Compost Aerator

Bombbastic22

I'm looking for a handy way to stir my compost and was thinking of buying this product as it has the best reviews.

I find it rather an awkward dirty task.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dolmen-Compost-Mixer-and-Aerator/dp/B0050I2FB4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347190518&sr=8-2

Any input on this would be great.

MisterHorses

Bombbastic22 wrote: »

I'm looking for a handy way to stir my compost and was thinking of buying this product as it has the best reviews.

I find it rather an awkward dirty task.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dolmen-Compost-Mixer-and-Aerator/dp/B0050I2FB4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347190518&sr=8-2

Any input on this would be great.

I have actually bought a couple of these and have found this one in particular to be the best.

A very simple innovation - but very practical.

It does exactly what it says on the tin. lol

Bombbastic22

MisterHorses wrote: »

I have actually bought a couple of these and have found this one in particular to be the best.

A very simple innovation - but very practical.

It does exactly what it says on the tin. lol

Hey thanks, I will order one and see how it goes.

redser7

Compost tumblers are great. Fingal recycling centres have their composters half price at the moment

ART6

There are two important aspects of composting. The first is aeration to keep the mass aerobic (air-breathing bacteria and hence no smells), and the second is temperature. If you simply aerate a composter without retaining heat, then the mass will never get beyond the Mesolithic stage where the bacteria cause a temperature rise of up to about 35 degrees C. That is insufficient to kill weed seeds and pathogenic bacteria (the latter being those that are harmful to human, plant, or animal life).

To get beyond that stage you need to contain the heat so that the mass rises into the thermophilic stage where thermophilic bacteria take over. They can cause the temperature to rise to over 60 degrees, and that is enough to kill seeds and pathogens. That needs insulation, and most "home composters" never get anywhere near that.

Thermophilic bacteria also create a form of antibiotic as a defence mechanism against other bacteria, and this is particularly helpful to plants. I have, for example, completely cured roses of black spot by digging in thermophilic compost around their roots.

So how to create these conditions? Well, I would never waste my time and money on home composters and all the other associated gadgets. If you can insulate a mass of organic material in a container and allow air to enter into the bottom, then thermal lift will aerate it perfectly well. Stick a short chimney on it and it will work even better! Basically, what you need is an insulated box with holes in the bottom and a lid over the top with air vents.

It is possibly worth noting that the EU Directive on composting of organic materials in industrial plants requires the maintenance of a temperature of not less that 70 degrees C for not less than one hour. Without that a product cannot be sold as "compost".

Bombbastic22

ART6 wrote: »

There are two important aspects of composting. The first is aeration to keep the mass aerobic (air-breathing bacteria and hence no smells), and the second is temperature. If you simply aerate a composter without retaining heat, then the mass will never get beyond the Mesolithic stage where the bacteria cause a temperature rise of up to about 35 degrees C. That is insufficient to kill weed seeds and pathogenic bacteria (the latter being those that are harmful to human, plant, or animal life).

To get beyond that stage you need to contain the heat so that the mass rises into the thermophilic stage where thermophilic bacteria take over. They can cause the temperature to rise to over 60 degrees, and that is enough to kill seeds and pathogens. That needs insulation, and most "home composters" never get anywhere near that.

Thermophilic bacteria also create a form of antibiotic as a defence mechanism against other bacteria, and this is particularly helpful to plants. I have, for example, completely cured roses of black spot by digging in thermophilic compost around their roots.

So how to create these conditions? Well, I would never waste my time and money on home composters and all the other associated gadgets. If you can insulate a mass of organic material in a container and allow air to enter into the bottom, then thermal lift will aerate it perfectly well. Stick a short chimney on it and it will work even better! Basically, what you need is an insulated box with holes in the bottom and a lid over the top with air vents.

It is possibly worth noting that the EU Directive on composting of organic materials in industrial plants requires the maintenance of a temperature of not less that 70 degrees C for not less than one hour. Without that a product cannot be sold as "compost".

That all sounds very high-falutent but thanks for the reply.

However, I'm not prepared to discard my compost bin because of this and am delighted with my aerator.