……………….AL

A boss of mine once said “if it has worked for us for twenty years then there is no need to change it unless you can prove it is better”.

on your own in your compost conditions.

>
A statement of great weight.

In a humid climate.. there is little need to add water.. In a dry climate there is an absolute lack of moisture which can seem impossible to rectify.

I have a shredder that can do branches up to the thickness of your wrist but it has sat in the shed for decades..

It was harder work than cutting the branches into firewood lengths.

I had a neighbour who dragged all his prunings over here rather than burn them or take them to the tip..

He stacked them in a heap.. I ran the chainsaw over the heap like cutting a loaf of bread.. into firewood lengths.

By the time I had allowed that to dry and rot whilst removing any decent burnable pieces for my combustion stove., I had a compost which I then blended with other materials to us in my native plant potting mix.

bubba louie said:

Do you have anywhere, away from the house, where you could toss the branches for lizard housing?

This also fits with my above description.

Yes I actually use crown land to create lizard housing and do my major composting.. but .. I do it for several of my neighbours.. which actually equates to me doing work.. which saves them the carbon emissions and the money plus gives lizards and dragons a place to live.

its difficult to justify burning anything these days.
but the neighbours here have bonfire burning down to a fine art. the heap burns hot – little smoke – for 15 – 30 minutes.
compare that to power consumption with chainsaws, chippers etc.

pepe said:

its difficult to justify burning anything these days.
but the neighbours here have bonfire burning down to a fine art. the heap burns hot – little smoke – for 15 – 30 minutes.
compare that to power consumption with chainsaws, chippers etc.

I think I would classify some of the introduced weeds as justifiable burns…some of them strike like that staff in the Holy Bible…

Getting back to the original topic, I checked Mein Dottir’s (The Fashionasta’s) compost bin, and it has these long white thingys growing…no picture I’m sorry…they were about 6 – 9 inches long and about ½ and inch at the base…I got the concreter to look (he was trying to match the carport materials with the “how to”, poor guy) and he just laughed…the smell is fine: sweet.

Perhaps a bag of compressed lucerne hay might be in order? That office needs a shredder as well (I use shredded office paper in my compost here), but they broke the last one within 6 months so I’m still thinking about that…

Obviously enough light to get the fungus (?) going…the concreter asked if there was any …oh I forget… in there, but the nearest answer to his query was lawn clippings

shredded bleached paper from offices will possibly contain small amounts of dioxin.

A person in a suit once asked me “aren’t you afraid of the dioxin leaching into the soil?” when I was laying newspaper mulch.
I simply replied “no”.

mmm, so we could lay down several layers of newspaper on top of the kitchen scraps? Sounds alright…we have plenty

………….OK,well look out you lot,this little black ducks on a roll.Got the compost bin all set up,chopped up some grape vine cuttings plus weeds etc and packed them in the bin.Had a look a coupla days later and boy was it warm in the bin with condensation running off the insides.Cutting up the scraps was a bit of a pain so as i had been thinking to get a small mulcher,had a look in Fridays paper,and found one for sale.Its a Massport with a 2 horsepower electric motor,is in good condition with no blade problems………$50 later and the job was done.I certainly will not be putting tree trunks through it,but am sure it will be ideal for what i want.Will keep you posted as to the end results…………………..AL

Good news, Al. Composting is fun when it works!

al said:

………….OK,well look out you lot,this little black ducks on a roll.Got the compost bin all set up,chopped up some grape vine cuttings plus weeds etc and packed them in the bin.Had a look a coupla days later and boy was it warm in the bin with condensation running off the insides.Cutting up the scraps was a bit of a pain so as i had been thinking to get a small mulcher,had a look in Fridays paper,and found one for sale.Its a Massport with a 2 horsepower electric motor,is in good condition with no blade problems………$50 later and the job was done.I certainly will not be putting tree trunks through it,but am sure it will be ideal for what i want.Will keep you posted as to the end results…………………..AL

well done Al. The mulcher won’t be much good for the heavier prunings, but if all you plan to put through it is light stuff for the compost it should be OK.

If you are still fit, can keep a saw sharp and have a combustion stove. No prunings or fallen trees will be a problem.

As I said above my heavy duty shredder sits unused. I’m sure that’s a more vibratory experience than using a chainsaw or a bow saw to shorten the branches to useable pieces in the wood stove or wood heater.

My method of slicing loaves of prunings works well because I have the ability to do this outside my fence on crown land where I have been planting trees for decades and have healthy populations of all things that eat wood.

I have to work fast to stop them from eating my firewood. Still, vastly more wood than I burn is consumed by my local environment.

I go out at night with a torch and the soil surface teems with all manner of creation.

We have hot water, a warm house in winter, a place to create magic loaves of bread and homemade pizza, a clothes dryer and a place to keep the kettle hot. This from the big bits of wood. The small bits are fed back to the wild. A surface mulch covering branches on the ground renders them useless for firewood in no time.

all the twigs and leaves can go in the compost as the dry or brown component.

$50 later and the job was done.I certainly will not be putting tree trunks through it,but am sure it will be ideal for what i want.Will keep you posted as to the end results…………………..AL
———-
goodonya al
- compost heaps made of chipped material are a lot easier to turn and they break down quicker.
let us know how you go.

To Bubba Louie,Sorry about my tardiness in replying,but have been flat out.I finally sourced the book you mentioned by Tim Marshall.ABC shops didnt have any copies but by luck Angus and Robertson did.Must be the composters Bible.Hope to pick it up on Monday.Thanks again BL…………………..AL

al said:

To Bubba Louie,Sorry about my tardiness in replying,but have been flat out.I finally sourced the book you mentioned by Tim Marshall.ABC shops didnt have any copies but by luck Angus and Robertson did.Must be the composters Bible.Hope to pick it up on Monday.Thanks again BL…………………..AL

Well after going to all that trouble I certainly hope you like it.

Did you try a library? I always like to try before I buy.