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Post by Cherry on Jul 17, 2012 16:40:25 GMT
The person you give your compost to would be able to give you ideas and get you started on your own. Otherwise, tip your caddy into something bigger or a hole in the garden and start your own compost. My caddy is an old Tupperware and every night it is tipped into a Dalek shaped compost bin which came from a nursery with a subsidy paid by the council.
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Post by Lou78W on Jul 17, 2012 20:00:46 GMT
No pain, no gain  ....you certainly stand out in the "elegant" stakes Twiams...... ;D |
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Post by twiams on Jul 18, 2012 0:42:20 GMT
I've seen a nice compost bin that would match my water butt very well, i think they're made by the same company, however i think it may be a little big although im not really sure what sort of size i'd want ? Who would have though shopping for a compost bin would be such a difficult decision to make  |
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Post by jrae on Jul 20, 2012 12:41:08 GMT
I usually take a shortcut when most of my container plants need repotting twiams. If you eat a lot of fruits/vegetables put the fruit/vegetable peels in a blender with some water and make a "compost smoothie." Banana peels, apple peels, coffee grounds, eggshells, limp salad leaves, stale beans practically anything that came from a plant can be used. No meat or fish tho. Put some potting mix in a container, pour boiling water on it (to sterilize it and make sure your plants won't get viral and bacterial diseases). Pour the smoothie in the planter and blend with potting mix. Let it stand for about a week (to let the smoothie decompose) and then pop in your plants  they'd love the rich potting soil plus you won't have to bother about buying compost/fertilizers for a month or two. For your tomatoes, peppers and such add eggshells when you make your compost smoothie for a calcium boost. If you have a spare bucket, you can put some potting mix in it and make some compost smoothie everytime you have kitchen scraps. Pour it in the bucket and add just enough potting mix to cover it so it won't stink. When you've filled up the bucket let it rest for a week (no cover but make sure it doesn't get rained on) and you can use that to top up your pots every now and then. Just add a bit of the compost smoothie/potting mix to your containers every week. |
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Post by jrae on Jul 20, 2012 12:48:47 GMT
I also put fish waste in a blender and make a stinky fish smoothie that goes straight into it's own spare bucket but I put it in place where I won't faint when it starts getting smelly. And it takes a month of rest before I get to use it on my plants. And yeah, I have an old blender that I use solely for compost/fish smoothies. If you don't have a old blender lying around and you only have one you use in the kitchen you can skip the stinky fish smoothie.
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Post by Rosie on Jul 20, 2012 15:41:51 GMT
Thats dress is just beautiful, it really suits you, your boyfriend has good taste buying you a pretty gerbera like that  |
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Post by Cherry on Jul 20, 2012 16:34:13 GMT
Twiams, get on to your council and find out the cost of a compost bin. If you look on line, many councils are still giving good subsidies. Take whichever works out the cheapest if you are a small family and you are watching your pennies. If you don't want to go for one of these, I am sure some advice will come from forum members on cheaper alternatives. I really think you are going to be a good gardener because your are looking at the basics instead of just the pretty things. Good composted soil, means good plants.
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Post by twiams on Jul 20, 2012 19:03:19 GMT
Thanks for the advice Jrae, i don't have a blender however i may have to look into getting maybe just a tesco cheapy one as it sounds like a really good idea, although i don't eat fish so the fish smoothie is of the menu ! Also thank you Rosie, i quite liked being different from the traditional red rose ! And Cherry ! thank you for that advice may have to get in contact with my council, i'm sure mum would be up for it as she's into recycling etc. I just dread the day i move out to a flat that isn't likely to have a garden  |
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Post by grindle on Jul 21, 2012 4:09:27 GMT
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Post by twiams on Jul 21, 2012 9:39:39 GMT
Thanks Grindle, thats really helpful ! I do come under Plymouth City Council so this is perfect ;D |
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Post by twiams on Jul 21, 2012 10:33:59 GMT
Today... Well, as the sun was shining and i had a bit of time i've done some repotting and planting ! 4 beetroot pots each have a 4 or 5 seeds in (:  Lettuces went outside into there own little pot together (:  and ! yesterday while in tesco scanning the reduced section for pig veg, i found some half dead chives and parsley in pots, 35p i took them home and after just being given some water overnight they've perked up so they're outside too !  So outside is getting a bit busier now ! (: |
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Post by steve on Jul 21, 2012 11:37:21 GMT
That was a good buy, the chives could last forever |
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Post by Cherry on Jul 21, 2012 14:21:27 GMT
Thanks Grindle, thats really helpful ! I do come under Plymouth City Council so this is perfect ;D That sounds really good to me. I hope you go for it Twiams, then we can annoy you by boasting about our compost. |
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Post by jrae on Jul 22, 2012 11:00:27 GMT
Thanks Grindle, thats really helpful ! I do come under Plymouth City Council so this is perfect ;D That sounds really good to me. I hope you go for it Twiams, then we can annoy you by boasting about our compost. ;D ;D ;D ;D My compost is mostly animal poop  and stinks for quite sometime before it gets ready so I don't think mine is worth taking pictures. |
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Post by Cherry on Jul 22, 2012 12:43:53 GMT
Still good Jrae.
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....you certainly stand out in the "elegant" stakes Twiams...... ;D
they'd love the rich potting soil plus you won't have to bother about buying compost/fertilizers for a month or two. 
and stinks for quite sometime before it gets ready so I don't think mine is worth taking pictures. 
