building a compost bin and ideal mix?

Hi - novice composter here. I want to build a wooden compost box - the kind which is made of stackable layers, so when the pile starts to reduce down, I can take a few layers off and start a new one. Hope that make sense. I've caste around on the internet a bit and some gardeners say it must have gaps between the slats (to allow air to circulate) whilst others (well, the HDRA site) say there should be no gaps and the slats should be close fitting. I think that's to keep vermin out and heat in. Any thoughts on which is best before I start crafting my masterpiece?

Also, if I have lots of lawn mowings (in the summer) and lots and lots of leaves (in the winter) plus occasional prunings (when I get round to it) and bits of kitchen waste, how do I achieve the magical 'balance' throughout the year? If I keep some leaves in bags and mix these with the lawn mowings each time I mow, adding the other stuff as and when, will this be any good?

Any advice appreciated.

 

Its important that your compost heap is Aerobic, rather than Anaerobic - aerobic = bugs that need air, ANaerobic = bugs that don't need air. A pile of grass clippings composts ANaerobically, and becomes a slimy mess.

So you do need "air", but I'm sure that a small gap here and there is enough (and you do DEFINITELY need to keep the rats / vermin out. For comparison the plastic dalek bins only let the air in top and bottom ... and they work fine. But a compost bin from which ALL air is excluded won't work.

You could search here for ideas for compost bins made from old Pallets, and you can line them with a 1-cubic-metre-builders-bag

I wouldn't be too concerned about the mixture of materials in the compost bin. I read books on composting when I were a lad! and got really hetup about getting the right mix of materials, but the reality is that composting material comes in bursts. You feel guilty and weed the whole garden - so you have a wheel barrow full of weeds - with lots of soil attached - then you mow the grass, so that's all you have; and then in Autumn you have more leaves than you know what to do with.

I put my grass clipping in a pile. I spread the new clippings all over the top of the pile, so that they are not very thick/deep in any one place - that way they tend not to go slimy / anaerobic. I have a large chicken-wire-enclosed area where all the leaves go; then when I have some material for the compost bin I include some other material from the grass pile, and the leaf pile - and the horse-manure pile too (that's a good compost accelerator - i.e. it raises the temperature.

Its important that your bin has a lid - to keep the rain off (the heap will need some water, but a downpour will flood it). A bit of thick carpet will do - best it rests on the top of the heap, rather than having a gap and then a "fixed lid" above that

Anything "storky" will benefit from shredding - either by being bashed with a spade, or a mechanical shredder.

And once you've got a nice compost pile going people-pee will be the best thing to accelerate the bugs - get Mr MapGirl to take an evening stroll with the dogs and pee on the compost heap (which is what I do!) - I'll leave any alternative technicalities to your own engineering skills!

Before you start building a compost bin you might want to see if your council subsidises compost bins.
I got a couple of plastic Daleks this summer (20 quid each I think) and they have been brill - I had good intentions of building a mega-compost-bin-processing-area but it wasn't happening. Some councils also do Green Cones (which will also compost meat), and maybe even wormeries etc. ??

Putting your Postcode in this link will (I think) tell you if there are any subsidised bins available in your area:

Recycle Now

 

thank you for all that - I shall stop worrying about the mix and just get composting (I have a plastic dalek to be going on with - the wooden one is just 'cause I fancy making something!)

 

A tip before you get the hammer and nails out! I have two bins I buit and they work fine. However, I made them as a fixed construction. When it is time to turn the compost, or empty it, I have to climb in and (a) I sink into it (b) I have limited space to wield the shovel. So, either make it at least four to five feet square, or better still, make one end detachable, so you can take it off and work your way in. I would also suggest that if you have room, make two constructions, side by side. Then you can turn one over into the other when you want to aid the process. I have one container that is ready to empty. I will then turn the other into it, reversing the layers and then cover it for about six months.

 

Good advice JohnnyMac :thumb:

 

My Bins, Newly built this year Ms mapgirl.. The Front Panels come out, Makes Turning the compost easier and for emptying it.. The sides have gaps and there are seperate lids..

 

If building from scratch. The optimum is a suite of three 1m x1m x 1m bins. You need three so that while you are using the compost from one, the second is full and composting down and the third is being filled.:thumb:

 

thank-you to all for the advice. Love the pics. I haven't started yet (thinking about it is part of the pleasure!) so can take all the suggetions on board.