h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As you point out, there's nothing magical about composting! The Centre for Alternative Technology at Machynlleth, Mid West Wales, has compared lots of different composting methods, their conclusion is NOT to buy drums, special containers, etc, as they got just as good results using variations of what you describe. They do, however, add human urine, as the ammonia makes a major contribution to the composting process.

Ah yes, good point indeed. Male gardeners may want to, um, relieve themselves into the compost pile rather than running inside when it's time to get rid of excess bodily fluids.

Another note that's more pertinent now than when I wrote the entry: a working compost pile is a warm compost pile. If you're in a cold climate, this is easy to tell over the winter, because the snow melts first on the compost pile.

Wot a stinky article! (Only joking!)

I've always had a compost in my garden and its great for disposing of household and garden waste. One of my pooches also uses it to bury her bones in and every time we go to dig it over, she creates merry hell because we're disturbing her "stash".

I also think, because it is so warm that wee beasties hibernate in it for the winter and the birds often can be seen looking for insects and grubs on our "heap".

An all round enviromentally friendly subject...

Busking Bob

Just read your posting re compost. I'm very new to gardening and I want to create a composter. I have seen a thing called a wormory in the garden centres and I'm told they are very good. They produce compost in a liquid form which is offten easier to apply to the garden.

Do you have any knowledge of these?

Regards

Hi Metalman - I don't have any experience of using worms, but other folks tell me its a very good way of composting. In addition to the liquid you also get the normal compost. You can also get liquid compost out of an ordinary compost heap - you just need to make sure that you have something underneath the compost to catch the fluid. I have seen an inverted dustbin lin with a hose and tap connected to it, so it doesn't have to be expensive to build.

I am basically a lazy gardener who would rather sit in the garden than look at it - my compost heap is just organic stuff piled up, with lots of newspaper in layers. It works for me, but probably takes longer than worm things. I will point John-the-gardener in your direction - he may be able to advise.

Hi folks. I've seen displays for worms, usually called 'red wrigglers' (or variations on the theme), that are intended to be kept indoors. They are kept in plastic containers with lids and you feed them kitchen waste. I don't imagine they are intended to produce liquid compost; any more than the minimum level of moisture needed to keep the worms alive would probably stink the house up. There are mail order businesses that sell worms for composting, and quite a bit of worm stuff on the web...

http://www.smartgardening.com/Worm%20_Facts.htm
http://www.rt66.com/~topline/links/compostingresources.html
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms/wormlinks/

I do my composting in the backyard, and my level of sophistication rests at the chuck-it-on-the-heap stage.

JTG