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Treacodactyl

Compost

Along with Sean's post I thought I'd also create a thread for compost tips. After a few weeks I'll arrange for an article to be written so keep them coming. I'm mainly looking for beginners tips, but all tips are welcome.

What do you add, how do you add it, do you leave anything out, how long does it take, what do you use it for?

One small tip we do is to ensure all fruit waste (apple cores, peelings, banana skins, etc) are brought home from work and added to the heap. Saves landfill and adds useful fruit nutrients to the garden.
cab

I make a big pile of rottable stuff and pee on it once in a while. I get a fork in and mix it all about sometimes. When it's done I can tell because it looks like compost.

I keep two heaps; one (a compost bin) gets most of the kitchen waste and vegetable matter, the other one (a simple heap) gets spent compost from pots and the big windfalls of compostable waste (when the tomato plants come out, etc). The heap gets spread out maybe once a year, the bin gets used for mulching whenever I need, but normally twice or three times a year.

Really woody stuff doesn't go on, meat and bone don't go on, everything else rottable does, including eggshells.

To keep the heaps aerated, I intersperse layers of waste with scrunched up newspaper. That seems to ensure a good texture.

I try to get as much compost out onto the veg patch after clearing in autumn; it's already got a good crumb texture, and it gets munched into the soil by worms.
Tristan

At home it is whatever I can find to put in the bin, and we also have a woody heap that will take about 4 years to rot but can even cope with leylandii clippings. At work I build a huge heap of stuff, chuck it through a shredder, into the pallet bin to at least three feet deep, and watch it hit 65 deg C in about 4 days, makes compost in three months Very Happy
Treacodactyl

I've started a simple article, aimed at people who don't grow much but who may think about a compost bin.

If anyone has time please read through it, point out what you think is wrong and what could be added:


Basic Home Composting

One of the easiest ways of reducing the amount of rubbish we throw out is to start composting as much organic waste as possible. In the UK most, if not all, councils operate schemes where you can buy a plastic compost bin for a reasonable price. These bins may not be the best way for making large amounts of compost but are ideal for beginners and people with restricted space.

This article is aimed at absolute beginners with the aim of reducing the amount of waste collected by the council.

How does composting work?

Many processes are at work breaking down the plant material into compost, including bacteria, fungi, worms, invertebrates etc. The aim is to provide a balance for them to thrive and go about their useful business, in order to rot down organic matter as quickly as possible. The organisms tend to like a balanced moist place with good airy mix of materials. Nitrogen is essential but too much can cause a slimy smelly mess. Woody material helps balance the nitrogen and allows air into the heap, but too much will slow the composting process.

Material can be left in a pile one the ground and it will eventually rot down. This will take time and can be messy, especially when animals decide to rake about. Some form of container or bin is generally used and there are many designs for home made bins and many ready made or flatpack products available. One of the easiest products to get hold of and use is the plastic compost bin.

Compost bin

There are various designs of plastic bins, most resembling a tube narrowing towards the top with some form of lid. The base is open and some have a hatch. They are light but once some material is added they should not blow away. However, when empty they may need to be secured to stop them turning up in your neighbour's garden! Two different ones I have are shown: Picture to follow...

Siting the compost bin

From time to time a compost bin may smell a little, depending on what has been added. It is best to site it somewhere out of the way, but somewhere easy to get to so you remember to put material in it! Occasionally there may be problems with unwanted visitors to a bin. Rats may set up home and if this happens siting the bin on top of some wire mesh still allows useful animals access to the bin without access for rats. Occasional problems from cats or foxes can be prevented by not adding meat or fish.

What to put in the composter

A good balance should be easy to obtain from the average household. Most garden and kitchen waste can go in. Remember to not add too much of one thing. For example, if you have a large lawn do not add all the clippings in one big layer. Leave them to one side and add them with other more woody material. Likewise, don't add several buckets of prunings in one layer. Make sure they are cut up into small pieces, the smaller the better - shredded better still - and add them with the grass cuttings or other leafy material.

Kitchen waste can be added and usually is a reasonable mix of tough and fleshy bits. If you are throwing out a large object, an unused cabbage or uneaten fruit for example, break it up before adding it to your compost bin. Some people suggest not adding citrus fruit as it can make the compost too acidic but as long as it's a small amount I've not had any problems. I also add egg shells, tea bags and leaves, and coffee grounds. A specially designed kitchen waste bin is very useful. It has a lid and can be kept just outside the back door so you will not have to make daily trips to the main compost bin.

