Composter/Hot composter

jagcon1

Hi all,

I have just moved house and we have a good size garden, I have a new Stihl mover that can mulch, I haven't used the mulcher yet and have been collecting the grass in the grass box. I'm thinking of investing in a compost bin, but I'm looking for advice on sizes and options.

The grass box holds 70 litres and the lawn normally needs to be emptied 2-3 times depending on the grass height. I've seen the basic 200 litre options in Woodies etc, but am I better off going for a hot composter?

lets say I cut the grass and i empty the box 3 times , that's roughly 220 litres and if in say 2-3 weeks time I cut it again will the grass in the composter have reduced down enough to refill it again?

Sorry I'm new to all this so any advice would be great.

magicbastarder

you won't be able to put that much grass clippings in a normal compost bin, you'd just end up with a claggy heap. you need a mix of greens and browns, and it wouldn't compost that quickly anyway i suspect.

magicbastarder

that said, i'd be using the mulcher anyway unless you've reasons not to.

jagcon1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119010488#Comment_119010488

Ok thanks for the reply, how often do you mulch your lawn? am i right in saying every 5-7 days?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119010609#Comment_119010609

Twice a week when it's in full growth.

RainInSummer

You need a balance of greens (nitrogen) and browns (carbon) in your compost. All grass will just turn in to a black, stinky, slimy mass.

I'm running a hot composter 3 or 4 years now, I only put the odd bit of grass in, like 20-40l per week, when I do I throw in a handful or three of wood pellets to balance the greens and browns. Mown grass is great to add a bit of quick heat though!

whelzer

I've a Big Pig from Joroform I think - google will help you.

Coming up for almost a year now...its great, Every bit of food waste (bar bones and then some have gone in) from a family of 6 has gone into it. I've a big garden 10m by 20m. About half that is lawn, the rest is veg beds, shrubs and boarders. All and everything goes in. As do all toilet roll tubes and other cardboard if I can be bothered to cut up. It took me a few months to get the green/brown mix right. Even in depths of winter this thing had steam coming out of it. It takes approx 6 weeks to make great compost. having said that, its more of a mulch than a compost. Amazing to see how long certain foods break down. Anything veg/green is gone in days, avocado stones a week or two, stuff like bagels take forever.

RainInSummer

I have the Joraform too. They were expensive before, and the price has gone up by another €100 since I got mine almost 4 years ago.

Mind chicken bones in it. They can get splintery when they cook off in it over the weeks. I gave up on them altogether.

The toughest thing I find is the stone in mangos. They have to go through two cycles to break down.

I also tried a coconut too. That's on its 3rd cycle. It's getting weak now. Everything else just vanishes in a week or two though.

I find that putting an entire load of one side of the composter on the single rhubarb plant I have every winter is perfect for it. Comes out swinging by late Jan and stays strong all year.

Would recommend, but the price is eye watering.