I've run out of compost

[aquilegia]

Well, nearly anyway. I have about a builder's bucket full left.  :(

I do have two compost bins full - one of half done and one of fairly fresh compost. Is there anything I can do to get these done a lot quicker - like in a few weeks?

I've been turning them weekly and mixing in grass clippings to the fresher bin (It is really hot now!) If I mix clippings into the older one would that speed it up significantly? Mr Aqui has been adding his recycled tea on occcassion.

I have shop-bought compost but I don't really want to have to put that in the soil or mulch with it. And as we don't have a car, collecting free compost isn't possible.

[aquilegia]

[chriscross1966]

YOu got a council recycling place nearby?... ours lets us load it ourselves for 28 quid a ton.... that's about 3000 litres BTW....

[aquilegia]

There is one. But it's 9 miles away and we don't have a car, so that's a long way to push the wheelburrow!  ;)

[Ellen K]

Well I know absolutely nothing really but it depends on what you want the compost for.

If it is just a mulch or soil improver and the contents of your bins are nearly there, i would use the contents and just pick out the very raw bits to start up a new bin.

But as I said, I know noooooothing  :)

[Tee Gee]

You don't mention what you plan on growing but you could consider digging shallow trenches at the points where you plan on sowing/planting and spread your semi-prepared compost in the bottom of the trench.

Top the trench up with excavated soil then plant and sow as planned.

By the time the roots get down to the compost it will have rotted down some more.

i.e. work to to same principle as a pea/bean trench!

[aquilegia]

When I plant my young veg I normally put some compost in the bottom of the planting hole or trench and then also mulch over the top as we're on heavy clay and it's only our second year here after the garden not being cultivated properly for decades. So I could definitely do that with the older of my compost bins. I usually do have to pick out big bits anyway.

I'm growing pretty much everything! Obviously I won't do this for carrots and parsnips, but could everything else cope?

Phew! Thanks!

[sunloving]

Hi
Ive been in the Compost drought many times in new gardens.
In the short term your grass cuttings make a good mulch over things if you use them sparingly , i find that they are relatively easy to beg of the neighbours to. just make sure they haent been using weed and feed
In place of the nutients i use chicken manure pellets and newspaper or ut up cardboard for water retention.
Its lovely when all the beds can be mulched and manured but until then good luck with the quick and available method!
x sunloving

[antipodes]

I keep all my compostables in a closed box at home and when it is full I take it to the lottie. there is about 20 litres each time! I kind of followed the bean trench idea this year and at the end of winter, I buried in several corners the contents of a full scraps bin! These will be my "squash corners" this year, where I will sow my squashes! I can see that they are already settling so the contents must be well rotted by now.
You could try this under items that like really rich soil like courgettes, or pumpkins?

[Digeroo]

I  find that things like beans and courgettes are quite happy with fresh veg peelings, cardboard , newpaper and the odd old back etc at the bottom of the hole.  For mulching you can use cardboard cut round the plants just make sure if uou have to water that it gets underneath.   For added nutrients there is always nettle tea it is quite quick.  

But if you are going to use partly rotted compost it is important to ensure there are not perennial weeds in there, stinging nettles dandelions etc.

Hot compost is great for killing weeds but obviously make sure it does not touch your plants or they get cooked as well.

[taurus]

If you buy from the council, have a look at it first.  The lot I got off our council was'n't usable.  More like wood shavings than composte.
Combined it with other stuff into my bins over the next 12 months and left it another year before it was usable.