Weeds can be added but a few simple tips are worth following. If you don't want weeds spread around the garden try not to let the weeds set seed; not only will the weeds seed when they are being collected but the seeds will probably be viable when the compost has rotted. A large hot heap will kill the seeds and many other organisms, but the necessary temperatures will not be reached in the average bin. Perennial weeds and roots can also survive and take root in a heap. It is best to leave the weeds in the sun to wilt for several days and it may be wise to leave the roots for a few weeks or not add them to the heap at all.

If you have too much green, leafy material and not enough woody material to balance it out then shredded paper, cardboard, egg cartons can be added. Some people may prefer not to not add this in case unwanted chemicals are added to the garden. This is a matter for personal choice; if the compost is not used to crop crops there should be no problems.

Another top tip is to ensure all your fruit peel, apple cores etc from your packed lunch are brought home and added to the heap.

If you are lucky enough to have chickens, rabbits or other 'farm' animals then their old bedding and droppings can be added to the heap.

What to leave out

A large scale commercial compost can reach very high temperatures that will rot the heap in a matter of a few weeks and sterilise the heap. A small compost bin will not reach such temperatures so a little more care needs to be taken.

Some weeds are best left out entirely as they pose to great a threat to the garden. Japanese knot weed is one that must not be composted (seek special advice before disposing of this weed). Other weeds that are best either left out or soaked for several weeks in water (the liquid can be used as a fertiliser) so they decompose are nettle roots, bindweed, horse/marestail, and ground elder.

Generally it is best to leave out cooked food, bread, meat and fish as these can attract vermin. Also leave out cat and dog mess and litter as there can be a potential risk to humans from their waste (there may be some ways where this waste can be added but that is beyond the scope of this article).

If the compost is to be used on to help grow vegetables it's best to avoid composting some material to avoid the spread of disease. Ones to leave out are brassica roots (leaves and chopped stalks are fine, but not the root balls, to avoid club root), if you're growing potatoes or tomatoes then don't compost potato and tomato waste.


Problems with the compost

If layers build up in the heap this can slow the composting process. It is always useful to lift off the bin and mix the compost up and place back into the bin. If some of the bottom layers are almost usable then don't mix with the un-rotted material if you think you can use it in a few weeks. I find it easier to have two bins, one filling up and one left to rot down. This may not be required for most people. Be careful of any animals that are good for the garden that may make their home in the compost; slow worms for example often like to live and hunt in the warm conditions of a compost bin.

Compost can dry out and this will greatly slow the composing process. Try and keep the mixture moist, but not too wet as this can also slow the process and leave a smelly mess! Don't add too much water and ensure the lid is fitted and this should keep the heap sufficiently dry.

Uses for your home made compost

It is possible to obtain a very good quality compost that can be used to make potting compost, specialist composts etc. However, this can take time and practice so for the beginner it's best to aim for something more attainable.

One of the first uses for compost is as a garden mulch. This will act as a way of nourishing the garden, keeping in moisture and can help suppress weeds. The compost can still contain many large particles and doesn't need to be completely rotted.

Links

http://www.hdra.org.uk/organicgardening/gh_comp.htm - Make compost the organic way with the HDRA

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/compost.htm - Composting tips for the self sufficient 'ish'

http://www.communitycompost.org/ - Community Composting Network - for people who get the bug and want to go a bit further!

http://www.othas.org.uk/dccn/index.html - Devon Community Composting Network.

http://soil.hostweb.org.uk/ - off topic a bit, - easy to understand info on soil!

http://www.keirg.freeserve.co.uk/diary/tech/compost.htm - something for allotment holders.
Blue Sky

Very useful topic - Thank you.

I will be keeping an eye on this one. We compost all our kitchen waste (citrus fruit, teabags, the lot) but have noticed how some things rot down alot slower than others so I can highly recommend the two bin method. We are beginners at composting and welcome all advice. We do have hens however and all of their bedding goes in the box about every two weeks with lots of "hen made" nitrogen to activate it. Also, I wee on it quite frequently to keep it damp. Our box is in an outbuilding, open but with a roof so it needs our input for moisture. We also keep a leaf bin (the leaves we gather from the local woods and mix with "hen-house" straw and this is rotting down nicely but will take a long time before it is ready. We have not used any of the compost from the first box so far but will post results here as to how well it does. The sticks in the picture have now been removed to aeriate the box.

