Black compost bin anyone?

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Hey everyone, I bought a black compost bin a while ago and I was wondering if anyone else has also. All of my neighbors have the same bin, so I expected it to be popular. I was just wondering whether it is even useful to have around. I remember the last time I opened it up to see if compost was made, I was disappointed because although there was a whole bunch of soil, there were still a lot of woody debris in the bin. Also, there were still a lot of stuff in there that weren't composted. Does anyone know what I am talking about and have you had a similar or different experience?
 
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I have had one for about 5 years now and we put all our kitchen scraps in there, coffee filter/grinds. You do have to add a certain amount of dry stuff like leaves, or newspaper or cereal boxes. We just tear the newspaper up in small strips. When I empty it out I always leave behind some of the compost to so that it jump starts the new stuff I put in there. You also have to turn it every day or every few days.
 

dim

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keep the contents damp, and try turn it often .... also place the bin in a sunny position, and keep the lid on

the key is that you have to mix 60% greens (vegetable scaps or even a bit of lawn clippings), with 40% carbon (shredded comptable cardboard, toilet roll centre cardboard etc, or what I have been using is horse manure that has loads of hay) .... I tend to not put any dry sticks/woody things in mine, but many do, however they shred them first

it is easier if you have 2 or more bins .... fill one up, then start the other .... the contents starts to collapse, and it becomes easier to turn/mix with a garden fork ... a full bin eventually makes half (or less than half) a bin of good compost

if you speak to your local restaurants etc, they may give you the vegetable scaps from their kitchens .... if they do, you can fill a bin in less than a week
 
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We have one. Not all of it is composted like egg shells, but I used it anywayo_O
 
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We have one also. I try not to put sticks and such in, unless they are broken up into small chunks. Mostly I have soft materials in mine. It comes out well after about 6 months.
 
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Agreed they do work better in a sunny spot.
I have stopped putting weeds in mine as It doesn't seem to get hot enough to kill the roots & seeds. If I can be bothered to shred the woodier stuff before adding it that does give a nice crumbly compost. I don't put kitchen waste in as it attracted vermin. .
 
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Wow, well judging from the replies, I'd say that I should turn it around every now and then. I honestly did not think of that. I just throw kitchen scraps, paper, and anything else in there and usually end up leaving it there until time comes to use the soil it makes. Thanks everyone!
 
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Urine will help get the heat going.
May I suggest you collect it indoors, rather than add it directly?

Your compost bin should also be in contact with the soil, rather than on a base, to allow the bacteria to get at the composting materials.
 

dim

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if you want to add something that can be related to 'adding petrol to the flames'

try adding organic unsulphered (unstrapped) molasses to you compost bins ....you can buy ths from a health store or off the internet, and it's cheap.... add 3 tablespoons to your watering can (10 litres), mix with water and use that

the sugary content will feed the beneficial microbes, and they will replicate fast, and your compost will break down quicker

add the mixture once a week (not too much), then turn the contents of the bin with a fork to give them some oxygen
 

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