Sun, 31 May 2026 02:54:43 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27464#Comment_27464 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27464#Comment_27464 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:20:38 +0100 helen@carms I know this is the place we can be unashamedly green (well for me greenish as am a little pants at it all), and I also know that eveyone here is more green than me, but I found this website which helps you lobby about clothes, and large supermarkets etc. It is called www.thenag.net. I have started a nag about hotels. Cheifly about overheating and plastic wrapping.

Now to composting.
I am a newbie gardener, and have a compost bin, which I don't think it works too well. I am thinking of getting a food digester which can take all the waste food in the house . Anyone have any advice on a good (total food) composter? I am looking at green cones and Green Johanna,( which for some bizarre reason makes me think of goats and cheese, and The Grandfather.). But then I get distracted by wormeries. OH am confused!]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27477#Comment_27477 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27477#Comment_27477 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:43:39 +0100 mike7 ]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27490#Comment_27490 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27490#Comment_27490 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:02:39 +0100 agu https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27560#Comment_27560 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27560#Comment_27560 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:36:53 +0100 Rachel https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27646#Comment_27646 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27646#Comment_27646 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:24:38 +0100 mike7 Hope this helps
PS not all that green ouselves either - more sort of eau de nil]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27669#Comment_27669 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27669#Comment_27669 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:17:36 +0100 ludite
I have noticed that tunnels are appearing in the black compost bins ( because I chuck in food waste too). Luckily we have 2 cats and we live far from neighbours. I suspect we have rats, but I'm hoping the foxes, badgers, weasles, stoats, owls, and other birds of prey are keeping their numbers down.

My sister tried a worm bin once - she managed to drown them all - they are quite hard work to get established. . . . . . .

To be honest, I have never managed to get compost that looks like it does in the adverts - ie, lift the bin after a year and find what you'd get out of a bag you buy from the garden centre. . . . . . . .

What I do find amazing though, is the way you can keep on filling it up. . . . ..AND . . . .IT . . . . NEVER . . . . GETS . . . .FULL !!!!!!. . . . . . . now that's magic!]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27688#Comment_27688 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27688#Comment_27688 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 07:56:09 +0100 joe.e Posted By: ludite
What I do find amazing though, is the way you can keep on filling it up. . . . ..AND . . . .IT . . . . NEVER . . . . GETS . . . .FULL !!!!!!. . . . . . . now that's magic!
That'll be the large fat rats leaving by the rear entrance.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27698#Comment_27698 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27698#Comment_27698 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:31:36 +0100 ludite why did I not think of that!!!

Having said that, I just planted out the last of my artichokes into a flower bed full of rodent holes. . . . . . the beasties are everywhere.

I know about Viels disease - the deadly one you get from wet rodent pee. But is there any other rodent danger I should know about?]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27704#Comment_27704 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27704#Comment_27704 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:39:22 +0100 joe.e https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27719#Comment_27719 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27719#Comment_27719 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:09:54 +0100 ludite
By the way, Grandpa LOL at your rat observation. Then hubby told me that the compost bins we left at the bungalow worked very well. It seems they just have to be left on their own for about a year before using the stuff. Makes me think I need at least 6 of the things to use in rotation.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27829#Comment_27829 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27829#Comment_27829 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:25:06 +0100 helen@carms
I have no room for a pig (sigh)
I think my compost errs on the side of too little dry stuff rather than not enough. So am going to try adding paper etc. Life does get a little confusing here. And now thoroughly depressed after watching Top Gear (too many vocal men in this house), and realising ALL my tiny green efforts wiped out by ONE program's worth of smug Z list celebrities driving cars round track. Plus, of course, I could do better.
And this is my license fee. (oh and yours.... yes, yours too!)]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27830#Comment_27830 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=27830#Comment_27830 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:41:47 +0100 joe.e https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28088#Comment_28088 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28088#Comment_28088 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:28:02 +0100 helen@carms Cheers
Helen]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28098#Comment_28098 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28098#Comment_28098 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:44:54 +0100 joe.e https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28331#Comment_28331 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28331#Comment_28331 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:47:57 +0100 helen@carms
Thanks to you all for the advice.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28402#Comment_28402 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28402#Comment_28402 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:46:41 +0100 Dominic Cooney I think ideally we could do with a third frame so that we can empty the dormant one into it after 6 months to turn it and fluff it up a bit. It seems to rot down really well, loads of worms etc. and the volume shrinks to at least a quarter of its size. The resultant compost is just like the stuff in the shops, in fact i think it might even be better!
the only thing we leave out is big/long sticks because it makes turning it nigh on impossible, but if we had a chipper I would put that in as well as I think it gives the soil really good bulk.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28515#Comment_28515 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28515#Comment_28515 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:20:34 +0100 mrswhitecat
I have a number of systems on the go :

1) big stuff (mostly big garden prunings in a heap with wood ash and other "this will take a while") type material.
2) proper heap - very careful assembly of materials put together to create a hot, moist-ish, aerobic environment.
3) wormery

These are all situated for convenience ie wormery by the back garage door underneath the oil fired boiler (they need to be kept warm in winter) and a short step from the kitchen, compost heap = bottom of the garden, organic dump = way down the bottom of the garden (where I have found snakeskins and a mouse's nest) ...

I'd love to know if those compost tumblers work as it does seem that compost turning is key.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28516#Comment_28516 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2160&Focus=28516#Comment_28516 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:24:44 +0100 mrswhitecat