More to follow

S
Treacodactyl

Bumping up a bit. Cool
Deedee

Still trying to convince other half he needs to pee in the compost bin but as we live on a corner of a busy road and the compost bins are next to slatted fences you can see thru no joy so far...can't think why Laughing
Treacodactyl

Bucket in a shed. Wink
Deedee

Laughing no shed! Good idea though a bucket in the loo Idea When Michael was a toddler he used to have a thing about widdling in my tomato plants in buckets at the side of the house Embarassed things were like triffids!!! Embarassed
gavin

Nice one!

Any use in this little lot?

1. A couple of other weeds I wouldn't add - bindweed, horse/marestail, and ground elder; or at least not imediately - soak 'em in water for a few weeks, use the tea as plant food, and then put drowned roots into the composter.

2. cab's compost activator - recycled beer/cider, Personally Iinitiated Soil Stimulant - good stuff in all its forms Smile Smile

3. Worth pointing out for people who use their compost for vegetable growing?

- don't compost brassica roots (leaves and chopped stalks are fine, but not the root balls, to avoid club root);
- if you're growing potatoes, don't compost potato waste.

4. And it does .... me off to walk by allotment plots where people don't compost; you can often recognise them - the soil level is several inches below that of the paths. All that goodness, tons and tons of soil, barrowed off and tipped in an unseen corner - a huge mouldering pile. Of rubbish I'd hesitate to explore using.

5. Some more link suggestions?

http://www.communitycompost.org/ - Community Composting Network - for people who get the bug and want to go a bit further! Likewise [url]http://www.othas.org.uk/dccn/index.html
[/url] - Devon Community Composting Network.

http://soil.hostweb.org.uk/ - off topic a bit, but I really like this site - easy to understand stuff on soil!

http://www.keirg.freeserve.co.uk/diary/tech/compost.htm - a bit cheeky Confused - and it's much more for the size of an allotment plot.

6. And a health warning - "Composting is addictive"? Very Happy

All best - Gavin

PS Glossy and coated papers shouldn't be added, 'cos of the chemicals used in the processes and inks?
Bugs

Regarding (3) Gavin, I used to hear that you shouldn't use carrots either, equally for disease problems, but we've ignored that and not yet had any problems,

We don't tend to compost tomato plants, either
gavin

Mad carrots Exclamation

Ah - carrots and me have a long history; I love them, they don't like me. If the carrot fly didn't get 'em, it was the vandals trashed their cosy fleece cover.

Moved to a new site - and what do I get? The heaviest, claggiest clay soil imaginable! And I'm still determined to get a good carrot - I don't intend trying for 50 years without success (like one friend Sad). Off tomorrow to get some sharp sand so I can sow some this year!

I hadn't heard about not putting carrots on the compost heap - but it makes sense; don't give the fly a place to overwinter? Possibly not so necessary if you grow your carrots under fleece, or with a barrier? But I am NOT a person to comment - I can only talk with absolute conviction about what DOESN'T work Smile.

But you triggered another thought - onions and garlic. I'd happily compost my own as I knew I didn't have white rot. I used to harvest mine in summer, hang 'em up, and they'd last through to the next harvest.

But after a year using bought onions and garlic (which go rotten scarily quickly), I'd be very hesitant about putting "bought" onions/garlic on my own compost heap.

All best - Gavin
Treacodactyl

Hi Gavin, thanks for the extra tips and links. I may add a section with more 'hard core' composting tips, such as 'human activator' but I want to keep this article simple.

I also would like at least one more article covering composting for use on the veg plot (including manure) and even another on making your own potting compost from compost, leaf mould etc.
judyofthewoods

Not tried this method, but looks plausable. For growing carrots in heavy clay you could try to dig individual holes, then ramming a crowbar into the base to extend the hole downward, and wriggle it arround to create a cone. Probably best to do it when the soil is fairly dry as the clay would get a more waterproof edge if its effectively puddled. Fill the hole with a finer mix of soil, compost and sand. That way you can get started with improving the soil a bit at a time where you most need it, where the plant grows. Brobably not ideal, but might allow you to grow at least some carrots, even if the yield is less than in ideal conditions.
gavin

Words out of my mouth, Judyofthewoods - spent this morning mixing compost, sand and soil. All ready I am Smile - pity about the sopping wet claggy soil, though Sad

All best - Gavin
Treacodactyl

Bump, and I've added most of the comments and links. I've left out the human activator as I'm aiming the article at new people and that may put some off. I can, of course, be included in the more in depth composting for the veg plot article.

