A composting question which is so naive and embarrassingly idiotic that I can't find an answer to it even among the FAQs on the Composting Awareness Week website.

It's like this. Up to now we (sob, sniff) have always had a decent old fashioned healthily steaming compost heap in a corner of the garden somewhere. No clever extras, just a heap au naturel. And I spent many happy and productive hours lovingly tending to its various needs. (Hmmm. Maybe that's where I went wrong: hindsight is a wonderful thing.)

Anyway. Now I've got a garden about a quarter of the size (more sob, sniff) and I was thinking of getting one of those compost ... things. You know, bins. The naive question is: do they have to be open at the bottom with access to the earth so that compost-chomping creatures can come and go at will; or do they still work if you put one in a remarkably convenient place in which it won't end up dominating the sylvan scene but which would mean it is sitting on concrete with no direct access to Mother Gaia?

George,

You can build a wooden compost bin (though I do wonder if they just rot away after a while) less garish looking:



The Greenwarehouse fellas do 'em, and maybe Homebase or B&Q do too

John W

This might be a naive answer, but could you just import some worms from elsewhere in the EU garden? You can even buy special compost worms.

(It sounds grim, but I have an inkling that you need at least some sort of outlet to drain any excess worm 'liquor' that might build up. Worm composting bins tend to look more like water butts in that respect, with a tap at the bottom.)

Hi George, I bought 2 of The Recycle Works' single wooden bins then assembled them a little apart but linked together to create 3 bins...using some of the top planks to create the back and front of the middle one. I was lucky as several planks were mouldy on arrival and when I rang up to request replacements they sent them but didn't want the mouldy ones back so I then had extra to create my cheating middle bin! The wood has lasted very well and looks nicely weathered now.

I'll be leaving them behind when I too have a much smaller garden  - I might buy myself a single wooden one. Though at present I also have a black plastic bin which works well so I may just get another of those. I'm amazed at how quickly those little red worms appear even without any material from an existing compost heap - the black bin lid is always crawling with them - it's difficult to replace it without squidging them.

Happy composting!

PS I'd have the bin on bare earth and start with a shovelful of compost from a mature heap to speed things up.
PPS
No it isn't!

"Worm,
Eat again,
Don't know where,
Don't know when"



PS Anyone here thinking of applying to be Donald Macleod's Composter of the Week? 

His premature death was such a shock and so sad - he was a lovely man and inspirational gardener.

I wonder how Pond Clearing Sunday is progressing? 

And the Lord said unto the Pond Clearists, 'Let the sprinkling commence'. And it was so, yea even on pain of visitation unto Homebase. And the Lord further did say, 'Taketh care that thy wellies do not become too besmerch'd of the foul substances of the Earth, nor trample my Creatures underfoot be they small or large, and above all else divest thyself thereof before entring thine abode else suffer the wrath of thine life-partner and child'.