Composting bin or wormery?

[Mutley]

I read this thread with great interest a little while ago.

I've been thinking about getting a composter for a while. Reading that thread really encouraged me, as did a friend of mine who has one.

We went to the local garden centre the other day to get one, and saw you could get a wormery as well as a composter. The booklet gave the impression that a wormery might be better - you could compost more.

So my question to all you composting people - what do you think? Whats are the advantages/disadvantages to each?

Thanks!
Mut.

[Salazaar]

Compost heap - it's as big as you want it, you can put pretty much any organic waste on it, there's no real faffing around.

Wormery - you're limited to whatever size you buy, you can only put certain waste in it, you've got to worry about getting the worms.

Apparently wormerys do produce a better quality compost though.

[0iD]

We have 2 compost bins on the go, definately the better option imo.
Plus weeing in it every now & again does it good

[Mutley]

I've just been reading here.
Seems our local council is operating a scheme to provide low-cost compost bins.
Lots of good information on that web site too.

Also just read about The Green Cone. Anybody else heard of this? More expensive than composting, but possibly ideal for us. We have a reasonably large garden, but its all grass, so we have little use for compost. You can put all kitchen waste in it, but it can't take garden waste.

[Salazaar]

If you've got no specific use for the compost I'd just stick to a basic heap, wormerys are good but a bit fussy and that green cone looks like a bit of a gimmick.

Either buy one of those ones on the cheap from the council or just knock one up from a few pieces of wood. Or you could even just have a heap somewhere out of view, you don't need a bin at all.

BBC - Gardening - How to be a gardener - The productive garden - Making your own compost

[Zak33]

There is a great way to try a wormery...they are superb and faster than a composter too.

Here goes.....the basic, try it yourself wormery.

But two plastic storeage boxes, that stack neatly. You only need one lid.

Drill small holes in bottom of one box. Drill many many small holes...all over the bottom. Place this box ontop of the one with no holes.

Place worms in top box, the one with the holes. Place kitchen food waste in this box. Cut it fine,.....it'll help to start with. To begon with only put in vegetable....dont put meat waste in until it is working really well.

Two things happen.

One...the worms eat the food and leave a great supply of compost which you can sieve them out off....but this takes time

Two...the liquid fertilizer of rotten vegetable juice and worm pee seeps into the second box, below. This juice is INTENSE fertiliser. It needs diluting....and then use it on your garden.

You must NOT put the worms in a container with no drainage..they will drown Mine did at my old house

Composting is slower, and needs more heat. It creates heat if yuo are prepared to have an ugly pile in your garden covered with a massive piece of carpet, but I'm not, my composter is the upturned dustbin stlye, with a sliding door on the side. It's working well, but its slow.
I will try a wormery agains soon.

Now...what kinda worms?

Well, you can buy them online, and then you start out fast and efficient. or you can dig them outta yuor garden.,,,,put plenty in, so they breed and multiply. But the kind for efficient wormery are of certain breeds...none of which I know!

[Zak33]

April at Wiggly Wigglers

knew I'd think of it....

they have some "seconds" wormeries on there....might be worth a look

[Mutley]

Thanks - nice ideas! MIght give the home-made wormery a go.
We really want to cut down on the amount of stuff going into the bins. I have to confess to a selfish motive as well as an environmental one. I have to carry the bins quite a long way to the road for the bin men to empty!

[Zak33]

Thanks - nice ideas! MIght give the home-made wormery a go.
We really want to cut down on the amount of stuff going into the bins. I have to confess to a selfish motive as well as an environmental one. I have to carry the bins quite a long way to the road for the bin men to empty!

and there is NO better reason
I want compost for my garden, but dont wanna pay for it or drive to bloody B&Q for it.... and now I dont

it just takes planning