Any other comments of links?
dougal

No factual quibbles. A couple of typos: "one the ground" and "if the compost is to be used on to help grow".
Its a good introduction. Something that could benefit from more discussion is judging the correct moisture content.
Small heaps are cooler, and rot slower, because of their larger surface in proportion to their volume. Small heaps can be insulated to accelerate their work. (Straw-stuffed pallets, etc).
I tear tea bags open.
The smaller that things are cut up, the quicker they'll rot down.
Because small heaps are slower, this chopping (or ideally shredding) is particularly important for small heaps.
For a small (uninsulated) heap, emptying the bin, mixing and refilling may be essential to get adequate composting of the material that was around the edges. This can also help when a heap has gone wrong - eg as a result of an overdose of grass cuttings or leaves going on.
Its more than twice as good to have two heaps! Not sure this deserves to be under problems! If fresh material is being added to a single heap, the only way of 'harvesting' compost produced is going to be extracting it from the base...
Partially rotted material is a great way of kick starting the process - so if one can extract material from a hatch at the bottom of a plastic bin, putting some of the "bottom stuff" in at the top is a simple way of "turning" the heap.
Its a useful article already.
pricey

Me and me bros heap is a double made from 5 pallets that form a E SHAPE, all normal stuff in 1 side, chichen poo in the other. Every now and then we move the poo to the other side and mix it in a bit. Works for us just fine, and we use recycled beer and wiskey Very Happy
judith

dougal wrote:
If fresh material is being added to a single heap, the only way of 'harvesting' compost produced is going to be extracting it from the base...


Not a quibble - all the above information is great. But does anyone have a recommendation for a proprietary compost bin from which it is actually possible to remove the compost from the hatch at the bottom. I have tried many different types, and I always find that the force of the compost bulging out, prevents the little hatch being opened - I think without exception I have had to remove the bin altogether and then reassemble it.
Or is it just me? Very Happy

Now I mainly use a 3-bay pallet edifice which is much more satisfactory, but I do have a couple of plastic composters on the go as well.
wellington womble

On a related note, has anyone used those compost bags for kitchen waste? They have started to introduce them round here, as they're going to introduce a green bin collection once a fortnight. I haven't seen one yet, but found ecover ones today, and wonder if they have other uses (as a compost bucket works just fine in this house!)
Treacodactyl

Judith wrote:
But does anyone have a recommendation for a proprietary compost bin from which it is actually possible to remove the compost from the hatch at the bottom.


Two of the bins we have have have a hatch that can be removed. It's not large enough for the compost to be easily removed though but I can open them to see how it's coming along.

I've not seen the compost bags WW, are you meant to throw the whole thing on the heap then?
Res

Treacodactyl wrote:
A specially designed kitchen waste bin is very useful. It has a lid and can be kept just outside the back door so you will not have to make daily trips to the main compost bin.


I keep a plastic novelty 'dustbin' outside the door, it was sold as a waste paper basket and has a lid with two handles that come up and over the edge to clamp the lid down. Keeps the flies off brilliantly Very Happy
Res

I am also trying an experiment to heat the shed using the compost, as the bin backs onto the corrigated plastic of the shed. I am still struggling to get the heap to 'heat up'. I currently have it filled up with fresh horse manure in wood shavings. It was steaming away nicely at the stables but does not seem to be heating, never mind steaming, even with CAB's activator!!!

I think I need to have it all out and give it a good mix up and incorporate some 'green' stuff and see how that goes.
Treacodactyl

In our ideal home we'd like a couple of donkeys, their compost contribution being on of the many reasons.
Res

Treacodactyl wrote:
In our ideal home we'd like a couple of donkeys, their compost contribution being on of the many reasons.


If you had donkeys, you could try out Gavins 'lazy beds' for your potatos!
Treacodactyl

Well after a few months and a bit of turning the article is now published. Thanks for all the comments, most of which have been added to the heap. Wink If there are any other comments or links please post away and they can be added to the article which can be found here: http://www.downsizer.net/Projects/Growing_your_own/Basic_home_composting/

I would also like help with a few more articles (hints, tips and someone to write 'em):

Advanced composting - Perhaps building a bin, making very good compost etc

Liquid manures - Comfrey, Nettles etc

Worm Bins

Anything else.
Penny Outskirts

My son has a pet rat - does anyone think there would there be any problem adding the used bedding to the compost heap? It's just woodshavings, rat's do doos and uneaten food, no artificial bedding, but we were worried it may attract rats to the bin?? They're going to find it eventually anyway, but we don't want to put a sign up Laughing
wellington womble

I think I've heard it mentioned that woodshavings take a long time to rot down, but as far as rats doings go, they should be fine, as long as the said rat is a vegetarian (All the rats I have been aquainted with will eat anything at all, but I don't know what you're sposed to feed pet rats)

I can volunteer a lot of ways not to set up a worm bin, and can write a learn from my mistakes article, but it is a bit negative. Having said that, I guess learning from someone elses mistakes it a lot more positive than making them again yourself!
Blue Sky

wellington womble wrote:
I can volunteer a lot of ways not to set up a worm bin, and can write a learn from my mistakes article, but it is a bit negative. Having said that, I guess learning from someone elses mistakes it a lot more positive than making them again yourself!


I used the simple method shown HERE to start our worm-composter off and it has been working well since last April.

I would recommend this link as a good starting point for anybody interested in worm compost.

It is good for kitchen waste but of course, a pig is much better on a grander scale Wink

http://www.troubleatmill.com/wormbin.htm

Have fun, S
cab

Penny wrote:
My son has a pet rat - does anyone think there would there be any problem adding the used bedding to the compost heap? It's just woodshavings, rat's do doos and uneaten food, no artificial bedding, but we were worried it may attract rats to the bin?? They're going to find it eventually anyway, but we don't want to put a sign up Laughing


When we had a hamster, we used to put her used bedding onto the compost heap. Went okay, but sometimes the wood shavings lingered a bit.
judith

My chooks' bedding is mainly woodshavings. I have no problems composting it quickly provided that the heap is cooking well. So they break down much faster in the Summer when I have lots of grass clippings to add at the same time.
Andy B

I have three bins, one to collect everything and when its full i turn and mix it into one of the other bins. I then start collecting again and when that's full i put it into bin number three. The mixing bit seems to be the most important bit.
Treacodactyl

We compost a large amount of wood shavings and they rot much better in a good mix of green stuff. As we have so much I'm going to try and use them before they are fully composted as a compost/mulch. I know this may steel nitrogen from the soil but as our soil is so light hopefully it will keep in the moisture. I'm adding as much nitrogen to the mix as possible so hopefully it will work and several of the peat free composts have quite large wood chips in.

As for rat droppings, I assume if the rat is safe to handle then there will not be much risk of adding the droppings to the heap.

As for the uneaten food, this may attract mice or rats but I find they turn up anyway so if there isn't too much I'd just add it.
mark

a few comments

using stuff not fully composts as a much - would do this round trees and bushes but not on the veg patch! The bacteria that break down the the compost need nitrogen while they are active and they steal the free nitrogen that the plant roots need!

people using organic mulches not fully composted (like not fully decayed leaf mould sometimes get stunted vegetables as a result!

I have a separate bin for leaf mould - and all my slow decaying things go in their with the leaves - and some grass cuttings to speed things along a bit and to make sure the resulting leaf mould has some fertility as well as being a mulch/soil conditioner! I live with the fact that that takes years rather than months to be ready!
monkey1973

I decided to bump this back to the top.
My question is this, how long does it take for manure to become well-rotted manure?
dougal

monkey1973 wrote:
I decided to bump this back to the top.
My question is this, how long does it take for manure to become well-rotted manure?


And how long is a piece of string... Very Happy

It does depend on what you put in with it, what temperature its at, how well mixed in it is... and even, I suppose, the origin of the dung (chicken, horse, pig, cattle...).

A horse-dung heap with just a little bit of straw or sawdust in it isn't likely to rot down quickly. It might not be "well-rotted" after a year or more.
mark

depends on time of year - temperature - size of pile etc etc
so many variables

I reckon 6 month minimum for well rotted
a year is usually fine! - but sometimes takes up to 2 years if small pile/cold etc!!

any other comments
Bugs

Does anybody know if it is worth composting nutshells?

Normally we burn them but it would be handy to know.
Cathryn

You know I have a (much too) small garden and simply use my compost bin as an outdoor rubbish bin - I suppose I am mindfull of what goes in it - I rarely get round to taking stuff out of it - just top it up all the time! (Having hens has thrown a spanner in that one a bit and I am considering where to put another one) I always think that this would be a good way to sell them to "gardeners". All the effort they would otherwise have to go to (bagging stuff putting it in their just cleaned cars...) - when if they had a pretty bin - they could just chuck it all in there.
dpack

a first thought .. a card package makes a good unit of compost

fill your boxes and find a spot to stack them .

large or small will this work Question
Slim

Yum, Compost

I've composted nutshells before, and surprise surprise, they pop up in the garden. Or at least that's why I had thought, then I looked at the shells in question: pesky squirrels "plant" butternuts all over the place, including into my compost. So I personally think they're worth composting. Assuming that you've just busted up the shells to get to the nut, you've started the breakdown process anyway! If you're really worried about them, toss them into a slow rot pile (AKA brush pile full of branches). Somewhere down the line this'll be beautiful humus Very Happy

As for the rat bedding tying up your nitrogen, that might depend on how long you let the rat's nitrated build up in the bedding. You might actually be getting a decent carbon to nitrogen ration right in the bedding. You might also not want a stinky rat cage..... Rolling Eyes The woodchips might acidify things a bit though....
tahir

Butternuts? Did you say butternuts? I'm planting 6 of those, what varieties have tyou got?
Slim

I have several seedlings of whatever the squirrels stole from the folks down on the corner of my street..... Very Happy
dpack

when i die compost me ..


signed in the presence of ...
tahir

cpg03 wrote:
I have several seedlings of whatever the squirrels stole from the folks down on the corner of my street..... Very Happy


Excellent, how old?
Bugs

Re: Yum, Compost

cpg03 wrote:
So I personally think they're worth composting. Assuming that you've just busted up the shells to get to the nut, you've started the breakdown process anyway!


Thanks cpg03, I hoped that might be the case. I can't see much harm in using them as fuel either but in the future it's nice to know that as much as possible needn't go in to the landfill.
Lozzie

So we're all agreed then: Bust your nuts up, then compost 'em. Sounds about par for the course.

dpack - I think the cardboard box full of stuff idea might work, but the best thing would probably be to use a big old washing-machine size box, if possible dug slightly into the bare earth. Lots of small boxes packed with stuff might not be allowing enough air to circulate through the mixture. Problem with the big cardboard box idea is that it would probably disintergrate BEFORE the contents had a chance to compost properly. Like, ewwww.

(Incidentally dpack - you will NEVER die. Not if I have anything to do with it!)
Gervase

Lozzie wrote:
So we're all agreed then: Bust your nuts up, then compost 'em.


Written with womanly glee!

We've just acquired a mass of old carpet for ours, thanks to a neighbour, so things should soon start to warm up in the bowels of the various heaps...
And has anyone composed old silage; stuff that's gone a bit sour and that the beasties don't fancy any more?
dougal

Gervase wrote:
And has anyone composed old silage; stuff that's gone a bit sour and that the beasties don't fancy any more?

I have taken a couple of folk's "compost heaps" that were foul smelling, slimy, remains of grass cuttings (and precious little else), and blended them in with other stuff into a new, mixed, aerated heap.
No problem.
Got any shredded prunings or similar woody stuff? (I've got a feeling that straw might help, barring anything else - but straw is pretty slow to rot...)
growingafamily

my grandma lives in lancashire (burnley, pendle and ? district) and i ordered the free compost bins - large black darlek shaped things, you can have up to three delivered free within that area per address via their website

(sorry am rubbish at linking but will try if anyone wants and can't find)

Has anyone used these ? Are they any good ?
Treacodactyl

The larger the bin the better I've found. In our composting article there's a picture and I have two of the larger green bins and one smaller bin, the larger bins seem to rot down better.

http://www.downsizer.net/Projects/Growing_Food/Basic_home_composting/

As for linking just type it in with the www and the link should work.
tahir

The larger square ones are better than the dalek things, most councils do both
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